Musee Day

For our second day in Paris, my mom and I decided to check out some art museums. I'd been to the Louvre once before, but she wanted to see the Mona Lisa, so off we went. I love Renaissance art and didn't have much of a chance to look at it closely the last time; this time around, I saw basically nothing but Renaissance art. We went up to the Italian art section first thing, and there were so many people there that after we finished looking at that one section, my mom felt claustrophobic enough to ask for a break to get something to drink and then to go to the Musee d'Orsay. I can't say I blame her; we were already tired from walking through the museum, and it was really crowded.

I'd consistently heard good things about the Musee d'Orsay, and I'm a fan of impressionism, so I was pretty excited to pay a visit. Mom wanted to see some Monets, which we eventually did. There were so many pieces I studied for my art history class two years ago! I wish I could have taken some pictures, but unfortunately photography was forbidden. It was still incredible, and the best use of an old train station I've ever come across.

After the Musee d'Orsay, we walked to the Metro and went back to our hotel. Both of us were nodding off on the way, and when we got to our room, my mom went right to sleep and I ended up taking a nap myself. Neither of us was hungry for dinner, so we sat around eating trail mix and plantain chips and watching news about the French election on Al-Jazeera English. Speaking of which, we saw quite a few reporters milling about in central Paris this afternoon. It's pretty awesome to be in France when such an important election is happening.

Last full day in Paris tomorrow. I'm sad the time is going by so quickly, but London calls on Tuesday, and I'm basically jumping up and down about the idea of finally visiting in person. Plus, we get to speak English! I can get by with French, of course, and a lot of people in Paris do speak or at least understand English, but it's nice not to have to worry about using your non-native tongue for a while. A demain!

My mom and me in front of the Louvre

Beginnings (and Korra, "The Revelation")

I woke up this morning at an ungodly hour to catch a train to Paris. My excitement to see my mother overpowering my grumpiness at having to get out of bed, I made it to Lille-Flandres with plenty of time to spare and ended up in Paris without incident. If I had thought ahead, I would have bought a train ticket directly to the airport to meet my mother, but instead I ended up having to take a regional train once I got to Paris-Nord. This was a crowded and uncomfortable experience, and my poor mother had to wait for me much longer than I was comfortable with, but we eventually found each other. Charles de Gaulle is one of the most confusing airports I've ever been to. It's a good thing I knew which terminal my mom was flying into, because her cell phone doesn't work in Europe and we had no way to get in contact with one another.

It was wonderful to see her. I've been looking forward to this trip for about two months now, and it's hard to believe it's actually happening. We didn't talk much at first, mostly because we had to take the packed regional train and then the Metro back into Paris and to our hotel, but after we dropped our things off, we had a nice lunch at a sandwich shop and just enjoyed being together. It was a reasonably nice day out; I regretted not taking my jacket with me from the hotel, but the sun occasionally made an appearance and the cold wasn't as noticeable as it has been recently. After lunch, we went up to our room, whereupon my mom promptly fell asleep for several hours, and I followed suit, waking up in time to watch the new Legend of Korra episode but not motivated to do much else. I fully expected my mom to be extremely jetlagged; I was basically a zombie when I first arrived in Europe, so frankly I'm impressed she managed to stay on her feet as long as she did. Around 6:30 we stepped out for dinner, and ended up eating at a vegetarian place called Aquarius I'd read good things about on TripAdvisor. We weren't disappointed; the food was tasty and the staff was very nice. Our server spoke some Spanish, so our meal ended up being a mishmash of my three languages (and my mom's two). My mom had expressed interest in seeing the Eiffel Tower, so we took the Metro out in that direction, but it was cold enough and the line was long enough that we decided to head back to our hotel without going up. We Skyped my dad and each took a shower, then watched some Spanish news on our TV. Museums tomorrow!

My mom at dinner

My dinner

Meanwhile, have some disjointed and spoilerific thoughts on the latest Korra episode:

In Which Aida Flails Over The Legend of Korra

You should expect this to be a common theme for this year, by the way. I sincerely hope you're not casting aspersions on me for being this excited about an animated television show, but just in case, I'll remind you that animation is a medium, not a genre, that can be used to tell any kind of story, and good stories are not limited to a single medium. Nor does the intended audience automatically make a series less valuable or worthwhile; Korra may be a cartoon that airs on Nickelodeon, but if it's anything like its predecessor, it will have a complex, interesting plot with dynamic characters and inventive worldbuilding that appeals to adults and children alike. And if the trailers that were released this week are any indication, Korra is shaping up to have a maturity, and yes, even darkness that Avatar: The Last Airbender lacked.

If you're still doubting me, I challenge you to find a character arc in any live action show nearly as well-executed as Zuko's on Avatar, and we'll talk.

ANYWAY, MIND-BENDING TRAILERS OF AWESOME AHOY! WARNING FOR POTENTIAL SPOILERS!

Korra!

The first two episodes of The Legend of Korra were uploaded onto an official Nickelodeon website last night. If you're in the United States, you will be able to access them at KorraNation.com. If you're not, then just do some poking around on the Internet.

Wow. I am so impressed with this show, especially the second episode. The animation is utterly gorgeous; they must have had a huge budget, because everything is drawn at feature film quality. The music is also beautiful, equal parts traditional Chinese instruments and 20s-inspired jazz. The pacing was a little off in the first episode, "Welcome to Republic City," but it improved dramatically in the second, "A Leaf in the Wind." The storytelling is great, and it's clear the creators have a firm idea of where they're taking things.

SPOILER ALERT!

