That Girl Looks Like Trash

There are a lot of things I love about GW. There’s also a lot of stuff that GW people like. But sometimes I just don’t get it. I understand that fashion is (kind of) important. You get judged by what you wear. You don’t want to look like a slob. But GW fashion is ridiculous. Everyone seems to wear a variation on the same thing. Especially the girls (pea coat, leggings, Uggs, non-t-shirt shirt, Blackberry, Starbucks).

For a group as uniform in appearance as we are, GW’s a bit judgey about fashion. Which, GW students must be the epitome of class if they’re too good for pants, right? I wouldn’t know, not owning a pair of leggings. Shocker, I know.

But, for as politically active and socially aware as GW students can be (especially PoliComm majors, just sayin’), they are still ridiculous and judgey about clothing and fashion. Case in point. I just… They turned a wonderful and insightful political event of former White House press secretaries into an opportunity to critique professional fashion. Guys… really? I’ve seen girls strutting around thinking this is an okay look. Pick on her!

I’m just saying – it’s kind of preposterous for a 20 year old to pick apart the clothing choices of an adult when said adult is, roughly, 1000% more successful than you. They worked in the freakin’ White House. They corralled unruly journalists (and presidents alike, I’m sure). They were the source of information and poise when talking about the whole Monica Lewinsky thing, 9/11, the beginning of the Iraq War and much, much more. They probably have more things to worry about than what GW students (and C-SPAN viewers) think of their clothes. Most of them run communications firms and… I’m just exasperated.

The event was fantastic, though. I really learned a lot about what the actual job of the press secretary is. Because, as much as I love Aaron Sorkin, Allison Janney, and the West Wing, it was nice to hear a real-world perspective. They spoke candidly about their time in the White House during international crises. They spoke about delivering a message without being the one that crafts the content. They spoke about having to rely on themselves and their gut instincts, all while knowing when to ask questions and become a journalist themselves. And, despite what Ari Fleischer said, they kind of are rock stars. Especially at GW.

Hate; I really don’t like you.

The other day, Gawker ran this article about actresses we really hate. Everyone has a few. For me, it’s Miley Cyrus, Megan Fox, and Kristen Stewart. I know that my mom hates Renee Zelwegger and Nicole Kidman.

I realized the other night that I really, really want to hate Rashida Jones. She’s never personally wronged me or anything, she just… I don’t really know. She was a stuck-up bitch in Freaks & Geeks (which I’m just now watching for the first time), and has dated a significant portion of famous people that I’ve had crushes on (here’s looking at you John Krasinski and Jon Favreau). It also didn’t help that more often than not I hated her character on The Office. (She tried to step between Jam! Not okay!)

But I can’t hate her. I love her too much. I really just loved her in I Love You, Man. That was such a great little movie to me. Jason Segel, Paul Rudd, Juno’s dad, Andy Samberg. And Jones’ Zoey was just fantastic. I really believed her relationship with Paul Rudd’s character. It was just really nice and adorable. Not gonna lie, I’m a little jealous. Also, she was in The Social Network. I really can’t seem to hate anyone if they do a good job on an Aaron Sorkin project.

Tonight’s Gonna be a Good Night

I love the feeling of classes winding down and finals approaching.  It’s not that I’m excited for finals so much as reading week. An entire week to do nothing. Okay, sure, I could use it to study, but we all know that that won’t happen.  I anticipate trips to the zoo, museums, the movies, and long days in the dorm.  Amanda and I kicked of our reading week in style last night even though it doesn’t officially begin until Tuesday. Here’s how it went.

