Tag Archives: tv

Currently Obsessed With: Why Is August Over?

Posted in Currently Obsessed With by

Currently Obsessed With is a monthly feature where I talk about my favorite stuff and interesting things from the last month and also where I talk about what’s been going on in my life!

So.  It’s September!  I’m not in school, haven’t been for several years, and yet it’s weird to me that it’s September!  I just really want it to be 70 degree weather again, because the 80 to 90 degree weather has gone on for too long!

Nails & Beauty:

From Left To Right: Joyce, Kirti, Tammi, Priscilla

From Left To Right: Joyce, Kirti, Tammi, Priscilla

I really like this month’s Maven box!  I particularly liked Joyce, which surprised me, because red isn’t a color I normally go for. And I loved Kirti, which wasn’t a big surprise, since it was the one I figured I’d like.  I don’t know why, but I have been a big fan of the orange nail polishes I’ve worn.  Tammi- the yellow-green- was the one I wasn’t sure about it all, but I liked it a lot more than I expected!  I also bought Priscilla last month, and it’s part of Julep’s birthstone collection.  It really does remind me of emeralds, which is the birthstone for May.  It’s a full-coverage glitter, and I loved it!  As it’s glitter, it was a pain to remove, but it was worth it! And it didn’t chip that much, which is weird for a glitter polish, but I liked that it didn’t chip much after a week of wearing it.

I finally upgraded to the next tier in the Maven box subscription, starting with the September box, and I like the idea of being able to switch out a color I don’t like.  I don’t know how often I’ll do it, but it’s nice to have that option because sometimes, there are colors I’m not sure about, which is great for that random month when I like another color.  I’m sure I’ll have more thoughts about it once I’ve had it for a few months.

China Glaze's X-Ta-Sea, Left, and OPI's Into The Night, Right

China Glaze’s X-Ta-Sea, Left, and OPI’s Into The Night, Right

I did get a couple of other bottle of nail polish recently- X-TA-SEA from China Glaze, and Into The Night from OPI.  I like both, but I kind of like the OPI one a little bit better.

Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Last Call, Left, and Fresh Lip Treatment in Honey, Right

Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Last Call, Left, and Fresh Lip Treatment in Honey, Right

Also: I am on a weird make-up kick right now, which is weird, because it’s something I wear only every once in a while.  But I LOVE this tinted lip treatment from Fresh.  I like that the color is really light, but it’s really moisturizing, which is awesome, because my lips do get chapped, and it really helps!

I love this eyeshadow from Urban Decay, and have it in Last Call.  I love that how much the color shows up, and even though I’ve only worn it a handful of times, I liked it so much that I just got the Naked3 palette, which I think will be better for everyday life, while Last Call seems better suited for something fun.  (More on the Naked3 palette next month, after I’ve used it).

Crochet:

I started a cowl, which is almost done, and I’m still working on that hat.  It’s taken me a while, and I feel like I’ve been working on it for months.  I think I’ll really like the cowl, and it’s a powder blue…and I’ll be glad when the hat is finished. I have a few other projects in mind, and I’ll be glad when it cools down so I can start working on that blanket again.

Books:

Top, The Lemonade Cookbook by Alan Jackson (no, not the country singer), and The Family Cooks by Laurie David

The Lemonade Cookbook by Alan Jackson (no, not the country singer), and The Family Cooks by Laurie David

I doubt it’s surprising I got more cookbooks- I just can’t stay away from them!  I do have a few I have my eye on, but I think I’m going to wait a bit, until I cook a bit more from the ones I have.  On the plus side, I should have quite the cookbook wish-list when I am ready for more cookbooks…

I’m probably going to make exceptions for Seriously Delish, because her blog is awesome, and Joy The Baker’s Homemade Decadence.  Joy, by the way, also has an awesome blog and an awesome cookbook!

And my audible credit this month went to You Look Different In Real Life by Jennifer Castle, which I’m looking forward to listening to!  It’s an interesting idea, and I’m hoping I like it a lot!

T.V. And Movies:

Last month, I saw Guardians Of The Galaxy, which was so fun to see!  And the soundtrack is just as fun- after seeing it, I knew I had to get the soundtrack.  I ended up seeing it in IMAX 3D, which I actually really liked.  I also saw The Giver and If I Stay in August, but there are spoilers in both reviews, so just keep that in mind if you click on over.

I haven’t been watching much t.v.- at least, not much on Netflix/Hulu.  I’m slowly making my way through Blue Bloods (still! but I am on season 2 now) and I’ve watched most of the pilot of Flashpoint, which I’ve randomly seen a few episodes of and liked.  Really, I’ve had the Food Network or the History Channel on in the background, because I’ve needed background noise while I stare at pinterest and random things on the internet.  But I am glad that fall t.v. is coming back soon, because I’ve missed my usual rotation…which may cut into catching up on other shows time, but who knows?

Around The Internet:

I’ve seen so many cool things this month!  I’ve decided to go for my favorites and the really interesting posts.

My all time favorite thing I’ve heard about is this letter J.K. Rowling sent to a teen who lost her family in a shooting.  J.K. Rowling is just awesome.

This DIY creepy doll mobile was posted ages and ages ago, but I just came across it for the first time, and I so want to make it!

Apparently, people think that Stephanie Meyer is going to ruin people’s childhoods by producing a movie adaptation of a Lois Duncan book and that makes me so mad, because if it were literally anyone else, no one would even care.  I just hate that people are making assumptions based on their hatred of her previous work, which has nothing to do with producing a movie. I want it to do well, but I have the feeling that if it’s “horrible” (and that’s totally subjective) and it completely bombs, Stephanie Meyer is going to get blamed, even if it has nothing to do with her ability as a producer.

I thought this post about YA and New Adult was interesting.

And I really want to make these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies and these sausage muffins.

Finally, I thought this list of books by women under 50 is one to check out!  I really want to read some of these books now.

Music: 

I bought a ridiculous amount of music last month, but weirdly enough, I didn’t get a chance to listen to much of it…mostly because there were some songs I couldn’t get enough of.  I normally pick a few songs to share, but this month, I’ve decided to share the entire playlist, because I just can’t pick a few to share.

