"There's a huge amount of running involved."

I'm thankful that things have slowed down. I was in California last week, and although I love going (it's tradition for my dad and I to go to Disneyland every summer), coming home was one of the best parts. Indiana Jones and Space Mountain were pretty high up on the list though, too.

Just because things are slower doesn't mean I'm not finding things to enjoy. And yes, I am making a distinction between "enjoy" and "do." I'd like something to do--get a job, for instance. On the other hand, having nothing to do means I've had a chance to finally catch up on my one tv...obsession. That's a fair word.

I know it's extraordinarily dorky, but I'm a huge Doctor Who fan. If you've not heard of it, it's a British SciFi show about an alien (who looks like a man) who travels space and time rescuing civilizations. There's also a lot of running involved. Molly, one of my best/oldest friends introduced me to it a couple of years ago, and that was the end of me being able to pretend I wasn't a complete geek. I won't go into extreme detail here (although if you're interested, ask. Seriously. It's much better than it sounds), but I think it suffices to say I have a new favorite Doctor (as in: a favorite actor that plays him--sort of like having a favorite Bond). Matt Smith really, really knows what he's doing. There's a spectacular mix of old and new (Smith's only in his mid twenties, but the Doctor's over 900) in his performance, his dialogue is sharp and witty and slightly distracted and usually deadpan, his monologues are elegant, and he both looks like he could be your older brother (the kind you get along with) and the oncoming storm.

The new head writer is phenomenal, too. He won a Hugo award for a previous episode, and his new episodes are just as good. Although he didn't write it, I think my favorite episode is the one where the Doctor and Amy (his companion) meet Vincent van Gogh. Yes, you read that right. They did a great job of getting his personality to come through, part (certifiably) insane and part artist. And completely human.

This is van Gogh, explaining himself:

"It seems to me there is so much more to the world than the average eye is allowed to see. I believe if you look hard, there are more wonders in this universe than you could ever have dreamed of. It's colour! Colour that holds the key! I can hear the colours; listen to them. Every time I step outside, I feel nature is shouting at me. Come on! Come and get me! Come on! Capture my mystery!"

And this is the Doctor's response...rather typically.

"Maybe you've had enough coffee now, how about some nice, calming tea? Let's get you a cup of chamomile or something, shall we?"

m.