Staff Picks: Favorite Women of Television

From Lucy Ricardo to the Dowager Countess of Downton Abbey, women have been entertaining us with their wit and charm for decades. And because we are us, we have decided to tell you about the ones we like best, in a very wordy manner. Here are some of our favorite women of television:

Melissa:

Lorelai: I can't believe you're going to a therapist. You know they're totally going to ask you about me.
Rory: What?
Lorelai: They always want to ask about your mother. It's okay. Say whatever you want. But make sure you start with "my mother's very hot."
Rory: Yes, that won't seem at all disturbing to the doctor.

I didn't jump on the train boarded for Stars Hollow until long after Gilmore Girls ended. I don't know what I was waiting for, but when my sister finally convinced me it was worth my time I was hooked. I couldn't get enough of the fast talking, pop culture referencing, rabid metabolism of the Gilmores' world. Lorelai is a single mother to Rory, raising her to appreciate Metallica and The Bangles. Resentful of her silver spoon upbringing, Lorelai rejected her parents' vision for her, and chose to raise her daughter alone in spite of her parents' substantial means. Rory is incredibly studious with a penchant for reading. She shares her mother's musical tastes, insatiable appetite for junk food, and coffee addiction. Both women are usually armed with a witty remark or pop culture reference for each situation they find themselves in. They are devoted to each other. For the most part they support each other... although there was that one time when Lorelai started dating Rory's teacher... or that other time when Rory started dating the troubled nephew of Luke Danes. What I love about the Gilmores is their resilience and passion for life, their ability to find humor in most every situation, and the acceptance they show to one another, even though they are far from perfect.

Lindsey:
It's time for complete and total honesty.  I have a wicked bad girl crush on Amy Poehler, even more so when she is playing Leslie Knope. I am convinced that Leslie Knope is quite possibly the perfect television character.  She started off a little shaky, but has become this fantastically well-rounded, in-depth character.  Her traits are exaggerated for comedic effect, but when it comes down to it, she is fiercely loyal, she stands up for what she believes in, she truly cares for people and she LOVES waffles.  I want to be her best friend.  She has also given us all the gift of Galentine's Day, which is definitely a new favorite holiday (most appropriately celebrated by eating waffles).

I love her relationships with her best friend, Ann, and her husband, Ben.  She has a way of being there and in your face and way super excited about things, without becoming overbearing or annoying.  And when she makes a mistake, she steps up and apologizes and/or fixes it.  She knows her flaws and she is humble when she needs to be, even if she kind of hates it.  She is pretty much the perfect role model. 

Lis:
I really like the new Jane Bingum on Drop Dead Diva. She's the best of both worlds of model (Deb Dobkins) and lawyer (old Jane Bingum). Jane is pretty, fun, smart, sassy, and not the usual super-thin main character. It's interesting to see the two opposite worlds collide into one person. She learns a lot about acceptance and love. It's a fun show that I always enjoy watching.

Meg: 
I went ahead and gave away Leslie Knope and Buffy to avoid conflict, but just know that they are beloved by me. However, I am pretty excited to tell you about the amazingness that is Veronica Mars.

First, can we just take a time out to talk about how awesome Kristen Bell is? She has a very public irrational love of sloths. She is open about her lazy eye, which she has named. I am not threatened by the fact that my husband loves her, because it is completely based on her role in Heroes, in which she shoots lightning from her hands.

Veronica Mars is one of those cult shows that was cancelled prematurely despite the wailings of its rabid fan base. In fact, the Veronica Mars creator just put up a Kickstarter campaign for making a Veronica Mars movie, and it reached its two million dollar goal in about twelve hours. Is it really that good? Yes. Yes it is.

Veronica is a girl detective. Which sounds dumb, when you type it out like that. But she's part of a brilliantly modern noir world in which she solves crimes for (and behind the back of) her detective father. They are both outcasts in their town because her best friend was murdered the year before the series started, and her dad didn't think they caught the right guy, throwing him in opposition to the most powerful family in town. Veronica has lost all of her friends, and her dad has lost most of his business. Which means that Veronica is in a perfect place to be a hilarious, snarky outsider who solves everyone's crimes from her lunch table. She wears the occasional wig and dons the occasional accent, almost like the Sydney Bristow of the 11th grade, and for people who like mysteries but are sick of CSI and similar procedurals, it's a smart, funny alternative with a brilliant woman at its head. It's like Buffy for mystery lovers, minus the bad special effects.