Gilmore Girls 3×18: Happy Birthday, Baby

Posted in Season Three, The Gilmore Girls Project by

Happy Birthday, Baby originally aired April 22, 2003.  This episode was written by Amy Sherman-Palladino and was directed by Gail Mancuso.

Gilmore Girls Season 3 Graphic

This episode opens with Richard cooking Friday night dinner.  Rory and Lorelei tell Emily and Richard that Rory’s going to Yale, and Emily and Richard don’t react right away.  In fact, they act like everything is perfectly normal…until they are really happy, and go off to call their friends.

At the Inn, construction is underway, and has to be done in 10 days, when guests are scheduled to arrive.  Lorelei is having an emergency staff meeting with Sookie, Michel and Tobin, the night manager.  Lorelei is looking for ideas to keep the inn going, and Michel suggests a B & B.  Lorelei and Sookie shoot it down, but Tobin agrees with Michel and suddenly, Lorelei is willing to consider it.  Michel doesn’t want Tobin’s help, and Michel isn’t happy that Lorelei said she’d reconsider when Tobin agreed.  Tobin got Lorelei an early birthday present, and Michel and Tobin have this weird glaring/looking at each other weird moment.  Michel and Tobin try to one up each other throughout the episode with birthday gifts getting more awesome, and Tobin with a bunch of ideas on what to do with the inn that Michel doesn’t like.

Rory is busy planning Lorelei’s birthday party- from a cake at Westin’s, to the world’s largest pizza.  The pizza has some issues throughout the episode, and while Rory is getting soda, Jackson talks to Rory about how Sookie’s crying because Rory didn’t ask her to make the pizza, or ask him for vegetables for the pizza toppings.

While all of this is going on, Lorelei meets with Richard for lunch, where she gets a very large check.  Richard had made an investment in real estate when Lorelei was born, and got a letter saying that the complex was sold, so she is now getting the check.  She’s really excited, and we see her and Rory trying to decide what to do with the money.

Then, we have another Friday night dinner, where Lorelei pays back Richard and Emily for Rory’s tuition at Chilton.  She’s very thankful for what they’ve done, but Emily doesn’t take this well at all.  She thinks they don’t need her anymore, and that she doesn’t want the money.  Emily also thinks that Lorelei was unkind to use her birthday to tell them that Friday night dinners are over, and even though Lorelei never said it, Emily believes the check got the point across.  Richard never told Emily about the investment he made, and paying them back was one of the first things she thought of.  Richard told her that Emily wasn’t supposed to know, and Lorelei is confused, since he didn’t specifically tell her not to say anything.  However, meeting in secret was how Lorelei was supposed to know.  Emily tells her that they are released from their obligation of Friday night dinner.

In Stars Hollow, Rory wants to know why Lorelei did it the way she did it, and that Lorelei had to have known they wouldn’t want the money back and that Emily wouldn’t take it well.  According to Lorelei, Rory doesn’t know how hard it’s been for Lorelei to go to her parents for help with Rory’s tuition, because Lorelei decided that she didn’t want their help a long time ago. She did go to them for help because of Rory and doesn’t regret that.  Rory thinks she could have done it differently (but isn’t sure what that would be) and Lorelei talks about how her relationship with her parents is very different than the one that Rory has with them.  Lorelei isn’t going to let anyone make her feel guilty for paying back a loan that she always intended to pay back, and certainly doesn’t want Rory to judge her for doing so.  Rory apologizes but Lorelei says it’s fine.

The episode ends with Lorelei seeing the party Rory planned for her, and loves that Rory did that for her.

What I Thought:

The check that Lorelei gets…I have so many thoughts on this!  It’s one of those things where I get everyone’s side- well, mostly.  I get why Emily acted the way she did and I don’t blame her for not taking it well.  I do agree with Rory that Lorelei could have done it differently, and I get why Lorelei not only went to her parents for help but also why she wanted to pay them back.

I did find myself irritated with Richard for not explicitly saying “don’t tell Emily.”  It is very like Richard to have a meeting shrouded in secrecy where said secrecy implies that Lorelei not say anything.  But subtlety doesn’t seem to work well with Lorelei, and Richard really should have been more clear.

I also got annoyed with Lorelei when she and Rory were back in Stars Hollow after her birthday dinner with her parents. One thing I’ve thought since starting up with the re-watch ages ago is that we get a very one-sided picture of Lorelei’s relationship with her parents, and while I know the show mainly focuses on Lorelei and Rory, I really wish we saw more of what her parents side is.  I was definitely reminded of that towards the end of the episode.  I get she doesn’t have a good relationship with her parents, and I just really wish we got more of Emily and Richard’s side (instead of just what Emily says once in a blue moon).  And that Lorelei was more specific about why they were horrible parents.

I would like to randomly add that Rory didn’t have to go to a fancy, expensive private school that Lorelei really couldn’t afford.  I don’t know if Chilton offers scholarships, or if that would even be enough to cover tuition.  And I know it’s there so Rory can get to Harvard (at the time) and so that Emily and Richard are around, but still…it just seems weird to me.

Favorite Line:

Michel: “I don’t eat bagels.  They are like glue in your intestines.”

Pop Culture:

Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Clash, Gangs Of New York

Let’s Rate It:

I liked this episode, especially given there are no more Friday night dinners.  I didn’t completely love it, because I found Lorelei and Richard to be slightly irritating, but overall, I feel like we’ve hit the point where the story line that leads up to the season finale is set in motion in this episode.  Happy Birthday, Baby gets 3 mugs of coffee.

Gilmore Girls 3×17: A Tale Of Poes And Fire

Posted in Season Three, The Gilmore Girls Project by

A Tale Of Poes And Fire originally aired April 15, 2003.  This episode was written by Daniel Palladino and directed by Chris Long.

Gilmore Girls Season 3 Graphic

This episode starts off with Rory and Lorelei working on a pro-con list in Luke’s Diner- the pro-con list that will determine which college Rory should go to.  Luke is confused is to why they’re working on a pro-con list when everyone knows it’s going to be Harvard.  Kirk is also selling t-shirts that have a topical headline of stuff he’s seen around town.

