The Truth

I'm entirely too sleep deprived to write much in the way of a meaningful post tonight, though I'm hoping to upload another Top Ten before the week is out. Monday is one of my busy days; once I leave my dorm in the morning, I almost certainly won't be back until dinnertime. Today I found myself stumbling from class to class, having slept very badly last night for no discernible reason. However, although I wanted very much to curl up in a ball and catch up on the sleep I missed, I had quite a nice day. I had spent Friday's calculus class in almost complete confusion, but at this morning's I was able to follow along relatively well. Apparently I haven't succeeded in completely erasing eleventh-grade precalculus from my memory! History was basically a review of everything I learned about the end of World War II from AP U.S., I finally figured out what a diaspora is in my Christianity class, and I spent most of French discussing Impressionist paintings. I also had my first econ discussion today (not that there's anything very remarkable about it). When you factor in my recently-discovered love of egg, swiss, mushroom, and spinach bagel sandwiches from Einstein Brothers, I can't really find much to complain about, apart from the pervasive layer of mental haze I struggled with all day.

It's funny how things you learn in high school come back to you. My religion professor discussed the Jewish and Graeco-Roman origins of Christianity this afternoon, and he mentioned that it was easy for Greek Christians to transfer their feelings about "the Good," Plato's term for the force that enlightens and enlivens the soul, to God. To illustrate this, he talked about Plato's "Allegory of the Cave," which I first studied three years ago as a senior in high school. He used a beautiful diagram to explain the allegory, which was in color in the lecture but I could only find in black and white online:

Plato obviously didn't approach his allegory from a Christian perspective, but I think he was searching for the same thing as Christians, and really the practitioners of any religious faith: the truth. When it comes down to it, that is one of the main reasons why atheism doesn't appeal to me. The idea that there is no underlying pattern to the universe, that the shadows on the wall are all we're ever going to get, is so unfulfilling to me. There has to be a greater Truth out there somewhere. I'm doubt-ridden about a lot of things, but even if there isn't a person in the sky-God, the universe just doesn't make sense to me if there isn't a higher Truth. So to see the person at the top-right of the illustration emerging into the sunlight for the first time honestly nearly brought me to tears. Christianity is my path to seeking the Truth, and someday, perhaps in a life beyond this, I want to perceive the Truth at last. And for me, at least at this point in my faith journey, the Truth is God.

Wow, that went way deeper than I meant for it to go. Well, it is certainly something to ponder, particularly as I have a sizable chunk of Plato's Republic to review before I go to class tomorrow. Until we meet again!

Sunday, Lazy Sunday

I'm lying in my dorm room, watching an old BBC adaptation of Anne of Avonlea, finishing my French diagnostic test, and filling out sudoku puzzles when I get bored. It was a lovely day, not a cloud in the sky and beautifully warm. The first Wesley worship of the semester was this afternoon, and it was so good to be back! There were so many people, including plenty of new faces, and I sang with the music team, which I plan to do regularly. I love to sing, though my voice isn't spectacular. It's not bad either, but I have a really limited range (classic second soprano). Anyway, it was so nice to be among friends, singing and passing the peace. I won't pretend I'm not doubt-ridden about my faith sometimes, but I'm the daughter of two ministers/missionaries, and church is in my blood. I didn't go for about five weeks this summer, and I always felt so guilty. I can't not go to church, at least for very long. I wonder if I'll be able to find a good church in France, if I end up going. Well, I'm just going to have to, I suppose!

It's the first week back and I already have tons of reading to do, so I'll leave this here. More tomorrow! Let me know if you're curious about anything I might have neglected to mention!

You Know, Just Blogging During a Hurricane

Or at least what Charlottesville is getting of it. Irene's not very powerful anymore, but it's still a very large system, and the outer bands are passing over central Virginia while the eye is by northern North Carolina. What this means for UVa is that it's windy and rainy. Not very exciting for my first hurricane, to be honest.

Safari, my default browser, has been withholding my blog from me for the past week, which is why I haven't been updating. I just figured out that can still access my blog on Firefox, hence my being able to post this now. However, I get the impression that this will be a temporary fix. Hopefully I can keep this going for the time being.

The first week of classes is now over. I really like French, which so far seems to be the complete opposite of last semester's nightmare. My politics seminar will probably generate a lot of interesting discussion, although the readings are probably going to be dense and difficult to get through. I'm also taking History of Christianity I (great so far), United States Society and Politics from 1945-1990 (not as cool as the name would suggest, but I have several friends in the class), Microeconomics (huge lecture, not a good subject for me, but a prerequisite for the public policy program), and Applied Calculus I (do not want; unfortunately another prerequisite).

Expect another update tonight, but for right now I'm working on homework and enjoying the John Adams miniseries in the lounge. I shall leave you with a couple of UVa-centric anecdotes:

Seen on a temporary construction wall by Newcomb Hall: "WWJD (What would Jefferson do?)." The scribbled response underneath: "Sally Hemmings" [sic] (Her name is actually spelled "Hemings.") I'll admit it, I laughed.

Last night was the Tom Deluca hypnotist show. At one point, he made the participants believe there was music coming from their shoes (just go with it). He asked one girl who she was listening to. Her answer: "Lou Reed, he's so poetic." Tom Deluca: "This is why I love coming to UVa."

