Prince Caspian

Not only is he (Ben Barnes) hot, but the movie — which I just watched in my hotel room — is amazing.

I even added the soundtrack to my Amazon wishlist, as Regina Spektor makes an appearance (The Call) along with Swithchfoot. A worthy CD, even though the majority is purely instrumental (which, of course, I have no issues with; instrumental music is completely okay with me).

I rarely watch movies when I'm out of town on business. I usually read books or do schoolwork. Tonight, I chose to relax and do nothing exciting. I'm glad I chose to pay up-the-ass for The Chronicles of Naria: Prince Caspian.

Why am I such a sucker for this particular series? (I like it more than Harry Potter, to tell you the truth). In third grade — back in 1979 — my teacher read the novels to my class. This was the older series, mind you, before they were "re-ordered", and I happened to buy the boxed set (which I still own) and finish the seven books before Mr. Holman finished reading them to an eager group of eight-year olds.

I love the series. I love the fantasy. The religion. The magic. Susan, Lucy, Edmund, and Peter were the Harry, Hermione, and Ron of my generation. And while they didn't make as much money, I do believe Narnia is a much more timeless idea. 

Narnia, reading, movies, Harry Potter, Amazon

Leave a comment	tired
Posted by MCoenen in Multimedia	nothing right now
Permalink |	nothing

Things That Make Me Smile

I've seen Kathe twice in the past week. Once for coffee, and once to design a birthday invitation for her daughter and compile music CDs for her classes at the "Y". It's been nice to see her. (She looks amazing!) Reconnecting with old friends is a great thing. 

I'm going to be designing and hosting a business website for a friend. I'm excited about that, as web design and related work — even though I'm self-trained — is always fun for me. And getting paid for it? Even better. We have a business lunch (though we are also friends without benefits) this coming Saturday to discuss preliminaries. 

I start teaching TWO classes at The University I Teach For in two weeks. Great extra money. I'm hyped.

I've graduated from Roosevelt University with a 4.0 GPA and an actual graduate certificate in Training and Development. Now I'm much more marketable. 

My boss has given my multiple projects at work. While this means I'm much busier, it also means he realizes I'm good at my job and can complete said tasks. Needless to say, I'll be traveling a lot in the next couple of months. I'm okay with that. Because travel is all paid for. I enjoy it. And it's my job.

Crossword puzzles.

I've sold many books on Amazon and made some good money! I think I'm going to ship some stuff — just because — to out-of-town friends (Kristen, Caleb, Amy) just because.

friends, school, education, work, happy, teaching

3 Comments	happy
Posted by MCoenen in Keen Things	nothing yet
Permalink |	Nancy Grace is on

When I Take a Dump...

I do crossword puzzles.

Really. I've decided that I need to use my head more (the one above my shoulders, perverts — though the other gets it's fair share of use, too). And retain the many brain cells I have.

So, at the market the other day, I spent an extra $4 on an "Easy Crosswords To Go!" book by Dell Crosswords. 96 all new puzzles! Why the easy level? I can complete an entire crossword in 15 minutes. Or less. And taking a shit takes five... if that. So after I squeeze a few turds out and my ass has relaxed, my brain is still working hard. 

Figuring out what "decay slowly" (rot), "craps cube" (die), and "that stag's" (his) means.

Dropping a load has taken on a whole new meaning for me. Yes, I'm emptying part of my body (bowels), but I'm filling another (my brain). How bad could that be?

brain, puzzles, mental, shit, poop, dump, bathroom, reading

3 Comments	tired (long week)
Posted by MCoenen in Not Quite Sure	Easy Crosswords To Go!
Permalink |	Already In - Jon McLaughlin

Kathe (Yes, Spelled Correctly) and Coffee

I met my friend Kathe for coffee last night at Starbucks. Why Starbucks? I can walk there from my apartment, and she lives mere blocks from me, so it was also close for her. We've chatted off and on for years via e-mail, but I did not see her or hang out with her as much as I should have. Which is odd, as my previous apartment was on this same side of town, and she still wasn't that far away.

In any case, I'm rekindling many friendships I previously ignored, so we set a time. She had her caffeine-free beverage, and I drank too many of the caffeinated variety. (As I always do... I'm a coffee snob.)

And we chatted for hours. About me. About her. About our lives. And about the lives of the friends/acquaintances we have in common. It was a great time, and I look forward to spending more time with Kathe and, maybe, her kids (all three of them).

(I know I'll see more of Kathe, as she wants to use my computer for some work-related stuff. She needs to make some CDs for the classes she teaches at the Y, and I do have quite a bit of music appropriate for her spinning students).

