Best. Show. Ever.

I just watched the season premiere of Veronica Mars. Don't worry, there aren't any spoilers below, just a few thoughts.

I'm utterly blown away. Shows are rarely this good, maybe never this good. I wish everyone I know were watching this show so we could all celebrate its awesomeness together in one great tribal dance of joy and admiration. To come clean, I am kind of an obsessed fan of the show. But anyone who watches this show has to come to terms with its artistry, intelligence and heart.

This show is a challenge to watch. It makes you think, and it makes you feel. When last season ended, the primary mysteries were resolved but the audience was still left with a few questions. When this season opened, you thought you were given the answers. They made sense. You liked them. But you were wrong. Boy, were you wrong. It's rare when a show can jerk you around like this, play with your assumptions and your emotions, and make you like it.

In the last 20 minutes of the show, everything I thought I knew went out the door. Unfortunately, based on a tiny only vaguely spoilery comment in EW, I was a little prepared for the very last scene with the setup of the big mystery for the season, but I was still astonished. They've built an amazing foundation for the second season. I just hope this setup pays off as well as season one's did.

And even if it doesn't, they had one perfect season. That's more than a lot of shows give us.

(Now Abbey, starting October 11, let's get to watching those DVD's! I neeeeeeed someone to talk to about this show. Desperate and obsessed here!)

Bangers + hiking + lute music = ?

Can't you guess? It equals one great weekend. I had an absolutely lovely time at the Pelican Inn last weekend. It was the perfect blend of quirkiness and comfort, to satisfy Josh and I both. (My preferences tend to run more to the eccentric but charming, while Josh likes luxury.)

We arrived at the inn on Friday night after a pleasant drive over the Golden Gate Bridge and a slightly less pleasant drive through the winding roads leading to Muir Beach (hello, lunch, is that you in my esophagus?). The place was hopping when we got there, full of merry wedding guests enjoying the outdoor patio. The friendly desk clerk showed us around the inn: lower floor restaurant, pub, and snug (more on that later) and upper floor bedrooms. Our room was just what I'd expected: one comfy little bed, two posh little chairs, and one big sense of being transported back in time.



After getting settled (aka Josh getting his first beer of the weekend), we headed down to dinner in the restaurant, snagging a candle-lit booth/nook perfect for snuggling and discussing our new digs. Two crab cakes, one steak-and-ale-pie, one halibut and one bread pudding later, we waddled upstairs contentedly. As we went to bed we could hear the sounds of wedding celebrants still revelling downstairs. We'd glimpsed the bride earlier, looking the way all brides should: blissful, beautiful, and a little shell-shocked.

On Saturday morning we awoke to more sounds of those same wedding guests, this time hustling and bustling their way out of the inn. Happily, Josh and I had dodged the flurry of activity by having breakfast brought to our room. And what a breakfast! I'm not typically keen on having a lot of heavy food in the morning, but I was lured in by the presentation on the plate, the delectable blackberry jam, and the sheer English-ness of it.



Post-stuffing ourselves, we drove out to Muir Woods, which was surprisingly quite packed with tourists and locals interested in getting their RDA of nature. Luckily I was able to coerce Josh into taking the moderately strenuous trail, which was empty enough that we had a nice opportunity to chat without offending other parkgoers with our characteristically vulgar conversation. The hike was just difficult enough to still be relaxing, too: taking us on a climb through thick redwoods, ultimately reaching a peak offering an view of expansive mountains stretched all around, then coasting down alongside a creek hugged by friendly green ferns. By the time we made it back to the inn, Josh was ready for a nap.

I, however, was ready for some reading! Abbey was nice enough to lend me In Her Shoes, a chick lit read with heart. I spent a couple cheery hours finishing it in the snug. What is the snug? I'm so glad you asked. The snug is a comfortable parlor-type room downstairs next to the pub. It's for overnight inn guests only, intended to be a nice place they can relax outside their rooms. The snug is appointed with a variety of games, a fireplace, and a small selection of books. One absolutely feels "ensconced" in the warmth of the snug, able to hear the masses cavorting in the pub but remaining thankfully elsewhere. Even better for this antisocial butterfly, I had it all to myself.

Sufficiently rested by our respective nap and reading break, Josh and I dragged ourselves up "Heart Attack Hill" (AKA the coastal trail), a steep hike above nearby Muir Beach offering a gorgeous view of the coast and sea below. I could describe the view, but you know what they say about pictures.



I've just realized this post is turning out quite long, and my stamina is waning (much as it did up the hill), so I will be brief in my remaining summary.

- Showering
- Scrabble
- More great Pelican Inn food (steak and ale pie, vegetable pie, raspberry trifle and French beer)
- Extreme bloating
- Complaints about sore legs
- More savory English breakfast food
- Sleepy driving back home

As you've probably figured out if you read this far, I had a great weekend. Where should I go next?

