Monday, December 27, 2010

What is with the addictive quality of TrueBlood?

Okay, I just finished watching TrueBlood season one on dvd. I have a problem. I have been addicted to this show since last year. I was living in a hotel room, and I found myself watching a lot of stuff I wouldn't normally ask. It's the hotel phenomenom. If you've ever stayed in one long term (except Vegas b/c they have crappy tv), you probably know what I'm talking about. Anyway, I got sucked in as they showed season two.

This show has quite a few disadvantages:
  • Bad language
  • Disturbing violence
  • Disturbing actions from the characters
  • Lots of gratuitious, sleazy scenes (and naked flesh)--I have a low sleaze tolerance

The perks of this show:

  • Completely engaging
  • Interesting storylines
  • Stephen Moyer as Bill (drool)
  • Alexander Skarsgaard as Eric (drool some more)
  • Other cute guys
  • Great acting
  • And it's vampires and other paranormals--I love them!

As far as season one, it's good to go back and see it from the beginning. I have to confess, I read the first book by Charlaine Harris, Dead Until Dark. I wasn't blown away. It was a little silly and kind of dark in an uncomfortable way. For some reason, it's more palatable as a movie/tv show. Normally, I admit I prefer the books to movies. But, this is definitely one where I like the movie/tv version better.

I have to say, Sookie is very annoying. I think she's a good person, but she's judgmental, self-righteous, insensitive, reckless, you name it. It's interesting that she's imperfect, because it can be annoying when the heroine is so perfect. I think the secondary cast make the show. Lots of interesting, but not always likeable people. I wish they didn't make Christians all look like hypocrits, but I loved Sookie and Jason's grandmother. She was such a sweet lady. At least she was a positive image for Christians.

Jason is such a dumb man. It's frustrating how clueless he is. He might be hot physically, but I am not attracted to stupid men! And he's so arrogant at the same time. I like Tara, although she's completely screwed up. How does she always manage to get into such bad trouble? Is she the male equivalent of Jason, except more intelligent? I love Lafayette, even though he's quite amoral. At least he's honest about who he is. He's one of my favorites. I also love Sam, even though he's so against vampires. I love Bill. I just do. I adore him. He's conflicted, dark, brooding, but he loves Sookie so much. (Yes, I know he betrayed her, but I think he really does love her). Eric grew on me in season two when I saw how he felt about Godric. I like Pam too. She cracks me up. I also like Hoyt. He's a sweet and genuine person. Arlene can be annoying with her bigotry, but she's basically a sweet person. And Terry is a darling man! I'm not sure how I feel about Andy Bellefleur. I wonder how Southern people feel about its portrayal of the South. I think it has some things down. Probably over-exaggerates other aspects.

I am totally rambling here. I just wanted to spout off my feelings about this show and try to figure out why I am so transfixed by this show! Any thoughts on this phenomenom?

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

It's Too Darn Hot

I tell you, hot weather and me don't agree. It's well into the 90s now, and it's only the first of June! I am afraid, very afraid for the rest of the summer. My gardening has been put on hold. I honestly don't think I can handle working out there in the hot sun. I feel like a french fry in a vat of boiling oil.

Hot weather brings out all my bad traits: laziness, grumpiness, and the tendency to be a hermit. I just don't want to go outside until the sun goes down.

I have a theory about me and hot weather. Did you ever watch that show called Farscape, that came on the Sci-Fi Channel? Well, Aeryn Sun, the female co-star who ends up falling in love with John Crighton, was a Sebacean. They are a race of humanoids who don't do well when they get overheated. I decided that I am a Sebacean. If the external temperature gets above 85 degrees F, my body starts shutting down. My mother thinks I'm a werewolf. That works for me, since I love werewolves (at least the fictional variety--haven't met any in real life). I have this burning secret desire to be a werewolf, except for the hunting and killing part. Ugh. I don't even like my meat pink. Raw and twitching is definitely not my style.