Rayla: 
I know I would totally be friends with Mindy Lahiri. I hate waiting for the new The Mindy Project to go up Hulu. I want to know what kind of a crazy mess the group has ended up in. Sure, Mindy is a bit selfish and celebrity obsessed, but who isn't? Her independence, sweet job, and amazing apartment gives me hope for the future of smart, strong, women. This girl always knows what she wants and she at least tries really, really hard to get it. Even if it's the ability to do nothing.

Paige: 
Reasons why Liz Lemon and I would be best friends...

She hates new experiences.

"I just want to go home and watch that show about midgets and eat a block of cheese."

She isn't afraid to admit she's a hot mess.

"Oh you don't want my advice on this. I ate a Three Musketeers bar for breakfast and this bra is held together with tape."

Her insults are witty and creative.

"Your toes look like dried up shrimps."

She has excellent coping mechanisms.

"I'm going to go talk to some food about this."

She's not overly affectionate.

"Lovers? Oh that word bums me out unless it's between the words meat and pizza."

She also likes to confess.

"One time I laughed at a blind guy eating spaghetti. Sometimes I pee in the shower if I'm really tired. I saw my grandparents making love once and I didn't leave right away."

She knows just what to say if a guy offers to buy you a drink.

"Really? I already have a drink. Do you think he'd buy me mozzarella sticks?"

She knows how to interact with the general public.

"This morning I stole a cab from a pregnant lady on crutches."

She knows when to give herself credit when credit is due.

"Who has two thumbs, speaks limited French, and hasn't cried once today? This moi."

Meredith:

Rose: Now, I know no one wants to hear any of my stories right now...

Dorothy: That's always a safe bet, Rose.

Rose: ...but you need to hear about my cousin Ingmar. He was different. He used to do bird imitations.

Blanche: Well, what's wrong with that?

Rose: Well, let's just say you want to park your car under their oak tree.

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You might find this strange, but I remember the first time I ever watched a Golden Girls episode. I was in the sixth grade, and I found myself sitting with my friend in her living room, blatantly avoiding my homework and trying to find something funny to watch on TV. There was absolutely nothing good worth watching (duh, Saved by the Bell had already ended), but while we were channel surfing, we stumbled upon four old women arguing over men half their age and then laughing about it over a delicious cheesecake while the credits rolled thirty minutes later. Honestly, most of the jokes went right over my head at the time, but Betty White's character, Rose Nylund, stole my young heart with her love for animals, incredible excitement over everything, and, most of all, her terrible stories of adventures in St. Olaf. While I loved all of the women on the show, I related to Rose the most because anyone who knows me knows that my sense of humor is, well, a little silly… like Rose herself. While most people roll their eyes at Rose’s lines, you’ll find me doubled over laughing on the couch right next to them. Rose just has a way of making a tough day so much better. You can always count on her to say something utterly ridiculous, served with the right amount of crazy. I literally watched this show from middle school all the way up to college until someone finally got the courage to buy me all of the seasons on DVD knowing full well that he would have to suffer through all of them with me. My husband is a brave man. 

I'm sure you won't be surprised to learn that my fascination with Rose Nylund led to my love for all things Betty White. I'll probably regret sharing this later, but I've entered into a sweepstakes twice to meet her in California, I proudly displayed her calendar a couple of years ago, I own every one of her television show seasons on DVD, and a friend of mine almost conviced me that bidding on the couch from the Golden Girls living room set was a good idea. Fortunately, American television has been graced with a number of funny ladies; however, Betty White's Rose Nylund takes the cheesecake. 

