From the Top

It's tough to choose, but I think the premiere I anticipate the most this fall is Glee. Especially after FOX aired the Director's cut of the pilot episode on Wednesday, I am excited to see what else Ryan Murphy and the other creative geniuses behind the show have in store for us. The music is fantastic, and the characters are entertaining. The script is so funny and witty that I couldn't help but online battle with my friend while watching the show - who would be the first to IM the upcoming line? Recently I posted a quote from the Pilot as my facebook status and generated response from other Glee fans who readily recognized the quote. This has given me some inspiration for a weekly blog feature where I will post some of my favorite quotes from the episode along with some commentary. This will most likely appear each Thursday, though I can't make any promises!

Here's post #1: "Pilot"

"You think this is hard?
- Try being waterboarded. That's hard. (The very first line of the entire series!)
- I'm living with hepatitis. That's hard.
Sue Sylvester, coach of the Cheerios cheerleading squad, sure knows how to motivate her "performers." I'm pretty sure this will be a recurring element of the series, and I'm definitely okay with that. I can't wait to see what unconventional bits of inspiration Sue will share next. I'm thinking positive reinforcement is not really her style.

Kurt: [As the football team prepares to throw him into the dumpster] Wait, this is Marc Jacobs' new collection.
Finn: Wait. [Kurt takes off his Marc Jacobs jacket and hands it to Finn] Okay. [Kurt meets the inside of the dumpster as Finn drops his gaze, a bit ashamed]
Oh, the first glimpse of Finn's struggling high school persona. Will he be the good guy who defends the underdog? Or will he go along with the bullying antics of his fellow football players because that's what everyone expects of him? I suppose both - or neither - depending on how you classify the middle ground of compromise.

"By its very definition, Glee is about opening yourself up to joy" - Lillian Adler, former director of the Glee Club at William McKinley High School
Glee, the show, is also about opening yourself up to joy, I think. There is something very heartwarming about watching the underdog find victory, and that seems to be the very essence of the show. It's not so much about the music as it is about this group of social outcasts trying to find their place. I also like this quote, because glee or joy doesn't just happen. We cannot experience even the most inherent happiness without allowing ourselves to be receptive to it.

"Your resentment... is delicious. Well, I have a phoner in a couple minutes. It's an interview - on the telephone with a major media outlet. I'll probably do it on my iPhone." - Sue Sylvester
This quote just embodies Sue's superiority complex. Not only does she think the Cheerios are better than any other group on campus because of their success and high standings in teenage social hierarchy, she also finds herself personally superior to her colleagues. I think we all know at least one person like that who is a chronic "one up"-er.

"My gold stars are a metaphor for me - being a star." - Rachel Berry
Rachel is quite the focused young woman, with definite goals and dreams, and the talent to achieve what she wants. But such focus comes at a price, leaving her painfully naive and socially inept - and apparently unable to construct a strong metaphor.

"But Will, I'm on my feet four hours a day, three times a week here." - Terri Schuester
Terri, the wife you just love to hate. This scene at Sheets and Things only begins to show us the kind of selfishness Will has to put up with/ignore in his marriage to Terri. It's the kind of selfishness that makes me wonder if Terri is really pregnant, or if it's one gigantic lie to keep Will on a short leash.

Sue: High school is a caste system. Kids fall into certain slots. Your jocks, your popular kids - up in the penthouse. The invisibles and the kids playing live-action druids and trolls out in the forest, bottom floor.
Will: And where do the Glee kids lie?
Sue: Sub-basement.
High school is definitely a caste system. There is, without a doubt, a social ladder to climb. I've always been the kind of person who hung out in the middle, not particularly finding favor with the popular kids but not facing their cruelty either. I probably thought I was fortunate to be above "sub-basement", but never treated them poorly because I was only a floor away from playing live-action druids.

"I have trouble with things like that. The messy things." - Emma
She's a germophobe who struggles with "the messy things." Yet what can be messier than unrequited love for a married co-worker who is about to become a father?

"Dr. Phil said that people can change. You know, it's not a bad thing to want a real life, Will. And to have a glue gun that works!" - Terri
Of course Dr. Phil wasn't speaking to her... Her materialism is almost painful.

"I like somebody else, alright? Nothing I can do about it because they're unavailable, so I have to deal with that..." - Emma
Who hasn't been there? Hopefully "dealing with it" means getting over him and not becoming a home-wrecker.

"Wait. Let's pray." - Quinn Fabray, girlfriend of Finn and president of the celibacy club, taking a break from making out with Finn
Whenever there's a Christian character on TV, I'm not sure how to feel about it. Sometimes they're super naive like Grace Bowman from Secret Life of the American Teenager. If not, they're a hypocrite like Quinn, who hosts "Christ Crusader" meetings at her house one minute and makes life miserable for Rachel the next. I haven't decided which stereotype is more frustrating, but I know characters like Quinn make it necessary for Christians to live lives of love and compassion.

