Boys and Birds In Love

Finished The Great Gatsby this morning during breakfast, then started Rio. I thought this would be a good way to have a little fun after the somewhat depressing Gatsby. Blu is a macaw who has been the beloved companion of a young woman in Minnesota his whole life. He's always lived in her book shop or a cage and has never needed to fly...until they go to Rio De Janero to mate Blu with the last remaining female blue macaw, Jewel. Jewel is very much a wild bird, and she's not happy about being in captivity. They both have a lot to learn, though, when they're stolen by men who want to sell rare birds as pets and they have to get back to Rio De Janero and Blu's human in time for Carnivale!

What saves the cliched story (it uses almost the same plot as Disney's The Princess and the Frog) is the fun characters and the delightful music. The movie opens with birds singing "Welcome to Rio," and we hear musical numbers throughout the film. It's also sweet to see how Blu learns that you only need to open your heart and trust yourself if you want your wings - and your heart - to soar.

I cleaned the bathroom during the second half of Rio. I did the bathroom and the kitchen late last month, so it wasn't as bad as it could have been. Nevertheless, it still took me so long, I barely had the time to have leftovers for lunch, change into my uniform, pack a bag for the gym later, and hurry off to work!

Work was quiet when I came in, on-and-off during the 4-6 rush hour. It's the beginning of the month, and a lot of people do their shopping now. February is usually one of our busiest months of the year. Unlike November and December, where there's lulls between holidays, things don't let up in February. You have the beginning of the month, then the Super Bowl, then Valentine's Day, then President's Day Weekend, and there's the years when the Winter Olympics are running, too. There were a lot of older people who had problems bagging, and at least one college student who had to put back a quarter of her order because she didn't have enough money with her. (Please, always bring two methods of payment!)

Headed straight to the gym after I got off at work. I was surprised to see how busy it was at 6PM, which is the dinner hour for most people. Maybe it was the two classes that were going on the entire time I was there. I worked on the machines for the arms and upper body, lifted weights, and did the elliptical machine. This was a lot tougher than the stationary bike! It's a walking machine, but unlike the treadmill, you walk on two separate metal poles. It's harder than it looks! I barely got 20 minutes in, and I was sweating like crazy.

I had limited options for dinner after my workout. My first thought, since it was such a nice, warm night, was Sonic...but for some odd reason, they were closed. I hope it's not for good. I'll miss their delicious onion rings. I finally decided I wanted a meal that was balanced, but still fast, and rode over to Golden Corral. I don't eat over there often because they're expensive (my dinner cost almost 14 dollars with an iced tea) and it's a pain to cross the busy parking lot. Since I was on that side of the mall anyway, I figured I'd try it. I had a spinach salad, a small barbecue chicken fillet, some kind of cooked greens (spinach or collards), and those tasty braised mushrooms. The greens turned out to be overcooked, with no flavor at all. I barely ate half and replaced them with a few Brussels sprouts and a little sweet potato casserole. Had a bit of frozen yogurt and some coconut macaroons for dessert (and didn't finish the yogurt).

I had a lovely ride going home, too. It's a gorgeous night, and it's supposed to be an even nicer day tomorrow.