Review: The Hunger Games

Thanks to France's Wednesday new release tradition, I had the good fortune to see The Hunger Games this afternoon. As I have said previously, I enjoyed the books but don't regard them with the same obsessive zeal I have for other series, though they are miles better than Twilight (admittedly a low bar). Most of my problems with them originated with Suzanne Collins's style; she comes from a television writing background, which is eminently clear when you read her prose. Katniss is also not the most likable of protagonists. I have grown to like her, but she takes a lot of getting used to, and since she's the first-person narrator, it's hard to be inside her head especially when you haven't warmed up to her properly. All of these issues are solved by the film. In fact, I submit to you that The Hunger Games works better as a movie than it does as a book. The larger world we only got a sense of in the books is featured prominently on screen, and the violence is much more shocking and visceral in a visual medium. I did miss a few lines or details here and there, but the quality of the final product more than makes up for it. This is a good film and a great adaptation.

Now beware, because HERE BE SPOILERS!

Citadelle

Usually I am a big fan of inside. There is no risk of sunburn or getting caught in the rain, it's generally not too hot or cold, and it is highly unlikely that bears will come and devour me. Plus, internet. Every one in a while, though, I am not opposed to taking a stroll outside, which is when I realize that it is actually a lovely place, and I should really spend more time there. Then the internet withdrawal kicks in. But it's nice to have a reminder that nature can be beautiful.

I was acutely aware of this when I paid my first visit to the Citadelle this afternoon. Many of my friends had mentioned it in passing, and I'd seen it marked on maps, but until today I had only a passing interest in going. Now I am regretting not going sooner, although I think it is a place best enjoyed in nice weather, which Lille has not had in abundance while I've lived there. The Citadelle is a park built within the confines of the old city walls, which form a pentagon. There is a military installation there, which I suppose is where the name comes from, but most of the land is devoted to pedestrian paths, small forests, and playgrounds. It is absolutely gorgeous, and the best part was how cut off from the rest of the city it felt. It was so quiet; if I strained my ears hard enough I could hear the faint wail of the European ambulance, which is almost always going off (Lille is, after all, a reasonably large city), but mostly it was positively serene. I walked around and eventually found a fairly secluded log, where I sat and listened to a few chapters of A Ring of Endless Light. The atmosphere of the Citadelle was ideally-suited to getting lost in the story of Vicky Austin; the place and the writing are equally poetic. It's only about half an hour's walk from my place, which settles the matter: I have found my new hang-out place for nice days. Today was one of my favorite days in Europe so far, and I don't think I'm likely to forget it for quite some time.

Nerdiest Nerd That Ever Nerded

This post comes to you in two parts.

Part one: Game Change.

Apparently I go through audiobooks like I go through regular books, because I finished Game Change today. The HBO movie focused on the Sarah Palin stuff, and having listened to the source, it was put into the film pretty much verbatim. It basically confirmed my opinion of her; she's got a good instinct for crowds and she's a decent actress, but she's incompetent at best and hopelessly ignorant at worst when it comes to serious policy issues. I understand that the McCain team placed her in a difficult position, but if she was being honest with herself, she should have turned them down (that, and they never should have made her the offer in the first place). I rolled my eyes so much at her whining about the "gotcha media," just as I did four years ago. Sorry, Governor Palin, you were vastly unprepared, and Katie Couric had every right to call you on it. It's insulting to the people you were asking for their vote to insinuate otherwise. Thank goodness she wasn't elected.

In addition to Palin, however, the book devoted large sections to the Democratic primary, the Edwards campaign, and McCain before and after he won the nomination. A lot of it I'd already read about to some capacity, but what boggled my mind was how incredibly tone-deaf and out-of-touch John Edwards really was. I was never his biggest fan, but I remember liking him in 2004, and being glad he was on the ticket. Now I'm horrified I ever felt that way. He may have had nice things to say about the interests of the lower class, but the Edwards in Game Change is narcissistic and as good old boy as they come. He honestly believed that he could have an affair (and a child out of wedlock) and still be president, then he was angling for an appointment as Obama's attorney-general even after the story was more or less known. What a creep. Good riddance. I am sorry to hear that Elizabeth Edwards was apparently a piece of work; according to Game Change, she was horrible to her staff, fought with John constantly (not that he didn't deserve it), and had diva moments aplenty. I know she was sick, and it must be awful to see your husband have an affair, but it's changed my opinion of her, and that makes me sad.

My feelings toward the Clintons have been pretty ambivalent since 2008. I've been a supporter of President Obama since 2004, and was on his side in the primary once there was even an inkling he was going to run. I still don't think the media was "in the tank" for him, as the Clintons maintain, and while I understand that sexism plays an ugly role in politics, ultimately I am confident that the president won because he was the more deserving candidate, end of story (and it doesn't make me anti-woman to say that). Game Change gave me some insight into how the Clintons felt during 2008, and I did feel sorry for them sometimes, but mostly the book just rehashed the stunts that made me angriest at them in the first place. While I've mostly gotten over nonsense from 2008, and I really admire the job Hillary Clinton has done as Secretary of State, I can't say I feel more warmly about her having read this book. It wasn't always fun to hear the president's dirty laundry aired out, either, but there were some passages that reminded me why I like him so much. The book recounts then-Senator Obama's approach to the financial crisis during the fall of 2008, and discusses how he would call the fed chair and treasury secretary repeatedly with thought-provoking questions (Henry Paulson says that he was impressed by the maturity with which President Obama handled the situation) and talk constantly with his economic advisers, while Senator McCain gave a more perfunctory response. I haven't been completely happy with everything President Obama has done since he took office, but I think no one can deny that he is a very smart man, and he takes his job seriously.

Other thoughts - the book basically confirmed what I already know about Mitt Romney, which is that he is a raging opportunist and not even other Republicans like him. Also, everyone swears like sailors. I guess that shouldn't surprise or disappoint me, but as someone who doesn't swear much, it kind of does. And while I guess this is my chosen career field and I should just get used to it, it struck me how utterly wearying and childish the political process can be. I dearly hope that not everyone is as petty as they seemed in the book.

