stunt_muppet

The very first journal of the year and it's an SVU fanspaz. I should probably be shot.

But, let's face it, last night's new SVU was so amazing that it deserves a squeeble.


"Sherezenade", or however you spell it, reminded me why I watch SVU. It was a gripping, intense, but moving episode, with a wonderful guest star. There wasn't a shot fired or a crime committed in the entirety of the episode, but it was just as interesting and exciting as any other episode (including "911", one of my personal favorites). The interactions between the characters, and the charisma of Tierney, carried the episode and made me want to watch every second.

What I liked most about this episode, really, was the way it subverted expectations. When I heard that Tierney had something serious to confess to Stabler, and that his daughter wanted nothing to do with him, I was almost certain that he had abused or molested his daughter. But they disproved this early (and the exchange in which they did sort of mocked our expectations, which I thought was a very cool idea), and went with someone much more interesting and, ultimately, much more moving. You could sympathize with Tierney and you wanted to forgive him, but at the same time you could understand his daughter's feelings and why it was so difficult for her to do that, even as he was dying.

I wish I could remember the actor's name, by the way, because Tierney was really the keystone of the episode. He was likeable and (as I said) charismatic, and his habit of withholding information was intriguing rather than frustrating. You wanted to wait for him, to see what he'd done and why he wanted to confess it. But the regular cast did a bang-up job, too, even though it was mostly Benson and Stabler in this episode. (Granted, Huang did get to make a literary reference, and Munch and Fin got just enough screen time to remind us that yes, in fact, they are still made of awesome.) We got to see some interaction between Elliot and Karen and the Stablerlings, which is always nice. Both Chris and Mariska did an amazing job expressing the more subtle emotions - curioscity at what Tierney's hiding, frustration at what he won't tell them, understanding when he finally reveals what he did, tension and further frustration when there are so many obstacles to using his testimony in court. They were fantastic, and good job to you both (like you're reading this). This episode ranks among one of my favorites, and I can't wait till it replays.



Apropos of nothing much, I really love the shirt I'm wearing right now. However, when my hair falls in front of my shoulders (as it often does) it makes me look like I don't have a neck.

So, a brand new year. I'll probably be writing "2006" on all my papers for the next couple of months...Spent up till 11:30 at Squishy's house, where brownies were had, presents were exchanged, and Mental Floss trivia was played. I almost won, but not quite. Raar. My loverly loverly friends got me a life-size Jack Sparrow cutout, which I will be molesting in the privacy of my dorm. I might even put up pictures. XD I squealled very much when I opened it. I think someone recorded it.

Everyone keeps saying "This'll be a great year" and "This year will be better than the last", but I just think that's because no one feels like saying "There are so many things that could go disastrously wrong that even to think about it makes me curl up into a fetal position and sob for my mother". Honestly, unless there's some heavy-duty miracles, I can't imagine much real improvement happening this year. But enough of my grimness. Personal improvement might still happen...top of my resolution list, like most Americans, is to lose the weight that came from ramming all that holiday food down my gullet. Goodness knows I love candy and I love my mommy's cooking, but food needs to stop having calories in it.

After that? Start writing more. My track record this year has been pathetic; I've barely written anything substantial. I need to start writing down and seriously scrutinizing the stories that have been bounding around in my head, in the hopes that maybe I'll actually doing something with them someday. I also need to stop procrastinating on my schoolwork; everything would be so much easier and less stressful if I would just do things before the last minute. Oh, and I should start trying to have a social life. That'd be nice, too.

Will I actually do any of this? Probably not. But it's good to have goals.

This year, in June, I'll complete my first year of college. One semester closer to having to join real life. This time next year, I'll have to choose the major I want to pursue. What a frightening thought.

I don't want to go back to school. Yes, I love my college. That doesn't mean I relish the thought of having to do anything after five weeks of absolutely nothing. Ah well.

I have a few more thoughts to write down, but it's getting late and I'm getting tired. My eyes are sore from night driving and staring at my laptop screen. I need some rest so I can get up for work tomorrow.

Perhaps next journal.