Revenge is a dish best served cold

It all started with The L-Word. Before I began watching that show on DVD on my laptop from the comfort of my own bed in February 2009, I had been living a TV-less life for nearly seven years. When I was younger I watched (and loved) a lot of TV shows, with all my time favourite being Beverly Hills 90210. But I got off TV pretty much cold turkey when I moved into the dorms during first year of university. A. had a TV and once I went to his room specifically so we could watch (what else?) the special 10 year anniversary since they graduated from high school Bev Hills 90210 special. But otherwise, I never watched it, and I didn't miss it.

I went through the rest of university, and beyond without ever wanting a TV or actively watching any shows (with the notable exception of Sex and the City. However, somehow that seemed different; I think because I had to make a special effort to watch it, and never just had a TV I could flip on or off whenever I felt like it.) But then, everything changed with shows suddenly becoming so available on DVD and on the internet. The L-Word was the first show I watched on DVD and it was addictive! It was so easy to just watch the next episode, and then the one after that. My favourite thing about watching shows on DVD is that the season is already done, and I can just watch episode after episode without having to wait another week to see an episode.

E. recommended Veronica Mars to me back in the fall, but I didn't get around to asking her to lend me all three seasons on DVD until the beginning of April. From the first episode I was hooked. I watched seasons 1 and 2 (44 episodes) in a three week period, one time watching 4 episodes in one day. Excessive? Definitely. But I was also able to, so figured, why not? Plus, both seasons 1 and 2 feature season long mysteries which culminate in the season finale, bringing every episode one step closer to Veronica solving the mystery.

I just recently discovered Party Down, which is created by the same person - Rob Thomas - who did Veronica Mars. Many of the same actors are on both shows. Party Down is so funny, and sadly is already cancelled after just two short seasons of 10 episodes each. I only have one episode left, and I'm saving it for a reward after things - my apt, classes, my life in general - become more settled in Montreal. Overall, Party Down makes me glad TV exists.

True Blood is another show I started watching this spring. I rented the season 1 DVD and was given one week to watch 12 episodes. After 5 days and 3 episodes, I felt certain I would have to re-rent it (or risk late fines) in order to watch all the episodes. But then I went a little crazy and watched 9 episodes in 3 days. Time well spent. I've since watched all of season 2 and am having to endure watching season 3 as it airs, meaning the excruciating cliff hangers at the end of each episode (and season) which I avoided for 1+2, are a fact of life for season 3.

Really, over the past year and a half I've come to understand that I never knew, even during my Beverly Hills 90210 obsessed days (although granted I was ages 9/10/11 in the peak of my loving that show), that TV could be this good. I used to (embarrassingly) pride myself on the fact that I didn't have a TV and didn't watch any shows, but now I just wonder what I was missing all those years. It seems I have a lot to make up for, and therefore am happily planning to watch Freaks & Geeks, and then Six Feet Under next. Very exciting!

PS: By now you've probably noticed this post has nothing to do with revenge. However, "revenge is a dish best served cold" is a line/concept used on both Veronica Mars and Party Down that I really like! If I were into getting revenge on people (although thankfully I'm not) I'd definitely serve it cold.

Summer in the City

This is the first summer in a long time that I've actually been at home in Toronto all of July and August; and it's been so great it now makes me want to always take my vacation in May or early June so that I can be home all summer. I loved the two Junes I spent in Berkeley. Both times I experienced and enjoyed a vibe that just wasn't there during the school year. And I'm noticing the same thing about Toronto this summer.

The last Friday in June was very hot and very sunny. After a lunch with E. and C. where we started off outside but before our food came had to seek shelter in the air conditioned interior to relieve the steady sweat that dripped off, and the glaring brightness that surrounded us, E. and I took her dog to the park. The whole time there was so relaxed. First we hung out in the off leash area with lots of other dogs and their owners, and then we moved over to a different part of the park, sat on E.'s blanket and proceeded to just lounge around a whole lot more. After a while I told E. I should probably go home, to which she replied "why?" Realizing I really didn't have an answer and that I had absolutely nothing pressing to do at home, I happily continued to hang out.

Though I started work 10 days after that, and therefore have not been able to wile away as many afternoons in dog parks as I would like, that late June day really set the tone for a July and August filled with lots of sunshine and lots of hanging out. This summer has also seen 2 picnics on M.'s front lawn (which, despite my initial reluctance given the fact that I'm not a big fan of sitting on the ground, even if on a blanket, were actually super fun!), some tanning/lounging on the chaise lounge in my backyard, 2 shows at the Molson Amphitheatre, and just generally enjoying being outdoors.

I always tend to make comparisons in my head about lots of things (my moods, my situations, my feelings about this or that, etc.) and so fittingly, I've found myself comparing summer, to its polar opposite, winter. During the past winter I stayed indoors, a lot, and wore warm sweat pants and big sweatshirts and often went to bed with my hot water bottle. And I actually really liked it. I love warm clothes, and the feeling of being completely covered and warm in those clothes. This summer, in contrast, has been very hot, and very humid. Other than my bed, my favourite place to go on the internet (and the place I do most of my work) is the dining room table. The air conditioning doesn't reach the dining room that well. Therefore, on really hot days in July I became desperately in need of something cool to wear. One would think I would just choose shorts and a tank top, but no, when I'm at home I'm all about lounge/sleep wear. So I found my old black nightgown, which is light, low-cut and short - leaving lots of my skin exposed, and therefore keeping me cool. After having not worn it for over a year, the black nightgown has become my defacto summer-at-home outfit. Sometimes I sit at my dining room table and instead of working, have fun imagining I'm a bored housewife in lingerie waiting for my husband to come home. Those fantasies are all well and good, but I know that I'd be so embarrassed if anyone - be it a neighbour, the mailman, or even a friend - happened to see me in it.

Sadly though, my days of wearing nightgowns are almost over. I've noticed, particularly over the last 10 days or so, how the sun really is setting earlier. From a window on the landing of the staircase going to the second floor I can see the sunset and it makes me a bit sad that we're almost in the homestretch of summer. Though there are a few things I'm looking forward to about colder weather coming again, I know I'll miss the summer, and particularly this summer, once it goes.