Amanda:

I must say that all of my favorite TV women have pretty much been mentioned, but there is one more.  Topanga Lawrence.  That's right, everyone's favorite girl from that awesome TV show Boy Meets World.   You may think this is weird, as throughout the series she had her definite ups and downs as a character, but I love her.  She is always true to herself, and (for the most part) completely honest with Corey.  When he does something she doesn't like, she tells him.  If she wants to do something her way, she is totally comfortable with who she is; and come on, everyone wanted her hair, am I right?  Besides, who doesn't love the love story of Corey and Topanga? They make it through everything, and I even hear there is a sequel series coming? Excuse me while I squeal for joy!

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Miri:
I guess it was inevitable that with this group of blog writers, there were going to be overlapping interests, and probably no one is surprised to learn that Buffy Summers was one of them. (If you were surprised to learn it, that means you haven't watched Buffy yet. You should get on that. Right away.)

The thing about Buffy is that she's a totally relatable superhero. She has super strength, she trains hardcore, and she's a natural leader—but she also fights with her mom, likes cheerleading, and sometimes has a hard time choosing her Slayer duties over her social life. She makes mistakes, and sometimes they're big ones. She doesn't always do the smart thing (but she is very smart). She has a close group of friends, and she will do anything for them. She loves passionately and hurts deeply. She learns so much throughout the series, and her character growth is really amazing. But most importantly, Buffy kicks ass. This sounds like I'm sort of joking, but I really mean it—there is something so fantastic about 144 episodes of a show in which a woman saves the world, every time. She's small, blonde, beautiful, and powerful. She breaks stereotypes left and right (and it's especially satisfying when she fights the misogynistic villains Joss Whedon does so well). For me, what it boils down to is this: Buffy is a female superhero who never once wears a skintight bodysuit. The show is not just an excuse to watch a hot girl do cool things in unlikely heels while holding a giant gun. She's a realistic character (if a tad over-scripted; thank you, the 1990s). And when I watch this show, I actually find myself walking around feeling stronger and more confident. That's a pretty great thing to get from television. 

Who are your favorite TV women?

Staff Picks: Girls' Night Movies

This is the first of what we hope will be many collaborative posts where we just tell you what we all like in a category. We hope that you'll share your favorites with us in the comments! 

There's nothing more fun and relaxing than a good old-fashioned girls' night. We all need them from time to time to unwind and be silly. Here's a little (okay, "little") list of our favorites.

Meg: There are so many awesome girls night movies, but if I'm being honest, I'm always in the mood for an SLA (Sumptuous Literary Adaptation) and I have enough bookish/Anglophile friends that I can usually talk someone into watching them with me. North and South (the 2004 Elizabeth Gaskell adaptation, not the 1985 Patrick Swayze Civil War one) is basically Pride and Prejudice with a cotton mill strike. It clocks in at about four hours, but it's the perfect movie to watch while you work on projects, paint your nails, and swoon over Richard Armitage in all of his angular British majesty (plus the actor who plays Bates in Downton Abbey is running around). It has a little bit of a hefty (non-violent) death toll (cotton workers get fluff lung a lot) but the romantic payoff is so great that I always feel like starting it over again as soon as it ends. I have never recommended it to anyone who didn't fall in love with it, and I even watched it with my mother-in-law.

Lindsey: I didn't think this would be a difficult choice, but, my friends, it was so difficult.  I'm not a "chick flick" kind of girl and generally let my girlfriends convince me to watch things like North and South (I am the proud originator of the term "fluff lung," thank you and you're welcome) and other lengthy sagas.  I will confess I did not watch the BBC's Pride and Prejudice until I was in my mid-twenties, I do not know what I was thinking, because we all know that this happens:

And that's really something I can get behind.  My girls night movies are usually comedies that guys would also like, something from the 80's, or ridiculous teen movies with catchy phrases we can say over and over.  So, I'm going with the 80's selection since it is severely overlooked as of yet in this post.  There are so many, but I have to pick Pretty in Pink.  Molly Ringwald is the girl from the other side of the tracks who falls in love with a rich guy named Blaine.  BLAINE.  He has perfectly floppy hair and is non-threatening and soft spoken, just the kind of guy teenage girls swoon over.  The soundtrack is fantastic, the angst is thick, and Jon Cryer does the best lip-synch I've ever witnessed.  It brings me great joy.  

