TV or not TV... a post dedicated to the art of TV shows.

As an avid TV show watcher, I find it really hard these days to actually watch shows on TV. I am so impatient - I hate waiting for episodes week after week and so I've become addicted to 'the box set' and 'the downloads'. I don't like illegally downloading TV shows, but if I've missed an episode of something that's just been on TV, or else only been shown in the States and not yet available for the UK, then I'm downloading. I can do this without feeling like I'm stealing because... well... I know I'll be buying the box set as soon as it comes out over here. I'm a box set addict and I'm not afraid to say it. I have so many TV shows on my shelf and YES, I do rewatch them. I love rewatching!

At the moment I'm working my way through Roswell, with my boyfriend (as he'd never seen it before) - if you've not seen it, it's a teen drama from 1999 (originally called Roswell High) set in Roswell, New Mexico and it's about... aliens. Teen aliens, to be exact. There's teen romance, drama and many awkward and tense moments involving humans and aliens alike. It's a classic, and was only 3 season's but it was one of those ones where they knew they only had 3 seasons so it ended really well. I would highly recommend if you like things like Buffy and anything set in highschool!

I'm also watching the following:
New Girl! I'm sure you've heard of it. I downloaded it when it started in the US (couldn't wait for the UK to pick it up) and now I'm truly hooked I am downloading each episode as it airs. Probably one of the only things I would wait a week for because I love sitcoms and this is a fantastic mix of humour and cute people! It's so clever in it's comedy and I actually laugh out loud at every episode. I can't wait for the box sets to be available as it will make it easier to re-watch the episodes... over... and over again.

Teen Wolf. Yes. As in, based on the 80's movie(s). And... yes, it's kind of crap, but that's what keeps me coming back to it. This is another one I download (but WILL be buying the boxsets of) and I love getting a few episodes at once and having a little marathon of teen angst mixed with supernatural drama. It's actually very well done, once you get past the cheesiness of it. Some of the actors are fantastic and once you get to season 2 you will well and truly not care that the main guy isn't really the best actor in the world.

The Vampire Diaries. I watched the first season before I picked up the books. I blitzed the books because they are amazing and now I'm so hooked on the show it's insane. It's just started on season 3 in the UK and this is another where I've actually been suckered into waiting a week for each episode. Previously I would NOT watch it on TV and get the boxsets so I could watch 3 or 4 episodes in one sitting. It's great. The plot twists are always captivating and the cast are so ridiculously good looking that I've actually had to admit that I'm in love with the main girl in it. She is so stupidly beautiful that I kind of hate her at the same time. GAH. But I am all over vampire Tv shows and anything supernatural so this really hits the spot for me.

Nashville. I only just downloaded the first episode last night and watched it with a constant smile on my face. It's a TV show about country music stars which is right up my alley. I love music, musicals and especially country music. I know when this comes out in the UK they will advertise it as 'The New Glee', but it's not, so don't worry. I loved Glee at first but it got irritating. I can't see going the same way. It's about an older country singer whose career is kind of dwindling and family life is getting difficult and she's pit against this new little country singer with a bad attitude and very loose morals and it is so far (all 1 episode in) very promising. Also, the main character has 2 kids who are 2 singers I watch on Youtube, which is pretty amazing. They are something like 8 and 13 years old and they are amazing singers. Check them out as well HERE.

And here is what I'm really looking forward to getting into:

Game of Thrones. I waited a long time to watch this, because I hate it when everyone is going on about a TV show, it means I can't enjoy it as much because of all the hype (yes, I'm one of those people.. I just can't help it). So I left it a long time, but my Dad loves it so I said I'd watch it with him. I watched 2 episodes and loved it so this week I'm going to blitz season 1 (as I have a week off so going to catch up on TV shows and computer games!).

American Horror Story; Asylum. Season 1 of this series was so good that I'm deadly excited about watching the new series. I'll have to download it as I don't have the channel it's being shown on (FX, for this interested) and I'm utterly just... I don't know how to explain my joy that it's back for a second series, with a new venue (last year it was a haunted house, this year it's an insane asylum) and a new cast mixed in with some of the old cast apparently playing different characters. I think it's such a clever concept! If you like horror and swearing and, well, sex stuff, then this is for you because it's got it all!

There are some other Tv shows I'm kind of in the middle of watching (Big Love, Boardwalk Empire) but I'm not totally hooked like I am with the others. I kind of just watch them when I have nothing else to keep me entertained!

