What's on my TV

With all the new shows that come each fall, I frequently get overwhelmed with the new choices of shows to watch. I am not a good "casual viewer" of shows. When I watch a show, I feel the need to watch it every week and stay up-to-date on what is going on. This puts unnecessary pressure on myself, but I hate being behind in the plots!

This summer I tried to watch a few shows on Netflix that were highly recommended- Breaking Bad, Walking Dead, Fear the Walking Dead, The Wire- and I am just not into them. I think violence/blood/guts/zombies is not what I am currently craving in a TV show. I also started The West Wing, and I like it but have a hard time binge watching it. Mainly I stuck to rewatching old shows I have already seen a million times...but I wanted to spread my horizons. When the new shows started over the past few weeks, I got excited about new additions to my lineup.

So here is what has been on my TV lately:

1. How to Get Away with Murder: I heard about this last year but never gave it a fair shot because it comes on at 10 PM and I am never up that late! It began streaming on Netflix recently, so of course I watched the entire first season in one week (to be fair, it rained a lot)! I really liked the first season, but have not loved the first two episodes of season 2. Hopefully it will get it's groove back.
2. The Mindy Project: I have watched this since it started on FOX, but now it is on hulu, so I had to register for a free trail to keep watching. I hope I can keep doing that to watch this whole season. Mindy Kailing is hilarious and I like a lot of the supporting characters.
3. Quantico: This is a new one that I really liked the premiere episode of! It's about the FBI training academy and flash-forwards to a terrorist attach that was presumably done by one of the cadets, so it will keep you guessing all season. I like the leading actress a lot. I am hopeful it will stay good!
4. The Grinder: OMG FRED SAVAGE! I love seeing him on my TV screen and not strictly behind-the-scenes (he directs/produces a lot). This one was funny and looks promising!
5. Grandfathered: This looks promising too, and I enjoyed the first episode. I love John Stamos.
6. The Affair: My girlfriends and I randomly found this this past weekend and saw three episodes in a row. It apparently won the Golden Globe last season, and we all were sucked in. It is told from two different perspectives so you don't really know the whole truth the whole time. Sadly, it is on Showtime so I can't watch it at my house, but it gives us an excuse to get together to watch!

So those are the new shows I am into! Enough to keep me busy, right? I also have been on a reading spree, which I do a lot of during commercials or when I am on the elliptical on cross training days. I love to multitask! :)

What is on your TV?

Warning: Obsession Conversations Are Long, Part 2

So I wrote a post about how I tend to get obsessed with TV shows back in 2011. That full post is here and you should read it because I stand by what I said and think I said it fairly well. The gist of that post is below:

I have only truly been obsessed with 2 ½ shows my whole life. The two are The X Files and Bones and the half is LOST. The X Files and Bones bring out a feeling like no other- butterflies, euphoria, obsession, stalk-age of stars, online pursuit of spoilers and an obscene knowledge of quotes, episode titles, continuity issues and series details. I got into Lost a little late in the game (season 4 of 6) and never really caught up myself up with the true level of maddening obsession that I had for the other two shows. Same goes for Friends and Sex and the City- I know quotes and series details, but I was too young when they came out to really obsess. I still LOVE them though! A true obsession, though, is a harder thing to come by.

What I have found in shows that I am obsessed with is UST. Unresolved Sexual Tension. I can’t get enough. Two characters that should get together but don’t yet or aren’t makes for some great TV moments. The love is not thrown in your face but implied and cultured and grown and challenged and you as a viewer have to earn those moments. The touch of a hand, a kiss on the cheek, a look or an argument all are more exciting to you than anything else. And obviously since the two shows I am obsessed with have a male and female lead with opposite personalities solving crimes, I obviously love the combination. I think the murder and mayhem is a great backdrop for the relationships and character development. I don’t want a whole show focused solely on either- I want a mix.

The issue comes, though, when the “Moonlighting Curse” is mentioned. If the two leads get together, will the show die? This happened to Moonlighting back in the 80’s and shows have been afraid to repeat it since. But I disagree with the curse- that show died because the two actors off screen wanted to leave and the writing got sloppy. Good writing and good stories can keep going with people getting together. It’s not like the two characters all the sudden will be all over each other- they are still themselves- but it will give fans satisfaction and keep the shows from becoming stagnant. Relationships evolve and change so our shows should too. I don’t want a show in it’s 6^th season to be like it was in the 1^st- that is not realistic. And if you you don’t give the fans what they want they will become frustrated and run away in droves. Character development can’t stop just to keep two people apart.

(Then I go on to talk about my thoughts on The X Files and Bones when they got together...)

