a curious train of thought

{Scene: Charlotte and a feverish Asher on the couch watching the sixth consecutive episode of Curious George. The following is an except of Charlotte's thoughts as she watches this children's program with which she is now very acquainted.}

How are The Man in the Yellow Hat's friends and neighbors okay with his owning a formerly wild monkey?
Doesn't he know that monkeys will rip off your face?
He must not have Facebook.
Otherwise he'd know these things.

I can't believe TMINYH actually thinks that when he says, "Be a good little monkey!" that George will actually behave.
George is a wild animal.
When TMITYH says he's "going to work" what does that mean?
What does TMITYH actually do for a living?

His career--whatever it is--must be profitable.
I mean, he and his pet monkey live in a city penthouse and have a second home in the country.
That doesn't make George or his guardian very relatable to the target audience.
How many kids do you know that have two posh pads?
I mean, come on. I wonder if TMITYH is part of the "one percent."
He must be.
How else can he afford to pay for the continual damage inflicted by his monkey-child?

And how does George get away with so many antics?
Seriously, if my child broke the city clock, I wouldn't laugh and smile and make a fake-mad face.
Damaging major city property has consequences, George!
And what kind of parent/guardian just lets their monkey-child roam the city with no one but a dog as a companion? I would never let my kid roam busy streets unsupervised.
Why has no one called Child Protective Services?
Maybe CPS doesn't deal with primates.

And let's not even get started on George's space explorations.
Who authorized that? And why does TMITYH get to go to space?
I restate, What does he do?
Where are the regulations here?
Apparently, these days anyone can go into space as long as you know your shapes like George.

What's going on between TMITYH and Professor Wiseman, anyway?
I wonder if they'll ever develop that plot line.
Because we all think it.

And what happens in George's later years?
Like when his country friend goes away to school, leaving George at home?
He'll end up that weird, awkward monkey-adult with no education and no friends, because all of his friends are humans who live real human lives and don't like their plumbing taken apart.
How long can you keep this up, George?

George isn't a great role model.
But there are worse role models for children.
Like Hannah Montana.
Or any other Disney star monstrosity.
So Curious George isn't so bad.
He's a little naughty.
But maybe that bit of childhood is relatable.
I mean, if the kids can look past George's affluent lifestyle, that is.

{End scene, because Charlotte has to get up to refill the Gatorade in Asher's sippee cup.}

10 gracious characters in literature

I'm certainly not confident enough to name these characters the most gracious in all literature, because 1) I haven't read everything, and 2) my retention rate is abysmal. So I present 10 characters in books who, in no particular order, are indeed gracious.

1. Molly Weasley, the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling

Molly is gracious enough to knit Harry a Weasley sweater every single Christmas. And knitting is hard.

2. Melanie Wilkes, Gone with the Wind, by Margaret Mitchell

Melanie is gracious almost to a fault. She's wonderful, and it takes Scarlett over a thousand pages to realize it.

3. Jane Bennett, Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen

Always the softer of the Bennett sisters, Jane's graciousness allows her to forgive Mr. Bingley for being "the most unmitigated and comprehensive ass."

4. Matthew Cuthbert, Anne of Green Gables, by L. M. Montgomery

When Matthew gives Anne the dress with puffed sleeves? Waterworks every time.

5. Jane Eyre, Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte

Jane is gracious enough to herself to leave Mr. Rochester and gracious enough to both of them to come back.

6. Samuel Hamilton, East of Eden, John Steinbeck

He's not as well known a literary character, but his graciousness fueled his friendships and learning. He's a fascinating character in a phenomenal book.

7. Atticus Finch, To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee

Atticus, Atticus. He's gracious to everyone from his own children to Tom Robinson to Boo Radley to Mrs. Dubose and maybe even to the rabid dog.

8. Celia Foote, The Help, by Kathryn Stockett

Celia couldn't care a whit about the color of your skin. Her graciousness is so ingrained in her she hardly knows she's wonderful for it.

9. The Fitzgeralds, Mandy, Julie Andrews Edwards

Another more obscure reference, the Fitzgeralds give orphan Mandy what she's always wanted: love.

10. Charlotte the Spider, Charlotte's Web, by E. B. White

Perhaps the kindest arachnid I've ever encountered.

Who are your favorite gracious characters?

*If you're interested in the movie adaptations, all of which are fantastic, click below. All links are Amazon Affiliate links.

