Football

I couldn't think of a better way to end my cultural consumption blog than with a post about football.

Last Sunday I watched one of the most exciting football games of all time: Jets vs. Giants. The Jets hadn't beaten the giants in a regular season game since Halloween of 1993 and honestly, I didn't have too high of expectations for my team. With many injuries, including Darrell Revis, and a rookie quarterback, it's hard to have faith in the Jets nowadays. 

All I'm really going to say about the game is that it was a real nail biter and  they won it in overtime. Really what I want to talk about is how the game made me feel (and how every football game makes me feel for that matter). 

I grew up a huge football fan. Football isn't just a program on TV or a sport to me; it's kind of like a way of life. Going to college, however, my Sundays have changed quite a bit. Growing up, Sundays were always a huge part of my week. I'd wake up, get lunch with my family, and then come home to enjoy the big game. We'd sit around the TV, talking, laughing, and most importantly, watching. 

Then I came to college. And my friends either (a) don't like football (b) don't even know what a football is or (c) don't like the NY Jets. 

So....I spend every Sunday now by myself, rooting on my team. I'm watching the same game, but it feels so different. It's an entirely new dynamic and it's weird how much that could change. 

Weekly Consumptions #12

TV 
NYJ vs. NYG football
Keeping Up with the Kardashians

MOVIES
Elf
How the Grinch Stole Christmas

MUSIC
The Intro
Do They Know It's Christmas?

FOOD
Zoodles
Lola's grilled chicken salad

Music

It’s the first of December and I’m not listening to Christmas music.

WHAT?

Lately I have not been able to listen to anything other than 3 songs that I recently discovered:
1. My House – Flo Rida
2. Bros – Wolf Alice
3. Break Up in a Small Town

They are just SO. GOOD. But what does that even mean? What does it mean for a song to be good? Honestly, at this point I feel like everyone’s opinions of music hold absolutely no value. Someone could tell me they recently discovered the best song in the world, but I’ll kind of just shrug it off. And I certainly won’t ask them to insert my aux chord into their phone. Why? Because time and time again I’ve heard “amazing” songs that are “the best of the best” that turned out to be absolute crap. To my ears at least.

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about the music we listen to and what it says about who we are. To be honest, I kind of disregarded any connection between the two for a while.

I have friends who like every single type of music, I thought. Obviously it’s meaningless.

But then I thought some more and I feel like all of the qualities I don’t like in my friends can be represented by their music.

For instance, the one thing I don’t like about my friend, Sara, is that she can be too loud sometimes. And what do you know…she listens to extremely loud, overly manufactured, crazy music.

And then there’s my friend, Katie. She listens to music without words and by coincidence, it’s her lack of communication that bothers me the most about her.

And then I have a friend who listens to nothing but country music, but I’m not even going to get started on that one…

So I’ve been sitting in my bedroom listening to these 3 songs on repeat and it got me thinking. Our music tastes are almost like our DNA; unique and no two people have the same exact ones.

It’s a pretty weird concept.

Weekly Consumptions #11

TV SHOWS

Grey's Anatomy

MOVIES

Love Actually

BOOKS

The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe

MUSIC

My House - Flo Rida

Bros - Wolf Alice

YOUTUBE

Lexi Lombard

FOOD

Avocado salad - La Bottega

Social Media in Times of Tragedy

Red, white, and blue profile pictures are flooding Facebook, along with #prayforparis hashtags and heartfelt comments. You literally can't scroll for more than 5 seconds without seeing something related to the terrible tragedies. The whole thing really is heartbreaking. But be that as it may, you will not see me sporting the now famous red, white, and blue profile picture. And you won't see me posting an Instagram photo of the Eiffel Tower. And you most certainly won't see me typing #prayforparis into a Tweet. Why? Because...what's the point? 

Right now as you're reading this, you probably think I'm evil, insensitive, or just plain stupid. With certainty, I can tell you I'm none of those. I'm just realistic. 

