I tense up every time Brad Paisley's song This is Country Music comes on the radio.
It's a good song. Catchy. But I'm always tempted to change the station. There's this one line, you see
Are you haunted by the echo of your mother on the phone
Crying as she tells you that your brother is not coming home?
It's a little disconcerting to have your biggest fear thrown in your face like that.
Especially when it's set to a tune that gets stuck in your head
And plays itself over and over
All night long.
Please, Brad, come out with a new single. Soon.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Monday, April 25, 2011
This is My Brain on Batman
Here's a quick peek into how my brain works. This is how I discover new media and end up spending far too much time and money consuming books and TV shows.
I saw a tweet a few days ago that Eliza Dusku had been cast as Catwoman. What? I thought Wasn't Anne Hathaway cast as Catwoman? But shortly after that, I saw the story repeated on The Mary Sue. This isn't Chris Nolan's Batman. It's Batman: Year One. And it has Katee Sackhoff! Another reason to watch this version.
Well it turns out this incarnation of Batman will be animated. So I won't actually get to see Eliza or Katee kicking butt. But it's still worth checking out.
And it's based on a comic book (Batman: Year One) written by Frank Miller (of Sin City and 300). I've always liked Batman. (Who doesn't?) But, I'm a bit weird. I prefer the campy movies with Val Kilmer and George Clooney.
Honestly, George Clooney is my Batman. Batman and Robin remains my favorite Batman movie of all the Batman movies. Probably because it was the first one I saw. Plus Uma Thurman and the Governator. That was a great movie.
I never saw the Adam West TV show so I can't speak to it. I don't like the new ones as much because Christian Bale's upper lip bothers me.
Seriously, have you seen this man? It's like he's missing all the teeth on the top and his upper lip is just hanging there like a lonely curtain hiding his shame.
But then he grew a mustache. And his hotness factor went up a lot. Seriously. He should win the "face most improved by a mustache" award
See how much hotter he is? But I don't think he has the mustache in the new movie. (Which has Jospeh Gordon Levitt, OMG! Swoon)
I saw a tweet a few days ago that Eliza Dusku had been cast as Catwoman. What? I thought Wasn't Anne Hathaway cast as Catwoman? But shortly after that, I saw the story repeated on The Mary Sue. This isn't Chris Nolan's Batman. It's Batman: Year One. And it has Katee Sackhoff! Another reason to watch this version.
Well it turns out this incarnation of Batman will be animated. So I won't actually get to see Eliza or Katee kicking butt. But it's still worth checking out.
And it's based on a comic book (Batman: Year One) written by Frank Miller (of Sin City and 300). I've always liked Batman. (Who doesn't?) But, I'm a bit weird. I prefer the campy movies with Val Kilmer and George Clooney.
Honestly, George Clooney is my Batman. Batman and Robin remains my favorite Batman movie of all the Batman movies. Probably because it was the first one I saw. Plus Uma Thurman and the Governator. That was a great movie.
I never saw the Adam West TV show so I can't speak to it. I don't like the new ones as much because Christian Bale's upper lip bothers me.
Seriously, have you seen this man? It's like he's missing all the teeth on the top and his upper lip is just hanging there like a lonely curtain hiding his shame.
 |
| I don't know why this bothers me so much |
But then he grew a mustache. And his hotness factor went up a lot. Seriously. He should win the "face most improved by a mustache" award
 |
| Best mustache ever |
Anyway, this Batman (Batman: Year One) doesn't have him. And even if it did, it's animated. So I wouldn't spend the entire movie distracted by his weird upper lip. But more importantly, it has Eliza Dushku and Katee Sackhoff. And it's based on a comic book. And I must now buy that comic book.
Because who doesn't like Batman? Or Frank Miller? And I can't watch a movie without reading the book first. This is based on a rule my mom made up when I was eight and reading The Secret Garden. But I totally internalized it. And now I must buy and read the comic book and then seek out and watch the animated adaptation. Then I'll be able to compare and contrast the two stories. And I'll have a whole new perspective of Batman.
All because of Eliza Dushku.
My mind is kind of a scary place.
Monday, April 18, 2011
House Hunting
Boyfriend and I have begun looking at houses. The plan is to buy one sometime soonish. It's not a very fleshed out plan. We're not sure whether we want to get a real house now, if we can afford a real house now, or if we want to get a townhouse that we'd be in for a few years before upgrading. It's all very vague and confusing and exciting. But the best part (and the only part we've really done so far) is driving around and going to open houses.
Open houses are awesome. We ended up touring a bunch of houses that we absolutely can't afford. Houses with price tags of $1 million or more. And seriously, who needs 8000 square feet of space? It sure was fun to look at them, though.
The first house we looked at was actually reasonable, and more or less in our price range. It was move-in ready, but would certainly need work over the years (updating the kitchen, finishing the basement). That's pretty much fine with us. As long as the lot and the floor plan are good, and the house isn't actually falling apart or unlivable, we can certainly make those upgrades as we have time and money. Plus, that's a great way for us to add value to the house. But the bedroom situation was a little weird. Five bedrooms upstairs sharing two bathrooms. One of the bedrooms was actually off the master bathroom, and it was tiny. It would really only work as a nursery or office .
After that, we just started driving around looking for any open houses. The second house we came across was huge. The plot was over two acres, and there was a wooden deck, a stone patio, and a fireplace outside. Inside it was like a maze. Seriously, this house just kept going. I think there were six bedrooms and three offices, plus a workout room. Two kitchens, and a "coffee bar" in the master suite. Because it's just too hard to walk to the kitchen for a cup of coffee or nightcap.
Let's talk about master suites. Apparently, they need to be huge. Some of the suites we saw were bigger than the apartment we're currently living in. One was 1400 square feet. I mean, what do you do, besides sleep in there? But there's always a massive bedroom, two walk in closets, a ginormous bathroom, and at least one sitting room/office. Some had two sitting rooms (his and hers, I guess?). Several also had bar areas, complete with granite counter top and sink. I guess this is for those people who never want to see their kids. Because you would basically never have to leave one of those suites. We joked about renting out the master suite as a separate apartment, but then you get the headache of dealing with a tenant.