Bonus points for Pretty in Pink: I saw James Spader walking around the Louvre with his girlfriend in 2007.  It was amazing and every time I watch this movie, I remember slightly stalking him from a respectable distance in a famous French museum.  Kristy Swanson hits on Ducky at the end of Prom.  This means Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Ducky dated (before she met Donald Sutherland and fell in love with Dylan from 90210). Movies are great.

Melissa: While You Were Sleeping is the perfect romantic comedy for a girls night. Starring Sandra Bullock and Bill Pullman, this 90s flick is filled with hilarious dialogue, and a plot so ridiculous it is irresistible. It’s the not so classic tale of girl falls for boy, boy falls onto train tracks, girl saves boy, boy falls into a coma, and in a comedic series of misunderstandings the boy’s family believes the girl is his fiancée. This movie has been a staple in our family since it hit theaters in 1995. It is witty, it is honest, and of course in the end true love conquers, leaving you satisfied (and maybe even a little teary eyed).

“Do you believe in love at first sight? Nah, I betcha don't, you're probably too sensible for that. Or have you ever, like, seen somebody? And you knew that, if only that person *really* knew you, they would, well, they would of course dump the perfect model that they were with, and realize that YOU were the one that they wanted to, just, grow old with. Have you ever fallen in love with someone you haven't even talked to? Have you ever been so alone you spend the night confusing a man in a coma?”

Paige: Downton Abbey. Okay, I cheated. This isn't exactly a movie BUT if you watch two episodes in row it is! Or better yet, you could be like me and watch a whole slew of them at once and get a pop up box on your computer that says, "You've been watching for three hours. Are you sure you want to continue?" Thanks for the self-esteem boost, computer. They might as well put a note on the bottom of the chip bag that says, "You just ate a whole bag of potato chips. Do you hate yourself yet?"

Downton Abbey is the best because it is wholly and completely a soap opera... but it's on PBS and everyone has British accents so you can totally get away with watching it. Do you ever hear your co-workers talking about who finally kissed on Days of Our Lives? No, because everyone would be too embarrassed to admit they watch it. But you can still have the "can you believe who woke up from their coma?" conversations in total confidence if you invest in this classier soap.

So if you're going to hop on the band wagon (and I highly recommend that you do) you should know that the cool kids just call it "Downton"; don't ever let autocorrect make you look like a fool that spells it Downtown Abbey or you will be mocked and ridiculed; and we all hate Ms. O'Brien.

Now feel free to call the next person that cuts you off on the freeway an uppity minx.

Cara: I’m sometimes up for a good chick-flick but most of the time I just need a smile. Some of my favorites that I’m always up for are (in no particular order): Young Frankenstein, Princess Bride, Some Like It Hot, Singin’ in the Rain (one of the few musicals I truly love), White Christmas (another musical I dig), and Noises Off.  Some of my TV favorites: Matlock (you really can’t beat spunky Andy Griffith in a grey suit, though it's not typically my friends' movie night pick), Firefly (Mmmmm...Nathan Fillion...), Friends, and The Vicar of Dibley.  If I feel as though I need a good tug on my heart I’ll opt for: In Her Shoes, Big Fish (always makes me cry), and Stranger than Fiction.  As you can tell, I really don’t like choosing favorites and I lean more toward nostalgia than anything else. :o)

 

Megan: My current movie obsession is Pitch Perfect. Who knew that a movie about "organized nerd singing" could be so fun?  I love almost everything about it. I watched it for the umpeth time on Monday night for "research," even though it meant I only got 5 hours of sleep that night. I love the soundtrack. We listened to it over and over again on our road trip last month. I love how empowering for females the movie is (it even passes the Bechdel test). The movie is also extremely quoteable! My favorite lines comes from Fat Amy (yes, there is a character named Fat Amy and she is played by the amazing Rebel Wilson). Here are just a few of my favorites: "I'm gonna finish him like a cheesecake" and "Yeah, I did, but yet maybe I didn't because I got hit by flying Mexican food."

