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:

Winding Down

There isn't much happening in my life right now. Nearly all of my classes are finished; I'm just in the process of writing three final papers, and I'll officially be done with the academic portion of my semester abroad. I've also entered my second-to-last month in France, and when I consider that I'll be traveling for the better part of three weeks in late April and early May, the time seems to be going by that much more quickly. My thoughts have started to turn to the summer; I have an internship interview via Skype next Wednesday, and I'm hoping to hear back from a couple other places in the next few weeks. It looks like I'll be on the East Coast again, which I am okay with, though it occurs to me it's been a long time since I spent more than three weeks with my family. Well, I guess this was just part of the deal when I chose to go to college on the other side of the country.

In the meantime, here are some Citadelle pictures:

And because I assume you must appreciate my dorky fangirl tendencies at least a little bit, or you wouldn't be reading this blog, here is an incredibly nerdy picture of me with Korra hair:

Now I just need my Mako. Let's be real, though, I am actually an older Jinora, except I would want to waterbend instead of airbend.

Ahem. Anyway, off to Disneyland again tomorrow, since Leslie and her family are in Paris. Au revoir!

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!

Lost in My Own World

The past few days it's been very easy for me to slip into my own daydream world. My Tuesday class was cancelled (though I didn't find out until I'd already spent money on Metro fare to get to school, unfortunately), and every other day I was completely free. Sometimes I left my place to run an errand, and I did get some writing done on papers and internship essays, but mostly I think I was just having a week where I wanted to be lost. I don't mean that in a bad way, but I also realize that it's not completely normal. As I described it on my Facebook, a lot of it was "Korra-induced haze," because when I really like something, I often spend a few days utterly immersed in it. I was like that with Harry Potter, and Star Wars, and even on occasion with my own writing projects.

If you've read The Fault in Our Stars, the narrator, Hazel, talks about the kind of books you have a "weird, evangelical zeal" about, and then the kind of books that are "so special and rare and yours that advertizing your affection feels like a betrayal." I don't feel that strongly about The Legend of Korra, especially since there have only been two episodes, but it's been a long time since I've fallen for something so deeply, so quickly. This may sound very odd, but while I've never been in love with a person before, I imagine that it'll feel something like discovering a new work of fiction that inspires this kind of quasi-obsession in me. The other strange thing about me is that I rarely just "like" something; when it comes to fiction, I either have a weirdly-consuming love for it, or I absolutely loathe it. And when I love something, I have to know everything about it, right down to the minutest of minute details. Lest you start to worry, this is a trait I really hope won't carry over to my relationships with men.

But I think I was also feeling, as Vicky Austin would say, replete with very me. I don't think I'm depressed or anything - I've actually felt quite happy these past few days - but having a little retreat like this helps me to clear my head, to sort of step away from the world for a while. Soon enough I'll have to refocus my efforts on serious research and paper-writing, and I have several commitments in the next few weeks, but it's nice just to escape for a while. I don't know if that makes any sense, but it works for me.

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!

Top Tens: Literary Crushes

Time for another top ten list! It's been a while since my last one, so here you are.

As you probably know, I am a bookworm. I read voraciously as a kid and still go through new books pretty quickly now even though I have less time to read them. My preferred genre is probably fantasy, but I love historical fiction, contemporary teenage fiction, and sci-fi as well, and generally I'm not too picky; if a book is good, I'm usually willing to read it. I don't read much romance, but most of my favorite books include at least a romantic subplot, and I confess that I care way more about said subplots than I strictly ought to much of the time.

I strongly suspect that part of the reason I haven't had a boyfriend yet is because my expectations have been raised too high by literature. Funnily enough, I still don't really know what my type is in real life, but I definitely have a literary type. Almost all of the love interests on my list are good-humored, funny, devoted to their families, clever, kind, and really dedicated to their ladies. A little distressingly, at least to me, they all happen to also be white, which is sadly probably reflective of the lack of protagonists of color in mainstream literature. I think the other issue is that I love these guys for how they love their love interests, so a lot of the traits I find attractive are really kind of specific to their relationships with women who aren't me. But hey, since they are fictional and I am not, it was never going to work anyway. Well, here goes. See if you can guess who I picked (let me know if you got any right).