All in all we saw about six houses. Most of them were far out of our price range. And they also had more space than the two of us would ever fill. Boyfriend has started teasing me that his mom could move in, both to help us afford one of these houses and to help us furnish it. I shot that down pretty quick. Nothing against his mom, I just don't want to live with her. I want our space, where our is limited to Boyfriend and me.
At any rate, it was fun to look at the mansions. We got to ooh and aah and figure out which extravagances we actually want to spend money on and which ones are just ridiculous. So here's the current wish list
This neighborhood is walking distance from the metro. That would cut about 15 minutes off my commute, plus all the headache of sitting in traffic. The dining room/living room layout was a bit weird, but there was a really nice rec room in the basement. And it had three bedrooms, which means we would each get an office. There's even a nook where I could set up a table to do puzzles (which I totally just realized is what the nook is perfect for). The location means it would completely retain its value. And all the town houses in the development have basically the same floor plan (let's face it, all town houses are basically going to have the same floor plan).
So now even though we're at the very beginning of our search, I've managed to completely fall in love with one of the first place we saw. To be fair, though, we still don't know what we can afford (though that town house was certainly in our price range) or even exactly what we want. I'm sure we'll have a better idea in the weeks and months to come.
In the meantime I feel like an adult and like I'm just playing at being an adult all at the same time. I mean, I'm looking at houses? To buy? This is a huge life thing. And it's all sorts of awesome.
Open houses are awesome. We ended up touring a bunch of houses that we absolutely can't afford. Houses with price tags of $1 million or more. And seriously, who needs 8000 square feet of space? It sure was fun to look at them, though.
The first house we looked at was actually reasonable, and more or less in our price range. It was move-in ready, but would certainly need work over the years (updating the kitchen, finishing the basement). That's pretty much fine with us. As long as the lot and the floor plan are good, and the house isn't actually falling apart or unlivable, we can certainly make those upgrades as we have time and money. Plus, that's a great way for us to add value to the house. But the bedroom situation was a little weird. Five bedrooms upstairs sharing two bathrooms. One of the bedrooms was actually off the master bathroom, and it was tiny. It would really only work as a nursery or office .
After that, we just started driving around looking for any open houses. The second house we came across was huge. The plot was over two acres, and there was a wooden deck, a stone patio, and a fireplace outside. Inside it was like a maze. Seriously, this house just kept going. I think there were six bedrooms and three offices, plus a workout room. Two kitchens, and a "coffee bar" in the master suite. Because it's just too hard to walk to the kitchen for a cup of coffee or nightcap.
Let's talk about master suites. Apparently, they need to be huge. Some of the suites we saw were bigger than the apartment we're currently living in. One was 1400 square feet. I mean, what do you do, besides sleep in there? But there's always a massive bedroom, two walk in closets, a ginormous bathroom, and at least one sitting room/office. Some had two sitting rooms (his and hers, I guess?). Several also had bar areas, complete with granite counter top and sink. I guess this is for those people who never want to see their kids. Because you would basically never have to leave one of those suites. We joked about renting out the master suite as a separate apartment, but then you get the headache of dealing with a tenant.
All in all we saw about six houses. Most of them were far out of our price range. And they also had more space than the two of us would ever fill. Boyfriend has started teasing me that his mom could move in, both to help us afford one of these houses and to help us furnish it. I shot that down pretty quick. Nothing against his mom, I just don't want to live with her. I want our space, where our is limited to Boyfriend and me.
At any rate, it was fun to look at the mansions. We got to ooh and aah and figure out which extravagances we actually want to spend money on and which ones are just ridiculous. So here's the current wish list
- Nice kitchen, with a good amount of counter space and cabinet space (more than we currently have)
- Deck/porch with space for a grill
- Media room This basically boils down to a room that doesn't have windows or at least doesn't get much sun, where we can stick a TV and some couches
- Two offices. Boyfriend and I currently share an office, and it can get a bit crowded when we're both doing things on our computers that require sound. Also the air mattress barely fits in there since I got my own desk. It would be nice to have more space for guests
- Big closet in the master bedroom
- Bathtub
- Close to metro. My commute is already an hour long and I don't want it to be much longer
This neighborhood is walking distance from the metro. That would cut about 15 minutes off my commute, plus all the headache of sitting in traffic. The dining room/living room layout was a bit weird, but there was a really nice rec room in the basement. And it had three bedrooms, which means we would each get an office. There's even a nook where I could set up a table to do puzzles (which I totally just realized is what the nook is perfect for). The location means it would completely retain its value. And all the town houses in the development have basically the same floor plan (let's face it, all town houses are basically going to have the same floor plan).
So now even though we're at the very beginning of our search, I've managed to completely fall in love with one of the first place we saw. To be fair, though, we still don't know what we can afford (though that town house was certainly in our price range) or even exactly what we want. I'm sure we'll have a better idea in the weeks and months to come.
In the meantime I feel like an adult and like I'm just playing at being an adult all at the same time. I mean, I'm looking at houses? To buy? This is a huge life thing. And it's all sorts of awesome.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Geeking Out About Kings and Gods
HBO appears to be going after the geek demographic. They started True Blood several years ago, which was a smash success and begins its fourth season in June. This Sunday marks the premiere of The Game of Thrones, based on George R R Martin's book series A Song of Ice and Fire. These books are epic and long, and I've only read the first one, but I look forward to reading the rest. I'm sort of holding off until after the TV series starts, though. Then, they announced today that they bought the rights to Neil Gaiman's American Gods and are going to produce a mini-series based on the novel, with Mr. Gaiman signed on as one of the writers.
Be still my geeky heart.
Anyway, it worked. I convinced Boyfriend to add HBO to our Verizon subscription (by promising to pay for it), and I can't wait to see these stories translated to the small screen (which is actually pretty big these days).
American Gods was basically my introduction to Neil Gaiman. I'd read the first Sandman graphic novel, Preludes and Nocturnes, and was saving up to buy the rest of the series. Then an ex-boyfriend gave me American Gods because he thought I'd like it, and he was right. I finished the book before I realized that it was written by the same guy as Sandman and immediately started seeking out his other work.
This novel isn't for everyone. It's a slow burn book. There's more introspection and philosophizing than action and adventure. It's based on the premise that all the immigrants brought their gods to America with them. Over the years, those gods have been lost or forgotten. They've been replaced by the newer gods of television and telephone (now being replaced by the gods of Google, Netflix, and Facebook, of course). And the old gods are pissed. They're looking for a fight. One last moment of shining glory before they are forgotten completely.