Part two: The Legend of Korra

News just keeps getting better and better on the Korra front. First they officially dropped the stupid Last Airbender part from the title at long last. Now Nickelodeon has finally announced the release date, and it's exactly one month from today, April 14. They've also put out a new trailer, and it's making me practically salivate to find out what happens next.



Thoughts:

• I am incredibly happy that an action/adventure series with a female protagonist of color is being taken completely seriously. Just five years ago, when Avatar was airing, Nickelodeon refused to even make action figures of the female characters, and now they're not even trying to hide the fact that this series has a girl as the main character. It might not seem like much, but in the entertainment industry, the prevailing idea is that boys will not watch stories about girls, so especially action shows with female protagonists are thought not to be marketable. I just really want Korra to be an unambiguous success, so the entertainment industry will realize how wrong they are.
• The story sounds so exciting. I can't wait to see where it's going.
• I've already seen all the leaked clips, so I have a small sense of Korra's character, but she seems so awesome. I'm pretty sure I'm going to love her.
• I'm really interested to know what Korra and Tenzin's relationship is going to be like. Based on this trailer, it sounds like it'll be something of a father-daughter relationship, but of course I want to know how Korra being Aang's reincarnation is going to factor into things. 
• I want to see more of the kids, especially Jinora, since Mike and Bryan described her as a bookworm and kind of shy, and she sounds like a girl after my own heart. Plus, girl airbenders! Oh, and Meelo, I guess.
• Mako speaks! He's quite the animated heartthrob. 
• Calling it: Mako and Korra are going to have a thing.
• Bolin, meanwhile, will be her completely platonic buddy, and they'll have really fun times together. I liked the shot of them laughing (and hanging out at a speakeasy?) in this trailer.
• Hnng I just want to know the history of this antibending movement and how Korra gets wind of it and what Amon's beef is and ahhhh!
• One more month!

Audiobooks and Awesome

Once I posted my top ten list last night, I had an incredible urge to read A Ring of Endless Light again. Unfortunately, since I wanted to travel light, I left almost all of my books in storage in Virginia, and in any case I lent my copy out to a friend quite a while ago now. Luckily Amazon Prime has a partnership with Audible.com, and not only could I download the Ring of Endless Light audiobook for free, but my free trial also gave me one more credit to use how I liked. I ended up picking the behind-the-scenes 2008 election account Game Change, which is supposed to be kind of trashy but also really interesting. I'm about halfway through it at the moment, and I can confirm that it is both of those things. Incidentally, I watched the HBO movie this weekend. I was surprised at how much it humanized Sarah Palin, but it also underlined just how idiotic a choice she was. She was utterly unprepared for the position she was thrust into, both because she wasn't properly vetted and because she is willfully ignorant. Anyway, it felt very much like a TV movie, and some parts were laughably melodramatic, but overall it wasn't a bad way to spend a couple of hours.

Today was a pretty good day. As usual, I slept later than I should have, but once I got up, I did several things I'd been meaning to do for a few days and then had a couple of good classes at Sciences Po. Afterward, I had some tasty leftovers, Skyped with Ruth and Leslie, and flailed around on the Internet because a) The Hunger Games is getting great buzz, and I get to see it next week (it comes out in France on Wednesday, but I'm going to Disneyland with Eva, so I'll probably go Thursday morning if there isn't a midnight showing Tuesday night), and b) it looks like the Legend of Korra airdate will be announced this week! Finally! Also, the weight loss is continuing to go really well; all of my jeans are too big for me, and I'm pretty sure I've gone down another dress size, although I don't plan on going clothes shopping anytime soon, so I can't know for certain. Still, I'm happy. Life is good!

Just a Normal 9-8 Day

This morning I left for class at 8:45 and didn't get back to my place until just before 8 PM. While this is an improvement from lazing about at home for three days straight, it was a rather long time to be at school. (By the way, in European English "school" basically refers to high school, and "university" is college. So no, European friends, I did not go back to high school for twelve hours, haha.) My classes were good, though - a lecture on the aftermath of wars, which felt a lot like my human rights class from last spring, and my Churchill class (Sarah - I'm taking a Churchill class this semester!), which today focused on his opposition to Indian reform. Have to say, Churchill was pretty darn stubborn, and also pretty darn wrong when it came to India.

When I got home, I made a new recipe from my Vegetarian Times magazine, Mac and Cheese-Style Cauliflower (so good!), walked upstairs to find demon cat on my bed, kicked him out, and Skyped my mom. I got her to show me my copy of The Fault in Our Stars, complete with J-scribble, which made me really ridiculously happy. More importantly, there is exciting news: my mom will be coming to France to visit me in April! We're still figuring out where we want to go, but I'm so thrilled she's able to fly out here in the first place. It'll be her first time in Europe as well; I can't wait to go meet her in Paris and spend a week traveling around with her. I miss her and the rest of my family so much - it'll be wonderful to be together again.

I have another long day tomorrow, so I'll wrap this up. Bonne nuit!

Aida Watches Downton Abbey, Season 1, Episode 1

 

 Downton Abbey is one of those shows that is getting a lot of buzz. I don't remember when I first heard about it, but I know that by the time I came home for Christmas, Netflix had suggested it to me, Tumblr and LiveJournal talked of nothing else, and even NPR ran a story on it. My friend Sara then posted a message on my Facebook wall telling me I had to watch it, and, well, who am I to argue with that? Plus, the first episode of season 2 was available for viewing on my long flight from Chicago to London, and while I decided not to watch it because I didn't want to be spoiled, I took it as a sign that my introduction to Downton Abbey should come sooner rather than later.

