It's this tangible thing that you can point to and say, 'I love you this many dollars worth.'

I've been putting off writing my Christmas blog this season. I wasn't really sure why, but now I'm happy that I did. Instead of just anticipating what will happen, I have the chance to tell you what did happen, and why it is that Christmas, like so many other things in my life, makes me so very happy. 

If I had written this blog a few weeks ago, I would have told you that Christmas at the Hime household is very formulaic - but in a good way. Christmas Eve is usually spent cooking for the next day or for that night. Usually a Christmas movie or some sort of Christmas programming is supplying the background for our day. We usually start actually getting dinner ready by 5:30. Eating by 6:30. Starting dominoes by 7:30 and watching 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas' by 8:30 or 9 at night. Christmas Day is the standard get up early, open gifts, relax and head to wherever we are having our Christmas gathering. It really is a simple tradition, but one that has lasted for over 30 years - according to my father. And the truth is that we did hold true to the tradition this year. But things were still different.

First of all, it was exceedingly strange to not be home at least a week before Christmas. Even working on December 23 was strange. But that was actually kind of refreshing. It was nice to be home and not have to hold in just how excited I am to give gifts to my parents and Tucker. Only having to wait for a day was nice. 

The second kind of different aspect about Christmas this year was that my mother had put all of our presents downstairs before Christmas Eve. This might not be completely different for everyone else, but it was a change for me. Coupled with that - and kind of in direct contradiction - was the fact that I legitimately had no idea what to expect for Christmas this year.

It was also the first year where we had to set a wake up time for Tucker - not a "don't wake us up before X:XX" but a "you should probably be up by X:XX." We set this time as 9:30 and mom and I had every intention of working out, ut we canceled at the last minute and slept for another half an hour. Then we were both up by 8:50, arranged the presents by the tree and then were stuck with what to do until Tucker would be up by 9:30. So we played a quick game of Scrabble, where I managed to work in "jingle," "Santa" and "DPU." Yes, I realize that Santa is a proper noun and that DPU isn't a word, but mom let it slide as she created the word "IDFA" to play wolf. It was ridiculously fun and a great way to kill a half an hour. 

And finally, this is the first year that I was absolutely in love with the gifts I gave to my family. I bought their gifts in early November and had to wait for a month and a half without saying anything - which killed me. BUT! It was definitely worth the wait. I think they really liked the gift. I ordered personalized license plate frames. My parents' said "Class of 19XX" on the top and "DePauw University" on the bottom. Tucker's said "Class of 2012" and "Greensburg Pirates" on the bottom.  

In case you were wondering - I loved all of the gifts my parents got me. Dorkily, this is my favorite of them all. Tomorrow is the real day of Christmas presenting - shopping with Mom. It may seem selfish (maybe?) but it's the day - not the purchases - that really stands out. 
After present opening we headed to watch "Up in the Air" which was/is getting great reviews. I really enjoyed it, but I have to say that I wished it had a happier ending. It was a good day. It was a mellow day, really. 

I am realizing now, sevenish paragraphs into this blog, that I haven't really pinpointed what it is about today, this season, that makes me so happy. But it's simple. It's family, right? I mean it really is that clear cut and apparent to me that the whole point of the season - aside from the birth of our Lord and Savior - is to really appreciate the people who are in your life. All of them. I know I'm only writing about the fearless foursome, but my friends hold such an amazing place in this season of love as well. I've been given such thoughtful gifts and hopefully given a few in return. It's an abundance of love and appreciation all around and I am so thankful for it all. 

And yes, now eightish paragraphs in, maybe I haven't totally hit it on the head. I feel very scatterbrained about this post because I don't have a nice bow to tie it all up in to cover up the really crappy wrapping job that I did. Regardless, hopefully you'll appreciate the gift underneath, and if not the gift, the thought. 

"Christmas Day will always be just as long as we have we. Welcome Christmas while we stand, heart to heart and hand in hand."

Keep it simple, stupid. Great advice. Hurts my feelings every time: The Power of the List

Of all the things being a journalist taught me about life, the best was that there is beauty in simplicity. You shouldn't be saying something in five words that you can say in two. There is nearly always a better single word to replace multiple words. Simplicity in writing, as you may recall, is something that I completely appreciate. I have the attention span of a five-year-old, so I like getting information as quickly as possible - as do most in my generation, I imagine.

Which is why, as you might have guessed by my blog's title, I love lists. I love every form they can take. Shopping lists. To-do lists. Goal lists. 25 things about me Lists. Things I'm thinking about lists. Things I should be doing lists. Word lists. Words I shouldn't say lists. Types of shoes I own lists. Christmas lists. Playlists. Bills list (admittedly, this one is not my favorite, but still). Movies I've loved lists. Desert Island lists. 

There are also a great many wonderful things that are just fancy lists. Schedules, for example, are just lists with an assigned time. Mnemonic devices? Just lists with letters. Think about it. My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine (Pizzas). Just a list in a specific order. Lists like to dress it up every once in a while - who doesn't? - but, all the same, they remain lists at heart. 
Almost anything complex is a better when turned into a list. Take, for example, complex physics. You could very easily get a large book and use that to teach yourself physics. Or you could make a list:

1. Summer in Greece staring at stars.
2. Observation.
3. Newton. 
4. Blah blah blah.
5. Many years pass.
6. Einstein. 
7. More years pass.
8. Sheldon Cooper. 