The protagonist is a man named Shadow, a former convict. He is released from jail just in time for his wife's funeral, after which the mysterious Mr. Wednesday (Norse god Odin) offers him a job as an assistant. Together they travel across America, gathering up the old gods and convincing them to fight in the impending war. As I said, the story is slow. But I'm in love with the premise. I think it does a lot better on a second read through.
I've been meaning to re-read American Gods anyway. I recently discovered that a version was released in 2005 with 40 extra pages. My copy is from 2001, so I'm anxious to know what I'm missing. Boyfriend kindly went and bought it, but he's reading it now. I'll have to wait until he finishes. Even though I could probably read the entire thing before he got around to picking it up again. Oh well. If you've seen my currently reading/to read list, you'll know that I have plenty to keep me occupied in the meantime. As long as I get around to it before the series premieres on HBO. Which, let's be honest, is probably years away and might not even happen. (Fingers crossed it does)
In the meantime, I'll leave you with one of the most famous and oft-quoted passages from the books, Sam's "I believe" speech, which is available on a t-shirt
Seriously guys, dragons make everything better.
Game of Thrones also has a bunch of strong female characters. There are queens and princesses telling their story right alongside the kings and princes. And all of them are interesting, fleshed out characters. I really can't wait to see how this translates to the screen. Here's a preview:
Winter is coming...
Be still my geeky heart.
Anyway, it worked. I convinced Boyfriend to add HBO to our Verizon subscription (by promising to pay for it), and I can't wait to see these stories translated to the small screen (which is actually pretty big these days).
American Gods was basically my introduction to Neil Gaiman. I'd read the first Sandman graphic novel, Preludes and Nocturnes, and was saving up to buy the rest of the series. Then an ex-boyfriend gave me American Gods because he thought I'd like it, and he was right. I finished the book before I realized that it was written by the same guy as Sandman and immediately started seeking out his other work.
This novel isn't for everyone. It's a slow burn book. There's more introspection and philosophizing than action and adventure. It's based on the premise that all the immigrants brought their gods to America with them. Over the years, those gods have been lost or forgotten. They've been replaced by the newer gods of television and telephone (now being replaced by the gods of Google, Netflix, and Facebook, of course). And the old gods are pissed. They're looking for a fight. One last moment of shining glory before they are forgotten completely.
The protagonist is a man named Shadow, a former convict. He is released from jail just in time for his wife's funeral, after which the mysterious Mr. Wednesday (Norse god Odin) offers him a job as an assistant. Together they travel across America, gathering up the old gods and convincing them to fight in the impending war. As I said, the story is slow. But I'm in love with the premise. I think it does a lot better on a second read through.
I've been meaning to re-read American Gods anyway. I recently discovered that a version was released in 2005 with 40 extra pages. My copy is from 2001, so I'm anxious to know what I'm missing. Boyfriend kindly went and bought it, but he's reading it now. I'll have to wait until he finishes. Even though I could probably read the entire thing before he got around to picking it up again. Oh well. If you've seen my currently reading/to read list, you'll know that I have plenty to keep me occupied in the meantime. As long as I get around to it before the series premieres on HBO. Which, let's be honest, is probably years away and might not even happen. (Fingers crossed it does)
In the meantime, I'll leave you with one of the most famous and oft-quoted passages from the books, Sam's "I believe" speech, which is available on a t-shirt
I can believe things that are true and I can believe things that aren't true and I can believe things where nobody knows if they're true or not. I can believe in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny and Marilyn Monroe and the Beatles and Elvis and Mister Ed. Listen — I believe that people are perfectible, that knowledge is infinite, that the world is run by secret banking cartels and is visited by aliens on a regular basis, nice ones that look like wrinkledly lemurs and bad ones who mutilate cattle and want our water and our women. I believe that the future sucks and I believe that the future rocks and I believe that one day White Buffalo Woman is going to come back and kick everyone's ass. I believe that all men are just overgrown boys with deep problems communicating and that the decline in good sex in America is coincident with the decline in drive-in movie theaters from state to state. I believe that all politicians are unprincipled crooks and I still believe that they are better than the alternative. I believe that California is going to sink into the sea when the big one comes, while Florida is going to dissolve into madness and alligators and toxic waste. I believe that antibacterial soap is destroying our resistance to dirt and disease so that one day we'll all be wiped out by the common cold like the Martians in War of the Worlds. I believe that the greatest poets of the last century were Edith Sitwell and Don Marquis, that jade is dried dragon sperm, and that thousands of years ago in a former life I was a one-armed Siberian shaman. I believe that mankind's destiny lies in the stars. I believe that candy really did taste better when I was a kid, that it's aerodynamically impossible for a bumblebee to fly, that light is a wave and a particle, that there's a cat in a box somewhere who's alive and dead at the same time (although if they don't ever open the box to feed it it'll eventually just be two different kinds of dead), and that there are stars in the universe billions of years older than the universe itself. I believe in a personal god who cares about me and worries and oversees everything I do. I believe in an impersonal god who set the universe in motion and went off to hang with her girlfriends and doesn't even know that I'm alive. I believe in an empty and godless universe of causal chaos, background noise, and sheer blind luck. I believe that anyone who says that sex is overrated just hasn't done it properly. I believe that anyone who claims to know what's going on will lie about the little things too. I believe in absolute honesty and sensible social lies. I believe in a woman's right to choose, a baby's right to live, that while all human life is sacred there's nothing wrong with the death penalty if you can trust the legal system implicitly, and that no one but a moron would ever trust the legal system. I believe that life is a game, that life is a cruel joke, and that life is what happens when you're alive and that you might as well lie back and enjoy it.Also, allow me to geek out because Game of Thrones premieres this weekend! This book was awesome. There are a lot of characters, which can be a bit of a brain stretch. The chapters switch off perspectives between several characters and locations. But you end up with a whole lot of threads weaving together into an epic political intrigue. With dragons (eventually).
Seriously guys, dragons make everything better.