Do you have anything to recommend watching? I love TV shows so much so finding new ones that can keep me interested is high on my list of things to do!

Sam

Random updates and tings.

Because you should pronounce the word 'thing' as 'ting' as often as you can. Honestly, it makes you feel better and snazzes up ANY sentence!

So - a thing happened. It isn't a very exciting thing, but it's a thing that's now meaning my whole year is going to be slightly better.

I'm going to America next year. For a month or two.

Now, if you've been here a while, you might know I went for 3 months a few years ago. I plan on doing the same kind of thing but this time with my fella rather than friend, so it will be less drinking and more actually seeing fun things and having amazing fun times with my best friend. We were going to go to comic-con this year, but the money he is expecting through from a house sale probably won't be coming through until the summer maybe, but in any case we won't have enough time to plan a trip, so we've decided 2013 we are doing it. This means we can plan all year. It will be amazing. I know all the places I love in the US - Seattle, San Fran, San Diego, Vegas, Chicago, Boston, to name but a few, but this trip is for him. I want him to chose the places so that should be fun.

I won't be going back to work after this trip, so the plan is to get my ass into gear and write this book, edit and submit to publishing houses ASAP. I'm not really sure how this process works per say, but I'll figure it out. If there's one thing I'm good at it's figuring stuff out... hmm... maybe I don't. Damn. Any advice welcome!

On another slightly related note, but hopefully not related in any way, I've been watching that TV show - American Horror Story.

If you like dark, supernatural, quirky, horror- drama's you should give it a whirl. I'm not far into it, I'm only on ep 5, I think, but I'm already hooked. SO good, such good story telling. So I'm trying to slot that in with my Fringe/True Blood/ Vampire diaries watching schedule. Which sounds easy, but when you watch those things with someone you don't see often enough and you're on mostly different schdules it IS hard... still, I'm trying.

So - have you been to America? Know any cool places? I'm making a list of places to go/ see so american viewers let me know, and UK viewers, you can still let me know. K, thanks, bye!

Sam :P

It's not big, or clever!

I thought I'd hit you up with a quick blog, this fine Wednesday? No, Thursday night. I can't keep track of the days. I seriously haven't known what day it's been all week. But that's Christmas for you. You don't have to think about it, so it's ok to be flaky and distant.

Yes, yes, I'm aware of my distance with the blog as of late. But things tend to build up. Not that they did, I'm just aware that it happens to other people. Funny, how life happens to some people. It doesn't happen to me, but I like to pretend it does.

Once again we have reached the end of another year. I got a bloody good haul for Christmas presents this year. A Nintendo 3DS, LOADS of books (Huzzah), and some new converse trainers. Which, to me, is like shoe porn. So I was well chuffed when 'Santa' sent them to me. Am I the only one who still makes her parents sign gifts from 'Santa'? Well, it's fun to keep the magic alive if you ask me.

I guess the reason I haven't blogged is mostly because I have been putting off most types of writing since November came and went. After finishing the writing month I gave myself some time off writing. December was going to be the month or finishing my novel, but, well, I've been stuck in a rut. Mostly because I don't know how my story is going to end so I have been stuck in my head, trying to figure it out, rather than writing to get it out. Still, later today I will crack on with a few paragraphs. I promise... I do!

I have to get back to watching some vampire diaries (re-watching season 1!) before I start writing. I call it 'inspiration' because I hate calling it what it truly is, which is 'distraction'. And no, my book ISN'T about vampires, I just like the pretty boys...

Enough of that, you smut-seekers.

I'll most likely do the usual end of year blog later this week, so I hope you all look forward to it. It will be better than this attempt. Pictures, and actual content, rather than brain numbing jibber jabber.

Toodles!

Sam

Google... you both confuse and excite me...

So, I know I'm probably the last one to have switched to the new blogger that Google has offered us, but, well, I had a look at it a while ago, decided I didn't like change and switched back to the old viewing window.
Recently I decided that no, Sam, you will change. You won't get left behind, you'll move on with the rest of them and rejoice in the new world of Google. And that's just what I did... still not sure about it. It's nice, and neat and sure, I can see a lot of hard work has gone into making it the best it can be... but it's SO different. Still, I'm here now and there's no going back.

