Entertain Like The Gilmore Girls: Week 3 update

Literature: 

This week, I finished Moby Dick and started Madame Bovary and The Second Sex. Moby Dick was very slow at first and I was unintertested while reading it. Gradually, the book starts to get compelling. It is a book on the quest of finding a white whale named Moby Dick and how this creature changes the life of the narrator, Ismael. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in reading an adventure book, but I would not recommend this book to anyone who likes short and crisp novels (this book is around 800 pages long and half of the book is dedicated to the description of what the narrator sees around him like the landscape, characters, etc.)

I started reading Madame Bovary and The Second Sex. I am about 25 percent done with Madame Bovary, but I have only finished a few chapters of The Second Sex so far. They both are on feminism and women empowerment. I am absolutely in love with these two books and their combination. Madame Bovary is a realist novel on how this character Emma escapes her marriage and find her inner happiness. The Second Sex is an essay on the treatment given to women through the course of history. I am enjoying these books very much.

My quest of finding Mistress of Mellyn started again, yet with no success so far. I looked everywhere. I even joined the waiting list on Openlibrary, but still have not received it. I hope I will receive it soon.

 

Movies or TV shows:

Since I have finished all the movies referred to the pilot of Gilmore Girls. I decided to watch an hour of Nick at Nite.

Since it is a channel, the programming differs with time. But I decided to stick to the current programming and at the same time take care of the actual Gilmore Girls time period. Let me explain how. The pilot was released in October 5, 2000. That means that anything released after the year 2000 will not be watched by me.

The current programming at Nick at Nite: Full House, Friends, George Lopez, The Goldberg, and Two and a Half Man. Before 2000, only Full House and Friends existed and therefore, I decided to stick to these two shows this week.

But if you want to stick to the old programming, then you can watch shows like I Love Lucy, Facts of Life, etc. http://classictvhits.com/schedules/nickatnite/2000/oct2-oct6.htm

I have always loved I Love Lucy, Andy Griffith, The Facts of Life, and so on but I decided to stick to the current on to prevent decision fatigue. I also love Friends and Full House at the same time. 

Music: 

• There She Goes by The LA’s was a happy song for me at first. But when I read about it on wikipedia, the negative connotation of the songs stopped me from listening to this song again.
• Where the Color Don’t Go by Sam Phillips: To be honest, I have mixed opinions about this song. I only liked the chorus of the song, but other than that the song sounded a bit crepy.
• Wendy by Wesley Yang and Gavin Mcnett – I could not find this song anywhere.
• Heartland By George Strait: A pure country song! To be honest, I would not listen to this song on my regular day, but I got happy when I hear something “normal”. After listening to these above songs, you would really enjoy this song because of its “normal” rhythum and a positive connotation.

This is what I read, watched, and listened this week. I hope you enjoyed this post.

Gilmore Girls Lifestyle

We all need a bit of pop culture, don’t we? We absolutely do. I have never been a big fan of watching tv or movies. I have always been in favor of reading, but sometimes it is good to have other source of entertainment. I am not saying watch tv everyday, but at least once a week. Since I have started the Gilmore girls lifestyle, I have to watch, read, and listen to all the references in order to full immerse in the GG lifestyle. Therefore, I must enjoy all the references. Although I have completed most of the movies referred in the first episode of season 1 of Gilmore girls, I still have songs and tv shows to watch. I still have time because I am not even half way done with the books mentioned in the pilot. So, I am going to go episode by episode. Just because I finished the movies first does not mean that I am going to go ahead and start with the movie references from episode 2. I am going to finish all the songs and movies and tv shows from the pilot and then move on to the next episode. So, I am going to watch one reference every week.

Rory Gilmore Reading Challenge: Week 2 Update

Like I have already mentioned in my productivity posts, I quit watching the television because it is rather time consuming and it does not transform your creativity in a positive way. I have dedicated my television hours to reading and I am really proud of myself for that. This week I was giving myself more time and flexibility in terms of reading. I got an hour more on an average everyday for reading. I finished two books this week.

