Tuesday 5: In Which I Do NOT Go On A Political Rampage

1. Lucky me, my neighbor The Other Mrs. Intrigue loaned me the complete 6th season of Downton Abbey on BluRay. This means I’m entirely finished with Downton. I won’t spoil it for those of you who will be watching on Sunday except to say this: I love it when a show or book or movie ends with an “And They All Lived Happily Every After.” I’m not saying I like sappy or saccharine or predictable, I’m just saying there’s enough sadness and heartache and misery in the world, it’s nice to leave a well written or well acted piece with the characters in a place that feels like an ending and that feels like they’ve found some measure of happiness. Downton Abbey met my expectations.

2. Laura Ingalls Wilder has a new hobby. She’s a backseat driver. She likes to yell at me that I should have turned the other direction. She also loves to scream “GO! GoGoGo! GOOOO MAMAAA!” when we’re stopped in traffic. It’s delightful, if you enjoy being bossed around by a two and a half year old.

3. I think I want to start reading more poetry, but I also feel like I don’t know much about poetry in general - what makes a poem good, well structured, etc.? I remember Shakespearean sonnet structure from school, and that’s about it. Do any of you Fellow Adventurers have any suggestions on where to go or what to read to learn more?

4. I am easily distracted. Just now, I started playing an episode of The West Wing that I’ve seen at least four times before. My intent was to provide some background noise while I blogged and packed lunches. Halfway through, I realized I was engrossed in the show to the complete neglect of everything else. What can I say? I’m captivated by good television.

5. I keep getting these pictures of Oprah in my mailbox. She’s telling me how great it is that I, too, can eat bread every day and get skinny. Oprah, clearly you don’t know me. That is not something I can do. If I eat one piece of bread, I’ll eat four. With butter, and maybe jam. So, kindly stop showing up in my mailbox and telling me my business. Thanks.