This is what it's all about.

[katernater]

I'm back in Fort Wayne for the holiday weekend. The last couple of days have been wonderful. Yesterday, I woke up early and jetted across town to the theater to see an 11:05 showing of X-Men: First Class, which lived up to absolutely every one of my expectations. Although, after looking at my Tumblr dash lately, I felt as if I'd already seen half the movie. It didn't matter. James McAvoy was civil and dignified and Michael Fassbender made me feel funny feelings, especially when he wore slim trousers and turtlenecks that made him look like a glorious tribute to male geometry. (Seriously. This guy had the classic '60s 'A-frame' thing going on. Me gusta.) After I got home my family and I went out to Chipotle for lunch. My brother had randomly entered a drawing for a free meal a couple of weeks ago, and they drew his name. He was nice enough to invite my mom, dad, and me along. We got whatever we wanted for free! I got tacos carnitas, which hit just about every one of my happy places. There was so much food on our table that we had a hard time navigating around the chips and tortillas. We felt like kings! Afterward, my brother and I made a trip to Barnes & Noble. My brother is going to Ireland and England next year, so he bought a travel guide. I demonstrated a tremendous amount of restraint and did not buy anything (although I had my eye on one of those Nook Colors. Does anyone have one of those? Can you sell me on reasons why it needs to be a part of my life?).

Today, the family and I went to Defiance, Ohio for a family reunion. I haven't seen my mother's side of the family -- not the extended bits, anyway -- since my grandfather's funeral in 2001. My relatives live on a big parcel of land out in the middle of the country. They have a beautiful pond, a deck, and a go-kart track. They even rented a bouncy castle for the reunion! (My mom and I, especially, had fun in the bouncy castle.) We just got home a little while ago and I went out for a quick run before taking a shower and bunking down for the night. I managed to get my hands on the first season of Modern Family and I really like it so far. It's not at all what I expected. I just got to the episode where Edward Norton makes a cameo appearance as a member of Spandau Ballet. Hilarious.

Tomorrow my family and I are going to have a cook-out in the backyard. I'm going to have to leave to get back to Terre Haute sometime tomorrow afternoon, but it's been a really nice few days. I needed the break. The term has been up and down, especially the last couple of weeks. I'm learning how to budget my time -- and my patience. I still really enjoy what I'm doing and honestly can't see myself being anywhere else right now. I know that, eventually, I'd like to take the plunge and go overseas to teach. My cousin is spending the summer in a chateau in France, tutoring some rich family's kids. I think I could do that: live Brideshead Revisited style while teaching elocution or something. It would be ideal for me to get some experience stateside first, then try my hand at continent jumping. I'd love to see Asia. Anywhere, actually, so long as it's an adventure.

I'm going to spend tonight hanging out, watching Modern Family and reading Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. A perfect end to a perfect day.

Happy Fourth of July to all of my American friends! I hope your holidays are wonderful!

Comments

[another-myself.livejournal.com]

[katernater.livejournal.com]

♥!

[muji]

You know they're making a movie of Tinker...

[katernater.livejournal.com]

I know! The cast list is phenomenal.

[ceitfianna]

That sounds like an awesome weekend and I'm glad you enjoyed X-Men.

[katernater.livejournal.com]

It has been, and I really did.

How've you been? How're things going? :D

[ceitfianna]

Pretty good, this week and last week are kind of off for me which is nice. If the weather wasn't so hot, I'd be out doing more things. I spent yesterday watching Shakespeare Retold with a friend from grad school and feeling lazy.

In the coming week, I've got a draft of a grant to start and I need to actually start applying for jobs.

At this point, I've decided not to think about those things until Tuesday as my proper diploma from New Zealand arrived at my parent's place and life is good. Also I've been writing quite a lot of fic and OOMery type things for Milliways, which makes me feel productive too.

[katernater.livejournal.com]

I enjoyed Shakespeare Retold when I saw it. I'm glad that you're getting a chance to relax. It sounds like you've needed it. :)

[ceitfianna]

Yes, I adore all the movies and that dvds are some of my go tos when my mood is bad. Also a great number of Will Scarletts' icons come from that version of MacBeth. It was great to share them with an amazing friend I've made at SI who also loves Shakespeare.

We had such a relaxed day. She brought beer and I had to go grocery shopping so I added snack stuff to my normal list. We ate hummus, guacamole, salsa with pita chips and sesame sticks and it was lovely.

She's also one of my two see movie with folks, thanks to her and the_croupier I've been getting to movies more which I love.