See?! Big book or 8 point list? The choice is obvious. Now, I never claimed that the list was more informative. In fact, more often than not, the list is less informative because it's condensing something big into something small. The list is an organized summary, which is why the list is not always the most effective device - though usually the more enjoyable. I mean think of how much you lose if you tried to condense Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet into a list:

1. Family 1 hates Family 2 in old city in Europe.
2. Boy from Family 1 is sulking, decides to crash party with friends.
3. Boy meets girl from Family 2 and stalks her outside of a window.
4. Girl still falls for boy, despite creepiness.
5. Teenagers learn each others last names, grow upset and rebel by getting married.
6. Person in girl's family kills person in boy's family, fueling tensions. 
7. Boy and girl stage girl's death.
8. Confusion amounts, and boy thinks girl is really dead; kills self.
9. Girl awakes to dead boy, kills self. Audience cries.
10. Moral: fighting is bad.

Where is the thumb biting? Where is the rose by any other name? Where is thy happy dagger? Gone for the sake of the list. Lists are enjoyable - admit it, you totally laughed at the micro-version of this classic love story. But the purpose of the list is not to stand alone, despite its concise nature. No, the purpose of the list is to summarize, to remind, to jump off of.

Your shopping list? A summary of material things you lack. You write down toilet paper - but you mean that that morning when you had to pee you panicked because you only had one roll left. Your 25 Things about Me list - admit it, you have one - just a summary of your life, with each point pointing to a story about something that's happened to you. Top 10 Lists - just a way to get into a debate about the merits of the winners or who should have made the list. Funny, it seems that lists often begat more lists. It's a vicious cycle, but one that only serves to illustrate just how great a device a list can be. But maybe that's just how I look at things...maybe everything is really just a spring board to something else, a reminder of another person which can lead to a quip about that one time.

Which reminds me...as if by some form of list magic, Time just released this - this which is everything great about lists. It's the exact definition of a list with more umph, as each list item is a link to something more. 

Enjoy.

"Right now, this is a job. If I advance any higher, this would be my career....

...And if this were my career, I'd have to throw myself in front of a train."

Do not let the title throw you off - that is not at all how I feel about my job. Quite the contrary in fact - hence the blog all about work. Yes, I count my self lucky that to be one of those people that genuinely enjoys going to work each day. 

Today, you see, marks six months that I have been working at the Bradford and it felt fitting that the next installment focus on this very important aspect of my life.

But let's rewind back to about eight months ago, the beginning of April when I was applying for any and all jobs that I could find. CareerBuilder and I became very, very close friends and I slept with my cell phone near my pillow, just in case a potential employer would feel the need to call and offer me a job at 2 a.m. It sucked. And then God smiled on me and put me in the position where I was going to choose between doing something I loved as a hobby and taking a chance on an entirely different life. It was a hard choice. You could go straight into a job where you knew what you were doing. Or, you could inch closer to the cliff, peer down and hold your breath. And so, I jumped...in to an entirely different life.

I knew nothing about Credit Unions when I started my job. I didn't - and don't - even belong to one. I had never stepped foot into a class that involved credits or debits. I couldn't tell you what a GL was. And here I am 6 months later, and I can't believe what I've learned. This isn't supposed to be about what I've learned, though. Everyone in a job pretty much takes away the same skills - takes away or ignores, at least. You learn about people. You learn how you work. You learn soft skills, hard skills, medium skills and easy skills. It doesn't vary that much, really. But what does change are the details. 

And the details of my job are what make me love it. Its every person I work with. It's being the new girl but exceeding expectations. It's taking ten-minute YouTube breaks to refuel. It's coming up with co-worker crosswords. It's winning the gnome. I love the details of my job. 

But that wasn't really what I was wanting to express, either. I wanted to try to convey why I like having a job, why I like working. Of course part of it is the paycheck. But I could be hooking and bring in a paycheck - well cash. (Jokes...) The money helps, obviously. But there's something about getting it right that makes it all worth it - no matter what job you're in. Whether it's getting out of KFC by 10:30 on a Friday night or figuring out why a loan form isn't printing correctly, when you get it right, you just know. You know you made the right choice. I've always thrived on winning and getting it right is really just a miniature victory. 

"After Stacey left, it was...it did not go well for a while...and it was hard to see...It's just nice to win one." Kevin Malone - The Office

Weeding out that Family Guy in a Community like Smallville: TV Part 3

Admittedly, my love and consumption of television is a slightly more than what should be consumed by the average bear, or even the average human. Even more ridiculous, I imagine, is the way that it becomes a part of my life. I don't think I could go for more than a few hours without some clever reference or quip directly linked to one of my favorite shows. And, having read my short novella on television for my last post, you're likely getting the idea. It's important to me and to the connections that I have in my life. It's an instant smile. And I thrive on smiling. So without further ado, let's wrap this up...


Smallville - I know this is a strange thing to share, but I was in the shower before I settled in to write this and I was trying to come up with things to say about why I love this show. It's kind of hard to do at first glance because so many people will dog this show. And, really, for good reason. It's in its ninth season, they've killed off a central character to the Superman story, and Smallville is just now growing into Clark Kent - star reporter. It's not as easy to swallow for everyone...but it is for me. I love this show and there are several reasons why. The first is that I enjoy the usage of the inside joke for the show. The show's premise all just an insider look. We all know Clark Kent, but no one else does. And the writers love this. There are great throw ins - like comments about how great he looks in blue and red, or random "S" logos all over the place, or even jokes that Clark is unrecognizable in glasses. I love the inside jokes in the show. I also love how the show has had to keep changing. The feel of the show in season 9 is drastically different than the feel of the show in season 3. This is due, mostly, to an ongoing shift in characters. But it's also due to the fact that Clark Kent grew up. Of course he dealt with high school issues in high school. And now he's dealing with saving the world issues as a 23-year-old. It's not a perfect show, but it's one that has slid by and still managed to keep my attention. It's a comfortable show, it fits well, and the honor and values in the show remain the same - despite the shift in mood and pace. It sounds preachy, but it's true. Clark Kent will always do the right thing - and you have to admit that it's pretty super.