The Poe Society is in town, and Jess gets Employee Of The Month At Wal-Mart.  Luke is confused about how Jess is working a 40 hour shift, and after talking with Lorelei, Luke isn’t sure if Jess is going to school- between the diner, Rory and school, how is he picking up so many extra hours?

The Poe Society is having an event at Miss Patty’s studio and there’s a weird vibe in the room.  Lindsay (Dean’s girlfriend) gives Rory weird looks, and Nicole (Luke’s girlfriend) gives Lorelei weird looks.  Lorelei tells Rory that Yale has a good drama department, so that’s a pro for Yale.  Lorelei needs a pen, and ends up borrowing one from Nicole.  Lorelei thinks Lindsay needs to mellow, and Rory points out that Nicole definitely has Lindsay’s attitude.  Miss Patty wants to know why they’re wasting their time on the pro-con lists when everyone knows it’s going to be Harvard. Lorelei says that if it’s Harvard, the lists will reflect that.

Then, Lorelei gets a call in the middle of the night that the Inn caught fire, and she and Rory rush over there.  No one was harmed, but Lorelei promises to make arrangements, and she, Sookie and Michel get things going.  Sookie is cooking for guests at Luke’s, and Michel set up emergency headquarters at Miss Patty’s. The nearby inns are all booked, so some of the townspeople offer up their houses for guests to stay at if they can’t get home.

At Chilton, Rory asks Madeleine and Louise if they’ve heard from Paris, since Paris has missed a few days of school after the meltdown speech.  They didn’t even know Paris was absent, so Rory goes to see Paris, to drop off her assignments.  Paris is in bed, watching soap operas, and knows Rory got into Harvard.  She hasn’t talked to her parents or to Jamie, and knows where she went wrong in her interview.  Being Paris, she recorded the interview, and even plays a clip for Rory.  Rory, by the way, hates that Paris is torturing herself, and starts telling Paris what to do.  Paris says there’s no alternative to Harvard.

Rory and Lorelei are getting Rory’s room for their house guests, and are talking about Rory’s big decision.  Lorelei believes the pro-con lists have changed, and that Yale is where Rory should go.  Rory isn’t done collecting data, and her wall very much says Harvard.  She also knows Lorelei was resistant to Yale, and doesn’t want Lorelei to hate the school she’s going to.  If it’s right for Rory, it’s right for Lorelei.

Some new guests show up at Lorelei’s, so she goes to stay at Luke’s.  We learn that Nicole is sensitive where Lorelei is concerned, because of Luke’s first date with her, where he kept talking about Lorelei.

The next day, Lorelei gets a call, saying that she can get into the inn.  She and Sookie meet Michel and the fire chief at the inn. They go inside to find the inn pretty destroyed.  While you see Michel, Lorelei and Sookie at the inn, Rory is in her room, looking at her Yale wall.

What I Thought:

We finally get Rory’s college decision!  This is easily the most interesting thing in the episode.  I know Harvard is something they’ve wanted a long time, and in particular, Lorelei really seemed to want it.  As a fan of the show, I knew Rory would go to Yale, but this time around, it seemed really obvious that once Yale came up, Rory would be going there.

I thought everyone’s reaction to the pro-con lists to be annoying.  Yes, Rory has talked about Harvard her whole life, but deciding which college to go to is a really big decision!  I actually thought the pro-con lists were an interesting way to think about the good and bad things about each school.  And honestly?  Just because Rory has talked about one school her whole life doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s the right school for her.  People change, and things change, and sometimes, a school that Rory has talked about her whole life isn’t going to be the right school for her.

As for the inn, which is the other big thing going on…it hit me a lot more this time around.  Especially in contrast to Rory’s decision…and it really got me emotionally.  The scene at the very end, where you know Rory’s going to Yale, and where Lorelei is in the middle of the lobby…I have no idea how to explain how it made me feel.  I definitely felt like Rory’s story had a new beginning, while things at the Inn are up in the air.

I also wanted to touch on the Lindsay/Nicole stuff for a second.  I get why Nicole is sensitive where Lorelei is concerned, because it is a very Luke thing to talk about another woman (especially one who is not a relative) on a date with someone. And I did get this vibe that maybe Lindsay and Nicole (okay, definitely Nicole) feel threatened by Rory and Lorelei.  I know Rory’s moved on with Jess, but…she was with Dean for a long time, so maybe there’s something going on there that we don’t see.

Favorite Line:

Courtesy of Michel: “I’m looking for my cyanide capsule, have you seen it?”

Pop Culture:

Edgar Allen Poe, Trekkies, Gumby

Let’s Rate It:

Overall, I liked this episode.  It definitely resolved the college decision, while starting an issue with the inn, leaving it’s future up in the air.  I didn’t love it, but it’s what I’ve come to expect for pretty much any Gilmore Girls episode.  This episode gets 3 mugs of coffee.

Gilmore Girls 3×16: The Big One

Posted in Season Three, The Gilmore Girls Project by

The Big One originally aired February 25, 2003.  This episode was written by Amy Sherman-Palladino and was directed by Jamie Babbit.

Gilmore Girls Season 3 Graphic

This episode starts off with Rory and Lorelei waiting for Rory’s college acceptance letters.  Kirk is the new mail carrier, and is taking his time delivering the mail, sorting it as he goes along his route.

Luke has changed the menus at the diner.  They get completely redesigned, and he’s even added a few new dishes, as well as get rid of dishes that no one ordered.

Meanwhile, the Chilton bicentennial is coming up, and there is going to be a speech aired on C-SPAN.  Paris thinks that her winning the speech contest will be more satisfying if she beats Rory- which leads to Rory entering the contest.  At the inn, Lorelei and Sookie realize that people sending back Sookie’s food because it tastes awful means that Sookie’s pregnant. Sookie tells Jackson, but he crunches numbers, which leaves Sookie feeling like it didn’t go how she wanted it to go.

Lorelei stops to get some allergy medicine on her way to Friday night dinner and runs into Max, who asks about Rory.  He’s in town for the Chilton bicentennial events.  Lorelei arrives at the Gilmore house to find that Emily is visiting some of her DAR friends who are in the hospital, which means it’s going to be Richard, Rory and Lorelei for the evening.  Lorelei tells Rory that she ran into Max.  Rory didn’t know he was back in town, since he was on loan somewhere, but she does think Lorelei didn’t treat him well.

