Thing 64

64. Rewatch all of Forever Knight



Three properly long seasons later, I have rewatched this show that I loved when I was younger. Two of my three DVD sets were still in plastic, so I'm glad I made this one of my things, because this show used to have so much of my heart and deserved a rewatch.

I still love it now, even though I will admit it's kind of terrible. I still felt myself completely sweapt up in Nick's struggle for mortality and in everyone's struggle for morality, justice, and love. It was sensual, emotional, and thought-provoking. There were episodes I'd watched so many times when I was younger that I could recite lines with the cast. There were commentaries and interviews I'd waited over 20 years to watch. There were also GIANT CELL PHONES and huge computers with tiny screens. I was also amazed to see so many familiar actors in roles like Thea Gill, David Hewlett, Amanda Tapping, and Carlo Rota. I laughed. I cried. I really enjoyed this trip into my past TV show obsession.

Thing 21

21. Each summer, pick a classic or book I have been hesitant to read and give it a try



This year I read Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. I chose this one partly because it's one everyone seems to have read except for me (in my high school advanced classes, we were specifically not allowed to read the "easy Steinbeck" like this) and partly because I was pretty sure I knew what I was in for. Countless shows, books, and movies reference this work or parody it, and I wanted to be "in" on the joke finally. Turns out that Highlander episode was pretty darn spot-on with its interpretation of it.

Thing I didn't like: I had an idea that there might be a bit of a body count racked up in this one, and I was prepared for that. What I wasn't prepared for were all of the animal deaths. There were SO MANY dead animals. I had a hard time with that emotionally. People dying I can deal with. But animals... that's harder for me.

Thing I liked: Steinbeck's setting descriptions in this book are my new favorite. There are only a few times he goes into the details about setting, but every single time he does, he not only paints a clear picture but does so in a way that makes every single detail ALSO somehow relevant to the story or character development at the same time. It was magical the way he moved us forward on multiple levels at once, with no throw away words. His character voices were also fantastic--each unique and strong. But the setting descriptions... I can't get over how he did that.

I don't know if "enjoy" is the right word to use, but I did like the book. It packs a strong punch but also captures human nature well--the good and the bad. I'm glad I finally read it.