"Being an adult is about having to make difficult choices." - Will
I think I will be feeling more like an adult soon...

"I'll miss you." - Will, to Emma
The completely wrong thing for a man to say to the single woman who is desperately in love with him...

"We're all losers... I'm not afraid of being called a loser, because I can accept that's what I am. But I am afraid of turning my back on something that actually made me happy for the first time in my sorry life." - Finn
I wish high school was full of people like Finn. It would make the world a better place. He's the guy you love to love, and the guy you don't mind being popular, because he's not only nice to look at but he's beautiful on the inside too.

"But provide what exactly? The understanding that money is the most important thing - or the idea that the only life worth living is one that you're really passionate about, Will?" - Emma
Wow. One of the best lines of the episode, in my opinion. It really got me thinking about the job options I have, and what my choice says about me. What would I find in a life I'm really passionate about?

"You might think that all the boys at school would totally want to tap this, but my Myspace schedule keeps me way too busy to date." - Rachel
"There is nothing ironic about show choir." - Rachel
"I want the agony out of your eyes!" - Sue
"Chicks don't have prostates. I looked it up." - Puck
These are just classic.

Check out my blog on Thursday for quotes from episode 2, "Showmance".

Welcome to the Real World

Tomorrow morning I have my first "real world" job interview. Until now, I've only had phone interviews or rejection emails (for post-grad jobs, that is). Now I have a full-day interview, beginning at 8:30 am with a loan committee meeting. I read through the 54 pages of loan information that we'll be going over at the meeting, though I'm not sure I understand all of it. But I've still been told I should go over the document and be able to point out the pros and cons of each loan. I never expected anything like this when I started applying for graphic design jobs. Who knew I would have to know about loans AND typography? I'm not sure what to expect at all out of tomorrow. After 7 meetings throughout the day, including one with the President/CEO, I have to do a presentation of a project that they are giving me 45 minutes to work on. And I'll be wearing heels all day. Now what will Friday's interview have in store, considering it's only an hour long?

The Beauty of Relationships

For someone who enjoys relationships so much and draws energy from being with other people, I haven't had the best track record with maintaining friendships. My elementary school friends didn't carry over to middle school, middle school friends didn't carry over to high school, and my high school friendships exist only on facebook. When I got to college, I decided that this pattern of dropping friends in times of transition needed to end. After all, college was suppose to be the time when you make the friendships that were supposed to last. Now that my friends are scattered around the country, I'm realizing how much effort is required to maintain the relationship. It requires communication (thank goodness for facebook and AIM) and interest.

But the beauty of the relationships that are worth the effort is that sometimes it's almost effortless. I have this one friend who was probably the first friend I made in college, but after graduation we didn't really talk to each other for about 2 to 3 months. When she got engaged, we talked to each other on the phone and the conversation was like not a moment had passed. This weekend, I get to be around campus because of a job interview in town. I have the opportunity to get together with friends while I'm in town, and I have a feeling that it won't feel like I'm visiting. These friends will make me feel like I'm just hanging out with friends - 2 hours from home.

Fall TV Lineup

As much as I may have ridiculed FOX in the past for their string of poor programming (Temptation Island or Who Wants to Marry a Multi-Millionaire, anyone?), I'm excited for the shows they have to offer this fall. I checked out the TV lineup - basic channels only since I don't have cable - and I've set up my list of shows to watch this fall. FOX is in the lead with 7 hours of programming per week that I plan to watch. Sadly, ABC is last with one hour of programming, even though they used to be the dominant network in my household.

Monday:
8pm - House (FOX) - Hugh Laurie is back as Dr. Gregory House for Season 6 of this unconventional medical drama (or maybe a comedy?). I didn't watch much of Season 5, but I am excited to see how House continues his brilliant work as a diagnostician within the walls of Mayfield Psychiatric Hospital - where he is now a patient. FOX is building anticipation for the September 21 season premiere with their mysterious "Snakes on a Cane" ads. SnakesonaCane.com posts a countdown to the show's premiere, along with a sticky-note that, as of today, says, "I was deluded into thinking I might be crazy." Interesting...


9pm - Lie to Me (FOX) - This show first aired this summer, and quickly caught my interest. It's a drama (riddled with wry humor) about a consultation firm that interprets microexpressions and body language to aid investigations - they are basically human lie detectors. It co-stars Kelli Williams, who I first saw in NBC's Medical Investigation, a show that I wish hadn't been canceled. Drama and real-life science come together in a fascinating TV show.


10pm - Castle (ABC) - Another comedy-drama that premiered this summer, Castle follows a murder mystery novelist who shadows the NYPD to get ideas for his new book and usually ends up helping them solve the case. The show features Nathan Fillion of Firefly and One Life to Live fame as the title character. On top of the murder mystery, the show features some romantic tension between Castle and Detective Kate Beckett, his main contact at the NYPD.


