Devouring TV: What I've Been Watching Lately

Oh my god! How am I even writing a post about TV, I haven't done that for about 10,000 years! This is very true, and I don't really have an excuse for it, other than that the main thing I was working through was a rewatch of Breaking Bad, and I've already written about that, and everything else I would write about in a serious way (Pushing Daisies, My Mad Fat Diary) I watched too long ago to do them justice*. Instead you get this: a little snippet of things I've been watching, MOSTLY on Netflix because TV at the moment sucks so much. Here it is:

The Great British Bake Off

I feel like this has come up in one of these kind of recaps before, but GBBO is literally the only thing I'm watching on actual TV at the moment. It's so sedate and nice and soothing that I can't help but feel massive affection for it, and the fact that one of the contestants had a beautiful and magnificent beard doesn't hurt things either.

It's exactly my kind of show, and it has allowed for some pretty good housemate bonding times so it's good for that, too. Yay, cakes? Yay cakes.

That Mitchell and Webb Look

So, That Mitchell and Webb Look is totally old and I watched it the first time round, but it's just been added to Netflix so of course I'm having to watch all three series again. If you've never seen it, you're missing a treat- sketch comedy that takes the piss out of advertising, films, pretty much everything you can think of in the media, um... numbers? Sport, definitely sport, and basically it's hilarious. It also has my favourite sketch possibly ever (sorry, Monty Python) which is a take off of Rebecca and really has to be seen to retain any comedic value because I definitely can't explain it. Oh wait, here it is:

SO GOOD.

Pokemon

And, continuing the nostalgia drive... It was brought to my attention that Pokemon (original, not shitty. If there are more than 150 151 Pokemon, then it's bullshit) was on Netflix, so obviously I was STRAIGHT THERE with great eagerness and fond childhood memories. I mostly watch it when I'm doing other stuff, but so much of it is internalised that I pretty much know what's going on anyway. I actually haven't watched it for a little while, because busy, but I've already gotten to the point where Charmander turns into an asshole so... Maybe I'm done. (I'm definitely not done).

Futurama

Of COURSE I haven't only just seen Futurama, are you MAD? I remember when it started on English TV because I was watching it, obviously. However- Sky has been showing the newer episodes (i.e. the Comedy Central ones) and it FREAKS ME OUT when I haven't seen an episode of Futurama, so I've resolved to watch them all on American Netflix. There are multiple problems with this, mainly that I've seen the first four seasons SO MANY TIMES that they're practically internalised and I can't seem to take in new information; which leads to the second problem of not knowing exactly what I've seen of the new stuff because I start off an episode going 'hmm, don't think I've seen this one!' and then halfway through going 'oh wait, no, actually I have.'

I mean, it's not the WORST problem in the world, I realise. It's just annoying. But I will persevere because I NEED more Zapp Brannigan in my LIFE, man.

Bob's Burgers

I feel really really late to the Bob's Burgers party, but I'm here now, it can finally begin. I mean, I've only watched Season 1 so far, but seriously, HOW GOOD IS THIS SHOW? So much genuine loling, so much awesomeness. Too much? Not quite, but nearly. What am I even saying anymore? I'm not sure, but basically I think Bob's Burgers is the shiz, and we should all watch it right now, neglecting our entire lives to do so. Agreed? Agreed.

Six Feet Under

I like to always have a drama on the go (breaks up all the cartoon watching...) and Six Feet Under's time has finally come. I've been wanting to watch it for YEARS, and I've had the boxset since Christmas, but kind of decided that I'd wait to watch it because subject matter... Yeah. Regardless, I think I've cried at every episode I've seen so far (so... Three) just because death is horrible and difficult and I FEEL for everyone, all the time. Having said that, I think I've also laughed at every episode, so... This programme is so weird, and I mean that as a compliment. But it is SO WEIRD. The characters are weirdos, their lives are strange, their occupation is one that, unless you actually do it, you don't really get, I think, and just yeah. So odd, but pretty good so far. Alan Ball, I think you might have done it again.

