28 Days Before

So, um, remember how I'm going on a mission? Today's the one-month mark of when I leave. (Edit: I wrote this last night, so technically it was one month yesterday.)

Excuse me while I freak out for a moment.

It's so strange because now I really have to face up to the fact that I am indeed leaving. Everything's turned into a series of lasts. I think to myself, "Oh, this is the last time I'll probably ever wear this shirt." "What if this is the last time I ever hear that cd?" "Maybe I won't see this person again for the next 19 months. Or maybe for the rest of my life! Actually, I'd be okay with that."

And I haven't been blogging about it much because there isn't much to say yet. I've been packing and shopping and doing some studying and that's about it. One of the hardest things so far is the shopping. It absolutely kills me to be at the stores when all their cute new sping lines come out and I have to be all, "Oh, I'll just be over here looking for ANOTHER black skirt and maybe a blazer and if I'm lucky, a button-down shirt that I won't have to iron!"

There are times when I am so sure about what I'm going off to do. And yet, there are moments when I think about the scary parts and then I wonder if I can't just take a year and a half off to travel Europe. I'd read all of the past Pulizter prize winners for fiction and then watch the complete series of The Wire. I'd also learn Italian and write the Great American Spec Script. I try not to think about this too much because it's too unrealistically tempting. But I don't regret my choice at all. I don't even think it's crossed my mind to regret it because I am positive that this is the right thing for me. The BFF told me tonight that she could tell I'd entered into full-on "missionary mode" which I assume is like changing from a regular kid into an Animorph.

So even though I wonder how my life might be different if I hadn't gone, I also wonder how my life is going to change for the better once I'm out there. Except more posts in the upcoming month about things like what I'm going to miss (Harry Potter 6, for starters--I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive the person that switched the release date) and what I'll actually be doing in Vancouver and how to keep in touch with me, etcetera.

Happies

I've totally slacked on my Grace In Small Things posts. I'm not going to let myself feel bad about it because I think that kind of defeats the purpose. Instead, here's a longer list of some things that make life worth living.

1. Honeydew with lime
2. Staying up late
3. Doctor Who
4. Baby shoes
5. Planet Unicorn
6. New music from Neko Case
7. Everyone always talks about Oregon Trail, but do you guys remember Amazon Trail? Yeah.
8. Amy Adams
9. Taking walks outside
10. Pigtails
11. Amazon Free Shipping...
12. ...and an excuse to buy Mean Girls so you can reach $25 in your cart
13. Jacob's TWOP recaps
14. Bubble wrap
15. The scriptures
16. Thinking about Vancouver
17. Reaching my twitterversary
18. Strawberries with balsamic vinegar
19. Dorothy Parker quotes
20. The cheese-fest that is the Mormon version of Pride & Prejudice
21. Hello Kitty cake pops
22. Watching everything slowly turn green again
23. Friend requests
24. Shirtless David Boreanaz
25. The smell of a department store shoe section

Seriously, who goes to TWO art shows on vacation?

As I mentioned, I spent a few days in balmy St. George, Utah earlier this week. And like any good blogger, there are pictures.

 

This is the St. George tabernacle. There's a spiral staircase inside with a warning sign that reads "CAUTION: Steep, historic stairs." 'Cause, you know, those historic stairs will get you every time.

 

 

This is my best "I am giving a solemn and important speech, so listen up, losers" face. At the very top of the shot, you can see a bit of the All-Seeing Eye. It's actually carved into the wall, which is a bit unnerving.

We ate at an old-fashioned soda shop for lunch. Their soup was awful, but their soda bottle selection was enviable. I picked out this bottle of orange soda because whooooo loves orange soda? I love orange soda! (Also, Kel.) Plus, I adored the simple label design.

It was really, really good orange soda. (Note the t-shirt in mid-February. Glorious!)

 

We went to an art show at this quaint little house and then we went to ANOTHER art show at the college. My nerdiness? It is inherited.

  

Before...

 

 

And after...NOM NOM NOM.

I CAN has cheezburger kthx! (Srsly, enough with the LOLspeak.)

Anyhow, just to clarify, I did not actually put away two burgers/fries. Half of that was my dad's. Except I totally ate at In-N-Out for lunch again the next day. They just announced that they're building an In-N-Out right by where I live and it is a Big Deal.

I could take pictures of the Southern Utah landscape ALL DAY LONG. 

