Monday, December 30, 2013

December In Review

Well, we've made it through another year! I'm saving my evaluation of my 2013 goals for a separate post, but here's what I experienced during the rest of the month. This also marks a year of me doing monthly reviews as opposed to yearly, and I've really enjoyed it! Planning to put these posts together helps me remember and appreciate each little thing during the month as I go along. I hope you've enjoyed it too.

Heard: I found a bunch of stuff I loved this month (visit my playlist to see it all!) but the one song I couldn't stop playing was Oscar Isaac's rendition of Green, Green Rocky Road. I haven't seen "Inside Llewyn Davis" yet though, have you?



Read: I got a bunch of graphic novels for Christmas (hooray!) and then a bunch of time to read them after getting the stomach flu. I finally got my hands on a copy of "A Kiss Before You Go", which turned out to be not quite as poignant as I expected, but perhaps more real. Not all deaths are picturesque and romantic, not all heartache is expressed with flowery words. And by golly, the title of the book gets me every time. I also read "Underwater Welder", which was also different than I was expecting. I wasn't all that impressed by the story, but I am impressed by how messy illustration can convey so much about a character.

Watched: I had the month off of school, so I got to watch a lot more movies. My favorite Christmas movie is "White Christmas", which I got to introduce to my sister-in-law Olivia. Every time I see this scene, I don't even realize what is going on for the first few seconds. Then, mind blown. / Jonas and I also watched "Now You See Me" which was pretty good except for the last 20 minutes or so when the final "trick" and the reveal and everything are a let down. "My Week With Marilyn" also wasn't hugely impressive, except that Michelle Williams totally nailed that dreamy look that made everyone fall in love with her (MM). Eddie Redmayne isn't too hard on the eyes himself.... / Jonas got "Arietty", one of the more recent Studio Ghibli films, for Christmas, and we both thought it was lacking in plot, but the imagination in all the Ghibli films, as well as the beautiful glimpses of Japan and the expert illustration is a treat, regardless. / We finished the Hulu British series Misfits which I can't in good conscious recommend, but if you watched it, let's just agree that the finale was brilliant. / I have saved the best for last, and it is a gem. I think "Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries" is the first Australian TV I've ever watched, and it has me wanting so much more! At first, Miss Fisher's character was a little too coquettish for me, but she's grown on me, and her wardrobe covers a multitude of sins. There are oodles more that I can hardly bare not to post, but I'll leave it to you to watch the show or google your brains out in delight. [images: 1, 2]

























Tasted: Still not much cooking on my part, but I did help with Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dinners at my parent's, which were delicious and tons of fun. Thai/Vietnamese and Indian, respectively. It's not something new that I make, but here is a killer recipe for Chicken Satay with peanut dipping sauce.
































Browsed:
  • 40 incredible photos from history, many of them tragic. Three of my favorites are this little girl undergoing medical therapy with ducklings (1956), the kids getting fresh air in their window cages, and the "beautiful suicide". 

































  • A humorous letter to Santa from a 10-month-old. This blog is quickly getting itself on to my list of favorite mom blogs. Because it makes me laugh a lot. 
  • A well thought out guide for how to help depressed people. 
  • Rueter's best photos of 2013. Most of them are terribly sad, and many of them will make you cry. Number 36 gets to me especially, for some reason. 
Experienced:
  • Several trips to Santa Barbara to meet up with various friends, which is always enjoyable. 
  • Christmas shared with Welches and Tuckers, and with friends from Ohio visiting which was extra special. 
  • I think I already mentioned there's a flu going about these parts, but I definitely experienced a lot of vomit, my own and the other kind. 
Ishmael: Took it upon himself, starting Christmas day, to start throwing real tantrums with a terribly throaty and hoarse cry accompanied by hitting his own face and tearing away from anyone trying to hold him. It would be hilarious if I weren't the one who had to deal with it. But he has also started roaring at everything (happily) like a lion or monster, which is somehow cute, and making a ridiculous and cute imitation of a horse neighing.

Loved: The colored lights I put in our laundry room for the holiday and reaching a point where I was so shopped out that I did not buy a single thing for myself on either of my Santa Barbara day trips. BOO-YA!

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season, and may 2014 be full of new adventures. 

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