Or, you know, you did it again. At the time. Before some of the other stuff you've done... I don't know, shut up!

And that's what I've been watching, and that's why nothing gets done around here! It's an ok life, you know, I can't complain.

*Oh SHIT, I've just realised that I watched all of House of Cards and have said nary a word about it to you all. The reason is, I think, twofold: Firstly, it's MUCH too spoilery to say anything about, ever; and secondly: I watched (almost) all of it with my now-ex housemate so I totally had someone to discuss it with as it happened, which was awesome. Don't feel too rejected now, internet.

Summer Reads

I feel like a little bit of an idiot even making this list, considering I've read a grand total of three* of the books on my spring reads pile, but nonetheless, I will have a clue about what I'm reading for the next three months, I will, I will! Disclaimers: This list should really have been a Top Ten Tuesday, but of course I didn't have my act together enough to actually post on Tuesday, and I reserve the right, on any given day, to forget to take a book with me wherever I'm going and read whatever is on the Kindle app on my phone.

I'm only human, after all.

THE BOOKS:

THE WORDS:

The Magic Toyshop by Angela Carter- The number of Angela Carter books I own now (a few) and the number I've read (one) is getting a bit silly, and I'm concerned that, having spent a certain amount of money on this book (quite a bit) I might never get to it. I can end that concern by reading it this summer, right?

Evelina by Fanny Burney- I decided I need to read a classic this summer and I've had this one, in one copy or another, for a really long time now. Epistolatory novel? Don't mind if I do.

Stoner by John Williams- I need to get my brain around Stoner. Ellie says so. I tend to believe her.

The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery- I feel like both Alice and Alley read this a realllly long time ago now, and I still have not. If I'm not going to France this summer, might as well do the next best thing (... read a book set in France, obviously.)

Look At Me by Jennifer Egan- I have fond memories of reading The Invisible Circus in the sunny sunny garden last year, so I have good feelings about Egan and summer. Doesn't mean I'll definitely read this, but the chances do look good.

Lady Oracle by Margaret Atwood- It's Margaret Atwood. It's not going to be a bad book.

Made in America by Bill Bryson- Summer=reading Bryson and feeling cheerful about it. Or it will this year (she says).

Hard Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World by Haruki Murakami- I started reading this when I bought it, and it was VERY WEIRD. I'm kind of excited. Plus, who doesn't need a Murakami fix every once in a while? (Most people, Laura).

Dear Life by Alice Munro- Ohhh yes. I have not read the other Alice Munro book I said I was going to read in the spring, but obviously there's something different about this one that's going to make me want to read it. The thing that is different: I really need to read one of her bloody books already!

The Summer Book by Tove Jansson- Um, just check out its name. Obviously I can't read this at any other time.

REAL TALK: Things I will probably actually read this summer:

• The last three Dark Tower books by Stephen King because OMG I am so close to reading them outside in the lovely lovely sun that I can hardly stand waiting
• The end of The Women's Room which is SO AWESOME and feministy and the best
• Whatever is on the aforementioned Kindle app
• The three books I just got out of the library because I can't help myself
• Some books I've already read

But let's just pretend none of that's true and oooh over this list, shall we?

*To be fair, I'm reading a fourth one at the moment. I get points for trying, right?

Devouring TV: Parks and Recreation OR My growing acceptance of Adam Scott, and my undying love for Leslie Knope

I finished watching all the Parks and Recreation there is to see about a week ago, and now my life is so empty and sad. My history with the show went something like this: Watched the first season (of six episodes)- wasn't really impressed. BBC4 started showing the first two seasons earlier this year, so I watched Season Two and it was basically THE BEST THING I'VE EVER SEEN EVER EVER, so that was pretty awesome. Then, twas a long long wait from the end of Parks and Rec on BBC4 to moving into my new house and gaining access to US Netflix and watching ALL THE PARKS AND REC in mere weeks. Ah, it's been pretty great.

