I hate waking up with a headache :/
Jan. 11th, 2018 10:45 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sarea
You know those people who only see food as fuel, and not something wonderful and delightful? I wish I were one of those people. :/ The diet/exercise thing is going well so far, but I don't know how long I can keep it up. I haven't really given myself an exercise break, because I'm afraid that by stopping one day, it's a slippery slope and I'll go immediately back to my old bad habits. Food wise, I've been mostly good, but do allow myself to cheat here and there -- not big cheats, but I'm not trying to be perfect, which I know wouldn't be sustainable.
Also, I've decided that once a month, I'm going to allow myself to make a treat of any kind. I enjoy baking, but baking is pretty much always involving something non-healthy. And I've decided once a month, THAT'S OKAY. It will be part of my strategy to keep up the healthy stuff long-term. I can't have NOTHING to look forward to making! Right now, I'm trying to decide between an Oreo roll cake and "easy" croissants; croissants is leading atm. I think every day about making them, lol. I figure having to go through the trouble and work of making them (or whatever my cheat item is for the month) is part of the "payment" for being allowed to eat it!
The headlight situation has been semi-resolved. There's apparently some kind of fuse (or whatever the real name is... I'm using fuse because I can't remember) that connects the headlights to the battery (or something). Lexus has determined that that fuse isn't heavy duty enough, and isn't strong enough to provide the needed wattage to the bulbs, causing them to fail prematurely. The problem is, the fuses are on way, way, WAY backorder. For now, they've replaced the lights, so I have working headlights, but at some point (in the distant future, apparently), I'm going to have to take the car back in, at which point they will replace the fuses and also give me a new set of headlights (the ones in the car now will be removed to be used as loaners for someone else in my situation). The only issue is that the extended warranty on the fuse thing has an expiration, and it will likely expire before the new fuses are available. Now, it seems obvious to me and likely any reasonable person that it's not MY fault if the part needed to fix the issue is on backorder, so this veiled implication that I might somehow be responsible for the cost of the fuses/lights after the warranty has expired is bullshit. The consultant I spoke with said he was "fairly sure" that because I reported the issue before the warranty expiration, it would still be covered... but that is not sure enough for my liking. I hope I won't have to throw a fit at some future date if they try to make me pay for it. :/
I liked Black so much I actually ordered it on DVD. Netflix can't be trusted to keep what they have on the docket, in the future. I got it on eBay knowing that it wasn't an official version (which doesn't seem to be available), but given the availability of HD these days, I wasn't too worried about the quality. It claimed "excellent English (subtitles)," and that was actually my biggest concern. I did test a few episodes, and I was satisfied with that part. I suppose I should rewatch the whole series on DVD just to make sure none of the discs skip and such.
Right now, I'm actively watching four things, which seems like a lot, though if I think of back in the day when we used to watch TV on a network's schedule, I probably watched more.
1) I'm Not a Robot: Two more eps posted last night, but I got home late for work and decided to save them for today, because two more eps will post, so I'll have a total of 4 to mainline all together.
2) Travelers: This one is interesting enough to keep me going, but I also have significant issues with it.
- Still think Eric McCormack is out of his depth a lot. He's supposed to be a team leader and an FBI agent, but he comes off as super whiny a lot of the time. Some of it is the writing/plot development and not his fault, though. For example, why the hell does his character constantly go to that one cop for help, even though he knows and she knows each time that he's breaking protocol??? STOP IT. Figure shit out on your own for once, McLaren. Then there's his 21st century counterpart: His wife is super annoying. There's something about the actress that I don't like, even though that I understand, logically, why the character would behave the way she does.
- I really, really, REALLY hate Carly. She makes stupid decisions, she's not nearly as imposing as they think she is, and oh yeah, did I mention she's constantly making stupid decisions??? It would be SO EASY to get rid of scum like her ex, and yet she lets him into her life over and over again -- and not the way she should!! Why the fuck would she leave her kid with him for TWO DAYS? Why would she be hostile toward child protective services? Why would she make threats at the hearing? You're supposed to be from the future, with all this knowledge and skill -- USE IT. Chris. Watching her is so frustrating, topped only by watching her ex, who I hate with the white-hot intensity of a thousand suns. The fact that he gets to keep "winning" because of her stupidity is really maddening.