SPOILER ALERT: Some ending details for Persuasion, Northanger Abbey, The Hunger Games trilogy, Madeleine L'Engle's Time and Austin series, The Princess Diaries series, the Anne of Green Gables series, Pride and Prejudice, and the Harry Potter series.

 10. Frederick Wentworth (Persuasion)

Favorite Film Portrayal: Ciaran Hinds, 1995

Chosen mainly because he writes the most romantic letter in all of literature to protagonist Anne Elliot. I won't spoil it for you, but it contains the line "You pierce my soul," and it since it throws his character into a completely different light, it makes for excellent reread value.
Pluses: Very patient, honorable, quite the way with a pen
Minuses: Tendency to be distant, man in uniform (I know that's a plus for a lot of people, but not for me. No offense if you happen to be one, but I happen to be ethically opposed to the military as an institution - not to you personally, of course)

 9. Henry Tilney (Northanger Abbey)

Favorite Film Portrayal: JJ Feild, 2007

Pluses: Hilarious, willing to stand up for what he thinks is right, kind
Minuses: As an introvert, I sometimes find it difficult to keep up with very extroverted people, as I think Henry is. Since Catherine and I seem to have this in common, perhaps it wouldn't be a huge roadblock, but I imagine it would hamper things somewhat.

8. Peeta Mellark (The Hunger Games)

Film Portrayal That I Have Not Yet Seen But Am Pretty Sure Will Enjoy: Josh Hutcherson, 2012

I am not the biggest Hunger Games fan in the world, but the one character I kept reading for was Peeta. I didn't even care about his romance with Katniss that much; he was just a really decent guy, and I was impressed by his desire to stay true to himself no matter what happened. Complicated slightly by Mockingjay (as everything in this series is), which is why he's 8th instead of, say, 4th on my list.
Pluses: Strong sense of self, dry, self-deprecating wit, devotion to the people he loves
Minuses: I am a little bothered by how self-sacrificial he is. Possibly another one of my paradoxes; I am moved by all-encompassing love, but I get annoyed at characters that don't seem to have a life beyond their love interests. So, yeah. Also, Peeta's a bit manipulative in a way I don't entirely love.

7. Calvin O'Keefe (A Wrinkle in Time and its sequels)

Not Including a Film Portrayal Because the Only One There Is Neglected His Red Hair (But He's Played By Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century's Boyfriend Greg)

All-around nice guy and whip-smart, Calvin isn't the most standout character in the series, but I love him for his fundamental goodness and his willingness to be there for Meg and her family no matter what. He doesn't care that she's seen as a bit of an oddball at their school; he likes her for who she is, and tells her so. I appreciate that. Also, redhead. I have a bit of a weakness for red hair, in case you hadn't noticed.
Pluses: The "dreamboat eyes" scene, doesn't care what other people think, kind, open, smart, supportive, wants to love and be loved
Minuses: His family would make for awful in-laws

6. Neville Longbottom (the Harry Potter series)

Film Portrayal I Pretty Much Liked: Matthew Lewis, 2001-2011

If you've read Deathly Hallows, this one's a no-brainer.
Pluses: Brave, sweet, devoted to his friends and family, such a fabulously layered and developed character
Minuses: Forgetful, fictional (and therefore not able to be my boyfriend)

5. Michael Moscovitz (the Princess Diaries series)

Film Portrayal That Was Okay Enough: Robert Schwartzman, 2001

One of my first literary crushes, probably because I started reading The Princess Diaries series around age 12, and I loved it so much. Especially in the first four books, Michael is so very dreamy. He's nerdy, which appeals to me, and he's obviously and sweetly in love with Mia, which makes him appealing in general. I particularly love their Star Wars-infused first date, and the fact that he tells her he likes her with a self-made computer program.
He got considerably less dreamy around the time that Mia herself gets really annoying (I don't think either of them acquitted themselves well in the Michael's-not-actually-a-virgin-(even-though-Meg-Cabot-had-said-he-was-on-her-website-and-then-changed-her-mind-because-she-wanted-to-~make-a-point~-or-something)-and-surprise-Mia-he-never-told-you situation. But come book 10, when Mia's with the supremely unlikable J.P. and Michael comes back from Japan, I was quite happy it was as his lovable old self. Mia was, too.
Pluses: wonderfully nerdy, nice, caring, considerate, patient, musical (I like guys who can sing and/or play instruments), hot (as Mia informs us about ten times a book, but those passages about his well-defined pecs made quite an impression on me as a preteen)
Minuses: a little too cavalier about sex (or at least about the Judith Gershner situation above)