I get that all of these things are nice gestures, and I really don't have a problem with any of the pictures or posts themselves. What I do have a problem with is when people slap a post up on social media and then go on with their day, pretending like they did some sort of good deed. Pretending like they made a difference in the world. In reality, what did you do? 

Nothing.

Yes, the hashtags and red, white, and blue pictures are great gestures, but what good is a gesture? I appreciate the sentiment, but instead of these trendy social media fads, we should be doing something. We should be donating money or putting together care packages for the loved ones of victims. 

The problem with this whole social media thing is that people think it's enough. People think, Oh, I posted a photo of the Eiffel Tower. I'm good. But no! That's not DOING anything. I mean, the truth of the matter is that most people used this opportunity as an excuse to post their very best pictures of the famous monument. People took the time to edit these pictures, and select the prettiest filters, and make sure it fit with their Instagram theme perfectly...while people were dying. I don't know. It just seems so dumb to me. Not one photo of the Eiffel Tower did I like, nor did I favorite any #prayforparis tweets. Because what's the point? There just isn't one to me.    

I know you could argue with me and tell me that I'm dumb and insensitive and evil, but don't waste your breath. This isn't so much an opinion as it is a feeling. I can't help how I feel when I see all of this social media craze. And I do understand on some level that it's not all bad. A world coming together in a time of tragedy. That's great, but my point is that it's not enough. My point is that sadly, people think it is. And that's the problem right there. When Facebook puts up a huge DONATE TO PARIS page, and really does something that could make an impact, then come and talk to me. I'll listen. 

Weekly Consumptions #10

FOOD
Avocado toast - The Coffee Shop (NYC)
Spicy chicken sandwich - Bluestone Cafe (NYC)

TV SHOWS
Criminal Minds

WEBSITE
letsbegamechangers.com - Essena O'Neill

SONGS
Escape - Enrique Iglesias
Heart Attack - Enrique Iglesias
Same Old Love - Selena Gomez

Mornings...

There is just something so magical about being awake before 7AM. I don't know where I got that time from (why not 6 or 8?), but regardless, I just love being awake before everyone else; before the sun. We get so caught up in day-to-day activities that we forget how wonderful each and every day truly is. On Monday I'm already planning for Friday, and somehow I seem to forget about all of the days in between. 

When you're given so much of something, it's easy to take it for granted. Food, health, and even each and every day of your life. We don't enjoy Tuesday simply because we know we're getting a Wednesday. And why make Wednesday count when I know there will be a Thursday? With calendars, alarms, and planners we are designed to always be looking forward. We are never in the now; never appreciating what is in front of us. We fly through life, not taking advantage of all these moments, if only because we know there will be more. 

Today could be your last day for all you know. Yeah, yeah. I've heard that one before. You could get hit by a bus or abducted by aliens or eaten by a giraffe that escaped from the zoo. But more likely than not, that won't happen. More likely than not, you will wake up tomorrow morning. And more likely than not, you will take it all for granted. 

So yes, I think mornings are entirely underrated in our culture. People jump at the chance to sleep in, relax, and not do much. But why? Why be asleep when you can live? 

The crazy thing is that I don't know if there is a solution. I don't know how to take advantage of every moment and I don't know if that is even possible. There's no getting around the need to schedule and plan out your days, weeks, and months. You can't just throw out your agendas and iPhones (God forbid...) and calendars. But what you can do is look up. Be aware of this. Realize how you're choosing to spend your time. You can't make every single minute of your day productive, but if there's one thing  you should've realized by now, it's that every. single. minute. counts. So even if not every minute can be life-changing for you, 5 meaningful minutes a day beats 0. 

Go make your 5 minutes count. 