Supernatural - Speaking of super...let me tell you about this show. This show, more than any other, reminds me of the Trio. It took their pushing to get me to watch it and I don't ever enjoy it more than when I am watching it with them. It's premise is, well, just a little far-fetched. I mean...demons and monsters and djinns...oh my! But there is something so real about Sam and Dean and their relationship...it's a piece of human instinct and nature in the middle of some of the most fantastic situations. They make the show, their interactions, their idiosyncrasies are the back bone of why people keep watching. I mean sure, it's nice to see what it would be like if Bloody Mary really existed or if angels and demons decided to fight in a war. It's a fun look into the "What if...." part of our brains. But the real brilliance in the show is that you connect most with what's human, what the natural, albeit bad-ass, reaction would be. You can't help but fall in love with the boys. They are flawed, but dreamy. And yeah, it is a little fan-girl-esque of me, but it's true. The other amazing thing about the show is its ability to laugh at itself and at its actors. Jared and Jensen must be the ABSOLUTELY best people in the world with whom to work because they seem to be just...fun. And the show, despite its dark moments, always brings the fun. Even if it is somewhat twisted.



The West Wing - I've long debated whether or not I would love this show as much if I hadn't spent a semester in DC. You see, this show has been a part of my life for years. I can remember this being the first show that my parents actively taped and watched together. They loved it and I loved the idea that it would bring them together. And then I saw "The American President" for the first time - which, push come to shove, might be my favorite movie - and fell in love with the writing. I loved it, especially President Andrew Shepard's final speech about what it meant to be an American. I mean really - how could you not be inspired. Fast forward years later to a girl in her makeshift DC apartment on a federal holiday. Every morning Bravo played (and probably still does play) a few episodes of the West Wing. And one time I caught one...and it was awesome. I mean I had no idea, plot-wise, what was going on, but the writing was so on point. And I had been there. I had driven past the Kennedy Center just the other day. I knew I had to invest some time in this. And so I did. I spent most of my summer watching the show and missing DC and feeling proud to be an American. I missed being a reporter and longed to be a politician and even aspired to be president all in the course of an hour of television. But it's a powerful show. It made me thrilled to be an American each episode, thrilled to be a writer each episode. I can, without a doubt, see why The West Wing was a show that captured the hearts and awards of the late 90s and early 00's. And part of me really wishes that I had been along for the ride. But I think I can say, definitively, that I would not have loved, understood or connected to this show if I hadn't, even in just a small part, lived it.



Weeds - There is a part of me that will never really be able to understand this show. It's that angelic part of me that doesn't get the risque nature of the show. But damn do I love the Botwins. They are a family who just keeps digging their life in a little bit deeper each season. Did I at all anticipate that we'd end up in Mexico when I first saw Nancy Botwin sell pot to her uppity friends in Agrestic? No. No I did not. But I'm there. Any look into the world unknown is worth it. And Agrestic put right up against Conrad's world of drug producing and selling is unknown to me. That is why I think the show works. It takes so many things that don't belong together and throws them in some sort of upper-class, ghetto gumbo. But it works. And our heroine is so frustrating but captivating that you can't help but ride along with her as she gets herself into one situation after another. Much like the rest of the shows on my list, the show thrives even when you want to ring our main character's neck because of the supporting cast. Her kids are amazing - even more amazing than you would originally suspect. And Lord love Andy Botwin for making the show just...wow. You will hate Celia. And you will sometimes even hate Nancy. But you will love the show - and its theme song. And if you ever find yourself in suburbia, you will have a recipe for how to make those little boxes interesting.



Veronica Mars - I thought this show was about an alien girl when I heard it mentioned in passing. I mean, she had mars in her name. She was technically from Neptune. As it turns out, though, Veronica Mars was just another television show about high school life in southern California...or not. The show is everything but the drama-filled ridiculousness that southern California high schools can be. It's just so. effing. clever. Kristen Bell - henceforth to be known as K-Bell - nails this character. I tried so hard to find the perfect quote for this selection, but there isn't one that really works because it's all in her delivery. The title character is the reason to watch the show. She has the rare ability to be completely likable in nearly every situation - something that shows with a central title character sometimes find issues with. But they manage to capture what it means to be a title character perfectly in Veronica. She's a blonde, pint-sized, detective teenager with the witty comebacks and dorky side to boot. She's everything I wanted to be in high school and more. I totally lacked the balls or private eye detective father to pull it all off, though. And the reason that they are able to make her so wonderful is that she's got the best supporting cast. Keith Mars, Wallace, Logan, Mack and Weevel are just brilliantly written and placed throughout the show. And it's not just those main-supporting characters. Even the less-important characters are right on point. It's just a sharp show. It's so underrated and really was cut too short. It's hard to expand on the show without just quoting endlessly. And it's a hard show to quote, because it's so situational and character-based. I find myself stumbling over how best to dote on this show, but I think it's simply because I can't imagine anyone not loving this show. It's a show that, I think, often falls into the 'guilty pleasure' column of television viewing because it's set in a high school. No one wants to own up to loving a show about high-schoolers. But it does manage to transcend those walls into a genuinely funny, poignant and well-written slice of life. Veronica Mars is a show of mine. So, Ha! Take that high school guidance counselor!