4. Adam Eddington (the Vicky Austin series)

Not Including a Film Portrayal Because Good Lord That Movie Was Disappointing (But If You Were Curious, He Was Played By Ryan Merriman)

Easily my favorite of Vicky's love interests (I am NOT into troubled-but-cute types, a la Zachary Gray, who frankly is more trouble than he's worth). Their relationship is so interesting to read about, and not just in the romantic sense. Oh, and a tip, if you've only seen the Disney Channel movie version of A Ring of Endless Light: read the book. Seriously. Book!Adam and movie!Adam are about as different as it is possible to be.
Pluses: smart, caring, friendly, good with kids, "I called you." "And I came."
Minuses: Trust issues

3. Gilbert Blythe (the Anne of Green Gables series)

Favorite Film (Well, Miniseries) Portrayal: Jonathan Crombie, 1985, 1987 (and that is it, do you hear me?)

I haven't met anyone who's read AoGG and doesn't love Gilbert. Of course, it helps that he's "loved [Anne] since that day [she] broke [her] slate over [his] head in school," and one of the most amusing parts of the first book is the barrage of hints at Gilbert's feelings and Anne's blissful unawareness. As they get older, Gilbert's great qualities become more apparent, and it's obvious he's meant for her, which makes it that much more infuriating when she initially turns him down. He's bright, honest, nice, handsome, and head over heels for Anne, and just all-around incredibly sweet. Long story short, I'm constantly flipping through the books just to get to the Gilbert bits, and that should speak for itself.
Pluses: Everything
Minuses: Nothing

2. Fitzwilliam Darcy (Pride and Prejudice)

Favorite Film (Well, Miniseries) Portrayal: Colin Firth, 1995

Obligatory addition to every nerdy girl's literary crush list, but there's a reason for it, of course. Great character development is a key component; being played by Colin Firth in the best adaptation helps. Book!Darcy is plenty wonderful on his own, though. He goes from being rather proud and stiff to someone who is willing to do everything for the woman he loves, even when she's already rejected him once (since he is naturally unaware that he is the male lead in an Austen novel and will inevitably end up with Elizabeth anyway, I think the word "selfless" is applicable here).
Pluses: Devoted (both to Lizzy and to his little sister), a good friend, clever, kind
Minuses: Not great with strangers, proud (although he gets better)

1. Ron Weasley (the Harry Potter series)

Not Including a Film Portrayal Because Rupert Grint, As Lovely As I'm Sure He Is, Does Not At All Fit My Personal Picture of Ron Weasley. Instead, I Give You Two Pieces of Fanart By Women Named Venessa and Marta

Let's not kid ourselves here. For me, something from Harry Potter is always going to be number one. Ron is my favorite character in the series anyway (though this did not preclude him from making me very angry on occasion), and his romantic subplot was the one I was most invested in (I actually felt physically ill reading that Lavender Brown business from Half-Blood Prince for the first time), so it's really not surprising that he would top this list as well. As for why I like Ron so much in the first place, well, I think a lot of it comes with defending him on the Internet for nearly a decade now, but I genuinely love his character arc. This is also why chapter nineteen of Deathly Hallows, "The Silver Doe," is my favorite chapter of anything ever. I love seeing Ron finally overcome his self-confidence issues and be a hero in his own right. Also, he's very funny and he's a redhead, so how can I not like him? And as a love interest? I love how he loves Hermione, end of story.
Pluses: Loyal, brave, hilarious, compassionate (especially midway through DH and onward), protective, caring, red hair
Minuses: Hotheaded, not particularly academically-motivated, has jealousy and confidence issues (that he has mostly resolved by the end of the series), can be rather mean sometimes.

Nostalgia Trip

So, like roughly any other girl I went to school with, I grew up reading the American Girl books. While I never owned a doll, I loved the stories, which were about brave and resourceful young ladies growing up in different eras in United States history. When I was little, Samantha was my favorite; now that I'm older, I might like Felicity best. I even had the completely hilarious in retrospect computer game, American Girl Premiere. In any case, I know that when I think about these books, I do so with a nostalgia filter firmly in place.

