Hearting Things (2)

Last time I found that doing one of these happy-things-only posts pulled me out of my blogging funk. So here's another, of me sharing things that have made me happy or made me think lately. Because no one likes a thoughtless person. Yay!

TV

Two words: Veronica Mars. All. The. Time. I started watching this show last year but somehow didn't get into it until, uh, a few weeks ago, and since then I have thoroughly finished the first two seasons and am now rewatching. No, I am not obsessed much...

What can I say to persuade you that Veronica Mars is an incredible TV show that deserves to be watched by everyone who likes smart things? It's not purely a detective show, although Veronica Mars does an enviable job of solving those small- and big-time cases that come her way. It's not purely a high school drama, either. It's just a lovely, sassy combination of wit, humor, relationship trouble, and the best damn father-daughter relationship. Ever. I'm not doing it justice with my description, but just watch 3 episodes, I promise you.

You can get gems like these moments:

And this:

Dick: Uh oh, someone’s got her eye on that Miss White Trash title.
Beaver: You know, you got solid effort in the talent competition, but I’d like to see that car up on some cinder blocks.
Logan: Guys, come on.
Veronica: I know. Guys, come on. The talent is making a grilled cheese sandwich on the engine block. Guys, come on. You can’t put your car up on blocks in the yard if you don’t have a yard. You know, I think I can do both sides of this little act now. So how about next time, you don’t bother. I got it covered.

Squee. What are you waiting for?!

(GIFs and quotes from loganfuckingecholls.tumblr.com.)

Music
In Season One of Veronica Mars (I know, I know, I can't stop myself!), this beautiful song appears at a critical moment--but, in the interest of being non-spoilery, I can't tell you. However, that doesn't mean you can't appreciate this song, "Momentary Thing" by the former Irish rock band Something Happens, on its own.

I can't seem to get enough of this song--and the song is designed to induce that precise feeling in listeners. The way the the singer's voice falls off at the end of lines; the way the verses build up to a chorus that, while satisfying, still feels like it is holding its full sound back from you; and the way the song seems to end before you want it to... all contribute to the feeling that you can never get enough. And I appreciate that, and love its genius for it.



Links

Reach a Reader Resources: ARCs Float On
Ever wonder what in the world you should do with all those ARCs you've either finished reading and don't intend to keep or will never get around to reading? This wonderful program will connect you with teachers around the US who are willing to receive ARC donations for their classroom libraries. Check out ARCs Float On for more info and to participate. What a great way to help out and clean your shelves at the same time, eh?

International Book Bloggers Conference
Yes, you read that right. Cool blogger Liyana at LiyanaLand is accepting input on the possibility of putting together an International Book Bloggers Conference for as early as next spring! For those bloggers who live abroad and are never able to make it to BEA, ALA, and all those other incredible-sounding US-based events, this is something you might want to check out. Fill out the Google doc to have input into this possible future event.

nerdbastards.com

Racial Hybridity in Firefly
Are you a Firefly fan? (If you're not, again, what are you waiting for?) Have you ever thought about the implications of Joss Whedon creating a future world where China and the US are the two remaining superpowers whose cultures are seemingly fully integrated? This academic paper by Jenni Fong titled "Stuck in a Blender: Genre and Racial Hybridity in Joss Whedon's Firefly" (yes, all academic paper titles sound as pretentious as that, deal with it) presents an interesting, relevant, and slightly disturbing argument that instead of achieving cultural and racial hybridity, Firefly has only appropriated Asian culture without accepting Asian people, and thus has perpetuates the existing standard of appropriating but not accepting Asians and Asianness in contemporary Hollywood. Most of what the paper talked about was not news to me (nor will it be news to most other Asians), but if you want to expand your Firefly- and media-loving mind a little, I highly recommend you take a look.

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That's all for now! And now that I've gotten blogging back in my system, expect some more normal posts from me soon.