The month is slipping away from me. I've been on vacation since Wednesday, and have been keeping blissfully away from my computer. But since it's 10 degrees out there today (on Victoria Day, natch), I suppose I have time to get back online and tell y'all what I've been up to.

Flash back two weeks to Saturday the 6th. I told you I was going to watch Akeelah and the Bee with Elena. We did not. Instead, we got Dairy Queen and rented Derailed. It was terrible. We turned it off after about an hour, and in doing so, missed the shocking twist. I was okay with that.

I haven't watched the entire Gilmore Girls season finale yet. I was so unimpressed with the 20 minutes I did see that I can't bring myself to watch the rest. I can't wait to see what the new regime does to this show, because the last two years haven't really been worth watching.

I am thrilled that Veronica Mars made it to the CW Network. Hopefuly Gilmore Girls hasn't alienated too many of its fans, so that Veronica and Company will pickup on some of its lead-in audience.

I finished reading Charlaine Harris's latest two Southern Vampire books. They were good reads, but quick, quick, quick. Only one complaint about the last book, Definitely Dead. Did I miss a novella where Sookie's cousin Hadley died? Because I can't believe that Harris wouldn't write the scenes where Sookie met the Queen of Louisiana for the first time, especially if they took place in the manner described in this book. Very strange.

I've been listening to The Leaves's Angela Test a tonne lately. They sound like the Icelandic version of Coldplay, but that really hasn't stopped me from digging on them a bunch.

And that, pretty much, is that.

A commenter over at TV Squad hit the nail on the head with his/her interpretation of last week's Team Palladino/Michael Ausiello interview. Ego much, Amy? You really want to take all the credit for making Luke unwatchable? For making Lorelai a puss? Have at it, hon!

. . . I cried last night when Zach asked Lane to marry him. *Sniff!*

Even though it's not yet Friday, I am willing to wager that I will not hear anything more funny than the following, from this week's Gilmore Girls:

Pastor: "You know, Rory, being a young woman comes with many gifts. Your virtue, for example, is a gift. A precious gift. Possibly the most precious gift you possess. You want to give this gift very carefully. It is a gift you can give to only one man. Once you give it, it's gone. You can't re-gift it. If you give it away too soon, to the wrong man, then when the right one comes along, you have no gift to give. You'll have to buy him a sweater."

Hah!

Damned autumn. It's cold in my condo all of a sudden. Gonna have to put the comforter on the bed tonight I think.

And that has nothing to do with why I haven't been posting lately. We're still in season at work, which is translating into a lot of hours on the computer at the office, and getting desperately behind on my home surfing/listening/watching. I didn't get to see My Name is Earl, The Amazing Race or Gilmore Girls—usually required Tuesday night viewing, along with The Office—until last night because I was at a show until midnight on Tuesday. I have several new albums I haven't even had a chance to listen to yet. It's been a rough couple of weeks. And next month; oh boy, next month is going to be a disaster. I'll be lucky if I can keep up with sweeps.

On a related note, I love Logan again. He's so much cooler when he's not boffing Charisma. Also, I miss Big Dick Casablancas already.

I'm listening to: Anyone heard of FemBots? I just acquired their album The City. Apparently they're from Toronto. Neat! I'm also listening to the Delays' Faded Seaside Glamour quite a bit lately. Kinda Cocteau Twins, but easier to listen to.
 
I'm watching: So much it's hard to keep track. I have this weekend off, and I'm going to celebrate with an eight-episode marathon of HBO's Rome. I haven't even watched the premiere yet, but I know I'm going to really dig the whole thing.
 
I'm reading: Nothing at the exact moment, but I picked up Susanna Clarke's Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell at Costco last night. It has footnotes! I love historical fiction with footnotes.

Watched the season premiere of Gilmore Girls tonight. It wasn't half bad.

Paris and Michel were hilarious, and the townies kept things interesting. Even Lorelai, who I had a harder and harder time dealing with last season, was finally acting like a 37-year-old. I still feel that the animosity between the leads translated too much onto the screen. Shouldn't one hug and kiss when getting engaged, instead of smiling, standing slightly apart and nodding awkwardly? But at least Lorelai isn't talking about skipping town anymore. And kids! That would be supersweet.

I'm curious to see what happens with Rory, because, frankly, my dream at 21 would have been to live in my grandparents' luxurious pool house, sit on my ass and have my hot blonde boyfriend service me sexually.

But, you know, I'm just kooky like that.

So, this was the episode that was supposed to renew my faith in Gilmore Girls, eh? Not so much. Is this really the season of the renaissance? The best season ever? The season where the show gets back to its creative heights? Really?

I was such a fan of this show at the beginning of this season. When new acquaintences asked me what I watched (they were into Alias and Lost, two shows I stopped watching at the beginning of the year because I had too many shows and not enough invested), I would proudly say Lorelai and Co. I loved Logan, loved Luke, really loved Lane and Paris, and thought they had finally hit their stride. The remarriage episode shocked and delighted me (damn that Christopher), and the episode following made me feel Lorelai's pain so acutely that the scenes were uncomfortable to watch.

And then came the "Why doesn't he love me?" episode. We come back from a month's hiatus, to find out that in two weeks, Logan may have abandoned Rory for greener pastures. This made Rory go mental? Hey, babe, instead of freaking out, why don't you fucking call him?

And the wheels fall off from there: Logan’s snobby family and the Gilmores’ cartoonish response leads to Luke buying a house for Lorelai and their future kids without telling her, which leads to Lorelai making a complete about-face on selling her inn (abandoning her best friend, who, on bedrest with her second child in four years, needs her support more than ever), which leads to Rory flipping out because her boss calls her on her (again, cartoonish) sycophant behaviour at her internship and quitting school. Huh?

And then there's the Luke-Lorelai relationship, or as I will forever call it, "distant acquaintanceship." Now, say what you will about That '70s Show (bet you never thought I would be going there!), when Eric and Donna or Jackie and Hyde are dating, the characters constantly touch. She sits in his lap, they hold hands, they cuddle. Not Luke and Lorelai. They barely even peck each other when they enter and leave a scene. Again, I know some people aren't happy with the way the relationship is going (I've always assumed it was Lauren, I'm starting to think I was wrong—see below), but how hard can it be to fake this? Opera singers spit on one another during those duets, for Christsakes, but they still manage to grin and bear it.

So, though the final moments were lovely (I hear. PVR cut it off, but you all know what happened there), it certainly doesn’t make up for a half-dozen episodes that sucked ass. I’ll still be watching next season, but unless it knocks my socks off, I don’t think I’ll be telling my friends about it.

Scott Patterson on why he feels Luke won't be missed in Season 7, at TVGuide.com
Those who tape Gilmore Girls get to see final scene, also from TVGuide.com. Yes, I'm lazy.

What's been going on with Gilmore Girls lately? Not to put too fine a point on it, but it has been sucking ass! The storylines have been silly, there has been little to no character continuity, and even the acting has been bad. I know Lauren Graham and Scott Patterson aren't best friends, but if Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny can act like they like each other, why can't they?

(Aaw, Mama still loves you, Mulder action figure!)

Listening to: The Arcade Fire, Funeral. I wasn't crazy about this when it first came out, but it's beginning to grow on me.

Mulder action figure on eBay.