Harry Potter

Gone with the Wind

Pride and Prejudice

Jane Eyre

To Kill a Mockingbird

The Help

Charlotte's Web

This post is part of a 31-day series on gracious living. You can find the other posts here.

lunch date

Welcome readers from The Life of Bon! I'm so happy that you're here. For my own small following of readers, I'm glad you're here too. Obviously. And if you haven't read Bonnie's blog, you should check it out. It's one of those blogs that I diligently read. How about we have a low-key lunch to get to know each other better? I can whip up some leftover pesto grilled cheese from last night. Have you ever had pesto with your grilled cheese? If not, come over now.

I'll also heat you up some tomato soup. I found my favorite recipe from these ladies. I thought that pesto grilled cheese and creamy tomato soup were perfect for our overcast Oregon weather yesterday. Is it feeling like fall where you are?

How was your summer? Did you meet any cute boys? If things with that boy didn't work out, then he's stupid for not realizing how rad you are. But it's okay to be sad sometimes. Never think that being sad is lame. It's human, and being human isn't such a bad thing at all.

I'm excited for fall fashions. I will confess, however, that I'm not even sure exactly what those fashions are. What I really mean is that I'm excited for some fall sewing. I'm in the middle of sewing a dress with lots and lots of pleats.

What have you been reading lately? I'm close to finishing The Handmaid's Tale, and I'm finding it fascinating and disturbing and thoughtful. After I finish this book, I'll be 75-percent of the way to my yearly goal. Do you make annual reading goals?

Now that we're officially homeowners, we have a list of some home improvement projects to tackle. Josh and one of our friends mounted the TV a few weeks ago, and now I'm itching to put up some shelves on either side. Have I told you that we have a 60-inch TV? It's obscene.

I can't believe it's taken us this long to talk about TV premiers. Next week is going to be awesome when it comes to Hulu. I'll have new episodes queuing up fast, people. I used to be ashamed of how much I love TV, but I'm not so much anymore. Some people hike to relax. I like to watch television.

I accidentally put a virus on our computer, and I feel like a total idiot because of it. I guess it was an honest mistake, but who likes to admit to their tech-y husband that, "Um, hon, so I may have downloaded a virus onto the computer. That might have happened. You should probably check that out. You know, just in case." Have you made any silly mistakes recently that you're loathe to admit? Don't worry, I won't tell.

We're about out of time, but let me send you with some pumpkin bread. I whipped some up a couple of weeks ago and put the loaves in the freezer so I don't eat them all for breakfast. So please, take a loaf with you and rid me of the temptation. Thanks. And let's get together soon. I mean it.

so this happened

Yes. The Bachelorette happened over here. (Well, just to me. Not to Josh. Obviously. He mocks me at every opportunity.)

I haven't ever watched this brand of reality TV, but something about The Bachelorette just called to me this year. It's delightfully mind-emptying, and in a season with no new episodes of my favorite TV shows, it's nice to invest some superficial caring into this super real reality show.

last week at this time

Last week at this time I had just tried on all of these clothes as part of my birthday present of a new fall wardrobe.

Last week at this time we had already gone crazy at Fabric Depot, bought new shoes at Marshalls, and found needed organizational tools at IKEA.

We had already organized and purged my closet.

These days had been preceded by a weekend with my mom and dad, which included a trip to the Rose Gardens

 

 

and which culminated in Asher's baby blessing at church.

We were still looking forward to unpacking my dishes from Grandma.

Plus we still hadn't had dinner at Nicholas's, lunch at the California Pizza Kitchen, and another lunch at Fir Point Farms. We still hadn't found those perfect tweed slacks for Asher at Gymboree.

We still had Bernie and War Horse to rent from Redbox and at least three more Big Gulps to consume. We still had half a season to watch of Parenthood and so many more grandma-Asher snuggles to enjoy.

 

Returning to life sans Mom/Grandma has not been my favorite, but I will just say that those nine days with my dad and mom were pretty much the best stay-cation ever.

why I didn't go to church

I have the mother of all colds. This cold has lasted four weeks, people. That's a whole month.

I've spent my entire day either on the couch or in my bed watching episodes of Gilmore Girls, Parks and Recreation, White Collar, and Downton Abbey while alternating among knitting, resting, and blowing my nose over and over. This setup really isn't so bad except that I feel awful.

I couldn't even enjoy my chicken noodle soup for lunch because I can't taste a single thing. Even Eggo waffles.