Drive-By Update

The rest of my things from the storage unit came in today, so my room is currently filled to the brim with boxes and I'm too tired to do anything about it. I had to wake up at seven this morning to do my greeter shift, and my hamstrings are hurting so much from all the heavy lifting I did. On the other hand, Sara's parents took us out to dinner tonight, which was very nice. We went to an Afghan place not far from Grounds; my favorite dish was the vegetarian samosa. Now I'm hanging up my clothes and watching Mad Men. Hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to focus long enough to get my room in order!

My Limbs Will Never Forgive Me (Also, I Have a Roommate)

Sara moved in this morning a little after nine. It was great to see her; she came to visit me in the sublet the first weekend in July, but we hadn't had a chance to hang out since and she had spent the entire past week at band camp. We immediately feasted on a breakfast of fluffernutters. Then she took a nap and I helped out at the Wesley open house (sadly, no first years came, but there was plenty of good fellowship). I spent most of the afternoon at work, cleaning and refiling slides.

When I came back, Sara had gone to our storage unit and picked up most of my stuff, so I got plenty of exercise carrying boxes up three flights of stairs. We had a lovely dinner at the Pigeon Hole with various friends from our dorm (although I discovered that I still don't like anything picante, and will not be ordering the huevos rancheros again). We had planned to go to the gym afterward, and even got on our workout clothes and discussed the machines we would try out. But as it happened, only the AFC was open until 10, and we had walked out to Mem. Being the creative Brownies that we are, we ran up and down the stairs by Mem and then the monster staircase by the bookstore. I am 100% sure that my legs will hate me tomorrow, which is a shame, as I will be helping first years move in throughout the morning.

I have made plans with many of my friends for the coming week, on top of the applications and reading I have to finish. The semester is already getting off to a riveting start. Let's hope I can stay positive about it!

Charlottesville Lives!

You can definitely tell it's getting close to the start of the semester here in Charlottesville. There are so many people around, both walking around Grounds and clogging up University Avenue. I think I'm still the only one of the eight girls using my bathroom to have moved in, but my dorm is coming to life; I dropped in briefly on Pooja and Maria in their room, and Sara will be joining me tomorrow. The last orientation session is in full swing; I must have passed about three different groups of first years with orange folders on my way to work this morning. One of the dining halls opens tomorrow, for which I am eternally grateful; I have been subsisting on cold pizza and that loaf of pumpkin bread Leslie brought into work since I left my sublet on Tuesday. Matt was nice enough to pick up some bread for me today, so at least I can treat myself to some PB&J or a fluffernutter if I get hungry.

I went to the gym after work and PMP volunteering today. I now weigh less than it says on my driver's license, which is the slimmest I've been in a long time. Hopefully I can keep it up! I'm going to try to go to the gym way more often this year; it's ridiculous that there are two gyms within easy walking distance (one just down the hill), and I can't be bothered to exercise more. Maybe I can get some gym buddies to keep me accountable!

I finished off my day with a visit to the Tea Bazaar, accompanied by Matt, Ellen, and Kathryn. I have to admit I'm not a huge fan of tea. Actually, I'm slightly worried about my ability to function in a workplace after graduation, considering my loathing of coffee and my general distaste for tea. Tonight, though, we had a raspberry blend that I really enjoyed. It was just a lovely evening in general, and a nice way to take advantage of the free time we have before classes start. Friends really are one of the best parts of the college experience.

Well, I have a study abroad application that needs tending to and some sleep to catch up on, so I think I'll leave this here. I must say, life is very nearly perfectly happy right now.

Hey, I Have a Social Life Now!

All good things must come to an end. Until yesterday, I had faithfully updated my blog every single day. Alas, an entire summer of uninterrupted daily blogging was not to be. I had every intention of posting all about moving from my apartment to my dorm room, including that wonderful little moment when the handle on my suitcase broke off and I had to drag that thing up three flights of stairs using the retractable handle that is meant to correspond with the wheels instead. In fact, as soon as I got back from froyo with Ellen, I was planning to make potions on Pottermore and update my blog at the same time. But then Lauren, who I have not seen since May, send me a text telling me fun times were to be had at her place, and I went out and had a fantastic evening with Wesley folks. When I got back, it was past midnight, and I was already tired from moving in. So I decided to let yesterday go by without posting. C'est la vie.

Most of today was spent in a sort of drowsy haze. I thought I would fall asleep instantly last night, but not so. UVa dorm beds are way more uncomfortable than I remembered. They're also quite high up, and as a short person (my five foot one is to me like Anne Shirley's red hair was to her), it was a bit disconcerting. If I fall out of bed, there's a chance I could do serious harm to myself! Added to which all of my twin extra long bedding is still in a storage unit and my room is really cold, and you've got yourself a not-so-fun night. I was curled up in the tiny blanket my oral surgeon gave me after I got my wisdom teeth out, trying to get warm so I could finally get some rest. Well, I did fall asleep at some point, but then I woke up with a start at eight this morning and couldn't get back to bed. So instead I went to work for a few hours, then went back to my dorm room and tried to catch up on the sleep I didn't get last night. Not much success on that front either, I'm sorry to say.

That being said, I had a nice evening catching up with Matt and Ellen and watching my first two episodes of 30 Rock, which is the quirkiest show I have ever seen. Hopefully I'll have an easier time of it tonight. Time to melt a bunch of cauldrons on Pottermore!

Pottermore! [SPOILERS]

My beta user experience officially began today. So far, I have a wand (phoenix feather and spruce, ten inches, slightly springy) and a House (Gryffindor). I'll record the rest of my thoughts and impressions in bullet point form.