So, here we are. Going in, I knew that the show had something to do with British society during World War I, and it was an ITV import on PBS. The All Things Considered report compared its popularity to Brideshead Revisited, which I have never seen but I know is a big deal. I initially wondered if it was based on a book, and as someone who believes books are almost universally better than their screen adaptations, I felt duty-bound to read the book first. However, as Sara assured me, the show's content is original, and while it may feel like something that ought to be a book, it is not.

The first episode, cleverly titled "Episode One," actually takes place in April 1912, just after the sinking of the Titanic. This surprised me, as did the cast list; I was delighted to see Maggie Smith (better known to my generation as Professor McGonagall) and Dan Stevens (Edward Ferrars in the 2008 Sense and Sensibility miniseries) in the opening titles. The music is incredible, as are the costumes, and the whole thing looks very nicely produced.

The basic plot is this: Lord Grantham (Hugh Bonneville) lives with his family (a wife and three daughters) and many, many servants on his country estate, Downton Abbey. There is an entail on the property, which means that for the same reason that none of the Bennet girls could inherit Longbourn in Pride and Prejudice, Lord Grantham's fortune will fall to the next male heir rather than his daughter Mary (Michelle Dockery). A telegraph is sent to Downton informing Lord Grantham that both the heir and his son perished on the Titanic, leaving the inheritance to a distant cousin. This is unacceptable to Lord Grantham's mother, the Dowager Countess (Maggie Smith), who is determined to find some way around the entail for the benefit of both Mary and the family. A wealthy duke comes to visit, and the family hopes he will make a good match for Mary, but he is instead revealed (to the audience, not the family) to have had an affair with a (male) servant and is not interested in marrying a girl with no legal claim to Downton.

Meanwhile, Lord Grantham hires his old friend (not sure if that's the right word to use) from the war (I think), John Bates (Brendan Coyle), to be his valet. Bates is lame, which does not endear him to the other servants, though Anna the housemaid (Joanne Froggatt) shows him kindness. Thomas, a footman (Rob James-Collier), is upset about Bates's appointment because he was hoping to be Lord Grantham's valet himself. Eventually, some of the servants go to Lord Grantham and tell him they think Bates's lameness is preventing him from doing his duties. Lord Grantham decides to dismiss Bates, who becomes very upset. The next morning, however, Lord Grantham changes his mind, and keeps Bates on as his valet. The episode ends with Matthew Crawley (Dan Stevens), the new heir, receiving the news of his inheritance.

As you can see, the plot is quite complicated, which made the pilot a bit difficult to follow in places. Nevertheless, I am intrigued. I was pleasantly surprised that the episode focused so much on the servants' lives; I figured that the show would be all about the Crawleys (the surname of Lord Grantham and his family), the upper-class, as most such costume dramas are. In retrospect, though, a dual focus on the family and their servants makes perfect sense; Britain has such a strong history of class divide that it seems only natural to make it a theme of a show about World War I, a time when class lines begin to blur a little. I am also interested to see how they will handle Thomas and his (presumed) homosexuality, considering the time period. I do hope we get some more likable characters out of the deal, though (or even better, good character development). I liked Bates very much, and some of the servants' dynamics were fun to watch, but Mary seems cold, the Dowager Countess very snobbish, and Lord Grantham rather aloof. Still, I'm willing to forgive; after all, this is just the pilot, and the critical acclaim this show has had is rather astounding. Can't wait to watch episode two - and since I'm watching it online, I don't half to. Ahh, my favorite thing about watching shows with complete seasons already out.

HBO's John Adams Miniseries

I think I'm in love. I'm considering a history minor, and HBO's John Adams miniseries encapsulates pretty much everything I love about history. Not to mention Abigail Adams is one of my favorite historical figures ever, and she's portrayed brilliantly by Laura Linney. The acting is fantastic, the writing is compelling, the music is gorgeous, and the costumes are wonderful. The one drawback? It makes me feel a little sad that the Tea Party has so eagerly seized upon the Revolutionary War as their rallying cry. It makes no historical sense, and I honestly feel that they've tainted something incredibly powerful. The Founders were far from perfect (which I'm not sure those in the Tea Party truly understand), but their intent was good and their accomplishments were immense.

I'm not one for jingoistic American pride, but the story of the nation's birth is one I find deeply moving. I'm a politics major with a specialization in political theory, and I've read Locke, Rousseau, Montesquieu, and Smith, along with many of the Founders. To me, the Revolutionary period and the first few decades after the War represent a great time in American history; the Founders were flawed, but they were pioneers and trailblazers. No one thought a republic on the scale of the United States could work, but it's over 200 years later, and while we certainly have problems, our government remains intact, and it's many times larger than what it was in 1789. The Founders took the wonderings of political philosophers and made them reality. They redefined what was possible. They were courageous. And while they valued their independence, they also realized that government brings people together in remarkable ways. When the Articles of Confederation, which featured a weak central government with little power and a strong focus on states' rights, didn't work (take note, conservatives), they weren't afraid to throw them out and start over again, because government is about making things better, to form a more perfect union. Yes, it's a rather idealistic notion, but then, so were the Founders. They wrangled and fought, sometimes bitterly, but they were often philosophers themselves. When Jefferson wrote about the inherent equality of all people, he was being incredibly idealistic, but I doubt anyone would think he was wrong to say it. These are the things I love about my country, and that's why seeing Revolution imagery plastered all over Tea Party conventions makes me so angry. It's also why John Adams speaks to me; it tells the story of a flawed man working with his fellows (including his most trusted confidante, Abigail) in the creation of the new.

Be still, my government-major heart.