Here's to a more taste-filled and less phlegm-congested day tomorrow. And let's keep the TV and knitting, please.

comfort food

I've been battling a chest cold this week, and instead of doing anything productive, all I really want to do is plop on the couch with some cream of wheat and hot chocolate and watch some Gilmore Girls.

So that's what I'm doing this morning.

That is, until I have to go to work at 11:00.

Friday five

:: I have a nasty bruise on my leg that's preventing me from wearing shorts or skirts. Seriously guys, it's been almost two weeks since I've felt confident in wearing shin-bearing apparel. I wore a skirt the other day and had a few comments about my gross bruise. I've reverted back to jeans until my leg no longer resembles a photo of the cosmos.

:: Sherlock. We found it on Netflix and are huge fans. It's a 21st-century take on the quintessential detective, and I find it delightful. Each season is only three episodes long, but each episode is 90 minutes. I read that BBC is airing another season in the fall. I'll be watching. Obviously.

{via}

:: I still haven't folded the laundry. And once I finally get that done it'll probably take me another whole week to actually put it away. And then I'll have to wash the dirty clothes, and the cycle starts over.

:: Colorado. Next week. Can't wait.

:: Floating shoes. In our office. If you've wondered what we actually do here, we do stuff like this. {Well, what I actually do is sign for packages and refill the Coca-Cola.}

Happy Friday, everyone, and let's hope that traffic on the way home isn't the worst. Because, honestly, come week's end, my patience for bad traffic and late buses is less than zero.

Friday delight

Josh was invited to a guys' night tonight, so who do I invite over?

Rhett Butler.

That's right--Gone with the Wind is Netflix-streamable, in all its dashing, I-don't-give-a-damn, four-hour glory.

Can you think of better way to spend this husband-less time? I couldn't either.

the daytime TV demographic

Because of the nature of my job (manning the front desk), it's hard for me to leave my post for long stretches of time, for example lunch breaks. I sign for deliveries, greet business visitors, and explain our company and office to the random people who come in. (And random walk-ins happen all the time. In fact, one happened just now.) So to facilitate my job responsibilities and my lunch breaks, I take my lunches here, in our mezzanine-slash-lounge, from where I can hear anyone entering or exiting the building.

I love it. I get to lounge in these chairs (which offer more modern trend than actual comfort) and watch TV for 30 to 45 minutes. My favorite show is Law and Order, which is on TNT all afternoon every afternoon. No joke.

After a week or so of this routine, I started noticing a trend in the commercials TNT aired during their back-to-back Law and Order episodes. I now know all about Binder & Binder, America's most trusted social security disability advocates. I know about Colonial Penn life insurance: they won't reject your application because of age (even if you're over 50), don't require a medical examination, and is only $0.35 a day. And don't forget the SunSetter retractable awning that makes it so you can enjoy the outdoors without baking in the sun.

So—I suppose I'm an outlier in the TNT daytime demographic. Still, I love my Law and Order lunches.

If only TNT aired commercials for 15-inch punctuation stencils to make my research easier. . . . Yes, punctuation stencils.

a Wednesday night

Josh and I got dinner at Costco.

And then we streamed season-four 30 Rock episodes from Netflix on the Wii while we ate our inexpensive and thoroughly unhealthy meal.

And no, Josh and I did not plan to coordinate so perfectly today.

4 for Thursday

I've been feeling like I slipped out of a blogging groove, and now that I want to get back into the groove, my mind is blank.

1. I started running again. After over a year of nothing exercise worthy, I started again. I even bought new running shoes. I know.
2. I got my diploma in the mail. It's official, legitimate, for real: I am a college graduate. The diploma says so. And I'm pretty dang excited about it. Everytime I think about midterms and group projects and 100+ pages worth of reading assignments, a giant wave of relief washes over me. Phew.
3. Almost all of my TV shows are over for the season: "Chuck," "Parenthood," "The Office," "30 Rock," "Bones," and "24." And yes, I did feel slightly pathetic listing all the shows I follow.
4. I'm off the clock and am getting ready to head down to catch my bus to the airport. I'm flying home and Josh is meeting me there. In fact, our flights get in at almost the same time, and given that we're both flying the same airline, one of us will meet the other at the gate. It will be like a movie. I hope there's a soundtrack.

Oh, and as of tomorrow, the wedding is 12 weeks away. Just sayin'.

a senioritis paper

Believe it or not, this setup--movie, Big Gulp, and popcorn--is for a big research assignment.