• McGonagall backstory: ajfkda;lksfjaskd; amazing. Her father was a minister, just like mine (well, my mom is a minister, too, but ahh, PK solidarity, McG!), and she has two younger brothers, also like me. Her love life makes me a little sad, though.
• Quirrell apparently enjoys pressing flowers. I wonder if this is a subtle reference to A Very Potter Musical or just a very amusing coincidence.
• McGonagall fell in love with a Muggle when she was young. Jo says that they "argued fiercely," not unlike my favorite Harry Potter couple, Ron and Hermione. This is so cool!
• Both Ollivander and Quirrell were Ravenclaws.
• The Lexicon is going to have a field day with all this new information.
• I am so happy to be a Gryffindor, I can't even describe it. I would have been fine with Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff, but Gryffindor has always been my favorite House and now it's really mine!
• Ahh, I just want the other six books now!

Applying the Bechdel Test to Sports Night [SPOILERS]

TV Tropes defines the Bechdel Test as "a sort of litmus test for female presence in movies and TV; in order to pass, the fictional work must show at least two women having at least one conversation about something other than a man or men." While it is not necessarily indicative of the overall level of feminism, it is nonetheless an important indicator of how society perceives women in relation to men.

Lately I've been applying Bechdel to everything I read and watch. It's been a fascinating and illuminating experience. With Sports Night, it can be downright infuriating. I want so much to love it, because it's an Aaron Sorkin show and The West Wing is my all-time favorite. But most Sports Night episodes fail the Bechdel Test so hard. In some ways, the odds are stacked against it from the beginning. Only two of the regulars are women, and it's a show about a sports show, which is definitely a male-dominated field. It's just really annoying, though, when you realize that you can practically count on one hand the number of conversations Dana and Natalie have that aren't about men. Goodness gracious.

I'm also find the attitudes most of the men on the show have toward women to be very grating. I really do like Sorkin as a writer, but so many of his male characters are incredibly patronizing to women, even women they supposedly respect enough to want to date. Apparently his idea of romantic is to have a man ask a woman out repeatedly, only for her to be ~charmed~ by his persistence and graciously accept his offer at the end. Excuse me, no. This approach rubbed me the wrong way when Sorkin used it with Bradley Whitford's character on Studio 60, and it's annoying me now with Dan and Rebecca on Sports Night. Then there's the current drama, in which Casey, who is supposedly in love with Dana, sleeps with a woman she hates, Sally, and then later finds out that Dana's fiance is also sleeping with this woman. Casey then calls Dana's fiance out on his behavior but doesn't bother to tell Dana about the affair, because that would mean admitting he's seeing Sally. I'm not finished with the season yet, so maybe I'm just getting peeved off for nothing, but as it is I get the impression that Sorkin wants to present Casey's actions as commendable. That is such a ridiculous double standard to me. I want to like the characters, I really do. For the most part, I do like Jeremy, Natalie, and Isaac. I just wish they would stop perpetuating stupid, sexist attitudes.

I should note, however, that while Sorkin's portrayal of women can be flawed, he has created some genuinely awesome and feminist female characters. C.J. Cregg and Abbey Bartlet are both amazing role models. I also love Donna Moss, although I will admit her role is a bit more problematic. I'm a big fan of the Josh/Donna relationship, for example, but at least for the first five seasons Donna's position is inherently dependent on and subservient to Josh's. She's younger, and a college drop-out. Josh is clearly presented as the superior in almost all aspects. While I think I would have enjoyed seeing them get together during the Sorkin years, I'm glad that when they finally did hook up in season seven, Donna was no longer Josh's assistant, and she actually made sure that when she got a job in the new administration, she wasn't working directly for Josh. Anyway, C.J. and Abbey are great characters and I commend Sorkin for doing a relatively good job with them.

I'll continue to apply the Bechdel Test as I work through the show. Hopefully things improve; I really do want to see more from Natalie and Dana, who have the potential to be awesome when they aren't so hung up on relationships.

It's Probably a Good Thing I Go Back to School Soon

After being awoken entirely too early by loud construction outside my apartment, I sorted my mail, went through all my textbooks, and watched a couple episodes of Veronica Mars. Then I got online and defended the Harry and Ginny relationship from complete strangers for about four hours. I really need to learn to step away from the computer, especially as the Internet is so spotty in my sublet.

Oh, and I found it what happens if you forget to take care of cooked rice and leave it on the stove for a week and a half. Ewww.

Laundry and cleaning all day tomorrow!

Wouldn't It Be Loverly?

My Friday was very pleasant. Renee organized a field trip to Barracks Road to "boost morale" at work, so the VRC ladies had lunch at Panera and then went window shopping. We got a questionable amount of work done when we got back, although it made for a nice afternoon, listening to music and chatting. Then I went home, had a fluffernutter for dinner, and listened to lots of old podcasts of This American Life. All in all, quite an excellent day.

Livin' La Vida Aida

Charlottesville is very quiet right now. Everyone that was taking summer classes has gone home to enjoy the last few days of vacation. Most of my friends will be coming back next week, but right now I'm spending my evenings by myself, getting ready to move, waiting for my textbooks to arrive, and cleaning my sublet. I've been working a lot during the day to pass the time, although yesterday I wasn't feeling that great so I just slept a lot. The application for the study abroad program I want to do in the spring has now been posted, which made me both excited and anxious. I don't want to miss an entire semester here at UVa, but I really do want to explore France and improve my language skills. Prayers and good thoughts for a successful application process would be much appreciated!