Talking of no going back. When I did upload the new blogger, I was prompted that my IE didn't properly support the new script, so I was prompted (very conveniently) to use Google Chrome as a browser instead. I ummed and ahhed, because I'd been contemplating changing browsers for a long time, but nothing felt right. Well, I switched and now everything feels right. Google Chrome is me. It's smart, fast, smooth looking... just like me! haha. I jest. But once I started updating I couldn't stop. I updated my Google Mail accounts and even signed up for Google Analytics for my website... there's no stopping me this week. Literally.

And talking of not stopping - I'm still fully invested in NaNoWriMo, despite my initial fears I wouldn't be able to do it. I'm currently at a word count of about 19201, and will be hitting and exceeding the 20k mark of my novel tomorrow, right on schedule. I'm loving the writing, and I think it will help me with my creative writing. It's helping me get out of myself, and learn to just write, and explore different techniques, voices, POV's and what not. I actually got my first assignment mark back for creative writing and got a 61, which to me is great! Over 50 for the 1st assignment is good in my eyes, because I will only be aiming higher and higher from now on. Got some really good constructive criticism and I'm taking it all in and rolling with it!

Speaking of rolling with it - my sister passed me the Vampire Diaries books to read the other day. This is the first time she has given ME a book to read, usually it's the other way around, but since she exhausted my book collection this year she's had to pass me something she's stolen from a friend. I always avoided VD because I watched the TV show before I read the book, and I don't like doing that, so if it happens I try not to get into the books because it usually ruins the TV show, with the book being better, but I can honestly say I prefer it this way around. VD the book is good, but I don't like the way it's written, and the verbal exchanged between the characters unbelievable. The TV show took all the good things about the show, added their own spin on it and made it 80 times better. So there you have it, the TV show CAN be better than the book!

And speaking of Tv shows - I've recently written an article on MY WEBSITE about cancelled Tv shows. Check it out - I'm looking for viewers and feedback - also contributors. So if you're interested in doing an article, or have any links you want to share to fun sites just email them to;
theswirlingvortex@gmail.com

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is what we call progressional flow. I'm good at it - I even have a t-shirt with I <3 Progressional Flow on it. Yes, I'm that cool!


Bye now!

Sam
x

Books and Tv - the things that shape my life!

Oh yeah!

It's Monday -and unlike most people, I look forward to Monday's because I don't work 'em! I have the pleasure (although the pain of a crap wage) of being part time at the moment; so as I can do my uni work. And Monday's offer me a lie in, and a chance to prepare for Tuesday. So Tuesdays are now my Monday's - but it still makes me feel great!

On to bigger and better things. There is nothing I like more than books and TV. At the moment there are a lot of tv shows which have been born of book series first and there is always that question - should you read the book before watching the show? Now, I am a huge reader (you should see how many books I got for Christmas!) and often will read something before its released onto the big OR small screen, however I hate jumping on band wagons and so will never read a book series if I have already started watching the show. Just one of my many stupid character traits!

I am hooked on many shows at the moment. Mostly fantasy drama's - and if it has vampires in it and its American (I loath British supernatural dramas as much as I loath period dramas from any continent) then I'm there! At the moment I am watching a few things (thanks to my family listening to my rants and buying me a load of boxsets for Christmas) - Vampire Diaries, True Blood, Doll House among other things, like Glee and 90210 (what? A girl gotta watch her teens!!), and I think people think I watch it for the fella's. And sure, the guys are all quite attractive, but the girls are equally attractive and I think that's part of the allure. I like looking at attractive women as much as men (ok, not as much as, but you get what I mean). Pretty girls will always make a tv show watchable, which is not sad but totally true. I know it's not a huge epiphany but it's not supposed to be :)

As for books - I read teen fiction -there, I said it. I read Twilight years ago (before the films thank you very much! <--- annoying trait #1 exposed), and I am in the middle of a couple of series which no one I know reads and that's the way I want it to stay. You see, much like my annoying trait #1 where I like to read things before they become a massive movie success - I have an annoying trait #2; I like to read book series and not tell anyone about them so that they don't start reading them and start liking them and start talking about them. I'm a book hoarder. And I know, if I like a book I should want others to like it too, so we can talk about it and the author will get more money etc. But... I just don't work like that. No one else is allowed to know the characters. No one else is allowed to know about these worlds I find. I really can't help it. Gosh... I could never join a book club, it would drive me mental!

Well -that concludes my rant about TV and books. I was inspired by the pile of Christmas gifts in front of me! :)

Happy Monday everyone!

Sam

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