And our honorable mentions:

The Big Bang Theory - This is the one show that I would likely bump up into full-blown favorite status if I hadn't already cemented my list. This show is great for one reason - Sheldon. Sheldon Cooper is the best part of the show. Match Sheldon up with anyone on that show and he will shine - especially Penny. I read somewhere that their dynamic is the rare non-sexual male-female relationship that just shines. The whole premise is great, though. It's beauty and the geeks, but beauty isn't a bitch and the geeks are so freaking adorable. Their chemistry is great and the show can put any of the five featured characters together and it will work. The reason, though, that the show remains off the list for the time being is that it fails to deliver the plot excitement that so many of the shows I love seem to have down. I want to keep watching because I love the chemistry of the characters, but I am not driven to watch week to week because I don't know for sure where these characters are going, or if I will necessarily NEED to know what will happen. That being said, I usually laugh harder at this show than any on television. The one-liners are great and I love that I often love the dorky things that these four nerds indulge in. And the show also contains one of my favorite moments in television history in a Christmas gift exchange for the ages. I, too, would like to grow my own Leonard Nimoy. All I need now is an in with The Cheesecake Factory....



Community/Modern Family - I have no doubt in my mind that after one or two more seasons these shows will find their place firmly on the top of the list of my favorite shows. I group them together and slide them on the short list because between the two of them, there have been less than 20 episodes - and I don't want to jinx them quite yet. However, each one of the shows has managed to shine. They both have a very distinct feel to them and they both are ridiculously hilarious. They are not afraid to venture outside of the box of reality where most sitcoms live. Community has a cast of characters that work together unexpectedly well. It's looking at the common un-commonality of the collegiate experience from every different age and perspective - and it's managed to pull in two big names (Joel McHale and Chevy Chase) for the show without bringing them down. And the show has done a great job of sticking to pairings that work time and time again. And then Modern Family - well I am in love with this show. It borrows from the mockumentary style of The Office but focuses on one family that comprise three smaller families and how today's family actually works. Each episode takes a familiar situation and adds the spin of the ensemble to it. From extension cord belts to coal digging, the show rarely hits a sour note - an impressive feat for a show that hasn't even made it into 2010!



Family Guy - This show is more of an old favorite than a current flame, but the history is unmistakable. There are so many references and connections to be made with this show. I don't crave it like most of my plot-driven shows, but I do love it every time it's on. And it's genius in its complete lack of long-term plot. I love the random nature of the show. It feels very thrown together but that's very easy to relate to. Who wouldn't want to create a story line about Medieval Times but still be able to use some great references from the Hulk and old school Superman. The show works a lot like my train of thought - in tangents. It says here's what I'm about to tell you. It should take fifteen minutes, but I'm going to stretch it out to thirty because there are some other, slightly unrelated, things that you need to know too. Yes, it is kind of disorganized. But it's hilarious. And, more than anything, it knows its audience. It knows that the characters won't be going anywhere. It knows who the characters are and isn't afraid to keep them as those people. We saw Stewie grown up, and it was scary. Let's keep him as an effeminate toddler forever!


And so there you have it. You have successfully seen just how my crazy brain looks at the boob tube. It's not normal, but it is so sublimely happy. These shows, this writing is indeed comforting. It's a background to life. It's a snapshot of the world. It's a guide book for nearly any situation. And yes, perhaps, it sets some unrealistic expectations for life. But it is a common denominator and a great unifier and every other cheesy expression you can throw at something to just simply say that it brings people together. 

I was looking for some zinger of a quote - a bazinga, if you will - to add to the end of my blog. Unfortunately, the only quotes that I could find painted television as a negative - either a mind-controlling machine or Hollywood's rejects. Milton Mayer, for example, said "The marvels of film, radio and television are marvels of one-way communication, which is not communication at all." I totally disagree with this. True - TV doesn't outright encourage communication. You cannot physically speak or interact with that box. But you can take what you get from it and go out and talk. Talk in references. Talk news. Talk that amazing speech that President Bartlett gave. Talk the idea of being the master of space and time. Talk which superpower of Clark Kent's you'd want. Just don't keep it to yourself - make it social and make it your own. Make it you :-)

"Bankruptcy, Michael, is nature's do-over. It's a fresh start, it's a clean slate."

I don't mean to keep putting off the third installment of the television blog - believe me, it's coming. And no, I did not get myself into a situation where I would need to declare bankruptcy - though I did just spend way too much money getting my car fixed. The title is merely for my own enjoyment. However, something just happened to me and I think that it warrants a sunny-side-up, slice-of-happy-pie type blog from myself. 

You see my entire iTunes library decided to evaporate. And while, yes, I do have a job that involves computers and, yes, I do consider myself to be somewhat computer-literate, I wasn't entirely sure how to get it back. But - I didn't try very hard. All of my music was still intact and in its proper location, so all was not lost. And then, I did the entirely me thing to do, and I said 'You know, this is an opportunity!'

The situation of having to redo my iTunes library has happened to me on several occasions. The first two when my computer crashed and the third when I got my new computer. It's a little daunting, sure, but it's not really as bad as it seems. And lucky for me, I had my iPod fully-charged and fully-loaded with all of my favorite play lists for quick copying of those that were small-ish. But for the most part, it's a clean slate. I have one play list that is my main iPod list, however, that is way too big to deal with (twss) or to copy song for song.

