You Fear Whispering
When you were in school, every time you walked into the classroom the group of girls huddled in the corner would start whispering and giggling and saying mean things about you. As an adult every time you see a group of people speaking in hushed tones and occasionally giggling, you assume they're talking about you. After all, that's what it always meant before.
You Become the Teacher's Pet
The other kids have rejected you, but you know there's one person in that classroom who can't reject you. It's her job to love you unconditionally, so you get to a point where you'd rather stay in from recess and spend time with the teacher than go outside where no one likes you. As an adult you get a job and do everything in your power to please your boss. You work late. You run errands. You go above and beyond what's expected of you because you know your boss doesn't have to accept you. He can reject you at any moment, and you'll do almost anything to keep that from happening.
You Have a Hard Time Delegating Authority
As a kid, every time you went up to someone you didn't know very well, they told you to go away because they didn't want to play with you. Initiating conversations meant guaranteed rejection, and if you happened to make the mistake of touching someone, you also had the pleasure of watching them wipe off your cooties. As an adult you don't like to ask anyone to do anything for you, even if it's part of your job, because delegating requires initiating conversations and initiating conversations means setting yourself up for rejection.
It's Difficult to Maintain Friendships
When you were in school, the question wasn't if they'd stop wanting to be your friend, but when. As an adult, you pray that your friends won't leave you, but you wait for it to happen nonetheless. An unreturned phone call, a cancelled lunch date, or an invitation to your home that isn't followed up quickly by a return invitation are all signs that the person doesn't want to be friends with you anymore. You become so terrified that your suspicions are correct that you stop trying to be that person's friend.
You Wonder What You Did Wrong
You remember that as a kid you picked your nose, or you failed to clean under your fingernails, or you wore a hand-me-down shirt that was a little too threadbare. There was some event that caused all the other kids to abandon you, and you knew you had only yourself to blame. As an adult you look at yourself and see a mature, responsible individual. You're not the same person you were back then, and neither are the other people your age. You're better at fitting in and they're better at accepting the differences of others. So when someone does reject you, you beat your head against the wall and wonder why. Haven't you worked really hard to make sure this sort of thing will never happen again? You're tempted to think that there is some part of who you are that is just fundamentally unlovable.
You Don't Trust What Your Parents Tell You
It's confusing as heck to have your mother fix your hair in the morning and tell you that you're the most beautiful little girl in the world and then go to school and have everyone else tell you how ugly you are. You weigh the word of your mother against the word of everyone else and conclude that it must be your mother who is wrong.
It's Easy to Forgive
Kids are kids, and kids can be mean. You know that you're not the same person you were when you were eight years old, and neither is anyone else. How can you hold a grudge against someone who doesn't even exist anymore?
You Have a Soft Spot for Other Social Outcasts
You have forgiven the people who teased you all those years ago, but you don't have to forgive the people who are still doing it to others now. Nothing bothers you more than seeing someone pushed out of their social circle just for being...well...themselves.
The Grown-Ups Just Don't Get It
Okay, your teacher gets it because she sees it everyday, but family members and friends of your parents don't understand at all. They'll playfully ask, "Do you have a boyfriend?" and when you respond, "All the boys pick on me," they say, "Oh, if they pick on you that means they like you!" Um...no. It most certainly does not mean they like you.
You're Fine, Most of the Time
You don't think about elementary school twenty-four hours a day. You don't have nightmares in which the other kids surround you and sing that song. You know that song. The one where they changed the lyrics so they could sing it to you and let you know what a worthless individual you were. Yeah, you hated that song back then, but now you rarely think of it. After all, everyone has grown up and life has moved on. But sometimes...when you hear whispering...when you're waiting for a friend to return your call...when you catch someone in the wrong mood and they snap at you...you morph back into that scared little kid and wait for everyone to reject you. But only sometimes. Most of the time, you're fine.
Sunday, May 22, 2016
Thursday, May 12, 2016
Some Thoughts About Peer Pressure
Sally
Sally loved to read. There were few activities more satisfying than opening a new book and stepping out on that journey into unknown worlds. She read all the time. In the bed. In the bathtub. At the beach. Even at school. But then one day one of the popular girls caught her reading in her spare time at school and picked on her. Sally never read a book for pleasure again.
Sally loved music. She took piano lessons, but because her family occasionally struggled with money her mother had told her that she could have piano lessons or she could have all the new designer clothes that the kids at school were wearing. At first she chose piano, but one day at school one of the rich girls saw the tattered second-hand outfit she was wearing and teased her. Sally never took a piano lesson again.
Sally loved science fiction. Star Trek was her favorite television show. But one day at school one of the mean girls saw that she had a notebook with a picture of Spock on it and made fun of her. Sally never watched Star Trek again.
Alice
Alice loved to read. There were few activities more satisfying than opening a new book and stepping out on that journey into unknown worlds. She read all the time. In the bed. In the bathtub. At the beach. Even at school. But then one day one of the popular girls caught her reading in her spare time at school and picked on her. Alice never talked to that popular girl again.