Game of Thrones also has a bunch of strong female characters. There are queens and princesses telling their story right alongside the kings and princes. And all of them are interesting, fleshed out characters. I really can't wait to see how this translates to the screen. Here's a preview:
So much intrigue! Here's a slightly less cryptic trailer:
That first scene was lifted straight from the book. And the landscapes! It all looks so gorgeous and wonderful. Plus, Sean Bean!
Winter is coming...
Beware Of Chicken
News on the radio just gave me a "fun fact that will make you want to be a vegetarian". Turns out 1 out of every 4 chickens tested in the supermarket has drug-resistant bacteria that can make you sick!
My reaction: Um, haven't we known this forever? Isn't that what fire is for?
The reporter went on to say that properly cooking the chicken will kill all the bacteria.
So yeah, this just in. Raw chicken could make you sick. Because that's news.
Sometimes I hate the media
My reaction: Um, haven't we known this forever? Isn't that what fire is for?
The reporter went on to say that properly cooking the chicken will kill all the bacteria.
So yeah, this just in. Raw chicken could make you sick. Because that's news.
Sometimes I hate the media
Thursday, April 14, 2011
30 Days of Buffy: Day 30
Day 30: What You Think Made Buffy So Great
The best thing about Buffy, the thing that kept me coming back week after week and has me continuing to watch the show, is the characters. There are so many wonderful, three-dimensional characters. All of them are people, with hopes and dreams and strengths and flaws. They make good decisions and bad decisions. And have to deal with the consequences.
The characters on Buffy are people I would like to hang out with. And I think that interesting characters are the key to any successful show.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Update
I haven't been blogging lately (except for my Buffy meme updates). I don't know if any of you even care or not. But I'll try not to abandon this thing completely. Work has gotten a lot busier and a lot better. This has left me with less time to whine and fewer things to whine about.
My boss left the company at the beginning of the month. This was sad, but my new boss is awesome (and the exact person I was hoping would be promoted to the position). We met after her promotion and she managed to make me feel a lot better about my position in the company and my future with it. Also, a bunch of my projects have deliverables soon. This accounts for the sudden business of my life. It also makes me feel like I'm actually accomplishing something. Work is still frustrating, but it's the good kind of frustrating now.
Also, Boyfriend and I are starting to look at houses. Everything is still very up in the air and our plans are pretty vague. We went to a bunch of open houses this weekend (and I am planning to write a post about some of the ridiculous houses we got to tour) and I'm suddenly really excited about the idea of a house. Which means I'm far more inclined to keep my current job with it's nice paycheck.
I think I've been in a slump or a rut for the past couple of months and I'm starting to come out of it. Hopefully this trend continues. My job really is awesome and I'm pretty excited to keep it at this point.
My boss left the company at the beginning of the month. This was sad, but my new boss is awesome (and the exact person I was hoping would be promoted to the position). We met after her promotion and she managed to make me feel a lot better about my position in the company and my future with it. Also, a bunch of my projects have deliverables soon. This accounts for the sudden business of my life. It also makes me feel like I'm actually accomplishing something. Work is still frustrating, but it's the good kind of frustrating now.
Also, Boyfriend and I are starting to look at houses. Everything is still very up in the air and our plans are pretty vague. We went to a bunch of open houses this weekend (and I am planning to write a post about some of the ridiculous houses we got to tour) and I'm suddenly really excited about the idea of a house. Which means I'm far more inclined to keep my current job with it's nice paycheck.
I think I've been in a slump or a rut for the past couple of months and I'm starting to come out of it. Hopefully this trend continues. My job really is awesome and I'm pretty excited to keep it at this point.
30 Days of Buffy: Day 29
Day 29: Episode You Hate That Everyone Else Loves
This is especially tough. There aren't that many episodes that I hate. I guess I'm a bit of a Buffy apologist. There are episodes that aren't as good. But I tend to be in agreement with the critics about those. So I went and found a site that gave each episode a grade, and grabbed one that had received an 'A' that I felt was undeserved.
And that episode is Revelations.
It's not that this is a bad episode. But it's not one of my favorites. Faith and Xander are a bit too willing to kill Angel. This feels out of character for Faith, at least to me. Xander catching Buffy and Angel making out is a bit too convenient.
I don't know. I guess I'd consider this an average Buffy episode (and even bad Buffy episodes are pretty good). I'd probably give it a B- instead of an A. So there you go.
I'm such a bad hater.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
30 Days of Buffy: Day 28
Day 28: Character You Love To Hate
I adore Angelus. He is so much cooler than Angel. His complete lack on conscious. His twisted obsession with Buffy. His leather pants. We'll just ignore that thing he calls an Irish accent.
Angelus is a great villain. As a character, he's far more interesting than Angel. That Angel could revert back to his soulless self at any point adds to the intrigue. Really, he's just a wonderful character. I love pretty much any episode he's in
Monday, April 11, 2011
30 Days of Buffy: Day 27
Day 27: Cutest Moment
The first episode of the second season opens with Willow and Xander walking through the cemetery, eating ice cream and playing "guess the movie". Xander eventually dabs Willow's nose with ice cream and feeds her a line from Witness. She guesses correctly of course and gives him the most adorable look as she informs him that her nose his cold. He goes to lick it off, she dodges and giggles and they lean in for a kiss.
It gets ruined by the appearance of a vampire and Buffy. But up until then, it's completely adorable.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Take a Breath
Anya:What happens next?
Xander:Well, at some point we take off our clothes.
Anya:I mean, what happens next in our lives? When do we get a car?
Xander:A car?
Anya:And a boat. No, wait, I don't mean a boat. I mean a puppy, or a child. I have a list somewhere.
Xander:What are you talking about?
Anya:Just, we have to get going. I don't have time just to let these things happen.
Xander:There's no hurry.
~The Replacement
In this scenario I am Anya. I want the next thing. The house, the child, the dog. Just need a reminder that there is no hurry.
Xander:Well, at some point we take off our clothes.
Anya:I mean, what happens next in our lives? When do we get a car?
Xander:A car?
Anya:And a boat. No, wait, I don't mean a boat. I mean a puppy, or a child. I have a list somewhere.
Xander:What are you talking about?
Anya:Just, we have to get going. I don't have time just to let these things happen.
Xander:There's no hurry.
~The Replacement
In this scenario I am Anya. I want the next thing. The house, the child, the dog. Just need a reminder that there is no hurry.