Other than that, not much is happening. I'm watching Sports Night and Veronica Mars, reading Lorna Doone (ostensibly; it's not very exciting so far), and have the Office Space DVD from Netflix, although I'm not sure if I want to watch it yet. I did some writing last night and was actually really happy with how it turned out. Small things, but they keep me busy. Move-in day is fast approaching! I think I'm finally ready for the new school year to begin.

And So It Begins

Top Tens: Favorite TV Shows

I've decided to do a series of top tens. Today's edition is favorite TV shows. Some of these are slightly embarrassing, but as I don't really watch that much TV and I genuinely love every show on this list, I've decided to ignore any teasing my preference for them might engender. Enjoy!

10. Full House

This was my absolute favorite TV show when I was thirteen. Nick at Nite and later ABC Family aired the entire run of the show in syndication, which was great, because it gave me something to do other than washing the dinner dishes, and they often played two episodes a night. Critics often complain that Full House is sentimental and cheesy. It totally is. I loved it anyway. The jokes were funny, DJ and later Stephanie were close to my age, Michelle and the Katsopolis twins were really cute, and it usually didn't take itself too seriously. The only horrendously bad episodes were when the Tanners went on vacation (Hawaii, Disney World, etc.); the rest were sometimes schmaltzy, but almost always entertaining. Even now if I'm channel-surfing and I come across an old episode, I laugh at the corny jokes and aww at the all the father-daughter talks in spite of myself. Full House is on this list mainly for nostalgia purposes, but that's not altogether a bad thing.

9. The Daily Show and The Colbert Report

I debated whether or not to include these shows on my list, not because I don't love them, but because they're commentary rather than shows with distinct plotlines and characters (although I suppose you could make a case that there is plenty of character-acting in the form of the correspondents and of course Stephen Colbert himself). The problem is that I ran out of TV shows that I genuinely love (Veronica Mars and Firefly are honorable mentions, but I haven't seen all of the former and I didn't outright adore the latter), and throughout most of high school, I watched The Daily Show and The Colbert Report almost religiously. The quality is consistently great, Stewart and Colbert are hilarious, and even old episodes are surprisingly relevant years later. I even went to the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear last fall, which was an experience I will never forget. I consider them two halves of the same show, which is why they take up one spot on my list. If I had to choose just one, it would probably be The Colbert Report, but only because I think Colbert's humor is more good-natured than Stewart's is. I love them both dearly, however, and will continue to watch them for as long as they remain on the air.

8. Akage no Anne

Which is technically spelt Akage no An, but it seems a betrayal of Anne Shirley's stance on her name to spell it any other way. Anyway, if you want to know why I love this show, just go back to the entries at the end of July, where I wax poetically about how amazing it is. All Anne fans should watch this show.

7. Phineas and Ferb

Ostensibly this is a children's show, but I often wonder if the creators are writing more for the kids or for their parents and older siblings. Phineas and Ferb is laugh-out-loud hilarious, with creative storylines about the inventions concocted by brilliant stepbrothers Phineas Flynn and Ferb Fletcher, their sister Candace's constant attempts to "bust" them, and a self-aware and irreverent subplot starring the boys' pet platypus, Perry, as a secret agent. The dialogue is top-notch, the geeky references abound, and overall it's just a great way to spend a half-hour or twenty. Certainly my favorite thing currently airing on the Disney Channel.

6. Kim Possible

I starting watching Kim Possible the day it premiered, when I was in fifth grade. It had everything an eleven-year-old girl could want: an awesome, can-do, girl power protagonist, her funny and caring sidekick, a really cute naked mole rat, and wonderfully original and entertaining stories. I loved it even more in high school, when the show-runners granted one of my long-standing wishes and got Kim and Ron together, and the writing style improved overall. Unfortunately it no longer airs on the Disney Channel (at least not at times normal human beings are conscious), but it can be found easily enough on YouTube. It is still amazing and will always be one of my favorite shows.

5. Parks and Recreation

Rather like with The Office (see below), this show got off to a shaky start and really found its voice in the second season. As a government major, I find this show especially entertaining. Leslie Knope is certainly a caricature and an exaggeration, but there is something so honest and wonderful about her that really strikes a chord with me. The rest of the characters are hilarious, the writing is top-notch, and the humor, while sometimes uncomfortable, is consistently great. I'm very excited for the next season, and I'm so glad my friends encouraged me to watch this.

4. The Office

While its best years are definitely behind it, The Office continues to be one of the funniest shows on television. In the early years, I loved its satire, its heart, and of course the Jim/Pam romance. Over its seven seasons, I grew to like Michael Scott (something I would have never thought possible in the first season), love Andy, and be greatly entertained by everyone else. It'll be interesting to see what they do with the show now that Michael has left. The Office has a great ensemble cast, and they were able to carry the last few episodes of the season quite nicely on their own. We'll see if they can do the same when season eight rolls around in September! 

3. Gilmore Girls

I love this show. It's dialogue-heavy, full of heart, and has such great characters. The portrayal of small-town New England life is consistently entertaining, complete with town meetings, the hilarious rivalry between Taylor and Luke, and the ever newly-employed Kirk. Mostly I loved watching the Lorelais progress through life. Lorelai is the coolest mom other than my own, although thankfully my mom doesn't have Lorelai's maturity problems or fear of commitment. Rory is every nerdy girl who dreamed of getting into a great college. Although she is not as vivacious as her mother, it was easy for me to relate to Rory. I watched this show on and off in high school and am now making the effort to watch every episode in my spare time in college. Seeing Rory go through the ins and outs of college applications and high school was slightly nostalgic, and now I get to see her navigate college as I do the same. I have heard that the best Gilmore Girls seasons are the earliest, so perhaps I have already seen the best of the show, but I think it is amazing nonetheless.