Get a load of those clouds. Could they *be* any more stunning?

 

One more for good measure.

Thanks for indulging my photo habit. You guys are the bestest. And it's Friday, so I can say sappy things like that.

Well, There Goes My Secret Identity

Mild-mannered writer by day...butt-kicking, whip-cracking, wing-ed avenger by night. (Secret power? Hyphens, apparently.)

So I had WAY too much fun with the Superhero Factory found here. Muchos thanks to Ashley Awesome--which is a fantastic superhero name, btw--for pointing me to it.

Two minor complaints: The titles are automatically generated and for some reason, I couldn't get any hair color but red to work. Red's cool, though.


Possible names for my superhero
Cat 'o Nine Tails--I rather like the idea of being a cat with wings. The name itself is kinda dangerous and ideally I'd also have cat ears or something.
Whiplash--Sassy. Has potential.
Neurobabe--My power would be messing with your brain. Bonus, it makes me laugh.
Lynx--I'd be the forbidden love child of Angel and Kitty Pryde.
Ampersand Princess--Defeating villains with the power of...typography?
Raptor Lass--This name is a) made of awesome and b) probably more suited to the Evil League of Evil.


Any other ideas? Let me know if you make your own superhero because it's very addicting.

PoP, Edition 15

Music
Changing Horses by Ben Kweller
I listen to Ben Kweller because of his engaging indie-lite rock and for his moody voice, so I was taken aback when I realized his latest album is country. (Alt-county, but still.) Don't get me wrong, I love alt-country, but it was like biting into a candy and getting coconut instead of cherry. Ben is Texan, so he gets heartbreak and twang and clever lyrics. The verdict? Unexpectedly comforting.

Books
The Anti 9-to-5 Guide: Practical Advice For Women Who Think Outside Of The Cube by Michelle Goodwin
This was the perfect career advice book for me, because at our house, my mom is all, "You need a sensible job someday!" and I'm all, "Whatevs, TV writing is totally a career." Which is why I'm going to become a librarian so I don't have to be a TV writer who lives under a bridge. Anyhow, I appreciated this book because it laid out the harsh reality of being a freelancer or owning a business. At the same time, though, it was extremely upbeat and encouraging. I liked the action plans at the end of each chapter and the real-life examples were interesting. I'll definitely be returning to this book when I'm in a position to strike out on my own.

Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher
If you didn't know Carrie Fisher's history (Eddie Fisher, Debbie Reynolds, Princess Leia, Paul Simon), you'd have a hard time believing these stories were fiction, much less non-fiction. This is her for-real story of growing up in Hollywood, struggling with addiction and bi-polar disorder, and yes, what it was like to be Leia. The stories are brief and disjointed, yet they're so bizarre and funny (and occasionally crass) that one can't help but consume it in one setting.

Movies
Coraline 3D
I saw this...a week and a half ago?...and I'm already wondering when I get to see it again. Coraline is delightful and creepy and absolutely gorgeous to watch. I can try and think of things I didn't like, but it's like, "Faults? What faults?" The heroine is plucky, the cat and his owner are hilarious, and the suspense is edge-of-your-seat. That's pretty much all I ask for in a movie. See it in 3D, because it makes the experience even more memorable.

He's Just Not That Into You
Flash-forward to three years from now: I'm sitting in my apartment, watching this movie, and weeping because I haven't found my Justin Long yet, but proud of the fact that I have not wasted my time by dating scumbags. Sure, the critics might have hated it. You know what, though? The critics aren't 20-something girls who have actually written out what they're going to say in a voicemail. So SUCK IT, critics. Even though there are so many characters that you can't keep them straight, it's frothy and there are good-looking men. This is also what I ask for in a movie.

Television
Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Season One
(Even though I'm almost done with Season Two, I can't count it until I finish because I'm OCD like that.)
Much like kissing, starting Buffy was a unique experience because I knew everyone else loves it and I knew I'd love it, but those first few tries were questionable. Now I completely understand the fandom because the show is definitely something worth obsessing over. I'm astonished that it can be so riveting and skin-crawling and witty all at the same time. SO MUCH GOODNESS. The first season is short (12 episodes) and most of that time is spent finding its ground, which pays off handsomely the following season. Finally getting around to Buffy makes me feel like a real member of the Church of Joss Whedon.