The first book is 11/22/63 by Stephen King. A rather long book (around 800 pages). It was rather a new concept. I have not read much about time travel, but I can assure you that this book depicted time travel in a very realistic way. I would classify this book a science friction/ historical friction. Throughout the book, I was forced to think about JFK and how things would have been different now if he had not been assassinated. King takes to the root of the assassination- The Oswalds. I think many facts and themes are not historically accurate, but it is definitely a must read if you are interested in time-travel and history.

The second book that I read is Rosemary’s Baby. To be honest, I found the book quite disturbing  but the book was not as disturbing as the movie. I enjoyed reading it. It was a short book and I finished it in a day.

I just got Moby Dick by Melville. It is another long book. I suppose it will take around a week or so to finish the book. The plot seems rather interesting. I will write about it next week.

 

Rory Gilmore Reading Challenge: Week 1 Update + Movies

Hello,

Week one of my Gilmore Girl entertainment is over. To tell you the truth, I enjoyed this week a lot. I always had something to do and I was not tired at all. I felt very good and genuinely happy with myself. I intend to keep up with this Gilmore lifestyle.

Okay, let me give you a brief summary of this week:

Literature:

This week, I finish the book On The Road by Jack Kerouac and the Huckleberry Finn. On The Road was something that I wanted to read for such a long time, but just could not find enough motivation to read a book on a road trip around America. But Gilmore girls gave me enough motivation and I finally finished the book. To be honest, I have mixed feeling about this books due to this cultural/literary significance and its unnecessary lengthiness.

I personally think Kerouac’s writing is very intimate and interpersonal, but at the same time he should have paid more attention on the characters than the landscape. I feel he missed out on many important characteristics because of these inclusion of these unnecessary details on his travel. After all, it was a semi-memoir and he could have given the characters some more background. But all in all, it was a very long book for its plot. But the writing was incredible. He explained the cultural phenomenon, The Beat Generation, that lead the foundation for the 60s and the Hippies. Definitely a must read for anyone who wants to read about The Beat Generation. But I would suggest you to read this book very carefully because he thoughts are, shall I say, scattered in the book. I feel like he jumps from topic A to B to C and then he comes back to topic A. You really have to navigate the text carefully. It not only tells you a story but also tells you the author’s inner thoughts.

I also read Huckleberry Finn this week. I have read this book before. Once for my sophomore summer reading and once for writing a paper for the final exam. I enjoyed this book a lot this week. Topics such as slavery, child abuse, adoption, and other topics are discussed in this book. I would definitely recommend this book.

I also started reading 11/22/63 by Stephen Kings yesterday. So far, it is a very interesting book. This book is rather long (around 850 pages). I think I will be done by this book before the end of this week if I continue reading the book with the same pace that I am reading it now.

Movies

• West Side Story (8/10)- A wonderful movie! The songs were great. The dance sequences were in complete sync. The acting was marvellous. On top of that, we had Natalie Wood. This movie is such a great movie. I would definitely recommend this movie.
• Rosemary’s Baby (6/10)- Great plot with wonderful twists and turns. But some parts were quite explicit and disturbing.
• Mommie Dearest (9/10)- A spectacular movie to watch! I have seen this movie so many times before, but cannot seem to get enough of it. It has wonderful plot based on the real life story of Christina Crawford. A must-watch.

Music

I am not the biggest fan of the Gilmore Girls soundtrack and music options. So, I am planning to opt out of it. I am more of a 40s and 50s music fan. I also love classical.

I hope you enjoyed this booked and I intend to keep you updated with my weekly progress.

 

How to read more books?

If you want to live like Rory Gilmore, then you must read. But it is easier said than done sometimes. Some people just cannot sit and read for even 20 minutes. If you one of them, I am here to give you some tips and tricks to gamify your reading and also to read more books.

Tip # 1: Have a reading list.