I don't even know where to begin, though, because there literally isn't a character I dislike, a situation I didn't find real and moving and amazing, or a relationship that I haven't wanted to happen. I honestly can't think of a TV show where I've been more in love with the characters- I mean, you all know I love Breaking Bad like nobody's business, and I love a good TV drama, but for pure happiness in watching, I can't think of any programme that's done better than Parks and Recreation.

Here's a quick synopsis if you've never seen or even heard of it before (how is it living under that rock? Warm enough for you?): Leslie Knope is both the greatest woman in the world and deputy director of the Parks and Recreation Department of Pawnee, Indiana. Her colleagues range from the libertarian Ron Swanson (who is amazing), to the deadpan and potentially evil April Ludgate, swagger-filled yet kind of wimpy Tom Haverford, AMAZING Donna, and Jerry, everyone's favourite punching bag. Combined with Leslie's best friend Ann Perkins, Ann's ex-boyfriend Andy, and later on in the series, ROB LOWE and Adam Scott, the Parks and Recreation department do things ranging from mundane to slightly interesting, but fuelled by Leslie's infectious enthusiasm, and basically the best script ever, everything about every episode is basically the best.

Just, in case you hadn't got that point yet. I like this show a lot.

Rather than going through everything I like about everyone and also everything, I'm baaasically going to focus on my title right up there, because, you know, we all have lives to get along with and I can't sit here writing about Parks and Rec all day (that's a lie because OF COURSE I CAN). So things are about to get spoilery, so you can leave if you don't want to know things, but before you go, let me just say that April Ludgate is my actual spirit animal and I love her and also sort of want to be her and also I LOVE HER. Ok, you can go now.

SPOILERY PART.
Just give me a minute, cause I need to think about how cute Ben and Leslie are together.

Ok, are we... Yeah, that's amazing.

Anyway! So! Yes. Before Parks and Rec, all I'd seen Adam Scott in was Friends With Kids. I didn't really like that film, I watched it while I was feeling ill anyway (bad idea) but I really found Adam Scott's character very very annoying. I never ever expected to fancy him in any way (I don't know, his face ON IT'S OWN isn't that great) and even though I guess I vaguely knew he was in Parks and Rec, I cared a lot more about the fact that ROB LOWE was in it. (I like Rob Lowe's face quite a lot. It's a pretty magnificent face.)

But then! The bastard grew on me! I think the thing was this- in the first season, the show was set up so that Leslie was meant to be kind of unlucky in love, because, I think her enthusiasm was supposed to be offputting (RIDICULOUS), at least to men. And so, even though she had a couple of boyfriends even in season 2, in my brain there was still a sense of 'these men are RIDICULOUS, they should ALL want to marry Leslie.' And then Ben came along, and, well, obviously he did want to marry her, but also saw exactly how amazing she was and that was just perfect, plus that little smile whenever she did something incredible that showed how he was falling in love with her and eeeeeeeee!

There are, of course, other reasons to love Ben Wyatt that aren't 'because he loves Leslie Knope' (although that is obviously the best one, and shows his exquisite taste) and, you know, there's the nerd thing and the faces at the camera when we're all thinking 'huh?' about the madness in Pawnee, and the fact that he sacrificed his job so his girlfriend could keep hers and GOD has that ever even happened on TV before? Adam Scott now, to me, has the kind of face that I LOVE because I think of all the things he's done and he's just perfect. Basically I want to marry Ben Wyatt, if that's cool.

That is, if I can't marry Leslie Knope. Actually, that's crazy, basically I want to be Leslie Knope. I mean, I am essentially April, which is cool because I think Andy is way hot, but really and truly, I'd rather be Leslie. To wake up every morning inside her positive, can-do, thinking of everyone else all the time brain must be so amazing, and people just flock to her because she's the best person. In the world. Ever. I love her and I like her and I don't know what more I can say.

