A current list of what I'm ingesting through my eyes, ears, and mind...
Reading:
Your Best Birth - Yep, at five and a half months post-partum I am already thinking about what I want out of my next birth experience. No, I'm not pregnant. But I'm being led down a path that I never thought I'd venture down before... And it's quite interesting. I love how life surprises me.
Montessori from the Start - I know next to nothing about Montessori, but one thing I do know is that this philosophy is worth investigating.
Watching:
Sunshine Cleaning - Loved it.
The L Word (final season) - You know, I like this show, as unrealistic as it is. It annoys me sometimes, but still I'm kinda hooked. I love me some drama.
Dexter (season three) - This show never disappoints.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (sixth season) - One of my very favorite shows.
Listening:
Putumayo Digital Sampler - Click here to download for free. Yes, free!
Anything here that strikes my fancy, because hello! It's free.
Daytrotter - a great site that offers free music downloads for emerging artists
(I've mentioned Daytrotter before, but seriously check it out! It's so awesome.)
Thanks for all the blogging ideas; I'll try to get to some of them soon. In the meantime, tell me what you're watching, reading, listening.
Showing posts with label TV. Show all posts
Showing posts with label TV. Show all posts
November 23, 2009
May 12, 2009
Tuesday TV Rant
This morning I realized something that I hadn't realized before.
I hate One Tree Hill. It makes me want to repeatedly pound my head against the wall. And then watch another episode of the show. I just can't. stop. watching.
One Tree Hill, when it comes down to it, makes me feel like shit about myself. Every single one of the characters is gorgeous. At 22 years old or so, Brooke has her own fashion line, Peyton has her own recording studio. Nathan has a basketball career, and Lucas has written and published two well-known novels. Nathan and Haley have, like, the best marriage ever with the cutest kid ever. I want to barf, seriously, every time I watch the show. Because I'm going to be 30 in less than a month, and I don't nearly have the resources or money that they do. Or the good hair and skin. Or the fashion sense. Or the ability to cheat on my partner and then be BFFs with him in the next episode. Damn, I suck.
The latest thing that has me completely and utterly pissed about this show is that Peyton is pregnant. Yay, right? Oh, no. Of course she has a terrible affliction that may kill her - and possibly the baby, too. What is this mysterious condition? Why, it's placenta previa!
(If you don't know what placenta previa is, please click on the link I've provided above. And you'll see how terribly life-threatening it is, oh em gee! On opposite day.)
Don't get me wrong - placenta previa is a valid condition, but it tends to resolve itself throughout one's pregnancy. I can't believe they picked placenta previa as the awful, horrible disease that is almost certain to kill Peyton - but wait! Peyton can't die! She is entirely too beautiful and special and strong to succumb to such trials in her pregnancy. However, the writers of the show will do anything to make us believe that she's going to die.
I hate feeling so manipulated.
I realize that even the best TV shows and movies and books and works of art are manipulative at their core; they are designed to make us feel something and blah blah blah. Everyone loves good drama, and I sure as hell am no exception. But why does One Tree Hill have to insult my intelligence so much? Did they think that any member of their audience would not know what placenta previa is? Do they really expect me to believe that Peyton's pregnancy's air time has been like one quarter of my pregnancy and yet she is closer to delivering her baby than I am?
Sadly, One Tree Hill is not the only show that is guilty of this. I'm beginning to loathe Grey's Anatomy. I am so tired of Merideth's voiceovers at the beginning and end of every episode. I'm sick of the outrageous medical cases. I'm sick of the drama. I want some good characters, not some retarded caricatures. (Disclaimer: I'm only on season four of Grey's Anatomy, so I guess all these things could have changed in the current season.)
With all the crappy movies that come out these days, it's great that there's so much good television out there - but I think that we need more shows like Six Feet Under that focus on real life and real people. That show was gritty and hard in a way that could never be softened by a mere voiceover at the end of the episode. I want more of that, dammit! (Or of shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Lost, which may not be based in reality but are still awesome.)
So there you go - my Tuesday TV rant. And now if you'll excuse me, I have to go watch some quality TV - Beverly Hills 90210, to be exact.
I hate One Tree Hill. It makes me want to repeatedly pound my head against the wall. And then watch another episode of the show. I just can't. stop. watching.
