Legen----wait for it, wait for it.

Great humor is all in the timing. Whether the humor is slapstick or witty phrases, timing is essential.

We should know what good comedic timing is. We've seen it for years. I started to write a list of movies where comedic timing was perfect. I gave up. I'm giving you only two. "His Girl Friday" and "What's Up Doc" are perfect pictures of comedic timing.

We should know good timing, but we're losing it. We let something go on long after it has ceased to be funny. Just because it used to be funny doesn't mean it still is funny. The most important key to comedic timing is knowing when to stop, and this show has missed it.

Yes, this post is directed to a specific show I'm angry at. This past season was pathetic. The show has obviously degenerated. The show is now bordering on unrecognizable from the first few seasons. It has lost the joy it originally brought. It lost the quirkiness. It lost the surprise element. It lost the fun--how could they take all the fun away? The season finale was a mixture of lame, pathetic, and cheap theatrics.

I'm begging this show for the sake of all of us--stop. Take a lesson from your (and now I will argue this until the end of time) obviously wiser predecessor and stop. You're supposed to "always keep them wanting more".
Well, bad news. You're not fulfilling any wants.
Just go away.





Oh, I'm sorry were you still waiting? -----dary.

The Summer of the Four

It starts tomorrow. And I am excited.

"The Summer of the Four" (TSOTF--I know you can't actually say it, but work with me)
refers to my summer that begins tomorrow.

The four are the four Wisconsin kids. We are all home this summer for the first time in 5-6 years, and we think this will be the last summer we're all together.
We're going to enjoy it.

We have plans that would either blow your mind with excitement, or bore you completely, therefore, I will not tell them to you.

This post is to explain all future references to TSOTF. For example, when I say, "We decided to go diving because it is TSOTF" And no. Diving is not on the list although maybe it should be.

I can't wait.

Slumdog Millionaire

I saw this about 3 weeks ago, and I've been meaning to recommend it to you.



I chose the above picture as my front because I really hate the original cover.



Obviously, you have to watch it since it won Best Picture.
But it's actually a good movie (even though I can't stand Danny Boyle, and never will. He knows why).

I'm still in summer school, so enjoy what I cannot--a movie.




(Just between you and I, summer school hasn't slowed down my movie watching).

My Sonnet to Mr. Collins

(I know RuthAnn has already posted about this, but here's my version).

I love my English teacher. I do. He is, however, completely horrible.
For our Romantic Literature Final, our essay was to write a sonnet, or an ode, to a character in Pride and Prejudice. We were supposed to use some Romantic Literature characteristics, and correct iambic pentameter. I almost cried. I have never written a poem before.

My first thought was to write to Darcy. What girl doesn't want to write a sonnet to Darcy? Then, I realized that I couldn't think of any Romantic Literature characteristics and Darcy. The only characteristic that kept coming back to me was nature, nature, nature(Romantic authors love it). While reading Pride and Prejudice, we had pointed out how sad it was that Charlotte had to "encourage" her husband to spend as much time in his garden as possible, just so she wouldn't have to see him.
My purpose was clear: I had to write about Collins in his garden.

RuthAnn wrote a wonderful sonnet to Darcy, so I was glad I stuck with Collins.



Upon observing Mr. Collins in his garden and encouraging him to continue therein:

Your joy of nature is a true delight.
Your steadfast care and thought should bring you praise.
You seem to garden with the best of might.
Your concentration makes the best of days.
We ask not why you spend your time in there,
We surely know the answer all to well-
To be with nature is a joy most rare.
You want never to leave, but there to dwell.
Dear Collins, sir, we beg you--garden on
Think not on lowly duties here in life.
Spend your hours there and leave, when upon
The sun has set and you return to wife.
The time spent with nature is eternal
Moving from this world to the supernal.

Don't get too excited

I'm not really back.

I did finish my semester, celebrated my few days off, and am now enjoying Advanced Writing in summer school.
When I say enjoying I mean enjoying the class, and being buried under the workload. It's basically a paper a day. Exciting.

I am, however, going to try out last summer's challenge again.
So, I, Joanna, solemnly promise to try to post at least once a week.

But don't get too excited, yet.
I've still got summer school for another 2 1/2 weeks.

Okay, okay--you can get a little excited.
Baby, I'm back.

Welcome to the lull

The lull is the period of time between turning in your last project/attending your last class, and actually taking a final. This semester my lull is exactly one day long.

So, in this one day I have struggled with myself. I have struggled with whether I should kick back, and relax -just for a few minutes, mind you- and then study for finals, or whether I should furiously study for finals and content myself with the thought that I have less than a week, before I'm done.

I chose letting you know what the lull was. Don't you feel special?

See you after finals.

To my blog

You are my mistress.

It's quite pathetic actually. I steal looks at you when I should be doing my homework. I get on the internet with every intention of looking for sources for my paper, and suddenly I find myself back here. I don't even know how it happens.

Once I'm here, I reason, I might as well look. I scroll up and down, I have the urge to revise, I have the urge to create.

Then, I look at you carefully. You haven't changed, you remain steadfast, you still look exactly like I would want you to. I long for you. I dream/believe that you return my look of longing, I smile at you, you yell at me for treating you so abysmally, I protest saying I have responsibilities, commitments elsewhere, you say that I don't care for you, I realize logic and reason is useless, I give in.

Here I am, again. I'm with you again.
But I'll only be here a short while.
I have to leave, I always have to leave.