Except, oh, everything. Like, Leslie is a politician who actually cares about making people's lives better. Like, remember how she made Ron worried that she was going to throw a huge party for his birthday but actually she knew what he wanted so well that he got a steak in front of the TV by himself? Like, The Pawnee Goddesses. Oh yeah. I literally can't think of a TV character who's a better role model, not just for women but for every human being ever, AND even though this is the case, she's still so funny! She's magnificent! She's Leslie. And I love her. Obviously.

And who knew that the woman I used to know only as the weird mum from Mean Girls would turn out to have been so amazing all along? Amy Poehler, I salute you. And your incredible awesomeness and OH MAN can I just watch the whole thing all over again? I can? Well... Ok then. I shall.

Devouring TV: Extreme Couponing

One of the most astute things that my dad (and maybe anyone) has ever said about me is that I only watch really really good or really really bad TV. It's so incredibly true that I couldn't even say anything about it, just nod in agreement because, yeah. Absolutely. I can't explain this paradox, but the fact is that I want to watch Breaking Bad and I want to watch Hoarders, and I don't want anything in between. The best or the worst, that's all I want.

One thing that no one has ever said about me, but which I know to be true about myself, is that I like to mix the highbrow with the lowbrow- talking about parts of pop culture in a ridiculously over-analytical way for what they are. And that's what you're going to get here, so I can try to justify watching all the Extreme Couponing Netflix has to show, except for the stupid episodes where they've messed with the format and made couponers compete against each other for some reason... That, apparently, is where I draw the line. Weirdly.

So, Extreme Couponing. It's an American reality show wherein people who coupon basically for a living get huge amounts of shopping worth hundreds (and sometimes thousands) of dollars for about $5. It is RIDICULOUS, and so much more exciting than it should be, and it's a shameful yet excellent thing to watch. There are quite a few reasons I suspect I'm so into it, not least of which is that you literally can't do this kind of thing in the UK. We don't have nearly as many coupons, there's no such thing as 'doubling coupons' (Americans: Your shops really do that?!) and most money off vouchers have small print that say 'cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer'. So, there's no possible way for me to ever be, say, paid to take things out of shops, so I have to live vicariously through these people.

A weird and unexpected side effect of watching Extreme Couponing has been that I've started to see the logic in doing what these people do. I mean, don't get me wrong- mostly I watched it because it's completely compulsive and also slides down so easily after a day of unpacking, but, of course, I've thought about it a bit more than that. At first I had a lot of criticisms, like 'whyyy are these people doing this in their free time?' and 'Do they really need that?' and 'Well, they can't get anything healthy with those coupons, anyway.' and it was like the programme had anticipated each of my criticisms and had an answer for all of them.

Like, 'whyyyy are these people doing this in their spare time?' Well, they're doing it so that they can save money. Or so they can support their extended family. Or because their husband lost his job (yeah, it's mostly women who do it...). I'm not saying there's not some kind of compulsion involved, but frankly, I think that if someone wants to do couponing instead of, say, a full time job, then I think that's an equally effective use of one time and also it's kiiind of the opposite of Capitalism, to which I say YAY. I have slightly more of a 'whaaaat?' reaction when people have a full time job, and in their spare time they coupon, because when do you start living, people?!

And 'do they really need that?' Well, they sort of do. Obviously no one needs a fifty year supply of toothpaste all at once, or an entire room for sweets (I actually do need an entire room for sweets, so) but on the whole, the people featured on Extreme Couponing kind of buy things they at least like (apart from this one woman who made her son eat cereal he didn't even like because it was free, which seems a bit against everything I'm trying to say here) and if they don't like them, or won't use them, then they donate them. And you can't really argue with that. Couponing for the good of humanity? That's cool.

'Well, they can't get anything healthy with those coupons anyway.' Well, for the most part, this is pretty true. I've seen people buy many many bottles of vitamin water, packs of oreo cookies, this same brand of noodles over and over again (there must always be coupons for them!), but, as the narration constantly reinforces, coupons for things like meat and produce and basically raw ingredients of all meals are pretty much like unicorns. So, I could watch with the smug belief that, well, at least I eat better than these people. BUT THEN I watched this episode with a vegan couponer, and well. I mean, what can you do with that? She must be pretty healthy AND she saves money. So, my conclusion is that you can be an unhealthy couponer, but you don't have to be.

