OH.MY.GOSH. Season 2 of House of Cards = mind blowing! As previously stated, Brian and I like to watch TV marathon style - many episodes back to back. We have watched entire seasons of a show in just a day or two. We also tend to watch a series almost exclusively until we have worked through all of the seasons of the series. We watch 1 or 2 episodes per night and slowly watch the entire series. We have done this with Scrubs, Better Off Ted, Mad Men, 30 Rock, New Girl, Parks and Rec, Weeds, Rules of Engagement...and the list goes on. I hate to admit it, but we have watched many of these series multiple times. When I write this out, it makes us sound awful! As if all we ever do is watch TV! I promise we have lives: we do shower, get dressed, and leave our home! TV is something that we enjoy doing together and a great way to relax together at the end of a long day. TV is also something we turn on while we're doing other things. It's not time wasted. I argue that Netflix has enabled us and has made our marathon watching worse. There are no commercials, and it offers instantaneous gratification. I don't have to wait an entire week to see what happens next! House of Cards is a kink in the chain -- Is there a way to explain more than marathon style watching? Double time? Lightening round? We finished season 2 in LESS than 30 hours. We stayed up almost all night the first night the season was released! It is a powerful series that draws you in. You just. have. to. see. what happens next. The Underwoods are dark and manipulative...ruthless. There were moments we screamed out loud in disbelief; moments I was so tense I was sitting straight up on the couch. It's an extremely well done series. The actors are absolutely amazing, and I like the cinematography and VFX. Netflix has "done good." As proof of this, you should search through your Facebook news feed and count the number of status updates about House of Cards. I posted when we finished the series and instantaneously had multiple comments (mostly about how fast we had finished!); and then Monday morning at work I had two teachers (who usually don't) stop by my classroom just to talk about the show! Netflix has built a community that brings people together! I am already ready for season 3, and I will anxiously wait. Smart move, Netflix.
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Happy Valentine's Day (a day or two late)!
Brian and I have never been big on Valentine's Day. Our first official date was not long after Valentine's Day. So, when we were dating, we just combined the two and celebrated somewhere in the middle. This year we double dated with our mirror couple at Waffle House. It was the perfect Valentine's dinner! Delicious, inexpensive, and fun. This WH location goes all out with table decorations, candles, a photo booth, and cake! We even needed reservations! After dinner, we played a game of Pandemic - a frustratingly fun game! It's a cooperative board game designed against the players. We played on the "easy" level and lost within 3-4 rounds. All in all, a great evening with amazing friends! Atlanta has the nickname "Hotlanta" for a reason. It's crazy hot and humid here in the summertime, and we typically have pretty mild winters. This past year has been very different. Summer 2013 was oddly mild with LOTS of rain. We enjoyed the cooler weather, but could have done without the daily rain. With a mild summer comes a crazy winter? Maybe? There seems to be a climate change happening. We have now had two snow storms. Snowpocolypse Part 1 and 2 of 2014. You may have heard about Part 1 and how it completely shut down our city. It was all over the news. Traffic jams and commutes of 10+ hours, students stuck at school overnight, babies born on 285, this list goes on. And yes, it was only 2 inches of snow, but it came suddenly. We weren't ready for part 1. I don't blame anyone. It was a just a problem of a mass exodus -- everything closed at the same time, and everyone was trying to get home at the same time. Millions of people were on the road at the same time, and snow trucks couldn't get through. I'm just glad we've learned a lesson. We were prepared for part 2! Roads were graveled and salted in advance, and people listened to the news! The weird thing: both storms have come on a Tuesday after a warm Monday. Temperatures in the 50s. Personally, I didn't expect it to actually snow! Both storms have caused us to miss multiple days of school. Part 1 threw off my art show preparation! I have some students who were not able to finish - or even start - their project because of the days we missed. The planner in me stresses over the days missed, but I have to admit, I have enjoyed having the time at home. Part 2 has kept me home from school for 4 days. Brian and I have enjoyed the time at home together. He was able to compose all day Wednesday, and I have caught up on my latest tv show addiction: Hart of Dixie. (Don't judge me, I love it! Even if it's a sappy WB show with fake southern accents). We have eaten too much, probably out of boredom, gotten a lot of laundry done, and watched tv. We didn't even venture outside to play in the snow! But I have enjoyed looking out from the window; I can enjoy the snow, but stay warm and cozy inside. Here are pictures from both storms. The part 2 pictures are a little after-the-fact. I finally ventured outside today to see what the conditions the roads were in. Everything was melting, so I have no idea what it looked like yesterday during the height of the storm! School is still closed tomorrow because we'll drop below freezing again tonight. Everything that's melted could turn back to ice. Sad not to be in school on Valentine's Day! My grandmother recently passed away. It was rather sudden. We weren't expecting it, but she had been sick with a cold for a few weeks. While I am sad, and I will miss her; I cannot complain or wish her back. Nana is now in a better place and is reunited with my grandfather, Tata. I know I'll see them both again one day! While it was for a sad reason, it was really nice to get the family together. I haven't seen everyone in years! The last time I saw my second cousins; M was in 1st grade, and he's now in 4th grade! Nana and Tata's house is full of fond, childhood memories. We drove down from VA two to three times a year. Christmas, Spring Break, and Summertime. I went around taking some photos of some key places and items that I want to remember. My dad's mother, Mama Ruth, is now my only surviving grandparent. Thankfully, I was able to visit her after the funeral. The weekend trip to SC made me realize how grateful I am for my family and that they are close! |
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December 2017
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