Wyclef Jean, Problem Solving, and Escapist TV
Quote of the Week (From The Good Wife)
Will: "But let's not expose ourselves on a subway platform unless we have to."
Diane: "Oh, what a colorful and pointless metaphor."
Music:
Wyclef Jean, The Carnival Volume II (Memoirs of an Immigrant) [2007] (***); Greatest Hits [2003] (***) - Wyclef Jean sings hip-hop with a healthy dose of social commentary and island flavor, and without the angry sexism that plagues a lot of hip-hop. My favorite Wyclef Jean song, hands down, is "Fast Car" featuring Paul Simon. If you liked Paul Simon's Graceland Album, definitely check out the song, "Fast Car". It's the perfect combination of hip-hop, island sound, catchy chorus, and social commentary.
The Joy of Problem Solving:
Last week our weather turned so tropical I began to wonder if I'd moved to Florida and just forgot to mention it to myself. One evening when I was walking into town, I looked up the weather on my phone. It wasn't raining but the humidity was 94%!
The tropical weather brought my arch-nemesis pollen with it, and I once again battled with sinus issues. To make things more fun, I also have a new kidney stone. Despite my health issues I had a mostly productive week. What changed?
Problem solving is the savior I'd been waiting for. My greatest comfort comes from imagining myself in a lab coat with Tina Fey glasses holding a clipboard and going over the facts and data about my situation.
The more facts I know about allergies and kidney stones, the better I can fight them. The more data I take on my problems, the more I can problem solve and figure out what makes my conditions worse and what makes them better. I note what I eat, what medications or home remedies I try, and what the result of each of the actions is.
It works too! I had mild discomfort all week, yet I was able to keep the pain manageable enough to write, bike, cook, and even have some fun.
Yay problem solving! You rock.
PS- So far, this week the weather is thankfully cool and fall-like.
TV:
Nikita (*** 1/2) - I'm enjoying the second season of Nikita. No, it's not a great show by any standard, but it is a fun show, with just the escapist qualities I enjoy in my TV watching. There are plenty of pretty men and women kicking ass because of their dedicated training and expert skills. Plus, the actors look like they have a lot of fun with their characters and just when I'm getting bored of the overall plot, the writers do something unexpected to surprise me.
Pam Am (***) - I've seen two episodes of Pam AM now and am still only mildly interested in it. The sets and costumes are striking and I like all the characters but the stories haven't really grabbed me so far.
Terra Nova (** 1/2) - I was looking forward to this futuristic sci-fi adventure about people traveling back in time to an undamaged earth with dinosaurs. It has great sets and special-effects. I'd expect nothing less given its 20 million dollar budget. Unfortunately, what is doesn't have is a well-developed storyworld or good writing. The characters are all lazy Hollywood stereotypes, their futuristic world doesn't make a lot of sense, and the plot is trite and predictable. How disappointing! That was an easy one to cross of my list.