[katernater.livejournal.com]

Oh really? What have you seen lately that you recommend?

[ceitfianna]

Just Thor and X-Men, I've seen them both twice thanks to my friends. They're just great summer movies.

[gracielu.livejournal.com]

As a B&N alumna, I can tell you that you don't need a Nook, but I have loved having mine!

Space: I have a limited amount of space, and my library is currently ridiculous, so I love having the option to buy digital books first (which are cheaper most of the time) and then deciding whether or not I want them to be part of my library.

Convenience: It's kind of a space thing, too, but I always used to have books in my car, so I'd have something to read on my lunch breaks or if I had to go to an appointment or something and was going to be waiting for awhile. Now I just throw my Nook into my bag and I've got 100+ books to choose from. The last time I took an extended vacation, books took up about 13 pounds of my weight allowance in my suitcase, so this is a lot more convenient. *g*

Free Books: There are a ton of free books available on Nook, plus every Friday is Free Book Friday, ranging from classics to history to new fiction/1st in series books. Nice way to try things out without spending money. You can check out library books, too, as well as loan books with people who have the B&N application (they don't have to have a Nook)

With the Nook Color, you also have a tablet, so you can check email, LJ, IJ, Facebook, and whatever other sites you use. And now with APPS! And since it's Android-based, the device gets updated without you having to upgrade to a new one i.e., the apps were part of an update that came through a month or 2 ago, so people who bought theirs before then could just download the update and it was just like the new Nooks.

In my personal opinion, most e-readers are pretty comparable as far as what they do/offer. Kindle doesn't have a Nook Color-type device yet, but I imagine they will within the next 6 months because everyone's competing with everyone else all the time. The one thing that I like about Nooks better is the fact that if you have problems with it, you can call/go in to a B&N and talk to a person, as opposed to having to do everything through a computer (send the device back through the mail, wait for a replacement, etc.) Most stores offer free classes at least once a month, too, that will teach you how to do some of the more advanced stuff.

Also? They're really fun (comparably inexpensive) toys!

[katernater.livejournal.com]

This is terrific information! Thank you!

[ohbilliejean.livejournal.com]

Dude, your weekend sounds like it was amazing.

[katernater.livejournal.com]

It was pretty damn good. How're you?

[ohbilliejean.livejournal.com]

Not bad. Watching Labyrinth for what feels like the hundredth time since I hired it out yesterday for Jess. Good thing I love this film, otherwise I'd be going nuts by now.

[katernater.livejournal.com]

You're a good mother. Some parents probably wouldn't be able to stand listening to "Magic Dance" for the billionth time. :D

[ohbilliejean.livejournal.com]

Being a Bowie fan certainly helps, I have to say.

[highlander_ii]

regarding your question about the Nook, I give you a post of epic review of ereaders of all varieties by someone who has used quite a few: http://helens78.dreamwidth.org/1100172.html (no, not me, I only have a Kindle and love it to bits!)

I'll say \o/ bouncy house, even though I can't bouncy in them b/c it makes me start hacking up lungs that I need for breathing... no idea why, but I get to laughing and get into this 'cannotbreathecanonlycough' mode, thus less fun, but \o/ for ppl who *can* bouncy in them!

[katernater.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

Bouncy castles are definitely a workout. I'm surprised no one's cornered the market on the bouncy castle home workout DVD market yet.

[highlander_ii]

Yeah - I wish I knew what it was that sent me into coughing spasms, b/c bouncy houses/castles are v. fun...

You know, I think the only preventative from cornering the home workout for the bouncy castle is the space limitation... unless you can make a small version that will fit *inside* the home. XD

[msconduct.livejournal.com]

Happy day of independence! As a reminder of what you managed to break away from: it occurred to me the other day that of all the Americans I know you're the most likely to appreciate chap-hop, possibly the most British music ever after Land Of Hope And Glory. Apologies if you're already familiar with the oeuvres of Mr B The Gentleman Rhymer and Professor Elemental: if not, here are samples of their sterling work:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSflRlHPay4&feature=related


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iRTB-FTMdk

It is, of course, compulsory to be entirely in the camp of one or other of these splendid gentlemen. The good Professor all the way!

[katernater.livejournal.com]

I'd not seen these before! Thank you so much for sharing them!

[farstepper.livejournal.com]

You should get a Kindle! Or an iPad with the Kindle App! Then I could loan you ebooks :D (I'm choosing to ignore the fact that I could do this now and you could just read them on your computer)