Miri: This is a difficult question for me, because much depends on what kind of girls' night it is. Are tubs of ice cream and the comforting of a recently-dumped roommate involved? If so, is the goal cheering up or wallowing and commiseration? Is it a pizza-and-drinks movie night, where you just want something fun? A girl-power night? Snooty foods and classic films? (It is now obvious to me that I should have made a flowchart.) 

Weirdly enough, both types of roommate-comforting needs can be met by the two movies I couldn't choose between: Bridesmaids and Bridget Jones's Diary. Both are excellent for wallowing; both are also hilarious with sweet love stories and warm fuzzies. Seriously, Bridesmaids. Kristen Wiig and Melissa McCarthy are pure comedic genius. For something fun, Easy A is both hilarious—Stanley Tucci's role = fabulous—and a light-hearted, interesting (though not un-problematic) commentary on slut-shaming and other social topics. It has depth, but it's the kind of depth you can totally ignore if you're just in the mood for a funny movie. Now, if you're looking for girl power, I don't think you can do better than Buffy the Vampire Slayer (the TV show, not the movie, which I haven't seen). I will say only this: Even moderate to severe levels of 90s cheese are worth it for the experience of a universe in which a woman is always the strongest person in the room. And finally... the classics. Go with pretty much anything starring a Hepburn, and you're good. For girls' night, I'd pick Stage Door—an almost entirely-female cast including Katharine Hepburn, Lucille Ball, Ginger Rogers, Ann Miller, and Eve Arden, plus dialogue that would make Gilmore Girls die of envy.

Elise: If I'm going to be honest here (and I believe honesty if of utmost importance when it comes to girls nights) I have to choose You've Got Mail. It's got the Meg Ryan/Tom Hanks dynamic duo, cute music, a to-die-for children's book store, a great story line, and loooove. I'm impressed with how well the movie has aged even though the main theme centers around the internet in its prepubescent days, complete with the dial-up tones when everyone logs on to check their email.  This is my go-to movie and seems to fit any situation; are you crafting and need some background noise? You've Got Mail. Can't sleep? You've Got Mail. Feeling lonely because your husband/boyfriend/significant other is out of town? You've Got Mail. And it's endlessly quotable ("152 people who think he looks like Clark Gable. 152 people who think he looks like a Clark Bar"). See what I mean? Excellent girls night fodder.  

Lis: I really like The Holiday. It's got Jude Law- enough said for me, but I also like how they made Jack Black and Kate Winslet go so well together. It's the first movie I saw in a theater by myself. My other choice would be Northanger Abbey, the 2007 version. The main guy reminds me of Jude Law- pure coincidence. I love the playful feeling of the movie mixed in with the gothic novel aspect. It has comedy, drama, and romance- perfect Jane Austen for those who have watched Pride and Prejudice fifty times already.

Rachel: The Little Mermaid. The Les Poissons song, princesses and handsome prince, a happy ending, animation, and childhood memories.


Jill: Between growing up with five sisters and no brothers and ten years of living with various female roommates, I have had dozens, nay hundreds of "girls nights." They were all special in their own way, but not too long before I gave up living with a gaggle of girls to live with one anti-chick-flick husband, a group of friends and I discovered something even better than finding the best girl's night movie. We began a quest to find the best worst girls night movie. Ever since then we have been slowing making our way through some of the most unintentionally laughable films out there and let me tell you- they are some of the best girls nights I have ever had. The top contenders? Burlesque (Oh. My. Lands. I was speechless), Liz and Dick (we felt bad picking on a made-for-tv Lifetime movie, but it seemed destined to be in our lineup anyway), Spice World (okay, I not-so-secretly actually loved this one), Josie and the Pussycats, and my personal pick for the absolutely best worst movie ever made... From Kelly to Justin. Although, good luck getting your hands on a copy of that last one- I had to take the metro to a public library two counties away before I found it. Apparently it was, like, not that popular or something. Shocking.