For my senior capstone class I'm required to write a 15- to 20-page research paper. Not feeling too motivated for this assignment, several weeks ago I settled on a topic that would prove engaging while still leaving room for some senioritis. My thesis: As a culture, we subconsciously recognize the practical use of the fantastic [the uncertainty between real and unreal] and harness it through television and film, penetrating our own psyches and asking the haunting questions that pertain to life, death, and the very nature of our being.

Once put through a senioritis filter this reads: I came up with a topic that has simultaneous academic validity and entertainment value. About half of my research is watching and taking notes on select episodes of "House," select episodes of "The X-Files," Just Like Heaven, and The Prestige. My professor thinks this is a great topic and looks forward to seeing where my research takes me. After having refined my argument and research a little more, I'm actually excited about this topic. A lot. It combines my class subject with something I legitimately enjoy, pop culture. I'll be leaving college on an academic and research triumph, I believe.

Finally after 18 or so years of continual formal education, I can say, "Yes, Mom, I can watch TV before finishing my homework because watching TV is my homework."

like I need another one

I like another TV show. Gah. I had some downtime last week and thought to watch the pilot episode of "Parenthood," a new show on NBC. My initial draw to the show was the fact that Lauren Graham (a.k.a. Lorelai Gilmore from the oh-so-therapeutic-and-hilarious "Gilmore Girls") is one of the stars. I didn't know what to expect, but I like it. A lot. I liked the pilot but did see room where bad writers could make the drama more of a soap opera; the show has a wide span, covering the lives of numerous characters, but I think that with good writing, it could really work.

I watched the second episode this morning and still really like the show. I hope it continues to be good . . . even though I don't need another show to follow. I just really enjoy television shows. Embarrassing, but there you have it.

"30 Rock" convert

Josh and I usually watch "The Office" on Thursdays, and I have usually turned off the television after that lovely half hour ends. However, when I started watching with Josh, he wanted to keep the TV on and watch "30 Rock." I indulged this liking for a long time, and really just liked the show because Josh laughed so hard, and that was more entertaining to me than the actual show.

And then I started laughing more.

And now I think it's downright hilarious. So funny.

I'm converted. I am a legitimate "30 Rock" fan. I'm quietly laughing to myself (because I'm in the library typing this instead of researching for my McCarthy paper) just thinking about all the so-funny episodes I've seen and love.

I mean, with a show that has characters who perform original songs like "Werewolf Bar Mitzvah," where can you go wrong?

Really? No Way.

I can't believe the summer is almost over. Do I really go back to Provo in three weeks? Seriously? I can't believe it. And what's the most mind-blowing is how much this summer has not gone as I thought it would. Instead of going to work everyday, dying in a sauna house, and living the single life, I've been involved in friends' weddings, dealing with limited employment and the financial ramifications of that, enjoying an air conditioned house for the first time, trying to figure out my oh-so-painful ovaries, inexplicably losing weight (because of previously mentioned illness, I'm thinking), watching multiple episodes of Bones a week, and excessively texting a boy.

It's been a good summer, just a different one from what I expected. And now it's almost over. For real.

I'm excited for this next school year; I mean, it's my last one. I want to make it a good one (all my college school years have been overall good). I love being an English major; I love being a hideous editor; I love apartment living (granted, roommates can be fodder for frustration on occasion); I love it that BYU allows me to create myself.

But the summer has gone fast. And while I'm ready for school and excited for Provo, I'm never quite ready to leave home.

Slow Start

Ha I hope you're enjoying the slew of blog posts today; I don't promise this many a day on a regular basis, but I didn't blog much last week.

Anyway, I've gotten a slow start today. Over the weekend (when I was in Utah) I got violently ill. No worries, all is well, but I did spend the last part of Friday and all day Saturday on the couch. Yesterday I felt mediocre enough to fly home, but today I'm still feeling a little under the weather. Achy mainly, not nearly as bad as Friday. Really, it just was lame to be sick when I was on a trip.

However, a big shout-out to Michelle and Co. and the Loose clan--if I couldn't be home when I was sick, at least I was surrounded by people who made me comfortable and catered to my invalid needs. Thanks :)

I'm hoping to feel more up to scratch tomorrow. Today I'm taking it easy, eating light, and watching season 7 of Gilmore Girls. Being sick is lame.

yup, it's one of those days

Oxygen network had another America's Next Top Model marathon today. I plead the fifth.