One Tree Hill, when it comes down to it, makes me feel like shit about myself. Every single one of the characters is gorgeous. At 22 years old or so, Brooke has her own fashion line, Peyton has her own recording studio. Nathan has a basketball career, and Lucas has written and published two well-known novels. Nathan and Haley have, like, the best marriage ever with the cutest kid ever. I want to barf, seriously, every time I watch the show. Because I'm going to be 30 in less than a month, and I don't nearly have the resources or money that they do. Or the good hair and skin. Or the fashion sense. Or the ability to cheat on my partner and then be BFFs with him in the next episode. Damn, I suck.
The latest thing that has me completely and utterly pissed about this show is that Peyton is pregnant. Yay, right? Oh, no. Of course she has a terrible affliction that may kill her - and possibly the baby, too. What is this mysterious condition? Why, it's placenta previa!
(If you don't know what placenta previa is, please click on the link I've provided above. And you'll see how terribly life-threatening it is, oh em gee! On opposite day.)
Don't get me wrong - placenta previa is a valid condition, but it tends to resolve itself throughout one's pregnancy. I can't believe they picked placenta previa as the awful, horrible disease that is almost certain to kill Peyton - but wait! Peyton can't die! She is entirely too beautiful and special and strong to succumb to such trials in her pregnancy. However, the writers of the show will do anything to make us believe that she's going to die.
I hate feeling so manipulated.
I realize that even the best TV shows and movies and books and works of art are manipulative at their core; they are designed to make us feel something and blah blah blah. Everyone loves good drama, and I sure as hell am no exception. But why does One Tree Hill have to insult my intelligence so much? Did they think that any member of their audience would not know what placenta previa is? Do they really expect me to believe that Peyton's pregnancy's air time has been like one quarter of my pregnancy and yet she is closer to delivering her baby than I am?
Sadly, One Tree Hill is not the only show that is guilty of this. I'm beginning to loathe Grey's Anatomy. I am so tired of Merideth's voiceovers at the beginning and end of every episode. I'm sick of the outrageous medical cases. I'm sick of the drama. I want some good characters, not some retarded caricatures. (Disclaimer: I'm only on season four of Grey's Anatomy, so I guess all these things could have changed in the current season.)
With all the crappy movies that come out these days, it's great that there's so much good television out there - but I think that we need more shows like Six Feet Under that focus on real life and real people. That show was gritty and hard in a way that could never be softened by a mere voiceover at the end of the episode. I want more of that, dammit! (Or of shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Lost, which may not be based in reality but are still awesome.)
So there you go - my Tuesday TV rant. And now if you'll excuse me, I have to go watch some quality TV - Beverly Hills 90210, to be exact.
May 9, 2009
A Week's Worth of Movies
I was slacking off on my movie watching, and then I went on maternity leave. I've been going a bit crazy with the TV/movie watching since. Here are the movies I've watched in the past week:
1) The Man Who Wasn't There - The only Coen Brothers movie I've seen that I've actually liked
2) Ghost World - I've seen this one before, and frankly, it's never won me over. It can be interesting, but its interestingness is overshadowed by its blahness.
3) Single White Female - A good 90s thriller and another movie I've seen before. I have to admit, though, that I was totally distracted by the disaster that was Bridget Fonda's hair.
4) Rachel Getting Married - I thought the acting in this little indie film was great, although some scenes just went on for way too long. It was also unexpectedly heavy, which was a nice surprise.
5) The 40-Year-Old Virgin - Hilarious. I laughed the whole way through.
6) Hotel Rwanda - Really good. Another heavy one, but worth watching.
7) Role Models - Hilarious, again.
8) The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Definitely on the long side, but I enjoyed this. It was an interesting story.
9) Go - I liked this one a lot. I can't believe I'd never seen it before.
I tried to watch The Hour of the Wolf, one of those artsy-fartsy foreign films that are soooooooooo deep, but I just didn't have the headspace or the attention span to really enjoy it. Thus, I turned it off after thirty minutes, because I was bored, frankly.
And of course I've made some time for some awesome episodes from shows like One Tree Hill (current season), Dollhouse (current season), Grey's Anatomy (fourth season), and Beverly Hills 90210 (fifth season). I love me some cheesy dramas.
Oh, and in the spirit of movie-watching, here are a couple of videos of movie trailers that have been recut to make them look like completely different movies (originally seen on Maegan's blog).