You can not do something unless you have a purpose. You need to know what you are going to read before you start reading. I believe that not everyone can enjoy the same reading list. Everyone has their likes and dislikes. Keep them in your thoughts while picking a book to read or a reading list. To me, a reading list is a must-have. I can always pick a book and start reading but the process of picking a book is troublesome. There are just so many books to read and the decision fatigue that comes with it is hard to endure for me. Therefore, a reading list is important. I suggest you to pick a reading list first. I personally use the Gilmore Girls Reading list that you can find online and go down the list chronologically episode by episode. You can use that or you can pick one from Goodreads. Or you can get a reading list of a famous person like Stephen King’s or Bill Gates’s or Oprah’s reading list. Pick the one that you that you will enjoy. I personally love the Gilmore Girls reading list because of its variety. It ranges from all time periods and from all genres.  If you are particular interested in one subject or genre, pick a reading list based on that. Again, pick one that you know that you will enjoy the most. Or you can just join a book club (several on Goodreads)

Tip # 2: Have a goal

Now that you know what you are going to read, it is the time to pick a reading goal. You can go towards a more rigid goal such as read 100 pages a day or 60 mins a day to a more flexible one such as read one book per week. I like to be flexible with my reading goals because I do not like to restrict myself with pages and time (it won’t be enjoyable if you would restrict yourself; it would feel like a chore). Try to be flexible. Have a goal like finish book x and y by the end of this week and construct your day according to that and give some flexibility as well because not all days are the same. I suggest you to get Goodreads and have a yearly plan (start with 100 books a year). If you are new to reading book, then I would suggest you to take baby steps first like read 30 pages everyday or read 30 mins each day.

Tip # 3:  Set a time

It would sound contradictory with tip # 2, but it is not. Set a time for reading, but do not restrict yourself with time and length. Read as much as you can, but keep time in mind as well because you have other things to do. I set 2 hours in the morning and an hour at night.( I do not restrict myself for these two set time frames, but really strives to form a habit by setting these two mandatory time frame. Restricting yourself means that you are doing something for the sake of doing something and not find any sort of enjoyment in it.)  I give myself flexibility throughout the day. I read whenever I have free time throughout the day. that way you will not bore yourself out or drain your energy. I like to use pomodoro technique with my reading as well because it just gives me some breaks. I would also suggest you to read first thing in the morning and before going to bed.

Tip # 4: Carry a book with you always.

Please do this because we have a lot of waiting to do in a day. You can use this time to read for sure.

Tip # 5: If you do not like the book, then stop reading it.

Because if you force yourself to read then you are just wasting your time. You are not going to take anything from it because you will zone out while reading it. Distractions are common when you do not enjoy something. If you think the book is very beneficial and still you do not seem to enjoy it, then try to read it in intervals or try to make a list of benefits that you can get by reading the book.

Tip# 6: Limit other sort of entertainment and substitute them with reading.

I am not telling you to read and only read. I am just telling you to limit other entrainment like TV, movie, etc. I watch tv and movies as well, but for limited amount of time, I limit myself for only an hour a day. I suggest you to do the same in order to read more.

Tip # 7: Do not read multiple books

Rory does read multiple books at the same time, but I just think it is distracting. I would suggest you to stick to one book at a time and have a particular goal towards that book.

Tip # 8: Have a convenient system

– By system, I mean your means of reading. Ask yourself this: do you prefer printed books or e-books?

– My approach: I personally think e-books are far more superior than printed media. They are not only more environmental friendly, but also more potable and less space-consuming. You can have 100 or more books in one tiny Kindle, but I doubt that you can carry that many books with you in printed media. I like to keep the current book that I am reading in my google drive for potability purposes. I used to own a Kindle, but then I stopped using it because I wanted a way for me to access my books on various media and therefore, I switched to google drive.

– For Beginners:  I would not suggest you to use google drive or to read on various devices at this level because you might be prone to distractions. I would suggest you to get a Kindle or Nook – they are also distraction free unlike other electronic device.

Tip # 9: Disconnect

I would suggest you to disconnect completely when you are reading- no phones, no tvs, nothing other than you book and your presence of mind. Like I have already said, limit your virtual media.

Tip # 10: Realize that you have time to read, but choose not to

If everything fails, you still think that you do not have time then YOU need to realize that you are wasting your precious time. You have time to read, period. You can read while you are waiting for your turn to check out from a grocery store, or while you waiting for brother to get in the car from school and many other hidden mins that can be easily conserved.

Now I am going to let you peak into my reading routine:

– General Approach: I like to select a reading list first and then pick a book (like to go in the same sequence the list is presented to avoid decision fatigue). Then, I set a goal for that particular book by judging the book by it’s length, reading level, and genre. I give myself a deadline to finish that particular book (eg. a week, or 2 days). After that, I try to mentally calculate how many pages I have to read on average to finish that book by that particular deadline (remember, do not restrict yourself. Be flexible).

