It’s popular to do a listicle on Fridays (Friday Five), and I’ve always been more of a conformist than a non-conformist, so here I am with mine. It only took me four years.
Westworld: It’s a sci-fi Western on HBO. I’m not into most science fiction, but I’m enjoying this show because it raises interesting questions about conscientiousness, humanity, and the nature of man. It’s old fashioned in that an episode only comes out once a week on Sundays at 9 pm, so there’s no binge-watching unless you’re behind.
Black Mirror: Another sci-fi show, but this one is about technology. The first two seasons were British shows, but Netflix bought Black Mirror, so the last season is a Netflix original series. Most people describe Black Mirror about how people’s lives are ruined by technology, but I think this is a simplistic mischaracterization of the show. It’s really about the consequences that technology has on our lives, the way it always had a consequence on our lives. My absolute favorite episode was White Christmas, the season finale of Season 2. It’s absolutely heartbreaking and disturbing. Ben and I love Black Mirror, but it’s not a bingeable show, at least not for us. The shows are heavy and there’s a lot to think about. After we watch a show, Ben and I spend hours discussing the show and the questions it raises about conscientiousness, morality, and simple “What would you do in that circumstance?”
Barkthins: A new snack that we discovered! At one of Ben’s races, he received a sample package of Barkthins and we went crazy for them. They’re chocolate barks loaded with delicious additions, such as almonds, coconuts, cranberries, etc. They have several different flavors. We found them to be absolutely perfect snacks for when we want something a little sweet and packed with nutrients. A little pricey, but I found that I’m satisfied after a couple of pieces, so a bag can last a while. Ben will laugh when he reads this because he has caught me polishing off a bag in one go. Just because I’m satisfied, doesn’t mean I can’t finish the entire bag, okay?
Night shift mode on IPhone: Did you know that your IPhone has a night shift mode? Neither did I until two weeks ago. If you go into settings, you can find the night shift mode and have it automatically turn between whatever hours you would like (10 pm – 7 am for me). What it does is that between those hours, IPhone will have its light shifted to the warmer yellow light instead of the brighter colder blue light that it normally has. I occasionally suffer from insomnia and when I do, I typically play on my phone for a few hours until I drift off to sleep again. I know I’m not supposed to, but I can’t help it. The warmer yellow light has been a total game changer for me. Now I can play on my phone without being exposed to the brighter blue light that shifts the circadian rhythm.
2017 Rutgers Unite Half Race Ambassador: Last month I received an invitation to rejoin as one of the race ambassadors for the Rutgers Unite Half Marathon. I was flattered to be asked to rejoin. I guess they liked what I did. I had a wonderful time last year running around New Brunswick, so it was an easy decision to say yes. If you’re in the NY/NJ area, come join me on April 9th in New Brunswick. I even got a discount code for you for $5 off (LILLIANUNITE).
Filed under: Arts & Culture, Food, frugalista, running, Technology Tagged: chocolate, half marathon, New Jersey, races, smart phones, snacks, TV shows