Round Up of Life and TV
First of all, this is downright shocking: two posts in as many weeks! Dear God, am I actually becoming a rehabilitated LJer? *faints*
Now some random words about the thinky sort of thoughts in my head:
So, in a little over a week, my grandfather is turning 80. This is a big milestone for him, mainly because his health has been waivering pretty dramatically back and forth these past five or so years. (Or is it ten now? I don't know.) As a present, I decided a few months ago to send a letter to all of his friends and relatives asking for pictures and letters to him which I am now organizing into a scrapbook. And people were great! I got some amazing stuff from his childhood, his time in the Marines, and then in college before he met my grandmother and then as he dated her.
And here's the thing: looking at these pictures is wonderful, sure. But it's also a little...weird.
Because there's this man in these pictures that's a pretty dramatic disconnect from who he is in my life. And I know we all get skewed perceptions of each other, but this is...downright weird. Like, my parents, I look at pictures of them and have very little trouble connecting the picture to who they are. But then, I have a very real, honest relationship with my parents and always have. I feel like I really know who they are. My grandfather and I...well, we're close. But it's kind of a shallow, superficial close. Which makes me a little sad to realize. He's been an incredibly influential person in my life as far as how things played out. But less so in regards to the actual person that I am.
Anyway, the other weird thing? Looking at these photos, I am constantly reminded that it is a crazy sort of miracle that I even exist. Even putting aside my dad's family and all of the craziness they went through during the war, my grandfather was actually engaged to another woman when he met my grandmother. My father? Totally sleeping with some random other chick when he met my mom. (Well, not random. I believe her name was Karen.) So, in a weird way, doing this for him has made me ever more thankful that there's a me.
And now, for a TV catch up. I realized that it's been so long since I've been on LJ regularly that I have no idea what fandoms people are in and what TV they enjoy to squee over. So here, in a list so long that it should make me embarassed, are TV shows I watch and thoughts about them...
How I Met Your Mother: They have finally remembered that it's not the Barney Stinson Show! Don't get me wrong, I love NPH, but last season was too much Barney and not enough of the actual show. This season has been much better. Except for slightly weird cause girl Zoey. Though that could be because I've never cared for the actress.
Chuck: It's silly, over the top, and ridiculous. And I still love it. Sarah is a great woman to watch, Chuck is adorable, and I still love everything that comes out of Adam Baldwin's mouth.
The Event: I am watching this...peripherally. Not invested, but not turned off yet, either. It certainly moves quickly, which is nice.
Castle: I love. Though I do wish the cops would come up with the answer more often than the mystery writer does.
No Ordinary Family: I actually like this show. It's a bit campy and silly, but in a way that a me who is knitting and only sort of paying attention can appreciate.
Glee: Would be better if the women were more characters and less charicatures. Also, if Will Schuester was a little less creepy. But the singing makes me happy.
Life Unexpected: I adore this show. Except for the one MAJOR flaw: the insistance that Cate is Always Wrong. Even when she's really, really not.
Mythbusters: It's TV crack. I will watch hours of this show. It doesn't matter if I've seen it already. I love it like a mad, mad thing.
Bones: Ugh! UGH! I loved this show. A lot. But this season? Has SUCKED. A lot. And it's not just that Booth has a girlfriend. It's how he is with the girlfriend in the picture - i.e. kind of a douchebag.
Vampire Diaries: Shut up. I like it. I want more witches and Elena and girl vamps and less emo!Stefan and crazy!Damon. But overall, a surprisingly interesting show.
Nikita: Would be better if Division didn't seem quite so stupid. (And Michael didn't seem so stupid.) It's not MY Nikita, but it's spies and there is some promise there. Though they've ruined Birkoff.
Stargate Universe: It's Stargate, therefore I like it. I kind of feel like it's Stargate that decided to dress up like BSG for Halloween and then couldn't get the costume off. But it's still Stargate.
Big Bang Theory: Awesome. And they have promoted the two girlfriends for the season, which I love because they make me laugh.
Grey's Anatomy: More out of habit than anything these days. Though I do love functional Meredith. That makes the show for me.
There are, sadly, many others that are currently in off seasons: Eureka (which I still adore to itty bitty pieces), The Closer, Pretty Little Liars (shut up!), Make It or Break It (seriously. Shhhh...) And believe it or not, this is after serious paring down. But there, in a quick sentence or two, are basic TV thoughts.