Zaissa: Mirror Mirror is a newer movie that I think has been totally under appreciated. It's fun, and clean so you can watch it with kids in the room (they will like it too). I love the retelling of an old fairy tale that  dumped the old version of Snow White you may know. She was never my favorite character because - other than pretty, there wasn't much to her. The story was always more about what people did to her and did because of her. And she was pretty much a lost girl who just went with the wind. But in this version she is smart, funny, and really brave. Her beauty comes from the way she cares about other people. And she and the queen aren't fighting over being the "cutest" but over power - 'cause you know, even in a chick flick it seems like we girls deserve more credit than to have it believed all we care about is our skin and hair. The scenery is beautiful.


Dafni: Chocolat has to be my all-time favorite girls' night movie. Gorgeous France, smooooth, creamy chocolate, Johnny Depp... need I say more?? It may be my obsession with travel and my love for Europe (and did I mention Johnny Depp? :)) that pushes this to the top of my list, but it really is a fantastic movie. Beautiful scenery, acting and a romantic love story. So dreamy.

On a completely different note, Pitch Perfect is hilarious and all about music nerds. I was totally one of those nerds in high school. Wait- that's probably not past tense. Either way, this one is great. I usually like to give it some time before I watch a movie again, but I've seen this one at least 4 times in the last 2 months. Hilarious with a fantastic soundtrack = awesome.

Honorable Mentions (because this list could be so very long):

She's the Man

Bring It On

When Harry Met Sally

Sleepless in Seattle

Moulin Rouge

Mona Lisa Smile

Becoming Jane

Mean Girls

Whip It
Confessions of a Shopaholic
Miss Representation

What are your favorite movies for Girls' Night? 

A Lovely Contest

In an effort to get to know you, our amazing Lovely Readers, better (and also in an effort to make you send us that guest post you've been thinking about for months but never got around to writing), we have decided to hold an essay contest. A contest! With a prize!! Tres exciting, right?


So you write an essay (700 words max, although if you go over by a little, we won't hate you) and email it to us and we will post it. The category is "Lesson Learned," which basically means we want to hear about your embarrassing moments, good days, bad days, victories, failures, etc. Tell us about something that has happened to you that was a turning point of sorts - or maybe just an "a-HA!" moment. It can be something tiny that caused a big change, something big that caused a tiny but significant change, a thing and change of somewhat equal size - anything. Funny, sad, deep, random - we want it all!


As a bonus, you'll get an essay from each of us while you are thinking about what to send in. We will be posting our essays next week while we anxiously await your emails. After our posts, we'll start posting yours until they've all been posted and everyone has had a chance to read them. At that point, we will each pick our favorite essays and put the top three to a vote. The winner will be picked by you, our lovely readers.

Now we get to our awesome, fabulous prize. Our dear friend, Annie (author of Ultra Vroom, mother of an adorable toddling type person and mastermind behind annilygreen), has created a beautiful and Lovely Blog-centric fabric poster for our winner. The winner will be able to choose from two styles here and here (also pictured below). And if you don't win, she will still make you a poster just like these - you'll just have to buy it. We're all coveting them and saving our pennies.


So did you get all that? Just in case, here are the simple facts:

Lesson Learned – Essay Contest


Submit an essay (700 words or fewer) about a turning point in your life – it can be funny, embarrassing, sad, sarcastic, uplifting… the list goes on and on. As long as it’s about you, we want to read it.


Entries will be posted on this blog, On How to be Lovely, and there will be a vote for the winner.


Submission deadline is August 7th.

Resolved

Lindsey
I say I don't believe in New Year's resolutions, but that's pretty much a lie. What I don't believe in is making resolutions just because it's the beginning of a new year. I generally take the spring time to step back and look at what I would like to work on in my life. Something about all the green and sunshine makes everything seem possible. Still, I have resolutions that are somewhat constant, things I need to recommit to in order to stay focused. I resolve to:

• focus on what could be and not what is - there is always potential for something better.
• be happy.
  
• be less critical of myself. I sure give me a hard time.
• do my part - as long as I am trying, the rest will fall in line.
  