Grace, Day Seven

1. Taking a personal mini-vacay in Southern Utah
2. Having Joss Whedon grace my computer screen once more
3. Getting my Tahmoh Penikett fix not once, but twice a week
4. In-N-Out Burger tomorrow!
5. The Animaniacs list the presidents...

Office (Kinda) Recap, "Lecture Circuit Pt. 2"

Here's the sitch. I missed the first half of the episode because someone needed to be picked up from his job and my parents were gone so they couldn't do it. So when you add that in with the fact that I had a totally lousy day yesterday and I was so exhausted that I couldn't form coherent sentences, I'm phoning in my recap. (Praises be to Hulu so I can watch it later!)

So tell me...what did you think of last night's episode?

Stray Thoughts From The Second Half
-Pam's Forrest Gump impression was adorable
-I'm sure Angela's cat story started out funny, but by the end, it was just weird.
-I love how Dwight's ideal party includes blood and blood pudding.
-"You know what's cooler than the triceratops? Every other dinosaur that ever existed."
-Michael cutting off the sleeve of Holly's cardigan was heart-wrenching. Poor guy.
-Also, they sure as heck better figure out a way to bring back Holly because all of this set-up can't be for nothing.
-I'd have chosen a 1-hour nap, too, Kelly. Or rather, Kelley.
-Loved the callback to Tony the Fat Guy. Michael's memorization technique was fanatastic. (Jabba the Hut, Pizza the Hut, Pepperoni Pizza, Pepperoni Tony, Tony the big fat fatty.)
-If you're in the mood for a full recap, might I recommend the AV Club?

Angel, Xander, or Spike? Discuss.

If my blog had an answering machine, this is what it would sound like right now.

Hi! Gretchen can't come to her blog right now because she's out saving kittens. Actually, that's a lie, but it sure as heck sounds a lot better than "She's so obsessed with watching Buffy The Vampire Slayer that she's basically neglecting all of her other duties." Unfortunately, that's the truth. Like, she can't even put together a decent "Grace In Small Things" post and if she did, it'd pretty much be A Shirtless David Boreanaz for #1-5. So she wants you to know that she adores you all and that she'll be back soon. Leave your message after the beep! Gretch-a-sketch OUT.

*beeeeep*

Grace, Day Six

1. Driving with the windows down in my car for the first time in months
2. Justin Long
3. Coraline, Coraline, Coraline
4. Sleeping in on Saturdays
5. Planning my blog posts for next week. Get excited, 'cause it's gonna rock your face off.

Office Recap, "Lecture Circuit Pt. 1"

Okay, so the next time I throw a birthday party, I'm for sure going to hang up a poster that says, "It is your birthday." Professional, right? Maybe I'll throw in some half-filled brown and gray balloons just for the heck of it.

Lecture Circuit debuts the show's first To Be Continued tag. I have no doubt that they could have condensed this episode into 12 minutes of screen time, but maybe next week is so big that they had no choice. Regardless, I savored the episode because it took things slowly--a welcome change after the chaos of Sunday.

The episode opens with Michael taking advantage of the new phone PA system. In order, he pretended to be Darth Vader, a pilot, a ghost, a school secretary who told Toby Flenderson to go to the principal's office for wetting his bed, and a sports caster. Oh, and he also talked to his doctor about a mole. Mercifully, Jim yanks the cord. You know who's really cute with a PA system? Pam. "Luuuuuke, this is your father. Come set the table for dinner."

*theme song*

The scene opens on a seedy motel (guys, remember the Camelot from Veronica Mars?) and Michael walks out, followed by Pam. In the next room over. It didn't need to be said, but I said it anyway. They just eloped! Or maybe they robbed a bank! Those improv skills just keep coming in handy, don't they, Mike? For reals, Michael has been asked to give a lecture circuit to the other DM branches ('cept Nashua) since Scranton is the best branch. Northeast Pennsylvania represent! He tells the camera that he is going to share his 11 business herbs and spices while Pam loads the car in the background. Lately, we haven't seen many references to the BBC Office and there's this great episode where David Brent gives a motivational speech and makes Dawn carry all his stuff. Pam's going to be his hot roadie in a new cardigan. 72 hours of time-and-a-half? Niiiiice, but it's still not enough to keep you from questioning just why you're spending said time with Michael Scott.