So, rebuilding this ever important play list for my iPod is not as simple as it sounds. In fact, it takes FOREVER to skim through my library and decide which songs I actually listen to versus which songs I just like having. After all, my iPod only holds a certain amount of music and I must be somewhat picky as to the music that ends up there. But I actually really enjoy it. It's a chance to reevaluate the music that provides the soundtrack for my life. Who doesn't want a shift from a horror movie to a romantic comedy every so often? Regardless, I just think that it's nice to get a clean slate every so often. Sometimes I wish a magic Swiffer would come through and just grab everything I own, put it in a box and let me redecorate my life.


But I know that it doesn't really work like that, despite some ill-conceived advice from Creed!

Happy Needless Turkey Murder Day: Thanksgiving

I'm sure that you were expecting the third installment of my ridiculous tribute to television, but much like my favorite shows, I'm taking a small hiatus so that I can give Thanksgiving the attention it's due. Never you fear, though, my blog is not void of TV as the title is an homage to one of my favorite aspects of Thanksgiving. But we'll get there soon. 

The truth is that it's taken me quite some time to get to the point where I could really appreciate this holiday. For whatever reason, it just hasn't always been the warm and fun-loving, belly-filling holiday that most people seem to have. For our family, Thanksgiving is traditionally spent with my dad's side of the family since they are much closer, distance wise. For those of you who know me, you know that this means anything can happen. And because of this, some of my Thanksgiving memories have been...soured...for lack of a better word. 

Now, it wasn't always like that. I loved when Thanksgiving used to be held at my Grandma's house. It was small, but oh man did we eat! And I vaguely remember there being football - I mean of course there was football, but as a seven-year-old, that hardly seemed to matter. I was eating, playing with my cousins, attached to my mother's hip and just, naive. I also, for whatever reason, remember Mary Poppins being on TV around this time of year. To this day, I associate that movie with Thanksgiving and my grandparents' small house in Burney, IN. 

So far, Thanksgiving seems to be pretty even-keel. Food - check. Family - check. Football - check, I guess! All the ingredients are there for fond memories. But something changed, and I can't exactly pinpoint when, but I know that it shifted from a holiday that I looked forward to, to one that was sometimes dreaded.  The first miserable turkey day that I can actually remember happened when my Grandma got sick and was temporarily in a nursing home for the holiday. I can't tell you how weird it was to be around 12 or 13 and to be spending Thanksgiving eating on card tables in the open common area of a nursing home. Not exactly my cup of tea - especially given my fear of institutional homes. The years following were a little more difficult, and the struggle usually centered around who would hold the meal - a burden which typically fell into the hands of my mother. And then I think she just got fed up and we came to the Ponderosa years - I'm telling you, you can't make this stuff up. For my freshman and sophomore years of college, I came home to a Thanksgiving spent at our local Ponderosa. There really isn't anything more embarrassing or awkward than coming home and having to interact with people you used to go to high school with...at Ponderosa...on Thanksgiving.


And then there is the football. For most families - it's just one part of the day. You've got two games - one early, one late so you have something to bide your time with for those off times, depending on when you so choose to eat your meal. It's background noise, not life or death. Well...that's not how it is at my house. Sure - on some years, it's like that. Last year, for example, the game had very little bearing on the mood of our day. My dad, as he does with all football games, kept an accurate account of scores and plays and the voodoo magic that accompany his fantasy football leagues (yes, plural!).  And that was it. But, sadly, most years the leisure of the day is overturned by the tension of the Detroit-Green Bay match up. 

(Let us pause here for a humorous quote from one Phoebe Buffay: "Well the Lions technically won. But it was a moral victory for the Green Bay...mermen.") 

You should probably know that my dad is crazy...crazy-awesome. Okay, but really, he's crazy about these Green Bay Packers. I get so much shit for being a Packer's fan, but I don't think anyone really understands the world of pain I would be in were I to suddenly abandon a team that was nearly branded onto my heart as a young girl. Why yes, I did wear Green Bay Packers baby gear, and toddler gear, and regular people gear. So my love the team is second-generation from the obsession that consumes my brilliant father. He grew up loving football in the late 60s when the Packers were everything you wanted in a team. And he's loyal, and loves the small-town nature of his team. And they are his - as he is a Shareholder. So you can imagine that he watches EVERY game, intently. And with much emotion - emotion that shapes the remainder of his day. This isn't that big of a deal on Sundays...but on Thanksgiving...well... Much to the chagrin of my father, the match-up makes good TV, and so for several of the past few years, we've been relegated to watching the game. Not just casually, but intensely, and with great emotion that can and has shaped the outcome of our Thanksgiving.



At this point you can surely see why this holiday is not on the list of my favorite days of the year. It was stressful, and not just the normal kinds of stress. It was a strange tension between wanting to enjoy your family and wanting to keep my mother sane. And the tension tended to prevent the formation of any kind of tradition. What will I be doing for Thanksgiving - I couldn't tell you year-to-year. It's always changing. It's void of a tradition.


And then, having proclaimed my dislike of the holiday over and over again, something changed. I took charge. Sure - I can't control the scheduling of the NFL's games. And I can't make my mother cook Thanksgiving dinner. And I can't make my relatives behave in a sane manner. But, I'm capable of making it my own. And this really started Junior year in Rio - my duplex. I'm not sure who came up with the idea, but it came about that we would come up with some kind of meal to eat together as a group, our own little family. And for background noise, we would embark on our new and my own tradition - let's spend four hours watching every Thanksgiving episode of Friends. Yes it was a lofty goal. But really - what group of college students wouldn't agree to eating food and watching a marathon of television shows - all with the umbrella theme of Thanksgiving. It was a little frustrating having to change the disc after every episode. And it was totally out of context as we went from an episode where Rachel was trying to date Tag, to an episode where she was the target of an "I Hate Rachel Greene" club, to an episode where she and Ross had a baby. But it was all in the theme of being together - just as we were together. It was pure brilliance. And then I did it again in DC. Different day, same feelings and fun. Boom! Tradition.


