girl on film: yeah, so bridesmaids....

Posting here seems more appropriate somehow...

Thank goodness Ritu (former Milwaukeean) and Mary Ann (one of my childhood besties) were with me to watch way too many parallels to my life on screen. I really need to talk to my still-Milwaukee girls about that movie. I know lots of thirtysomething women are saying this right now.

Awesome Things

• Totally spotted my old apartment in the opening pan of the city.
• Helen was a perfect representation of a FIB. "Oh you live in Milwaukee? How sad."
• For some odd reason, the pool wedding/lead couple reunion at the end reminded me of Don't Tell Mom the Babysitters Dead.
• I think I have been in houses like the mom's with the 70s/80s celebrity caricatures. I'm surprised they didn't reference her selling them at the Shops of Grand Avenue.
• Yes, every woman who was a teen in the 90s has had this sing-along.

Inaccuracies That Really Bugged Me

• You could not go into a liquor store after 9 p.m.
• An Asian couple in the jewelry store? What?
• You can't get from Bay View to 38th St. in 5 minutes.
• That was NOT a MCTS bus in the background.
• It would be nice if you could get food poisoning from an out-of-the-way Brazilian restaurant. Alas, such a thing does not exist (not a lot of Brazilians in Milwaukee) and if it did, the waiters most certainly wouldn't speak Spanish.
• Where was the snow? If the weather was like that for the length of time that passed in the film (in both Milwaukee and Chicago), I'd reconsider my decision!
• Yeah, that bridal boutique doesn't exist in downtown Milwaukee.
• Neither does that hookup's house.
• Roommates in Milwaukee? What?
• Flights from Milwaukee to Vegas aren't 3 rows across, nor do they have first class.

Things I Would Change to Be a Bit More Aligned With My Actual Life

• I only WISH *that* character looked like Jon Hamm.
• Instead of ending up with a cute state trooper, the heroine would've just moved to San Francisco.

31 by 32 - June Check In

My monthly 31 by 32 progress report. The minutia of my life is somewhat recorded at Brew to Bay, although not recently.

Here's my five months into 31 status report (up to June 11), although before I begin...

I am less than a month away Team Challenge training. I’m 50% to my $2700 goal, but whatever I don't hit by July 6 will be charged to my credit card. Can you help me in supporting this wonderful cause? Please consider donating $39.30 in honor of my third half marathon. Please donate here!



UPDATES

See six different local bands live. 
4/6 down. Ended up totally randomly seeing hardcore punk band The Dwarves at Bottom of the Hill over Memorial Day Weekend. A Milwaukee friend told me that they have origins in 1980s Kenosha, so I suppose that could count as double-local!

Read and review one non-fiction and one fiction book a month. 
Reviews still missing, but thanks to joining the SF Public Library, I'm a regular reader again. Fiction - read the terribly disappointing Clara & Mr. Tiffany. Non-fiction - tackled the uproarious and awesome Farm City.


See and review at least one film per month.
Reviews still missing, but caught both Midnight In Paris at the Kabuki and Kuroneko at the incredible Red Vic Movie House up the street from my new apartment.

Try one new recipe a month. 
I tackled the tough but rewarding crop of Fava Beans (no, not Hannibal Lector style) I picked up at the Farmer's Market. Sauteed with some olive oil, cilantro, and green onion -- yum. Also made a "forage" meal one night with morels and fiddleheads over pasta.

Try a new [to me] locally-owned restaurant each month. 
Again, this is my life here. Winners for May include Easy Creole, Little Baobob, and Dynamo Donut.

Leave the county I live in at least once per month.
Not only did I return to Alameda County for a tour of St. George's Spirts, but I also biked 30 miles to / from Mill Valley in Marin County.

Write one album and one concert review a month.
Total review fails for albums acquired and concerts attended. In addition to The Dwarves, saw Mutaytor with my new roomies in the May 12-June 11 period. Digging the new Lady Gaga for album of that month, and on a more indie level, the Cults debut LP.

Spend one-on-one time with a friend at least once a week. 
Despite rotating through the same handful of friends, I am doing a good job of being a better friend this year and I'm glad of it.

Contact an elected official, at some level, once a month about an issue that is important to me
Signed a couple petitions on Bike to Work Day this year!

Go to an art show or gallery once a month.
Joined Ingrid & Co. for their friend's thesis show at California College of the Arts.


NO PROGRESS

Visit one of my five remaining states - Alaska, Arkansas, Mississipi, North Dakota, or Oklahoma.
Get something published.
Do 31 non-girl pushups in a row. (Although I think with some more yoga I may be up to this)
Work my way through the entire "Take Off In Italian" CD set I bought in 2003.
Visit one or more family members apart from Christmas.
Attempt another recipe out of "Mastering the Art of French Cooking"
Applaud bipartisan efforts in my social media forums at least four times. (still at 1/4)
Attend games of at least four different sports. (still at 1/4)
Go to at least four theatre performances. (still at 3/4)
Go vegetarian for 31 days. (Have vegan roommates - perhaps it will happen?)
Go for 31 days without consuming any soda. (was doing well until I discovered a food truck with Limca)
Go for one full week without consuming any processed foods.
Have one week where I only consume foods made with locally-sourced ingredients.
Dedicate one blog post a month to promoting a local business. (Bad blogger lately!)
Dedicate one blog post a month to promoting a local non-profit. (Bad blogger!)

PREVIOUSLY COMPLETED:
1) Make at least one MAJOR change in my life.
5) Change someone's life for the better (other than my own).
7) Digitize my CD collection.
9) Take advantage of a crazy spontaneous opportunity
27) Bike to / from work every single day for 31 days.
28) Go for one full week without consuming any alcohol.