Lorelei goes to visit Sookie to see how things are going, and tells her about Max.  Sookie agrees with Rory in that he’s a good guy and Lorelei didn’t treat him well.  Rory and Paris had such great speeches that they are going to combine their speeches into one awesome one.  When working on the speech, Paris announces that she and Jamie had sex, and wants to have a healthy debate with Rory so she can figure out how she should be feeling about it.  Paris asks if Rory’s gone all the way with Jess and Dean, which gets Paris wondering why it’s right for her but not for Rory.  Rory tells her that it’s different because they’re different, as are Jamie and Jess, and that what’s right for Paris isn’t going to be right for Rory.  Lorelei comes in with pizza during this conversation, listening in, before making it obvious she’s there.

And when the C-SPAN-aired speech rolls around, Paris is nowhere to be found until minutes before the speech starts, looking disheveled.  We finally learn that Paris didn’t get into Harvard, and she thinks she deserved to get in because of how she’s worked, but is now being punished for having sex.

Also: before the speech starts, Lorelei sees Max and apologizes for not calling him.  She feels bad for not talking to him since the engagement was called off, and she really wanted to explain why she called it off.  He appreciates it, but it’s not necessary, since he’s moved on and has time to think while he was teaching a class at Stanford.

After Paris has her meltdown, she and Rory are talking.  Paris thinks they must really have not liked her if she didn’t get in, especially since generations of Gellar’s have gone to Harvard.  She also thinks Jamie won’t think she’s special because she didn’t get into Harvard.  Rory knows Paris will do great at whatever schools do accept her and that maybe it’ll be good for her to go to a different school.  Lorelei runs into Max again, and they kiss before he leaves.  Lorelei and Rory go home to find that Rory has several college acceptance letters.

What I Thought:

There is so much to talk about!  Rory getting accepted to everywhere isn’t surprising, but Paris not getting accepted to Harvard is.  I actually feel bad for Paris in this episode, mostly because of comparing herself to Rory and because of how Jamie won’t think she’s special.  And because not getting into Harvard is a punishment.  Although…if Jamie doesn’t think she’s special anymore, than he’s an idiot Paris doesn’t need.

And Paris comparing herself to Rory…I don’t know what to think about this.  I mean, it’s very Paris, since she and Rory are on the same level for many, many things, but Rory also makes a good point that they’re different.  There is a part of me that thinks maybe Paris isn’t ready to have sex if she needs data to back things up and if she needs to have a debate with Rory to figure out how she should feel.  At the same time, though, it’s very Paris to need data and to debate things, and as book-smart as she is, Paris is also kinda socially awkward, which makes it hard to sort out my own feelings about it.

Max and Lorelei is the last thing I wanted to talk about before wrapping things up.  I felt like it came out of nowhere, since we haven’t seen him in forever.  This around, I’m kind of confused as to why he’s suddenly popping up.  It’s nice he’s moved on, and didn’t need the closure, but I found that Lorelei apologizing for not talking to him after she broke off his engagement was odd and annoying.  Mostly because it is pretty typical of Lorelei to do what she did and then apologize later.  I guess his absence was explained by teaching at Stanford, but what high school English teacher goes from teaching high school English to a class at Stanford? Especially on “loan?”  Granted, I’m not in the education field, so my random thoughts about how weird Chilton and Stars Hollow High are could be wrong, but this is another instance where a high school teacher being loaned to a college cross-country seems really out-of-place.

Favorite Line:

Lorelei: “It was comforting, like deep-fried ham soup.”

Pop Culture:

Into The Woods, plus other Broadway references

Let’s Wrap It Up:

Overall, this episode is wavering between me thinking it’s okay and me liking it.  There are some really interesting conversations and things that happened, but the Max thing really seemed to come out of nowhere, and it seemed a little bit unnecessary.  The Big One gets 2.5 mugs of coffee.

Currently Obsessed With: Where Did July Go?!?!?!

Posted in Currently Obsessed With by

Currently Obsessed With is a monthly feature where I talk about my favorite stuff and interesting things from the last month and also where I talk about what’s been going on in my life!

I can’t believe July is over.  Really, I can’t!  It went by really, really fast!

Nails (And A Bit Of Beauty):

Left To Right: Linden, Dawn & Braiden, Add-On is Lissa

Left To Right: Linden, Dawn & Braiden, Add-On is Lissa

After skipping the Maven box for a couple months, I’m back to getting it again!  I’ve tried out all of the colors, and I’m not a big fan of Dawn, which is the yellow one.  It’ll be fine as an accent color, or maybe on my toes, but I can’t picture myself wearing it.  Linden and Lissa (Linden’s from my box, and Lissa is an add-on) are great, and while I like Braiden as a color and a glitter-y, texturized nail polish, it’s also a major pain to take off, so I may not wear it often.  Also, I wish the picture came out better, but that really is the best one I could get…

Also: I’m kind of obsessed with the matte top coat from Nicole by OPI.  Plus, I got a reflective top coat from Sephora’s Formula X for Sephora line, so I’m looking forward to trying that out.  I also got a nail hydration treatment from Sephora’s Formula X For Sephora line, because my nails have been cracking and peeling, so I’m hoping this will help.  Not wearing nail polish may also help, but that never seems to last long…

Left To Right: Formula X Nail Hydration Treatment, Formula X Reflective Top Coat, Nicole By OPI Matte Top Coat, Too Faced LashGASM

Left To Right: Formula X Nail Hydration Treatment, Formula X Reflective Top Coat, Nicole By OPI Matte Top Coat, Too Faced LashGASM

I used to be a big Sephora person years ago, but due to unfortunate circumstances, could no longer afford to shop at Sephora. And then I got into the habit of not going, which is probably good for my bank account, because Sephora is a bit on the pricey side.  But I kind of miss it, because for some reason, it doesn’t feel as overwhelming as getting beauty products at CVS or Target.

BUT.

I got the most amazing mascara, and I love it to pieces.  I’ve tried a few different mascara over the years.  Like a bottle of mascara from Tarte, and I think I used it once for a cousins wedding last year.  I’ve also liked Clinique’s naturally glossy mascara. But the LashGASM mascara from TooFaced is my current obsession!  I’m usually a lip gloss and nail polish person, and I’ll sometimes wear mascara.  I may have spent $20 on a bottle of mascara, but it’s so worth every penny, because my eye lashes look amazing!  Not even kidding.

