I Wanna Catch Fire

I'm gonna wait until Sunday morning, because that's how we do, but I am so ready to see "Hunger Games: Catching Fire." The first one was just so-so, I gotta admit. The books take place so much in Katniss's head that it seemed unlikely that it would be able to be translated into a movie in a cohesive way. And I was kinda right. There were some big holes in the first one.

But hope springs eternal and the second book is set up more outside the head and in the moment, so it lends itself to being a better movie. Plus the along with the rest of the nation, I have a girl crush on Jennifer Lawrence.

Fingers crossed, it rocks. Or else Chef may boycott the third one. (But he probably would still go because he loves me.)

Hunger Games: Not So Much A Winner

The Hunger Games: Not
so much a winner

Like half the known world, I was excited for The Hunger Games to come out this past weekend. I knew it was going to be popular, so I went ahead and hedged my bets and got Chef and I sinner showing tickets. It was still pretty full for 10:15 on a Sunday morning. We went to ArcLight Hollywood and sat in the Dome, which apparently didn't open until 10 a.m. so there were a lot of people in the cold, rain waiting for the damn doors to open. In defense of the theater, it's not cold and rainy enough in LA to think ahead on that one, but I digress.

I may be the only person in the world that didn't like The Hunger Games. Let me rephrase that: Chef and I may be the only people in the world that didn't like The Hunger Games. Look, I realize that movies based on books rarely live up the books, but I also curb my expectation to match that reality. It'll never be as good in my head as on the screen. And I'm okay with that. But this wasn't just that.

Also, I like taking Chef to movies based off books because chances are good that I've read the books and he hasn't. So, there's a fresh perspective from someone else on why things did or didn't work out in the movie when they are clearly explained in the book. Here are some of my top highlights of things that aren't placed in any sort of context in The Hunger Games (movie):

• Why Peeta was partnered with the careers in the beginning
• Why Katniss plays up the romance with Peeta during the Games (it was there, but not explained enough where Chef knew why)
• The names, stories or any kind of way to identify the other tributes (other than Rue). The name "foxface is literally uttered one time. Cato gets like 3-4 mentions. We could've gotten this with a creatively written montage of their pre-game interviews, but we didn't.
• Why we should care about Rue. I cried in the theater but only because I knew the book version when Katniss was thinking of Prim as Rue. 
• Any of the other stylists, and some significant time with Cinna.
• Any kind of fear of Snow. 
• What the hell each of the districts produces
• Why the Capitol is so rich (this gets brushed over).

There's more, but honestly it just makes me sad. I realize there's a challenge when the book is written in first person and half the movie takes place in a world where you can't really say your inner monologue aloud because the world is listening, but come on. The script just didn't work for me. They could've cut at least one uttering of "May the odds be ever in your favor" with some actual dialogue that moved the story forward. It could've been done. It just wasn't.

It doesn't make me exceptionally hopefully for the next two movies. Chef said "Was the first the worst of the books?"  No, it was the best. "Oh, I was hoping maybe they had better source material for the next ones."

Yup, that about explains it. 

Last Night's Dinner Theme: I tried!

Maple glazed chicken
with Brussels sprouts slaw

Last night I cooked dinner again. I'm back to at least attempting to cook 3 times a week instead of being my usual lazy self. So, if you have any good places you go to for healthy recipes, let me know (And thanks, Misty, for reminding me about Cooking Light). So I've attempted two dishes this week, both with low levels of success. 


I made pumpkin ravioli with a light cheese sauce and hazelnuts on Sunday. It was actually not too bad, but just didn't have a lot of POP. I think the flavors were supposed to be subtle but ended up as bland. And it's a fine line between subtle and bland. Too fine a line for a cook like me. 


Last night was the meal pictured: Maple glazed chicken with Brussels sprout slaw. I found out a few things: 1) I love roasted Brussels Sprouts but I do NOT like raw ones. Even with a nice vinaigrette and dried cranberries. 2) That maple and red wine vinegar might smell like crap when reducing but don't taste too badly together. and 3) I still overcook chicken like nobody's business. I wish I wasn't afraid to give someone food poisoning, but I am.  And that makes me cook the shit out of things. The chicken was terribly overdone, but did need the steak knife for adequate slicing. 


Anyway, here's where I'm at:

• Pages of fiction read: 55% of a 400 page book (Mockingjay). So, that's technically 220 pages.
• Fiction read: Mockingjay. I'm going to be sad when it's over. 
• Fiction listened to via audiobook: None, but I just got the two final Stieg Larsson books because I can't seem to read them and the Confederacy of Dunces, because I've always wanted to read that, but never seem to remember.
• Five pages written: Yes!!! Still reworking a new beginning to the book. started a brand new section. I'm now up to 45 pages of NEW material in four weeks.
• Calorie tracking: Check. a whopping 281 calories OVER than my daily goal. Last week was not a good one. hence the new recipes, etc. 
• Exercise: 265 minutes of exercise in the last week. 
• Friends and family: Yup. A friend AND a family member got phone calls this week.  
• Weight Loss:0 lb (did you SEE the calorie overage? Of course I didn't lose weight!)
• One revised section of novel per week:  Check! Got about 8 pages of a transition to the main story.