– My daily approach: I read for around 2 hours using pomodoro technique in the morning. I try to fill the gaps of time with reading throughout the day, but do not wear yourself out (remember that reading requires thought process as well. So, give yourself some breaks as well). I also read at night for around an hour.

I know you enjoy this post and found some helpful tips from it. I hope these tips would help you to read more and more everyday because reading is so important and enjoyable. It can take you on adventures that you have never been before and you just have to let your imagination fly when to read.

Love,

Priya

Entertain Like The Gilmore Girls: Season 1 Episode 2

Hello,

I am going to list every reference listed or shown in the second episode of Gilmore Girls. I have not finished all the books mentioned in the first episode, but I have finished all the movies and songs. Therefore, I thought why not move on the next episode. BTW, I will continue to read the books mentioned in the pilot until I finish it.

Literature:

1. Alice in Wonderland

2. The Hunchback of Notre Dame

3. Leo Tolstoy (author mentioned as well as books written by him- War and Peace & Anna Karenina) 4. Charles Dickens (author mentioned as well as  books written by him- David Copperfield, Great Expectations, A Tale of Two Cities, and Little Dorrit)

5. Dostoyevski

6. George Sand

7. Balzac

8. Harry Potter (I am planning to start with the first book and progress from there every time there will a Harry Potter reference- because I am sure there will be more Harry Potter reference.)

9. Shakespeare 10. Christian Nobility by Martin Lither 11. The Shining By Stephen King 12. Archie Comics

Music:

• References:
  • XTC Apple Venus Volume 2 CD
  • The Dixie Chick

• Played in the show

  • I’m the Man Who Murdered Love By XTC
  • I Don’t Know How to Say Goodbye To You by Sam Phillips
  • Stars and Strips Forever by John Phillip Sousa

Movies & Shows:

• The Dukes of Hazzards
• Schindler’s List
• Christiane Amanpour
• Cokie Roberts
• Oprah
• Rosie O’Donnell

• The View

• The Goonies

• Macy’s Parade
• The Shining (you can read the book or watch the movie or both)

I hope you enjoy this list.

Love,

Priya

How I am structuring my life like Gilmore Girls?

I absolutely adore Gilmore Girls. They are both powerful and hardworking women who never give up and strive to be the best. I want to model my life like theirs. I am aware of the fact that it is a frictional show (some aspects of their lives are exaggerated and fabricated) and that some of their habits and choices are not the best to take after. Therefore, after thorough research and thinking, I have come with a schedule where I can model my life after Gilmore Girls while being completely rational and healthy.

Parameters of being a Gilmore Girl:

• Drink a good ol’ cup of coffee. No one fancies a good cup of coffee more than the Gilmore Girls, which is not a bad thing. Coffee comes with many benefits and is considered very good for you if you drink it in moderation. I have discussed the benefits of coffee in my last post. Try to limit the consumption of it to 4 cups (no more than 4 cups please). 
• Eat what you like but with some consideration. Gilmore girls drown themselves in takeouts (I do not recommend this at all). What I mean by eat what you like is that you can eat what ever you want in a healthy way. Try to opt out of unhealthy ingredients and replace with a healthy one. Healthy food can be tasty too. Do not go on a diet (Gilmore girls would never do that).
• Talk Fast: Because life is short
• Try to spend Friday night with your Grandparents. Or at least call them or text them.
• Get super close to your mother. Watch Gilmore Girls you will know what I mean.
• Read Read Read. Try to carry a book on you at all times and read vigorously. Have a goal like finish one book per week. Or depending on the length of the book, give yourself a time frame.
• Have Fun and Talk in References: Watch movies and tv shows . Listen to music.
• Take your job seriously: Whether it is your school or work, do your best.

Here is my Glimored Schedule (keeping Rory in mind for the most part):

05:30- Wake up; Shower and get dressed. I do wear some makeup, but not a lot. I just wear a good moisturiser, some baby powder, and some chapstick and lip stick.

06:00- Make some coffee and have some breakfast (3 times a week, I go to a local diner for breakfast.) For breakfast, I normally have some eggs and toasts, or smoothie. Somedays, it is oatmeal.