30 Days of Buffy: Day 26
Day 26: Favorite Scooby Moment
This one's tough because there are so many good ones. The Scoobies hanging out are, like, half the show. I think my favorite might be when they're all hanging out watching the musical soap opera because they don't have enough money to go to the Bronze. It's so sweet and one of the few times they aren't worried about saving the world from evil
Saturday, April 9, 2011
30 Days of Buffy: Day 25
Day 25: Favorite Buffyverse Saying
Giles: God, every day here is the same
Buffy: Bright, sunny, beautiful. However can we escape this torment?
~Teacher's Pet
Buffy: If the apocalypse comes, beep me.
~Never Kill a Boy on the First Date
Willow: I mean, why else would she be acting like such a b-i-t-c-h?
Giles: Willow, I think we're all a little too old to be spelling things out.
Xander: A bitca?
~When She Was Bad
Spike: I was actually at Woodstock. That was a weird gig. I fed off a flower person, and then I spent the next six hours watching my hand move
~School Hard
Buffy: Does it ever get easy?
Giles: You mean life?
Buffy: Yeah. Does it get easy?
Giles: What do you want me to say?
Buffy:Lie to me.
Giles: Yes, it's terribly simple. The good guys are always stalwart and true, the bad guys are easily distinguished by their pointy horns or black hats, and, uh, we always defeat them and save the day. No one ever dies, and everybody lives happily ever after.
Buffy: Liar
~Lie To Me
Whistler: Bottom line is, even if you see them coming, you're not ready for the big moments. No one asks for their life to change, not really. But it does. So, what are we, helpless? Puppets? Nah. The big moments are gonna come, you can't help that. It's what you do afterwards that count. That's when you find out who you are.
~Becoming
Buffy: I hate you
Spike: And I'm all you've got
~Becoming
Angelus: No weapons, no friends, no hope. Take all that away, and what's left?
Buffy: Me
~Becoming
Spike: You're not friends. You'll never be friends. You'll be in love 'til it kills you both. You'll fight, and you'll shag, and you'll hate each other 'til it makes you quiver, but you'll never be friends. Love isn't brains, children, it's blood -- blood screaming inside you to work its will. I may be love's bitch, but at least I'm man enough to admit it.
~Lover's Walk
Willow: Bored now
~The Wish, Doppelgangland, Villain
Willow: ...And I think I'm kinda gay
~Dopplelgangland, Tabula Rasa
Buffy: You had sex with Giles? You had sex with Giles?! On the hood of a police car? Twice?
~Earshot
Willow: What are you doing?
Oz: Panicking.
~Graduation Day
Xander: Who's a little fear demon? Come on! Who's a little fear demon?
Giles: Don't taunt the fear demon
Xander: Why? Can he hurt me?
Giles: No, it's just tacky
~Fear, Itself
Anya: To commemorate a past event, you kill and eat an animal. It's a ritual sacrifice... with pie.
~Pangs
Spike: I just can't take all this namby-pamby boo-hooing about the bloody Indians.
Willow: Uh, the preferred term is-
Spike: You won. All right? You came in and you killed them and you took their land. That's what conquering nations do. That's what Caesar did, and he's not going around saying, "I came, I conquered, I felt really bad about it." The history of the world is not people making friends. You had better weapons, and you massacred them. End of story.
~Pangs
Giles: It's the end of the world.
Buffy, Willow, Xander: Again?
~Doomed
Faith as Buffy: You can't do that. It's wrong.
~Who Are You?
Spike: My heart expands. Tis grown a bulge in it. Inspired by your beauty effulgent
~Fool For Love
Anya: But I don't understand! I don't understand how this all happens. How we go through this. I knew her, and then she's— there's just a body, and I don't understand why she just can't get back in it and not be dead... anymore! It's stupid! It's mortal and stupid! And... and Xander's crying and not talking, and... and I was having fruit punch, and I thought, well, Joyce will never have any more fruit punch, ever, and she'll never have eggs, or yawn, or brush her hair, not ever, and no one will explain to me why!
~The Body
Buffy: The hardest thing in this world is to live in it
~The Gift
Spike: Every night I save you
~After Life
Andrew: Timothy Dalton should win an Oscar and beat Sean Connery over the head with it!
~Life Serial
Buffy: If the apocalypse comes, beep me.
~Never Kill a Boy on the First Date
Willow: I mean, why else would she be acting like such a b-i-t-c-h?
Giles: Willow, I think we're all a little too old to be spelling things out.
Xander: A bitca?
~When She Was Bad
Spike: I was actually at Woodstock. That was a weird gig. I fed off a flower person, and then I spent the next six hours watching my hand move
~School Hard
Buffy: Does it ever get easy?
Giles: You mean life?
Buffy: Yeah. Does it get easy?
Giles: What do you want me to say?
Buffy:Lie to me.
Giles: Yes, it's terribly simple. The good guys are always stalwart and true, the bad guys are easily distinguished by their pointy horns or black hats, and, uh, we always defeat them and save the day. No one ever dies, and everybody lives happily ever after.
Buffy: Liar
~Lie To Me
Whistler: Bottom line is, even if you see them coming, you're not ready for the big moments. No one asks for their life to change, not really. But it does. So, what are we, helpless? Puppets? Nah. The big moments are gonna come, you can't help that. It's what you do afterwards that count. That's when you find out who you are.
~Becoming
Buffy: I hate you
Spike: And I'm all you've got
~Becoming
Angelus: No weapons, no friends, no hope. Take all that away, and what's left?
Buffy: Me
~Becoming
Spike: You're not friends. You'll never be friends. You'll be in love 'til it kills you both. You'll fight, and you'll shag, and you'll hate each other 'til it makes you quiver, but you'll never be friends. Love isn't brains, children, it's blood -- blood screaming inside you to work its will. I may be love's bitch, but at least I'm man enough to admit it.
~Lover's Walk
Willow: Bored now
~The Wish, Doppelgangland, Villain
Willow: ...And I think I'm kinda gay
~Dopplelgangland, Tabula Rasa
Buffy: You had sex with Giles? You had sex with Giles?! On the hood of a police car? Twice?
~Earshot
Willow: What are you doing?
Oz: Panicking.
~Graduation Day
Xander: Who's a little fear demon? Come on! Who's a little fear demon?