Weekly Consumptions #9

FOOD
BBQ chicken salad - Panera
Wheetabix & soy milk

WEBSITES
thebalancedblonde.com

MUSIC
Jessie's Girl - Rick Springfield
Mr. Brightside - The Killers

Marist Dining Hall

    Undercooked chicken with a rubbery consistency. Pizza oozing with grease. Turkey that tastes about five days old. Those are all images that flash through my mind when a friend asks if I'd like to go to the dining hall. I can think of about 25 places I'd rather eat, yet time after time, I find myself in no other than...you guessed it...the dining hall. And time after time, I put that rubbery chicken in my salad or that ancient turkey on my sandwich. Why? I don't know. I guess it's just because that place and the less-than-desirable food will always hold a special place in my heart.
    On my most recent trip to the dining hall, I entered and was instantly greeted with memories. I walked past the array of cereals (in which Cheerios is mysteriously and heartbreakingly absent) and remembered those Sunday mornings where my friends and I could hardly take two bites of breakfast. We would sit for over an hour with our barely touched bowls of cereal as we recapped every last detail of our crazy Saturday night.
    As I got on the grill line, I was immediately reminded of those busy weekday nights when I would wait for what seemed like an eternity for my food, chatting with fellow classmates.
    The sushi station ignited memories of all the firsts I tried under that roof, which includes knishes, squash, zucchini, and of course, sushi.
    On the walk to the water machine I let out a laugh as I remembered the time time I slipped on an ice cube and went flying, along with the full plate of food in my hands.
    And passing the table all the way in the front brought back the deeply suppressed memory of that time I found a fly in my salad. I haven't sat at that table since.
    Even though I complain about Marist's dining hall and scoff at people who enjoy it, secretly, deep down, I love that place. And you can bet your ass that when a friend asks if I'd like to join them for a meal of rubbery chicken, greasy pizza, and old cold cuts (and even dead flies in some cases...) I'll happily say yes.

Weekly Consumptions #8

FOOD
Giacomos grilled chicken salad

TV SHOWS
My Little Pony (for a class...)
Supernatural (for a class)

MOVIES
Halloweentown

BOOKS
See Me - Nicholas Sparks

MUSIC
Hello - Adele

The New York Mets Sensation

    The New York Mets made it to the 2015 World Series...and I couldn't care less. Right now you're probably astounded by this statement. Astounded and disgusted and utterly appalled. But walk outside and take a good look at the people who surround you. Do you see them? Well, with absolute certainty I can tell you that 80% of them agree with me. Whether or not they're willing to admit it is another story...
    Whenever a team makes it to the Championships, Super Bowl, or in this case, World Series, suddenly "fans" come out of the woodworks. Suddenly people who have probably never watched a game all season claim to be die-hard fans. Suddenly my Twitter feed is full of "Let's go Mets!" posts and my Instagram but an endless stream of blue and orange. But where were all of these fans when the Mets played their first game in April? Where were they then?
    I compare these people to the "Holiday Churchgoers" aka those who don't attend mass throughout the year, but suddenly become super religious on Christmas and Easter and go to mass. Honestly, what's the point? In today's society, it's like everyone is skipping the dinner and heading straight for the dessert. But doesn't that apple pie lose its sweetness without a nice, hearty meal before? Doesn't that chocolate cake lose its decadence?
    I just don't see the point in pretending to be something I'm not. The Mets are in the playoffs, and I am most certainly happy for them and proud to be from New York, but I'm not going to suddenly transform into a super fan. I'm not going to go out and buy a Steven Matz jersey. It kind of ruins it for the true Mets fans. They've devoted all their time to rooting for a team and suddenly everyone and their mother is kind of, in a way, taking the spotlight away from them. People are kind of taking away their moment.
   It always used to disgust me when I would see new faces at Christmas mass sitting in the front row, while elderly men and women who hadn't missed a Sunday were standing in the back. Likewise, there will be a million and one posers filling the stadium throughout the World Series while mets fans - true mets fans - sit at home watching from their TV's.