Alice loved music. She took piano lessons, but because her family occasionally struggled with money her mother had told her that she could have piano lessons or she could have all the new designer clothes that the kids at school were wearing. At first she chose piano, but one day at school one of the rich girls saw the tattered second-hand outfit she was wearing and teased her. Alice never talked to that rich girl again.
Alice loved science fiction. Star Trek was her favorite television show. But one day at school one of the mean girls saw that she had a notebook with a picture of Spock on it and made fun of her. Alice never talked to that mean girl again.
The End Result
When their high school graduation rolled around, Sally was surrounded by an entourage of beautiful girls who were willing to worship the very ground she walked on if only she would talk, act, and dress just like they did. Alice, on the other hand, was surrounded by a very small group of girls who all accepted her just as she was.
Sally loved to read. There were few activities more satisfying than opening a new book and stepping out on that journey into unknown worlds. She read all the time. In the bed. In the bathtub. At the beach. Even at school. But then one day one of the popular girls caught her reading in her spare time at school and picked on her. Sally never read a book for pleasure again.
Sally loved music. She took piano lessons, but because her family occasionally struggled with money her mother had told her that she could have piano lessons or she could have all the new designer clothes that the kids at school were wearing. At first she chose piano, but one day at school one of the rich girls saw the tattered second-hand outfit she was wearing and teased her. Sally never took a piano lesson again.
Sally loved science fiction. Star Trek was her favorite television show. But one day at school one of the mean girls saw that she had a notebook with a picture of Spock on it and made fun of her. Sally never watched Star Trek again.
Alice
Alice loved to read. There were few activities more satisfying than opening a new book and stepping out on that journey into unknown worlds. She read all the time. In the bed. In the bathtub. At the beach. Even at school. But then one day one of the popular girls caught her reading in her spare time at school and picked on her. Alice never talked to that popular girl again.
Alice loved music. She took piano lessons, but because her family occasionally struggled with money her mother had told her that she could have piano lessons or she could have all the new designer clothes that the kids at school were wearing. At first she chose piano, but one day at school one of the rich girls saw the tattered second-hand outfit she was wearing and teased her. Alice never talked to that rich girl again.
Alice loved science fiction. Star Trek was her favorite television show. But one day at school one of the mean girls saw that she had a notebook with a picture of Spock on it and made fun of her. Alice never talked to that mean girl again.
The End Result
When their high school graduation rolled around, Sally was surrounded by an entourage of beautiful girls who were willing to worship the very ground she walked on if only she would talk, act, and dress just like they did. Alice, on the other hand, was surrounded by a very small group of girls who all accepted her just as she was.
Thursday, May 5, 2016
Dear Husband, Can I Please Finish Writing My Book?
Dear Husband,
Yes. I know. Part of this is my fault. It was my idea to read Game of Thrones, and there were a few things I knew going into it. I knew that it was an 800 page book. I knew that reading it was going to be time consuming. I also knew that I would likely want to finish the series once I started it. That's just how I am. And I knew that I would want to watch the television program when I was done. So yeah, to a certain extent I knew what I was getting myself into.
There were other choices I made along the way as well. I chose to watch the first season of the show after I had only read one book. I could have waited. I could have read all the books first. I was impatient, and that's on me. It's also kind of my fault that I have this obsession with always reading the book first. The fact that I had to make sure my reading stayed ahead of the episodes is just one of my quirks, and for that I can't blame you. So yes. A lot of this is totally on me.
But...
What I didn't anticipate was that you would become completely obsessed with the show once you started watching it. I didn't know that you would be begging me to get the season two dvd mere days after finishing season one. I didn't realize that simply telling you, "Whoa, dude, I haven't finished the second book yet," would not calm your hunger for your new favorite show. I didn't realize how persistent you would be in your supplications. So I caved. I said, "Alright. We'll watch season two." I was barely fifty pages into the book at this point. Not nearly enough to take me to the end of the first episode. So after we watched it, I picked up my book and read. And read. And read some more. I made myself weary in my desperate attempt to stay ahead of the action on the show. It was hard. Some of the episodes spanned more than 100 pages of the book, and you wanted to watch an episode every day. Have you ever tried to read 100 pages in one day? Well, I can tell you that it leaves little time for anything else. Especially writing.
Remember my decision to finally take my writing seriously? Remember how empowering that was for me? How satisfying? I would really like to continue on this path, but I can't if I spend all day everyday reading. There's just not time for both. Okay, yes, I can read books and write books at the same time, but not 100 pages a day. That's just insane.
More importantly, do you remember what it's like when I don't have a creative outlet? Do you remember me feeling professionally unfulfilled? In case you've forgotten, let me describe it for you. Picture me huddled in a corner, face streaked with tears, arms hugging my chest protectively, singing Let It Go at the top of my lungs. Yeah, you've seen that picture before. It's probably a good guess that you don't want to see that ever again. And I'm right there with you. It's not pretty.