Giles: Don't taunt the fear demon
Xander: Why? Can he hurt me?
Giles: No, it's just tacky
~Fear, Itself
Anya: To commemorate a past event, you kill and eat an animal. It's a ritual sacrifice... with pie.
~Pangs
Spike: I just can't take all this namby-pamby boo-hooing about the bloody Indians.
Willow: Uh, the preferred term is-
Spike: You won. All right? You came in and you killed them and you took their land. That's what conquering nations do. That's what Caesar did, and he's not going around saying, "I came, I conquered, I felt really bad about it." The history of the world is not people making friends. You had better weapons, and you massacred them. End of story.
~Pangs
Giles: It's the end of the world.
Buffy, Willow, Xander: Again?
~Doomed
Faith as Buffy: You can't do that. It's wrong.
~Who Are You?
Spike: My heart expands. Tis grown a bulge in it. Inspired by your beauty effulgent
~Fool For Love
Anya: But I don't understand! I don't understand how this all happens. How we go through this. I knew her, and then she's— there's just a body, and I don't understand why she just can't get back in it and not be dead... anymore! It's stupid! It's mortal and stupid! And... and Xander's crying and not talking, and... and I was having fruit punch, and I thought, well, Joyce will never have any more fruit punch, ever, and she'll never have eggs, or yawn, or brush her hair, not ever, and no one will explain to me why!
~The Body
Buffy: The hardest thing in this world is to live in it
~The Gift
Spike: Every night I save you
~After Life
Andrew: Timothy Dalton should win an Oscar and beat Sean Connery over the head with it!
~Life Serial
There are probably some I missed, but that's ok.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Today
6:00 AM: Drag self out of bed. Deal with that horrible thing called morning
8:20 AM: Arrive at work. Discover I have a meeting at 8:30. Grateful the train wasn't delayed this morning
9:00 AM Break through on project I've been stuck on for a week and a half. Frustration turns to triumph, and I can now deal with the mountain of stuff that needs to get done
10:00 - noon: interviews
noon - 2:00 PM management class (yawn)
2:00 PM Realize just how behind I am. Work frantically
4:00 PM Meeting for project I haven't even thought about in two weeks. Manager is blessedly understanding
6:00 PM Leave office and pick up birth control refill. Discover that with new insurance it costs 50% more. Grumble
6:20 PM At metro station. Decide I was too harsh on Amber Benson in my review yesterday. Continue reading Serpent's Storm to see if she redeems herself
6:25 PM She doesn't. Switch to The Book Thief. I love my kindle. Train arrives
6:45 PM: On metro, crying over The Book Thief. This book is breaking my heart in a good way.
7:00 PM: Grocery shopping. Cheese and blackberries.
7:30 PM Home, dinner, and blog.
Next, musicals and more work. Until I drop probably.
But that's OK.
A year ago today I was fired. With the anniversary out of the way, I'm calmer than I have been in days. Possibly weeks.
It was the best thing that could have happened.
8:20 AM: Arrive at work. Discover I have a meeting at 8:30. Grateful the train wasn't delayed this morning
9:00 AM Break through on project I've been stuck on for a week and a half. Frustration turns to triumph, and I can now deal with the mountain of stuff that needs to get done
10:00 - noon: interviews
noon - 2:00 PM management class (yawn)
2:00 PM Realize just how behind I am. Work frantically
4:00 PM Meeting for project I haven't even thought about in two weeks. Manager is blessedly understanding
6:00 PM Leave office and pick up birth control refill. Discover that with new insurance it costs 50% more. Grumble
6:20 PM At metro station. Decide I was too harsh on Amber Benson in my review yesterday. Continue reading Serpent's Storm to see if she redeems herself
6:25 PM She doesn't. Switch to The Book Thief. I love my kindle. Train arrives
6:45 PM: On metro, crying over The Book Thief. This book is breaking my heart in a good way.
7:00 PM: Grocery shopping. Cheese and blackberries.
7:30 PM Home, dinner, and blog.
Next, musicals and more work. Until I drop probably.
But that's OK.
A year ago today I was fired. With the anniversary out of the way, I'm calmer than I have been in days. Possibly weeks.
It was the best thing that could have happened.
30 Days of Buffy: Day 24
Day 24: Favorite Example of 90s Special Effects
There were so many snake monsters over the course of Buffy. And all of them managed to be more funny than scary. Mostly due to CGI that didn't age particularly well. Oh the early days of CGI.
First there was Machida in Reptile Boy. Machida was actually a dude in makeup, not a CGI monster. He was still a failure of a snake. He was supposed to come out of the pit and eat the girls chained up in the basement/dungeon. But it didn't look like he could even open his mouth wide enough to gnaw on someone's arm. He probably would have been scarier if he'd remained off screen.
Machida is followed by Lurconis in Band Candy. They add terror to this demon by making him a baby eater. But he's basically some bad CGI trapped in a sewer. And handily dispatched with fire.
Post-ascension Mayor was kind of awesome. One of the better uses of CGI on the show.
But then they completely failed with the snake-demon Glory raises to track the key. Honestly, it's the most fake-looking monster that ever appeared on the screen.
Any Buffy episode with a snake is guaranteed laughs. CGI just dates the show so much.
Note: Work just got really busy. I may have to pause this meme briefly. It will pick back up again. As soon as things calm down
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
30 Days of Buffy: Day 23
Day 23: Two Characters You Wanted To Get Together That Never Did
I always secretly hoped that Joyce and Giles would figure out a way to make it work. They seemed like a good match, and Giles was basically Buffy's father already. So it made perfect sense. We'll just ignore the fact that technically, they did get together.
On the hood of a police car.
Twice.
Okay, I picked them just so I could make that joke. And it was kind of lame. Honestly, I'm pretty happy to let the creators of the show do what they want with their characters. Almost all of my shipping tends to be canon. So at the time, I may have hoped that two characters would get together. But in retrospect, everything basically made sense. Even Xander and Willow got together for a few episodes.