During the past several years, I found out that there have been movie versions of some of the stories, sweet, inoffensive films I enjoy watching when I come across them. I saw the Felicity movie when I was still living at home, and the Samantha movie shortly thereafter, but it wasn't until this weekend that I finally got around to seeing Molly and Kit. Some are better made than others; Kit's was the only theatrical release, with an appropriately laudable cast (Abigail Breslin of Little Miss Sunshine as Kit, with supporting roles played by Stanley Tucci, Joan Cusack, Wallace Shawn, and Julia Ormond), whereas the rest have been TV movies with generally lesser-known stars. After having seen them all, I think Molly's was probably the worst. She was played by Canadian Maya Ritter, and while I certainly have nothing against Canadians, it's a little jarring to see a movie set in a heavily patriotic World War II-era United States that was obviously filmed in Canada with a mostly Canadian cast, the younger members of which have not been taught the U.S. way of saying "sorry," for example. (Though I must admit, I do rather like the Canadian way, and always grin when I hear Gilbert Blythe using it in the Anne of Green Gables films). As for Felicity and Samantha, I think I need to watch their movies again to decide which I liked best. I do remember, however, that Felicity is played by Shailene Woodley, who would go on to star in The Secret Life of the American Teenager (cringe) and The Descendants (which is actually getting her a lot of buzz), and Samantha by AnnaSophia Robb of Bridge to Terabithia fame.

If you happen to feel as nostalgic about these books as I do, I have included links to all the trailers for your viewing pleasure: Samantha, Felicity, Kit, Molly. It's been a lovely weekend for a nostalgia trip; I hope you feel similarly.

Entertainment 2012: January 1 - January 31

Quick explanation for new readers: I keep track of the books, movies, and plays that I read/watch throughout the year, and at the beginning of every month post my updated entertainment list. I haven't always been the most consistent at doing this, though. This year has been going pretty well so far, list-wise, so hopefully it'll be better now. Note that when I list a work as "new," I mean new to me, not necessarily new in general. Anyway, here it is:

Books
1. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell (new read)

Movies
1. The Help, new, better than I thought it would be but still sort of rubs me the wrong way as a politics major with a focus on race and gender
2. Dolphin Tale, new, surprisingly charming (then again, I am the girl who used to love dolphins so much I used to check all the tuna cans at the grocery store to make sure they were dolphin-safe)
3. Moneyball, new, pretty good if a little overrated
4. Kiki's Delivery Service, mostly new, sweet
5. My Neighbor Totoro, new, so adorable
6. Castle in the Sky, new, great storytelling
7. Nausicäa of the Valley of the Wind, new, intense and quite good
8. From Up on Poppy Hill (Kokuriko-zaka kara), new, weird but pretty
9. The Duchess, new, strange but not bad despite the presence of Keira Knightley

Plays
None

And while I tend to watch my TV either as it airs or in bits and pieces online (and therefore not in a way that works really well with my list), here are the shows I'm currently following:
The Office (I've seen every episode, and I still enjoy it, though it is past its prime)
Parks and Recreation (LOVE)
Switched at Birth (yeah, I know, but it's actually quite good for an ABC Family show)
I've seen the first episode of Downton Abbey (just realized the post I wrote never ended up online somehow - that'll be fixed within the next couple of days), and plan to write a blog series on it once I can, um, find a good proxy, since at the moment I can access neither my Netflix nor the PBS website and don't know where else to watch it legally. Anyway, I suspect I'll end up loving it; British costume dramas are generally my thing, and I liked the pilot well enough.
Doctor Who - the 2005 reboot, more specifically. I've seen all of series one and two and the first episode of series three at this point. David Tennant is my preferred Doctor; as for companions, I liked Rose and didn't particularly care for Donna, at least from the one episode that I've seen with her in it.