2. Avatar: The Last Airbender

For a long time I avoided watching this show. I am not a fan of anime or anime-esque art, although I did love Teen Titans very, very much back in junior high. It seemed silly. My brother convinced me to watch one episode with him, and I still didn't see the appeal (for the record, it was season two, which is so tightly-plotted it's hard to just come in and understand what's going on right off the bat). Then, as with most things I love, I ended up being drawn into it indirectly through Harry Potter. In my forays with HP fandom, I would often see references to Avatar. There was a lot of cross-appeal. I was familiar with the terms Kataang and Zutara long before I started seriously watching the show. Then, the HP podcast PotterCast devoted half an episode to discussing Avatar, which all the hosts had seen and thoroughly enjoyed. I was sufficiently intrigued by this. I bought the first season off iTunes and watched it casually as I went through the latter part of my first semester of college. I didn't really get hooked until episode twelve, "The Storm," which completely blew me out of the water. Then finals happened and I didn't get to watch much more Avatar until Christmas break, when I shared a room with my brothers at my grandparents' house for a week. We watched the end of book one together, and if there's something this show does especially well, it's season finales.

I watched book two before it was on Instant Watch, so I had to wait between DVDs - and, you know, have a college life. I ended up finishing the season when I got home in May, and was able to watch book three almost without interruption (it was finally on Instant Watch at this point). It was so good I couldn't even wait for Richie to get home from school the day I watched the finale, even though he had wanted to watch it with me. Over the past year, upon rewatching the series in its entirety and then following its progress on Mark Watches, it has become one of my all-time favorites. The storytelling is so sophisticated, the character progression is fantastic (ZukoZukoZukoZukoZuko), the animation is beautiful, the music is great, and it's incredibly funny, something which the movie of which we shall not speak failed spectacularly to pick up on. I have very, very small complaints (namely, a Deus Ex Machina used to great effect in the finale, and my personal displeasure with the way most of the romantic plotlines ended up), but mostly I'm just in awe of how good this show is. I also can't wait for its sequel series, The Legend of Korra, which is set to premiere sometime next year on Nickelodeon. Please do yourself a favor and watch Avatar immediately. You won't regret it.

1. The West Wing

LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE

I also got into this show through Harry Potter. Two big-name fans, Melissa Anelli of The Leaky Cauldron (and PotterCast), and Emerson Spartz of MuggleNet, were invited by J. K. Rowling herself to come and interview her following the release of Half-Blood Prince. Alongside the interview transcript, Melissa and Emerson wrote personal reports about the experience. Both of them mentioned that before the interview began, they somehow got to talking about The West Wing, which they both loved. So, it turns out, did Jo. As anyone who knows me is aware, I am mildly obsessed with Harry Potter and Jo Rowling is my personal hero. If she loved The West Wing, I had to give it a try.

My parents gave me the first two seasons for my fifteenth birthday. It took me a few episodes, but by "The Crackpots and These Women," I was absolutely hooked. This show is government major heaven. It's smart, has great dialogue, wonderful characters, and compelling storylines. Especially in the first four seasons, the writing is consistently fantastic, the acting is amazing, and almost everything about it is emotionally gripping. I cannot say enough good things about this show. It 100% deserves every ounce of critical acclaim it has received. During its run, the show won four straight Emmys for Outstanding Drama Series, two Peabody Awards, and many acting accolades. While it follows a Democratic administration, Democrats and Republicans alike love the show. It can be self-righteous, it can be preachy, it can be didactic, it can be patronizing, but it is also incredible television. My all-time favorite, bar none. 

Sports Night

Last Christmas, my parents gave me the complete series collection of Aaron Sorkin's Sports Night. Despite his sometimes pretentious and self-righteous writing, I'm a huge fan of Sorkin's work, especially The West Wing. I've known about Sports Night's existence for years, but until today had not really made an effort to watch it. After all, I was only about seven years old when it first aired on ABC, and a television show detailing the behind-the-scenes action of a sports show doesn't hold the same appeal to a government major as a television show detailing the behind-the-scenes action of the White House. Still, since I happen to own it, I decided I might as well start watching it before university life sucks up all my free time.

It's decent. I don't love it yet, but I certainly don't dislike it either. The person who thought a laugh track would be a good idea for a Sorkin show was seriously, seriously misguided, though. It messes up the rhythm of the dialogue and is just very distracting in general. Apparently it gets phased out over season one, which is quite a relief. My favorite character so far is Joshua Malina's Jeremy, who is adorkable in the extreme. What can I say? I have a thing for nerdy guys. Anyway, he had a nice rant about the cruelty of hunting and my heart melted. I'm looking forward to seeing where the show will take him. None of the other characters have really caught my interest yet, although Natalie the assistant producer has some potential. I'm only on disc one of season one, so I'll keep you updated as I watch!

Today was a typical Monday. I slept in, went to work, ran some errands, and walked back to the apartment. The weather was lovely and I had a nice conversation with my coworkers. Oh, and I'm on tenterhooks about Pottermore right now, because I'm sure my email with access to the beta site is just on the horizon. I keep telling myself not to get too excited, and then I jump about ten feet in the air whenever I get a new message in my inbox. Of course they've all been from Barnes and Noble or New York and Company. Argh.

Well, good night, lovelies! Have a fabulous week!

The Life of a Social Recluse

I spent my entire day either on the Internet, writing, cooking, or doing random exercises. My legs will never forgive me. I have a headache from staring at screens for hours on end. My right hand is cramping from writing so much. Decision-making at its finest, folks! I have nothing else to report. I really need to go outside and enjoy the sun more often.

