FaN Notes [Week 4 of 2011

Wondering how long it will take me to stop writing 2010 and then having to delete and correct with 2011. So far I’ve made this mistake four weeks and counting. Sad. How are you all doing with this?

Other than that, let’s get into my notes re this week at Fierce and Nerdy.

1. Missy’s meditation on the fact that her partner, Raoul only uses cash made me realize that I couldn’t remember the last time I used physical cash other than coins to pay a meter. I hate dealing with it now. I judge (and don’t return to) retailers and restaurants that don’t accept credit cards. Same goes for the coffee shop that charges a $10 minimum to use one. I’ve seriously considered changing doctors, because she’s in one of those cash-only parking structures, and I’m tired of asking my husband for a five every time Betty or I have an appointment (but I won’t because she’s awesome and has a knack for spot-on referrals). I’m just wondering when we’re going to get technology that allows us to transfer money to our friends in an easier manner. For example, a fellow author invited me out to a movie on Wednesday, and got a bucket of popcorn to share and a soda for me. I hadn’t thought to get cash before leaving the house, so I couldn’t pay for my half of the popcorn or the drink. Surely they should come up with an app for that. [Dork Lifestyle: Raoul is so retro]

I adore kale. And this week's Fierce Foodie by Roya Hamadani featured what looks like a super-yummy recipe for it. Click on the pic to get it.

2. Hey Amy! I’m listening to ONE DAY by David Nicholl’s in the car right now, and you are correct. It rather eerily nails twenties angst and stupidity — so much so, that as a person who both wrote plays and traveled extensively in my 20s, I’m afraid to read on for fear of what he’ll say about your thirties. Very good listen so far. Looking forward to the movie with Anne Hathaway. [Book Simple: The Last Book That Made Me Weep]

3. Joe, though I would probably agree with your assessment of BLUE VALENTINE, seeing as how our tastes skew similarly when it comes to indie movies and not loving TOY STORY 3, I was intrigued by Angela’s comment, which basically boiled down to “This movie really got young divorce.” As someone who has found her enjoyment of many favorite programs compromised by their refusal to show motherhood in a realistic way, I think there’s something to be said for the rare movie that “gets” a certain aspect of life. And while I doubt a cinema verite version of motherhood would be appealing to say, a young childless male, I would find it fascinating. As for your argument that no one would want to watch you deal with a three-day cold just because it was “real,” I’m reading a book on cancer right now, and it’s shocking how much about this disease gets left out of films that are ostensibly about it. No, it would be interesting to watch the day in the life of a sick person, but a very sick person? Yes, that might be interesting. I mean there’s a reason that WIT won all those awards This all goes to argue that perhaps though you and I being indie film lovers presume that we are this film’s target audience, in fact we are not. There are a lot of people who divorced young in this nation, and maybe this film appeals to a market that yearns to be understood and depicted truthfully. Still probably not going to see it myself, tho. [On The Contrary: The BLUE VALENTINE Has No Clothes]

4. Kelly, you think I was kidding when I said that time management was your biggest challenge yet, even more than joblessness or addiction. But sadly I was not. However, I don’t think you’re doing anything wrong in regards time management right now. Let me explain. Before one can manage one’s time, one must prioritize. And before one can prioritize, one must explore all the possible uses for one’s time. Right now you’re in the exploratory stage that you never got to take on because of roller derby and other time sucks. It’s good to figure out what you like to do, what you truly enjoy, what you really want to give your time to. Think about it like dating. Right now, you’re seeing a lot of boys. Eventually you’ll settle down with one boy, but meanwhile you should enjoy yourself as opposed to fretting over not having found the one yet. I say give this exploratory period at least to the end of the year. Then next year, you can start prioritizing, form a specific, action-based plan, and yes, buy this TIME MANAGEMENT FOR CREATIVES book, which I read and re-read before making the changes that allowed me to put my career on the right path. But it’s also the book that convinced me I needed to quit roller derby, so it’s imperative that you don’t read it until you’re done with your explorations. [Nerd in Transition: Time, Time, Time]

5. I think boxed macaroni is gross, but Jeff Rogers has me hankering to try some again, using his special preparation methods. [Hippie Squared: Macaroni Superstar]