Entertainment things I'm looking forward to this year:
Avatar: The Legend of Korra (sequel series to Avatar: The Last Airbender, which is fantastic and you should watch it immediately. Also, just FYI, I like to pretend M. Night Shyamalan's atrocity never happened. It's nothing like the show which it is purportedly based on)
Brave (newest Pixar movie, its first with a female protagonist, and she's a spirited Scottish redhead, oh happy day)
The Hunger Games (this is one of the few books I think will work better on the screen than on the page, and I think Jennifer Lawrence was meant to play Katniss. Also, Josh Hutcherson will be playing my favorite character, Peeta, and I've had a huge soft spot for him since Bridge to Terabithia)
Reading The Fault in Our Stars when it gets here from the States, since I've heard from nearly everyone who's read it that it's John Green's best novel yet.
Make It or Break It's return to television (shut up. It's my guilty pleasure show, and I need Payson to win the gold medal at the Olympics and get together with Sasha ~in the future~)
Speaking of which, the Olympics are this summer! I really only care about gymnastics, and maybe swimming a little bit, but I love watching them, and they'll be in London this year!
Finally, it's an election year! Not really looking forward to the nastiness of the race, but I can't wait to see dear old Mittens get his phony ass handed to him in the debates and on November 6. (Wow, that sounded kind of harsh, but I'm not taking it back. Mitt Romney disgusts me in way most politicians don't.)

North and South

For those of you who don't know, I'm mildly obsessed with 19th century female-written English literature. I started a Jane Austen club at UVa, which is currently on hiatus but might get reestablished next year if I can find the time to run it. I have read all of Austen's novels several times over (my favorite is Pride and Prejudice, although I also love Northanger Abbey and Sense and Sensibility, and my least favorite is Mansfield Park). I love Jane Eyre (and rather detest Wuthering Heights, I'm sorry to say - sorry, Emily, Charlotte writes books with characters I don't loathe). Since I live on the Internet and frequent Jane Austen communities, I'd been aware of Elizabeth Gaskell and her novels for quite some time, and have wanted to read North and South at least since I've been in college. Back in December I downloaded a free Kindle app for my iPod, and discovered to my delight that most of the classics are free, including Gaskell's work. I started North and South during my trip up to Washington for my visa appointment at the French consulate, and finally finished it today.

The story centers around Margaret Hale, the daughter of a former country vicar and his rather delicate wife, who have lived in the south of England all of Margaret's life. Her father abruptly breaks with his parish and moves the family to the northern industrial town of Milton, where he will work as a private tutor (hence, North and South). There, Margaret's eyes are opened to the harshness of factory life, and she frequently clashes with one of her father's pupils, plant manager John Thornton. You can probably guess where the story goes from there, but I recommend finding out for yourself rather than me telling you. However, since this is my blog, here are some of my impressions (SPOILER ALERT):

Art

Today I bought groceries, slept, and tried but mostly failed to work on my Batten application. Thus, I have nothing interesting to report. It was a recovery from Paris day, I guess. In lieu of an actual interesting post, have the rest of the Avatar art I've drawn over the past two weeks:

 

These are main characters from Avatar: The Legend of Korra. I realize this show has not yet been released, but since I am still ridiculously excited for it, I decided to try my hand at drawing the trio of Korra, Mako, and Bolin. I also drew a picture of Aang and Katara's granddaughters Jinora and Ikki, but I'm not especially happy with it, so I don't think I'll put it online. By the way, is it strange that I really don't like the Aang/Katara pairing but am fangirling like crazy over pictures of their son and his adorable airbending family? Something to ponder, anyway.

 

This is Katara. She's not my favorite ATLA character, but she's still awesome and probably the most like me. She can waterbend, and since that is my preferred element in the Avatar world, I feel that I am obligated to like her. Anyway. Yes, Katara. She's fun to draw. I'm especially proud of the lower lefthand image. I think I did a good job with her face and her hair. Also, hands are really hard to draw, but I did it!

 

I drew this today. It's Katara and Zuko who should have ended up together from the finale. The background is a little iffy, but I think I did a reasonably good job with the characters.

Also, who wants some tl;dr about Avatar shipping? Here, have this exchange from my Tumblr from a few months ago:

Tumblr user beeftony:

I hate when people try and justify Zutara by saying that “opposites attract.” Zuko and Katara are not opposites. They bend opposing elements, yes, but let’s consider the facts. They both:

• Have a distant father figure
• Lost their mothers at a young age
• Have a sibling who is more eager to fight than they are
• Had to grow up before they should have
• Have serious anger issues

All of which paints a picture of two people who can relate to each other on an emotional level because they are so goddamn similar. The main thing that separates them is how they reacted to their circumstances, and their relationship with what remains of their families. What keeps them apart is largely circumstantial, and if things had gone differently they may very well have ended up together.
Zuko and Aang had parallel journeys, but Zuko and Katara reflect one another. That’s different from being opposites, and it’s better for a long term relationship if they have things in common.
That’s why I ship it, anyway.