Batman: The Animated Series (with commentary by yours truly!)

I am a nerd. This should come as no surprise to anyone who claims to know me even a little. It is just one of those things. Is the sky blue? Does winter follow autumn? Do fish live in the ocean? Is Aida a nerd?

Now that we have established my nerdiness, I feel I should mention my desire to imbibe as many nerdy things as possible. Discoveries of sites like TV Tropes only serve to make this dream more realistic. One of my particular realms of nerdiness is Western animation. Another is the superhero genre. If you happen to be a big fan of either of these things, and especially of you’re a fan of both, you hear a lot about Batman: The Animated Series. Supposedly it is a touchstone of American television animation. It has a reputation for being edgy, revolutionary even. Some of this is overblown fanboy adoration, but a show doesn’t get that kind of buzz without at least some merit. Bearing that in mind, I added Batman: The Animated Series to my Netflix queue ages ago with the intention of being a good nerd and watching it. Well, I’ve finally gotten around to doing so. I have to say, I’m a little underwhelmed. It was fine. I loved the music. The animation was so-so. Disliked the character design, felt the storytelling was inconsistent. However, I have only seen the first seven episodes and am willing to give the next seven a chance, whenever Netflix gets around to sending me another disk.

I decided to record my impressions in note form while I watched the episodes. I have transcribed them in their entirety below. Most of my notes will only make sense if you’ve actually seen the episodes, but I hope you enjoy them nonetheless. Keep in mind that most of these were written between midnight and two in the morning. I’ve never had a drink in my life before, but I imagine that how I act in the wee hours of the morning is similar to how the typical intoxicated person would. Now that you know this, here are my reactions to the first seven episodes of Batman: The Animated Series.

Howl's Moving Castle (and This Week's Miscellany)

Last night I watched Miyazaki's adaptation of Howl's Moving Castle. On the one hand, it was absolutely beautiful and really enjoyable to watch. On the other, it was basically nothing like the book. Considering I still haven't entirely made up my mind on the book, maybe this is a good thing, but a lot of the changes the movie made just didn't make sense. There was no reason to make the Witch of the Waste into a senile old lady. Why was Michael a little boy (who apparently goes by Markl)? What was the point in making the scarecrow-prince in love with Sophie? If you're going to introduce Lettie, why put her in just the one scene and then not bring her up again the entire movie? I'm thinking that if I hadn't read the book, I would be able to appreciate Miyazaki's film for what it is. Certainly it is a very pretty fairy tale. Jones's book is a deconstruction and affectionate parody of the fairy tale genre, though, so I'm thinking Miyazaki either missed the point or liked some elements of the story enough to produce his own wildly different variation of it. I just missed seeing Sophie be really awesome at the end, I guess. So ... yeah. I've now seen my fourth Miyazaki. Spirited Away is still my favorite. Which one should I watch next? I've seen Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, and Ponyo.

Here are this week's other happenings:

• Today was Myers-Briggs day at work. I'm an INFJ, which actually made a lot of sense when I read the description. Apparently Eleanor Roosevelt was also an INFJ, and she's one of my favorite historical figures ever, so hells yeah.
• Boy Meets Girl is so darn predictable and has every Cabot quirk I don't like. I shall prevail, though, because this woman's writing is like my crack. I wish I could quit you, Meg Cabot! Except no, I don't.
• My knees hurt from too many lunges. Ouch.
• I am enjoying my Very Potter Musical soundtrack way too much. My neighbors haven't knocked on my door and asked me to stop singing along yet, but I wouldn't be surprised if they do.
• Inconsistent Internet is inconsistent. At least I'll be back in the dorms soon, where I rarely have any Internet problems.
• Ahh last week in the apartment. I shall be a laundry and cleaning fiend next weekend. This weekend, though, I plan on being a lazy bum. No one can stop me!
• The weather is so gorgeous right now. Other than the mosquitoes, I would love it if every day was like today.

Flawless weekend, here I come!

Summer's End

Today was my last day of paid work at Noah's. While I'm sure I'll be back soon on a volunteer basis, it was a little sad saying good-bye to the kids this afternoon, knowing I'm not going to be around for a while. I got a nice hug from Noah, who really is very sweet once you get to know him. Asher, always high energy, kept jumping on the little trampoline the boys have in their playroom and then trying to leap into my arms, which was cute. It'll be nice to have more free time, especially as I'm moving back to the dorms very soon, but I'll miss seeing the boys on a regular basis. Kids are so much fun.

Other than my farewell to the boys, I spent my morning trying to get the Internet in the kitchen to work consistently and then helping Jackie get Pottermore access. She's in, thank goodness. I'm debating whether or not I should blog my Pottermore experiences once the beta site opens. Would you be receptive to that, readers? I don't really know what to expect, but I am anticipating awesome things, since this is the brainchild of Jo Rowling. More on that front when I have something to report.

Nothing else of note is happening. I had a nice walk around Barracks this evening, since I had to bring back a RedBox DVD anyway. Netflix just sent me Howl's Moving Castle and the first volume of Batman: The Animated Series, both of which I'm very much looking forward to. Happy almost-Friday, everyone!

Good Life

Hallelujah! The kitchen in my sublet is close enough to the UVa network that I can get Internet without trekking over to the South Lawn. It's not the strongest connection in the world, and I can't lounge around my room while I use it, but at least it's indoors and I can bring the fan over if I get too warm. As I told my mother yesterday, I can survive without Internet. It's just so much easier when I don't have to.