Anyways, I am revisiting this thought for a few reasons. The first point is that four years later, I still only connect with shows that have UST. I re-watched LOST again this winter, and the relationships and tension are what kept me the most intrigued. I can't get enough. The second that aspect is gone, I think all shows lose steam. I also haven't found a show with the same level of UST as The X Files or Bones EVER. The dynamic is so hard to come by, and I really miss that currently I am not really into any television shows (sorry Bones...I love you, but you need to end). It finally dawned on me that it was because I haven't found that level of chemistry since. Some shows have it in pieces, like Grey's Anatomy, Friends and Sex and the City, but it is not at the same level. I need that to make me fall in love and obsess over a show. I have tried watching so many other shows, like Mad Men, Parenthood, Friday Night Lights, and Revenge, and while they are good, none of them get me to that level of obsession and good 'feels' as the good ol' UST. I miss it.

This has also come up for me recently again, because, as you may know, The X Files is coming back this winter! I am excited and nervous about this revelation (seeing the stars onstage in this clip was enough to get me giddy), but with it has come a lot of retrospective viewing, interviews, podcasts, and new bloggers commenting on the show. It has brought all these wonderful 'feels' back, and I am reminded once again that I have not found another show like this (seriously,if you are a fan, check out this website. Hysterical). It's been fun.

So I guess there really is no point to this post except that you should read my original post and that I want some new UST-esque shows-> PLEASE SOMEONE HELP ME FIND ONE! And that some feelings and obsessions never die. And I really do love good TV, and I hope to find a new show soon.

Comment away on any recommendations! I have already tried, Breaking Bad, thank you, and it is too violent. I like crime solving, but severe violence (a la Game of Thrones) is not my friend. And I don't like Scandal, sorry Shondaland.

Odds and Ends

It has been a letdown week after all the excitement from this weekend! I took Monday off to recoup from everything, but I still feel like this week has been busy. No running has happened as I have let my body heal (I was sore until today). Still, I have felt exhausted and "off" as I get myself back to normal. I am sure that being sick last week has also not helped my recovery. I have also been busy with PhD-school events (class, teaching and conducting interviews for the master's level program) and volunteering for Massey for the Monument 10k this weekend. I am not as excited about the race as I normally am due to the fact that I won't be well-rested for it and my friends who normally host a party (they live on the race route) aren't having people over this year:(. It'll be different!

In some exciting news, though....my favorite show is coming back for a limited run!!! Can we talk about how amazing it is to google "The X Files" and see all these articles?!

Amazing. I am pumped. I hope it is good!

Also, on what will probably be my last comment on the marathon (for a while), I have been thinking about my training and if I would do anything differently if I run one again. In short, I think I would. I feel I was very prepared for this race and definitely wouldn't have wanted to do another 20 or 22 miler like some training plans have you do, but I would have actually cut it shorter. I think I hit a mental wall about 4 weeks out from the race where I just wanted to be done. I was tired, mentally and physically, and felt like it was taking over my life. I didn't feel some of the runs were really necessary and I could have upped my mileage a bit faster. I think if I can maintain a 10 mile long run once a month (I am thinking about alternating a 6-8-10 weekend schedule), I could do a 12 week training program and up my mileage a bit faster, like 10-12-14-dropback-16-dropback-18-dropback-20-dropback- dropback- race, or something like that.

It is kinda sad this is no longer on my fridge:(

This was exactly what I did for this race (plan was typed and actual mileage was written in), and I feel that the slow increase at the beginning could have been cut off. We'll see how I feel at the end of the summer if I decide to do the Richmond Marathon in the fall:) Can you believe I didn't miss a single planned run until my last taper week when I got sick?! Crazy! I doubt that will ever happen again.

Anyone else adjust their training plans after they do their first marathon? Any tips for me incorporating speed work?

Early Christmas Gift

Nothing like a day of laziness to get myself in the Christmas spirit! Yesterday, after a busy weekend and out of town short trip, I was EXHAUSTED. I rarely have a day of nothing because I usually can't stand to sit still, but I stayed in my sweatpants all day yesterday (well, until 6 PM when I had a condo association meeting) and watched too much TV. My friend and I were scheduled to meet up, but we both felt too lazy, so we just texted. #firstworldproblems 

After my morning run (yes, I did do that at least), Santa aka Amazon came to my door with an AWESOME Christmas gift- a Roku!

Now I can watch Netflix on my TV! Score. Perfect for my lazy day and super-easy to set up. Thanks to my bro and sis-in-law!

I hung out with this cutie on the couch all day. He is an awesome snuggle buddy.

I watched 90210 (Christmas episode marathon) and The X Files...David Duchovny, why won't you love me? Any fans know what season this picture is from?