Another Day, Another Destiny

Fall break is nearly over. Classes resume on Wednesday, when I will have a religious studies midterm to look forward to. In the meantime, though, I can reflect on my wonderful weekend, my last hurrah of sorts before I become a social recluse, hoarding all my money for France. Pooja, Sara, and I went up to Alexandria to spend the weekend with our friend Elizabeth, who graduated in the spring. She graciously opened her apartment to us, and I got to sleep on her chaise, which made me feel very fancy. We didn't spend much time in Alexandria itself, though; we went to see Les Miserables at the Kennedy Center on Saturday night, and on Sunday we went back into DC to enjoy the beautiful weather and have a picnic. Some highlights:

• We went to eat at Founding Farmers, an organic restaurant in the Foggy Bottom area. Their food and decor were both excellent, and their musical tastes appear to be similar to those of my boss, Leslie. I was slightly distraught, however, to discover some chicken hidden in my scrambled eggs, as I am about to mark my tenth month as a vegetarian. The management apologized profusely, though, and my meal and the group dessert (beignets) were taken off the check. So give them a try next time you're in DC!
• For some reason, we thought our show started at 8 and not 7:30, which meant we arrived just as the show was starting. Pooja and Sara made it to their seats during the first song, but Elizabeth and I were sitting up in the second tier and we both needed to use the restroom, so we had to wait until the ushers found an appropriate moment to bring us in. The show itself was incredible, although it helped that I knew the plot beforehand; otherwise, it probably would have been difficult to follow. I particularly enjoyed the music. "One Day More" was so beautiful and powerful. Also, Eponine is cool (not okay with her being so fixated on a guy, though. Be fixated on your awesome self instead, Eponine!) and Cosette is boring.
• We ran into the Occupy DC protesters on our way to the White House (we were waiting for a table at the restaurant and decided to walk around for a bit). More than one person implored us to join them (we declined as graciously as possible). 
• The White House is so much smaller than I remembered it being. Granted, I'm not sure if I've ever seen it from the side we went by, but it actually seemed quite ordinary for such a famous place. I'm about 98% positive we passed the gate sometimes used in The West Wing, though (Josh and Donna go through it at the end of "Noel" in season 2, and Josh and CJ both use it in season 7, in "Requiem" and "Tomorrow," respectively).
• Yesterday was the perfect day for picnicking and monument hopping. We went to visit our good friend TJ first, then took in our lunch of fruit, cheese, and varying refreshment stand fare. Then we walked over to the FDR memorial, which felt about as long as his twelve years in office (that's okay, though, because he's pretty much my favorite president - liberal lion, hells yeah), and saw the new Martin Luther King, Jr. memorial (I've read "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" so many times I instantly recognized the quotation on the wall - well, that, and I've written so many papers about the guy his words are practically seared into my brain. Not that that's a bad thing).
• Sara and I took the Amtrak to Alexandria and back. On the return trip, I introduced Sara to the cafe car, with which she was suitably impressed. Incidentally, the vegan burgers are not half bad.
• Throughout the weekend I suffered through The Fatal Equilibrium, the terrible, terrible novel my econ professor assigned for class. He also happened to have co-written it under a psuedonym, which I figured out when half the things his protagonist, a Harvard economist, talked about were things my professor had mentioned in class. I like him well enough as a professor, but his fiction-writing skills are godawful (not Stephenie Meyer bad, but close). Example: "Well, I confess I did get something more than I bargained for in the bargain basement." Whyyyyyy?

Apart from economics-based murder mysteries, however, this weekend was really great. I have the best friends.

 

Photo credit goes to Pooja!

J'irai en France!

After five days of self-induced agony, the International Studies Office sent me my acceptance letter for study abroad. If all goes according to plan, I will be heading off to France in January of 2012!

This is purely a celebration post. I have nothing more to add.

 

Beautiful Day

Yesterday was amazing. Sarah and I went to the farmer's market first thing in the morning. Fall has finally arrived; I was wearing long sleeves, long pants, my coat, and a scarf, and it looks like my sneakers and my boots are the only shoes that will see the light of day for a while. Sarah suggested walking downtown, but I wanted to take the trolley ("It's cold," I said, to which she replied, "This isn't cold, Miss California." Touche, prayer partner). We spent about half an hour to an hour walking around between the stalls, sampling different types of apple and eating warm brioche(s) for breakfast. Then we went our separate ways, and I ended up reacquainting myself with my Sims and taking some midmorning naps. I did laundry, watched the latest episodes of The Office and Parks and Recreation, and finished folding my clothes to Veronica Mars.

Around 7:30, Matt and I headed downtown to the Tea Bazaar, where we had a nice pot of formosa and even nicer conversation. We met Ellen and Taylor at the skating rink, where UVa had its first ice hockey match of the season. I've never been to a hockey game before, and I must say it was an interesting (and quite smelly) experience. I haven't checked scores, but when Matt and I headed out at the end of the first period, UVa was winning handily, so I'm assuming we pulled out a victory (granted, those kinds of assumptions about UVa athletics are not always the safest). I got back to my dorm around 10:30, which gave me just enough time to make my room presentable before Matt (roommate of the previously mentioned Matt), Andi, Pooja, and Ian came by for some Avatar: The Last Airbender. Pooja and Ian left after a couple of episodes, but Matt and Andi were around until just after one in the morning. It was really fun, as our Avatar marathons always are, but I think next time we'll try to get started earlier. On the bright side, we've gotten through most of the filler and our next marathon should be especially good. Yay!

Today was also nice, although it was more of an intensive work day for me. I read the sanctus in Spanish at Wesley today in honor of World Communion Sunday, and then I had a lovely dinner in the dining hall with the Wesley crew afterward. The parentals and I talked on the phone for a bit, then I spoke with Josh, my only brother still at home, who told me about school and going to see an air show in Miramar. Sara and I got our train tickets for fall break, which is nearly upon us, and now I'm settling in to write my French essay and work on calculus. I can't believe how quickly the semester is going, but I must say if it goes as well as this weekend has, it'll be my best semester at UVa yet.

Oh, and this has nothing to do with anything, but apparently I have a neutral-sounding Western accent.

