I've been thinking back on how much I've changed this past year (this past decade, really), but it didn't hit me until the husband and I started re-watching "Parks & Rec." I don't usually re-watch anything but this is the third time I've watched "Parks & Rec." It's just that funny. The characters are also really likable, in spite of their very obvious flaws. I see a lot of myself in Leslie Knope - her desire to succeed and contagious unrelenting hopefulness that often borders on delusion. I also see myself in April Ludgate - trying hard to maintain her cool kid image even though she secretly loves her job and coworkers. But the character that has really hit me hard this time around has been Ann Perkins. It has been physically painful to watch her lately, especially during Season 1, because she's been mirroring an aspect I really don't like about myself. To some critics, Ann was a plot device, an unnecessary character, the best friend Leslie badly needed but who could've been filled by literally any other character. But part of the purpose of "Parks & Rec" was to show the range of femininity - in both men and women - and one of the more unfortunate aspects is who Ann was in the beginning of the show. She's an unfailingly kind and nurturing person but she interpreted these good qualities as being a doormat in the beginning. It seemed like she had given up on living a fulfilling life. Ann meeting Leslie was the spark that made them both want something better for their lives. Their development as people gets kickstarted and we watch them both grow as their friendship continues until they both get their happy endings. I love this show. And, in my opinion, that's the only reason to re-watch or re-read anything - because you haven't gotten all the lessons out of it yet. I still have some more lessons to learn from "Parks & Rec."
Last December, the theme was "A Few of My Favorite Things" - I've decided to keep up the tradition, because this year deserves a good wrap-up. Especially since we're making a switch next month to a new project for this blog. This month, I'll feature some of my favorite songs that helped me get through this year - songs I discovered, songs that came out this year, and definitely some songs I played on repeat way too much. You may have noticed I'm calling this a "rapid-fire" edition. That is because I will be challenging myself to post at least one song a day this month. I already know some days will be harder than others - this upcoming Saturday, for example (because "back on my bullshit" for me means getting too embroiled in event planning for my work) - so I'm going to set some expectations:
Not every day is going to be a rant.
I know. I know. It's very sad but I don't have that much writing time to spare. Don't fret - Some days will definitely have rants. Long, tortuous rants that incorporate every stray thought I've had all week. Other days (most days), I may just leave the music to speak for itself. Sometimes it's better that way.
I'm going to end with the following panel from "Heart & Brain." Something to remember while we push through this last month of the decade.
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