The Shining as a heartwarming comedy:
Mary Poppins as a horror movie:
1) The Man Who Wasn't There - The only Coen Brothers movie I've seen that I've actually liked
2) Ghost World - I've seen this one before, and frankly, it's never won me over. It can be interesting, but its interestingness is overshadowed by its blahness.
3) Single White Female - A good 90s thriller and another movie I've seen before. I have to admit, though, that I was totally distracted by the disaster that was Bridget Fonda's hair.
4) Rachel Getting Married - I thought the acting in this little indie film was great, although some scenes just went on for way too long. It was also unexpectedly heavy, which was a nice surprise.
5) The 40-Year-Old Virgin - Hilarious. I laughed the whole way through.
6) Hotel Rwanda - Really good. Another heavy one, but worth watching.
7) Role Models - Hilarious, again.
8) The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Definitely on the long side, but I enjoyed this. It was an interesting story.
9) Go - I liked this one a lot. I can't believe I'd never seen it before.
I tried to watch The Hour of the Wolf, one of those artsy-fartsy foreign films that are soooooooooo deep, but I just didn't have the headspace or the attention span to really enjoy it. Thus, I turned it off after thirty minutes, because I was bored, frankly.
And of course I've made some time for some awesome episodes from shows like One Tree Hill (current season), Dollhouse (current season), Grey's Anatomy (fourth season), and Beverly Hills 90210 (fifth season). I love me some cheesy dramas.
Oh, and in the spirit of movie-watching, here are a couple of videos of movie trailers that have been recut to make them look like completely different movies (originally seen on Maegan's blog).
The Shining as a heartwarming comedy:
Mary Poppins as a horror movie:
March 18, 2009
Things I Love This Week (and Bonus: A Small Rant)
Being as I've been out of commission for the last couple of days, I've had some time to get reacquainted with some cool things out there.
1) Dollhouse, the latest small-screen effort by the awesome Joss Whedon. Several episodes are available for viewing on hulu, or you can just tune in on Friday nights. I am officially hooked.
2) Vintage Kids' Books My Kid Loves, a blog dedicated to... you guessed it, vintage kids' books! The author of this blog hosts a book giveaway every Monday and sells her vintage finds in her etsy shop. Love this blog.
3) I actually got a cool toy in my Del Taco kid meal. Witnesseth:
In other news, I decided to delete my MySpace and facebook profiles. I rarely use either site. I add people as friends or they add me and then we never talk through either site, so it just feels pointless to me. I don't like getting glittery pictures for comments (because then I feel obligated to post a glittery picture back), and I guess I really don't understand the whole writing on someone else's wall thing. I'd rather read blogs or write emails or something like that.
I think I've come to see these social networking sites similarly to the way I see email forwards: as an annoyance. I don't care about glittery comments, I don't care about how many "friends" I have, and I can't be bothered with being tagged or poked or hugged or whatever. Send me an email or call me - don't tag or poke me or send me some retarded forward. Doing those things does not qualify as "keeping in touch."
(Please note that if you have ever done any of the things that I'm ranting about, it does not mean that I hate you and want you to die a horrible, painful death. It just means that I'd rather hear how you are doing as opposed to reading a stupid forward about how I need to pass it on in the next seven seconds or else the world will surely end.)
So that's what I've got for tonight. I've spent the majority of the last two days in bed, and I am *gasp* actually ready to return to work tomorrow. I read this book in less than an hour tonight, and let's just say that some things we left behind as children should not be revisited as adults - unless you want to devote an entire blog to making fun of them, which to me is completely admirable and totally understandable.
1) Dollhouse, the latest small-screen effort by the awesome Joss Whedon. Several episodes are available for viewing on hulu, or you can just tune in on Friday nights. I am officially hooked.
2) Vintage Kids' Books My Kid Loves, a blog dedicated to... you guessed it, vintage kids' books! The author of this blog hosts a book giveaway every Monday and sells her vintage finds in her etsy shop. Love this blog.
3) I actually got a cool toy in my Del Taco kid meal. Witnesseth:
In other news, I decided to delete my MySpace and facebook profiles. I rarely use either site. I add people as friends or they add me and then we never talk through either site, so it just feels pointless to me. I don't like getting glittery pictures for comments (because then I feel obligated to post a glittery picture back), and I guess I really don't understand the whole writing on someone else's wall thing. I'd rather read blogs or write emails or something like that.
