Tag Archives: Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge

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Generally, I prefer not to binge-watch shows. It’s easier for me to enjoy them when I take at least a few days between episodes, especially for shows that can be repetitive at times.

These are the exceptions to this preference of mine. Two are shows I finished ages ago, and the final one is something I recently started watching.

Show Title: Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Why I Binge-Watched It: Just because vampires (or monsters, or teenage girls) behave a certain way in other universes doesn’t mean they’ll follow those rules in this universe. I loved the risks Joss Whedon took with the plots twists in this series.

Show: 30 Rock

Why I Binge-Watched It: The zany ensemble cast was hilarious. This show was set backstage on a fictional version of Saturday Night Life. It featured everyone from celebrities (both real and fictional) to the various long-suffering employees there who try to appease all sorts of ridiculous requests from their guests and sometimes coworkers as well.  I loved all of the funny references to previous storylines and guest stars they included later on.

Show Title: The Simpsons

Why I Binge-Watch It: A little while ago, I started watching The Simpsons from the beginning since I only ever saw random episodes of it when I was growing up. It’s 90% brain candy and 10% astute observations about western society. That’s the perfect combination of factors to make me want to see more than one episode a day.  The early seasons have held up well, too, if any of you are curious about watching or rewatching them!

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This week’s prompt was an easy one. I’m going with my favourite foods.

Lasagna (dairy-free, of course!)

Breadsticks

Chocolate almond milk

Lemon meringue pie

Dairy-free mint chocolate chip ice cream

Since it’s the last meal I’m going to eat, you’d better believe I’ll be picking two of my favourite sweets as dessert!

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I believe that hope is the most important ingredient of a theme song.

Somewhere Over the Rainbow by Judy Garland.

Musicals generally aren’t my cup of tea, but Judy Garland did an excellent job with Somewhere Over the Rainbow. There is so much hope embedded in it even though Dorothy had no idea what twists and turns were coming in her life at this point, much less how she’d get through them.

I listen to this song when I’m having a bad day or am worried about something out of my control.  It’s been my experience that things often work out in the end even if you can’t currently see how everything will be resolved.

Holding onto hope in the meantime is so important!

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Saying no to people is my greatest weakness. Sometimes I also have trouble reinforcing boundaries with people who won’t take no for an answer.

This is tied into my strong desire for peaceful interactions and my belief that there is a solution for every conflict out there.

Due to that, I do have a tendency to err on the side of peacemaking at times when I should be sticking up for myself better instead.

I’m working on changing this part of my personality.

It’s hard!

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My greatest strengths are my diplomacy and ability to find the good in everyone. They’re so closely related that I thought it was okay to bind them together for the sake of this prompt.

I’m the sort of person who gets along with just about everyone. People are fascinating, and I enjoy getting to know them one-on-one or in small groups. You can learn all sorts of things about someone by quietly listening to what they do (and don’t) say about themselves, others, and the world in general.

My favourite sorts of people are the ones who love to talk but who also know how to turn the conversation back to us quieter folks after a little while. That is such a wonderful skill to possess!

If someone says something that could be interpreted in multiple ways, I’ll search for the most charitable interpretation possible and give them the benefit of the doubt. Until or unless someone gives me good reason to suspect otherwise, I assume the best of them. In my experience, that’s usually the most helpful way to approach interactions with folks you don’t know well yet.

Being kind and polite to everyone costs nothing, but it can go a long way to make social situations enjoyable for everyone.

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I should warn you all that I don’t read or watch many romantic stories, so this answer might be a little off the beaten path. I like romances about characters who respect each other’s boundaries, have realistic expectations of their romantic partners, and  know how to take no for an answer. From what I recall, this tale did a pretty good job at all of those things.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is a 2004 sci-fi romance film about man who agreed to have his painful memories of his ex-girlfriend permanently erased.

In order for that to happen, he had to briefly relive all of the memories that included her beginning with the newest and most difficult ones. He was asleep during this process and has no way to communicate with the scientists who were erasing his memories.

As they worked backwards in time and he remembered happier moments with her, he changed his mind about this process.

I loved the plot just as much as I did the chemistry between the two main characters. They’d had more than their fair share of hard days together, but they’d also had some wonderful experiences as a couple.

It was cool to see a film acknowledge that most relationships generally aren’t 100% harmful or 100% helpful. (I’m not talking about toxic relationships here, just ordinary ones that might go through rough patches).

There are many shades of grey between those two extremes, and it isn’t always easy to know where the line is between a relationship that should end for the sake of everyone involved in it versus one that could be salvaged if both partners are willing to work at it.

The ending was immensely satisfying as well, although I won’t spoil it for anyone who has yet to check this film out.

Whether you’re single, in a longterm relationship, or somewhere in-between, I’d recommend this film to everyone as Valentine’s Day approaches.

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What a fun topic! Here are a few of my favourite things:

Dairy-Free Treats. Toronto has a decent population of people who don’t eat dairy products for any number of reasons, so there are lots of options for dairy-free chocolate, candy, cakes, and other sweets at most big grocery stores. The health food stores often have the fanciest stuff.

Minecraft. I love planting crops and building homes the most in this game.

Massages. They don’t happen during pandemics, of course, but they’re a rare treat in ordinary times.

Nature Walks. I’m easily amused by the simple things in life, especially if they involve walking around in parks or forests.

Swimming. This is one of my favourite forms of exercise. There’s nothing like paddling through deliciously cool water on a warm day.

Gentle Rollercoasters. Modern rollercoasters are a little too fast and jerky for me. I prefer older ones that had more gentle hills and valleys.

Petting Other People’s Dogs. Will it trigger my allergies? Yes, but if the owners say it’s okay I occasionally do it anyway and then wash my hands immediately afterwards. Dogs are such friendly creatures. It’s hard to never give in to the urge to pet them and tell them they’re good dogs.