You guys

I'm really obsessed with The X Files right now. Also, David Duchonvy, obviously. Like, what was I doing with my life in 1994? (Wasting my time, clearly.*)

*Also I was 4 years old.

Some nights

Just spent all day watch Don't Trust the B-- in Apt 23 (which is hilarious; James van der Beek as himself is a work of art). Then fell asleep on my couch. That's what happens when you go to jazz clubs 'til 3 am then have to get up at 8:30 to coach a soccer game. Today is just one of those days where you eat a lot of food and listen to Kate Nash and evaluate how being alone/lonely makes you a stronger person.

Day at a time, I suppose

Can we all just take a second and remember how fucking amazing Omar from The Wire is? He is the sickest at laying the smack down. Also, his tie looks hella dope.

A la chingada

It's only week 4 (out of 15) of the semester and I'm already overwhelmed with reading. I feel like I do that a lot on this blog: drop off the face of the Internet, only to come back with a post three weeks later about how busy I am.

But it's true. I am busy.

And my downstairs neighbors have started this annoying thing where they play really loud techno music at really odd hours (9 a.m., 1 p.m., 10 p.m.) on weekdays (not even Fridays!) and I find it really infuriating. It makes my floor vibrate. I don't understand how this could possibly be necessary. Are they filming Jersey Shore downstairs and just forgot to tell us?

I wish my armpits weren't so ugly

Stephen Colbert is such a feminist ♥ And kudos to him for sticking it to Unilever even though Ben & Jerry's is one of his sponsors and named an ice cream flavor after him.

Ahhhhhh!

Are you sure it's plugged in?

Keep Calm and Turn It Off and On Again, originally uploaded by adambowie.

I'm really addicted to The IT Crowd right now.

Weekend excursion

I went home for the weekend. It was so lovely. Why am I in Berkeley? I want to go back home and stay out with my friends every night until 3 a.m.!

Anyway, some things I did:

• Went to an aerial class (it's like pole dancing, but with fabric instead of a pole; that's the best way I can describe it), did a double foot lock and the splits in the air*, and got really sore.
• Watched nearly all of charlieissocoollike's videos.
  
• Bonded with people from high school at Mikko's party.
• Received an apology for this incident.
  
• Confessed, without hesitation, nearly everything I've ever kept secret to Laura and Katie at Mikko's party. I might've been drunk, but I still think this is emotional development for me.
• Invented a drink my friend called a "Limey Bastard" (lime margarita mix, lime juice, and gin).
• Started watching Dollhouse. Like I need another excuse for procrastination.

I want to go back already.


*which actually doesn't hurt at all; why did I spend so long being in pain doing the splits on the floor?

Fezzes are cool

I'm in no mood for coherency, so here's some mindless babbling about the Doctor Who season finale.


I WANT THE DOCTOR TO DANCE AT MY WEDDING.

Also, I hope he buys himself a new fez because it would so appropriate on the Orient Express. IN SPACE.

Playing the game

I was watching clips of Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe on YouTube, and during one of his many deconstructions of reality TV, I remembered one of the reality programs I realised just why one of the reality shows I had seen in Mexico was so weird: because unlike British or American 'reality' TV, they not only acknowledged by embraced the fact that they were playing The Game. What does 'playing The Game' mean? Let me explain.

We all know reality TV is not reality. We all know that if the people on it aren't paid actors, the can still be directed and if not directed, then editing can completely change what happened. We know that no one is actually trying to find love; they just want their overly-made-up, stupid face on TV so they can ignore all their latent trust issues and just be famous for fifteen minutes. People may not acknowledge it, but they know it.

So this show in Mexico, it's called Yo Quiero Enamorarse (I want to fall in love). The format alone is really strange and confusing and the show itself last for about four hours every time that it's on, which I really don't get, but basically it's got a group of people of one sex trying to vie for the attention of someone of the opposite sex.

One episode, the girl who has all these guys competing for her, goes on a boat date with one of the guys. And for each date, the guys are given a secret challenge. This particular challenge was to 'steal a kiss'. And this one dude did it, of course, in the most awkward way possible, and you could tell how awkward it was because the poor girl made no attempts to hide how uncomfortable she was. When the judges later asked her why she was so bothered, she meekly answered that she felt like he was kissing her to win the challenge and not because he wanted to.

I thought, Wow, a genuine, real person on reality television? What is this demonry?

But one of the judges reprimanded her, saying This is a reality show and if you can't handle that then why are you here?

And that's it: this show didn't just have everyone pretend like they were taking it seriously as a competition for a real relationship. They basically were willing to come out and say, Yeah, this is fake. But you knew that when you signed the contract, so deal with it.

Which in the realm of 'reality', might be the 'realest' thing I've ever seen.

I think I'd be good for you

On Wednesday when I went to Hana's house, she and Kyle (her boyfriend) and I were watching Behind the Music: Brett Michaels and it was HILARIOUS how people were saying these SERIOUS and SINCERE (a.k.a. fake) things about how great a person he is and how Rock of Love is a legitimate attempt to find love. Like, no it's not, we all know it's not. It's reality TV; we all know the name of the game and it's to watch a bunch of dumb hos get drunk and fight and curse and be slutty. No to find true love. So the fact that they were still trying to make people sincerely pretend that this was not the case was really funny. Also, Brett Michaels said, "I didn't want to be a parody of who I was in the 80s." OMG, LOL, BRETT MICHAELS. YOU ARE TOO MUCH.


Also, I love this song. And I related to it far too well.

Politics as usual

I love this little kid with glasses. (He was also in this piece.) He should become a regular correspondent!


And Aasif Mandvi's piece was too good not to post.

Also, Ezra Klein: I think I've found my new boyfriend ♥ (Besides Jesse Eisenberg.) I'll have a grown-up political culture with him any day.

All I want for Christmas...

...is Chuck's wardrobe.