I think I've come to see these social networking sites similarly to the way I see email forwards: as an annoyance. I don't care about glittery comments, I don't care about how many "friends" I have, and I can't be bothered with being tagged or poked or hugged or whatever. Send me an email or call me - don't tag or poke me or send me some retarded forward. Doing those things does not qualify as "keeping in touch."
(Please note that if you have ever done any of the things that I'm ranting about, it does not mean that I hate you and want you to die a horrible, painful death. It just means that I'd rather hear how you are doing as opposed to reading a stupid forward about how I need to pass it on in the next seven seconds or else the world will surely end.)
So that's what I've got for tonight. I've spent the majority of the last two days in bed, and I am *gasp* actually ready to return to work tomorrow. I read this book in less than an hour tonight, and let's just say that some things we left behind as children should not be revisited as adults - unless you want to devote an entire blog to making fun of them, which to me is completely admirable and totally understandable.
March 9, 2008
www.mylifeisridiculouslyboring.com
I have been so busy lately with what most people would probably consider uninteresting things, so I haven't really been writing about the current goings-on in my life. Here it is, in list form.
- Thesis proposal. I'm hoping to have a good enough version of it to send up to the graduate committee by the end of the quarter. If not, the beginning of next quarter it is!
- Creative writing. I've been hard at work critiquing my classmates' work and revising my own. Tomorrow the class will be workshopping a sequence of poems I put together, and I'm a little nervous.
- Mandy's bridal shower. It's coming together, but I can't reveal any more than that right now. The RSVPs are coming in though!
- Beauty. Mandy and I got pedicures today. We also got our eyebrows threaded. It was definitely an interesting experience that only took a matter of minutes. I would definitely do it again with someone who doesn't leave all my eyebrow hairlets all over my face like this lady did. Thanks, lady.
- Lack of beauty. Still struggling with the acne issue, though it's not nearly as bad as it was.
- TV. Currently, I'm watching (when I can) Firefly, the first season of Beverly Hills, 90210, and the fourth season of One Tree Hill. Don't hate on my TV show tastes; I pride myself on being well-rounded!
- Weight. Apparently, I've lost 5 pounds in the past month or so.
- Photography. I haven't gotten out to take photos in quite awhile, but I have been doing a bit of editing. Check out my flickr site if you're interested.
- Work. I have actually been busy at work. The days have been flying by and have made my professional life much more tolerable.
While some would probably find my life boring, I actually don't. I just really lack the skills to make it sound exciting, I guess. Well, whatever - there it is: my life right now.
- Thesis proposal. I'm hoping to have a good enough version of it to send up to the graduate committee by the end of the quarter. If not, the beginning of next quarter it is!
- Creative writing. I've been hard at work critiquing my classmates' work and revising my own. Tomorrow the class will be workshopping a sequence of poems I put together, and I'm a little nervous.
- Mandy's bridal shower. It's coming together, but I can't reveal any more than that right now. The RSVPs are coming in though!
- Beauty. Mandy and I got pedicures today. We also got our eyebrows threaded. It was definitely an interesting experience that only took a matter of minutes. I would definitely do it again with someone who doesn't leave all my eyebrow hairlets all over my face like this lady did. Thanks, lady.
- Lack of beauty. Still struggling with the acne issue, though it's not nearly as bad as it was.
- TV. Currently, I'm watching (when I can) Firefly, the first season of Beverly Hills, 90210, and the fourth season of One Tree Hill. Don't hate on my TV show tastes; I pride myself on being well-rounded!
- Weight. Apparently, I've lost 5 pounds in the past month or so.
- Photography. I haven't gotten out to take photos in quite awhile, but I have been doing a bit of editing. Check out my flickr site if you're interested.
- Work. I have actually been busy at work. The days have been flying by and have made my professional life much more tolerable.
While some would probably find my life boring, I actually don't. I just really lack the skills to make it sound exciting, I guess. Well, whatever - there it is: my life right now.
February 28, 2008
Behold! The Ultimate Warp Zone!
So, I bet you've all been wondering where I've been.
Well, I've been busy. Ever seen the cartoon Captain N: The Game Master? Well, I wish I could say that I've been just watching that, but unfortunately, I've had to do more adult things, like show up at work, pretend to work, hate my job, go to school, be burned out, suffer from insomnia, and so on and so forth. Incredibly boring, if you ask me.
Which is why I love Captain N so dang much! It's got just the right amount of 1989 cheese to keep me highly entertained. Plus, Kevin, the main character, gets to do what we all secretly desire. He gets to escape from reality by getting sucked into his TV to Videoland where he impresses the scantily clad Princess Lana with his really impressive feats, like his ability to push the pause button. What a stud.