Monday, April 4, 2011
30 Days of Buffy: Day 22
Day 22: Best Xander-centric Episode
The Zeppo is an amazing episode. The way it's framed is so unique. We get a day in the life of Xander, who is trying so hard to be cool it hurts. He borrows his uncle's car, picks up a girl and ends up on a bad date, falls in with a group of bad boys who turn out to be zombies, loses his virginity, realizes that the zombies are planning to blow up the school, and saves the day. Over the course of this, he discovers that cool is more a state of mind, an ability to be comfortable in your own skin. If you're confident, other people will pick up on that.
The best part is that in the background of Xander's wacky adventure, the world is coming to an end. The rest of the Scoobies are actively fighting the apocalypse (and trying to keep Xander at minimum safe distance). Honestly, I didn't even pick up on this until the third or fourth time I saw this episode. I can be fairly thick sometimes.
I really like Xander's growth in this episode. I like the humor that's born out of him constantly interrupting the important work of the others. And I like that he never tells anyone about that time he saved them all.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
30 Days of Buffy: Day 21
Day 21: Best Willow-centric Episode
Boyfriend and I spent all day touring vineyards and drinking wine. The answer is Dopplegangland
Parched at the Birchmere
Last night we went to The Birchmere in Arlington to see an acapella group competition. Boyfriend's sister was in one of the competing groups. All in all the night was a lot of fun. All of the groups were good (except one that basically sounded like N*SYNC), and I got to see a barbershop quartet perform. They were definitely the highlight of the evening, winning both the competition and audience favorite. Boyfriend's sister was really good, too. They won a prize for best original arrangement.
The venue seemed great. It was general admission seating, but there wasn't really a bad seat in the house. We got there at 5 (for a 7:30 show) and had a pitcher of beer while we waited for the doors to open. We ate dinner during the show ($15 for chicken tenders) and shared several more pitchers of beer.
After the show, I went in search of water. Six hours and all that beer had left me rather dehydrated and I was starting to get a headache. I made my way to the bathrooms, because that's where the drinking fountains live. Except there wasn't one. So I asked an usher to point me to the drinking fountain. She told me there wasn't one on the premises.
Confused, parched, and with a sinking feeling, I made my way to the bar. "Can I have a glass of water?" I asked the bartender.
"We only have bottled"
"I just want some tap water."
"Sorry, I can't give you any."
Does this seem strange to anyone else? Like possibly bordering on illegal? Between my ticket, food, and beer I had spent nearly $100 at this place and they were refusing to give me a glass of water.
I ended up in the bathroom drinking from the tap.
And so, despite a great show at a mostly awesome venue, I really don't think I'll be going back to the Birchmere. The lack of water completely ruined it.
PS They won't let you bring your own water, either.
The venue seemed great. It was general admission seating, but there wasn't really a bad seat in the house. We got there at 5 (for a 7:30 show) and had a pitcher of beer while we waited for the doors to open. We ate dinner during the show ($15 for chicken tenders) and shared several more pitchers of beer.
After the show, I went in search of water. Six hours and all that beer had left me rather dehydrated and I was starting to get a headache. I made my way to the bathrooms, because that's where the drinking fountains live. Except there wasn't one. So I asked an usher to point me to the drinking fountain. She told me there wasn't one on the premises.
Confused, parched, and with a sinking feeling, I made my way to the bar. "Can I have a glass of water?" I asked the bartender.
"We only have bottled"
"I just want some tap water."
"Sorry, I can't give you any."
Does this seem strange to anyone else? Like possibly bordering on illegal? Between my ticket, food, and beer I had spent nearly $100 at this place and they were refusing to give me a glass of water.
I ended up in the bathroom drinking from the tap.
And so, despite a great show at a mostly awesome venue, I really don't think I'll be going back to the Birchmere. The lack of water completely ruined it.
PS They won't let you bring your own water, either.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
30 Days of Buffy: Day 20
Day 20: Best Spike-centric Episode
Oh Spike. My love for Spike knows almost no bounds (except for that one episode in season 6). But which episode best showcases him? Is it School Hard, when he is first introduced and throws out the old traditions in favor of a more modern style? Is it What's My Line? when he calls in the Order of Taraka to distract Buffy so he can heal Drusilla? What about Lover's Walk when, freshly dumped, he screams into town and manages to destroy everyone else's relationships in the process of fixing his own? Perhaps The Harsh Light of Day, when he briefly becomes invincible and torments Buffy? Or Pangs, which isn't really about Spike at all, but sees him tied to a chair getting shot with arrows for a large portion.
So many episodes to choose from, but really, it always has been and always will be Fool For Love. In Fool For Love we finally get Spike's back story. How could I not pick the episode where I find out more about Spike's past and what makes him who he is?
The episode being with Buffy getting staked by a vampire. Worried that she's losing her slayer abilities, she seeks Spike out to find out how he killed two slayers. And so we get to meet William the Bloody. The reveal that William was actually a dorky poet who didn't fit in with society is fantastic. This character is so very far from the Spike that was introduced in School Hard. (Holy crap, I just realized that's a riff on Die Hard. How did I not notice that before?) Cecily's rejection of him (you're beneath me) is heartbreaking.
The scene where William is turned into a vampire is hilarious. His "ow"s simply become more insistent until they finally turn into a scream. Then he begins picking up all the little traits that make him Spike.
First the name and the accent, then the obsession with slayers. The first slayer gives him his sexy eyebrow scar. He acquires his signature trench coat from the second slayer. Watching his transformation is wonderful. Each scene shows him a little bit less like William the Bloody, a little bit more like Spike.
The cross cutting of his fights with Nikki and Buffy is a work of art. Buffy's rejection at the end of it (you're beneath me) hits so hard. She throws the money at him and walks away while he just weeps in the alley. It's perfect and heartbreaking.
Everything about this episode is just so good. It's really one of my top-ten episodes of the series. There is so much back story that gets filled in. So much gets revealed and advanced in the Spike/Buffy relationship. Spike neatly foreshadows the finale when he tells Buffy that "Every Slayer has a death wish". Joyce heads back to the hospital. Riley's recklessness increases.
If you watch it paired with the Angel episode Darla, it only gets better.
Friday, April 1, 2011
The Worst Prank
In fifth grade a few students in my class came up with a "brilliant" idea for an April Fools Day prank. They spent our morning art class discussing it, working out the details. I was sitting on the other side of the room with my friends, working on a painting of an apple. We had only the vaguest idea that they were planning something epic, something that would involve ketchup.
