Here we go....

So, I'm starting a new blog.  There's no particular focus this time: just observations, current pop culture obsessions, and--just for fun--the occasional excerpt from my old pen-and-paper journals (names changed, of course).  So here goes.

Pop Culture Check-In (in which I detail what's entertaining me--or not--at the moment)

Watching

• Being Human on SyFy: The supernatural isn't usually my cup of tea, and I've never watched anything on SyFy (except those awesome clips from their movies on The Soup).  I don't even like how they spell their name.  Still, this show is really entertaining.  I like the dorky werewolf, and though the vampire is a tad Cullen-ish, he is funny and doesn't sparkle.  The cliffhanger ending of the pilot episode really worked for me, and I'm psyched to watch next week. 
• Parks and Recreation:  It's back!  Yay! I fell in love with this show when I Netflixed season two over Christmas break, so I was spared the agonizing wait that longtime fans had to suffer.  I don't know who I'm more excited about: Andy and April or Ben and Leslie.  Nah, they all pale in comparison to Ron Effing Swanson.
• Gavin and Stacey:  Never make the mistake of watching season one of a show (again, via Netflix) when season two isn't yet available.  Dammit!  When will I learn what Nessa is going to do about her...situation?  (If you've seen season two, don't tell me.) Anyway, this show is a lot of fun, and I just appreciate it for introducing me to the word crackin', which is best appreciated in a Welsh accent.

Reading

• Outliers, by Malcolm Gladwell: Yes, I'm a little late to the party, but thanks to this book, I finally understand why the overlords at Alphabet Street got so mad at me for not wearing a Santa Claus hat at the Christmas program. 
• Mildred Pierce, by James M. Cain:  This book can be summed up thusly: woman has bitchy daughter.  I was disappointed.

Current Jams

• "Dirt Off Your Shoulder," Jay-Z
• "Big Girl (You are Beautiful)," Mika