Work was fairly standard and I had a good time playing with the kids today, even if I got caught in the rain without an umbrella on my way from the bus stop. The real fun of the day, however, came after work, when Kaitlin dropped by for dinner and Deathly Hallows: Part 1. We made Thai stir fry and then settled in to watch the movie. Kaitlin hasn't seen the last few Harry Potter films because she's (understandably) disgruntled at how the earlier ones came out, but she told me after we finished this one that she liked it much more than she expected to. Unfortunately she's a little busy with summer classes for us to go see Part 2 in theatres like we'd planned, but we're thinking that maybe we can have a group outing when we all come back to school in a few weeks. Already I'm impatient for third year to start, although admittedly I'm getting along fine without the homework.

There's not much else going on. I'm reading Boy Meets Girl by Meg Cabot, which ought to be a quick read, and then I'm moving on to Lorna Doone (perhaps the snack cookie fits in somehow). Oh, and my parents are amazing, but I'm pretty sure they know that already. Bonne nuit!

Observations

As I once again betake myself to the South Lawn to get my Internet fix.

• Apparently eight o'clock is a popular time for dog walking. I've seen two women out running with their dogs in the half-hour I've been sitting outside.
• Goodness gracious, I have so many mosquito bites I can't even count them.
• Why can't the weather be like this all the time?
• Since I no longer have the Internet to occupy all my time at the apartment, I've started re-watching season two of The Office. Michael was such a jerk back then! Jim and Pam were also really, really cute. They're still cute now, but in season two they were flippin' adorable. Incidentally, now that Jenna Fischer is expecting her first child, Jim and Pam will have another baby on the way when season eight starts in September. I'm thinking this one will probably be a boy, since their first was a girl.
• Having finished Howl's Moving Castle last night, I notice that Diana Wynne Jones is a fan of alternate worlds, predictable endings, and bickering couples. I am also a fan of one and three, so I will forgive her for two.
• I am quite easily amused. The first time I went to go return a book at the Gordon Library, I used their drive-through drop box. As I was leaving, I noticed there was a big painted "NI" at the end of the drive-through. All I could think of was the Knights Who Say "Ni!" from Monty Python and the Holy Grail, and I wondered why, even in the People's Republic of Charlottesville, where there are certainly a great many aficionados of quirky British humor, anyone would be compelled to paint an homage to Monty Python next to the library. Then I realized it said "IN," not "NI," whereupon I proceeded to burst out laughing in the middle of the sidewalk. I must have looked very odd indeed to passersby. Anyway, whenever I pass by the NI/IN, I start giggling again. God, I am so weird.
• Pottermore is actually surprisingly easy to register for, provided you're on the site at the right time. The usernames are kind of ridiculous, though. I realize it's for child safety reasons, but I can think of quite a few more names that are more suited to my personality than FeatherRune49. Nevertheless, that is what I shall be going by, so if you're also a beta tester, look me up!
• I really want to be moved into my dorm already. Hurry up and get here, mid-August!

August

The Internet in my sublet temporarily stopped working today, so I wandered over to the South Lawn to use the UVa network and enjoy the fresh air. It's a nice night out, apart from the mosquitoes I just know are attacking my legs right now. UVa's never this quiet during the school year. I really miss my friends, so I'll be happy to see them when I move back to the dorms in a few weeks, but I also like the peace and solitude. The no-homework thing is pretty nice, too.

When I woke up I felt a little queasy and seriously contemplated just staying in bed all day. Then I told myself to stop being a baby and make breakfast, so I did. I went to work for a few hours in the afternoon, ran some errands, and then went home and watched The Kids Are All Right. I'm not sure if I liked it - the characters have some big-time issues - but it felt so real. As much as I love dialogue-heavy shows like The West Wing and Gilmore Girls, I have to admit that sometimes they're too witty and too rhythmic. Everyone in The Kids Are All Right talked like people actually talk, and it was kind of refreshing. Mia Wasikowska also makes a convincing American teenager, although I guess that shouldn't surprise me, since she's only a year or so older than I am.

My laptop power's running down now, and I want to check some other things before I subject myself to an evening without Internet, so I think I'll end this here. Buenas noches.

Entertainment 2011: July 1 - July 31

Books
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger (first read)
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (first read)
Pants on Fire by Meg Cabot (first read)

Movies
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (fifth and sixth viewings)
The Time Traveler's Wife (first viewing)
Tangled (ninth viewing)
Forrest Gump (third viewing)
Serenity (first viewing)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (first and second viewings)
The Sixth Sense (first viewing)
The Golden Compass (first viewing)

Je Promets, This is the Last Akage no Anne Post!

Fifty episodes, four days, and one tired, wistful, and very satisfied Aida. We have come to the end, mes amis. Akage no Anne, much like its source material and title character, is a timeless treasure. I have included a link on my Facebook, but in case you'd rather not go digging through your news feed to find it, here it is. You're welcome!