Left in charge of the office are Dwight and Jim, who both also happen to be in charge of party planning. They gave an awesome double talking head and I could barely keep track of what they were saying. They, uh, forget Kelly's birthday which is a BIG mistake, 'cause hell hath no fury like a Kelly scorned. (Side rant: We've seen this before when Kelly falsified there customer surveys. I thought it was going to be Angela's birthday they forgot and that might have been funnier. Also, another birthday-related B-plot? Really? /rant) Yet, it is pretty sad that they forgot Kelly's birthday. She really did look cute and heaven forbid that she actually tell anyone. (Mindy Kaling, the writer of the episode, gave an interview to the Washington Post earlier today. She didn't answer my question, but I still love her anyway.)

So my little brother was incredibly surprised to find out that Rashida Jones is the daughter of Quincy Jones. Speaking of Rashida, "Lecture Circuit" is presumably the last time we'll see Karen Fillipelli. She's moving on to the Amy Poehley-Aziz Ansari-Greg Daniels project, Parks and Recreation. Pam and Michael's first stop is Utica, where Karen reigns as Branch Manager. We first saw the receptionist, Rolando, in "Branch Wars" and he's still a snarky little twerp. Karen's huge preggo stomach enters the room and about five minutes later, Karen herself shows up. It takes Michael a while to work out that the baby cannot possibly be Jim's. Michael then proceedes to lie to the Utica branch, makes Pam pelt them with mini candy bars, and then insults them using mnemonics. (Beardy, Baldy, Mole, Sugar Boobs, Black Woman, and Knocked-up.)

Post-chainsaw ("....And now I'm chopping off Phyllis' head with a chainsaw! Rin-nn-nnn-nnn!" Best. Andy line. EVER.) Karen takes things into her own hands. Did you know that you don't actually pump until the baby's born? Michael didn't. Things are awkward between Pam and Karen until they clear the air. Karen's married to this guy named Dan. We're supposed to think that he's a Jim-type because a) his name is only three letters long and b) he's super tall and goofy. She seems happy for Pam's engagement and then it's all like, "BFF! Let's be pen pals!"

Back to the Kelly birthday, Dwight's in charge of decorations and Jim has to collect money for the party. This is why straight guys don't get put in charge of planning parties. Dwight's decorations look like crap (literally) and all Jim's wrangled up is a three-dollar bill from Creed. I'm interested to see how this all works out.

So Stanley has this pretty new client named Julia and Andy falls hard for her. It was harsh of Phyllis to say that she was out of his league. Harsh and true! Boom. Roasted. Andy car-stalks her music choices and learned she likes Feist. He writes his own lyrics "1 2 3 4" and while it's not as good as Feist's Sesame Street version, it sure won me over. With his resistable charm, Andy convinces Stanley to let her have him as a client in exchange for two of his clients. Taking advice from Creed is never wise, especially when he thinks you're Jim. The Nard Dog's got a case of puppy love and when he goes for the kill, he gets shot down AND loses the account. Rough. (Ruff! Get it?)

In the car ride to Rochester?, Michael muses about how he never really got closure with Holly. I mean, he got a 7-hour car ride and a chance to say goodbye, but never really closure. Sounds like someone's a little unclear on the concept of closure. None of that matters because Pam is totally game to ditch the lecture circuit and visit Nashua instead. My gut tells me that this might not work out well....I'm not listening to my gut because hello, there's a chance Amy Ryan might be involved! I haven't heard anything that confirms her appearence, but seriously, they can't just dangle Holly Flax in front of us and not follow through.

To Be Continued...

Grace, Day Five

1. Recapping The Office. I really do love doing writing about it.
2. Last.fm. It seems like a great idea in theory, but I don't really know how to use it.
3. Nerdy pick-up lines (You twitter-folk know what I'm talking about.)
4. "You shouldn't end a sentence with a preposition at."
5. World Nutella Day

Here Is My Handle, Here Is My Snout

Sparked by the video of Kingston The Pig that's been going around the blogosphere, I've realized I have this problem. That problem is an obsession with teacup pigs. But can you hardly blame me? Let's examine the facts.

That'll Do, Pig: Making the case for teacup pigs

Rule of Life #286: Anything tiny is cute. Especially if it's in a cup.

Exhibit A: Tiny and on a scale. Bonus points for fitting into a really cute teacup.

Exhibit B: Two of them! And they're ducks! Oh. Em. Gee.

Exhibit C: In a pinch, a McDonald's cup will suffice.