What American accent do you have?
Created by Xavier on Memegen.net

Western. Like Midland, Western is another accent that people consider neutral. So, you might not actually be from the Western half of the country, but you definitely sound like it.

And if you're not from the West, you are probably one of the following:
(a) A Pittsburgher - the quiz can't tell the difference;
(b) Someone from Canada (probably southern Ontario) who doesn't have a Canadian accent;
(c) Someone from northern New England who doesn't have a New England accent; or
(d) Someone from Texas or the Heartland who was born after 1980.
You are definitely not from New York, New Jersey, Chicago, Detroit, the Deep South, etc.

Take this quiz now - it's easy!

We're going to start with "cot" and "caught." When you say those words do they sound the same or different?

Same Different Same, no wait I mean different, maybe, a little bit different...

  It's almost like I spent 8 of the most formative years of my life in California or something. Wait...

In Which I Have Finished My Study Abroad Application

Yes, indeed. As of 11 AM this morning, all my paperwork was turned in to the International Studies Office. Decision day is this upcoming Wednesday, October 5, but from everything I've heard about study abroad, I'm basically guaranteed to get in. I'm very excited and very nervous. The scariest thing is that the application was probably the easiest part; I'll have to apply for scholarships and start preparing my visa now. Actually, I don't really want to think about how much I still have to do on top of everything else this semester. It's nice to bask in the afterglow for a while.

I will (hopefully) be studying in Lille, which is in northern France, in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region. It is an hour from Paris, half an hour from Brussels, and an hour and a half from London. Here are some maps for certain people (coughcoughJackiecoughcough) who have a little trouble with geography:

The region in red is Nord-Pas-de-Calais. Lille is very close to the Belgian border.

This is Nord-Pas-de-Calais, which as you can see is right next to the English Channel. Lille is about an hour inland.

This is a bakery (or boulangerie) in Lille that came up on Google Image Search when I was looking for maps. It doesn't really have anything to do with geography, but everything looks delicious, so it's going in this post. French pastries, om nom nom.

Anyway, I'll let you know when I get official confirmation from ISO. I'm so thrilled/terrified!

Today I also went to a screening of a new documentary, Miss Representation, with Pooja. It was an interesting and rather infuriating look at the media's portrayal of women, and just how sexist it still is. I didn't agree with everything (for example, I don't feel obligated to vote for women that don't represent my views.  I wasn't old enough to vote in the Democratic primaries in 2008, but I supported Barack Obama from the minute he announced his candidacy in February of 2007, and I stand by that decision. Not supporting Hillary Clinton's campaign didn't make me any less of a feminist), but it was an excellent piece of filmmaking and should be widely watched by men and women alike. Especially men, really.

All in all, not a bad day. Farmer's Market and Avatar: The Last Airbender marathon this weekend, and then next weekend is Fall Break. Yay!

Weekend of Win

This is a momentous occasion. I have finished all my reading for my Monday classes before Monday has actually arrived. I'm still wrapping up a written assignment, but I'm pleasantly surprised about my own hidden ability to be productive when I make it a priority. Let's see if I can keep it up!

Andi, Kathryn, and Matt came over on Friday night to watch some Avatar: The Last Airbender (specifically, all the desert and traveling to Ba Sing Se episodes), which was a lot of fun. I went to UDems breakfast on Saturday morning, where I chatted briefly with Tim Kaine and saw Brian Moran speak. Saturday was also the first football game, which we won decisively. Football does nothing for me, though, so after hanging out at a tailgate with some friends, I had dinner at a nearly-empty Runk with Kathryn, and then we headed back to my dorm room to study and watch Tangled (yes, again. Kathryn hadn't seen it, okay?). Today I had an impromptu brunch with Matt, spent a lot of time in Study Camp, hosted Hillary at informal worship (so she could see what a Christian service was like), ate Chinese food, and read like nobody's business. All in all, a pretty great weekend.

Top Tens: Favorite Fictional Pairings, Or, Everything I Touch Turns to Shipping!

Note: Shipping, for those of you not in the know, is internet lingo for supporting a romantic relationship between two characters. It is derived from the word relationship. A shipper is a fan of a certain pairing, a ship is the couple in question, and the adjective shippy might describe the interactions of a romantic or a perceived romantic nature that this couple have. Having practically lived on the internet for much of the past ten years, I will use this terminology from time to time.

For someone who has always been single, I am surprisingly enthusiastic about romantic relationships between fictional couples. Maybe I like to live vicariously through my favorite characters, or it enables me to continue to hopelessly idealize future partners and set unreasonable expectations for them (heh). Whatever the case, I love shipping. I love it to the point that whenever I pick up a new work of fiction, I almost immediately start pairing off the characters. I look for signs of who will be paired off with who, and why, and how, and whether it will be a long, drawn-out process (it usually is, and if it isn't it often means something bad will happen to the couple in question). There are certain romantic tropes that are especially appealing to me. Bickering couples, longtime friendship that blossoms into love, opposites attract, and Unrequited Love Switcheroos are all storytelling devices almost guaranteed to keep me interested. If they're accompanied by a few longing gazes and some witty banter, that's just icing on the cake. Here are my top ten fictional couples. It was very hard to narrow down my list, so I will also mention some couples that I was thisclose to including.