My final list of impressions is below:

• I took my notes in chronological order, but I want to say first and foremost that Matthew's death made me cry so much. I sniffled a little in the book and while watching the Sullivan miniseries, but considering both of those were in English, I think Akage no Anne deserves higher praise. It touched me deeply despite being in Japanese, fan-subbed, and anime, a medium I dislike (although I love animation in general, so don't accuse me of being trapped in the Animation Age Ghetto). Short story: This is really good, guys.
• Okay, chronological notes, starting from Anne going to Queen's.
• The Charlottetown/Charlottesville typo persisted in all but two or three episodes, which of course made me even more of an emotional mess. A paraphrased line of Anne's struck me in particular: "I am going to Charlottesville to seek my future." Why do you do this to me, show?!
• Anne's studying puts me to shame. When she stays up until one in the morning doing her homework, she's not spending half of her time on Facebook and Tumblr (or whatever the nineteenth-century equivalent would be), that's for sure.
• Moody Spurgeon MacPherson cracks me up.
• The novel describes Anne's eyes as "green in some lights and grey in others." The anime does this really, really well.
• Akage no Anne uses a lot of flashbacks. Sometimes they're overdone. Other times I feel just as the characters do. Anne's character design went through a lot of subtle changes that really pay off in flashback comparisons, I will say that. I didn't notice how much she had changed from even eleven through twelve until Marilla thinks back to her arrival, and man oh man was I surprised.
• When Anne learns of the Avery scholarship, she has a vision of herself in a cap and gown (and her usual braids!) accepting a diploma while a proud Matthew looks on. My first thought was how ridiculous it was that she should graduate in braids, but my second was just sadness. Anne does eventually go to Redmond, but Matthew won't be there to celebrate with her. :(
• After Anne leaves for Queen's, Marilla is shown crying in bed and looking longingly at the empty chair at the dining room table. Once again, why do you insist on breaking my heart, show?
• One aspect of Akage no Anne I did not enjoy so much was the music. That is one advantage the Sullivan production does have. Akage no Anne has this weird track with bagpipes they like to use over and over again. It was funny the first time it played (during Mr. Phillips's farewell speech), but after that it was just overkill. There's another track with gongs that was used less often, but happened to be equally weird. Sullivan probably had a better budget.
• Another Sullivan advantage: the wonderful use of English-language poetry. In the live-action mini, Anne is fond of reciting "The Lady of Shalott" and chooses "The Highwayman" for her White Sands performance. I know "The Lady of Shalott" was not in the book, and I don't think "The Highwayman" was, either, but they were both great additions. In Akage no Anne, the recitals are pretty random, and I have no idea what Anne is talking about in any of them.
• Anne has a conversation with Jane and Diana about richness in which Jane says that diamonds would be a pretty good consolation for loneliness and sorrow. Considering Jane marries a millionaire who showers her with diamonds in Anne of the Island, I was more than a little amused.
• Whenever a lecture hall scene comes up, the girls seem to be sitting on one side of the room and the boys on the other. It might be another Japanese thing, but it struck me as odd.
• I kept getting strange sidebar ads as I went through the episodes. One that I found particularly funny featured two Twilightesque cartoons locked in a close embrace, telling me that one click would help me "Find [my] Bella." As a straight female watching an Anne of Green Gables anime this was amusing enough, but the thought that anyone would be looking for someone as aggravating and selfish as Bella Swan was what really cracked me up!
• Okay, so Josie starts the rumor that Emily Clay is a shoo-in for the Avery just to spite Anne. Later, Anne mentions that she's sure the won't get it because everyone is talking about Emily. Anne gets the Avery, of course, but I can't help feeling a little sorry for Emily Clay. Imagine being talked of as the surefire winner of a coveted school prize for weeks on end, only to lose to someone else. Maybe Emily got the Avery when Anne gave it up?
• I've said it before. I don't care, it bears repeating: Matthew's death is so darn sad!
• The scene where Anne is finally able to cry over Matthew with Marilla was heartbreaking and beautiful ("you're like my own flesh and blood!"), but there was one thing that bothered me. In the Sullivan film, and I'm pretty sure in the book, Marilla hears Anne crying and goes to comfort her with her hair down. It's a little thing, but it's symbolically important. Marilla, who always wears her hair so severely, is able to open herself to Anne emotionally fully and completely in a vulnerable state, in her nightwear with her hair down. In Akage no Anne, she's sitting with some visitors who have come to console her when she hears Anne and goes upstairs to see her. She's in her black day dress and her hair is in its usual bun. Like I said, it doesn't really matter that much, but it irked me just slightly.
• Gilbert came to Matthew's funeral. Aww.
• Matthew's name is written on his gravestone as "Thomas Cuthbert." Was his name actually Thomas Matthew Cuthbert in the novel, and I'm just misremembering? If not, that's really an inexcusable error.
• Another error: His gravestone said he died in November. This is certainly wrong. Anne had just come home from Queen's for the summer, so it had to be May or June, July at the very latest. Bad form, background artists!
• I really liked the metaphor of life being like a road, and Anne's decision to give up her scholarship and stay with Marilla as a bend in it. It was accompanied by some lovely visuals, and the whole thing just came across well. Good job!
• "Good morning" is "Ohayo" in Japanese. Whenever the characters said it, though, it sounded like they were yelling "Ohio!" at one another, haha. Unintentional humor for the win!
• Aww, Anne and Gilbert are so cute. I know this was made over thirty years ago and it was the only novel they adapted, but I really want to see a good adaptation of Anne of the Island someday. Also Anne's House of Dreams and Anne of Ingleside, but especially Anne of the Island. As someone who is in college now, I'd love to see Anne's college years on screen.

In closing, I really, really loved Akage no Anne and thoroughly recommend it to anyone who thinks of Anne as a kindred spirit. It's so, so great.

Pictures:

 

Yeah. Remember how I said the background English wasn't always perfect? I'm just going to leave this here.

Whenever Marilla burst out laughing like this, so did I.

Miss Muriel Stacy (or, as the subtitles once called her, Miss Maurice Stacy).