And we all know how much I want a chihuahua.

Rule of Life #286, Clause A: Any animal that is tiny as a baby and remains tiny as an adult is exponentially cuter. (See also Exhibit C and miniature ponies.)

Exhibit D: This little guy can literally fit in the palm of your hand.

And he's wrinkly and has a teensy little schnozzle!

Exhibit E: Really, all I want is one. But three would be good, too.

Rule of Life #286, Clause B: Combining a tiny pig plus a teacup is pretty much cute-nirvana.

Exhibit F: So I first linked to a picture of this little guy on twitter and then

proceeded to have an entire conversation about tiny bacon. Heh.

Conclusion: This is no longer a matter of WANT, it's a matter of NEED. They run from about $250 to $350 and I'm currently at the stage where that seems completely reasonable. Even though I won't be able to get one for the next two years or so, owning a teacup pig is most definitely a dream of mine. (Unless I smuggle one to Vancouver and his name will be CB, short for Canadian Bacon.) Send all donations to the Buy Gretchen A Teacup Pig Foundation.*

Addendum: I'm ridiculously proud of the title for this post.

Thanks: Pictures via Cute Overload and ABC News

*Not a real foundation. Yet.

Grace, Day Four

1. Licking the top of the pudding cup
2. Cuddling with my kitteh
3. Ginormous down coats with fake fur trim
4. Josh Rouse's It Looks Like Love
5. Giles the Librarian

Grace, Day Three

1. Finding this totally rad knock-off Member's Only jacket at a thrift store for six bucks
2. Scones--not the proper English kind, but the Utah kind. It's basically a lump of dough that's been deep-fried and filled with honey butter and cinnamon. Yeah, they're amazing.
3. Soft Cell's "Tainted Love/Where Did Our Love Go?"
4. There are now more grassy spots than snowy spots on the ground.
5. The used book prices on Amazon

PoP, Edition 14

Music

Ray Guns Are Not Just The Future by The Bird and The Bee
I'm gonna call it and say that this is one of the best cds of the year. Inara Georgoe (The Bird) and Greg Kurstin (The Bee) produce music that is bouncy and candied and so dang catchy. The really fun part about listening to them is that not only is it extremely fun, but it's also extremely smart. The lyrics are sly and their specific brand of electronic pop relies on many different eras of history. There are themes of vaudeville, bossa nova, East Asian, and those are impeccably tied together with a sort of 60's-spy-movie flair. I can't get enough of it. (Myspace|Amazon)

Books

He's A Stud, She's A Slut and 49 Other Double Standards Every Woman Should Know by Jessica Valenti
Lfar reviewed this a few months back and when she says something is good, I know it's good. This guide to feminism was concise and straightforward. I've always considered myself a feminist, but what I liked most about this book was how it raised awareness about so many little issues that are actually extremely critical to equality. Her blog/community, Feministing.com has been listing the sexist Super Bowl ads and after reading the book, I picked up on all of the examples during the game. So I can definitely say that the book worked. Jessica has a super-sharp wit, although her brand of sarcasm can get sort of old after 50 chapters. My only real problem was that book was marketed towards women and these are things that EVERYONE needs to be aware of. Not only does it talk about the unfair differences in the workplace, it also discusses the unrealistic and paradoxical standards that women are held to on an everyday basis. (Caveat: Probably not for younger readers--check out her other book, Full-Frontal Feminism.)

Television
How I Met Your Mother, Season Three
I watched Seasons One and Two this summer and fell hard for HIMYM, as it's called by fans. So I hate saying anything negative about the show, but S3 just doesn't match up. It's not as re-watchable, quotable, or loveable and even though I might blame the writer's strike as I often do, I really think the writers hit a slump. I mean, this doesn't mean it was an awful season. Hardly. HIMYM is still one of the freshest comedies on tv and it nails (heh) today's late-20-something relationships better than any show. Marshall and Barney's slap-bet continues to escalate and Ted and Robin effectively handle their new post-break-up friendship. The guest stars are either hit or miss, with Mandy Moore being a hit and Britney Spears being a miss. (Two episodes with her? Really, guys?) I love how the show plays with time--the amount of flashbacks just for the sake of a joke is astounding and often rewarding. (SORT OF SPOILER: Stella, played by Sarah Chalke, was never my favorite girlfriend of Ted's, so I'm glad the search for The Mother continues.) What I'm trying to say is that even a mediocre season of HIMYM can still be legendary.