Let’s Talk Books:

So, I’ve been on quite the print kick this month!  I’m very much an e-book girl, but for whatever reason, print seems to be my reading thing right now, so I’ll go with it.  I’ve been in this weird reading funk where I’m reading stuff, and liking it, but I really haven’t been super-jazzed about anything.  And as much as I love my e-reader, e-books aren’t completely doing it for me, so I’ll probably be reading quite a few print books and listening to quite a few audio books.  Also, I haven’t wanted to read as much, which is bugging me, because reading is one of my things, you know?  I suppose it was bound to happen at some point, given how much I read, so maybe…I need to figure something out.  Like, reading, but not as much or something.

I usually get one book a month with audible (this month’s credit went to Gated by Amy Christine Parker), but I also got Septimus Heap (random audible sales are awesome!), Roanoke Vanishing and Beholding Bee.  I’m not sure why I got more audio books, since I have quite the backlog of audio books, but I’ve been in a mood for them, so why not add a few more?  Also: listening seems to get me reading.

As for print, you can see them below.

Lots and lots of books!

Lots and lots of books!

As you can see, it’s quite the stack.  I’m really hoping one of them will get me out of this reading slump I’m in.

T.V. And Movies:

I saw Lucy this month, which was really odd but interesting.  It started off super-weird, and I wasn’t sure if I should have gone with something else, but it turned out to be an okay movie.  Once you get past the set-up, it got a lot more interesting.  It definitely was more appealing than Planet Of The Apes and Transformers, which were the other two options…but I’d say wait until it’s available on RedBox or something if you’re interested in seeing it.

As for T.V., I haven’t been watching much of it.  I’m watching Gilmore Girls again, after a several month-long break.  I’ve also been watching Blue Bloods on Hulu, so I’ll keep watching that.  Oddly enough, it’s a CBS show (at least, Season 1 is), and that’s sort of confusing because CBS is weird, and only makes current shows available on their website.  But I’ll take it, even I need to hunt down the most recent season.

I actually really hate watching t.v. shows on the network websites, because I’ve always had HUGE issues with watching an entire episode.  Like, lots of buffering and poor issue quality, which really turned me off to watching stuff on the network site. Granted, that was several years ago, and it could have been my computer, but it was enough to make me never want to do that again.

Crochet:

There’s not much going on in the crochet department.  I’m working on another hat, and I’m currently looking at other projects, because I’m going to need one when my hat is finished.  Between Pinterest, ravelry and a few crochet books I have, I should be able to find something.  (And hopefully, I’ll already have the yarn for it).

Around The Internet:

There’s a lot of interesting stuff out there!

Like this article about an Oregon School Board reversing their pre-emptive ban on The Absolutely True Diary Of A Part-Time Indian.  Also: a school board gets rid of a summer reading list for incoming freshman, as talked about in this article.

I like this article that talks about where To Kill A Mockingbird would be shelved if it were published today.  It’s interesting to think about this in regards to other classics, and how people may categorize other books.

I’m not sure how I feel about a couple of the things mentioned in an article about YA heroines, but I do agree with the idea that we need to see all kinds of females in YA.  Also: this topic is a can of worms that really does warrant its own post.

A really interesting blog post about the grey areas of spoilers.  Eventually, I’m going to do a post on spoilers, because I can’t limit it to a couple sentences.

The science of old book smell.  I know there are people who really do like the smell of books, but sometimes, I feel like people say that to make themselves look super-impressive and are just lying about it.  As much as I love to read, I’ve never understood why some people love the smell of books.

E-book bundling needs to be a thing, so I’m glad HarperCollins is trying something out.  HarperCollins (more than the other 4 major publishers) seems to be more on-board with trying this stuff out.

Also: the Nostalgia Machine is totally awesome.  90’s music, here I come!

Music: 

Speaking of music, I’ve been on a music kick this month!  Not enough to do a separate post, but I did get some new stuff recently so there will probably be more music next month.  Since this post is getting really long, I’m just going to leave you with a couple of my favorite songs right now.

1- Fancy by Iggy Azalea and Charlie XCX.  If you like Lorde, you’ll probably like Iggy.

2- Ain’t It Fun by Paramore.  I can’t stop singing along to this one.

I hope everyone has a great August and a great weekend!

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Favorite T.V. Shows

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Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely folks over at The Broke And The Bookish.  Every week, bloggers from all over share their own top ten list based on the topic of the week.  You can find all Top Ten Tuesdays here.

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Favorite T.V. Shows

This week, we’re actually taking a break from the normal book-ish topics, and talking about other forms of entertainment! I opted for my favorite t.v. shows, because I really do like to just sit down and watch some t.v. sometimes.  Here are some past and current favorites.

  1. Gray’s Anatomy.  Gray’s Anatomy has had it’s share of good, bad and bizarre, but it’s so addicting!
  2. Scandal.  For the longest time, I meant to watch Scandal, and I finally got around to watching it recently.  Parts of it were pretty familiar, probably as a result of me being lazy after Gray’s Anatomy finished.  But I’m glad I got caught up with it.
  3. NCIS.  I actually came across it on the USA network, so I got into it quite a few seasons in.  But there is a reason why it’s one of the most popular shows- it has some great moments, and the characters are a lot of fun.
  4. Downton Abbey.  I’ve only seen the first couple of seasons, but I will definitely be catching up before the next season starts.
  5. Nashville.  It’s about country music, and I love country music a lot, so I can’t believe it took me a while to get into it.
  6. Gilmore Girls.  I am such a fan of Gilmore Girls (which reminds me that I need to finish up my project to blog my way through the entire series).  I came to Gilmore Girls through ABC Family, and watched only season 7 live, but I fell in love with the town and the characters.
  7. Lost.  I loved Lost when it was on, so I may have to rewatch it one of these days.  Probably after I finish the 50 million other things I need to watch.  It was such a strange show, but strange is something I’m a fan of.
  8. Once Upon A Time.  Considering Lost is one of my favorite shows, it’s no surprise that Once Upon A Time is one of my favorite shows right now, and I want the next season to start to see where they’re going with the season 3 cliffhanger.  I totally wasn’t expecting that particular fairy-tale tie-in!
  9. Revenge.  I started off watching the first season, but for some reason, I never kept up with it after that.  Well, until recently, when I started watching it on Netflix & Hulu, and wondered why I stopped watching.
  10. I really love the Food Network!  I love to cook and bake- but mostly baking- and I have had days where I’ve literally watched it pretty much all day.  And there’s something about the connection between food and memories that’s actually pretty awesome.
  11. For good measure, go listen to Welcome To Night Vale.  While not a t.v. show, it’s one of my favorite podcasts, and I can’t wait to listen to today’s episode, especially after the last couple of episodes.