Coffee Cup # 1

06:15- Be at the library. I start my day by reading. I follow the gilmore girls reading list episode by episode chronologically. I read for 2 hours intensely in pomodoro slot (every 25 mins of reading, I take 5 mins of break) I read around 100-150 pages during this course of about 2 hours.

 

08:30- Start officially studying (How I Study like Rory Gilmore? coming soon) I study using the pomodoro technique for the most part. I set my timer with a vibration mode (remember I am at the library) for 25 mins and study with a deep focus for 25 mins. Then, take a five min break. I do four 25-mins-intervals and then I take a 25 mins break. I normally call my mom or go for a walk during the breaks. I do around four 25-mins sessions before lunch. To honest, I get 4 hours of work done in these 2 hours because I am completely focus and energised during these sessions. I have no access to the internet for the most part or any other sort of distractions except the internal ones (I am doing good at controlling them).

Lunch (around 11 or 11:30): I have my lunch during my long break of 25 mins.  I usually bring some lunch from home or make some salad or sandwich at the cafe. Of course, I have a cup of coffee. Also, I do duolingo for around 10-15 mins as well. I am learning French.

Coffee Cup # 2 

After Lunch: I do not have a specific time for my lunch, but approximately around 11:30 or 12:0. After this, I resume my study session and I use the pomodoro technique again. I get about 4 pomodoro sessions done.

13:30 or 14:00- Leave for work (I work because I like to be financially independent. I think if Rory was a real life person, she would definitely work for a few hours each day.) I get some coffee and some fruits or some snacks on the way to work. If I do not get my targeted pomodoros, done, then I do it at work. If I have time, then I work on my blog.

Coffee Cup # 3

15:00- Work (If you get some free time, study. Or read) I do some light review on most days during work. If I have more free time in my hand, then I will do 4 pomodoros. So it really depends on the day and the amount of work we have. Also, the coworkers you are working with that day. I read when I can not focus or when I have time to be productive but I am distracted due to external interruptions. I get 20-30 pages done on an average. Somedays I can get only 5 pages to read while some I can read 50 pages. Again, really depends. I normally get another cup of coffee around 5 or 6 pm.

Coffee Cup: 4

21:00- Watch a movie or show (give yourself a limited amount of time for entertainment. I give myself an hour each day.) Most days I do get the luxury to watch some awesome shows and movies, but somedays I just cannot. But I try to give myself at least an hour to enjoy some virtual entertainment. I usually watch the movie referred on the Gilmore Girls and I tend to go by episode by episode in chronological order. But you can get the access to the list here <https://www.buzzfeed.com/littleraeoflight/gilmore-girls-movie-list-1q5mu?utm_term=.lo8ABaV8Z#.hhe6DE3vP&gt; or you can just go to each episode under gilmorisms and watch it in chronological order (episode by episode). BTW, I have posted all the references from the pilot episode. You can use that as well. I am just going down the list with my books and movies to avoid decision fatigue. I watch a movie or a show without skipping for an hour and then pause it if I am not done and  resume it the next day because you cannot give 2-3 hours everyday to a movie or a show.

22:00- Read. I read for about an hour here. I get around 40-60 pages during this time because this time of the day is very calm and uninterrupted for the most part.

23:00- Take a shower and wash my face. I apply some moisturiser, eye-cream, and lip balm. I go to bed around 11:15 pm.

Total pages read on an average- 150-200. Somedays it is around 250 and somedays hardly 100.

This is how I keep myself productive with loads of school work, reading, walking, talking to my mother, watching shows and movies, drinking coffee, and eating healthy.

 

Love,
Priya

 

 

 

Entertain Like The Gilmore Girls: Season 1 Episode 1

Hello,

I am going to list every reference listed or shown in the Pilot of Gilmore Girls. This week and the next few weeks (until I finish all the books listed in the Pilot), I am going to entertain myself using these things listed below. Ready?