Obviously, I've overthought this a LOT. But it's fun to do and I like it, so leave me alone! Here are a few random side effects I've experienced watching Extreme Couponing:

• I've wanted to smack the voiceover person so much whenever he says 'a x% savings.' NO. It's either 'a x% saving' OR 'x% savings'. NOT BOTH.
• They almost always get tons of vitamin water and it makes me crave vitamin water so badly. This wouldn't be a problem, but vitamin water is SO EXPENSIVE over here. It's not just a little bit more expensive, it's like the same as the dollar price, only in pounds but also with more money added to that? I can't afford that shit, someone find me a coupon!
• Extreme Couponing is the only thing I've ever watched that makes me kind of want to live in one of the crappier states* in the US because they have better coupons. This is RIDICULOUS, and yet.

So basically. You probably shouldn't watch Extreme Couponing because MY GOD the amount of time you'll spend doing so, but if you feel a compulsion to watch really bad TV (I can't be the only one...) then you couldn't do much better, or in fact worse, than this. I love it, really.

*By crappier, I basically just mean not California or New York. Their couponing deals suuuuuck.

Devouring Films: Miss Representation

Miss Representation is a documentary that's been on my radar for the longest time- I actually get email updates from the organisation that either came from or made the film (I'm a little sketchy on the details, and I also don't even remember signing up for them, but there you go) that are essentially 'this terrible thing happened for women' or 'look at this awesome thing that happened for women'.

Needless to say, I get a lot of emails like this.

Anyway. So I'd never actually seen the documentary because I don't think it's out on DVD and it's been difficult to find online until, lo and behold, it appeared on Netflix one day! A few million episodes of Parks and Recreation and Extreme Couponing later, I finally watched it and I. Got. So. Angry.

At just, everything. At how, if you're a woman, you're only allowed to be on TV if you're really thin and really beautiful. At how, if you're a woman and you want to be a politician, instead of getting to share your ideas on how the world should be, you're really just opening yourself up to a discussion about your looks, style, and personality. At how, even though this documentary got so many powerful and successful women (Condeleezza Rice, Katie Couric, Rachel Maddow, Nancy Pelosi, Gloria Steinem) to talk about their experiences (not one of which was without sexism), you'd be hard pressed to think of many more women in the media who would even be qualified to talk about things like this because women are not valued in the media. At least not as creators of news, but definitely as objects of it.

So yeah, Miss Representation is about how women are represented (MISrepresented) in the media, and just how fucked up everything in the world is ever. The way I see it, it's like the women's movement happened, things got better for women legally and kind of socially and The-Men-Who-Run-Everything went 'shit! We can't let this happen!' and did everything they could to make women insecure, self-hating, body image OBSESSED and just generally made to feel as though they're not good enough for anything. This takes a few different forms, from airbrushing in every photo you see in a magazine so that some impossible standards of beauty are created, to abusing female politicians, mostly about the way they look, but also about the audacity of their decision to, you know, leave the kitchen, when obviously nobody wants to hear what they have to say. Because of their vaginas.

What it comes down to is this: The media has created an impossible, impossible situation for women where you have to be THE most beautiful creature in the whole world or nobody will like you, but at the same time, even when you are this most beautiful creature, you're not allowed to do anything because you're just a woman, and don't be silly, women don't have ideas or anything! It's not even just that though- it seems that, if women try to be or do anything that they're not expected to do, there's always some negative spin to be put on it- for example, I present you with this article about the fact that 3/5 of young doctors are female (How cool is that?!) and why that's a problem because you know the wimmins are just going to ruin everything with their lady bits and baby having.

