it's all about Jim

I've finished Season 5 of The Office. Season 6 is on TV now, but near the end, I think, so I'll probably just wait until it shows up on netflix. Dwight stays hilarious. Jim stays awesome. And I've developed quite the fondness for Toby. He's just so pathetic. I can relate some days.

Smallville - I'm not jumping up and down, but it's fun to watch. Haven't really gotten attached to any of the characters yet, except Lex a bit. I've realized that I don't like the music - the theme song doesn't seem to fit to me, and the music in the episodes in general is not my taste. Which... duh.

The 3rd and 4th seasons of thirtysomething are now available on netflix. I've watched a few more episodes. I still really only care about Elliott and Nancy, and my extreme dislike for Hope just grows. What an irritating character. Ugh.

I found my copy of The Mists of Avalon, whew! I will now embark on what is probably my 12th or 13th reading. Or 20th. I have no idea, actually.

I haven't been to the comic book store in ages! Must go get Buffy and Angel comics. This is my favorite cover so far:

what do you hear in these sounds?

We went crazy and watched the entire 3rd season of Big Love in about 4 days, I think. This whole season was about Barb for me - gah, what a character! In the midst of a completely creeptastic show, the creepiest moment for me was the scene where the Baptist minister and the Mormon daughter tried to convert each other to the "true path." Creepy because it was so like real life where we all just march around trying to make each other see the way.
Saw Dar Williams at a quaint little theater. It wasn't her best show ever, and she was sick. But I would still rather see her than pretty much anyone else. I enjoyed her story about growing up listening to stories about the Greek gods. The song that goes with that story is one of my favorites - Mercy of the Fallen -  you can listen here. Also she says she's working on a new album, which I am excited about!

I need to read the Mists of Avalon. It's time. But I can't find it. Usually I "loan" it to someone and then order a new used one on Amazon. But I don't remember loaning it this time, so where is it? Meh, I'll probably just go order another copy.

My Netflix watch right now is Thirtysomething. The characters are this bunch of late-80s-yuppie-have-no-real-problems-so-they-make-them-up-whiners, especially Hope. The constant whinging on and analyzing every detail of every word is nauseating - in an entertaining way. And then I realize what really bugs me about her character is that it's me. I am that over-discussing, over-analyzing, melodramatic, middle-class whiner. I am. I think I'll shut up now.

weevils wovvle but they don't fall down

Torchwood! Still in the second season. Just watched the episode that shows the stories of how Jack gathered his team members. I'm starting to be very fascinated by Owen's character. Don't want James Marsters to be evil, LOL. But maybe he won't be - can't tell yet. Because I like this show so much, I'm considering renting some Dr. Who. But where to start?

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I read this book:

It's hard to find words for the horror. This isn't a good book to read if you're interested in good writing technique (then again, neither is this blog...). It's the story of a girl raised in the FLDS (fundamentalist mormons). Basically it just made me very very sad and added just a bit more weight to my already overwhelming hatred of religion in general.

I don't mean in any way to minimize this poor girl's horrible experience of being forced to marry at 14 and things just getting worse from there. But I think what people don't understand is that all extreme religious upbringing can be very damaging. No child should have to spend years living in fear that hell awaits them if they don't follow a certain set of arbitrary rules.
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OK, I admit it. Not only did I finally go to see New Moon, but I enjoyed it. In the same way a person might secretly like cheese in a can, you know? At least I saw it in the cheap, second-run movie theater. It's not like I cried and ran out to buy the movie on DVD to rewatch a hundred times or anything. But I did really enjoy the effects, especially the wolves, which were complete awesome. After reading all four books and seeing the first movie, I was completely non-plussed by Jacob. After this one, I can't help liking him. I still think the entire movie (now movies) was cast wrong. I would probably like it all more if the vampires were all different actors than they are. They just don't fit, in my humble opinion... I hated the entire musical score, but I suppose that's because this is a movie for teenagers. I couldn't help finding sweet little Dakota Fanning as a vampire kind of hilarious. But all in all, it was just fun. In a teenager angsty sort of way.



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I watched Waitress - again! Why? Well, first of all there's never ever enough Nathan Fillion for me. Never ever, I tell you.

Also... the pie is pretty.

Media Consumption Monday

Finished The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards. It's about a doctor who delivers his own twins, a boy and a girl, and gives away the daughter because he can see that she has Down's Syndrome. He doesn't tell his wife, and their lives are affected adversely forever after. It's an interesting look at family dynamics and morality. Nice storytelling, very believable.

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Still watching Torchwood. Was very excited, to say the least, when James Marsters showed up! We're just a few episodes into season 2.

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Saw Rent, a travelling show. Oh, it was disappointing! Mimi, played by Brie Cassil, was outstanding, as was William Bailey as Angel. The rest ranged from so-so to very scary. There were entrances in the wrong key, big bad ensemble mistakes, and acting that was not believable at all. There were a few really fabulous moments, but here's the thing - if you don't cry at a Rent performance, it wasn't a very good performance.

We did, however, acquire these fabulous glasses. I do love glassware.

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Am I horrible person to be disappointed that there's no Chuck tonight because of the Olympics?

I read a book

LOL, yep, I read a book. I feel like my reading time has been seriously lacking lately.

It was a lovely story, devourable writing. But it made me very, very sad, as books about religion and it's inevitable leading to violence tend to do.

Check out the author's website and blog.

a thousand splendid suns

Finished this one this weekend. Here's the NY Times review. Mostly I just kept thinking over and over again, "this is the effect of religion in our world." I lean more and more away from the concept of relativism and more toward the idea that humane and equal treatment everywhere is what we need to be fighting for.