Kathe, Starbucks, coffee, friends

3 Comments	tired (late day at work)
Posted by MCoenen in Family and Friends	nothing right now
Permalink |	watching a horror movie

Fall TV Schedule — At Least as of Today

So I went through the fall television lineups at TV.com and have figured out what I am going to watch this next season. It appears that the Fall 2008 season is chock-full of science-fiction and drama which is good. Those genres are two that I enjoy. Though it also means many shows won't make it past one season, as the American public, in general, doesn't do sci-fi or horror on network television well.

One show that did not make my list is the revamped 90210. While I did enjoy the first few seasons of the original series, I have absolutely no desire to watch the new one.

As of today (because things are always changing), I am planning on taping the following series:

MONDAY:

Terminator: The Sarah Conner Chronicles (FOX 7:00)
CSI: Miami (CBS, 9:00)
My Own Worst Enemy (NBC, 9:00)

Edward Albright is a super spy. Henry Spivey is living the normal American dream in the suburbs with his wife, two kids and dog. The two men have one thing in common - they share the same body because Edward took part in an experiment several years earlier to create a split personality. Henry has never met his alter-ego Edward, and one day he receives an email from Edward saying that people are coming to kill him. Now, the super spy and the suburban daddy have to learn to live with each other in the same body. (Starring my favorite... Christian Slater)

TUESDAY:

Fringe (FOX, 8:00)

Dawson's Creek's Joshua Jackson will play the lead role of Peter Bishop, a smart guy with many gambling debts. The Secret Life of Us's Anna Torv will play Olivia Dunham, a young, tough FBI agent who has to confront an unexplained phenomena. (Think X-files, only not as good?)

Reaper (The CW, 8:00)
Eli Stone (ABC, 9:00)
The Cleaner (A&E, 9:00)

WEDNESDAY:

Knight Rider (NBC, 7:00)

Justin Bruening stars as Mike Traceur, the estranged son of Michael Knight (David Hasselhoff). Mike teams up with KITT—an artificially intelligent Ford Shelby GT500KR—to fight crime in this continuation of the 1980s cult favourite. 

Pushing Daisies (ABC, 7:00)
Criminal Minds (CBS, 8:00)

THURSDAY:

Ugly Betty (ABC, 7:00)
Supernatural (The CW, 8:00)
CSI (CBS, 8:00)
Eleventh Hour (CBS, 9:00)

This Jerry Bruckheimer produced sci-fi series on CBS is an adaptation of a British thriller of the same name. The new show is about a special science adviser to the US government who saves people from the worst abuses of science. He is accompanied by his feisty female bodyguard.

The Listener (CBS, 9:00)

Toby Logan is a 24-year-old paramedic who can read people's thoughts. The show, which contains humorous and tragic elements, follows Toby as he uses his power to solve crimes.

FRIDAY:

Ghost Whisperer (CBS, 7:00)

SATURDAY:

Law & Order: SVU (NBC,9:00)

SUNDAY:

Cold Case (CBS, 8:00)
Brothers & Sisters (ABC, 9:00)

television, shows,

3 Comments	accomplished
Posted by MCoenen in Multimedia	nothing
Permalink |	Jon McLaughlin (Indiana)

Real Life

Dear Diary: Heather told me she teaches people "real life." She said, "Real life sucks losers dry. You want to fuck with the eagles, you have to learn to fly." I said, "So, you teach people how to spread their wings and fly?" She said, "Yes." I said, "You're beautiful."

That's all. Why? The above movie quote deserves an entry all its own.

Heathers, movie, quote

5 Comments	tired (long day; just got home at 8:00)
Posted by MCoenen in Life and Living	nothing
Permalink |	nothing

Straight....

"A"s. 

(Not my sexual orientation, by any means).

My final class at Roosevelt University (Chicago/Schaumburg/Online) is over this current week (though I had all required work completed and turned in this past Saturday morning). My grade for the class? An A.

My grade for all five classes? A. A. A. A. A.

(What classes did I take? Adult Learning Theory & Application, Introduction to Training & Development, Instructional Methods & Delivery, Learning Technologies, Organizational Communication)

Is anybody surprised? Heh. It makes the money spent (and it was quite a bit) worth it. Not only does this piece of paper — a graduate certificate as opposed to another master's degree I really don't need — make me more marketable, the 4.0 GPA for the five classes makes me feel the entire process was worth it. So, not only do I have BS and MA degrees, I have about 100 graduate hours above my master's degree. Unfortunately, those hours are in various areas (special education, gifted education, counseling, training and development, adult education), or I'd have a PhD. Or two.