Preparation

Emily and I are both unemployed and decided to take advantage of an otherwise bummer situation. We watched all five Harry Potter movies in one week. We initially wanted to watch one a day Monday through Friday, but come Friday, we had a crazy day and couldn't. Saturday was crazy. But Sunday let us finish our HP goal.

We critiqued each movie and made comparisons of the film adaptations to the books, which both of us know freakishly well. I felt incredibly dorky, but it was fun. Here are our summarized opinions:

• HP 1, Sorcerer's Stone: Pretty low quality. Acting pretty poor but hilarious. Dumbledore awesome. Quidditch pretty cool. Hogwarts warm feel.
• HP 2, Chamber of Secrets: Still kind of low quality. Acting a little better but still. Dumbledore still cool. Basilisk pretty cool. Lockhart hilarious.
• HP 3, Prisoner of Azkaban: Lamest one. Too fast. Creepy Rastafarian head in Knight Bus. Not such a fan of Sirius. Trelawny (Emma Thompson) hilarious. Dumb way of portraying werewolf. Lupin pretty good. Dementors pretty good. New Dumbledore--adjustment. Glad when it ended.
• HP 4, Goblet of Fire: By far better than 3. Fast paced but not too fast. Quidditch World Cup awesome. Death Eaters scary. Cedric Diggory dreamy. Dragon sweet. Voldemort frightening. Overall awesome movie.
• HP 5, Order of the Phoenix: Super super awesome. Loved it. Kept the viewer involved. Umbridge nasty. DA cool. Harry-Cho kiss impressive. Dumbledore and Voldemort's duel pretty awesome. Harry's possession by Voldemort well acted. Stellar movie.

We're ready for HP 6, Half-Blood Prince. Ha this is what continued unemployment brings--ultimate HP freakishness.

Five for Friday

So I'm back at Catholic Health Initiatives today and potentially for a lot longer. (One of the receptionists is out on medical leave, so I'm crossing my fingers that I can work here for at least a few weeks.) Thank heaven it's a job, but as of right now, when I don't have other duties besides answering phones and signing for FedEx packages, I get pretty bored. (And for $13 an hour, I'm okay to be bored.) I think I can get away with some reading, which is nice; plus I can blog and read blogs (the company I worked at last week didn't allow access to anything, including blogger and pictures on blogs). I don't have anything in particular to say, but it's Friday, and I'm bored.

1. I've been watching a lot of Quantum Leap lately. It's a funny sci-fi show that follows the "leaps" of Dr. Samuel Beckett, who stepped into the Quantum Leap Accelerator. Now he's trapped in the space-time continuum leaping from life to life, righting what once went wrong. His only companion on his journey is a man named Al, an observer from Sam's own time who appears in the form of a hologram. (I'm doing my best to accurately quote the explanation in the opening of the show.) Anyway, I've been watching several of those reruns and start to rerealize really how dorky this show is . . . but I love it.

2. My temp job today is downtown, so I decided to be bold and brave Denver's public transport system. I haven't ridden the bus since my first days as a teller at Washington Mutual, but it's easy enough. I've heard rumor that some of the buses in the Denver public transportation are pretty ritzy, but the one on 32nd Avenue is not. Fortunately when I got on, there were maybe three other people already in the bus, so I got to sit in a seat by myself. I didn't look at anyone and just read my book. Sure it's a pain to have to be ready and out the door by 6:45, but the forty-five-minute ride into downtown isn't that bad. It's an excuse to just sit and read (I mean, Operation Superhuman Reader needs all the help it can get, right?).

3. The longer I lack steady employment, the more I just want to stay home. I've had pretty good days. I sleep in a bit, leisurely get ready, have some Eggo waffles for breakfast, watch some TV, read some of my book, run errands with Mom, talk on the phone. I mean, this is the life, right? . . . Oh yeah, except that I'm close to broke and still need to finance my last year of college. Easy Street will have to wait, I suppose . . . for a long time . . . a really long time . . . perhaps forever.

4. Sometimes I end up taking naps at 10:30 in the morning. (Reference point 3.) That's just ridiculous.

5. I don't get to pick my lunchtime here. I was told that I'll be taking lunch from 11:30 to 12:30. There are two things wrong with this: 1) Who wants a lunch break at 11:30 in the morning? I'm a late-lunch kind of girl. I figure that I can stick out a longer stretch of boredom in the first part of my day and then have to wait through only a few hours of boredom after lunch. 2) I don't need an hour when I'm off at 4:30. I'd rather get a full eight hours in and take thirty minutes for lunch, but alas, they're forcing an hour lunch on me.