Miri
I don't believe in New Year's resolutions. They're unrealistic and, more often than not, are forgotten by the end of January anyway; so after over a decade of abandoned far-fetched goals, I decided to stop making them, and forgo the associated guilt. (Now I just do something fun, like give myself a number of books to read for the year. I do have goals for my life; I just don't feel like I need to make new and exciting ones just because it's January.) However--in the spirit of this post, here are some of the things I'm working on right now:

• being honest about my feelings with myself and others
  
• assuming the best about people/giving them the benefit of the doubt
• learning that what my body looks like just isn't important
  

Megan

I believe in New Year's Resolutions, but it doesn't mean I'm any better than Miri about keeping them. I just think the beginning of the year is a good time to assess what's good and what isn't in your life, and to think about what you can do to make the bad things better. I tend to make lists that are too long to really remember, but at least I'm thinking about them, right? In any case, here are a few of my resolutions for becoming lovelier this year:

• Physical: I will stop wishing I looked like Zooey Deschanel. I don't have her clothes, I probably can't pull off her hair, and neither of those things make me ugly. Also, earlier last year I was doing really well at getting a little exercise - at least some sit ups and pushups and brisk walking. I'm going to do that again. (Although the walking might have to wait until spring.)
• Emotional: I will try to stop obsessing over things I can't control. I have been better in the last few months at being happy with my life, but sometimes I forget how good it is right now because I worry too much about what happens next.
• Mental: I will spend less time watching TV shows and more time reading. I love reading, but sometimes my Hulu queue makes me think it's more important to catch up on all of my shows. It's just not as satisfying to say I've seen every episode of three different crime dramas as it is to say I finished Anna Karenina, and watching Dollhouse right before bed gives me really weird dreams.
• Spiritual: I will try to fulfill my church responsibilities without being reminded every month. I will also work on finding quiet moments; I clutter my life with a lot of noise and don't spend enough time thinking quietly, and I would like to remedy that.

We would love to hear some of your goals for 2010 as well. We hope that at least one of them is to write for this blog, because we would love to get more voices here so that we can all learn from each other.

Happy New Year!

Happy Thanksgiving

Of course, in the spirit of the season, you will get a list (we really do LOVE lists!) of some of the things we are thankful to have in our lives. Please feel free to add your own lists* to the comments. Let's all be thankful!

Lindsey

I am thankful for...

• family and friends
• Ben and Jerry's Chocolate Macadamia ice cream
• sweet smelling babies
• my nephews and niece
• my creative talents
• good TV shows (being specific would take another whole list)
  
• books and a bookshelf to put them on
• strawberries (covered in chocolate)
• creamy soups
• a new room full of things I love
• my health (even though it sucks most of the time)
• music
• my iPod (Robin Sparkles) and my laptop (Cheese)
• my mom
• hot actors to drool over
• blogs (and the people who read them)
• parentheses
• Glee
  
• being able to spend so much time with my nephews
• Google Reader, Facebook, IM, Skype - technology in general
• Sufjan Stevens singing The Friendly Beasts
• the camera game
• Old Navy and Target
• my sister and brother-in-law and the support they give me
• children's programming that doesn't make me want to smash my head into the wall
  

Miri
I am thankful for...

Mike, my cute husband. Living close to family. Having brand new nieces and nephews. Contact lenses. Reusable shopping bags. Planes that let us cross the country in a few hours. Owning a car. Living close to where I work. Having my personal library at home. Libraries. Free wi-fi connections at bookstores. Slip-on shoes (because I hate tying shoelaces). Kitchen appliances that make cooking easier. Fully cooked bacon from the store. My laptop. Mike being able to play the guitar. DVD players. Friends, roommates... countrymen... That I got to go to college. Comfy blankets. Board games and people to play with. Sunday dinner with family. Digital cameras. Facebook. BBC movies and mini series. Cell phones that can use the internet. Comfortable jeans. Flat-irons. Half-Price Books. Online banking (for what it's worth, which isn't all that much if we're being honest). Disposable diapers. The Food Network. The holidays, especially Christmas. Disney movies. Blogger, for making blogging easy. Cute earrings. Music. My iPod. Shoes. Sweaters. Fall, my favorite season of the year. Dishwashers, microwaves, washers and dryers. Musicals. Wal-Mart being open 24 hours a day. Books!


Megan

I am thankful for...