Me from the past (as Tumblr user secondhermione):

This actually makes a lot of sense. When I started watching Avatar during my first semester of college, well after the series had ended, I had no expectations for shipping (although I had certainly heard of the shipping wars). During books one and two, I thought Kataang was sort of blandly cute, even if it bothered me that Katara didn’t really seem to reciprocate Aang’s feelings (“The Cave of Two Lovers” being a notable exception). I was intrigued by Zuko and Katara’s dynamic, but I’m decidedly not one of those shippers that enjoys the “I’ll save you from the pirates” scene. Sorry, I’m not really into foe-yay.

I became a Zutara shipper after “The Crossroads of Destiny.” By that point, I knew Kataang was going to be endgame, so I didn’t actually expect anything to happen between Zuko and Katara. But I still think that post-series, they became very close friends at the very least, precisely because they have this shared connection. She’s water and he’s fire, but they’re really very similar, and they’ve both lost their mothers. I think they understand each other quite well, perhaps more than they care to admit.
Which leads me to the end of book three. I honestly believe that the writers made a few significant fumbles here, if they wanted us to support the Aang/Katara pairing. Katara needed to forgive and accept Zuko, but the way it was done created the problem of making them very close emotionally. Look at the way they interact with each other, post-“The Southern Raiders.” Zuko turns to Katara for reassurance and understanding, and she to him. When Aang is missing, when Zuko is afraid to face his uncle, when they’re preparing for the showdown with Azula, they find comfort in one another. While this certainly can be applied to their budding friendship, the way their relationship arc was progressing, it seems like the next natural step would have been to start a romance, particularly with Katara pushing Aang away and telling him that she was confused.

Basically, here’s how I see it:

1. Zuko and Katara connect over the mutual loss of their mothers in Ba Sing Se. He then sides with Azula, which Katara takes quite personally.

2. Zuko joins the Gaang, but Katara isn’t quite ready to forgive him yet. Their interactions, especially on Katara’s part, are highly charged. (This is important.)

3. Zuko desperately wants to gain Katara’s acceptance, to the point where he waits outside her tent all night just to talk to her. He then uses their shared bond - the loss of their mothers - to restart their connection. While Katara ultimately doesn’t take revenge, she comes to forgive Zuko, and they work well together as a team.

4. Aang wants to know why he and Katara haven’t progressed as a couple since their kiss at the invasion. Katara tells him she’s confused, and is justifiably upset when he tries to kiss her again anyway. They have basically no direct interaction after this until the coda of the finale.

5. In the lead up to the showdown with the Fire Lord, Zuko and Katara are often paired up. They’re a team during the battle with Melon Lord, they take charge of the Gaang when Aang disappears (although most of the leadership does go to Zuko, to be fair), and they go to face Azula together. Along the way, Zuko calms Katara, Katara reassures Zuko, and he looks to her when he needs help. Also, June provides some Ship Tease, although this was probably just the writers’ nod to their fanbase.

6. Then there’s the fight with Azula. I challenge you to find a sequence that’s more blatantly Zutara. He freaking takes a bolt of lightning for her. And while, yes, it is thematically significant that Zuko and Katara are working together to take down an enemy instead of being enemies during a finale, I maintain that if the writers had let the story take a natural course, this would have been the time for a Relationship Upgrade. The part where she heals him and they thank each other, Katara with tears in her eyes and a smile on her face, is just begging for romantic resolution.

7. My biggest problem with the Kataang relationship is that it feels too one-sided. There have been moments where I believed Katara returned Aang’s feelings (“The Cave of Two Lovers,” “The Headband”), but they’re few and far between. Now, after Katara has told Aang she’s confused, she suddenly decides she wants him as soon as he’s defeated the Fire Lord. I do like that she’s the one who makes the move, but I can’t buy it. It makes Katara look like Aang’s reward, and I think that’s a disservice to both their characters. Aang saved the world, and that’s great, but Katara doesn’t owe him anything for that. I don’t really see Katara making a choice, here. I see pride in a good friend, I see affection. What I don’t see (or buy, at least) is romantic attraction.