- Yep, I hate Marcy, too. I hate her and her storyline. I really despise it when people try to go through things alone, particularly in a situation like hers. What is this martyr complex that everyone has? There are exactly four other people in this world who know who you really are and what you're going through, and you have a REALLY IMPORTANT MISSION. Maybe fucking confide in them about your health issues? YOU'RE THE TEAM MEDIC FOR GODSAKES. Let them HELP you. Or even if they can't, they deserve to KNOW because you could be compromising them! As for her 21st century counterpart, David, I like him a lot. But like everyone else on this show, his character gets compromised by the necessity of the plot, which I think is the thing that drives me the most crazy about the show. Here's this totally decent guy, caring and professional, but he LETS HIS CLIENT LIVE WITH HIM? What?? Why? Why does she even need to? That was never explained to anyone's satisfaction but theirs. And now they've slept together?! Just ew. This is another problem with American shows -- they rarely know how to let relationships slow burn. They jump right into bed with each other, before the audience even WANTS it to happen. Ugh. I know they're going to fix what's wrong with her somehow, when really all I want is for the character to die and go away.
- Right now I like Phillip, which is a surprise since he's the drug addict and I normally fine drug addicts very tiresome. And he definitely was that guy beginning. But he's been better the last few eps, possibly because they've backed off the drug thing. If that comes back, I'll be back to not liking Phillip. His 21st century counterpart is an unlikable douchebag -- a slimy, crooked attorney, who isn't the least charming, like Sal in Breaking Bad.
- Trevor is probably my favorite character, because he seems like a genuinely good, decent guy who's super smart to boot. My issues with him all stem from his 21st century counterparts (can you sense a theme here?). Half the time when he does something to compromise his cover, HE DOESN'T EVEN NEED TO. They're missions where his role is questionable. And then that time he just walked out on his dad when they were supposed to watch a game together -- he could have said something, anything, to say why he had to go, instead of just walking out. So it's like those ties are being sabotaged for NO GOOD REASON AT ALL. And then there's his asshole girlfriend, who could not be more detestable, but then they tried to backpedal on her and imply that she's really a good person who only did all those terrible things because she wanted to be with Trevor! Like, THAT STILL MEANS SHE'S AN ASSHOLE. I was really liking his relationship with the guidance counselor, and was hoping she would be someone he could ACTUALLY confide in, but I guess that's over now, since she was taken over by a Traveler and is, essentially, dead. SIGH. But I *am* really glad that she was the one he wanted to save, and not the asshole girlfriend. I don't normally like student/teacher relationships, and it would have been kind of icky, but given that he's actually one of the oldest humans ever, and she's technically "younger" than him, I would've gotten over it.
- I also really don't like that they're already messing with their own mythology because they're too lazy to follow along with their own rules. The fact that one of the first things McLaren does is break Protocol 6, and he does it OVER AND OVER again! They're supposed to take over people's lives at the moments of their deaths, but they play with this all the time. Like the lady who was going to commit suicide with pills -- she never took the pills, so how was she going to die? And yet there was someone else who "died" when they were going to, even though they didn't do the thing that was going to make them die. And the latest one was Grace Day, who didn't die but was somehow taken over anyway. What??
3) Forest of Secrets/Stranger: This is a really good show that is more about the plot than the relationships -- or at least, I don't care about the relationships, if they're trying to go there. However, because of the lack of that element, it's not always the easiest to watch. It's like eating roasted Brussels sprouts... delicious and good for me, but not the only thing I want to eat.
4) Good Morning Call: Pretty much the opposite of Forest of Secrets, lol. This is pure mind candy... not even the good kind of candy, like Swedish Fish or Aero chocolate bars. This is more like the leftover junk candy from Halloween that you're forced to eat because you're desperate and other people have already eaten all the Twix and Snickers. It's a Japanese drama, and they are at least 10 years behind Korean dramas in look/feel/plot/acting/everything. This one was made in 2016, but it reminds me strongly of Boys Over Flowers in almost every way. I almost never find the Japanese actors attractive -- this guy is ok, but needs a new hairstyle -- and Japanese isn't pleasant to my ears (like mainland Chinese accents, but for different reasons), but this one has a super GP premise so I endured the pilot and will likely endure a few more. Nothing has been so offensive yet that I can't go on, at least. The plotline is basically a rip off of It Started With a Kiss, with some stuff changed. It's interesting, though, because Netflix actually had a hand in producing this one. That's probably why it has multiple seasons, and why, from what I've read, S2 ends poorly. >< Ugh, American television ruins everything. (I might not even watch S2 for that reason!)