My goal is to get through this hot summer and try to enjoy it. My plan of attack:

1. Spend as much time in air conditioning as possible.
2. Develop night-time outdoors hobbies, such as stargazing (I like that already).
3. Get my tbr pile down by staying indoors and reading.
4. Use my Wii Fit in the comfortable air conditioning instead of doing things that will make me hot and sweaty outdoors.
5. Take lots of cold showers.
6. Enjoy lots of cold drinks and ice cream (I hope)
7. Try to go to places that have air conditioning--such as the movie theater and bookstore (what a chore).

I would appreciate advice on how to survive the hellish Texas hot weather! If you're a Sebacean/werewolf/cold-natured person like me who lives in a hot climate, we can definitely commiserate.

Friday, May 14, 2010

What is it about CS Lewis?



I just love this man. I can't even really articulate why I love CS Lewis so much. It's like he clicks something on, somewhere inside of me. I think that if he was alive, or I was alive then, I might have stalked him. That sounds awful, doesn't it? I won't lie. I love brilliant men. And he has a brilliance about him when you read his writings. I love his story. Not a new one. But a very powerful story of conversion from atheism to faith in Christ. He set out to disprove God, and the power of the testimony changed his heart. And the great thing about Christ is, he doesn't change you into a Stepford. He makes the intrinsic you better. And that's what he did with CS Lewis. If you have never read anything by him, don't start with the Chronicles of Narnia. I don't say that because they aren't good. I say that because that would be the easy route. Start with Mere Christianity. If you don't appreciate CS Lewis then, well, that's okay. But I have a feeling you will. His rational explanations carry serious weight. He doesn't do that whole "you must believe because I said so" thing. He gives well-thought, reasoned points for why Christianity is valid.

I don't put him on a pedestal. He was human. But, I've heard some really demonizing things said about him, that I disagree with in my heart. I admit, you can be mislead about people. But my heart seems to know him. I have evaluated him as a person, and I really like the man that he was. Okay, yes, it's creepy, my love for CS Lewis. But, at least I'm owning up to it. :)

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Try a Little Kindness

I've noticed that kindness seems to be in short supply in the world. It's sad. It doesn't take that much more energy to be kind to others. I imagine it sounds naive. But, I'd like to think that if we all do that, show others that we care enough to treat others well, that the world will be a better place. It's not about religion. It's not about creed. It's about humanity. As human beings, we have choices. We have the choice to do the right thing. We often fail at that. We all have bad days, where it is really hard to be nice to others. But, we should all take a second and put ourselves in each other's shoes. It really hurts when someone is mean to us, and we didn't do anything to that person. It hurts, even if we know that we earned a harsh word from someone. Because we feel that pain, I would like to think, we can try not to cause that pain to someone else.

I'm an animal lover. I can stand for hours and watch an animal do rather mundane, every day things. One thing I've realized about animals is, they don't have the instincts for cruelty and ugliness that humans do. Yes, cats will play with their food. I don't particularly like that behavior. But, it's training to be better hunters. What do humans gain from hurting others? Material things, a sense of satisfaction that you 'got one over on someone else', a good laugh. But, how much does that really measure up to in the end? I think it will lead to a lot of regrets. People who are known to be cruel, hurtful, and callous, do they really have many friends? Do people love them out of choice instead of obligation? Will they look back on their lives and be happy with what they did in the past? I don't think so. My goal is life is to be able to look in the mirror and be proud of the person looking back at me. This helps me to govern my behavior. I find that I have little to be proud of when I've hurt someone. Even if I won an argument, and I have the empty satisfaction of being right, the echo of the guilt of knowing that I won that battle at an ugly price (a Pyrrhic victory) in the end.

This day, I ask myself and others to do something. Just be kind. Try it. You may find that it becomes a way of life. Disciplining oneself to work that much harder to be nice to others will lead to a greater facility at doing so, even though some people seem to beg to be told off, to be spurned, to be disliked. Instead of starting mess because you don't like someone, try to sow seeds of peace. Why? Because you'd want the same to be done to you. After all, the Golden Rule is an old rule that never goes out of style.

Just a thought.