old friends

My quest to do something other than work and study is going pretty well. Even if I'm not getting a ton of physical activity, I'm proud of myself for putting the computer down and doing something different for a change.

This morning, I did something I haven't done in years: I finished reading a book. A regular book. "Kitchen Confidential", by Anthony Bourdain. I went through a period from late 2006 to the middle of last year where I was obsessed with his TV show, "No Reservations", so I thought I would read his book. It was entertaining and an eye-opening look at what goes on in restaurant kitchens.

The last couple of nights, I've spent at least an hour reading, with music going in the background and no computer on. It's been a lot of fun, and I think it's helping my overall state of mind. Years of multitasking have taken their toll--I'm rarely able to focus on any one thing for too long. Turning off a few gadgets and just reading has been great. I think I'll continue.

January has been movie madness month here. I've seen more movies than I can remember this month, but here are some of them:

Omega Man
The Great Debaters (which it right now)
Slumdog Millionaire
Doubt
Gran Torino
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Wrestler
Eagle Eye
Thunderball
For Your Eyes Only
Meet Bill
Vantage Point
Maxed Out
Outsourced
Silent Running
The Professional
The King of California
Jackass 2.5
The Illusionist
Tortilla Soup
Seven Years in Tibet
War, Inc.
The Women
Forgetting Sarah Marshall

The best of all these? "Gran Torino", hands down. Good story, funny, a bit of a surprise ending. "Slumdog Millionaire" would be a close second. Any praise you hear for either of these movies is well justified. Anyway, I'm sure I'll be seeing more movies soon.

With spring only five months away, I'm looking forward to having more opportunities to do different things. I've been itching to get into photography more, and my bike has been gathering dust for over a year, so it's time to pull it out. Time will other what other adventures lurk outside my computer and office.