Jamie's Hero and Villain of the Week #16

Happy Friday afternoon to everyone!  As promised, my second post of the day reveals this week's hero and villain picks!

Want to learn more?  Check out www.thebloom.com!

Hero of the Week:  Apple Blossom Festival

This spring marks the 84th annual Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival.  The Festival takes place over several days and consists of parades, fireworks, craft fairs, concerts, luncheons, and a carnival.  Local government and the majority of businesses shut down the Friday before the Grand Feature parade.  Practically the whole city dresses up in pink and green.  Although some Winchester residents are not too fond of the festivities (in fact, it's downright hated in some circles), it's an important part of local tradition.  It's refreshing to see a community honor its history and celebrate what makes it unique.  I, for one, will be celebrating in my pink and green this weekend!

Villain of the Week:  Tornadoes 

This has been a terrible week for weather!  Early Thursday morning, I woke up in a Nyquil haze thinking the roof was about to be torn off of the house.  Trying to get to work was terrifying as well.  I'm a lot more fortunate than many in the South, and the affected families are in my thoughts and prayers.  If you would like to help, check out http://www.disasterreliefeffort.org/.

That's all for this week.  Enjoy the weekend!

Common Snobbery

The day of the Royal Wedding has finally arrived!  I know it's actually been over for hours, but I'm just now watching it on TiVo.  It was, like, really early!  Kristen and I made plans to watch the recorded wedding over brunch before meeting Ashley and Jack at the carnival for some Apple Blossom festivities.  Sounds like a great day, right?

I was highly amused that my Facebook newsfeed was almost entirely about the wedding this morning.  I loved reading about how my friends were celebrating and the witty comments about all of the hats.  My amusement turned to irritation when I realized that half of the comments were from angry people condemning and mocking all wedding watchers.  I've read diatribes full of bitter judgment ranging from, "If you watch the Royal Wedding, you're a nihilist who doesn't care about the fate of the world, your country, or your family," to "women are cursed."  I must say, I'm not really sure how a televised wedding is proof of a sexist curse, but I'm offended!

From what I can tell, these complaints are based on one of two main arguments:

1.  It is silly and a bit pathetic to spend your time watching two people you don't know get married.  

2.  There are so many horrible things going on in the world--famine, war, impending economic collapse. You're obviously selfish and self-centered if you would rather spend your time on such frivolous things as weddings when there are so many causes that need your attention.

I would like to address these arguments now.  

1.  No, most people in the world do not personally know William and Catherine.  However, the wedding is a major fashion and pop culture event even if it doesn't hold any personal or historical significance.  Additionally, in a society that increasingly spurns actual interaction, it's nice that an event can bring people together.  Who knows?  Many a friendship could be formed after a Royal Wedding icebreaker conversation!

2.  For serious?  Since when is it a rule that you can only care about one thing?  If you spend two hours watching a movie, does that mean that you are suddenly unable to care about your CAUSES?  Believe it or not, most people are actually able to be socially conscious and have fun occasionally.  Besides, it's actually not healthy to constantly obsess about problems you cannot personally solve.  I think it's great to be informed and volunteer and try to make the world a better place, but taking full responsibility for the world's troubles will drive you crazy.  Oh, and btw, insulting people on Facebook also fails to cure world hunger.  I'm just saying.

In conclusion, there is absolutely nothing wrong with being uninterested in the Royal Wedding.  If you're not interested, then do something else today.  What is really not cool is insulting people who are simply enjoying a few hours of entertainment.

Woe Is Me

For the past several days I've had a severe cold/minor flu.  While I was lying in bed feeling sorry for myself I came to a painful realization:  I'm a terrible sick person.  I'd like to think that I'm the kind of person who can suffer in silence and nobly carry on with my daily duties, but I'm just not.  

On second thought, there may be a downside to this whole play-with-pain mentality.  No one would recognize how truly noble and long-suffering I am, which would be a great loss for the world at large.  To remedy the egregious wrong of being overlooked, I would eventually have to collapse in my weakened state.  My family and friends would then be deeply worried and rush me to the hospital.  Possible declaration of love from a handsome doctor aside, medical treatment is expensive and bankruptcy is not a good look for me.  Besides, if family dramas have taught me anything it's that a medical crisis will ease the tension of an unhappy family but will create it in a happy family.  Since my family is a pretty happy one, the stress of my illness would inevitably tear us apart.  My parents would blame themselves, and one of my sisters would blame me for not taking care of myself before my cold turned into pneumonia and/or scarlet fever.  Fights would erupt about childhood grudges and who ruined whose baby doll or "accidentally" killed the pet hamster, and before you know it I'm all alone with my debt and my handsome doctor.

I could never do that to my family.  It's better for everyone that I continue to whine and act like a spoiled baby.  Please forgive the shortness of this entry, but I have to go make myself some soup and take a nap.

How sick I actually am

How sick I'm acting

Jamie's Hero and Villain of the Week #15

It's an incredibly dreary Friday afternoon, what with the rain, the unseasonably cold weather, and the flood watch and all.  It's the perfect day to curl up in your snuggie with a cup of hot tea or coffee and read about this week's hero and villain!

Hero of the Week:  Lifetime 

I adore making fun of Lifetime movies.  Since endlessly recycled stories revolving around abusive men, crazy stalkers, unplanned pregnancies, eating disorders and bad acting have been labeled "television for women," I, as a woman, feel the need to watch and mock.  You can imagine my joy when I read that Lifetime had developed a new movie, William & Kate, in a matter of days.  I set my TiVo immediately!  Shockingly, it wasn't that bad.  It wasn't great cinema, of course, but it was much better than I was expecting.  It had pretty people, pretty clothes, pretty scenery, surprisingly decent acting.  While the story wasn't original (I can't give creative props for a bio-pic), the lack of an outlandish murder plot made it a breath of fresh air on the network.  Perhaps the adorable Drop Dead Diva wasn't a fluke and Lifetime is actually trying to step up its game!  

Dear Weather, Quit it already!!!  Love, Jamie

Villain of the Week:  Easter Weather

Why does it always have to rain Easter weekend?  I want to be able to wear a pretty spring sundress for Easter, but more often than not it's cold and wet.  Jack was born on Easter weekend in 2007, and it actually snowed!  I was so excited to meet my new nephew that I didn't think to pack a jacket and ended up having to buy one at Goodwill.  Really Weather, don't you know that it's inappropriate to be gloomy on a day that symbolizes resurrection and new life and fresh starts and life?  I know thunderstorms are in the forecast for Sunday, but I'm just not okay with that.  Get with the program!  

That's all for this week!  I hope everyone has a wonderful Easter weekend!