Good Friday (so far)

Fridays are generally good days for me. Things at work have typically mellowed a bit over the course of the week, and every other Friday there are doughnuts in the snack room downstairs. (Snatching up a chocolate twist on the way to your desk, before you've even checked your email, definitely gets things off on the right foot.) And when I'm done with work, I know I get to go home and relax without the anticipation of stress for a couple days. I know I get to cuddle with Josh as we're going to sleep in our awesome bed (below). I know I get to sleep in as much as I want. Never mind that my internal alarm clock typically wakes me up early on a Saturday morning; it's just the idea that I could sleep in if I wanted to that makes me feel good.



Today is shaping up to be an especially good Friday. It's a chocolate twist day, but the good started even before that when I went for a run this morning. I always struggle to drag my ass out of bed on cold, gray mornings, but it turns out those are the mornings I most enjoy running, because I don't overheat. Sure, I'm yawning as I lace up my sneakers, and I'm rubbing my eyes as my feet first hit the pavement on Eastridge, but by the time I've reached Valparaiso, I'm warmed up and my breathing is even. The cold weather feels good, great even, refreshing and energizing, propelling me forward.

I like having the time to collect my thoughts and prepare for the day, to let my feet beat out whatever song I've got in my head, to give "good morning"s and quick smiles to whoever I pass. Most of all, I like that when I'm back home, stretching on the stairs of my apartment building, I know I've done something good for myself already, and it's not even 8AM. True, in a few hours I will eat a doughnut and thereby negate all the effort I just expended, but boy will it be worth it!

Runs and doughnut fixations aside, another reason I love Fridays is that you have the anticipation of the weekend. Delayed gratification - you've gotta love it. Inextricably linked with my penchant for putting off till tomorrow what I could enjoy today is the pleasure I derive from looking forward to future fun. Today, that future fun is sure to be *super*fun: Josh and I are going to Muir Beach, where we'll be staying at the Pelican Inn for a couple nights. So, instead of the bed above, I'll have this bed (room six) to look forward to. Pretty posh, huh?

It's outings like this that make me feel like a kid playing dress up. I realize I'm 23. Theoretically, this is an adult age. But I still feel a bit like I snuck in and got my driver's license, my job, and my apartment when nobody was looking. Will that feeling ever go away? Maybe after a few more posh mini-breaks like this. Maybe when I'm 30. Or maybe, I'll always want to do cartwheels on the beach. That wouldn't be so bad.

It's raining...

MEN! Okay, it isn't raining men, it's just plain raining, but it's thundering too, which makes me more excited than I'd be if full-size beings with XY chromosomes were falling from the sky. 'Cause that would be just plain disturbing.

Earlier today I was debating a chipper post about how much I love autumn weather. It's around this time of year, every year, that the same thoughts start forming in my head about how lucky I am to be alive in a time and a place where the weather has such a direct positive effect on my mood. The thunder and rain don't exactly embody fall weather for me, so that isn't what I planned to wax poetically about, but I'm pleased as punch that they're here anyway.

Oooooh, big thunder! Thunder that recalls the "Rainforest" cassette tape from the Nature Company and used to play in our kitchen in Fullerton. Man, I loved that tape. It doesn't seem right to be at work at a time like this. Thunder means you should be at home, preferably in the dark. I remember a handful of nights in Berkeley when I'd awaken in the dead of night to deep, cracking, resonating thunder that seemed to roll directly above my head. My eyes would open with a start and I'd smile to myself in the dark. That was the best.

Berkeley's the site of some happy weather memories, to be sure. Running to the Kragen's downtown to buy tire chains in extreme bluster, Sar and I laughing like maniacs when the umbrella flipped itself inside out. Walking to the library as the sun dipped down, wind swirling leaves at my feet and hair in my face. Biking to work in the summer, warm golden light spilling over everything and each small breeze a relief.

Hmm...seems like most of those memories are weather plus locomotion. :) It makes sense. I never liked to drive in Berkeley; everyone knows my hatred of parking.

It's the moooost wonderful tiiime of the yeeeear

It's nearly autumn, which means...the start of the new fall TV season!

As you all know, I love TV and am fascinated by the entertainment industry in general. Maybe my obsession with TV isn't as bad as it was senior year of college, when there was no one around to monitor my addiction, but it's definitely at an unhealthy level. I am, and will forever be, a TV junkie: someone who diligently tapes and rewatches her favorite shows; someone who thinks of the characters as friends and picks up on their speech patterns; someone who has been known to have hissy fits when her "friends" misbehave or when things do not tape properly. Someone, in short, with a problem.

It's with this problem in mind that I look to the new TV season with the hyper anticipation of an addict awaiting his next fix. Okay, not exactly. More like the buzzing glee of Cookie Monster with a fresh batch in the oven. And here's my warm plateful of cookies for fall: you've got your chocolate chips, your oatmeal raisins, your snickerdoodles, your double-chocolates and the elusive oatmeal dark chocolate chip.