Suddenly this holiday was looking up...and then I just took a different glance. 

Yes - my family remains entirely too dysfunctional to solidify any sort of Thanksgiving tradition. And yes, my father will dictate the mood of the family's day depending on the team that will take on Detroit. And yes, my mother will likely make a few cute, yes exasperated, comments about the burden of hosting the meal. But it's all so comforting, in a way. The chaos and unpredictable nature of the day, the event is a standard. It will be a different day every year. It will be focused around football or family and sometimes, if we're lucky, it will be focused on both.  It will be a group effort on the part of my small families foursome to make the day what we will. 

The truth is, that I never appreciate my immediate family more than when we are staring down the prospect of mingling with our extended family. There is nothing but love for both sides of the family. They have their quirks, their frustrations and their inexplicable beliefs on the most random of things. And I love them. But I, unlike the person who can't see the forest from the trees, can pick out my mother, my father and my brother and latch onto them for comfort and commonality. 


I realize that this is a blog about happiness and that most of these paragraphs have seemed somewhat unhappy. But the point of this is that even Thanksgiving - as a holiday that has long been a source of stress in my life - can make me happy. The Packers could lose, my Mom could be knee deep in cooking a Thanksgiving meal and cursing the unfairness of it, and Tucker could remain as oblivious as he (and all teens, really) can be - and I would still look forward to pulling into my drive way and coming home to face down the holiday - hand in hand with the fam. 

So, here's to you, oh holiday of thanks. The bonds you bring are surprising, but loved. And the food you bring makes it all worth it...bring on the mashed potatoes! 

Dexter, Veronica Mars and their Friends discuss the Big Bang Theory in the West Wing: TV Part 2

Last time on "It doesn't take much..." our fearless writer opened up about her addictions and we were left wondering such poignant questions as, "Will our heroine be able to convince us that her television addiction is acceptable?" "Will she turn her readers onto a new television show?" "Will she have time to fit another show into her tightly packed television schedule?" "Will she be able to complete a three-part blog series without losing interest?" and most importantly "When will we know more?"



The time is now, readers - all three of you! So today I give you a more detailed listing, explanation, if you will, of why I am so enamored with the sweet sixteen + one. 



24 - As previously mentioned, this is the show that really shifted my consumption of television from that of casual viewer to obsessive freak. The show's premise was just so inventive: let's look at the day in the life of Jack Bauer. But, let's really look at it. As in every minute of his life. True, we're not totally focusing just on Jack, we're looking at the events that surround his life, but still. Each episode is an hour of the day? Brilliant. Okay - granted each episode is actually about 42 minutes long - with four minutes passing for commercial breaks, and two minute bookends at the beginning and end of each episode for previously and next on segments. Here we are, about to start season 8, and even I'll admit that I have to suspend reality for the show. Sure, how bad can one guy's life get, and how convenient it is that things seem to wrap up so nicely for Jack, and how is it possible for someone his age to go 24 hours without sleeping, eating or checking twitter? That's not the point of 24, though. The point is that Jack Bauer is a bad ass and the government is out to get you. Boiled down, I love this show because you never can really tell what's going to happen in 24 hours - and that's universal. And I love Jack's quirks, from the whispering or yelling of "Damn it!" at least three times per episode to his acceptance of his ridiculous daughters to his man purse. I don't care if it was the longest day of your life, Jack Bauer. You rocked it!



Dexter - Let me just say that I am not a fan of blood and gore on television - at least the realistic kind. You can give me the Black Knight with blood shooting out of his arm all day, but show me someone slicing open some skin, and I'll cringe. So, when I first heard about this fancy new show "Dexter" I was a little cautious about diving in. The premise was pretty kick ass - a serial killer who only kills the bad guys. Not new, but not overdone. I was especially enticed by the idea that his serial killing ways helped out in his job - talk about efficiency. I had no idea how amazing the show would turn out. Dexter hooks you from the opening sequence, which deserves recognition for its ability to make a morning routine feel creepy. Michael C. Hall is so exactly Dexter Morgan and I have a soft spot in my heart for his sister Deb who is amazingly inviting and intuitive - especially in the later seasons. The other thing that impresses me so much about Dexter is its ability to keep the character moving in a natural progression. It easily could have fallen into the pattern of a kill a week - and it probably still would have been amazing - but it manages to keep the characters moving and acting in completely logical and human ways. Seann called it eye candy for the sadist and I can't imagine a better description - or one more telling. It's so amazing, that it's almost sensual. And taboo - and who doesn't love that?