Tuesday:
8pm - So You Think You Can Dance (FOX) - For the first time, the hit summer series airs in the fall for its 6th season. Featuring Emmy-winning choreographers, the reality competition show puts dancers through an audition process before pairing the Top 20 dancers together to perform for America. The winner, based on viewers' votes and judges input, is crowned America's Favorite Dancer and receives $250,000. Usually on Wednesday and Thursday nights, the show is bumped up a night for the fall season. Performances air on Tuesdays, and results on Wednesday nights.


Sadly, SYTYCD is up against another of my favorite shows, NCIS, and its new spin-off, NCIS: Los Angeles. If dance is not your thing, check out the Naval crime investigation drama on CBS (8 and 9pm), also featuring comedic elements. Comedy-drama appears to be my favorite genre of television.


Wednesday:
8pm - SYTYCD results show! (FOX) - Find out which two dancers are eliminated, and which dancers live to dance another day.

9pm - Glee (FOX) - This show aired its pilot over the summer, after the American Idol season finale, and has been building up hype all summer long with TV commercials and mall tours. It's a musical comedy series about a high school teacher who decides to become the new advisor for the school's glee club, of which he was a member back in its glory days. We've already seen the show take on Amy Winehouse's "Rehab" and Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'", and commercials leave us anticipating "Golddigger", too.


Thursday:
8pm - Bones (FOX) - Entering its 5th season, Bones is another crime-solving comedy-drama, following FBI agent Seely Booth and forensic anthropologist Temperance "Bones" Brennan. There's murder, mystery, and of course, romantic tension between the two main characters. Another plus? David Boreanaz, who plays Booth, is the son of my local TV weatherman.


9pm - The Office (NBC) - It's back! Set to premiere its 6th hilarious season on September 17, The Office follows the employees at Dunder Mifflin paper company. This season, we're looking for some answers. Will Michael and Holly get back together? What will happen with the Dwight-Angela-Andy triangle? Is Pam really pregnant? Will Jim & Pam finally get married? Will the Dundies be held at Chili's this year?


9:30pm - Community (NBC) - A new series, Community follows a group of adults taking courses at the local community college. Among the cast is Chevy Chase and Joel McHale, though I'm looking forward to Ken Jeong as Senor Chang. Unfortunately, Community moves to 8pm in October when NBC stops airing SNL Weekend Updates.


10pm - The Mentalist (CBS) - Simon Baker stars as Patrick Jane, a consultant who uses his abilities in observation to solve crimes with the CBI (California Bureau of Investigation). Starting its second season, The Mentalist is yet another crime-solving comedy-drama that I thoroughly enjoy. The genre just doesn't get old.

Back to School Savings, Part 2

Here are some more tips that I thought of!

4. Make your own fun.
Going out every weekend, whether to the movies or bowling alley, gets expensive. Luckily there are plenty of free or inexpensive things to do for fun. Game nights are definitely popular. Maybe someone brought Apples to Apples or Scattegories from home, or the campus student center has a pool table for you to use. A pad of scrap paper can lend itself to a round of Pictionary Down the Lane for a night of laughter. Throw some snacks into the mix, and you have yourself a party. Other activities include movie nights - see what DVDs other people have, or head to your local Red Box and rent a movie for $1. Gather friends together to watch your favorite TV show each week. Get dressed up, grab a camera, and have a photo shoot with your roommates. The possibilities are endless!
Bottom line: Fun doesn't require money - just a little creativity at times.

5. Take advantage of being a college student.
The first part to this tip is the student discount. Local restaurants or stores may offer a 10% discount to college students. You may need to do some research to see what businesses have set up a discount program with your school. Of course, it doesn't hurt to ask about student discounts when you reach the register. The second part is on-campus activities. My school had free concerts every Wednesday night in the student union, and bigger events for a discounted price a few times each semester. On weekends, our lecture hall doubled as a movie theater where the admission is $1. There are also student recitals, residence hall activities, and many other school-sponsored events to fill your nights and weekends with free entertainment.
Bottom line: You can thank your school for more than just education.

Back to School Savings

or, things I wanted to say to the teenage shopper at Target.
Seeing as I am currently unemployed, I'm sure these tips will still come in handy for myself and others who are not going back to school.