Weekly Consumptions #7

FOOD
Avocado salad - La Bottega
Crispino salad - Lia's Pizzeria

MOVIES
Employee of the Month

PODCASTS
Beauty and the Vlog

YOUTUBE
Vlog channels (Tara Marie, Daily Polina, Aspyn & Parker, etc.)

MAGAZINES
People

MUSIC
Sorry - Justin Bieber <3

Bob's Burgers

   For one of my classes, it was required that I watch the show Bob's Burgers. Let me make one thing clear: under no circumstances would I ever willingly sit and watch this show. Never in a million years would I kick my feet up, relax, and happily tune in to Bob's Burgers. But an assignment is an assignment, so I swallowed my pride, and tuned in.
    Within the first 2 minutes, I could already tell that I was not going to like it. First of all, it's a cartoon. I would like to say that I have nothing against cartoons, but the truth is, I do. I outgrew them when I was about 8 years old and I haven't looked back since. Second of all, it's the most predictable show in the world. You could easily guess every line that will be said. And most importantly, it's dumb. There's nothing witty or clever or insightful about it. Bob's Burgers is full of nothing but crude humor and one-dimensional characters. As I watch this show, I can actually feel myself losing IQ points. It's like they're running away, shouting, "We don't want to be in the brain of someone who watches such garbage!"
   Maybe not, but still...I feel so dumb.
   And it baffles my mind - absolutely BAFFLES MY MIND - that some people watch this for fun. Some people sit down and enjoy it. I get that we all have our own unique likes and dislikes, but Bob's Burgers? Really? How in the world can someone sit there and laugh at this dialogue that's on a 3rd-grade reading level?
   I'm pretty sure my 10-year-old cousin could write better than this....

Weekly Consumptions #6

TV SHOWS
Bob's Burgers

MOVIES
Age of Adeline

MUSIC
Stole the Show - Kygo
I Took a Pill in Ibeza - Mike Posner/Seeb Remix
Hula Hoop - OMI

YOUTUBE
Jimmy Tatro

BOOKS
Nicholas Sparks - See Me (still reading)

Vegan YouTube Community

   There is nothing worse than a passionate vegan. That's what I always say, and I really do believe it. While not all vegans shove their beliefs down your throat, most treat their dietary preferences as a religion. Actually, let me correct myself: as a cult.
   However, recently I've been very interested in the vegan lifestyle and I've been watching a ton of videos on the subject. In particular, Rawvana and Elle Tayla are two vegan YouTubers who show you their lifestyle without forcing it upon you. And it really makes me want to go vegan!
   For the past few years veganism has been sweeping the nation. What started out as a fad that many scoffed at has turned into a lifestyle. It's not just giving up eggs, dairy, and meat; it's a way of living. Vegans adopt a high carb, low fat, plant-based diet, and famously eat as many fruits and vegetables as their hearts desire. Most are incredibly lean, in-shape, and overall seem so happy. The vegan YouTube community is proof of this. It's like they're part of an elite clique and you can only join if you give up the chicken and cheeses.
   It's weird what our world has come to. Diets turning into lifestyles. Since when are people categorized based on the food that enters their mouth? Shouldn't we be categorized on...oh, I don't know...morals? On how good of a person we are?
   I admit that I watch these YouTube videos with a whole lot of curiosity and a bit of envy. These vegan girls claim to live the happiest of lives since going vegan and I want in on this happiness! But...the other part of me (what I believe is the better part) knows that this is stupid. You shouldn't classify yourself based on what you consume and you shouldn't let it control your life. I'm never going to introduce myself saying, "Hi, I'm Clancy and I love chicken," so why does every vegan feel the need to classify herself?
   Overall this whole veganism trend has left me confused, curious, and unsure what to think about the future of a nation that spends more time worrying about food than things that actually matter.