Also, I've decided that once a month, I'm going to allow myself to make a treat of any kind. I enjoy baking, but baking is pretty much always involving something non-healthy. And I've decided once a month, THAT'S OKAY. It will be part of my strategy to keep up the healthy stuff long-term. I can't have NOTHING to look forward to making! Right now, I'm trying to decide between an Oreo roll cake and "easy" croissants; croissants is leading atm. I think every day about making them, lol. I figure having to go through the trouble and work of making them (or whatever my cheat item is for the month) is part of the "payment" for being allowed to eat it!
The headlight situation has been semi-resolved. There's apparently some kind of fuse (or whatever the real name is... I'm using fuse because I can't remember) that connects the headlights to the battery (or something). Lexus has determined that that fuse isn't heavy duty enough, and isn't strong enough to provide the needed wattage to the bulbs, causing them to fail prematurely. The problem is, the fuses are on way, way, WAY backorder. For now, they've replaced the lights, so I have working headlights, but at some point (in the distant future, apparently), I'm going to have to take the car back in, at which point they will replace the fuses and also give me a new set of headlights (the ones in the car now will be removed to be used as loaners for someone else in my situation). The only issue is that the extended warranty on the fuse thing has an expiration, and it will likely expire before the new fuses are available. Now, it seems obvious to me and likely any reasonable person that it's not MY fault if the part needed to fix the issue is on backorder, so this veiled implication that I might somehow be responsible for the cost of the fuses/lights after the warranty has expired is bullshit. The consultant I spoke with said he was "fairly sure" that because I reported the issue before the warranty expiration, it would still be covered... but that is not sure enough for my liking. I hope I won't have to throw a fit at some future date if they try to make me pay for it. :/
I liked Black so much I actually ordered it on DVD. Netflix can't be trusted to keep what they have on the docket, in the future. I got it on eBay knowing that it wasn't an official version (which doesn't seem to be available), but given the availability of HD these days, I wasn't too worried about the quality. It claimed "excellent English (subtitles)," and that was actually my biggest concern. I did test a few episodes, and I was satisfied with that part. I suppose I should rewatch the whole series on DVD just to make sure none of the discs skip and such.
Right now, I'm actively watching four things, which seems like a lot, though if I think of back in the day when we used to watch TV on a network's schedule, I probably watched more.
1) I'm Not a Robot: Two more eps posted last night, but I got home late for work and decided to save them for today, because two more eps will post, so I'll have a total of 4 to mainline all together.
2) Travelers: This one is interesting enough to keep me going, but I also have significant issues with it.
- Still think Eric McCormack is out of his depth a lot. He's supposed to be a team leader and an FBI agent, but he comes off as super whiny a lot of the time. Some of it is the writing/plot development and not his fault, though. For example, why the hell does his character constantly go to that one cop for help, even though he knows and she knows each time that he's breaking protocol??? STOP IT. Figure shit out on your own for once, McLaren. Then there's his 21st century counterpart: His wife is super annoying. There's something about the actress that I don't like, even though that I understand, logically, why the character would behave the way she does.
- I really, really, REALLY hate Carly. She makes stupid decisions, she's not nearly as imposing as they think she is, and oh yeah, did I mention she's constantly making stupid decisions??? It would be SO EASY to get rid of scum like her ex, and yet she lets him into her life over and over again -- and not the way she should!! Why the fuck would she leave her kid with him for TWO DAYS? Why would she be hostile toward child protective services? Why would she make threats at the hearing? You're supposed to be from the future, with all this knowledge and skill -- USE IT. Chris. Watching her is so frustrating, topped only by watching her ex, who I hate with the white-hot intensity of a thousand suns. The fact that he gets to keep "winning" because of her stupidity is really maddening.