AND it's not just that. Everywhere, everywhere, everywhere, women are UNDER represented on TV. There are so few TV shows that star women, and even less that are considered 'important' viewing, for the pure reason that TV shows and films starring men are supposed to appeal to both genders, whereas those starring women are only supposed to appeal to women. That is complete BULLSHIT, of course, and THEN so many movies that star women are really about men because, let's face it, all women really want to do is get married and have babies and that's IT. And it's the 'that's IT' bit that's really the problem because, you know, I think that is something that many many women do want, but what about everything else we want? Why is that never talked about and explored, and why doesn't anyone make movies about it, and why why why are we left with such shallow and flat and non-exploratory definitions of what women want and what motivates them and what else there is to life apart from men and babies?

I realise I kind of haven't talked about the documentary that much, but really the questions it raises from the evidence it gives are more important than the film itself. It's a good film- well made, well thought out arguments- it does almost completely focus on the US, but the US is fucked up enough to provide evidence for a whole documentary, and from that you can really apply it to other places (as I did to the UK, obviously) easily. It's going to make you really fucking angry, and you know what? You should be angry. You should stay angry. The way women are treated by the media isn't fair, it isn't right, and being angry about it, and voting with your remote control and NOT just letting it fade into the background of your thoughts is the only way to combat it.

This documentary has reminded me why I get so angry when people say that feminism isn't necessary anymore, and why I'll remain angry until I see as many women as men on my TV, in my government, in businesses, making movies and writing TV shows, and until those women are allowed to look exactly the way they want to look, not the way it works for the media to have them look to conform to some bullshit standards of beauty. Until, in other words, women get the same treatment as men by the media. I mean, come on. It's only fair, right?

Devouring Films: Out of Africa

Or, The Most Romantic Thing I've Ever Heard

This isn't going to be strictly a review of Out of Africa, because I've seen it a grand total of once, and that was three and a half years ago(ish). What I'm saying is, I don't really remember much about it, apart from that there was this one character who said 'my waters have turned black' which made me HORRIFIED that such a disease could exist, and there was also a supremely awkward sex scene between Meryl Streep and Robert Redford that to this day can still make Frances and I giggle for AGES just at the mention of it.*

Anyway. The fact that I don't remember much about the story isn't important, because there's one more bit that I do remember and, as I have implied above, it's pretty much the most romantic thing I've ever heard. And it's not romantic in a disgusting, cutesy, annoying way, it's romantic in a way that appeals directly to me and my entire way of being. So, towards the end of the film, after Robert and Meryl have spent some time apart (don't ask me why, don't ask me if they end up together, I HAVE NO IDEA) he goes to see her, and he says:

"You've ruined it for me, you know... Being alone."

 Here's why this is so romantic to me: I love being alone. Being alone is pretty much my favourite state,  and much as there are other people I like (it's good to know I'm not a robot person, correct?) and much as I do like spending time with them, I do always need to spend some time alone after spending time with a lot of people because it's exhausting to me. I'm a classic introvert, is basically what I'm saying. So yeah, I like being with people, but I also like being alone, but to find someone I like so much that being alone would become an undesirable state? Well, I kind of want that.

There's also this love letter that Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote to his wife**, where he says, along similar lines,

"Thou art the only person in the world that ever was necessary to me. Other people have occasionally been more or less agreeable; but I think I was always more at ease alone than in anybody's company, till I knew thee. And now I am only myself when thou art within my reach."

I just... Isn't that the best thing ever? To be like 'hmm, people are ok' and then find a person who is necessary to you? Who becomes the one person you can't even imagine living without, and who changes you so that, instead of being happiest alone, you're happiest when they're near? I want that! Everyone wants that, I guess, but these are the two places where I've best heard it expressed, or at least that have stuck with me for the longest.

So, I don't really know if you should watch Out of Africa or not, but I do know the way I want to be in love someday. That's much better, right? Right.

*I tried really hard to find this sex scene for you on youtube, but it's not there. If you can find it, I commend you. And giggle.
**Of course I own a book called Love Letters of Great Men. Of COURSE it was a Sex and the City movie tie-in. I feel no shame about this!

A to Z Bookish Survey

Subtitle: That post other people have done that I'm copying because I'm too tired/lazy to write a review of anything. I've stolen this from both Sarah and Alley and you should probably read theirs too, because, I don't know, reasons.