So please. Just give me a little time. Maybe a week. A week with no Game of Thrones. Let me get ahead with my reading in a leisurely way that allows me plenty of time to rediscover my hobbies so that neither of us has to hear me sing Let It Go again. Let me write a couple of chapters of my own book instead of constantly immersing myself in the world of someone else's. Let me spend some time with the Fuentes family and take a break from the Lannisters and the Starks. Just for a while. And then, I promise, we'll watch Game of Thrones.
Your loving wife,
Greta
Yes. I know. Part of this is my fault. It was my idea to read Game of Thrones, and there were a few things I knew going into it. I knew that it was an 800 page book. I knew that reading it was going to be time consuming. I also knew that I would likely want to finish the series once I started it. That's just how I am. And I knew that I would want to watch the television program when I was done. So yeah, to a certain extent I knew what I was getting myself into.
There were other choices I made along the way as well. I chose to watch the first season of the show after I had only read one book. I could have waited. I could have read all the books first. I was impatient, and that's on me. It's also kind of my fault that I have this obsession with always reading the book first. The fact that I had to make sure my reading stayed ahead of the episodes is just one of my quirks, and for that I can't blame you. So yes. A lot of this is totally on me.
But...
What I didn't anticipate was that you would become completely obsessed with the show once you started watching it. I didn't know that you would be begging me to get the season two dvd mere days after finishing season one. I didn't realize that simply telling you, "Whoa, dude, I haven't finished the second book yet," would not calm your hunger for your new favorite show. I didn't realize how persistent you would be in your supplications. So I caved. I said, "Alright. We'll watch season two." I was barely fifty pages into the book at this point. Not nearly enough to take me to the end of the first episode. So after we watched it, I picked up my book and read. And read. And read some more. I made myself weary in my desperate attempt to stay ahead of the action on the show. It was hard. Some of the episodes spanned more than 100 pages of the book, and you wanted to watch an episode every day. Have you ever tried to read 100 pages in one day? Well, I can tell you that it leaves little time for anything else. Especially writing.
Remember my decision to finally take my writing seriously? Remember how empowering that was for me? How satisfying? I would really like to continue on this path, but I can't if I spend all day everyday reading. There's just not time for both. Okay, yes, I can read books and write books at the same time, but not 100 pages a day. That's just insane.
More importantly, do you remember what it's like when I don't have a creative outlet? Do you remember me feeling professionally unfulfilled? In case you've forgotten, let me describe it for you. Picture me huddled in a corner, face streaked with tears, arms hugging my chest protectively, singing Let It Go at the top of my lungs. Yeah, you've seen that picture before. It's probably a good guess that you don't want to see that ever again. And I'm right there with you. It's not pretty.
So please. Just give me a little time. Maybe a week. A week with no Game of Thrones. Let me get ahead with my reading in a leisurely way that allows me plenty of time to rediscover my hobbies so that neither of us has to hear me sing Let It Go again. Let me write a couple of chapters of my own book instead of constantly immersing myself in the world of someone else's. Let me spend some time with the Fuentes family and take a break from the Lannisters and the Starks. Just for a while. And then, I promise, we'll watch Game of Thrones.
Your loving wife,
Greta
Sunday, May 1, 2016
The Struggle To Keep It Positive On Social Media
Social Media Is a Different World
Everyone is aware that the rules for interaction on the internet are different than the rules for face to face interaction. There are a number of reasons for this. For one thing, when you are sitting in front of a flesh and blood person you can make a statement and they can tell from your tone of voice and body language whether you are being serious, sarcastic, silly, etc. When you make the same comment in an online forum the body language is not there and people will always take your words at face value.
Another difference between personal interaction and online interaction is that the comments you post online don't go away. Okay, you can delete them, but if you don't they stick around forever. What you say in a group of friends might not even be heard by everyone, and the people who do hear it are likely to forget what you said five minutes later. Unless you said something truly offensive, but that's a different thing altogether. When you make a comment online, it's there for anyone to read. And reread. And reread again. As are the replies people make. And your replies to their replies and so on. Yeah, in places like Facebook there are privacy settings, but even with those in place your words are accessible to more people than would typically hear a discreet conversation between you and a friend. Let's face it, the internet is a public place and every time we say anything it's like we're standing on a podium making a speech. Most of us would not make a speech without careful planning. The same should be true for the things we say online.
The Social Media Mudslinging Match
Have you ever met someone with whom you had a difference of opinion? Well, of course you have. We all have. Have you ever engaged in a lively debate with that person? Probably. Face to face debates can actually be fun because, again, you can often judge by a person's vocal tone and body language whether their comments are being made out of anger or whether said comments are intended to be insulting. As long as both parties are in good spirits and are laying out their points in a calm and logical manner, differences of opinion can lead to great discussions. Not so online. Have you ever seen a debate online? Have you ever seen one that looked fun? That seemed to offend no one? That was nothing more than a few people calmly stating their point of view and then sitting back and listening attentively to someone else's point of view? Okay, you actually can have that kind of discussion online, but you have to spend so much time saying things like, "I see your point, but" or "I completely understand how people might feel that way, however" that the actual point you're trying to make gets lost in a sea of apologies. Most people don't take the time to say those things and so online debates quickly turn nasty. And they turn nasty with the whole world watching.