Currently Obsessed With: Well, June Was Exciting!

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Currently Obsessed With is a monthly feature where I talk about my favorite stuff and interesting things from the last month and also where I talk about what’s been going on in my life!

I can’t believe the year is half over already!  It’s definitely summer- which isn’t saying much, because I live in San Diego, and summer lasts for most of year.

I actually had an exciting June!

The biggest news of the month is that I bought a car!  I had a car accident in early May, and I may have totaled my car, so it was time for another car.  It was slightly scary, because it was the first time where I was more involved in the car buying process.  With my last car, my grandma paid for it, and I didn’t particularly what kind it was, as long as I could reach the pedals.  This time, though…it’s my first time actually picking out what car I want/paying it for myself.  It’s a big purchase, so I wanted to make sure I got a car I liked, since I’ll be spending quite a bit of time in it.  I ended up getting a 2013 Jetta, which I really love!  So it’s new-ish, but still used.  And the more I drive it, the more I love it, so I’m really glad I went with the car I did!

Books: 

I bought a bunch of books this month!  Too many e-books to name, but I did buy a few in print!  This month’s print haul is quite a random assortment, as you can see below.

Top To Bottom: Slave To Sensation by Nalini Singh, We Two by Gillian Gill, What I Thought Was True by Huntley Fitzpatrick, Creepy Cute Crochet and The Pioneer Woman Cooks

Top To Bottom: Slave To Sensation by Nalini Singh, We Two by Gillian Gill, What I Thought Was True by Huntley Fitzpatrick, Creepy Cute Crochet and The Pioneer Woman Cooks

I mean, you have your romance, a biography about Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, your YA contemporary, crochet and a cookbook.  So it’s certainly a random assortment.

I’m actually excited about having another cookbook, but I’ve been using the crock-pot one a bunch!  Like, most of the cooking I’ve done has been in the crock pot.  On a semi-related note: I’ve used the crock-pot so much that I bought a second one.  If I had cats, I’d be going to in crazy cat lady territory, but I’m definitely borderline crazy crock-pot lady.  It’s oval, which will be good for things on skewers (I’ve seen this as a recipe) and for roasts, because then I won’t have to cut them in half to get them to fit.  And it’ll be easier to make more things and then freeze them for later, because I’ll be able to slow cook 2 different dishes at once.  Maybe I need to look at other crock-pot cookbooks…though it would only add to the obsession, and I don’t really need to be more crock-pot obsessed.

T.V. & Movie Talk:

I saw The Fault In Our Stars, which I loved as much as I loved the book, and I was trying to decide on the small kleenex packs you throw in your purse or the box of kleenex…and the box won out, which is good, considering I cried for most of the movie. And I also saw How To Train Your Dragon 2, which I think I liked as much as the first one (if not slightly more).

I finally got caught up on Revenge, so I’m good to go for the fall.  I’ve only seen a handful of episodes of Pretty Little Liars, but I’m not sure I want to go PPL or something else.  Also: I’m also open to t.v. suggestions. There’s no guarantee that I will get to it right away, and there’s always the chance that it’s on my queue already, but I’m definitely looking to find some new stuff to watch.

The pilot episode for Delirium is available on Hulu (but I’m not sure if it’s available anywhere, and if you need Hulu Plus or not) but I really liked it, and I hope somebody picks it up!

Crochet:

I finished my infinity scarf, and I wasn’t sure how it would turn out, but it came out so much better than I expected!  I’m not too happy with the part that’s stitched together, but no one’s going to pay attention to that part of it, so it’s not a super big deal. I was working on a green cowl, but I was having issues with it, so I undid the entire thing and put it on hold. It’s not the pattern at all, I just wasn’t able to give it the attention it needed.

End Of June Crochet Projects

I made a beret, and I’ve started on another hat using the green yarn from the cowl.  I have a pretty good stash, so I can always do the cowl in a different color when I do go back to it.  For a while now, I’ve wanted to do a rainbow blanket, and I even have a couple different patterns I’m trying to decide on.  It’s just…I’m still working on the blue one that I haven’t worked on in forever, and I’d need quite an assortment of yarn.  But I was looking through my stash, and I have an assortment of Berroco yarn in almost the entire rainbow, so once I get some orange yarn, and figure out how many rows I want to do in each color, I’m ready to go for it.

I really am a mood yarn shopper, and I’m horrible at buying yarn with a project in mind, which accounts for random skeins. I usually have one or two of each, so I’m really glad I have the One Skein Wonder book for scarf and hat ideas.  Actually, it’ll be good to build a gift stash, so I’ll have it ready for the holidays and not be furiously crocheting last-minute gifts.  I think the scraps will be good for things like flowers, so I’ll probably be talking a look at flower patterns at some point.

Around The Internet:

I’ve definitely found some interesting stuff on the internet!  These are just a few of my favorites.

  1. Stephen King Money Tumblr.  This is absolutely hilarious!  I’ve seen a few articles about this author who has a book that came out a few years ago…that just happens to have the same title as a recent Stephen King book that’s only available in print.  People who were looking for the e-book version of King’s book clearly didn’t check to make sure that they bought the right book, so her royalty checks were a bit higher than normal…and she decided to blog what she spent the money on.
  2. This Buzzfeed article on why e-books are just as awesome as print…it’s nice to see the other side for once.  Both are awesome so let’s get along, okay?
  3. A really interesting article about an alternative to stronger female characters.
  4. And I love this post about Jamie and her as a reader.