I feel much better today in terms of energy. I think I needed a day to rest from my increased running, traveling and busy holiday schedule. Socializing is exhausting even for an extrovert. I will head over to my parents this afternoon for a low-key Christmas. Just us this Christmas as my brothers are with their in-laws. Adulthood changes things! I am excited for a visit to the National Harbor this weekend, though,

Merry Christmas!!!

Day in the Life

Hey there! As my students have been saying all day,' It's Tuesday?!'

I have not done a 'day in the life' post in a while, so I figured I would catch up. I love reading these from other people's blogs, so I figured I would give it a go for those very few that are interested on here:) This was my life yesterday...

6:05 Wake up! This entails getting dressed, feeding the cat and scooping the litter box.

6:30 Head to my friends' house to let their dog out before work.

6:40 Head to work.

7:00 Pull in and begin the day (which always involves a few cups of coffee first thing)!  I won't bore you with the details of work, but it involved some counseling and related duties :)

Wearing my new shirt from the Williamsburg Outlets this weekend! Thank you LOFT!

8:30 Make oatmeal.

11:00 Eat peanut butter and jelly sandwich and pretzels (I eat lunch in stages).

12:30 Finish lunch with trail mix.

2:30 Kashi Granola bar as a snack.

3:00 Finish up with work and head back to my friend's house to let the dog out again.

3:40 Arrive home and change into workout gear. I also make my lunch right away so it is ready for the next day. Eat a snack (a LOT of trail mix...I have issues).

4:20 Go for a 4 mile run. It is a bit drizzly and humid, so not the best run.

5:00 Cool off and shower.

5:45 Friend comes over to pick up jewelry from a show I hosted the other week. We chat for a while.

6:30 Head to Ellwood Thompson's to meet friends for small dinner and catch up. I had a delicious spinach, orange, almond milk, almond butter and vanilla smoothie! Take awesome picture of a rainbow. This baby was a full one- coolest thing!

Nature is awesome!

8:00 Back home and change into my pajamas.

8:20 Read my book with "Gotham" on in the background. I eventually put the show on mute because the book was getting good! Have a snack of apple with caramel dip and some peanut butter. My appetite has been so odd the last few days...

9:00 Get into bed and watch Grey's Anatomy...I am at the end of season 3. It used to be so much better than it is now (though equally as crazy...they definitely fit too much into that season).

9:45 Lights out! Getting up at 5:30 to workout the next day:)

Woot woot! Exciting, huh? What was your Monday like?

A Life of Leisure

Lately, I have been doing a lot of working (my real job and pool managing), running, eating/grilling out with friends, wine drinking and watching my new obsession, "Damages." It's a tough life!

Don't mess with these chicks!

This past weekend I even got to go back to Prom! Even though I do not work at MBK anymore, my friends still let me accompany them to dances:) They are so nice. 

My mentee and I at dinner

Some MBK ladies.

Posin' with the admin!

Fabulous friends!

In other news, I am officially DONE with selling tickets after school at MBK for sporting events...once my new school opens, the location won't be convenient for me to go back to Meadowbrook to sell tickets after school. I had my last game last Tuesday. It was a good 3 years of ticketing/coaching! I will still visit. And I will no longer get as much reading done...

Also, even though I have a 12-month position now, I am still helping to assistant manage at the pool I worked at last summer. This long weekend I was there every day! My certification is still good and it is an easy gig, so I figured I will work 2 shifts a week through the end of June and then only once in a while in July and August when my vacationing and work schedule pick up. You know I am a sucker for extra traveling money and a tan:)!

Enjoy the end of May!

Lately

I feel like so much of what I have been posting this summer has had to do with vacations or weddings, but lately I do not have much of that to report. The past week and next week or so are filled of typical summer activities at home: working at the pool, laying out, running, reading, watching TV and spending time with friends. I am not complaining, it just does not warrant any really cool blog posts!

Working at the pool: Assistant managing at a country club this summer has been the perfect summer job. I live about 4 miles from the pool, so I can get there in 5 minutes. It is only about 20-30 hours a week, and I have even been able to pick up extra shifts when I want more hours working at the front desk. It is great money, easy work, with nice coworkers, and I get to keep working on my tan! I am planning to keep this job for next summer. The hard times are coming up, though, when I start back at my school AND have to work until the pool closes on Labor Day, but it will be over before I know it (I hope!).

I work here!

Laying out: In case you don't remember, my condo complex has an awesome pool. It is so convenient to wake up, run and lay out before it gets too hot for an hour or so! Yes, I am damaging my skin, but I can't help it! This will end once I go back to work in two weeks.

I live here!

