./janella.com

228. 44.

Two numbers. Just numbers.

The first number is the highest it has been in my life. It has increased by leaps and bounds over the years. At the end of high school, it was 118. At the end of basic training, it topped out at 130. After a time overseas it climbed to 155. This was only a period of about six years! And now it is what it is.

I need to stop it from getting any larger.

The other number has been steadily climbing over the years. It’s a good thing, considering the alternative.

I know you’ve guessed right. The numbers are my current weight and age.

The weight thing has been a problem for a while, something I’ve grown into (insert laugh). It not only affects my ability to fit into clothes, but it is messing with my blood sugar. I took a glucose test today to see how bad it is. We’ll see what the results are.

I’m not surprised. I’m a bit concerned. I only have myself to blame. I need to get back into shape, and soon.

The company picnic was last week. We broke up into several teams for soccer, a sport I enjoyed very much in my younger days. I played hard for three games, huffing and puffing up-and-down the field. I almost scored a few times. I also blocked a few scoring attempts. All I have to show for my efforts is my screwed-up left knee and big toe on my right foot. Both are a bit strained from the sudden need to be extremely mobile, this a week-and-a-half after the picnic.

I’m not getting any younger. But next year, if I go to a picnic again, I would like to not be in such bad shape.

I’m writing about this just to write, to know where I am at and where I need to go.

228. 44. I can’t do anything about the last number. But I sure as hell have control of the first. I need to get my act together.

I just sold a somewhat old gadget to Gazelle.com. It is the first time I’ve tried selling back an old electronic device - that still had considerable value - to an online service. I’ve heard good words about Gazelle.com. I am hoping I won’t be disappointed.

It was easy enough to find the item I was selling to them on their website. They previously would take almost any electronic item, but they now have narrowed the selection down to mostly Apple products. Trying to find the configuration of my product was moderately smooth. I put in the condition I thought it was in, the additional components that came with it, and bam! popped up the price they were willing to pay me. It seemed reasonable (comparing it to Amazon.com’s trade-in service). So I pressed on.

I got an email shortly after, giving me instructions and a shipping label. About an hour after that email, I received another email from Gazelle saying my shipment option has been updated. Instead of me packing my item to ship back, I could go to a FedEx to have them pack it for me free of charge. Way cool!

I have to say my FedEx experience was a bit unnerving. I went to the shipping counter. They took my item to the back where I could not see the pack it. They then brought it back up to label in front of me.

I had to ask, “Was [the item I was selling] in this box”? After all, I didn’t see them place it in the box.

“Yes it is,” she replied. How could I continue to doubt her without sounding like a douche?

And then a co-worker of the girl who packed my item proceeded to put a label on the box. The wrong label! Luckily she caught her co-worker’s mistake. I eyed that the correct label was applied to the package. The item is now out of my hands. The waiting game starts.

One Week Later

I was able to track my package through a link from Gazelle’s website - which leads to FedEx of course. Once my package was received, Gazelle emailed me. Once they examined my item, they emailed me again saying, “Hey guess what? Your item is in better shape than you thought it was. We’re giving you more money!” Seriously? I chose my payout option to be an Amazon gift certificate which provides you with a 5% bump. Since my item was in much better condition than I thought it was, they simply increased the gift certificate amount.

It’s nice to know they were honest about the assessment. They could have easily gone with my assessment but did not. This “honesty” makes me want to use their service again - if I ever have anything else to sell.

Prometheus

The tagline for the movie is: They went looking for our beginning. What they found could be our end.

Synopsis: Ridley Scott does science fiction again. I remember watching Alien at the Old Mill 6 Theaters in Mountain View. My sister took me. I don’t recall if I knew what the movie was about before watching it. I think all I knew was that it took place in outer space. Star Wars took place in outer space, so this movie should be cool, right? Well, after the infamous chest buster scene, I knew this was a different film.

I heard this started out as a prequel to Alien but changed to a movie that takes place in the same universe as Alien. Whatever. The film is about going into space to find the answer to the origins of man. Oh, and there are scary aliens in space.

The Good: The general idea of the film, trying to discover the origins of man, is a fresh thought. If our creators left signs of where we came from, and perhaps how to find them, wouldn’t any reasonable person go looking for them if they had the opportunity?

Science and design win the day for me in this film. The technology has a sense of realism to it. I can believe they are on the ship Prometheus, and that this ship actually exists.

The aliens (there is more than one type) are interesting without being too foreign. They are familiar yet new. I am not sure how much CGI was done for the aliens, but to me, it didn’t look like much.

As far as memorable scenes, I must say I enjoyed the operation scene is on par with the chest buster scene of Alien.

The acting was well done. I especially liked Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron, and Idris Elba. Noomi Rapace is a great choice for the lead. The character she plays, Elizabeth Shaw, is a strong character in the same vein as Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley.

The Bad: Overall it was a predictable story. A keen film watcher can determine what is going to happen. You could t]see the hidden relationships between the characters. There are almost no surprises.

The exploration scenes were good, but I wish they were darker, and more tension-filled. They were too straightforward and light in comparison to Alien.

There are a few plot hole “huh” moments, like why does one person get affected this way while another is affected another way. The film leaves you with few answers and more questions. Will they be addressed in a sequel if there is one? Who knows.

Overall: The film is worth watching. I don’t think you should compare it to Alien. Take that movie out of the equation. You will probably enjoy this more if you do.

**My Rating: Matinée

I have been on a photo publishing streak lately. I have tried to be diligent to post new photos quickly, as well as going back to posting older photos.

Here are a few direct links to new albums:

At the Children’s Discovery Museum - Spending a few hours here with Mia. It is her first time visiting this museum.

Celebrating Kayla’s High School Graduation - Celebrating at the Crow’s Next

Mia and Her Car Seat - Mia graduates to facing forward status!

Photos from 1999 - I have managed to post all the digital photos I took in 1999. They are not a lot of photos, but I posted what I have.

If you need the password to the albums either email me or ping me on Facebook.