HERE I AM DOING THIS:

Authors you've read the most books from: Have you ever been here before? Because it's obviously Stephen King. I mean, even in the past 2 and a half years I've read 39 of his books and I've read more than that and WOAH that is a lot of books.

Best sequel ever: I don't know, man, I don't read books that are in a series. Let's say... All the Harry Potter books EXCEPT the Chamber of Secrets, which is TECHnically the sequel... Dammit.

Currently reading: Oh God... *Deep breath* Middlemarch, The Lost Continent, Tell The Wolves I'm Home, The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon. Friday Reads on twitter is like a NIGHTMARE for me every week

Drink of choice when reading: I really don't drink or eat anything (or only rarely) when I'm reading because I'm not even in the room, anymore, so I don't have bodily appetites, yeah?

Ereader or physical book: I loves a good physical book, but I'm also very fond of my Kindle- I haven't read that many books on it because SO MANY UNREAD BOOKS, but I don't dislike the experience at all. And I haven't taken it on holiday yet, but when I do finally go away, I am going to love it so much.

Fictional character that you probably would have dated in High School: I didn't go to High School because we don't have those over here. But I can't think of any hot teenage characters (because I'm OLD) so let's pretend Eric Northman (HE'S A BOOK CHARACTER TOO) and I would have been schoolish contemporaries and THAT would have happened because yum.

Glad you gave this book a chance: Um um ummmm... Oooh, OK, Ready Player One because it was exactly the book I wanted to read even though I didn't even know that. ALSO The Sisters Brothers. It was awesome.

Hidden gem book: What is this, like books that are awesome but nobody knows about? Everyone knows about Rainbow Rowell at this point, yeah?

Important moment in your reading life: I suppose my first Stephen King book was probably quite an important moment but I can't even remember what it was (it might have been Carrie because I'm like that.) BUT ALSO I'm going to copy Alley because starting this blog was a totally important thing because it took my book thoughts out of my brain and translated them into words I could share with other people and that's just AWESOME.

Just finished: The Newlyweds by Nell Freudenberger. It was fine... But I kind of want to say the cover was better than the book (the cover is AWESOME)

Kind of books you won't read: I kind of want to say YA only I DO read it, I just rarely enjoy it. HAVING SAID THAT, I believe Tell The Wolves I'm Home is YA and I am enjoying it muchly so you can just ignore me.

Longest book you read: Is it Les Miserables? I'm going to say Les Miserables. It's actually technically the uncut version of The Stand, BUT 1400 Stephen King pages is not the same as 1200 Victor Hugo pages.

Major book hangover because of: I kind of had a continual book hangover while I was reading Harry Potter because I didn't want to read anything else alongside it.

GIF BREAK:

Applies to most of these. Also this isn't even a gif.

This is just getting gratuitous now.

Number of bookcases you own: I technically only own one, which is why my books live in weird places like 'the gap next to my bed' and also 'the bottom of my wardrobe'. 

One book you've read multiple times: To Kill A Mockingbird, and I will read it forever.

Preferred place to read: It's my bed. Always, always my bed.

Quote that inspires you: I actually have two quote notebooks (I filled one up. I am all about the quotes.)  so let's look in the one that I can reach without moving... "Well, I must endure the presence of two or three caterpillars if I wish to be acquainted with the butterflies." From The Little Prince (I didn't read far into my quote notebook... BUT this is pretty and also it's french and papillon is possibly my favourite word in french/any language. This is random information I'm giving you...)

Reading regret: I dunno. The fact that I can't do it for a living? That's not really a regret, is it..?

Series that you started and need to finish: Seriously, I don't read series! And I ALWAYS finish them. NEXT.

Three of your all-time favourite books: It by Stephen King, To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee and and *dies from the pressure of having to choose only one more* Let's say East of Eden by John Steinbeck? But SO MANY.