• Cell phones, Skype, IM, Facebook, and blogs for keeping me in touch with my family and friends while I'm in the wilds of Indiana.
• Cards from my mom (this time Thanksgiving dinner aids)
• my parents, brothers, sisters-in-law, nephews and nieces
• My church and my branch.
• the BBC (yeah, Miri already said it, but I'm currently watching Rupert Everett as Sherlock Holmes, and I feel great about it)
• cook books and cooking blogs
• Bloomington, especially now that the square is full of Christmas lights, but also when the leaves were in full color and when it was warm enough to go to the lake.
• My amazing roommates, past and present.
• NPR, particularly Wait Wait Don't Tell Me, This American Life and All Songs Considered.
• Stella (my car).
• The National, Andrew Bird, Damien Rice, Paul Simon, Bon Iver.
• America's Next Top Model, for making me laugh.
• Good movies. Old movies. Stadium seating in theaters. Popcorn.
• Indian food, sushi, Wendy's.
• The Office. Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
• Gregory Peck, Paul Newman. Jimmy Stewart.
• A job, especially one where I get to work with my brother.
• SLIS.
• Lee Pace/Pushing Daisies.
• Springform pans and subsequently cheesecake.
• Mountains. England. Oh, how I miss them.
• Shakespeare, especially in performance. Tom Stoppard.
• Opera, especially Mozart.
• French toast, waffles, omelets. The Cyber Cafe with its life-giving danishes and pumpkin-cream cheese muffins.
• Jane Eyre.
• Billy Collins, T.S. Eliot, Emily Dickinson.
• Book club, British Sunday, dinner group, Institute choir.
• Pie, our kitchen, the upcoming holiday and the people I have to spend it with even though I can't go home.
• That I'll be going home very soon.
  

*It may go without saying, but these lists are in no particular order. I promise you all we are more thankful for our mothers than we are for technology, ice cream and contact lenses.

Have I Told You Lately...

We decided to try a little something different with this post (because we love each other so much) and share the responsibility of writing it (because we both have a lot to say). So please enjoy this experiment in group posting from Miri and Lindsey.

M: One of the best things you can do for yourself and the people in your life is just to tell them that you love them. It's easy to assume that our loved ones know they are loved, but why let them assume? "I love you" is something you can never hear too much, and sometimes we don't hear it enough.

L: I totally agree. I come from a very open family and an expressive make-shift extended family (my mom's best friends and all of their children). We weren't even really related and yet we treated each other like siblings. We hugged and held hands and told each other "I love you" all the time. And that sounds really weird written out but I don't care, it was totally normal for us. I never felt like there was no one I could turn to because we all expressed our feelings about each other.

M: I always felt like my roommates in college were a second family because we were always telling each other we loved each other. In my own family we never said it much growing up, but somehow while I was away at school my siblings started saying it all the time, and I still haven't gotten used to it. Every time one of them says "I love you" before we hang up the phone or go home, it's a pleasant little surprise. I know they love me and I don't HAVE to be told that, but it is so nice to hear it anyway.

L: I felt that way too once I met Jamie and moved into the Glenwood. Before that, I only had a few friends that I met when I moved to Utah that I felt that comfortable with. It was a major shock to me to not have that open relationship with roommates and friends...and it made me incredibly homesick. I still remember someone commenting how strange it was that I ended phone calls with friends with "I love you." It seemed so natural to me. Now that my family and the friends we grew up with are having families of their own, I can really see the effect that kind of expression has on everyone.

M: I also think an environment like that is a really great one to raise kids in, because they learn to express their feelings and not hold them in all the time. Nothing drives us women crazy like men who won't open up emotionally, right? And it's not just men who need to be able to do that. It's just an important thing for people to learn to express their emotions and not be ashamed of them. It can really hinder relationships if you aren't able to do that.

L: Exactly. Although, being around my nephews all the time, I appreciate it so much more when they volunteer an "I love you" or a kiss or a cuddle because it's so unexpected for a three year old boy to just stop what he is doing to tell you he loves you. It makes me proud of myself and my family for teaching him that just through example.

P.S. Are we the only ones who walk around singing this song? Because I definitely sing it a lot.