I don't want to get involved in the mudslinging, and so I've vowed to share very few of my opinions online. I just don't want the drama. I don't want people angry at me over a comment that would not have even phased them if I'd said it to their face, but online...well, that's different. I don't want to share political posts to my Facebook stream and invite the kinds of attacks I see hurled as these types of posts every day. I don't want to lose friends because they find out that...gulp...I vote differently than they do. Maybe political opinions have always been an impediment in some relationships, but usually people could get to a point where they would agree to disagree. Social media has changed that. People get tired of having their political candidate, their religion, their ethnic group, or their socioeconomic group insulted over and over by what someone else thought was just a funny Facebook meme. I get tired of those things too, but I don't comment because that would make me one of the mudslingers, and I don't want to be a mudslinger.
The Challenge
I have opinions like everyone else. Some of my opinions are very strong. Sometimes I find myself so angered by what someone else posts on Facebook that I want to write my own angry rant about that topic. Holding my tongue is hard, especially in the face of stereotypes. There are times when I want to say, "Okay, yes I do think that, but I would never do that. We're not all freaks, you know." But I don't say anything because I don't want to open the door to the nastiness that will likely ensue.
There are also some issues facing our society today that make me very angry. While I can usually face a difference of opinion in a spirit of respect, there are some things that will always ruffle my feathers. There are days when I feel an overwhelming urge to post something political just to show everyone else how wrong they are. But again, I don't. Why? Because I know it will not be effective. I mean really, how many people have changed their opinion on an important issue because they read a Facebook post from someone who disagrees with them? Yeah, reading the opinions of others might make us think about things in a new way, which could lead to a change of heart, but quite often it just makes us angry. Quite often it just makes us want to post our own opinion, and post it in such a way that it drowns out the voices of all who disagree.
Going Forward
At the end of the day I've decided that it's not worth it to risk friendships over conflicting worldviews. Actions speak louder than words anyway, so as long as I live my life according to my own values I don't need to be online shoving those values into the faces of others. But I do want to sometimes. I mean, I'm only human, after all.
Everyone is aware that the rules for interaction on the internet are different than the rules for face to face interaction. There are a number of reasons for this. For one thing, when you are sitting in front of a flesh and blood person you can make a statement and they can tell from your tone of voice and body language whether you are being serious, sarcastic, silly, etc. When you make the same comment in an online forum the body language is not there and people will always take your words at face value.
Another difference between personal interaction and online interaction is that the comments you post online don't go away. Okay, you can delete them, but if you don't they stick around forever. What you say in a group of friends might not even be heard by everyone, and the people who do hear it are likely to forget what you said five minutes later. Unless you said something truly offensive, but that's a different thing altogether. When you make a comment online, it's there for anyone to read. And reread. And reread again. As are the replies people make. And your replies to their replies and so on. Yeah, in places like Facebook there are privacy settings, but even with those in place your words are accessible to more people than would typically hear a discreet conversation between you and a friend. Let's face it, the internet is a public place and every time we say anything it's like we're standing on a podium making a speech. Most of us would not make a speech without careful planning. The same should be true for the things we say online.
The Social Media Mudslinging Match
Have you ever met someone with whom you had a difference of opinion? Well, of course you have. We all have. Have you ever engaged in a lively debate with that person? Probably. Face to face debates can actually be fun because, again, you can often judge by a person's vocal tone and body language whether their comments are being made out of anger or whether said comments are intended to be insulting. As long as both parties are in good spirits and are laying out their points in a calm and logical manner, differences of opinion can lead to great discussions. Not so online. Have you ever seen a debate online? Have you ever seen one that looked fun? That seemed to offend no one? That was nothing more than a few people calmly stating their point of view and then sitting back and listening attentively to someone else's point of view? Okay, you actually can have that kind of discussion online, but you have to spend so much time saying things like, "I see your point, but" or "I completely understand how people might feel that way, however" that the actual point you're trying to make gets lost in a sea of apologies. Most people don't take the time to say those things and so online debates quickly turn nasty. And they turn nasty with the whole world watching.
I don't want to get involved in the mudslinging, and so I've vowed to share very few of my opinions online. I just don't want the drama. I don't want people angry at me over a comment that would not have even phased them if I'd said it to their face, but online...well, that's different. I don't want to share political posts to my Facebook stream and invite the kinds of attacks I see hurled as these types of posts every day. I don't want to lose friends because they find out that...gulp...I vote differently than they do. Maybe political opinions have always been an impediment in some relationships, but usually people could get to a point where they would agree to disagree. Social media has changed that. People get tired of having their political candidate, their religion, their ethnic group, or their socioeconomic group insulted over and over by what someone else thought was just a funny Facebook meme. I get tired of those things too, but I don't comment because that would make me one of the mudslingers, and I don't want to be a mudslinger.