Now some random words about the thinky sort of thoughts in my head:
So, in a little over a week, my grandfather is turning 80. This is a big milestone for him, mainly because his health has been waivering pretty dramatically back and forth these past five or so years. (Or is it ten now? I don't know.) As a present, I decided a few months ago to send a letter to all of his friends and relatives asking for pictures and letters to him which I am now organizing into a scrapbook. And people were great! I got some amazing stuff from his childhood, his time in the Marines, and then in college before he met my grandmother and then as he dated her.
And here's the thing: looking at these pictures is wonderful, sure. But it's also a little...weird.
Because there's this man in these pictures that's a pretty dramatic disconnect from who he is in my life. And I know we all get skewed perceptions of each other, but this is...downright weird. Like, my parents, I look at pictures of them and have very little trouble connecting the picture to who they are. But then, I have a very real, honest relationship with my parents and always have. I feel like I really know who they are. My grandfather and I...well, we're close. But it's kind of a shallow, superficial close. Which makes me a little sad to realize. He's been an incredibly influential person in my life as far as how things played out. But less so in regards to the actual person that I am.
Anyway, the other weird thing? Looking at these photos, I am constantly reminded that it is a crazy sort of miracle that I even exist. Even putting aside my dad's family and all of the craziness they went through during the war, my grandfather was actually engaged to another woman when he met my grandmother. My father? Totally sleeping with some random other chick when he met my mom. (Well, not random. I believe her name was Karen.) So, in a weird way, doing this for him has made me ever more thankful that there's a me.
And now, for a TV catch up. I realized that it's been so long since I've been on LJ regularly that I have no idea what fandoms people are in and what TV they enjoy to squee over. So here, in a list so long that it should make me embarassed, are TV shows I watch and thoughts about them...
How I Met Your Mother: They have finally remembered that it's not the Barney Stinson Show! Don't get me wrong, I love NPH, but last season was too much Barney and not enough of the actual show. This season has been much better. Except for slightly weird cause girl Zoey. Though that could be because I've never cared for the actress.
Chuck: It's silly, over the top, and ridiculous. And I still love it. Sarah is a great woman to watch, Chuck is adorable, and I still love everything that comes out of Adam Baldwin's mouth.
The Event: I am watching this...peripherally. Not invested, but not turned off yet, either. It certainly moves quickly, which is nice.
Castle: I love. Though I do wish the cops would come up with the answer more often than the mystery writer does.
No Ordinary Family: I actually like this show. It's a bit campy and silly, but in a way that a me who is knitting and only sort of paying attention can appreciate.
Glee: Would be better if the women were more characters and less charicatures. Also, if Will Schuester was a little less creepy. But the singing makes me happy.
Life Unexpected: I adore this show. Except for the one MAJOR flaw: the insistance that Cate is Always Wrong. Even when she's really, really not.
Mythbusters: It's TV crack. I will watch hours of this show. It doesn't matter if I've seen it already. I love it like a mad, mad thing.
Bones: Ugh! UGH! I loved this show. A lot. But this season? Has SUCKED. A lot. And it's not just that Booth has a girlfriend. It's how he is with the girlfriend in the picture - i.e. kind of a douchebag.
Vampire Diaries: Shut up. I like it. I want more witches and Elena and girl vamps and less emo!Stefan and crazy!Damon. But overall, a surprisingly interesting show.
Nikita: Would be better if Division didn't seem quite so stupid. (And Michael didn't seem so stupid.) It's not MY Nikita, but it's spies and there is some promise there. Though they've ruined Birkoff.
Stargate Universe: It's Stargate, therefore I like it. I kind of feel like it's Stargate that decided to dress up like BSG for Halloween and then couldn't get the costume off. But it's still Stargate.
Big Bang Theory: Awesome. And they have promoted the two girlfriends for the season, which I love because they make me laugh.
Grey's Anatomy: More out of habit than anything these days. Though I do love functional Meredith. That makes the show for me.
There are, sadly, many others that are currently in off seasons: Eureka (which I still adore to itty bitty pieces), The Closer, Pretty Little Liars (shut up!), Make It or Break It (seriously. Shhhh...) And believe it or not, this is after serious paring down. But there, in a quick sentence or two, are basic TV thoughts.