 

Weekly Consumptions #5

FOOD

Barbecue Chicken Salad - Panera

Avocado toast 

TV SHOWS

Survivor 

MAGAZINES

People 

YOUTUBE
Rawvana
Elle Tayla

MUSIC
Headlights - Robin Schulz 

City of Blinding Lights

   If you want a recommendation for a good song, don't come to me. Honestly, just don't. I am known for liking what everyone refers to as "bad music." Of course, I don't see the music as bad, but my friends always make fun of me for liking the worst songs. And then playing them over and over and over again. Let's just say my iPod isn't the one playing at parties...
   One of the bands that has been deemed "bad" amongst my friends is U2. A lot of people my age don't like them, but I just can't get enough. In particular, I've been listening to the song City of Blinding Lights on repeat for the past few days. I don't know what it is about the song, but it gives me a feeling of pure happiness whenever I listen to it.
   The intro is classic with a lot of guitars, piano, and various other instruments. It makes you feel so...inspired. Whenever I'm at a restaurant or out with friends and hear this super recognizable intro start to play, I can't help but smile.
   And then the words...I just absolutely love the words to this song. They don't come in until over a minute in, but I think that's what works for the song. It's this big anticipation of what will be said. I'm the type of person who typically needs to like the beat AND the lyrics to a song, and City of Blinding Lights has both an electrifying beat and powerful words.
   "Don't look before you laugh; Look ugly in a photograph."
   Those are two of my favorite song lyrics of all time. Why? I don't know. They're so simple, but so meaningful at the same time.
   This is one of those songs that can bring me to a place other than where I am at this present moment. It has memories behind it; stories. Ultimately, it's not just a song to me. It's so much more than that.

Weekly Consumptions #4

FOOD
Zucchini noodles (zoodles)

BOOKS
Down the Rabbit Hole - Holly Madison

YOUTUBE
Elle Fowler

MUSIC
Taylor Swift
Avril Lavigne

Diners

    Some of the best meals I've ever eaten have taken place in dingy, hole-in-the-wall diners. I've dined in five star restaurants that serve the finest Italian cuisine and fancy steakhouses with famous chefs. I've eaten in multiple countries and have tried a variety of foods. Still, nothing seems to beat a diner.
    Last Saturday night, my friend and I opted to skip the college festivities and instead went to Palace Diner. While most girls were carefully applying their mascara and lipstick, and most guys were... well, doing whatever guys do...we were pouring over a seemingly endless menu at a shabby diner in Poughkeepsie. Most of the time I'll experience regret and apprehension when I decide not to go out on a weekend night, but on this particular night, I couldn't have been more content with my choice.
   Diners. I don't know. There's just something about them. They might not be known for serving five star meals, but they have just about everything else going for them.
    Fast service? Check.
    Comfy booths? Check.
    Variety of food? Double check.
   Finding a restaurant that all your friends will enjoy can be quite the challenge. Amanda might be in the mood for burgers, but Kate has been craving an omelette all day. And Cynthia? She's in the mood for a panini. Not many places could offer you all of these entrées, but at a diner, anything is possible.
    Diners are kind of like a little piece of home to me. I don't think I've ever shown up to one in anything but sweats (which is perfectly acceptable) and it feels like I'm eating a meal in my very own dining room. You could never feel like that at a fancy French restaurant. I mean, who eats their dinners at home in suits and dresses?
   Going to the diner on Saturday made me so genuinely happy. I ordered a grilled chicken salad, but honestly that's beside the point. They probably could've given me pig feet and I would've been just as content. Going to the diner isn't about the food; it's about the experience.

 

Weekly Consumptions #3

FOOD
Grilled chicken salad (croutons, tomatoes, & balsamic vinaigrette) - Palace Diner

BOOK
none (I suck)  

TV SHOW
Survivor

YOUTUBE
Freelee the Banana Girl  

MUSIC
Far Far Away - Tyga
Jessie's Girl - Rick Springfield
Photograph - Nickelback
Chris Daughtry

Rossi's Deli

    Rossi's. Where do I even begin? For those of you who aren't familiar (which, for the sake of your own well being, I hope that's not you), Rossi's is a deli located a couple miles away from Marist College. Now, considering there are not one, but TWO delis located directly across the street from Marist, you might wonder why in the world anyone would get in their car and travel all the way to a sandwich place. The simple answer is this: because it's Rossi's.