The Challenge
I have opinions like everyone else. Some of my opinions are very strong. Sometimes I find myself so angered by what someone else posts on Facebook that I want to write my own angry rant about that topic. Holding my tongue is hard, especially in the face of stereotypes. There are times when I want to say, "Okay, yes I do think that, but I would never do that. We're not all freaks, you know." But I don't say anything because I don't want to open the door to the nastiness that will likely ensue.
There are also some issues facing our society today that make me very angry. While I can usually face a difference of opinion in a spirit of respect, there are some things that will always ruffle my feathers. There are days when I feel an overwhelming urge to post something political just to show everyone else how wrong they are. But again, I don't. Why? Because I know it will not be effective. I mean really, how many people have changed their opinion on an important issue because they read a Facebook post from someone who disagrees with them? Yeah, reading the opinions of others might make us think about things in a new way, which could lead to a change of heart, but quite often it just makes us angry. Quite often it just makes us want to post our own opinion, and post it in such a way that it drowns out the voices of all who disagree.
Going Forward
At the end of the day I've decided that it's not worth it to risk friendships over conflicting worldviews. Actions speak louder than words anyway, so as long as I live my life according to my own values I don't need to be online shoving those values into the faces of others. But I do want to sometimes. I mean, I'm only human, after all.
Thursday, April 21, 2016
The Best Episodes From Every Season of Supernatural
Season One
Nightmare
As I've said in numerous posts, I like characters with a vulnerable side. The entire story arc of the first two seasons of this show involve Sam's visions and the question of what they might mean. It's a frightening and sometimes painful experience for him, and it makes for powerful television. At least for me. This episode is not the first one to explore Sam's visions, but I consider it the best.
Season Two
Heart
Oh my, how hard it was to pick the best episode from season two! It is by far my far my favorite season of the entire series, with so many creepy and intensely emotional episodes to choose from. But at the end of the day I have to go with Heart because it actually succeeded in making me cry, something I don't do easily. To understand this episode you must have watched the first two seasons in their entirety, otherwise its emotional impact will be lost on you. When you know where "the road so far" has carried Sam and Dean up until this point, you can almost feel what they are feeling in the final scene of this episode. I think it is my favorite of the series as a whole.
Season Three
Mystery Spot
It was just as hard to pick one from season three as it was to pick one from season two, but for a different reason. If season two was my favorite, season three was...well...not. It just seemed a bit of a let down after the earth shattering events that came before it. There were really no episodes that stood out as being great. Of course that's just my opinion, but it did make choosing one from this season difficult. I'm going with Mystery Spot because it had a good mix of drama and humor. It also paid tribute to Groundhog Day, and who doesn't love that?
Season Four
When the Levee Breaks
If you are part of the Supernatural fandom, then you know that there are Sam girls and Dean girls. I'm definitely more of a Sam girl, so an episode all about Sam...yeah, I'm totally there.
Season Five
Swan Song
The season five finale. If you've watched the show then you know how powerful this episode is. If you haven't I won't give spoilers. Just...wow.
Season Six
The Man Who Knew Too Much
Again we're exploring Sam's vulnerable side. Yes, please.
Season Seven
The Born-Again Identity
This was my absolute least favorite season of the show. The leviathan story arc was boring at best. Most of the time it was just plain annoying. But the season did have some high points, at least for a Sam girl who likes strong male characters with a vulnerable side. So if you're me, then The Born-Again Identity is the best episode from season seven.
Season Eight
Sacrifice
In season eight the show seems to reclaim a little of the glory of its early years. The leviathans are finally gone (thank goodness) and the new story arc is much more engaging. Some episodes also return somewhat to the creepy atmosphere of the first few seasons. And then there are the hugs. There have been whole blog posts and hosts of YouTube videos devoted entirely to the number of times Sam and Dean hug in season eight. It all culminates in the finale, which is my pick for the best episode of this season.
Season Nine
Do You Believe in Miracles
Another season finale, and one of the few times I was more moved by Dean's storyline than by Sam's. Again, I won't give any spoilers, just watch it. But watch the rest of the season first because if you don't knew where the characters have been you won't fully appreciate what happens to them in this episode.
Season Ten
The Things We Left Behind
There are Sam girls and there are Dean girls, but Castiel has his fair share of fans as well. Normally I'm not one of them, but I did enjoy the journey his character takes in this episode. It also ties up a loose end from an earlier season, and I like it when shows do that.
Season Eleven
Safe House
I have really been enjoying season eleven. If the return to the creepy atmosphere of the early years began in season eight, it seems to be in full swing now. I chose Safe House as my favorite episode because it actually scared me. I haven't found an episode of Supernatural scary since season one. Good job, writers and directors!
What About You?
You've got all my favorites. What are yours? Feel free to leave a comment and let me know!
Nightmare
As I've said in numerous posts, I like characters with a vulnerable side. The entire story arc of the first two seasons of this show involve Sam's visions and the question of what they might mean. It's a frightening and sometimes painful experience for him, and it makes for powerful television. At least for me. This episode is not the first one to explore Sam's visions, but I consider it the best.