Literature:

1. On the Road by Jack Kerouac

2. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

3. Stephen King (if you reading using this sequence, you can pick any book by Stephen King. I am planning to read Under The Dome or The Stand.) 4. Mistress of Mellyn By Victoria Holt (Rory was seen holding the book)

5. Rosemary’s Baby by Ira Levin

6. Moby Dick by Herman Melville

7. Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert

8. The Second Sex By Simone De Beauvoir 9. Mommie Dearest by Christina Crawford (read the book or watch the movie. I intend to do both)

10. The Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Andersen

Music:

• There She Goes by The LA’s – This is the first scene ever on the show where you see Lorelai walking to Luke’s. It is very good song and gives happy vibes every time I listen to it.
• Eminem: refered by Lane
• Britney Spears: refered by Rory
• Where the Color Don’t Go by Sam Phillips – This song is played when Lorelai goes to her parent’s house to ask for money for Rory’s school.
• Wendy by Wesley Yang and Gavin Mcnett – This is played when Rory gets her stuff from her locker.
• Heartland By George Strait is played when Rory and Lorelai are walking to their home from Luke’s.
• Ballet Waltz by Herman Beeftink is played at Miss Patty’s dance class.
• I Try by Macy Gray is played after a heated argument between Rory and Lorelai.
• My Little Corner Of The World by Kit Pongetti is played at Luke’s in the last scene of the Pilot.

Movies:

• West Side Story: Referred by Lorelai to Luke.
• Rosemary’s Baby: Referred by Rory to Dean.
• Mommie Dearest: Referred by Lorelai to Rory.
• Nick At Nite: Referred by Rory to Lorelai about Dean.
• Zsa Zsa Gabor
• Oprah

Here you go! Enjoy the next few weeks with these entertainment-packed things to do!

If I get more references from the Pilots, I will add more. But for now, I think that’s it.

 

Love,

Priya

Coffee In My Veins

Hello Again,

This is my fourth post. Can you believe it?! I just have so many new ideas and things that I want to share.

If you have seen the Gilmore Girls, you know how addicted the Gilmore Girls are to coffee. I know it is not a very healthy habit and coffee should be consumed in moderation. But again, isn’t it a frictional tv show? Their caffein addiction is exaggerated a bit. In a few episodes, Lorelai drinks about 11 cups of coffee (which is not very healthy, if you do drink that much coffee) I personally believe drinking 2-4 cups of coffee is considered okay for your health. Scientifically speaking, it has been proven health beneficial. Let me list the benefits of coffee down here for you:

• It boosts your concentration level and attention span.
• It can help you burn fat (no wonder the Gilmore Girls are so slender with such consumption of junk food)
• It can also boost your physical fitness and physical performance
• It lowers the risk of diabetes and other cardiovascular health problems.
• It can prevents Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
• It protects your liver health.
• It can fight depression.
• It provides antioxidants.

Yet, it comes with various drawbacks such as insomnia, headache, fatigue, etc. But these drawbacks will only appear if caffein is not done in moderation. Therefore, moderation is the key.

Now, let’s talk about how to drink your coffee. I personally drink about coffee black with no sugar and no other added flavors. But Lorelai said in one episode that she likes her coffee with 3 packs of sugar. You can go for sugar or any other coffee add-ons.

Then, just sit back, read, watch movies, listen to the music, and have fun with the wonderful feeling of coffee.

 

Love,

Priya

Upcoming Book #1: On the Road By Jack Kerouac

Hello!

While I was rewatching the Gilmore Girls, the first book reference I heard was Jack Kerouac. There is this first scene shot in Luke’s Diner where Lorelai is having her daily morning coffee and this guy named Joey talks to her. The conversation goes like this:

JOEY :You make that look really good.

LORELAI: It is really good. Best coffee in town.

JOEY: Yeah? I’ll have to get a cup.

LORELAI: Good plan.

JOEY: I’ve never been here before. I’m just passing through on my way to Hartford.

LORELAI: You’re a regular Jack Kerouac.

JOEY (no idea what she’s talking about): Yeah. Hey, you mind if I sit down?

LORELAI: Actually, I’m meeting someone.

She is referring to Jack Kerouac, the famous Beat writer, and his book, On The Road. I have seen this book several times in the library, but never really found anything interesting about this road trip book. I finally getting a chance to read this and the credit goes to the Gilmore Girls. I hope this book is good. I will write a review on this book next monday (or before that if I finish it before then).

Keep checking for new content!

Love,

Priya