    I'm someone who's not too fussy about her food. I didn't grow up in an Italian family with divine meals that my grandmother spent all day cooking. Honestly, my mom would make pork chops and mashed potatoes every other night, and I would take about three bites and then shove a bag of cookies down my throat. It should also be noted that I'm not really a sandwich person. I'd choose a salad over a sandwich any day of the week. And to be honest, I could probably make a sandwich just as good as the ones made at Rossi's. (After all, I did work in a deli all summer.)
    So then why exactly am I obsessed with a sandwich place that requires me to get in my car and face the long, winding, bumpy roads of Poughkeepsie? Well, I guess it's because it's part of my culture. Rossi's isn't just a deli; it's a part of Marist.
   The morning after a fun, crazy night out, there's nothing better than gathering a bunch of friends and going to Rossi's. More likely than not you'll see about 10 people you know there, and more likely than not you'll wait on a 20 minute line. But once you get your delicious sandwich (mine includes grilled chicken, tomatoes, roasted red peppers, & balsamic), you and your friends can then go to a nearby park, or the Hudson river, or even back to someone's house, and continue recapping the night.
   Last Saturday, my friends and I decided to sit on the dock right on the Hudson River, and in that moment, I was so happy. There's something to be said about eating good food with good friends, and the whole Rossi's experience is just that.
    Personally, I don't think I would ever go to Rossi's by myself or eat anything from there alone. Yeah, the sandwiches are good, but that's not what brings me to 45 South Clover Street. What brings me is the experience; the tradition and culture that surround this famous delicatessen.

Weekly Consumptions #3

FOOD
Rossi's Panini - Grilled chicken, roasted red peppers, tomatoes, balsamic

BOOK
iJustine - Justine Ezarik
In Real Life - Joey Graceffa

TV SHOW
Black Mirror

PODCAST
Serial

YOUTUBE
Aspyn and Parker

MUSIC
Poison - Rita Ora

The 21st Century Birthday

My chosen topic for this week's notable "cultural consumption" is a bit of a stretch, but nothing really intrigued me as much as this: the 21st century birthday.

This past Thursday I turned 20 years old, and to be honest, birthdays have never really been a big deal to me. I'm not the kind of girl who runs around in a tiara with a huge sign plastered to my shirt that says "HEY WORLD, IT'S MY BIRTHDAY." Then again, I'm not really sure anyone does that...

Nonetheless, I awoke on September 10th feeling like it was just another day. Another typical Thursday in the life of Clancy Burke. But then I reached across my desk and checked my phone and immediately felt the sharp realization that today was not any other day. Today was my day and I had about a dozen messages full of love and kind wishes to prove that. In my head that sounds absolutely ridiculous - I didn't win the Nobel prize, nor did I find the cure for cancer - but to society, this is the norm. 

After responding to an overwhelming and endless stream of texts, I grabbed my books and began the walk to class. Normally I'll pass a few people and give them a nod or a casual hello. But thanks to 21st century technology, my walk to class was different. People I barely even knew - and might not have even said hi to otherwise - were wishing me a happy birthday, paired with warm smiles and enthusiastic waves. Ten years ago no one would have even known it was my birthday, but now it's 2015 and websites like Facebook and Instagram make sure everyone knows. 

So that's how my day went. I talked to more acquaintances than I had in the past week, and connected with so many old friends who decided to reach out through text. If there's one thing I learned it's that birthdays are HUGE in society today, and while it made me feel great and happy and loved, it kind of bothered me. Why does everyone wait for one day a year to reach out to someone and be friendly and reconnect? It's not like I'm any less of a person than I was yesterday, nor am I any different than I'll be tomorrow. 