Season Two
Heart
Oh my, how hard it was to pick the best episode from season two! It is by far my far my favorite season of the entire series, with so many creepy and intensely emotional episodes to choose from. But at the end of the day I have to go with Heart because it actually succeeded in making me cry, something I don't do easily. To understand this episode you must have watched the first two seasons in their entirety, otherwise its emotional impact will be lost on you. When you know where "the road so far" has carried Sam and Dean up until this point, you can almost feel what they are feeling in the final scene of this episode. I think it is my favorite of the series as a whole.
Season Three
Mystery Spot
It was just as hard to pick one from season three as it was to pick one from season two, but for a different reason. If season two was my favorite, season three was...well...not. It just seemed a bit of a let down after the earth shattering events that came before it. There were really no episodes that stood out as being great. Of course that's just my opinion, but it did make choosing one from this season difficult. I'm going with Mystery Spot because it had a good mix of drama and humor. It also paid tribute to Groundhog Day, and who doesn't love that?
Season Four
When the Levee Breaks
If you are part of the Supernatural fandom, then you know that there are Sam girls and Dean girls. I'm definitely more of a Sam girl, so an episode all about Sam...yeah, I'm totally there.
Season Five
Swan Song
The season five finale. If you've watched the show then you know how powerful this episode is. If you haven't I won't give spoilers. Just...wow.
Season Six
The Man Who Knew Too Much
Again we're exploring Sam's vulnerable side. Yes, please.
Season Seven
The Born-Again Identity
This was my absolute least favorite season of the show. The leviathan story arc was boring at best. Most of the time it was just plain annoying. But the season did have some high points, at least for a Sam girl who likes strong male characters with a vulnerable side. So if you're me, then The Born-Again Identity is the best episode from season seven.
Season Eight
Sacrifice
In season eight the show seems to reclaim a little of the glory of its early years. The leviathans are finally gone (thank goodness) and the new story arc is much more engaging. Some episodes also return somewhat to the creepy atmosphere of the first few seasons. And then there are the hugs. There have been whole blog posts and hosts of YouTube videos devoted entirely to the number of times Sam and Dean hug in season eight. It all culminates in the finale, which is my pick for the best episode of this season.
Season Nine
Do You Believe in Miracles
Another season finale, and one of the few times I was more moved by Dean's storyline than by Sam's. Again, I won't give any spoilers, just watch it. But watch the rest of the season first because if you don't knew where the characters have been you won't fully appreciate what happens to them in this episode.
Season Ten
The Things We Left Behind
There are Sam girls and there are Dean girls, but Castiel has his fair share of fans as well. Normally I'm not one of them, but I did enjoy the journey his character takes in this episode. It also ties up a loose end from an earlier season, and I like it when shows do that.
Season Eleven
Safe House
I have really been enjoying season eleven. If the return to the creepy atmosphere of the early years began in season eight, it seems to be in full swing now. I chose Safe House as my favorite episode because it actually scared me. I haven't found an episode of Supernatural scary since season one. Good job, writers and directors!
What About You?
You've got all my favorites. What are yours? Feel free to leave a comment and let me know!
Tuesday, April 12, 2016
The Best Episodes From Each Season of The X Files
Season One
Darkness Falls
There are quite a few X Files episodes that appeal to the horror movie buff in me, but this one is by far the best. It has nothing to do with the mythology of the show, there's not a heck of a lot of character development, we're not treated to any intensely emotional scenes, but as horror goes it doesn't get much better than a group of people stranded in the woods with the knowledge that they are all likely to die as soon as it gets dark. Creepy and suspenseful.
Season Two
The Calusari
There were several candidates for my favorite episode from season two, but again I'm letting my inner horror fan be my guide on this one. There's nothing creepier than evil children.
Season Three
The Blessing Way
Picking one from the mythology for season three. I enjoyed these episodes in previous seasons, but honestly I always felt that the first two seasons lacked the emotional impact these types of episodes are supposed to have. Season three seems to be the season in which the show finally found its footing, and this episode is a good example of that.
Season Four
Demons
Okay, I admit, I'm a sucker for strong male characters with a vulnerable side, and this episode explores Mulder's vulnerable side in a way that leaves me breathless. Loosely tied to the mythology with its emphasis on Mulder's search for his sister, it follows his character down a very dark road while the audience gets to sit back and enjoy the ride.
Season Five
Chinga
First let me say that I'm fluent in Spanish, so it takes a bit of effort for me to get past the title of this one. I have absolutely no idea what the word is supposed to mean in the context of the episode. When I hear it I just hear...well, you can look it up yourself. But anyway, the episode is another one that appeals to my horror loving side. It has another evil child, which ups the creep factor for me exponentially. There's also a good deal of humor in this one, so that makes it a double win!
Season Six
Biogenesis
This is another one I picked because of my weakness for men with a vulnerable side. Mulder is physically vulnerable in this one as opposed to emotionally vulnerable, but it's still powerful stuff.