Running: Running has been up and down this summer. I have so much free time (especially in the mornings) that I feel like I should be running most every day, so I haven't given myself much of a break. The heat and humidity was pretty awful at the end of June and the majority of July, but recently the temperatures have been wonderful in the morning. I typically stick to 3-4 miles each run since I am not training for anything, but I will pick up the mileage once the temperatures cool even more (the 50's are my optimal temp). I also like running a little less because it doesn't make me ravenous like the higher miles do.

Running up to our beach house!

Reading: If you look to the "2013 in Books" section on the right of the page you know I read a lot. I have read even more this summer. I average a book every 2-3 days, sometimes 1 each day (like yesterday). Due to popular demand from friends, books I highly recommend from this summer are: "Table for Five" by Susan Wiggs, "Good Grief" by Lolly Winston, "Bulls Island" by Dorthea Benton Frank, "The Island" by Elin Hilderbrand, "Sleeing Beauty" by Phillip Margolin (GREAT mystery), "Stay Close" by Harlan Coben (thriller/suspense/mystery) and "The Good Woman" by Jane Porter (I really like Jane Porter and am reading another one currently that I will recommend). As for this whole year, please read "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand and "The Paris Wife" by Paula McLain. I hope that helps your book list! Message me for details on any of those- most are beach/chic lit, but a few are not.

READ IT!

Watching TV: My current TV watchings are "Orange is the New Black", "Bachelorette", "Tia and Tamera," "Giuliana & Bill" and, of course, 'House Hunters" and the morning news/talk shows! I actually like not having any major shows on in the summer...sometimes it can make the year stressful when I feel like I am getting behind in all my shows! Luckily, I don't watch too many series anymore, so it's not too bad.

Watch it!

Friends: I just have awesome friends:)! I am thankful for each and every one of you! Even though my life can be pretty "lame" at some points (bed at 10:30, up at 7 most every day), and not much drinking/partying except at weddings, college weekends, or bachelorette shenanigans, I am thankful to share the ups and downs of life with so many special people, who appreciate and tolerate me and all my quirks:)! I do not waste spending time with people I don't like any more (hence an early evening last night so I could watch "Orange is the New Black" on Netflix over finishing hanging out with a group of people), so my friends mean even more to me! I think as you get older you realize who you are and what you like, so I truly only spend time with people I care about and enjoy being around. THANK YOU!

And that has been lately:)!

I'm Famous (and really excited about it)!

So remember in my previous post how I said my coworker and I were on a trivia segment in the 4th hour of Today? Well, one of my coworkers who was home sick saw us and sent me this clip. The sound is very low but you can see us!

Look how close we were to Kathie Lee! And how UBER excited we were! Hopefully I will get a higher quality video from some California friends who were instructed to DVR the segment!

We Built This Schmidt-y

Because quotes are fun, it was 72 degrees today (on February first- hello, global warming?!), I got in an awesome run after work, and I think New Girl is the funniest show on air now:

Julia: Hey, so living here is probably fun, right? There are, like, lots of girls coming in and out of this place?
Jess: Schmidt’s like Ellis Island in the 1800s: He accepts everyone.

Nick: Jess, Schmidt's world is different than ours. They speak a different language. They shorten every word to one syllable. Okay? He once called an oven an "ovs." He calls an airport "airp."
Winston: They call ketchup "ketch."
Nick: Last month he went to a party called "Bros Before Hos... on the Moon." What does that even mean? And the dress code was Yacht Flair!
Winston: He has a friend who legally changed his middle name to "Doin'it." Just one word -- Doinit.

Schmidt-isms: Lightning Round!
"Ooooh, Jess. I just found a Groupon for hypnosis lessons. Think what we can do with that... sex stuff!"
"Guys, has anyone seen my good pea coat?"
"Have you seen my shark skin laptop sleeve?"
"Darn it! Has anyone seen my croquet cleats?"
"Hey Jess [lifting up expensive watch], have you seen my other timepiece?"
"Nick, I came up with the best name for an uncircumcised penis: Bishop in a Turtleneck!"
"Damn it! I can't find my driving moccasins anywhere!"


Girls RULE monologue:
"Okay, hey! I have something to say to you, man! I brake for birds. I rock a lot of polka dots. I have touched glitter in the last 24 hours. I spend my entire day talking to children, and I find it fundamentally strange that you're not a dessert person. That's just weird, and it freaks me out! I'm sorry I don't like Murphy Brown. And I hate your pantsuit, and I wish it had ribbons on it -- or just something to make it slightly cuter. And that doesn't mean I'm not smart and tough and strong! I'm about to go pay this $800 fine, and my checks have baby farm animals on them, bitch."

How can you not laugh at at least one of those? I love this show. It is quickly taking over for my other favorite comedy Happy Endings. 

Happy Hump Day!