Nails:

Nothing this month!  2nd month in a row where I wasn’t super into the colors from the Maven Box, but I’m looking forward to getting the next box, because the colors are awesome!

Music:

I’ve been on such a music kick this month that this is going to be a completely separate post.  I will leave you with one of my favorite new songs this month- an acoustic cover of Smooth Criminal by a group called 2Cellos.

Currently Obsessed With #5: It’s Summer Already!

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Currently Obsessed With is a monthly feature where I talk about my favorite stuff and interesting things from the last month and also where I talk about what’s been going on in my life!

No month seems complete with talking about nail polish!  I actually opted to skip May’s box because I wasn’t into any of the colors.  And oddly enough, I’ve been slightly bored with my nail polish collection, which is kind of ridiculous, since I have way too much nail polish for me to be bored with what I have.

So, my birthday was yesterday!  I actually ended up not doing much of anything.  Partly because I didn’t know what I wanted to do, but also because I wasn’t super-into actually doing anything.  It’s weird, because I’m finding that more and more, I care less and less about celebrating my birthday.  It really is just another day to me, but I feel really self-conscious about not really wanting to do anything.  I just feel like not wanting to do anything makes me weird…almost like something’s wrong that I don’t want to do anything.  Those feelings didn’t last for very long, but I actually had fun watching t.v.  And I made a spice cake from the Joy The Baker cookbook, and it was really good!  I’m definitely going to be making it again!

June Crochet Collage

Left: Cowl, Right: Infinity Scarf

Actually, I ended up going to Michael’s yesterday, which was fun.  I somehow managed to walk out with no yarn whatsoever, which is surprising, since I love buying yarn.  But I also have a decent yarn stash, so I really shouldn’t be buying any more yarn.  Unless I absolutely need it for a project.  I haven’t done much with my blanket, since it’s been ridiculously hot lately.  It’s just big enough to not take with me to yarn group or to work…but it’s still small enough that I wouldn’t roast under it.  But I still wasn’t in a blanket kind of mood, so I’ve been working on a scarf and a cowl.  I’m definitely going to have to go get some more grey yarn for my scarf from 2 Sisters.  And I may start crocheting a beret at some point, but that might wait a while.  Or it could be soon, depending on how bored I am with the scarf and the cowl.

I’ve actually been into cider this last month!  I drink very, very rarely (holidays mostly) but for some reason, cider seemed really good one day at the store, so I picked up some Angry Orchard, and I actually like it more than I expected!

Cookbooks June 2014

This is my only slow cooker cookbook, but I’m already in love with it!

Cider is making me think of the kitchen!  It’s been so warm (low 90’s) that I’ve been using the crockpot quite a bit.  And if it’s going to be this warm all summer, I’ll be using the crockpot a lot more.  Summer is actually my favorite time to use the crockpot because I don’t want to turn the oven on or stand over a hot stove, so the crockpot is perfect for summer, where I pretty much throw food in the crockpot and not have to worry about it.  I’m actually a big fan of this crockpot blog, and I have her most recent cookbook, which I’ve already used several times!  It’s already one of my favorites, and I can’t wait to use it again.

Speaking of t.v…I started watching Scandal and I’m all caught up for season 4.  I’ve only seen a few minutes here and there, and I can’t believe it took me a while to watch it.  I’m definitely looking forward to the next season.  And now that pretty much everything is done for the summer, I’m going to have plenty of time to catch up on stuff.  Like Pretty Little Liars and Revenge. And I keep finding shows I’ve decided I need to watch, so eventually, I’ll be making my way through my netflix queue.  (I hope).

I’ve actually come across quite a few really cool articles.  Like, this one article a friend sent me about this 13-year-old girl who self-published her two novels.  And Rolling Stone put together a list of the 40 Best YA novels.  It is a slideshow, so if that’s not your thing, here they are in non-slideshow form.  Also: feeling dumb while reading and why book-buying at a physical bookstore is a privilege.

Oh!  I was so sad to hear about Maya Angelou.  I read I Know Why The Caged Bird Singed years ago, and really liked it, and I also have one of her books of poetry, which I also read years ago.  I really regret not reading more of her stuff, and I really want to now.  It is a little sad that it took her death to be more interested in reading her stuff.

As for music, I haven’t been in much of a music mood.  I still LOVE the new Lindsay Stirling album, and there are a couple songs I keep listening to.

1- Sleeping With A  Friend by Neon Trees.  I shared this one in my last Top Ten Tuesday post, and it’s definitely one of my current favorites for unknown reasons.

2- Hall Of Fame by The Script.  This is another song from my last Top Ten Tuesday, but it’s another current favorite that has a way of making me feel better.

That’s it for now!  Until next time!

Currently Obsessed With #3: March Is Over Already?!?!?!

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I can’t believe March is over already!  It seems like the year is going by so fast.  I really can’t believe it’s April already.

And that means it’s time for another round of what I’ve been up to and my favorite stuff from the month of March.

Like all the nail polish I got.  I’m such a fan of the Maven box, and it’s fun to get a box of things I know I’ll like.  To be honest, I wasn’t completely sure about the colors for March, since they scream spring, but I still liked them enough to get the box, plus two add-ons from a couple of the other boxes.  I also got a couple more bottles of green, and one of gold, which- very sadly- didn’t come in time for St. Patrick’s Day.  Thankfully, I have other shades of green, but the new greens are much more St. Patrick’s day than the one I wore. Which, by the way, is the shade of green from the March Maven box.

My normal Maven box is It Girl, which has 3 full-sized bottles of nail polish, and included Princess Grace, Margaret and Lizanne, and I decided I liked Lilou and Harriet enough to add them in.  Plus Leah, Peyton and Zelda, which are two shades of green (Leah and Peyton) and gold (which is Zelda).

While I love getting new nail polish every month, it also means I’m getting new polish every month…which means I need somewhere to keep it all.  And so I got something to store it in, because I really had nothing else to keep it.  And I love having it because it’s all in one spot and can carry it to wherever I decide to do my nails.