After lunch, the pranksters began to put their plan into action. The boy excused himself to the bathroom to get ready. It was all very natural; there no hint that something was amiss. He returned to his seat at the front of the room and waited for the right moment.
All of the sudden he fell out of his chair. The desk was knocked askance and he was on the floor convulsing. The students around him stood up and got out of the way, as the teacher hurried over. She commanded a student to call the nurse, get her there as quickly as possible, the boy was seizing.
The girl had been involved in the planning the prank that morning. She made the call without hesitation.
We stood in a ragged circle around him, trying to give the teacher room and still see what was going on. The school nurse arrived and we cleared out for her. The teacher was concerned that he had bitten his tongue, enough to make it bleed, possible enough to sever it. The was no room in my head for anything but fear and concern for the poor boy.
The nurse told the teacher that an ambulance was on the way, and the boy finally realized that his prank has gone on long enough. He stopped convulsing, sat up, and removed the ketchup packet from his mouth.
"April Fools."
It was sheepish, embarrassed. He knew he'd done wrong, gone too far. But there was pride there too. He had fooled us all. What a great actor!
The teacher was irate. Her voice was tightly controlled when she spoke. "Why would you do that?" A whisper trying not to be a scream.
"She was supposed to say April Fool." He pointed at the girl who had called the nurse, deflecting the anger.
"I got scared," the girl defended herself. "It looked so real." The compliment made him grin, but the teacher's attention had shifted so she didn't notice.
"You knew about this, too? And you called the nurse anyway? We called an ambulance. We thought there was something really wrong. Do you have any idea what you've done?" This was worse than yelling. The cold anger, the steely disappointment. The girl who'd called the nurse cowered under her glare, but managed to rally.
"It wasn't just me! Everyone knew!" She blurted, gesturing toward the rest of us. "We talked about it in art. And no one else said anything either!" Spread the blame around as much as possible.
Enough people confirmed that yes, they had been discussing a prank and a ketchup packet in art. We all became culpable. No one had spoken up; everyone would be punished.
We were divided into five groups, each assigned to a day of the week. When it was your day, you had to sacrifice your recess in order to help clean up the cafeteria after lunch. This system remained in place for the rest of the school year. It was harsh for those of us who hadn't truly been involved, a slap on the wrist for those who had. Unfair on all counts. Especially since the boy continued to be both a gifted actor and a complete jerk.
After lunch, the pranksters began to put their plan into action. The boy excused himself to the bathroom to get ready. It was all very natural; there no hint that something was amiss. He returned to his seat at the front of the room and waited for the right moment.
All of the sudden he fell out of his chair. The desk was knocked askance and he was on the floor convulsing. The students around him stood up and got out of the way, as the teacher hurried over. She commanded a student to call the nurse, get her there as quickly as possible, the boy was seizing.
The girl had been involved in the planning the prank that morning. She made the call without hesitation.
We stood in a ragged circle around him, trying to give the teacher room and still see what was going on. The school nurse arrived and we cleared out for her. The teacher was concerned that he had bitten his tongue, enough to make it bleed, possible enough to sever it. The was no room in my head for anything but fear and concern for the poor boy.
The nurse told the teacher that an ambulance was on the way, and the boy finally realized that his prank has gone on long enough. He stopped convulsing, sat up, and removed the ketchup packet from his mouth.
"April Fools."
It was sheepish, embarrassed. He knew he'd done wrong, gone too far. But there was pride there too. He had fooled us all. What a great actor!
The teacher was irate. Her voice was tightly controlled when she spoke. "Why would you do that?" A whisper trying not to be a scream.
"She was supposed to say April Fool." He pointed at the girl who had called the nurse, deflecting the anger.
"I got scared," the girl defended herself. "It looked so real." The compliment made him grin, but the teacher's attention had shifted so she didn't notice.
"You knew about this, too? And you called the nurse anyway? We called an ambulance. We thought there was something really wrong. Do you have any idea what you've done?" This was worse than yelling. The cold anger, the steely disappointment. The girl who'd called the nurse cowered under her glare, but managed to rally.
"It wasn't just me! Everyone knew!" She blurted, gesturing toward the rest of us. "We talked about it in art. And no one else said anything either!" Spread the blame around as much as possible.
Enough people confirmed that yes, they had been discussing a prank and a ketchup packet in art. We all became culpable. No one had spoken up; everyone would be punished.
We were divided into five groups, each assigned to a day of the week. When it was your day, you had to sacrifice your recess in order to help clean up the cafeteria after lunch. This system remained in place for the rest of the school year. It was harsh for those of us who hadn't truly been involved, a slap on the wrist for those who had. Unfair on all counts. Especially since the boy continued to be both a gifted actor and a complete jerk.
30 Days of Buffy: Day 19
Day 19: Character You Like That Everyone Else Hates
Dawn seems to be hated more than any other character in the Buffy-verse (with the possibly exception of Riley). But I really liked her, and thought she was a good addition to the show. She wasn't perfect, but I do think the good outweighs the bad. I definitely don't think she deserved all the hate she got.
Part of this might be my intense love of Michelle Trachtenberg. I was a devout fan of Pete and Pete and spent hours watching and re-watching Harriet the Spy. I even watched the short-lived NBC drama Mercy because Ms. Trachtenberg was on it. But I digress.
I liked Dawn. Yes, she was a whiny teenager, but I don't really blame her for that. She's been living in the shadow of her sister the slayer for her entire life, which she just found out is almost six months. And she's not quite human. And a god wants to kill her. And her mom died. I'd whine, too.
But Dawn has some good qualities, too. She really does want to help Buffy. As soon as she's allowed, she's hanging out doing research. And she's good with the languages. She may not be all that interested in school, but she does want to learn.
Dawn is also proactive, which is probably a Summers trait. When everyone finds out that Dawn is the key and starts acting weird, she sneaks out and learns that she's the key. She may not always make the best decisions, but that's part of being in high school. Buffy made some pretty stupid decisions when she was Dawn's age, too.
In the seventh season, she finally matures and really comes into her own. I love her arc in Potential. And I like that, despite not having any superpowers, she steps up and joins the fight. When Xander kidnaps her to get her away from it, she heads straight back to Sunnydale.
So yes, she could be annoying at times. But I think that she was an interesting character who added a lot to the show.
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