On Sunday night upon our return to the dorm from our Thanksgiving break, we popped in the first disc of Aaron Sorkin’s most recent episodic endeavor, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (2006). It’s chock-full of our favorite actors, including Bradley Whitford, Timothy Busfield, Amanda Peet, and Matthew Perry. Last night, after I got home from work at midnight, we really started to rally. We watched episode after episode starting at about 1 am.  By three, we hit the 4-episode story arc that ends the one-season series.  Needless to say we had to finish.  So, as Amanda worked on a project and I finished knitting a scarf, we absorbed ourselves with Studio 60. It was glorious; maybe the best decision I’ve made yet in college.  We didn’t turn in until 6:45 am, but that was okay because I didn’t have class until 12:45.  Many a time we replayed a scene.  Our Facebook statuses at about 5 or 6 in the morning really reflect how much fun we were having.  Back and forth we posted quotes from the series, often lapsing into raucous giggle fits.  I wouldn’t be surprised if we woke up Ellen and Anne. Here are some examples of our Studio 60-induced statuses:

Molly: has been having this fight in two different millennia now.

Molly: “once had this dream of having enough money and buying the entire West Wing cast just to keep them on retainer. For, you know, whatever. Maybe make them perform scripts for me.” - Amanda. cause us being roommates really was meant to be.

Molly: there was popcorn with butter. I couldn’t snap.

Amanda: wants this to be my family forever. no matter what else happens.

Amanda: is glad about that.

Amanda: just loves you is all.

Amanda:“When I have a baby, I want my husband… or whoever the father is… to be just like Danny. I want to be sure that he’ll have my kid’s back.” - Molly, on standards and expectations.

Today we went Christmas shopping at Target, getting decorations and cold-weather pajamas.  Afterwards, we stopped for some Anne-approved pizza.  When we got home, we watched one of my favorite movies, Pride and Prejudice (the 2005 Kiera Knightly version).  I was so excited when I picked up the DVD from the library I didn’t even mind that I had to go to the other campus for it.  It was completely worth it.

Now, as I type this, Amanda and I have restarted our Studio 60 marathon.  In all fairness, we started on the 5th disc, so there are only about five episodes to go. That’s no problem for us. (Apparently it was. We fell asleep after before the first episode was over with.)

Go! Watch! Now!

Don’t walk, run. Click here as fast as you can and watch the “Maneater” Psych-out (it should play automatically when the page opens, perhaps after a short ad). It made my day.  It was actually better than watching the Jam wedding on the Office this morning (I missed it when it was on last night due to work). I watched this Psych-out at least three times. Actually, I’m going to do it again as soon as this is posted.  Joshua Malina, I love you.

PS – We have the same birthday! And if you love Joshua Malina, too, you should check out his stint on Sports Night and The West Wing. Kudos Aaron Sorkin for putting him on your shows.

Oh, and here’s some music:

Dorm Life

No, this post is not about that insufferable MTV show about a bunch of freshman at the University of Wisconsin. This is about my dorm life. And how great it is. I live in a suite with three other girls and we like to spend time together. This weekend, we lived it up, playing a rowdy game of Apples to Apples in the basement common room. But what do we really do in our communal time? The American past time – we watch tv.

Whomever had the idea of online streaming video and DVDs, we salute you. My roommate Amanda and I successfully completed the first leg of our Aaron Sorkin adventure last night. That’s right, after a week and a half at school we have watched the entire series of Sports Night.  We also watched the inaugural episode of the West Wing, without which, neither of us probably would have ended up at this fine institution of higher education. (Hello, Wooster.) Our new obsession is Glee. And rightly so. When we need a break from that, Anne joins us for a delicious hour of mocking of The Secret Life of the American Teenager. Quality tv if ever I’ve seen it. On the latest episode, Amanda and Anne counted the number of times the phrase “had sex” was used in a two minute conversation. The number was staggeringly high.

When the roomie’s can’t come together for some joint time in front of the boob tube, Hulu is our best friend. They have the first 3 seasons of Buffy AND the entire series of My So-Called Life.

So let me be frank: all those years of mentally preparing myself for the stimulating educational environment of college was a load of phooey. I have four classes this semester and none are too taxing. Heck, I have the time to write this don’t I? Yes, just a perk of dorm living is the, oh, 6 or so hours I have between classes today. Ahh, welcome home, Molly. This is the life of champions.  Let’s crack out the PB&J’s and the easy mac, load the latest episode of Glee, and settle in for a taxing afternoon.