Stephen Fry in America

I am one of those Americans who are often embarrassed by the behavior of other Americans, I honestly believe this is the same for many people no matter what country you come from, but I am an American and thus become embarrassed when someone from my country does something that I feel might misrepresent myself to those people.

I once sat two seats away from a woman in a sushi-go-round who loudly asked about chopsticks, about raw fish, about every little surprising treat that makes places like those a fun experience for first timers. The restaurant was full, and despite her complaints the woman was quite cheerful, never-the-less it grated. This was a woman looking for validation, “look at me and how uncomfortable I am in this place. Are you uncomfortable too? Let's be uncomfortable together.” I might be being unfair, perhaps she was just having a bad day, I don't think it's wrong to be uncomfortable, or dislike sushi. Plenty of people dislike sushi, but I'm sure there were more graceful ways to handle the situation.

Watching Stephens Fry in America is like watching a whole different country. I'm a fan of travel shows, I own all seasons of Anthony Bourdains No Reservations but something about this English gentleman traveling my own country pointing out things I would never have noticed, it's completely alien and wholly unlike anything you'd find on the Travel Channel. Stephen is kind and gracious to the quirks of people I might dismiss as being rude if I were in his position. He manages serious and interesting conversations with all walks of life from God (Morgan Freeman), to members of the homeless community.

I adore his opinion of Miami, with it's tall concrete buildings, and Miami Beachs blatant commercialism (Palm Trees are useless and ridiculous unless they grow dates or coconuts), he did like some of the art deco architecture though. He seems much at home in any wide open space America has to offer, something that is somewhat opposite of myself, when I think about it.

He visits Ben and Jerrys, the Gulla people, a Body Farm, found Mt. Rushmore silly, likes sitting in the bar of an Aspen hotel and drinking hot chocolate to skiing. Truly a man after my own heart. His trip is beautiful, heartwarming, and maybe a bit sad

It's refreshing to see someone, not from here who seems to finds us so charming, is comfortable with us flaws and all. I hope more people can be as forgiving, and in turn I hope we can be just as generous to others.

Currently you can watch the show on Netflix instant, the book can be found on Amazon.com.

Tales From Avonlea

As a little girl I was very much taken with the Edwardian Era. At that time I didn't actually know it was the Edwardian Era, I just knew I enjoyed the stories and fashion set in that period of time like Mary Poppins, American Girl Samantha Parkington (who was my favorite doll), and the stories of Lucy Montgomery who wrote most famously "Anne of Green Gables", and made me want long red hair I could wear in pig tail braids.

There was a sort of beauty in these stories, these girls were strong, and in their own ways magical. As I grew older I learned more about the lives they would have had if they'd been real. Ones with hardships, possibly loveless marriages, womens right's were in their infancy in America, working conditions and child labor were monstrous. In reality the time was hardly as romantic as I was brought up to believe, but I have to remember they were stories for children.

I adored Anne of Green Gables, but on a whim my grandmother picked up "Tales From Avonlea" (sometimes called "Road to Avonlea"), a T.V series from the early 90's staring Sara Polly (and later Gema Zampronga) who you might know as Sally from "The Baron Munchausen". Oh was I hooked on Tales from Avonlea, Sara Pollys character, also named Sara was one of those nicely complex characters, she's haughty, smug (which she is very good at), but still likeable. Also I wanted to wear her clothes, I still do sometimes.

Recently while flipping through channels at a friends house I was surprised to find "Road to Avonlea" playing. It's just as innocent and heartwarming as I remembered, though I do find it a bit naive, it brings me back to childhood tea parties, making fairy houses in the back yard, and and pretending to be a mermaid princess. I'm really happy to see it playing somewhere and I hope future generations enjoy it as much as I did.

Torchwood: Children of Earth *SPOILERS*

I recently finished season 5 of Doctor Who, I really adore Matt Smith as that character, he really brings a lot of heart to the Doctor. I got sucked into watching it again by a friend who loves Doctor Who more then almost anything, and the truth is I seriously love the show too, but I dislike spending too much time with those characters because they break my heart.

At first it was the end of the 9th Doctor. I wasn't familiar enough with Doctor Who, I had no idea that was going to happen, I was slightly upset by it, you can imagine. And then it was Donna. I adored Donna, I think I grew too attached, when I watched what happened to her I railed against it, anyone would have preferred death to what she got.

And then of course there was Ianto. I think I got more attached to Ianto then I have ever gotten to any fictional character ever. He had some amazingly positive characteristics, and maybe even more important, some wonderful flaws. Maybe he was just my type, handsome, loyal, not mysterious. I've never become all that attached to mysterious people, they're usually secretive for a reason and it's never something I find romantic or inviting. What can I say, I like them boring and kind.

