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.

 

Top Tens: Countries I Want to Visit

As I wait rather impatiently for my acceptance letter from the International Studies Office (I know I have nothing to worry about, but as I am wont to do, I'm freaking out anyway), it occurs to me it might be useful to figure out where I would like to go while I'm in Europe. Since there are places I want to visit outside of Europe as well, it's time for another Top Ten!

10. Greece

I'm a politics major. The first thing I ever had to read for a college class was a selection of Greek philosophy (specifically, Thucydides). In some of my other classes, I compared Athens to Rome, learned about the influence the Greeks on art and architecture, and discussed battle after battle after battle. At work, I've cataloged korai and kylixes galore; one of my coworkers is currently spending the year in Greece (hi, Renee!). Yet none of that has deterred me from wanting to visit someday. Greece has so much rich history and tradition, and it doesn't hurt that it's in the Mediterranean. I'm not sure I'll be able to visit while I'm in France, as it might be a tad far off, but I will be ecstatic if I get the chance. Slightly embarrassing confession: The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants was what made me first want to visit Greece, especially Santorini. Just look at that picture, though! What a gorgeous place! Why wouldn't you want to visit?

9. Israel

Again, Israel's probably a little too far away to pay a visit while I'm abroad, but I'd love to go someday. My reasons are mostly religious - this is, after all, the land of Christ's birth and ministry - but it's also full of history, diversity, and beauty. Hillary and Ellen have also told me that it's a great place for  vegetarians, particularly of the ovo-lacto persuasion, since according to kosher food laws meat and dairy must be kept separate. Hopefully I'll be able to verify this firsthand in the future.

8. Venezuela

This is the one place on my list I've actually been before. However, as it was just during a quick layover in Caracas, and I never even got off the plane, I think I'm due for another visit. With Hugo Chavez in power, I'm not sure I'll be going anytime soon, but I'd love to see it properly, especially Angel Falls and the surrounding rainforest. Really, I'd like to go all over South America; Brazil for the Amazon and its famed cities, Peru for the Inca ruins, Argentina for its incredible diversity, and Chile, because I've heard repeatedly about how great it is from my parents' missionary colleagues. Venezuela would just be my first stop, as technically, it already has been.

7. China

Okay, Richie, you've gotten to me (yes, I know your main area of interest is Japan). After years of listening to my brother wax poetic about the Far East, I've started to become interested in it myself. I'm not especially thrilled about the idea of indirectly supporting its government (with its terrible human rights record) through tourism, but I've heard China is an amazing place. It's huge, both in landmass and population (fun fact: all of China operates under the same time zone), it has so much to offer in terms of culture and history, and it's gaining in power and influence. I'm not sure if I buy into the idea that China will be the world's next superpower, but it's going to play an important role in world politics no matter what, and it would probably be good to have some idea of what life is like there.

6. Australia

Yeah, yeah, everyone wants to go to Australia. It's not my most creative choice (although it's not my least, either), but it's on my list for a reason. Some of my friends of studied abroad there, and from what I've heard, it's just as fantastic as it's supposed to be. It has deserts and beaches, koalas and kangaroos, the Opera House and the Great Barrier Reef. Plus, it's the setting of one of my favorite movies, Finding Nemo! So, while it may be a fairly typical vacation destination of choice for Americans, it's definitely a place I'd like to visit someday.

5. Ireland

Heh, just kidding. Here's the picture I actually wanted to include:

Ah, Ireland, land of the unpronounceable names (said by someone whose own name is not especially pronounceable at first glance). It's supposed to be absolutely beautiful, though, and I definitely plan on visiting when I'm in France. I'm especially looking forward to seeing Dublin, and not just because it happens to be home to my favorite band. Once again, its history, its culture, and its geographical diversity are just some of the many reasons I want to visit.

4. Spain

Another place I definitely plan on visiting, not least because my parents have colleagues there (no hostels, yay). I almost certainly have distant Spanish ancestry on my mom's side (although I think I've heard her mention our family came from the Canary Islands and not from the Spanish mainland), which just makes me more excited about next semester. There is so much to see and do, from exploring Madrid to learning about Muslim influences on Spanish architecture.

3. New Zealand

Have you seen The Lord of the Rings? Clearly you don't need another reason to go to New Zealand after that.

2. United Kingdom

More than half of my favorite books and movies are set here. My family is English on my dad's side. Jane Austen. Harry Potter. Stonehenge. The Scottish Highlands. This trailer of beauty:

I can't even tell you how excited I am that I'm only going to be an hour and a half from London. afkadj;alfdk;afjas;ldkfj

1. France

Guess where I'm going for study abroad! Basically the only thing I learned in my macroeconomics class my senior year of high school was how awesome France is (no, I'm not still bitter that I failed the AP test, and it was a blot on my otherwise flawless pass record. Why do you ask?), and I've taken that to heart. I've studied French for going on three years, I've researched all the things I want to see in Paris exhaustively, I can't wait to visit Marseille, Nice, and Bordeaux, and I just really want to find out what everything is like there. It's been my #1 ideal travel destination for a few years now, and the thought that I'll be spending an entire semester there is absolutely thrilling. Vive la France!

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...

Entertainment 2011: September 1 - September 30

Okay, so September was pretty pitiful entertainment-wise. I did have two Avatar: The Last Airbender marathons and I watched a lot of Mad Men and Switched at Birth on Netflix, but as far as actual movies go, not so much. Also, on the book front? The only reading I did outside of schoolwork was a chapter of Meg Cabot's Abandon in the UVa bookstore while I was waiting for the Einstein Bros. team to finish making my bagel. I'm not sure if I plan on finishing it; it was not up to her usual standard.

Anyway, here is my pathetic movie list:
The Lion King (umpteenth viewing)
Pocahontas (also umpteenth, although I hadn't seen it for years when I watched it again this past month)
Miss Representation (documentary)

I don't have high hopes for October, entertainment-wise, considering I have work on my visa and study abroad scholarships on top of everything else, but the Virginia Film Festival comes to town in November, which I am quite excited about. It's always a fun time.

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!