Unapologetic fangirl for: Stephen King (obvs), Nora Ephron, Caitlin Moran, Rainbow Rowell, Bill Bryson, John Steinbeck, WILKIE, Murakamiiiiiiiiii.

Very excited for this release: In general, I don't really know about any new releases, but I am excited for the new Donna Tartt (so excited that I can't even remember its name) AND Maddaddam by Margaret Atwood, which I've already reserved at the library even though it isn't even out yet. Oh ACTUALLY that's part of a series that I must finish. 

Worst bookish habit: Buying books when I definitely don't need any more books. It's an addiction, people.

X marks the spot! Start at the top left of your shelf and pick the 27th book: Why the 27th though? This one is stupid. Ok, *moves* The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton. I didn't do anything with it though...

Your last bookish purchase: I may or may not have bought three books on Saturday, ONE OF WHICH I already had out of the library and which I have now read and decided that I don't want to keep. This is not one of those stories with a happy ending (although I do now have another Richard Yates book which is cool because I like Revolutionary Road quite a lot).

Zzz snatcher- Which book kept you up way late?: SO MANY. But the most ironic was Insomnia by Stephen King, and possibly the best was 1Q84 by Murakamiiiiii, which I literally didn't know how to put down. 

I think we've all learnt a lot. My work here is done. 

Top 5 TV

I recently finished watching The Wire (which... I should probably write a post about. But how do you sum up 5 seasons of TV that were pretty awesome, but that EVERYONE has pretty much praised to death already? Exactly) and ever since then, I've been slightly... adrift in my TV show viewing. I've watched some Arrested Development (which, by the way, is exactly as funny as everyone says it is) and Parks and Rec has finally made its way over here, which means I get two episodes of it a week, but as of now, I don't have anything to obsess over at all times.

This is mostly my own fault, I have to admit, because there are just SO many TV shows I want to watch that I don't even know how to settle on one. Probably I should just finish Arrested Development and then settle on the next one, but... I sort of don't want to finish Arrested Development. Because, in case I haven't made this clear yet, it's actually the best. But anyway! These are the top 5 shows in the running to be the object of my affections for a month or so:

 Top 5 Shows I want to watch

1. Six Feet Under- This is the show I really want to watch the most most most, only it involves buying the boxset and I'm not sure I'm ready to part with that much money right now. But... Alan Ball!! I know it's going to be so awesome, so all this delayed gratification is going to be fine, right?

2. Pushing Daisies- This is mostly just because Kayleigh and Alley have both said how awesome it is, but I hear it involves pie so I. Am. Sold. (I have seen Waitress SO many times, mostly just for the pie porn. Actually, that movie is just generally pretty awesome...)

3. Firefly- Joss. Freaking. Whedon. That is enough to make me ashamed I haven't watched it yet. It's on Netflix so it will definitely be watched. Maybe next. Maybe.

4. Dexter- I don't know if I WANT to watch this so much as it's so so easy to watch because it's also on Netflix that it seems like it'd be a crime NOT to. All I know for sure is that 8 seasons (or whatever it is) is a hella big commitment, so... It'll have to be really really good.

5. A Gifted Man- There is absolutely no mystery to why I want to watch this- Patrick Wilson. Patrick Wilson. Oh yeah, and Patrick Wilson is in it? This may not seem like a good enough reason to watch a TV show that, even I'll admit looks kind of ridiculous but... It's Patrick Wilson. I'd watch him doing anything. Also,

(ok, Patrick Wilson is married. But his character isn't...)

That was actually a really difficult list to make because SERIOUSLY, guys- there are SO MANY TV shows I want to watch! I have to give honourable mentions to My So-Called Life and Freaks and Geeks (both of which I want to watch quite badly, but I've also had a hard time finding them anywhere) and also to It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and The Killing which I do have access to, and so will probably watch sooner than I watch, say, Six Feet Under or A Gifted Man.

SO TELL ME, friends! What should I watch first? What else should I WANT to watch? Tell me all your TV secrets (and by secrets, I really just mean TV shows that everyone is able to watch. So not secrets at all, then).