To the "Happy birthday! I miss you so much!!!" texts, I wanted to say, "If you missed me so much, why didn't you text me a month ago?"

And to the "Happy birthday! Love you!!" texts, I wanted to say, "If you really loved me, I'm pretty sure we would have communicated some time in the past few months."

It seems as though today we are becoming more and more hermit-like. With each decade that passes, there are more websites, apps, and online jobs, and less face-to-face interaction. Today, everyone seems to come out of their little hermit shells only a few times a year, the birthday of an acquaintance being one of them. 

Imagine we could wish our friends and family a great day several times a week. Imagine we could happily wave to acquaintances every single day and ask them how they're doing. Imagine that was the world we lived in. Imagine.... 

Weekly Consumptions #2

In the past week, here are the notable cultural items that I have consumed:

FOOD
Homemade banana smoothie 

BOOK
Beyond Belief - Josh Hamilton
MOVIE
Bridget Jones' Diary

TV SHOW
Desperate Housewives
YOUTUBE
Hayley Segar
Gigi Gorgeous

MUSIC
Armor - Landon Austin
Little Talks - Of Monsters and Men 

Desperate Housewives

Whenever most people think of bad TV, soap operas and scripted dramas are usually what pop into their minds. For whatever reason, watching comedies like Orange is the New Black and How I Met Your Mother is deemed cool, but God forbid you watch Days of Our Lives you're immediately thought of as a joke. While extremely exaggerated and dramatic soap operas aren't exactly my forte, one show that I just can't get enough of is Desperate Housewives. 

Set in a suburban neighborhood where every resident has large, beautiful houses and perfectly manicured lawns, the show follows around five above average-looking women who each have unique problems and situations. I guess you could say it's kind of typical (there's the wife who only married her husband for his money and the husband who has an affair with a prostitute), but I don't care. I am hooked. 

I hadn't watched the show since I was a freshman in high school, but as I was moving all of my things into college the other day, I needed a distraction to help pass the time. I logged onto my Hulu account and after scrolling for a minute or two, was surprised to see the name of my old favorite show. As I hesitantly clicked on the link that said Desperate Housewives: Season 1, Episode 1, I wasn't really sure what to expect. It had been years since I saw that show and my likes and dislikes have obviously changed. But as soon as the narrator began speaking and I was re-introduced to these familiar faces, a wave of nostalgia hit me. Nothing had changed. As I ripped through episode after episode, nothing could be clearer. 

Watching a show you have already seen is like eating a candy from your childhood. Maybe your grandma was the only one who bought it for you, or maybe it had been discontinued. Either way, you haven't had this candy in a very long time. When you first open the wrapper of that candy, you're unsure. Hmm. I know I liked it when I was 6, but I also liked to roll around in mud and put sand in my hair. Still, you take a bite. And it's like nothing has changed. It's like the years haven't passed you by and you're that same 6-year-old who lived for these candies. Well, that's exactly how it felt to watch Desperate Housewives after such a long hiatus. 

I was taken back to the days when I would snuggle up on my big, comfy couch with my mom where we would eat ice cream and enjoy 60 minutes of whatever drama the girls on Wisteria Lane were stirring up. For 60 minutes, I could forget about homework and chores and responsibilities. For 60 minutes, I could just relax. 

Watching Desperate Housewives now kind of puts me in a weird time warp. For the hour I'm watching this show, it's like absolutely nothing has changed. I'm still that girl in high school watching a show with her mom.

Weekly Consumptions #1

In the past week, these are the notable items that I have consumed:

FOOD
Grilled chicken caesar salad - Lola's

BOOK
L.A. Candy - Lauren Conrad

TV SHOW
Desperate Housewives
Bachelor in Paradise

MUSIC
What Do You Mean - Justin Bieber
Wildest Dreams - Taylor Swift
Firestone - Kygo