Burrowing Out

The Groundhog bunny came out and didn't see his shadow (unlike that liar in Punxsutawney), so we're welcoming spring in February this year. Then again, those Oscar releases are making me want to hop back into my dark theater hole.

*Project Runway All-Stars - I miss Heidi and Tim. And I'm sick of those polka dots from Kenley. But who can say no to Austin?

*Simpsons - The 500th episode aired and was awesome. It almost made me forget the crappy episodes before it. That means I have spent at least 250 hours of my life watching the Simpsons (not counting reruns). Definitely time well spent.

*Downton Abbey - I rewatched the first season and realized that Elizabeth McGovern's character is supposed to be American. Well, her voice is still annoying and I saw her on the "making of documentary," and I think she's faking an American trying to do a British accent. But at least we're all finally caught up and I can reveal my knowledge of Matthew [SPOILER ALERT!] walking just in time for Lavinia to die. What a shocker I have had to keep secret this whole time from my fellow Americans. It's sad the season's over. I hope they make another one. In the meantime, we can enjoy figuring out which Downton Abbey character you are (not surprisingly, I am Sybil).

*The Interrupters - Frontline aired this documentary, which I had unfortunately not gotten a chance to see in the theater, about a violence prevention program in Chicago (which I believe has also been replicated here in Baltimore). It covered a lot of familiar territory for me about the complex causes of violence and why it is such an intractable problem in inner cities. Last month, Frontline's Nuclear Aftershocks was a really interesting look at the issues around nuclear power. After visiting a nuclear-free country this fall, I find that debate fascinating.

*30 Rock - had a great episode recently about the frustration of being someone who follows the rules in the insanity of a big city.

*Up All Night - I gave the show another try recently, but it's just ridiculous. There's something stupid and not funny about this whole "I'm a parent and I'm trying to still be cool" thing. It makes bad non-mini-van school commuter car commercials, too.

*Parks & Recreation - I am skeptical of this newest love subplot, and the latest episode seemed to be relying too much on old jokes, but it's still funnier than the newer episodes of the Office.

*Skins (Vol. 4) - This one got a little overly dramatic near the end. I kept watching thinking, "really?" it felt like the last season or two of Six Feet Under and The Wire - still a great show, but going a little overboard to keep its edge. There's still one more series to go, so we'll see what the new kids have in store.

*Colbert Report - Colbert poked fun at the contraception controversy like only Catholics can.

I read Arkansas, John Brandon's first book, this month. I've never been to Arkansas, so it's hard to know if the atmosphere is as accurate as Citrus County, his second book. It felt a little less polished than Citrus County, but still a good read. It's a smart, messy story about criminal drug running that doesn't fall into the tropes of most crime novels. I started The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, but I'm 150 pages in and it's not really capturing my imagination, so I may just curl up with my crocheting and watch the Swedish version of the movie on Netflix instant instead.

This post brought to you by President's Day (how is it this is the first year I noticed that it's not celebrated in the South?).