Also, I would have been fine with a peck on the cheek or even a quick kiss on the lips. But it honestly kind of squicks me out - Aang is 12 (for all intents and purposes), and he and Katara share a very adult sort of kiss. He just doesn’t feel grown up enough for something like that, not least because I felt his character didn’t do enough growing up in the finale. This is a problem I consistently had with Aang’s development; I rolled my eyes when 12-year-old Aang said he loved Katara in “The Crossroads of Destiny,” too.

8. Thematically, at least in my eyes, a Katara/Zuko relationship would have been a better choice. They have a great connection, especially because they’re similar enough to understand each other really well. Their interactions are charged - Katara seems to respond far more to Zuko than she ever did to Aang, and she never treated him like she was his mother. By the end of the series, Katara and Zuko seemed closer than Katara and Aang. And, well, if you want me to support Kataang, I think that’s a problem.

So I echo everything in this post, and add that this is something Mike and Bryan should keep in mind (or, at least, I hope they had in mind) when they were developing Legend of Korra. I’m not a Zutara fangirl who liked them because they’d be ~omg so hawt~ together (although I do think they look better together than Aang and Katara do, mostly because Aang is still prepubescent). I liked them together because it seemed like a natural conclusion for their characters and their development, and I know I’m not the only one that feels that way. To me, they are the great relationship that could have been. That they didn’t happen, and that (to me) the Kataang relationship feels forced, are some of Avatar’s very few flaws.

Me in the present: Wow, that was long. I just have a lot of feelings about Zutara, guys.

Anyway, happy Monday, and happy Day Before the State of the Union Day!

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.

Allons-y!

Au revoir, Etats-Unis!

Long Overdue Update

So I've been pretty much AWOL here as of late. Eighteen credits, study abroad preparations, and illness have all taken their toll on me, and I've had basically the worst November of my life. Thanksgiving can't come soon enough. Right now I'm feeling very anxious because I haven't yet found an apartment in France, even though I've written email after email to landlords and building administrators. In fact, I have to go right back to flat-hunting as soon as I've finished this blog post. When you take into account the five exams I have to prepare for, the fifteen-page paper I have to write, and the packing I have to finish before I leave, it's safe to say that the worst of the stress is yet to come. Sigh.

In the meantime, I thought I would share with you some of the few things that are making me happy these days. First, the second trailer for The Hunger Games came out a week ago, and it looks amazing. I've watched it more times than I care to admit, and I'm not even a huge fan of The Hunger Games. However, I think most of my problems with the books were stylistic; Suzanne Collins has a background in television writing, which I think is very apparent in her prose. This can make for a sometimes clunky narrative, and considering Katniss is not the most accessible protagonist in literature, the books have their fair share of odd or cringeworthy moments. Having seen the trailer, though, I will cautiously say that most of my issues with the books will not be a problem for the film. Jennifer Lawrence is a fine actress, and she might help me warm up to Katniss a bit more, get me to understand her motivations. Josh Hutcherson looks to be in top form as Peeta, which makes me incredibly excited; Peeta is my favorite character, and while I never doubted Josh's abilities as an actor, I'm thrilled to see that he is almost exactly like the Peeta in my head. Rue, Prim, and Effie look just like they should. And Lenny Kravitz really does seem to be a spectacular choice for Cinna; it was an odd bit of casting at first, but having seen him in action, he conveys precisely that sense of calm and understanding I liked so much in the book. Here is the trailer, so you can see for yourself:


The Brave trailer was released last Wednesday. I'm not as impressed with this one as I was with the last, but I still am confident it will be a great movie. With a no-nonsense, butt-kicking, redheaded Scottish princess as its protagonist, how could it not be? The trailer is below; I am in constant awe of Merida's hair, especially considering how hard hair is to animate. Just look at those glorious ginger locks and try not to be amazed:


And as always, I'm incredibly thankful for my family and friends. My parents have been keeping me sane, and my friends have stopped me from getting too overwhelmed. Special shout-outs go to Pooja, who brought me food this weekend when I didn't feel up to leaving my room (horrendously bad cold at least), Sarah, who invited me home with her for Thanksgiving and continues to be a great prayer partner, Matt and Andi, who have proven to be excellent Avatar-watching companions, and Jackie, who is a steadfast Skyper and even better friend. Hopefully the next time I update, I'll be talking about the fun I had with all of them instead of the stress relief.

Well, back to looking for apartments and packing for the next few days.

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.

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)

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!

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!

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.