31

So if it's true that 30 days has September, April, June, and November, than that must mean that March has 31 days. 31 days. That's a good chunk of time to accomplish lots of things. However if I think back on the last 31 days, and the 31 before that, I realize I haven't completed entirely too many noteworthy accomplishments... key word: noteworthy, something I can be proud of for myself.

Hence, I am starting a 31 day challenge for myself (and I hope to inspire yinz to try something similar). I composed a list of 31 things that I would be proud of myself for, with the intention of checking one off the list every day. These aren't big things, and this is by no means a bucket list since I hope not to die in the next 31 days. I'll blog daily blurbs to let you know how it's going and to hold some accountability for myself.

Without further ado, here's the dirty thirty (one), in no particular order:

Watch a black and white movie
Volunteer somewhere
Call a friend and talk for more than an hour
Read the New York Times from cover to cover
Write and mail a letter to my Grammy
Do something manly
Do something girly
Go see a new local band
Start a new artistic project
Go through all of my clothes and give away what I don't wear
Update the HTML code of my blog
Cook something challenging
Explore a new Pittsburgh neighborhood, on foot (or bike)

... damn, 31 is a lot ...

Sketch a self-portrait (ugh)
Play a game of real, non-computer chess with a real, non-computer person
Buy a new CD, from a record store
Have a slumber party with my best friends from home
Have one internet-free day (iPhone included, notifications OFF...email allowed)
Read a short story in an entirely new genre
Eat a new food for every meal one day
Get my favorite pictures printed and make a physical album
Watch "The Big Lebowski" (never saw it)
See a local play
Play an outdoor sport
Have a drink (or two) with my mom
Learn something new from my stepdad
Learn a magic trick
Sell something on Ebay (never did this before and I don't need my iPod no mo')
Skype with someone >500 miles away
Go on a hike
Learn how to count to 31 in 5 languages... why not?!

Bahh, I kinda regret this already. It's going to be a busy month. Bring it.

Yours,
J

Method Audience

You may be familiar with method acting. It's when performers completely envelop themselves into the role they have taken on to bring a very real and believable portrayal. One big time method actor is the always lovable and eloquent: Christian Bale.

Such a sweet guy

Other greats include Pacino, Daniel Day-Lewis, and my main man Robert De Niro.

I bring this up because like my peers that I just mentioned, I also envelop myself for movies... but as the viewer. Around 3 am this morning as I was finishing "Shutter Island" during a particularly slow night at the hospital, I came to terms with the fact that the movie had made me a conspiracy theorist (and perhaps a manic). And I got to thinking... every time I watch a good movie it completely consumes me for about a month. Happened with Inception last month - I read articles online, I referenced it in conversation several times a day, I drew out elaborate diagrams to address hidden movie themes (this is where the manic part comes in). And I wanted to remember the first time I let this happen. And I think it was with "The Deer Hunter". I saw this for the first time about 3 years ago (it's actually what started my De Niro kick), and I didn't sleep, I just thought about it, and went over the situations in my head and put myself in it:

I plan on watching "The Deer Hunter" after I finish this post

But it's not just movies, I did it with "Lost" too. Granted I did watch the entire 6 seasons in a two month span. I talked to John Locke in my dreams and hallucinated the Smoke Monster as I crossed the Birmingham Bridge. Going on my family vacation to Aruba was probably the worst way to get over my obsession. Things just seemed off on that island...



Well I guess it wasn't all bad...

Bwahaha! I had to, I miss Sawyer.

I suppose I just have an addictive personality, or mild to moderate delusional tendencies.

Who loves ya, baby?

Happy Valentine's Day, lovers! This is my first single Valentine's Day in a long while! And I don't hate it ;-) It's a lovely day in Pittsburgh and I actually woke up at a decent hour and had a nice breakfast. Life is sweet.



So let's address the large, pink-heart-clad elephant in the room. I realize I haven't blogged in over a fortnight. More like 10 fortnights (it means 14 days, I looked it up). Apologies, I needed inspiration and I have finally found it.

I realized that all I do is read other people's opinions, all day. Seriously, all day. Routine: Wake up, cook 2 eggs over-easy, two pieces of turkey bacon, and 2 pieces of wheat toast (I really do this every morning) all the while reading the latest stories on NYtimes.com. Then I get to work and read all of my RSS feeds (gossip blogs, music blogs, science blogs, blog blogs). Then I do some work, -break-, read some Facebook newsfeeds, more work, chain email with my friends. By this time there are new RSS feeds to read and so it goes.

So no wonder I have the "Who am I?" feelings and "Why am I here". It's because I haven't been in touch with my silly ole self in a long while. That's the deepest psychoanalysis I'll go into, ever, I promise.

So my solution to this dilemma has been that I keep a journal now. It's a dope moleskine journal identical to the one Hemingway kept. Not comparing myself to Ernie in the slightest, I'm sure the context of our entries differed immensely, but at least the covers are the same, ya know - for those who judge by that kind of thing.

Also, I have returned to the blogosphere. I will try to blog weekly and will also try to increase my followers (on twitter too - JamiePGH).

OK, now on to the content...

VALENTINE's DAY!

I'd like to pleasantly reflect on my great romantic loves. I dislike when people grow bitter about love lost and failed relationships. I loved being in love and I'm thankful for how I have grown from my guys! I have had 2 great romantic loves, totally different from each other but equally memorable. To protect the innocent, we'll use pseudonyms: "Foot" and "Chin" should suffice.

Anyway, when relationships expire... we take away memories, some so happy they make us sad. We take away advice on how to approach the next serious relationship. And probably most importantly, we take away jewelry.

From Foot: Not a wedding band, luckily. But Tiffany's ;-)

Chin: This set gets me more compliments than anything else

Freshwater pearls from Foot, love em

I'm not materialistic, this stuff means a lot to me, which is why I still treasure it! Lately my most valued piece of jewelry is a simple silver chain that I wear with everything. It came from a dear, dear friend who was cleaning out his mother's jewelry box after she passed away a few months ago. So I am thinking about my friend and all my other cherished loves today :-)

Love to my D.P.'s

So keep your head's up, my singlita's, life is swell! DO NOT watch P.S. I Love You today, don't do it to yourself! Watch Rocky I, II, and III, then go to bed. The end. And smile.