Author Archives: Shanella

2012 Check-in and Adjustment

Posted in Thoughts by

Can you believe it’s September already!? It felt like January was only yesterday! Well, it’s time to look into the  list of things to do in 2012, and adjust my expectations accordingly. 

Learning another language:
+ Enough to read a French storybook
+ Enough to learn a French song

Still not on track here, though, going to Paris in August did help me brush up on the language, it was enough to get by, however, we didn’t have to use it much since everyone spoke to us in English. I do have Le Petite Prince and managed to read the first few pages – with some assistance.

Lose some weight!
+ running, or some sort of exercise (2 to 3 times a week)
+ walk more
+ drink less espresso drinks
+ eat more veggies and fruits

So, I got a bike! I bike at least 4 miles a day when I bike to the train station, almost every day. I walk more and I eat more veggies and fruits. That’s about the most exercise I’d probably be doing. I do stand and walk a lot – I love walking – and last weekend I danced up a storm to Big Band music and 70s fun music! I am thinking of getting a rebounder, but not really sure how that will work out.

Memorize more (poems or psalm):
+ I have several poetry books that I’ve never finished, read at least one poem a week
+ learn 6 sonnets (or psalms)

Jabberwocky, Sonnet 103, the first part of Hallow Men (which is a super long poem) and most of Sonnet 18 down. I got very distracted with work, so I might just learn one more and the rest of Hallow Men for the rest of the year.

Read 70 books this year:
+ read more non-fantasy fiction
+ read 6 (or 12) non-fiction theology books
+ read 6 non-fiction marketing books

To date I’ve read 60 books! I’m on track, and they are a very eclectic bunch, though, nothing marketing related there and only two theology books. I’ll have to get on that, BEA reading has overtaken my life!

Blog more!
+ On my personal blog
+ On my book blog
+ On my writing blog … that is currently hidden.

I started the writing blog, I keep up my book blog and I recently completed BEDA for August … I think I got this squared away.

Journal more
+ In cursive

Still unmotivated, but I am  bursting. I sat and though, “who can I talk to?” there is just so much going through my head, my heart, and it’s difficult to find someone who is free to listen, so I think this will motivate me to write more. I really do need to, I’m just about to explode!

BEDA: The Finale

Posted in Thoughts by

Today is the 31st, the last day of Blog Every Day August, and I made it! I wasn’t sure I’d be motivated enough, but, I’m glad I did it. It’s interesting to look at the site status and to see the top ten posts this month, it’s quite a variety. It’s interesting to see that steampunk jewelry is still the top search referral in the last thirty days even though I only have three posts on steampunk, ever. But the best stat, the reason for BEDA, is to see the number of drafts that I have, post ideas that I want execute, the blogging steam that has built itself up and will hopefully go on.

Blogging; it’s a difficult thing. A lot of people blog for an audience, they post things for others to read but I always feel bare, exposed – even though I don’t post things I consider personal – when I think of the fact that there is an audience out there, faceless people – people I don’t know, people I do know.  Why do I blog? To keep a records? To share things? I’m not really certain and this is probably why I hop from blog to blog.

This blog started off as a “things to do in New York” blog, and that’s probably why it has lasted as long as it has. It had a purpose. I have strayed off that purpose, but I don’t feel badly about it because it still does highlight my life in New York. I doubt I’d write about “zombies” or “steampunk” or anything else that is a most searched for hit on my blog. I doubt I’d write many personal posts, or things I’d rather share with a person, IN person. I like what it is, a blog about my New York life. It gives it a purpose and it gives me a reason for writing. Not for the faceless and the nameless but for me.

This is the end of Blog Every Day (in) August. Let’s see what September brings. 🙂

Think of Me Fondly

Posted in Broadway, Cultured, My New York by

My very first Broadway experience was The Phantom of the Opera. Based on a novel by Gaston Leroux (a French writer), The Phantom of the Opera was adapted for the theater by Andrew Lloyd Webber. The one thing that had been burned into my memory about Phantom was the Masquerade scene and I’ve always dreamed about a masquerade after that. Not a costume party, but a ball with elaborate masks and bright colours and it was just as I remembered it when I saw it again this month.

Next to the songs, the costumes were my favourite part of the play; they were all so fancy and beautiful and just as spectacular as the play itself. The story is always such a moving piece, a disfigured genuis living in the tunnels beneath the Opera House. A person who has never been loved before, falling for a beautiful young chorus girl and doesn’t know exactly how to express that feeling. And Christine, the beautiful young chorus girl, infatuated with her Angel of Music until she finds out that he’s the disfigured genius who lives in the tunnels beneath the Opera House. As the madness of the phantom increases with the body count, Christine finds herself protected by her childhood friend, Raoul, and a great and classical love story is born.

One of the charming things about this play is, while it has an air of seriousness about it, it does not lack humour; the diva-ish doings of Carlotta always brought a smile to my face and the comedic timing of Ubaldo left me in gales of laughter.

The Phantom of the Opera is most definitely a classic show, with its shows within a show, its wonderful costumes and its amazing score. If you find yourself in Time Square, don’t miss out on this gem!

** photo via The Phantom NY site.

Dear iBooks, Why You No Open on Macbook?

Posted in Bookish by

Apple, this is a problem. Nook’s doing it, Amazon’s doing it, Adobe Digital Editions is doing it, why are you so far behind? The expectation that comes with purchasing an eBook is that I can read it ANYWHERE! On a plane, on the train, in the house, with a mouse … you get the picture?

Not all Macbook owners have iDevices, so I really think it will increase your profits if your users can consume content across all Apple devices, don’t you? You might even win a few people over! It will only be better for your bottom-line, and you know, cloud readers are all the craze now, so why not jump on that crazy-train?

Cordially yours,
iThings consumer.

Il Laboratorio del Gelato

Posted in My New York, Plateful by

In lower Manhattan (near Houston street) you will find il laboratorio del gelato and its extremely long list of gelato flavours.

Try not to fill up on samples, you will want to have your own delicious scoop or two, or more! And definitely try to be a little adventurous, it might pay off.

I had a scoop of Choclate Amaretto Crunch and one of Honey Lavender, it was a bit of an odd combination but it was so tasty!

I love the consistency of the gelato, it has just the right amount of sweetness and flavour that it doesn’t overwhelm your taste buds.

If you’re in the area (or even if you’re not) you should give it a try! Especially on these last days of summer.

Enjoy!