If anyone cares, here's part of the pilot episode. It's Emmy material, for sure.
Anyway, when I was a kid, my friend Lynn and I used to climb in the shower in the upstairs bathroom in my house (it was a really big shower) and warp to another dimension. If we got bored with our current surroundings, we hopped in the shower, and in an instant, we were in a totally new place.
I guess what I'm trying to say is this: I really wish that warp zones existed. Sometimes being an adult is no fun.
Well, I've been busy. Ever seen the cartoon Captain N: The Game Master? Well, I wish I could say that I've been just watching that, but unfortunately, I've had to do more adult things, like show up at work, pretend to work, hate my job, go to school, be burned out, suffer from insomnia, and so on and so forth. Incredibly boring, if you ask me.
Which is why I love Captain N so dang much! It's got just the right amount of 1989 cheese to keep me highly entertained. Plus, Kevin, the main character, gets to do what we all secretly desire. He gets to escape from reality by getting sucked into his TV to Videoland where he impresses the scantily clad Princess Lana with his really impressive feats, like his ability to push the pause button. What a stud.
If anyone cares, here's part of the pilot episode. It's Emmy material, for sure.
Anyway, when I was a kid, my friend Lynn and I used to climb in the shower in the upstairs bathroom in my house (it was a really big shower) and warp to another dimension. If we got bored with our current surroundings, we hopped in the shower, and in an instant, we were in a totally new place.
I guess what I'm trying to say is this: I really wish that warp zones existed. Sometimes being an adult is no fun.
January 25, 2008
My name is not Veslie, and other random thoughts on a Friday morning.
1) Everytime I get correspondence from DSW, it's addressed to Veslie. Hello, people! Have you ever met anyone named Veslie? The one thing that makes this okay is that said correspondence usually contains a coupon for $10 or $20 off a pair of shoes.
2) I'm wearing all black today. I don't think I've worn all black since high school.
3) I brought my camera to work with me. I spend all the light hours of the day in the office, so I figure I can at least try to take some pictures during my lunch hour.
4) This has been the most enjoyable work week I've had in quite some time. I've been productive and have felt useful and utilized. I've still had quite a bit of downtime (obviously, since I'm writing this at work), but overall, I feel like I can keep hanging in there if this keeps up.
5) My classes are going great. I have enjoyed this quarter immensely so far. I hope to have a completed thesis proposal by the end of the quarter.
6) I have no big plans for the weekend, and I am perfectly fine with that. My weekend will be ruled by studying, writing for class, hopefully taking tons of pictures, cleaning, doing laundry, and going grocery shopping. It's not glamorous, but I'm still looking forward to it.
7) I am currently reading So Yesterday by Scott Westerfeld. Even though it's a young adult book, I have found very enjoyable so far.
8) As I mentioned previously, the third season of Veronica Mars is a total letdown, so much so that Roy and I didn't realize that the final episode was the series finale at first. That's how anticlimactic it was. I am hugely disappointed, especially because the first 2 seasons were so good.
9) I really want a cheeseburger for lunch.
2) I'm wearing all black today. I don't think I've worn all black since high school.
3) I brought my camera to work with me. I spend all the light hours of the day in the office, so I figure I can at least try to take some pictures during my lunch hour.
4) This has been the most enjoyable work week I've had in quite some time. I've been productive and have felt useful and utilized. I've still had quite a bit of downtime (obviously, since I'm writing this at work), but overall, I feel like I can keep hanging in there if this keeps up.
5) My classes are going great. I have enjoyed this quarter immensely so far. I hope to have a completed thesis proposal by the end of the quarter.
6) I have no big plans for the weekend, and I am perfectly fine with that. My weekend will be ruled by studying, writing for class, hopefully taking tons of pictures, cleaning, doing laundry, and going grocery shopping. It's not glamorous, but I'm still looking forward to it.
7) I am currently reading So Yesterday by Scott Westerfeld. Even though it's a young adult book, I have found very enjoyable so far.8) As I mentioned previously, the third season of Veronica Mars is a total letdown, so much so that Roy and I didn't realize that the final episode was the series finale at first. That's how anticlimactic it was. I am hugely disappointed, especially because the first 2 seasons were so good.
9) I really want a cheeseburger for lunch.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