Grace, Day Two

1. Spontaneous sushi
2. Awesome potential band names like "Spontaneous Sushi"
3. Snickerdoodles (Okay, I promise I'm going to try really hard to not list so many food items in the future.)
4. Quoting the movie Groundhog Day
5. Those little strawberry candies that have the really soft centers and cute wrappers

Office Recap, "Stress Relief"

Did you hear about the two drums and cymbal that fell off a cliff?
Buh-dum-chhh!

Thank you, I'll be here all week. This Very Special Episode of The Office had the exciting privilege of being an introduction for many viewers. It's an interesting conundrum for the writers because they have to provide enough explanatory behavior for newcomers and still give enough original material for the devoted watchers. I'm pleased to say that this was one of the better episodes in a long while. In fact, it was boss.

Dwight has a tendency to be overly safety-concious and militant, so when his colleagues didn't take his fire safety class seriously, he had no choice but to force them to learn the hard way. Some lighter fluid in a trash can and blocked doors led to total chaos. The scene (which culminated in Stanley having a heart attack) bordered on the level of "utterly zany" which includes other sitcom scenes like Lucy on a chocolate box assembly line. Personally, I didn't laugh that much, but it was a good, albeit non-traditional way to introduce the characters and how they behave. Angela throws her office-cat in the ceiling, Kevin breaks in to the vending machine, etc.

*Theme song plus a modified opening! I hope it sticks around.*

Michael and Dwigh travel all the way up to New York to meet with David Wallace and the DM lawyer. Instead of really listening to their reprimand, the Scranton Boys argue over semantics ("take heeded of?"). In the car, Dwight confesses that he's planning an awesome bomb scare that'll put them all in place. Realistically, Michael knows that what happened with the fire and Stanley was not ideal for an office setting, because an office is not for dying. An office is where dreams come true.

Rose is a certified CPR trainer and she also doesn't know what to do if someone dies. Michael's used the Glengarry Glen Ross "Always Be Closing" line before, as opposed to Airways Breathing Circulation, so that was a good callback. As expected, the CPR training doesn't go as planned. 20 seconds is too long for Kevin and even though Stanley is supposed to be taking it easy in his wheelchair, Michael still forced him to resuscitate the armless, legless dummy. My first truly LOL-moment of the episode was when Rose asked Michael to pump to the tune of "Stayin' Alive" and he busts out with "At first I was afraid, I was petrified..." Andy picks up the slack and Kelly starts to dance--both of those moments were perfectly in-character. Stabbing the dummy is the most sensible thing in Dwight's mind and then he cuts off the face and it's super creepy. I didn't think it was possible for things to fall apart more at this point, but they do.

Seriously? $5300 for one of those CPR dummies? Someone's getting rich off of that industry. Michael attempts to relax the crew in an empty conference using meditation and relaxation techniques. I didn't really laugh a whole lot during this scene and there's a lot left to cover, so I'm gonna move on, mmkay? (Wait, I laughed during "Don't touch his thing! That's what he said. 'Cause of gay." But just then.)

The biggest issue I have with tv events like this is that the networks feel the need to interject random guest stars to gain viewership. And if there's one image I wish I could erase from my brain, it's Jack Black making out with Cloris Leachman shudder Jessica Alba was only on-screen for, like, 4 seconds tops. Lame. The whole pirated-movie idea lacked focus and creativity. The best/worst part of Mrs. Albert Hannaday was the laughably awful soundtrack. Basically, Jim and Pam use Andy to watch movies before they hit the theaters...the punishment fits the crime.Andy sobs at the tale of a love that defies age and he also gets really bummed that he's not as good of a critic as JAM. However, he'd make a great food critic or art critic. This muffin is bad. This painting is bad. Not so difficult, is it?

The best way to feel better about yourself is to get all of your workers together and have them make fun of you, right? Knowing how the roast was going to end didn't make it any less enjoyable to watch. Let's start with the fact that Michael thinks YouTube is produced by someone who's actually named YouTube. Also, he became a boss because that's what people used to call stuff that was totally rad, like shoulder pads or perms. Now it just means "jerk-in-charge."