Friends - Could I SAY more about this show? Well, I will, obviously, but this show...I mean...this show?! When I say that television is social for me, this is the show I have in mind. This show was the first addiction I had, the first show I started to quote.  I know this show in and out and back and forth and I can probably tell you Season, Disc and Episode number of any Friends situation you could bring to the table. It's funny, because in thinking about it, this show brought me closer to every roommate that I've ever had. I, of course, give all the credit or assign all the blame for this show to Betsy - my freshman year roommate who brought season seven with her when she came back to DePauw for Winter Term. And then I bought season eight. And then season nine. And then somehow I ended up owning all ten seasons. Then, Friends brought me closer to the two best people I know, the musketeer one and musketeer two to my musketeer three. But why stop there? Friends became the release that helped me get through THE shaping experience of my DePauw career. And when I went to DC, Jackie and I would spend days watching seasons of Friends. And one of my favorite memories of being in DC was in that last day where all we did was lounge around and sift through season nine. I know my brain works in this weird way. I know it absorbs knowledge and has it ready for regurgitation, but I don't have any way of knowing when that started. If you made me bet, though, I'd bet it started in Longden 106 some day in January 2006 when I was watching Rachel and Chandler eat cheesecake off the floor, or Ross teach Ben about the holiday armadillo, or maybe even watching Ross and Joey get comfortable as nap buddies. Plus - how can you say no to a show that promises companionship right there in the title?


Heroes - Surprised to find this one on the list? Well, me too, kind of. But there's something about this show that I love. I think it's the social aspect of it, really. But before we get there, let's talk about the show itself. It's not the most...complex of show ideas, super powers are commonplace any more. But anyone who loved that first season of Heroes can tell you that there was something different about this show - and that was nestled with how well EVERYTHING tied together. Talk about a tapestry of characters, places and events. It was seamless. Bennett - good or bad? Sylar - how bad? Claire - actually not annoying. Season one - well it was the shit. And then...well and then they got signed on to make a second season - and everyone panicked. Suddenly we have new characters every where. And then there was the darkest time of our lives - the Writer's Strike - and that just killed the second season. But Heroes, much like our economy, is something that I will not give up on. Sure - there was a slump - but season three was fun to watch - due in part to the presence of K-Bell - and it set up a season four that has me hooked.  Plus, so far, season four is serving up episode after episode with Sylar and Bennett - appealing to my love of the bad guy and the workaholic. As mentioned, though, so much of my love of this show comes from the discussions that result. People care about this show, and they think through how to make it better. And sure, the writers aren't listening to , or at least aren't acting on, suggestions, but that doesn't matter. If you keep pumping out Heroes episodes, I will keep watching them...as long as you keep Sylar...and Mmmmhinder...I mean Mohinder. 


How I Met Your Mother - For the longest time, I was in a sitcom rut. I had exhausted Friends and Scrubs and I can't consider The Office a sitcom because it's in a league of its own - as you will read a few lines down. But then, after being pushed and prodded and teased with clips of this show, I decided to give it a chance. Cut to a week and a half later I was speaking the brilliane of Barney Stinson, lovingly mocking Ted and mad crushing on Marshall and Lily's near perfect relationship. Keep in mind, that WAS the week and a half where I was without the internet, but still. It was that good. I like to think of HIMYM (see it's even got a great abbreviation, something that everyone should love!) as a combination of Scrubs and Family Guy and Friends - it thrives on the cast's chemistry and its gags come from unrelated flashbacks and montages. But it works. And, conceptually, it's managed to keep us wondering who ends up with Ted, narrated brilliantly by Bob Saget, without getting annoying. I don't care if we NEVER meet Ted's woman because that's not the reason to love the show. It's just so...well-balanced with its story lines. It has great one-liners and situations, but the writers do an excellent job of spreading the good throughout all of the characters. Every single one of them has a place in the show without feeling like a minor character. I think that takes some skill. And I think that HIMYM also makes this list because it is really the Friends of my adult life - helping to really ease into my place as a member of the conversion team, as the show is beloved by us all. And for good reason. It's a show worth suiting up for. Or suiting down for, if you want to go the way of the Naked Man - which actually gives you good odds, since it works two out of three times...guaranteed.  

The Office - You know, Abraham Lincoln once said 'If you are a racist, I will attack you with the north.' And Courtney Hime once said 'If you are my friend, I will attack you with The Office.' Be ready to be overwhelmed with my love for this show. It's not just one thing - believe me, I've tried to pinpoint it. It's a combination of the office environment, the impossible but perfect love story between Jim and Pam, the absurdity that is Dwight K. Schrute and the complete and total clueless nature of one Michael Gary Scott. This show really deserves its own blog entry because I think everyone who knows me can agree that I have poisoned their brains with this show. It's something that I think everyone who knows me associates with me. But really, credit goes to my mother who said "Watch this. It's awesome." And I watched - I watched Jim and Pam sneak out of the office and buy 69 'Cup of Noodles' for Kevin who's impending medical diagnosis was keeping Michael from enjoying his birthday. And then I fell in love. Who wouldn't? My mom says that it takes at least three episodes to love this show, but I loved it in one. The show isn't perfect. It makes you suspend your concept of reality because there is no way that any camera crew would follow these people around for six years. And there's no way that someone as inept as Michael would be in charge of an entire branch. And there is probably no way that anyone as perfect as Jim Halpert exists in this world. But despite its absurdities and lack of reasoning behind why this documentary of an office in Scranton, PA would be the focus of a camera crew, despite it all, it is a show that so captured my life in an office - even as an intern - and my life as a human - even one without the charm and grace of Pam. It's one of those shows that said "Your life will be great - even if you end up in an office." And from then on out, I kind of really did just want to end up in an office. And so, I know I have stumbled through this explanation of my love for this show. But it's okay, because now you know. And I just needed you to know, once. 

