The Lovely Bones

I just got home from seeing one of the BEST movies I've seen in my 31 years--The Lovely Bones. Peter Jackson of Lord of the Rings fame made a beautiful, stunning should-be-an-epic film. I won't give anything away, but if you are a fan of moving storylines and gripping climaxes, this is a movie for you. I knew I would like it before I ever watched the movie because I read the book back a few years ago before it became popular, and it hit a nerve with me. I don't know if it's because of my sister's death from so many moons ago, but I recognized myself in this story. The Lovely Bones was such a mesmorizing book I didn't want it to end. Skirting the border between human reality and the imagined wonders of heaven, I felt I had been introduced to a world both tangible yet so far away all the same.

What do you think?

2010 already?

This time last year I made a resolution to be happier...happier with my health, my weight, my love life, etc. I just didn't know how much happier I'd be New Year's Eve 2010 than I was for 2009. Heath-wise, I *think* I'm in pretty good shape--no major battles to report. Weight? Well, I'm down 40 pounds from where I was a year ago, except I've eaten like a bear going into hibernation over the past two weeks. I'm back on my regiment of smaller portions, healthier eating, and working out 3 days a week starting on Monday. You know you can't start anything diet-related on any other day, right? :) And my love life?  Let's just say I'm in a great place with Joon, and I can't wait to see what 2010 brings for the both of us together.

New Year's Eve took all of us--Joon, his sister, Ji-Yoon, and me--to a cool Chinese restaurant in Westport called New Peking. The food was unbelieveably good with the portions out of control. For the three of us, our table looked like a mini buffet. The best part was getting up late this morning and finishing off the leftovers.

After dinner, the three of us went to Argosy Casino to test our our luck for the new year. Who knew SO many people would have the same idea? It was crazy busy--"investors" spending money left and right. I was pleasantly surprised to have only lost $5.00 in the four hours we spent playing the slots. Not bad...it could have been worse. At the countdown to midnight, we toasted each other with our champagne and welcomed in 2010 with open arms.

In the same fashion as last year (I figured it worked for me then, it can do it again!), here are some of my thoughts about the upcoming year. I'm not calling them resolutions because those always get broken.

*Continue on my track to get healthy. I'd like to be down 20 pounds by my birthday and another 20 pounds by the end of summer. I will officially be in my ideal weight range if I can succeed with both of those.

*Continue working out 3x a week. This seems to be the easiest of the two because I've sort of actually learned to enjoy going to the gym. YIKES!

*Keep my house clean. I've always been one to be organized, but when it comes to dusting, vacuuming, sweeping, mopping, etc., not so much. Soze doesn't help matters since she loses about a pound of hair a day, but I'm determined to keep on top of the dirt this year.

*Learn to cook for myself. I don't cook at home hardly ever. For me, it's so much easier to stop through at Subway or Long John Silver's or Taco Bell or any other fast food place than it is to whip up a meal for one. However, in order to save money, eat healthier, and show Joon that I can actually make something NOT out of a box, I have to learn to refine my skills in the kitchen. Does anyone know of any good, simple, healthy recipes? Rachel Ray's 30-minute meals is my kind of cooking, but even her food tends to require ingredients I normally don't have in my house.

*Finally, become free of credit card debt and save up for a new car. My little Focus is turning 10 years old this year, and it's time to say goodbye. While I'm not sure what kind of car I'll actually get, the new Kia Soul looks SOOO cute!!

Monday means work again, but I'm not dreading this next semester. Nicole, my student teacher, begins on Monday, and will be with me pretty much until she graduates in May. Yea me! I'm looking forward to getting some much-needed organization done in my room at school while she's teaching, plus taking the opportunity to actually impart knowledge on someone new. Look out world!