 

10. Logan Echolls and Veronica Mars (Veronica Mars)

Logan and Veronica are a special case for me. They aren't the kind of characters I normally put together, and honestly I didn't even like Logan until his feelings for Veronica were in full bloom. I'm not impressed by bad boys at all; Logan isn't exactly a bad boy exactly, but he's certainly edgier than all of Veronica's other romantic interests. There are also some problematic elements to their relationship; in the pilot, Logan was smashing Veronica's headlights and calling her nasty names. It could just be that the writers didn't know where they were going with his character at that point, but it's something that ought to be discussed nonetheless. Veronica, however, is not a meek or submissive kind of girl, and it quickly becomes apparent that she and Logan are attracted to one another, stemming from their one-time friendship, and continuing throughout Veronica's time as Neptune High's social outcast. By the middle of the first season, they're friendlier to one another, and the UST quotient is through the roof. They begin displaying the traits that make me like them as a couple so much; Logan is incredibly protective of Veronica, and will go out of his way to keep her from harm, while Veronica is Logan's emotional rock, helping him process his mother's death. It all comes to a head in the most glorious way, and while I wasn't happy that the writers chose to go the on-again, off-again route with them, I was thrilled that they got together. They have an undeniable chemistry, and their relationship is one of my favorite parts of Veronica Mars.

 

9. Ben Wyatt and Leslie Knope (Parks and Recreation) 

Ah, the first of my two political couples. Leslie and Ben represent the geekier, more comedic side of the political romance coin. I love how they gradually come to accept one another, and then let acceptance blossom into something more. They're sweet, funny (oh my goodness, the butt-dialing reveal was hilarious), and just generally perfect for each other. There's not much more too it to that, but they make me happy and I can't wait to see how things go in season four! 

 

8. Michael Moscovitz and Mia Thermopolis (The Princess Diaries)

When I was in junior high and high school, I was obsessed with The Princess Diaries (the books by Meg Cabot, not the Disney adaptation, which is cute but not nearly as good). The first three books especially are centered on the development of the Michael/Mia relationship. Michael was pretty much my ideal fictional boyfriend; he was sweet, mature, kind-hearted, funny, attractive, and very, very nerdy. Mia's growing feelings for Michael were adorable and relatable. They worked very well together, too; is there anything cuter than a first date spent watching Star Wars and quoting Han and Leia (see below) back at one another? I think not. The picture, by the way, is taken from a piece of fanart drawn by an artist who calls herself burdge_bug on the internet.

Other Cabot-verse couples I enjoy: Jenny Greenley and Scott Bennett (Teen Idol), Samantha Madison and David (All-American Girl), Ellie Harrison and Will Wagner (Avalon High).

 

7. Pam Beesly and Jim Halpert (The Office)

Seriously, who doesn't love them? I've said it before, but it bears repeating: they were so flippin' adorable in the early years, before they got together. They're still cute now. I've really enjoyed seeing their relationship progress, from friends longing for something more, to a married couple with one child and another on the way. In many ways the heart and soul of The Office, Jim and Pam will always be a favorite pairing of mine.

Other Office couples I enjoy: Michael and Holly, Erin and Andy.

 

6. Zuko and Katara (Avatar: The Last Airbender)

Zuko and Katara are the one couple on my list that never happened in canon. Zuko ended up with Mai and Katara ended up with Aang. I can accept the former gracefully enough, and while I'm still not thrilled about Kataang, I'll live with it. However, even after having seen the entire series at least twice, I persist in believing that Zuko and Katara would have made a more compelling pairing. They had a great dynamic, at once opposites-attract (fire and water) and brought together through similar experience (each losing their mother through the Fire Nation). Their connection was utterly fascinating. Watching them evolve from enemies to (on Katara's part) reluctant allies to close friends, a romantic relationship seemed like the next natural step. 

I know Mike and Bryan had planned an Aang-Katara romance from the very beginning, and any Zutara tension stemmed from Ship Tease and not any serious hints, but I think the teasing worked a little too well. When Zuko and Katara had their moment of understanding in Ba Sing Se, I saw chemistry. When Katara was furious with Zuko for his initial betrayal, her hurt seemed like that of a spurned lover. When Zuko tried desperately to get Katara to forgive him, including waiting outside her tent all night and asking Sokka for advice, it played like a boyfriend or love interest wanting his significant other back more than anything. When they worked together, when she finally accepted him into the Gaang, when she hugged him (see picture), I couldn't help but root for them as a couple. And oh Lord, the finale. Katara turns to Zuko in a crisis. She's the one he looks to for reassurance when he's afraid to see Uncle Iroh again. It's Katara Zuko chooses to help him take Azula down, and it's Katara he freaking takes a bolt of lightning for when Azula uses underhanded tactics. Their interaction in the aftermath of the Agni Kai is just screaming for romantic resolution, and instead Katara goes and makes out with a twelve-year-old. Ugh. Like I said, I'll live with it. Maybe Katara and Aang went one to make a lovely couple, despite the fact that she acted like his mother for the entire series, and any romantic attraction was 95% on Aang's side (sorry, Katara ending up with Aang was such wish fulfillment it makes me want to roll my eyes). They have cute grandkids in Legend of Korra, at any rate. But I'll always wonder about what could have (and should have) been, and I know I'm not alone.

Other Avatar couples I enjoy: Suki and Sokka; I like the idea of Korra and Mako in Legend of Korra, but reserve the right to change my mind, since all I have to go on at this point is one trailer, the Comic Con presentation, and their character designs.

 

5. Josh Lyman and Donna Moss (The West Wing)

I am so glad I didn't have to wait seven years to see this relationship play out (having watched the entire series roughly over the course of my freshman year in high school). Josh and Donna weren't originally intended to be together, but Bradley Whitford and Janel Moloney had such great chemistry Aaron Sorkin decided to abandon the Mandy character and ramp up the UST. They bantered and sometimes made fun of each other, but beneath it all there was a fierce loyalty and a deep devotion. Even when they dated other people, their mutual attraction was clear. It was a joy and sometimes a frustration to see their love develop (and develop and develop) and finally come to fruition in the final season. While I would have liked to see how Sorkin would have handled Josh and Donna as a couple, I'm nevertheless very pleased with the moments we do have. There is so much I love about this pairing; Josh's note to Donna in "In Excelsis Deo," their hug, and him watching her read it, Donna's utter heartbreak when she thinks Josh might die, their not-anniversary in "Seventeen People," the cute snowball scene in "Inauguration: Over There," their wonderful first kiss in "The Cold," and the way they help each other through Leo's passing in "Election Day, Part Two" are just a few of the many moments that make Josh and Donna my favorite political couple.