Scrubs - I did not want to love this show. I resisted for a very long time because the idea of a medical show just made my stomach a little queasy. And I didn't have an overwhelming love of Zach Braff or any of the characters, really. From what I could tell, there wasn't something that I could easily see to jump into and latch onto. And everyone loved it - and I wanted to resist. Wow was I an idiot! First of all - there really isn't anything overly medical or dramatic about the show - which were the reasons I so shied away from medical shows. But Scrubs, was really just a group of friends that dropped down into a hospital and went crazy. In fact, the show is pretty much based entirely of ridiculousness - and it works. Every flashback and daydream is perfect and a slice of what people do to get by in a place that can be so surrounded with sadness. The show, however, is not totally about J.D. It's an ensemble cast and the writers and actors have constructed a group of characters that are so quirky that you can't imagine that they exist, but if they did, they would totally all be working in this hospital. I hate hospitals, but I would fake illness to be a patient at Sacred Hospital - even Munchhausen's Syndrome. 

...to be continued...

Scrub in for a Modern tale of How I Met Your Supernatural Mother at The Office: TV Part 1

Anyone who knows me knows that I have one primary vice in life. It doesn't come in a bottle, or a pack or a roll. Instead, my vice comes in a box, packed in delicious 30 to 60 minute morsels - easy for consumption. And, like any addict, I have issues stopping with just one. But unlike any addict, I know I can't stop at anytime. I'm simply hooked. 

Television holds such interesting place on the long list of things that make me happy. In some ways, I do think it is a little sad just how much joy I get out of watching TV. But on the other hand - why is it such a bad thing that I can find happiness on the boob tube? And the point of this blog is not to defend those things in my life that fill me with joy, but rather to explain them.

Overtime the function of TV in my life has changed. At some point, I'm sure TV served as a babysitter for when my parents couldn't be doting on me 24/7. It shifted into a source for imaginary games when I got a little bit older, serving up some of the most inventive Power Ranger scenarios and planet-saving adventures this side of the Mississippi. It even took a back seat in my life when I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off throughout high school (I like to call those the dark times). 

And then, when I was a senior in high school, with my future collegiate plans secured, there emerged a show that changed the way TV functioned in my life forever. One Friday in February of 2005, I borrowed a season of this show called 24. To this day, I do not know where that weekend went. That was the first time that I had been so hooked to a show that I put everything else on hold so that I could see how Jack would pull through. And what a season ending! If you haven't seen the first season of 24, you're missing out. From then on, TV was an entirely new monster for me. So why not explore that monster?


I think what people don't understand about my love of television, because it seems too counter-intuitive, is that TV is social for me. I'm hardly a hermit or a shut-in like you could potentially suspect with the hours I've invested in television shows. As a talker, a being that thrives on conversation and meeting people, I've found that TV is a commonality for everyone. Almost everyone in my generation can share in the joy of Saved by the Bell or the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. And while those aren't the shows that are sucking away my free time at the moment, they surely break any ice that might exist. Not only does it break the ice, but its served as a continual glue for many of my friendships. If you're reading this, you've probably received a random, out of the blue message from me with some bizarre television reference. And I bet it made you smile. I can't tell you how many times my day's been made better simply by someone telling me that an ugly baby is judging me, or that a phrase sounded like something that the imaginary she might have said. It may seem superficial, but it makes me smile. My link to you, even if it is as thin as string theory, brings me joy. How can that possibly be wrong?

I don't want to count the number of shows that followed in the footsteps of 24, but they were diverse, sometimes good, sometimes a waste of time. But, there are many that have stuck around, many that matter to me: 24, Dexter, Friends, Heroes, How I Met Your Mother, The Office, Scrubs, Smallville, Supernatural, The West Wing, Weeds and Veronica Mars - plus a few honorable mentions: The Big Bang Theory, Community, Family Guy, and Modern Family. Parts 2 and 3 of the blog will be devoted to those shows that you will catch me referencing, loving, obsessing over. I can tell you're on the edge of your seat - I would be. 


So tune in next time. Same bat time. Same bat channel. 




 

Good grammar, style and humor: writing

Little known fact of the world: adding spell check to Firefox was one of the best things that happened to my life.

You see, I am a stickler for proper spelling and grammar. I am fairly confident in my grammar skills, but I know that I have the spelling abilities of a ten-year-old. So, in the past, I would write up whatever I was blogging or sharing and then copy it into Word to check for spelling errors and then paste it back into whatever screen I was using at the time. It was time consuming and frustrating. And then one day after Firefox had finished up an update I noticed a familiar red squiggly line under a word I had tragically misspelled. I ventured over to right-click to see why this was happening and several options were listed to correct my error. Suddenly, I was safe to write online again. True, I would be forced to rely solely on my own skills to ensure that my sentences followed proper structure and grammar rules...but no longer would word be needed to check for spelling errors. 

"That's great, Courtney. But how is this life changing?" Just wait, you uproarious (spelled correctly) crowd, I'm getting there. 

I am a firm believer that in order to write, you need to be in the right head and physical space - and I think that includes your writing medium. If I'm going to write an academic paper - it's going to be in Word. If I'm going to write a news article - it's going to be in InCopy. If I'm going to blog - it's going to be in a small, rich text format editing screen. There's just something about this screen and it's tiny window and limited formatting abilities that tells me to write for me. Not for a paper. Not for Seminar. Not for the news. But for me - and you, by extension. 

So again - how is that life changing? Well, it's life changing because it falls into the category of small, somewhat ridiculous, things that make me happier than they should. Spell check in Firefox combined with good grammar, style and humor (see above title) add up to writing - one of the most fundamental parts of my hypothetical pie chart of happiness. And I believe that pies, even the chart variety, are better when shared. Hence the blog of things that make me happy.


And thus we have a blog entry that serves two purposes. It both sets up the blog's overall theme and acts as the first wedge in the pie chart. 

Tastes like apple, I think.