She was leaving the store with her dad, a cart full of dorm room "essentials", and some charges on her parents' credit card. It was pretty obvious that she is college-bound, leaving home in the next few weeks. As I watched her walk away, I wanted to sit her down and tell her all the things she needed to know about going to college and saving some money. Her parents probably don't know any better - from the looks of her purchases, she is probably their first child going to the big school. Any parent who has already sent a child to college would have already known Tip #1:

1. Don't buy what you don't need.
This, dear teenage consumer, includes that neon green folding chair sitting in your cart. I'm not talking about cozy butterfly chairs or pod chairs, but the plastic church picnic type that usually require a bit of caution upon landing. You won't be needing that chair, but you could probably use the $9 (that is the actual cost of the chair pictured, also available in black and white). Colleges provide desk chairs, usually more comfortable and industrially sturdy, for your study time - that is, if you even use a chair while cracking the books. And folding chairs don't make for comfortable lounging. Beds, however, make for comfortable and readily available (and FREE!) seating options.
1b. A little research comes in handy when doing dorm room shopping.
Make mental (or written) notes when visiting college campuses or talk to students who have already lived in your dorm. Find out what you can leave at home, what's essential, and what comes in handy. You won't need a full-length mirror if there's already one permanently mounted to the back of the door. You won't need shelving units if there are book shelves built into the walls. AND you won't need toasters, 5-arm lamps, or candles since they are more than likely prohibited by your school. ALSO talk to your future roommate to figure out what they are bringing. Perhaps they have inherited a mini-fridge from their older brother who inherited it from a roommate who... etc., which means you won't need to buy one.
Bottom line: You don't need to buy everything on the list, or rather, everything the commercials make you think you need.

2. Make friends.
This is an obvious tip for your social life, but your wallet will also thank you for it. Remember that mini-fridge that was passed down from generation to generation? Free, thanks to some friends. That's how I scored the mini-fridge that I used for 3 years. During my first year, I lived across the hall from some juniors who were leaders on our floor. The apartment they were moving into for senior year already had a fridge, so they gave it to us for free. They got the fridge off their hands, and we got a free fridge. After I graduated, I passed the fridge on to one of my friends. I also passed along a loveseat and a rocking chair, both of which I got for free. It's amazing what people want to get rid of. I have also been able to get free clothes from friends - and strangers, too. Whether it was the changing trends or the Freshman 15, they had plenty of clothes that they didn't want anymore. Some floors set out boxes in their common areas, as a mini-Goodwill of sorts, where you can rummage through and take what you want or leave things of yours for someone else to claim.
Bottom line: One man's trash can be your treasure, though you don't have to go dumpster diving to find it.

3. Buy second-hand.
Speaking of Goodwill (or Salvation Army), buying second-hand is a great money saving tip and a fun outing for friends. The Salvation Army by my campus, or Sal Val as we lovingly call it, has half-off Wednesdays on top of the outrageous bargains you will already find there. It may take some searching, but you can find some quality items for great prices, including some vintage wear or ridiculous 80's dresses that make for some fabulous costumes. Besides the money saving, it's fun to go through the racks with friends and see what fun[ny] outfits you can put together.
Bottom line: Buying second-hand gives you first-hand savings. It's like giving your wallet and your wardrobe a high-five.

Well, it's now after midnight and apparently I'm out of ideas (for now). Stay tuned - I will update when I can think of something other than "Don't spend money".

Return to Suburbia

At several points during the summer, I contemplated the idea of living in Boston year-round. "I probably could, but I think I would miss driving too much," was usually my response. I like the experience of being on the road, especially with a good soundtrack to keep me company, or good company to entertain me with conversation. After watching Elizabethtown, I've wanted to take a solo road trip around the country to visit a combination of significant and obscure landmarks. Driving is even one of my favorite activities on facebook.

Now that I have returned to the suburbs after a month in Boston, I'm not so sure I would miss driving as much as I thought. I spent the last six weeks relying on my own two feet and MBTA, with only one round-trip drive in a car during the entire time in Boston. I liked having unlimited rides on my T pass, giving me the freedom to hop onto a subway car and ride to the studio or the harbor or the beach. To my surprise, I really enjoyed walking too. Sometimes I walked with purpose, with the grocery store or a restaurant as my destination. I think more often than that, I walked rather aimlessly, choosing a direction and going, hoping I wouldn't get caught in the rain or become too tired for the return home. It was on these walks that I stumbled upon Chinatown, a festival for AccessSportAmerica, the Cheers bar, and a graffiti-covered railway bridge over the Charles River. I'm not usually one for exercise, but I enjoyed the time outdoors over the time spent idling inside. I don't really have the opportunity to explore or walk around aimlessly in the suburbs, though one would think it should be safer. Rather, pedestrians are limited to the shoulders of bustling roadways to get them from residential developments to shopping centers. The other day, I drove from my house to Chick-Fil-A across the street, a distance I would have walked without question in Boston. It's probably as far from my house as the Kenmore Square T stop is from our dorm. It seemed senseless to me, and with that I began to think I could do without driving and live in a city long-term, provided there is a good public transit system there. So at this point, I am allowing myself to look at jobs in Philadelphia, Boston, Washington DC, and Chicago (I couldn't afford to live in NYC...) and using an exercise ball I bought after driving to the store.