Other West Wing couples I enjoy: CJ and Danny, Charlie and Zoey, Jed and Abbey, and (unfortunately never realized) Sam and Ainsley.

 

4. Princess Leia Organa and Han Solo (Star Wars)

Pretty much my all-time favorite movie couple. They bicker and they're sidekicks who fall in love, so obviously I ship them. No matter what I'm doing, every time The Empire Strikes Back is on, I have to watch the scene where they kiss for the first time. Their chemistry is amazing, and after all the tension that has been building up throughout the movie, it is thrilling to see them come together. Han is a roguish Jerk with a Heart of Gold, and Leia is a passionate, no-nonsense kind of woman; when you put them together, the sparks just fly. Yet they work remarkably well as a couple, too; notice Han's transformation from a devil-may-care mercenary in A New Hope to a lovable rogue with a Leia-sized soft spot in Return of the Jedi. Not to mention Leia's fluster in The Empire Strikes Back; normally she's so collected, but Han can make her lose control. Plus, they have some of the best exchanges of any characters in the series. Observe:

Leia: Into the garbage chute, flyboy!
Han: Wonderful girl! Either I'm going to kill her or I'm beginning to like her!

Leia: Why you stuck-up, half-witted, scruffy-looking nerfherder!
Han: Who's scruffy-looking?

Han: You like me because I'm a scoundrel. There aren't enough scoundrels in your life.
Leia: I happen to like nice men.
Han: I'm a nice man.
Leia: No, you're not, you're - (They kiss.)

And of course, the perennial favorite (and its reversal in Return of the Jedi):
Leia: I love you!
Han: I know.

How on earth does anyone not like these two together?

 

3. Fitzwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet (Pride and Prejudice)

"In vain I have struggled! It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you."

A great example of dynamic characterization and relationship building, Darcy and Lizzy represent one of the best-loved romances in all of literature. From "She is tolerable, I suppose, but not handsome enough to tempt me!" to "dearest, loveliest Elizabeth," we see our protagonists overcome the eponymous pride and prejudice and become better people for it. I love watching their feelings change over the course of the book; just compare the first and second proposals and see how far they've come in just a matter of months. Oh so satisfying. Plus, Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth bring the characters to life so perfectly that I always picture them as I read. Basically, they go from this to this, and that is why I love them.

Other Austenverse couples I enjoy: Catherine Morland and Henry Tilney (Northanger Abbey), Emma Woodhouse and George Knightley (Emma)

 

2. Anne Shirley and Gilbert Blythe (Anne of Green Gables)

If you've been reading my blog over the summer, you know how much I love Anne of Green Gables. Naturally, I love Gilbert and his relationship with Anne right along with it. In Anne of the Island, Gilbert tells Anne he's loved her since the day she broke her slate over his head. Well, that says everything right there, doesn't it? I will say I was furious with Anne when she refused him the first time around, but she needed to learn a valuable lesson about what love really is, and if she'd said yes right away, we wouldn't have gotten the beautiful and very sad scene where she keeps vigil all night because she thinks Gilbert is dying. Nor did their story get less interesting after they got married. I've always thought Anne's House of Dreams would make a compelling film, not least because of the heart-wrenching chapter where their first baby dies almost immediately after she's born. They go on to have six more children (!), and by the end of Rilla of Ingleside are still just as in love as ever. One of my favorite things about this relationship is how much Gilbert loves Anne; he's described as "worship[ing] the ground she walks on" at one point, and he tells her he couldn't make himself give up on her even after she turned down his first proposal. Aww. I love how they challenge each other in the early books, and how they never lose their spark even after they put aside their differences. They're a fantastic couple; I read their scenes over and over again.

 

1. Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley (Harry Potter)

My favorite couple in the history of everything ever. Anyone who knows me knows I love Harry Potter (understatement of the century). When I was obsessively waiting for all the books to come out, the storyline I was most invested in was Harry's and how he came to defeat Voldemort. The storyline I was second most invested in was Ron and Hermione's romance. Ever since I read a J.K. Rowling interview back in 2001 explaining that there was "something going on" between them, I couldn't wait for them to get together. They are the reason I like bickering couples and sidekick romances so much. I love everything about them: their wonderful, UST-laden dynamic, the symbolism inherent in their being a pureblood and a Muggle-born in love, that Hermione makes the first move and it's because of the house-elves, that they affect one another in ways no one else can, that they argue because they enjoy it, everything. I had to wait over six years between when I read Goblet of Fire to when they finally got together in Deathly Hallows, but once they did, I wouldn't have it any other way. Ron and Hermione make me happy.

I used a drawing by fanartist Marta Tieves because her Ron and Hermione are almost exactly how I picture them. While I'm sure Rupert Grint and Emma Watson are lovely people, they're just not Ron and Hermione to me.

Other Potter couples I enjoy: Harry and Ginny, Molly and Arthur, Remus and Tonks, Lily and James, and a somewhat fleeting affection for Neville and Luna, although I'm perfectly fine with them marrying other people eventually, as JKR said they did.

That's the list! Here are my honorable mentions:
- Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable (Kim Possible)
- Vicky Austin and Adam Eddington (A Ring of Endless Light); I also love Meg Murry and Calvin O'Keefe from A Wrinkle in Time and its sequels.
- Peeta Mellark and Katniss Everdeen (The Hunger Games)
- Rapunzel and Flynn Rider Eugene Fitzherbert (Tangled)
- Alfredo Linguini and Colette Tatou (Ratatouille)
- Carl and Ellie Fredricksen (Up)

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!

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.

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.