Season Seven
Closure
Mulder finally finds out what happened to his sister. Doesn't get much better than that.
Season Eight
Deadalive
We finally get Agent Mulder back. Yay!
Season Nine
William
Okay, it was really hard to pick one from this season. I barely watched it when it aired originally because I was angry at the producers for trying to shift the focus of the show from Mulder and Scully to Doggett and Reyes. I know I'm not the only one who felt that way. There's a reason why this was the last season. But if pressed, I would have to choose William, first because of its emotional impact and second because of its importance in light of the recent tenth season.
Season Ten
Founder's Mutation
Okay, I didn't hate the new X Files, but I also didn't love it the way I loved the original show. So again it was hard to pick a favorite from this season. I would probably choose Founder's Mutation because it was mysterious, creepy at times, and also connected to the larger mystery around which the tenth season revolves.
Tell Me What You Think
I've given you all my favorite episodes--okay, not all my favorites because I would need to pick more than one from each season to be able to do that but, well never mind--I'd love to hear about yours. If your list is different from mine, feel free to tell me about it in a comment.
Darkness Falls
There are quite a few X Files episodes that appeal to the horror movie buff in me, but this one is by far the best. It has nothing to do with the mythology of the show, there's not a heck of a lot of character development, we're not treated to any intensely emotional scenes, but as horror goes it doesn't get much better than a group of people stranded in the woods with the knowledge that they are all likely to die as soon as it gets dark. Creepy and suspenseful.
Season Two
The Calusari
There were several candidates for my favorite episode from season two, but again I'm letting my inner horror fan be my guide on this one. There's nothing creepier than evil children.
Season Three
The Blessing Way
Picking one from the mythology for season three. I enjoyed these episodes in previous seasons, but honestly I always felt that the first two seasons lacked the emotional impact these types of episodes are supposed to have. Season three seems to be the season in which the show finally found its footing, and this episode is a good example of that.
Season Four
Demons
Okay, I admit, I'm a sucker for strong male characters with a vulnerable side, and this episode explores Mulder's vulnerable side in a way that leaves me breathless. Loosely tied to the mythology with its emphasis on Mulder's search for his sister, it follows his character down a very dark road while the audience gets to sit back and enjoy the ride.
Season Five
Chinga
First let me say that I'm fluent in Spanish, so it takes a bit of effort for me to get past the title of this one. I have absolutely no idea what the word is supposed to mean in the context of the episode. When I hear it I just hear...well, you can look it up yourself. But anyway, the episode is another one that appeals to my horror loving side. It has another evil child, which ups the creep factor for me exponentially. There's also a good deal of humor in this one, so that makes it a double win!
Season Six
Biogenesis
This is another one I picked because of my weakness for men with a vulnerable side. Mulder is physically vulnerable in this one as opposed to emotionally vulnerable, but it's still powerful stuff.
Season Seven
Closure
Mulder finally finds out what happened to his sister. Doesn't get much better than that.
Season Eight
Deadalive
We finally get Agent Mulder back. Yay!
Season Nine
William
Okay, it was really hard to pick one from this season. I barely watched it when it aired originally because I was angry at the producers for trying to shift the focus of the show from Mulder and Scully to Doggett and Reyes. I know I'm not the only one who felt that way. There's a reason why this was the last season. But if pressed, I would have to choose William, first because of its emotional impact and second because of its importance in light of the recent tenth season.
Season Ten
Founder's Mutation
Okay, I didn't hate the new X Files, but I also didn't love it the way I loved the original show. So again it was hard to pick a favorite from this season. I would probably choose Founder's Mutation because it was mysterious, creepy at times, and also connected to the larger mystery around which the tenth season revolves.
Tell Me What You Think
I've given you all my favorite episodes--okay, not all my favorites because I would need to pick more than one from each season to be able to do that but, well never mind--I'd love to hear about yours. If your list is different from mine, feel free to tell me about it in a comment.
Thursday, April 7, 2016
The Challenge of Writing Backstory
A Surprising Challenge
I wrote last week about some of the difficulties I'm having with my new book, contrasting it with the relative ease with which I wrote Amelia's Children. Though both books are paranormal, Amelia's Children dealt with psychic abilities whereas my current work in progress has more to do with magic. I was surprised to find just how complex a thing magic is compared with the simplicity of prophetic dreams and telepathy. But that isn't the only surprise this new book has given me.
The backstory is another aspect of my current book that is giving me fits at the moment. I'm even more surprised by this than I was by the difficulty of writing about magic. After all, Amelia's Children is a murder mystery. What is a murder mystery? At its heart it is basically the primary character's attempt to find out the backstory. Really, mysteries are all about backstory, so why was Amelia's Children so much easier to write than my new book?