Yeah. I suppose I'm stroking my ego in this post. But, remember, it's all about me. And it's rare I have the chance to brag and share my happiness and excitement with others. 

education, school

5 Comments	excited
Posted by MCoenen in University	nothing right now
Permalink |	TV is on

Begone, Books!

I've started selling books on Amazon.com again. I listed a total of eight books yesterday, and I have already sold two. It's amazing the money people will pay for used copies of gay novels (not erotica, mind you, actual novels), though my books are typically in perfect condition. I don't dog-ear the pages or bend the spines. And my prices on Amazon are always lower than the price for a new copy. 

I have mailing envelopes and bubble-wrap; however, I am unable to locate any packing tape. My plans of staying in for the day and being lazy have changed, as I now have to walk to the store.  These books need to be mailed out tomorrow.

I do need some fruits and vegetables. And another pitcher for iced-tea. And some cheese. So I suppose the change-of-plans is a good thing.

Two paperback books. A profit — after postage — of around $15. Not bad for two book that would otherwise be collecting dust on one of my four bookshelves.

books, reading,

Leave a comment	accomplished
Posted by MCoenen in Multimedia	nothing right now (but classes are over!)
Permalink |	tv is on

Back on the Horse

I did not work out during the entire time I was traveling a week ago, and I've been out of town quite a bit in the weeks surrounding my vacation. Hence, I've worked out quite a bit less than I have been for the past 3 months. 

I decided to get back into the habit today, and I'm changing my routine. While I'll still incorporate weights, I'm going to keep the amounts constant so I can tone and not add a lot of mass. In terms of the treadmill, I'm going to go for 40 minutes at a speed of at least 4.5 miles per hour (remember, I speed/power-walk and do not run — better for the knees) with the goal of hitting 3.0 miles total (or more). If I do a 1-3 degree incline the entire time, so much the better!

My ultimate goal? Lose a modicum of weight and feel better. Hell... My waist is slowly inching back towards a 32 (some of my 33 pants are now a tad loose), so I know something is working. (Mind you, and I've said this before, muscle weighs 2.2 times more than fat, and I've done a lot more with the weights in the past 3 months than I did in the past 4 years).

If anything, walking that fast for that long — until my shirt is soaked through and I'm dripping sweat — (today) makes me feel good. And I know it makes me look better if I do it consistently.

exercise, treadmill, walk, weight, self- esteem

4 Comments	happy (usually am, actually)
Posted by MCoenen in Life and Living	not sure... need to pick a new one
Permalink |	it's quiet

Things I Did In Texas

• Enjoyed dinner with Dan at Texas Roadhouse. Yeah, I should have ordered a steak, as I was in Texas, but I ordered salmon with tons of vegetables. It was rather good. And, of course, I had a Guiness. Or two. Or three.
• Visited the Petroleum Museum with Dan and his kids. While it's quite subject-specific and hasn't been updated since the 1970s when it was built, it's still rather fascinating. If you're into drilling for oil and all that fun southern stuff.
• Partied with Dan, Sarah (his wife), his friend Daniel, and his friend Jen at his house one night. It was extremely fun. I drank too much whiskey. (I was in Texas. Somehow, light beers don't really make sense. Though I think I had a few of those, too).
  
• Bought cowboy boots. Yeah, I can buy those in Iowa, but what sense does that make? We visited Wood's Boots (a western-gear store based in the south) and I spent close to $200 on a rather nice pair.
  
• Got a tattoo. Japanese symbol for wisdom on my inner right wrist. Hurt like a motherfucker, but it's rather cool. I'll need to have it recolored (black) soon, as I've gotten it wetter than I should have, and I've not been consistent in keeping it moistened. Still, it looks good. (Why wisdom? I've grown and learned quite a bit in the past few months. I'm not only smarter in terms of book knowledge, but in terms of common sense, life, and relationships).
• Ate an a really good authentic Mexican restaurant. In other words, it was not a chain. And, like the majority of Mexican restaurants in that area, the food was amazing.
• Ate at a Whataburger. Some 24-7 burger chain that, honestly, has rather good burgers.
• Tried to find hand-painted Mexican tiles to no avail. What's that about?
• Enjoyed nachos, trivia, and beers with Dan at a local bar (in downtown Midland). It was great chat, good food, and fun times.
• Listened to Christian radio on the way home and discovered that, while I'm not religious, the music is quite uplifting. It was also, surprisingly, quite upbeat. I may learn to like the genre. 

Texas, shopping, party, drinking, Dan, Whataburger, Mexican, oil

3 Comments	exhausted
Posted by MCoenen in Family and Friends	text for class (almost done!)
Permalink |	hotel tv