- Yep, I hate Marcy, too. I hate her and her storyline. I really despise it when people try to go through things alone, particularly in a situation like hers. What is this martyr complex that everyone has? There are exactly four other people in this world who know who you really are and what you're going through, and you have a REALLY IMPORTANT MISSION. Maybe fucking confide in them about your health issues? YOU'RE THE TEAM MEDIC FOR GODSAKES. Let them HELP you. Or even if they can't, they deserve to KNOW because you could be compromising them! As for her 21st century counterpart, David, I like him a lot. But like everyone else on this show, his character gets compromised by the necessity of the plot, which I think is the thing that drives me the most crazy about the show. Here's this totally decent guy, caring and professional, but he LETS HIS CLIENT LIVE WITH HIM? What?? Why? Why does she even need to? That was never explained to anyone's satisfaction but theirs. And now they've slept together?! Just ew. This is another problem with American shows -- they rarely know how to let relationships slow burn. They jump right into bed with each other, before the audience even WANTS it to happen. Ugh. I know they're going to fix what's wrong with her somehow, when really all I want is for the character to die and go away.
- Right now I like Phillip, which is a surprise since he's the drug addict and I normally fine drug addicts very tiresome. And he definitely was that guy beginning. But he's been better the last few eps, possibly because they've backed off the drug thing. If that comes back, I'll be back to not liking Phillip. His 21st century counterpart is an unlikable douchebag -- a slimy, crooked attorney, who isn't the least charming, like Sal in Breaking Bad.
- Trevor is probably my favorite character, because he seems like a genuinely good, decent guy who's super smart to boot. My issues with him all stem from his 21st century counterparts (can you sense a theme here?). Half the time when he does something to compromise his cover, HE DOESN'T EVEN NEED TO. They're missions where his role is questionable. And then that time he just walked out on his dad when they were supposed to watch a game together -- he could have said something, anything, to say why he had to go, instead of just walking out. So it's like those ties are being sabotaged for NO GOOD REASON AT ALL. And then there's his asshole girlfriend, who could not be more detestable, but then they tried to backpedal on her and imply that she's really a good person who only did all those terrible things because she wanted to be with Trevor! Like, THAT STILL MEANS SHE'S AN ASSHOLE. I was really liking his relationship with the guidance counselor, and was hoping she would be someone he could ACTUALLY confide in, but I guess that's over now, since she was taken over by a Traveler and is, essentially, dead. SIGH. But I *am* really glad that she was the one he wanted to save, and not the asshole girlfriend. I don't normally like student/teacher relationships, and it would have been kind of icky, but given that he's actually one of the oldest humans ever, and she's technically "younger" than him, I would've gotten over it.
- I also really don't like that they're already messing with their own mythology because they're too lazy to follow along with their own rules. The fact that one of the first things McLaren does is break Protocol 6, and he does it OVER AND OVER again! They're supposed to take over people's lives at the moments of their deaths, but they play with this all the time. Like the lady who was going to commit suicide with pills -- she never took the pills, so how was she going to die? And yet there was someone else who "died" when they were going to, even though they didn't do the thing that was going to make them die. And the latest one was Grace Day, who didn't die but was somehow taken over anyway. What??
3) Forest of Secrets/Stranger: This is a really good show that is more about the plot than the relationships -- or at least, I don't care about the relationships, if they're trying to go there. However, because of the lack of that element, it's not always the easiest to watch. It's like eating roasted Brussels sprouts... delicious and good for me, but not the only thing I want to eat.
4) Good Morning Call: Pretty much the opposite of Forest of Secrets, lol. This is pure mind candy... not even the good kind of candy, like Swedish Fish or Aero chocolate bars. This is more like the leftover junk candy from Halloween that you're forced to eat because you're desperate and other people have already eaten all the Twix and Snickers. It's a Japanese drama, and they are at least 10 years behind Korean dramas in look/feel/plot/acting/everything. This one was made in 2016, but it reminds me strongly of Boys Over Flowers in almost every way. I almost never find the Japanese actors attractive -- this guy is ok, but needs a new hairstyle -- and Japanese isn't pleasant to my ears (like mainland Chinese accents, but for different reasons), but this one has a super GP premise so I endured the pilot and will likely endure a few more. Nothing has been so offensive yet that I can't go on, at least. The plotline is basically a rip off of It Started With a Kiss, with some stuff changed. It's interesting, though, because Netflix actually had a hand in producing this one. That's probably why it has multiple seasons, and why, from what I've read, S2 ends poorly. >< Ugh, American television ruins everything. (I might not even watch S2 for that reason!)
