mtv lifer writing a Joss Whedon biography to come out in 2013. i watch a lot of television. a lot. and i talk about fandom and television in general lot. despite being online for over 15 years now, i’m always taken aback by how affected i am by people i’ve never actually met in person. seeing allie pop up with a post, even a “transitional” post made me teary to know that she’s okay.
My new favorite thing: It starts a little slow but the second round and ending are phenomenal.
During the final song, it is entirely possible that I was clutching my hands together and holding them tight to my chest the whole time.
And by “entirely possible,” I mean I was making giggling gaspy noises as well.
the best photoset in the history of tumblr
a true work of art
frame this in a museum
(Source: acidarmor, via zambonirider)
drst answered your question: Gateway Episodes: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Pilot. I knew someone who tried to watch Buffy with S2. I was all NOOOOOO! GO BACK AND WATCH S1!
xingfumaomi answered your question: Gateway Episodes: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Um I would suggest maybe the first episode cuz its the first episode and stuff
a-pale-imitation answered your question: Gateway Episodes: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Maybe Im weird, but I like to start at the beginning when introducing someone to a show. So, episode one.
In general, I think that starting with the pilot of any show makes sense. But with some series, especially ones that run several seasons long and feature their own mythology, newcomers can feel overwhelmed and potentially turned off by the idea of investing that much time and emotion.
I think of Gateway Episodes as the thing you show someone who is on the fence about a series, not someone who is super excited to start watching it. Which is why I feel that the mythology-lite episodes, or episodes that don’t hinge on a character’s history are best.
I thought about “Halloween,” but it’s so much stronger to get the effect of the Princess of Buffonia when you know Buffy and Angel’s history, and her own self-doubt around their relationship. “Band Candy” is one of my fun favorites, but you need to know the characters to fully enjoy the way they’re all upended — although the hotness of Ripper needs no explanation.
Principia-coh also recommended the Teavana Perfect Teamaker. I would now like to have a big tea party where we all bring our favorite personal tea brewers and we can try them all out.
I have several loose-leaf strainers but what i love about these personal brewers is that they’re so portable. I kept mine in the office — i used to fill it from the hot water tap in our pantry then walk back to my office and not worry about it spilling. And I can’t stress enough how fabulous it is for making iced tea — just put 2 teabags in (i just used lipton black tea, or pg tips if i had it), let it steep off to the side and pour it over a huge tumbler of ice, adding more and more as needed.
This article suggests that “Earshot” is the best gateway episode to introduce someone to Buffy. It’s a fantastic episode but THE GATEWAY one? I strongly disagree. You need to know these characters — especially Buffy and Jonathan — to understand the immense gravity of Jonathan’s decision and Buffy’s agony as she is literally being driven mad by all the voices in her head. You need to know her life to understand exactly what she means when she says that it, at times, “sucks beyond the telling of it.” And you need to know “Band Candy” to get the hilarity of the references.
I think the ideal gateway episode into a series, especially a cult one, is a mythology-lite episode that showcases the tone of the show. It’s why “Blink” works so well for Doctor Who. It’s creepy to the point of being downright terrifying at times, yet there is minimal Doctor and his mythology in it.
To showcase Buffy’s horror and the humor without a dependence on all things Slayer-y, I’d suggest “Out of Mind, Out of Sight” or “Go Fish.” “Hush” is another good choice, but since Buffy is so well-known for the witty dialogue, it fails to be the most powerful introduction.
What do you think is the best gateway episode into Buffy?
this is everything.
(via mr--rogers)
I finally found an article with a comment thread where the comments don’t make me hate humanity: Brew the perfect cup of tea
Some edited highlights:
- i love tea hot or cool
- I like Earl Grey
- I want to be a tea drinker, but I am so hooked on coffee that tea seems unsatisfying to me. Any tips?
- Great article, giving a go to whatever species of tea leaves available is a long term goal of mine.
- I am an avid tea drinker & even brew it in the coffee pot sometimes, in a hurry & it tastes great. I hate tea with sugar in it; it destroys the taste of the tea itself. I usually drink it cold, but hot also, just not as much. I’ve been hooked on it all of my life. I like most kinds, but mostly drink green & black teas for some reason, but like most other’s.
- is there a sertant type of sugar or honey you should use if so what kind and how much
- When I first started drinking hot tea, I bought a tin of raspberry and blueberry black tea. I can never find that flavor in stores anymore though. But, I do love mint tea just as much.
Because nothing is quite so interesting as “whatever just popped into your mind regarding tea that you now feel you need to share with the world.” Dear total stranger: I like Earl Grey too.
(this is, of course, just a roundabout way of announcing that I am preparing to drink tea)
Five Things That Popped Into My Mind Regarding Tea That I Now Need To Share With The World:
- I drink a lot of brewed iced tea. Plain, no sugar. I often order it with extra ice because a high school friend worked at Long John Silver and they had a very particular ratio of tea to ice as they (and most places) brew it strong. It upsets me when a restaurant lets the iced tea sit around too long because it gets a funny, stale taste. I usually get mine from Wendy’s as they seem to have a high demand (probably because they’re the only fast food restaurant in the area that makes truly brewed iced tea) and thus it’s usually fresh.
- The IngenuiTEA by Adagio is a thing of magic and is wonderful for brewing loose tea and tea bags. It’s also perfect for making strong tea to pour into a huge cup of ice for your own fresh iced tea.
- I used to have an addiction to ordering Adagio’s tea samplers. They are reasonably priced for a decent amount of tea and they have so many damn teas that I want to try. I have half of one shelf filled with their little tea sampler cans.
- Earl Grey makes my stomach hurt — I think it’s the bergamot. Lady Grey doesn’t bother me as much. I love the smell of Jasmine tea but hate the way it tastes. I want to love the taste of Harney & Sons Paris Tea as much as I love the smell but it’s pretty close.
- Genmaicha soothes my soul in a way that nothing else does.
Cameron Diaz could seriously hurt someone with that belt, and I want one.
I am oddly mesmerized and more than a bit in love with this look. Good job Ms Diaz!