They gather in the warehouse and Dwight tells them to sign-in, even though the list is technically his statment of regret. ("I state my regret.") The roast kicks off which tiny Miss Angela, who usually doesn't like to make people laugh.
Angela: You know you're Michael Scott if...
Kelly: "Here's a list of people I'd make out with before Michael Scott: A turtle, Kevin, Lord Voldemort. Happy birthday, Michael!"
Meredith: He drives her to drink. Harsh.
Oscar: Something in Spanish. Apparently it means something along the lines of "You give me an ulcer because every day I have to come to work for you. For you!"
Toby: Not allowed, because he's not a friend. I'd have LOVED to see what Toby Flenderson would have to say about Michael at a roast, so I'm kinda sad about that.
Jim: Michael Scott-isms. "Don't cut off your nose to spider face."
Dwight: He gets mad at everyone for insulting Michael and then turns the tables and busts him for having no friends, family, or land.
Pam: Makes fun of his "thing" and then says if it were an iPod, it'd be a shuffle. (Ha!)
Darryl: If they're family, how come Michael doesn't know the name of the other black warehouse guy? (It's Michael, by the way.)
Andy: Sings his own version of "What I Like Hate About You" and it rocks, but I'm automatically partial to All Things Andy.

When Michael gets up to defend himself, he can't handle the surprisingly light insults and trips over the snare drum, effectively becoming his own punchline. I can't wait to re-watch this scene because there were some great jokes and reactions.

The next day opens with a Michael-less office and they're more concerned than usual given the events of the previous day. (Random trivia: I always notice the color of Pam's sweater because it's how I keep track of the different days in the office.) Dwight's TH revels that he's concerned Michael got impaled by a icicle since he always stands right underneath them. What? It's a valid concern. In truth, Michael's actually at the park tossing whole slices of bread at non-existant pigeons who apparently flew west for the winter. His spaceman analogy pretty much lost me, but I don't think it was supposed to make sense.

Comedy writing has never been Michael's strong point (Exhibit A: The Dundies) and yet, his hapless insults are trite and lame that by the end everyone's laughing. For an episode with a high cringe-factor, this scene was a good release of tension for both the characters and the audience. I also resolve to start using the phrase "Boom! Roasted." whenever I insult someone. ("Andy, Cornell called and they think you suck. And you're gayer than Oscar.")

After Pam came back from New York, it seems like the writers have made a conscious effort to have as little Jim and Pam interaction as possible. Okay, I understand that not every single episode can have cutesy moments between the two. I actually prefer it that way. Yet there are still fans out there (*cough*) who used to thrive on looking for any hint of interaction or affection during an episode and I miss that. What's impressive is that even after one and a half seasons of Jim and Pam dating, they still manage to be ridiculously perfect for each other. The JAM conflict in Stress Relief hinged on the fact that Pam's parents were going through a rough patch. Pam's dad stayed with the couple and she even tried to have Jim talk to Mr. Beesly with less-than-successful results. Sounds like they'll be going through a divorce and like most kids of divorces, Pam wonders if her and Jim will make it work. Her anger at Jim dissipates when she learns exactly what Jim told him....about how much he loves Pam and how he knows that she's the right girl for him. If it were anyone else but Jim and Pam, it might come across as cheesy or something, but just knowing what those two have been through makes it deeply sentimential. (Cue collective "squee!" from the fangirls.)

While Jim and Pam are certainly the glue that holds things together, it's easy to forget that Michael Scott is the heart of The Office. His fragile ego and ploys for attention can be grating, but he loves his work so much. It really is a dream come true for him because these people are, in fact, his family. And for all his missteps, they like him back for the most part. Steve Carell's portrayal is so human and flawed that as a viewer, it's hard not to love him as well. And while we might not have as many problems as Michael, I believe that everyone has acted like a Michael at some point in there lives and we can relate to his desire to be loved and admired.

Final Verdict: Great episode that can only get better with a re-watch.  I'm surprised at the number of lukewarm reviews I've come across when the early response was so positive. While it lacked the subtlety of the first season, I loved how it brought each character's relationship to Michael Scott to the forefront, not to mention a particularly sweet moment with Jim and Pam.

Was it the first time for any of you? Did you think it was an adequate introduction to the show? And for long-time fans, how did you feel about it?

Grace, Day One

1. Super Bowl food
2. The new The Bird and the Bee cd
3. Hour-long episodes of The Office
4. Playing barbies with a 5-year-old
5. New facebook statuses (stati?)

Learn more about the Grace in Small Things project here and fight the battle against embitterment.