Let's go through 'em:

Chocolate chip: Chocolate chips are the shows you can rely on for quality and entertainment. When you pick up a chocolate chip cookie, you know you're going to enjoy it, whether it's crispy or gooey. Same with a chocolate chip show - when you turn on the TV you know it's going to satisfy. Chocolate chip shows I'm looking forward to include Gilmore Girls and Arrested Development.
Rookie cookie with promise: It's early, but Everybody Hates Chris is a frontrunner.

Oatmeal raisin: You need your oatmeal raisin cookies for your fiber, your substance, your...er...regularity. Just like you need your dramas: to keep things solid and grounded. Oatmeal raisin cookies are filling and can be good for you, depending on their ingredients. ORC shows include House and the dearly departed Once and Again.
Rookie cookie with promise: Threshold, starring Carla Gugino.

Snickerdoodle: Who doesn't love a good snickerdoodle? I can't think of anyone. Snickerdoodles are sugary with a bit of spice and exist put a smile on your face. (Just ask Wallace.) Any good comedy should strive for a similar result, and the best ones achieve it. When I want a warm hug in cookie form, I turn to snickerdoodles or snickerdoodle shows like Scrubs and retired MVP Friends.
Rookie cookie with promise: My Name is Earl, starring Jason Lee and competing cookies How I Met Your Mother and Kitchen Confidential.

Double-chocolate: You eat them when you want to feel a little bit bad. You know they're not good for you, and if you over-indulge you won't be happy with the results, but it's hard to stop yourself. They're just this side of wrong, or are they "so wrong it's right"? When you have them a bit at a time, they sure do taste right. For rich, double-chocolatey decadence, try ANTM (best if consumed in groups) or anything on ABC Family.
Rookie cookie with promise: Every year, the batch of potentials gets bigger and bigger. My money/mouth is on Love Inc., Reunion, and Related.

Oatmeal dark chocolate chip: Hard to find, but so worth it when you do, this cookie has it all. It's an inventive mix of laughs, scares, love, heartbreak, pop culture and lasting soul - all the glorious stuff of life and death. (Well, the cookie is just a mix of oatmeal and dark chocolate chips, but you get what I mean.) The ODCC cookie is both good and good for you. It's sweet but substantial. When you're done with it you feel okay. Better than okay - you feel like the world, and you as part of it, have undergone significant improvements in the past five minutes while you chewed or the past hour while you sat on the couch. Maybe it's the phenylethylamine, or maybe the world really is better with something that wonderful in it. ODCCC shows that rock my world include the stellar Veronica Mars and the high-school-era-Joobie favorite Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Rookie cookie with promise: Farscape. It's not new; it's been cancelled for more than a year, but I've just discovered it on DVD. I'm thrilled to find a show this surprising and touching, but I'm very sorry it was cancelled. Let's just hope Veronica Mars can stay alive.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to do some baking...er...mass cookie consumption.

Things you should be watching and probably aren't

You. Yes, I'm talking to you, stop looking over your shoulder. You should be watching Gilmore Girls and Veronica Mars.

Don't be frightened away by the fact that they're on the WB and UPN, respectively; these shows are centered on smart, resourceful, gutsy ladies who mix their drama with an equal amount of comedy and rapid-fire pop-culture references.

I'll probably discuss Fall TV in greater detail at some point (because it is oh-so-pleasing to me), but I wanted to give a healthy shout-out on these two returning reasons to own a TV. Do yourself a favor, listen to me and oodles of critics and watch Gilmore Girls and Veronica Mars. You won't be sorry, and I won't have to hurt you.

Happy Birthday, beautiful

Today is Josh's 24th birthday. Wooooooo! I've tried to make it a good day for him, but it's a sad truth that as you get older birthdays get less awesome. On the upside, you get closer to death! Wait...that's not an upside....

At any rate, I've collected some horoscope-y goodness for September 8 birthdays in an attempt to gain some insight into Josh's sooooooul.

"The more you study, the more you'll realize there is to know. Don't be discouraged; get involved in a fascinating quest."

"The September 8th persons can put on a performance like no other they appear to be amusing and thoughtful but their intended result is for a serious matter. they are somewhat Jeckle and Hydes. The person born on this day goes through a constant barrage of challenges created by the ruling planet for today, Saturn."

"Enthusiasm is so high this year that you naturally attract good things and giving people. By making small improvements every week, you attain a financial or a career goal. Forgive and forget past mistakes, and your love life is revitalized as a result. Love with Scorpio and Libra people is passionate and always something to look forward to. Your lucky numbers are: 20, 41, 22, 24 and 11."

You've got to love the last one; who doesn't want to "naturally attract good things" and have a revitalized love life?

Other lovely people who got their start on this auspicious day: Henry Thomas (of E.T. and Legends of the Fall fame), Jonathan Taylor Thomas (former teen heartthrob and subpar guest star on Veronica Mars), David Arquette (husband of Courteney Cox and wearer of clown pants), and Patsy Cline (a Crazy, classy lady).

I'm the human!

What Farscape Character are you?

Maybe I should be offended that I'm clueless. Nah, I'm not.