Summer Shows

It's no secret that I love television.

Once the Fall hits, my schedule will be pretty packed with great television...and I love every minute of it!

The summertime, notorious for lackluster programming, does leave a bit to be desired, but since Shaun and I have spent many a night at home on the couch this summer, we definitely have a short list of summer TV that we've been digging.

Breaking Bad

If you aren't watching this show...please do it! But start from the beginning, don't jump in now. This is at the top of our favorite shows list. Walter White's descent from passive, honest high school teacher (Mr. Chips) to manic, scary drug kingpin who knows no bounds (Scarface) has been a wild ride. Each season never ceases to amaze me by reinventing itself and keeping the core storyline a fascinating one...and leaves me with my jaw on the floor each week. Oh and the A-mazing supporting characters don't hurt either...Jesse, Mike, Saul and Hank...love 'em all.

True Blood

Ok. Who else is watching this show? I've always been willing to go along with the over the top craziness of True Blood, mainly because it was fun, Eric was hot and the storyline was good enough. This season? I don't even have words. Every week Shaun and I look at each other and wonder why we are still watching. For me, it really jumped the shark this season with the Lost-ian smoke monster. At this point, there are 2 eps left so I have to continue...but am I alone in this feeling? I miss the good old days of fighting over Sookie, Eric not being a giant loser and caring about the characters. At this point, the only ones I can tolerate are Jason and Pam...as always :)

The Olympics (!!!)

We had so much fun watching The Olympics this summer! I really loved the gymnastics, swimming, diving and track & field. So great. I wish it wasn't every 4 years (I'm not as big a fan of winter Olympics...you?)! But, I will say that I"m happy to not have the urge to stay up until midnight each night to make sure that I don't miss any of the good stuff. Until 2016!

Jeopardy

Yep. We DVR it every evening. We really enjoy having this as a quick watch. It's fun to note that I can answer a respectable amount of questions and feel like I'm being educated at the same time. Yeah, just peddle us right into the geriatric unit already...

America's Got Talent

I'm definitely not one for competition shows, but I am one for Howard Stern. I could kind of take the show or leave it, but I do enjoy getting a dose of one of my favorite media stars. And who would have thought that the creepy curmudgeon of the show would actually be Howie Mandell? (And Howie? Once you ask people if the hat is cool, it automatically negates anything that could have possibly been cool). Howard makes the show watchable and now we are sucked in and rooting for the guy with the strings and the dog troop. Both of these acts make me happy.

So that's what we've been digging this summer. It's been fun, but I'm ready for my flood of Fall shows to start up!

Questions of the Day:

Do you prefer summer or winter Olympics?

What shows (if any!) have you been watching this summer?

5 Things Making Me Happy Today

Somehow, I find it so easy to fall into a rut. Sometimes, I get a case of the blues. I hate that. Especially when it's seemingly (on the surface at least) for no reason. When this happens, I realize that I have 2 choices. To continue wallowing...or to snap myself out of it and be happy for all the big - and little - things that are good in life.

As Barney Stinson would say, "When I get sad, I stop being sad, and be awesome instead... True story!"

So here's a few things making me happy today!

cherry crumble for one. Ah the power of food. It makes everything better. Especially when it combines warm, sugary fruit with a buttery, oat-laden topping. Oh and the whipped cream is a must!

farmer's market. They make me happy and think of chunky sweaters and Uggs and trolling around with a burning hot cup of hot cider. Oh and they are just pretty.

pretty homemade party favors. My mom and Kim made these little cakes in jars as party favors for Kim's graduation party. They are so cute and delicious. They just make me happy.

fall tv. I'm Rachel and I'm a television addict. (And I'm not the only one!). I'm so sad that True Blood is over, but I can't wait for my returning shows. Topping my list? Castle, Fringe, Parenthood and Boardwalk Empire.

football is back in my life. The cheering, beer drinking, lounging, eating and jersey wearing has arrived in all of its glory. It's good.

So that's what's doing it for me this week.

Question of the Day:

What's making you happy today?

psst...Christine's talking about her own TV obsesh today on The Peach & The Pit...hope you'll tune in!

What I Pop Cultured...in Aruba

While I recover from my paradise-filled Aruban vacation, where I ate surf & turf, drank frozen cocktails, sat on the beach for 12 hours a day, mourned MJ, celebrated the first anniversary, and finally got a healthy tan, I thought it necessary to update my week in pop culture. Though I have much to share about my Caribbean adventure, I still need to sort through photos and information so it could take a few days. Since I had TONS of time on my hands this week, here's what I brought along for the trip.

What I Read...on the Plane:
Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult A novel following a student who shoots up his high school, killing 10 and wounding dozens, in a mere nineteen minutes. Picoult also brings in very likable characters in the form of said student's parents, his childhood friend and her mother, a dashing detective on the case, and very unlikable bullies who've tortured the shooter throughout his lifetime. I appreciate Picoult's writing-style and her ability to incorporate controversial issues into her fictional stories. While she doesn't offer solutions or choose sides in the bully vs. bullied, she does paint a picture that blurs the line of what's right, wrong, and justified. While it was no My Sister's Keeper, it was an easy, interesting read that held my attention.

What I Read...on the Beach:
April & Oliver by Tess Callahan Childhood friends, unrequited love, sexual tension, weekends in the Hamptons...April & Oliver had such potential for a saucy chick lit beach read. Unfortunately, April & Oliver could not have been more disappointing. Perhaps I had unfair expectations of what the book would ultimately be about, but I was left unfulfilled. While I don't mind leaving some ambiguities at the end of a good read, I felt that this one lead me out to sea and left me there. Though the characters were well developed, interesting, and intense, I was highly unsatisfied with the ultimate turn of events. I mean, why would I read a book in which I have no idea what happens to the main characters? Though some may appreciate the ambiguous ending that 'makes you think', I prefer to have a definitive climax. The main character lives or dies. They hook up or they don't (and let's face it, if they don't, why am I wasting my time?). This one left much to be desired...in many ways.

What I Watched...in the Hotel:
How I Met Your Mother, Season 3 The writers finally got it right this season. While always charming, the first two season struggled (in my eyes) with Ted as the lead because...well, because he's just boring. Season 3 focuses more on Barney (played spectacularly by Neil Patrick Harris) and the group is integrated into more storylines, making it a seriously funny sitcom in a dying sitcom era. The only episodes that faltered? The ones that were Ted/finding the Mother-centric. Does anyone really care who the mother is? Give me more Barney.

What I Watched...on the Plane:
Mad Men, Season 1 Skeptical of the hype but willing to give it a whirl mainly due to Jon Hamm and my love for 60's-era things, I finally watched the first two eps and I'm hooked. Drama, comedy, inappropriate gender/racial stereotyping, New York City...a winning combo. I plan to get my DVD on all week, so hopefully it will only get better.

That's about all I had time for last week. I plan to continue pop culturing this week and be sure to check back for Aruba guides!