Now that I've set the scene, lets talk about "Children of Earth". If you have seen it you've probably just shuddered at the words, it's brilliant and horrible, you want to stop watching from the first, but you can't because it's important that you continue. The story is important because what happens in the story is very similar to what will happen is real life one day, probably not with evil aliens, probably not even on a global scale, but something similar will happen one day and you'll have to make the choice like the people in 'Children of Earth". Will you give in, or will you fight?

Seems simple enough, but the dilemma in "Children of Earth" is that both side are in the right. Giving up the children because it would save so many others. How could that be wrong? Likewise how could it be right when you still have the strength to fight? You'll die, and it's clique, but you'll die doing the right thing.

I am in the latter school of thought myself, although I can see the merits of the first argument, I want to be the best person I can be and I can't see myself doing that with the knowledge that I had a hand in ruining so many lives.

If you've come this far you've probably watched "Children of Earth" already, too many spoilers not to. Ianto dies, not alone at least, but Jack never deserved Ianto, maybe he knew that already. I think most people think it was Ianto that should have been the most grateful for the relationship, having an amazing, slightly immortal, mysterious, time traveling mans attention on him for any period of time was surely flattering. But really it's the other way around, Jack has nearly forever, literally almost all the time in the world, he should be flattered that Ianto with his limited time deemed some of it important to spend on a man he knows to be flighty at best.

It's taken me over a year and a half to talk about this in anyway that's somewhat coherent and not just me screwing my eyes shut, covering my ears, and shouting "NO NO NO!" at the top of my lungs. If you have watched it I'm probably preaching to the choir, if you haven't, I guess this hasn't really explained much to you. All I can tell you is to watch it, it hurts, and you'll probably learn something about yourself that you hoped you would never have to think about.

Torchwood: The New World is set to air in a 10 episode arch in mid 2011. Maybe I'm being dramatic but I haven't decided if I'll watch it, most likely I will. My friends will watch it, and they'll sit me down and make me watch the first episode, just like before, and I'll enjoy it...painfully.

Simple Cheap Halloween Costumes for Geeks

For those geeks who for whatever reason wait too long, or have no money for Halloween shopping I give you six costumes ideas where ideally you would only have to buy/make 1 or two items. Thus saving your wallets money, and you time.

1. Buffy Summers

All you need is a blond hair, a stake, and and outfit straight out of the mid nineties.

2. Arthur Dent

Most comfortable costume ever! Wear pajamas and the all important robe, and don't forget a towel. Bonus points to those find a small yellow fish to stick in their ear.

3. James Woods from Family Guy

Find a blue suit and a red tie, carry around a bag of Reese's Pieces and continually proclaim. "Oh piece of candy."

4. Clark Kent

No you're not cool enough to be Superman, but find your self some thick rimmed glasses and a super nerdy beige suit and you could be his alter ego. For those of you who just can't stand it, put a Superman T-shirt under the suit and every time someone takes a picture you can epicly rip it open.

5. Mary Jane Watson

Red hair, slight cat eye makeup and carry around something Spiderman related. Also it would be pretty easy to find an outfit that was directly from the pages of a comic.

6. Liz Sherman

Dark hair, black clothing, only very basic makeup (no eyeliner for Liz people). Buy blue cellophane and crumple a piece into a fire-like ball to hold in your hand for pictures. To be extra cool cut up pieces of cellophane into fire like shapes and glue them to your skin using spirit gum.

Daria and it's Effects on the American Teenager

Thanks to the recent release to DVD and Logo taking it on, Daria has had a bit of a comeback. All my girlfriends watched this show, if you were a teenage girl in the late nineties there was something about her and best friend Jane you identified with.

As a bushy haired brunet outcast with glasses I was equated with Daria quite often. I clearly remember a boy on the bus home telling me I should find myself some combat boots and a green jacket. Secretly I identified more with Jane, to this day I never considered myself a brain and my horrendous spelling can attest to that, but I often found myself working on odd art projects in my spare time.

Laying on my couch in the afternoon it was all too easy to fall into the world she lived in. Everyone gets annoyed with their teachers, and knows someone that might be considered too dumb to live, but still manages to make the grade each year. Your parents drive you nuts, you don't want to be caught dead around your siblings and your friends are the only people who really understand you.

It's really no wonder Daria spoke to a generation of adolescent females just wanting to be accepted for who there are and not the clothes they wear or who they hang out with.

Daria did something no other brain up until then had been able to do. Not Lisa Simpson, not Urkle (is it sad that I can't think of a third example), Daria made smart, cool.