Reevaluating my TV Priorities

It's been a while since I posted about TV shows, right? Even if I have, I still have some things to say.

1. Vampires. I just need to reiterate how disappointed I am in Season 4 of Vampire Diaries. It's become BORING. Even the last episode, which FINALLY had a twist and turn at the end almost lost me half way through because they were still doing the same things they'd been doing for the last 4 episodes, which is blabbing on and on about The Cure (not the band--that would have been more interesting), and who wants it more, and what about that evil Silas guy. The point is, I expect a few throw away episodes in a season, but every single one has been a throw away. The last 5 minutes of the last episode gives me a tiny nugget of hope, but honestly, I've been recommending this show left and right, and now I'm starting to be a little embarrassed by that fact.

The good news is that Being Human is a few episodes into Season 3, and it puts all other vampire/werewolf/ghosty shows to shame. We got rid of our dish and DVR, which means I have to scrounge around for online airings of shows, which we mostly take care of through Hulu+, but the shows on syfy aren't there. Thankfully, I discovered that my phone streams the new episodes, and I spent an entire afternoon neglecting my kids and catching up on the season. It makes up for the snoozefest of Vampire Diaries. I will still recommend this show left and right. (Except to my friends that don't handle lots of blood very well. You know who you are.)

2. International Travel  Because I'm now hooked into Hulu+, I've discovered some shows I never watched before. I'm addicted to Amazing Race. ADDICTED. I'm on Season 8 and I started Season 1 less than 2 weeks ago. I've had the benefit of traveling quite a bit, but these guys bounce from continent to continent and see the most amazing places that I couldn't have imagined existing, and do the most amazing things. For example, there was a place somewhere in Asia in Season 1 where there were Bengal tigers that had been raised by monks, and each team had to send one person through the tiger refuge to get their next clue. The tigers were on chains, but they could still reach the people walking through, and some of the contestants were getting batted in the ankles and hands by giant tigers. It was awesome. The teams have had to do crazy bungee jumps, sky diving, zip lines, snorkeling, kayaking, and a million other difficult tasks. The ones that really give them hangups are the food challenges, like eating live octopus, 2 lbs of caviar, bugs, etc. Gross stuff. The funniest one was a super ego who had to eat an entire ostrich egg, but he got to cook it first. He threw up like four times. It was eggs. But he could sky dive.

The teams go through a lot. They're exhausted, hungry, jet-lagged, and stressed out, and I cry every time one of them gets eliminated. Unless they're total jerks. The team that wins really earns that million bucks. It's brutal. And I love every second of it. Also, I'm convinced that I have family members that would do well on the show. I'm not one of them. I'd be the one having meltdowns every episode. No thanks. But it would sure be fun to watch my dad, or my siblings, or any combination of them.

3. Hibernation I'm in hibernation. I've accepted that. I have no desire to go outside or be active or be social right now. And when those urges strike me, I'm usually holding a sleeping baby that has crashed on my lap because he's sick, or I have plans for the next 24 hours and one of the kids pukes on the kitchen floor. It's been that kind of winter. And I was actually getting excited about taking the stroller out for a whirl, and it was warming up, and I got up this morning and BOOM! 4 inches of snow! So I'm accepting the fact that I am, in fact, a being who hibernates in the winter, and I will emerge in the Spring.

Speaking of Spring, my mom and my sister knew I was giving up on winter and throwing in the towel, and invited Tim and me to join them and a bunch of other people on a 100-mile bike trip in Canyonlands, called the White Rim Trail. My parents go on this trip every other year, and last time, Tim went and I stayed home with a bun in the oven. I was dying of envy, and, thanks to some fabulous friends, we get to ditch the kids for 4 days and I get to come along this time. I've already started shopping. Because really, isn't that the best part of a new adventure? The clothes? We also ordered an indoor bike trainer (you hook up your bike to it, and then plop it in front of the TV, and you can practice riding 20 miles in a stretch, all while watching Amazing Race!), which will be arriving on Tuesday. I'm looking forward to a new fitness challenge. My goal is to not cry the whole bike ride in Canyonlands. I wouldn't want to look silly. What I'd really like is to get to the point on my bike that I can hop on without dreading the pain. It should be fun! So in May, once I've returned, I'll be posting a whole bunch of pictures of me not crying in Southern Utah, looking super cool in really expensive shorts.

Well, Season 8 of Amazing Race won't wait forever for me. (Actually, it might. But I'm not willing to risk it.) Over and out.