Weekend Nerdery

This weekend took a turn for the Nerd when, on Friday, I found all 8 Harry Potter movies and the John Adams mini-series, both on bluray, and both on SERIOUS sale.

So yeah, this is what 90% of my weekend consisted of:

It was glorious.

Little known fact: I'm a giant Early American History nerd. And this past week I did some random fact-checking on Teddy Roosevelt, which somehow generated a wild urge to watch John Adams (probably because there is no Teddy Roosevelt HBO mini-series). And when I found it on sale for almost $40 off, it was basically just A SIGN FROM THE UNIVERSE that I needed to waste my entire Saturday happily nerding it up Early American History style. And while watching it, I spent a lot of time wishing I had been a history major and lamenting the fact that I sold all my text books (you know, because I really wanted something less practical than my English degree).

While trying to space out John Adams, I spent a good amount of time reading random books and getting caught up on season 2 of Archer. 

This show is so, so good. My dad and I watched the first season, (which was only mildly uncomfortable, considering my straight-laced, conservative, Baptist-raised father was laughing louder at the vulgarities than I was) but I missed season 2 for probably a handful of really below average reasons. However. Season 2 is pretty badass. Archer is basically Arrested Development set in a top-secret Spy organization. Basically, awesome.

But episode 4 had a reference to Where the Red Fern Grows that was so random and obscure and sad that I laughed for a good 10 minutes. The man who owns the air boat that Archer and Lana commandeer notices that his dog is dead, and cries out, "Oh, Annie, no! Now both my dogs are dead!"

And then they pan back to this shot:

And you can sure as shit believe that after I stopped laughing, I ran to the bookcase and fished out my ancient copy to re-read the good parts.

hey hey, stolen book from my 3rd grade media center!

3rd grade vandalism!

And of course, I sobbed my g-damn eyes out. AGAIN. This book has been making me sob since 1993. [omg that's almost 20 years D:] The worst experience was at my friend Valerie's sleepover where all us girls took turns reading out loud the chapter where Old Dan and Little Ann die. We were all in hysterical sobs by the end of it, and had to be picked up and taken home. But, I defy anyone who's had a bond with a dog to read this book and not cry. It's intense.

However, I don't think this book would be such a trigger if the first time I read it wasn't within months of us putting down our blood hound, Molly. Which, while terribly sad, was most likely the start of my writing career, since I spent most of 3rd grade writing really creepy, sad stories about her. Come to think of it, we also read Black Beauty, Island of the Blue Dolphins, and Call of the Wild that year. That year was also the first time I saw The Fox and the Hound. No wonder I wrote so many stories about animals and death. 

Like I've said before, I was a weird kid.

Anywho! In summation:

If you haven't seen John Adams, and you're a big fan of history, watch it.

If you haven't seen Archer, and you're a big fan of quality humor, watch it.

If you haven't read Where the Red Fern Grows, and you're a fan of mid-day emotional break downs, read it.

Oh, and I set up a blog for my Mom this weekend. I can't wait til she starts posting. :D

And today, I went tromping through the Blue Ridge Mountains, which, if today's experience means anything, consist of nothing more than poplar trees and clearings full of briar bushes. My legs are all scratched up and my jeans are ruined :( But, it was fun to get out and hike and climb hills.