My introduction to Buffy the Vampire Slayer came about when I was searching for a new TV series to watch. Ok, that didn’t sound right because the show ended in 2003, so it wouldn’t fall to the category of “new.” Anyway, I realized I’ve been watching too much X-Files so I decided to shift my attention some place else. Now, I’ve never really considered myself to be a SciFi/fantasy nut; ironically, my favorite movies (Contact, Meet Joe Black) and TV shows (X-Files, Taken, and now BtVS) all go beyond the realistic. I wouldn’t overanalyze the “why” mainly because I don’t think I can point it out exactly. But the unique thing is, although I enjoy the visual effects and story progression of this kind of artistic presentation, I tend to focus more on the human aspects - the emotions, relationships, struggles, and parallels to real life. I guess maybe, for me, the “fantastic” provides a whole new layer of intensity in sending the message across compared with in-your-face representations like reality TV or soap operas. Take Buffy, for example. I initially dismissed it as a sophomoric show intended only for young audiences. I read about the musical episode, so I decided to start there, which is actually already on the second to the last season. Being generally considered as the “darkest” season (S6) of the entire series, watching it made me realize how uniquely different this show is to anything I’ve watched before. It’s fearless and it’s peerless in the way that it managed to wreck havoc on its own heroes to the point that almost everyone in the show act despicably (hence, their misery) and yet you still feel for them and can still laugh with them when they make their stupid jokes. For now, let me say for the record that this show is not for kids. In fact, you may have to be a mightily open-minded adult to take in a world where the line between black and white is hardly ever drawn distinctly. Here’s my ultimate Scooby group
(Front, sitting) Nicholas Brendon as Xander Harris; (left to right, middle row) Alyson Hannigan as Willow Rosenberg, Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Summers, Michelle Trachtenberg as Dawn, Emma Caufield as Anya; (back row) Anthony Stewart Head as Rupert Giles, Amber Benson as Tara, James Marsters as Spike Photo credit: The WB/Jeffrey Thurnher
Ok, so I’m trying to get as many writing gigs I can get my hands on and now I’m starting to think maybe I need to buy a laptop. Seriously, with blogging, and now writing essays, I need to have something I can bring with me everywhere I go. I’ll be like an on-the-go writer. Oh, to be honest, it’s not really that much of a necessity at this point. I just want it just because that sounds cool.
A friend of mine bought her notebook computer from an online buy-and-sell site. She really wants any of those Toshiba Notebooks and she actually got one for almost half its original price. The laptop was used by the owner, who apparently wants to upgrade, for less than 3 months, and it was really in mint condition. As for me, I’m gunning for one of the Vaio Sony Notebooks. I really like the pink one. I actually heard some rumors that they are being sold on 50% price-off lately because Sony is going to release new models, but I haven’t really found any stores that prove this news. It’s going to be a while before I have the finances to buy myself this gadget. What would be good, though, is if the company I’m working for will give me one of those Dell Notebooks the people from the management carry around. Gah, I can only dream.