March Nail Polish Collage

Left: March Maven Box, Top Right: Nail Polish Storage, Middle Right: March Maven Add-Ons, Bottom Right: My Belated St. Patrick’s Day Nail Polish

I’m also obsessed with all the good t.v. right now!  So many things, and it’s seems like I’m always watching something or catching up something.  Because, for some insane reason, stuff has to be on at the same time.  Like, Cosmos, Believe and Resurrection…how can I possibly pick between 3 great shows?  I’m really glad I have Hulu, because it’s the only way to keep up with everything!

I finally starting crocheting a blanket!  It’ll take a while, and hopefully it will be done by the time winter rolls around.  I’ve been working on it randomly, and I’m really getting into ripple blankets!  I definitely want to make another blanket, but I’m thinking shades of green for the next one.

Blanket End Of March Collage

The ripple isn’t showing up too well in the picture, but I think part of it is that it’s a small, gentle kind of ripple.  Well, it’s really more of a wave, but I still like it!

As for music…I haven’t been listening to much, but I will say that I’ve been listening to the Divergent soundtrack on repeat for the last couple of weeks.  It’s sooooo good and it fits the movie perfectly! Speaking of the movie, I thought Divergent was fantastic!  Four…I loved Four in the series but the movie made me love him even more.  I wasn’t sure about Kate Winslet as Jeanine, but I was pleasantly surprised with how good a fit she was.  And it was the same thing with Shailene Woodley!  She really is a good choice for Tris.

Back to the soundtrack!  I’m really into it, and I can’t listen to anything else right now.  So many great songs, but here are a few of my favorites.

1- Find You by Zedd- I can’t stop listening to it!  It’s definitely my favorite song right now (and my favorite song from the soundtrack)

2- Fight For You by Pia Mia- it somehow manages to make me feel better every single time I listen to it!

3-  Hanging On (The I See Monstas Remix) by Ellie Goulding- I love the song, and the remix is even more amazing.

4- Lost And Found (The Odesza Remix) by Pretty Lights- One of my new favorites, and I can’t wait to check out Pretty Lights other stuff.

5- Dead In The Water by Ellie Goulding- She’s featured pretty heavily on the soundtrack, which is okay with me because I love Ellie Goulding so much!

That’s it for the goings on from March!  I hope everyone has a lovely day!

Gilmore Girls 3×15: Face-Off

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Face-Off originally aired February 18, 2003.  This episode was written by John Stephens and was directed by Kenny Ortega.

Gilmore Girls Season 3 Graphic

Face-Off opens with Taylor going over the details of his upcoming family reunion with Lorelei, who needs Rory to pretend to be sick so Lorelei doesn’t have to talk to Taylor anymore.  He also gives them buttons that show support for the Stars Hollow High hockey team making it to the championship or finals or whatever.

Richard’s mom Trix is going to be staying with Emily and Richard while her floors are getting re-done, which isn’t going over well with Emily.  Lorelei has a date with Alex after Friday night dinner, while Rory is waiting for Jess to call.  When she tells Lorelei about her night the next day, we learn that it never occurred to Rory to call Jess.  Rory wants to know why Lorelei asks her if she’s going to tell Jess before starting to compare Jess and Dean.  Lorelei says it’s not fair to compare them because Dean and Jess are different, and that Rory got lucky with Dean as a first boyfriend.

Mrs. Kim set Lane up with someone, and it makes Dave jealous.  Dave even runs to the hockey game to check on Lane and Yung Chu, and finds out Yung Chu has a girlfriend.

Rory ends up going to the hockey game since Jess still hasn’t called to make plans.  Lane is wondering if everything is okay, since Rory is there without Jess.  Rory and Lane run into a girl named Lindsay, who acts a little weird around Rory.  Lane tells Rory that some people at Stars Hollow High think that Rory thinks she better then them because Rory is going to Chilton, but it turns out that the weirdness is because Lindsay and Dean are dating.  Lane keeps asking Rory if she’s okay, and Rory says she’s find because it had to happen sometime.  Lane feels bad for not knowing, but Rory says it’s not a big deal.

Meanwhile, Jess shows up at Rory’s to find she’s not there, and is really surprised that she’s not home.  Lorelei pretty much tells him to get it together before going to Emily’s to drop off some things for something Trix is planning.  When Emily gets back to her house, she finds Trix kissing a man in a jogging suit before leaving the house.  Emily is in an especially good mood because she has something on Trix, and accidentally spills the beans when Trix pushes Emily a little too far.  Emily apologizes to Trix later than evening.

After the hockey game is over (and Stars Hollow High loses the game), Dean and Rory talk.  He wasn’t sure how to tell Rory about him and Lindsay.  Rory leaves a message for Jess, ranting about how she’s not going to going to wait around for Jess to call her, because she wants specific plans, not a vague we’ll hang out later. She also mentions that she’s spoiled and likes being spoiled, and Jess is just going to have to deal with it, otherwise he’ll have to find someone else.  She leaves the rink to find Jess waiting for her with tickets to the Distillers concert.

What I Thought:

I don’t really have thoughts on the Emily and Trix stuff, so I’m just going to talk about Rory and Jess, who both really annoyed me in this episode.

I’m surprised it took so long for Rory to compare Jess and Dean…at least, a comparison that we see on screen.  Jess doesn’t strike me as the type of guy who calls someone to make plans, and at this point, you’d think Rory would actually know this.

And her whole I’m spoiled and I like being that way, and Jess is just going to have to deal with it?  Good heavens, I wanted to smack Rory for that.  It is one of the things I dislike about Rory, because she seems pretty used to getting what she wants and she does seem to have this big sense of entitlement.

Also: Dean moving on.  I’m not surprised that she thought Dean would still be pining after her.  Rory says it’s fine that he moved on, because it had to happen eventually, but I wonder if it’s really okay with her.  I could be reading too much into it, but given what we’ve seen of her up to this point (and Rory in seasons to come) it does seem like Rory to be taken off-guard and hoping he’s still pining after her.

Favorite Or Funny Moment Or Line:

Nothing really jumped out at me in this episode.

Pop Culture:

Michael Moore’s documentaries, Miss Manners

Let’s Rate It:

I was pretty annoyed with how Rory acted in this episode, and I thought it was an okay episode.  I think it does bring up some interesting things we’ll see later on, but it’s definitely not one of my favorite episodes. Face-Off gets 2 mugs of coffee.