The Nature of a Murder Mystery
Yes, murder mysteries revolve around a backstory, but it is often a rather simple one. To the reader it doesn't seem simple because, if the story is told well, the clues are doled out so gradually that the book seems to get more and more complex as it goes along. But that is not how it seems to the writer. While the entirety of the backstory may not be completely planned out when pen is first set to page, nevertheless the writer generally has a pretty good idea of what happened before beginning to write the book. And if the book is a straightforward mystery it all goes back to one event. A murder, in my case. So once I knew who died, who killed her, why she was killed, and how she was killed, the rest was just sprinkling in details to make things more interesting. Those details could be anything I wanted them to be, and it was fun coming up with things to throw into the story.
When the Backstory Is More Complex
The book I am writing now is not a murder mystery. Discovering the backstory is not the main objective, but the backstory is there, nonetheless. And it's a complicated one. There is one major event that occurred five years prior to the current action that binds the main characters together and gives them their motivation for the things they do in the book, but that one event is related to a series of events that have occurred down through the years, all culminating in the new crisis that is the main problem of the story. Just like with a murder mystery, I have to know what happened, why it happened, how it happened, and who was involved. But unlike Amelia's Children, this does not just apply to one event. It applies to multiple events involving multiple characters. And to top it all off each one of these events has to do with magic, meaning that everything that happened in the backstory has to obey the rules I mentioned in last week's post. Yeesh!
Consistency Is Our Friend
Because the plot is so complex, I most certainly did not have all of it planned out when I began writing the book. What that means is that once the first draft is finished I'm going to have to go back and rewrite whole sections to make sure they line up with decisions I made in later chapters about what happened in the past. I almost feel like I need to write a whole separate book just about the timeline and the magic and how it works so that I can have an easy reference when I'm writing the story itself. Right now I'm trying to hold all of it in my mind, with the help of a collection of Post-it notes cluttering up my desk, but I'm becoming overwhelmed. After all, the mind forgets things and Post-it notes can get lost or buried or even thrown away.
Seeing the Light
I think I've finally reached the point where most of the backstory is nailed down. I also have a pretty good idea of what most of the magical rules are, so abiding by them should become easier from here on. So as long as I remember where I put those darn Post-its I should be okay. Maybe. Wish me luck!
I wrote last week about some of the difficulties I'm having with my new book, contrasting it with the relative ease with which I wrote Amelia's Children. Though both books are paranormal, Amelia's Children dealt with psychic abilities whereas my current work in progress has more to do with magic. I was surprised to find just how complex a thing magic is compared with the simplicity of prophetic dreams and telepathy. But that isn't the only surprise this new book has given me.
The backstory is another aspect of my current book that is giving me fits at the moment. I'm even more surprised by this than I was by the difficulty of writing about magic. After all, Amelia's Children is a murder mystery. What is a murder mystery? At its heart it is basically the primary character's attempt to find out the backstory. Really, mysteries are all about backstory, so why was Amelia's Children so much easier to write than my new book?
The Nature of a Murder Mystery
Yes, murder mysteries revolve around a backstory, but it is often a rather simple one. To the reader it doesn't seem simple because, if the story is told well, the clues are doled out so gradually that the book seems to get more and more complex as it goes along. But that is not how it seems to the writer. While the entirety of the backstory may not be completely planned out when pen is first set to page, nevertheless the writer generally has a pretty good idea of what happened before beginning to write the book. And if the book is a straightforward mystery it all goes back to one event. A murder, in my case. So once I knew who died, who killed her, why she was killed, and how she was killed, the rest was just sprinkling in details to make things more interesting. Those details could be anything I wanted them to be, and it was fun coming up with things to throw into the story.
When the Backstory Is More Complex
The book I am writing now is not a murder mystery. Discovering the backstory is not the main objective, but the backstory is there, nonetheless. And it's a complicated one. There is one major event that occurred five years prior to the current action that binds the main characters together and gives them their motivation for the things they do in the book, but that one event is related to a series of events that have occurred down through the years, all culminating in the new crisis that is the main problem of the story. Just like with a murder mystery, I have to know what happened, why it happened, how it happened, and who was involved. But unlike Amelia's Children, this does not just apply to one event. It applies to multiple events involving multiple characters. And to top it all off each one of these events has to do with magic, meaning that everything that happened in the backstory has to obey the rules I mentioned in last week's post. Yeesh!
Consistency Is Our Friend
Because the plot is so complex, I most certainly did not have all of it planned out when I began writing the book. What that means is that once the first draft is finished I'm going to have to go back and rewrite whole sections to make sure they line up with decisions I made in later chapters about what happened in the past. I almost feel like I need to write a whole separate book just about the timeline and the magic and how it works so that I can have an easy reference when I'm writing the story itself. Right now I'm trying to hold all of it in my mind, with the help of a collection of Post-it notes cluttering up my desk, but I'm becoming overwhelmed. After all, the mind forgets things and Post-it notes can get lost or buried or even thrown away.
Seeing the Light
I think I've finally reached the point where most of the backstory is nailed down. I also have a pretty good idea of what most of the magical rules are, so abiding by them should become easier from here on. So as long as I remember where I put those darn Post-its I should be okay. Maybe. Wish me luck!
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