Hungry for The Hunger Games

I started it late and I'm loving it now. The Hunger Games rocks my world. It's throwing my reading into overdrive, for sure. Plus it helps that it's aimed at someone half my age (or less--stop laughing). 

• Pages of fiction read: 41% of a 384 page book (The Hunger Games) and 35% of a 391 page book (Catching Fire). So, that's technically 294 pages.
• Fiction read: The Hunger Games and Catching Fire. Page turning (or page clicking on the Kindle).
• Fiction listened to via audiobook: Trying to finish Fly Away Home by Jennifer Weiner, which I started over a month ago. It's hard to finish it. It's not really good, but I have the same compulsion to finish fiction on audio as I do on page.
• Five pages written: Yes!!! Reworking a new beginning to the book. Am at 12 pages (mostly new) so far.
• Calorie tracking: Check. 289 calories lower than my daily goal. 
• Exercise: 315 minutes of exercise in the last week. But I missed two work outs because I was sick.
• Friends and family: Done. Called my lovely, remarkable grandmother.
• Weight Loss:-0.8 lb
• One revised section of novel per week:  Check! Got about 12 pages of a new beginning started. Working on finishing that and one more section for next week.

Should I Google+?

All week I've been getting invites to Google+ and seeing other people on it, but I'm not quite convinced I should do it. I know they just hit 43 million users and all, but is anyone out there on Google+? What's good about it? I'm thinking I'm about at my social media limits right now, but as a marketer and PR person, I'm curious. 


Anyway, on to what I've done for the week!

• Pages of fiction read: 59% of a 384 page book. So, that's technically 226 pages. That's one thing you lose with a Kindle. The actual page count. 
• Fiction read: The Hunger Games. I'm an idiot. I should've listened to my friends months or years ago when they told me to read these. Very entertaining.
• Fiction listened to via audiobook: None. Still enchanted by Pandora. 
• Five pages written: Yes!!! I revised a section of the novel that went from 6 pages to 12. Which is good because I tend to write at too quick a pace.
• Calorie tracking: Check. But I ate horribly. I really and truly am back on it this week. And the whole week. Not just Monday through Thursday as I have been. (She writes after having half a bagel today.)
• Exercise: 290 minutes of exercise in the last week. But I missed two work outs because I was sick.
• Friends and family: Done. Komen walk time brings us all closer. Or at least me more nostalgic.
• Weight Loss: Zero. But this week will be different!
• Story submission:I did it. I submitted an edited version of my short story for the NPR Three Minute Fiction contest. I'm already a winner because I actually accomplished something. 
• One revised section of novel per week:  Check! Now I'm reworking the beginning of the novel. I've read beginnings of six of my favorite books to see what it is about them that cpatures me. Now I'm trying to do it. 
• Anyone have any examples of good fiction beginnings they'd like to share? (Other than "It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.")

I Have a Fever. . .

. . .and I wish more cowbell could cure it. I woke up this morning feeling okay, but tired. More tired than normal. I chalked it up to getting to bed later than normal. (Kinda glad new TV is on!). But by the time I got to work and got started on my day (which had only about a 30 minute break from meetings, interviews and webinars before lunch and not much more time after lunch), I realized I was a little under the weather. Fever yet still cold and a craving for soup for lunch. Add to that other coworkers (who sit in close proximity) who've been sick and I think I'm doomed.

But I will fight it tonight with soup and rest, and not doing too much of anything. The only benefit of being not quite sick yet.

Despite any pending illness, I have managed to do some things right.

• Pages of fiction read: 93. I'm under for my second week, but my excuse this week is that I finished one book and the book I'm starting next is on my Kindle, which was dead and my charging cable recently broken. So I'm on hold until my new charger comes today! 
• Fiction read:  Finished Eating the Dinosaur by Chuck Klosterman. Am starting the much anticipated The Hunger Games tomorrow. 
• Fiction listened to via audiobook: None. Ugh. I need to load up my ipod or have my memory erased about the awesomeness that is Pandora. 
• Five pages written: I'm gonna say yes. I wrote three pages for a story and am revising another so I don't know the exact word count.
• Calorie tracking: Check. But I was just over my daily average for weight loss for the second week in a row.
• Exercise: 355 minutes of exercise in the last week.
• Friends and family: Done. Everyone's having babies. Makes the reaching out easier!
• Weight Loss: Lost 0.8 lbs. (Total since LA move: 26 lbs)
• Last week's NEW goal: Have 600 word story for contest completed, edited, and submitted.- It's Completed and Edited. Will submit this weekend. 
• New Goal: I've decided to focus on FINALLY finishing the novel. So I'm now committed to combining feedback from my old Writers' Group (I miss you guys!!) and revising one small section at a time. Goal is to have at least one sectioned revised per week.