There's this concept that exists in psychology which states that people are far more likely to remember things if they are in the state they were in when they first learned them. It's called State Dependent Memory, and I tell you the name of it not because you are interested in psych, but because you can google it and get a better description than whatever I manage to come up with. An example I remember from a TV show that reflects this is when one of the characters was late because he had never driven to his destination sober and had a difficult time recalling how to get there.
I tell you this because I had an experience like that today. Well, mine didn't involve alcohol. It involved runner's high, which in the interest of making this post actually readable and not a bunch of useless definitions, I will refrain from describing. Again, google. Anyway, I went out jogging today, but it involved more walking than jogging because I also went jogging yesterday and I was a little sore. When I go jog, I usually head into the U of M campus and then stumble around there until I find a path to stick with, then follow it for a while. This is how I figured out I have state dependent memory when I jog because I got lost. And not lost in the way I usually use the word lost, where I go "oooh look at me I'm on a path I've never been on where I can see a road that will take me back home oooh look how lost I am", but in the sense of "I don't believe I know how the hell to get home." That's the type of lost I was today.
When I had this realization, I slowed to a walk, which I always do when I'm confused on which way to go next. Then, I tried to remember how I had gotten to where I was, and could not recall any details of the path I had taken 20 minutes earlier. I knew I had been on University Ave for two miles then turned, but I couldn't remember what that turn consisted of and how to get back there. Not to mention that I don't like retracing my steps when I jog. It ruins one of the reasons I'm outside jogging and not in a gym somewhere. I enjoy the novelty of taking multiple winding paths and seeing different buildings. I don't enjoy being on a treadmill and staring at the same wall for half an hour. I seek varying environments, not the same thing I saw before I got lost.
After attempting to find a new path that would take me home, and deciding that such a thing did not exist, I reluctantly stumbled back onto University Avenue and made the trip back. Though I couldn't recall the path I had taken to get on that road in the first place, so I ended up switching up my return route in the end. But I struggle to remember my exact path, and I might not be able to figure it out even if I went out again. I do tend to take some weird turns and go off the beaten road. Though if I was jogging while I tried to figure it out, I do believe that it would come to me as if it was second nature. State Dependent Memory in action.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Sunday, March 4, 2012
The Double Meaning of Sketches
I try to make the titles of everything I do as witty and creative as possible. In the context of this blog, it serves to give the reader the false belief that the content they are about to read will be thought provoking, though in actuality it's just my mindless rambling. So consider yourself punked, Ashton Kutcher style.
Random segue aside, the first sketch I want to discuss is the same type of sketch I discussed in my previous post. That's right, I'm still trying to teach myself how to draw. I haven't given up quite yet. And, much like my attempts to teach myself guitar, I am actually making progress. Just a few nights ago, I drew the cartoon version of my friend that was described by my friends as decent. Compared to the normal "atrocious", I'd say I'm moving on up in the art world. Not to mention it gives me something to do when I'm not reading. I think to fulfill my art graduation requirement I'll take a drawing class or two. It may end up being a fun adventure that will strengthen a skill which I severely lack. Trust me, most of my sketches make my soul cry. On second thought, there may be a lucrative business to be made with soul-crushing drawings. I could design Hot Topic shirts for a living.
Now for the second type of sketch. A friend of mine had the idea for creating a sketch group where we would create videos centered around campus life and other comedic ventures. He proposed this last semester, but we are finally working at it and making some astounding progress. The script for the first video is already completed, we have a list of at least 30 items of other things we will attempt to do, and many people are already on board to help with their respective talents. What fascinated me most about this was the meeting we had today. The first script involves the use of many forms of alternate energy sources to.... I don't wanna spoil anything. Suffice to say, there are multiple usages of non fossil fuels that function to provide an obstacle for the protagonist in a way I will not spoil. That's when a revelation struck me. While we are using this for comedic effect, someone else could watch our final product and interpret it as a political message. None of us meant for that to be inherit in the script, but as clear as day, the symbolism is present. Approaching it from a psychological perspective, as I am apt to do, I think it speaks to a natural drive in humans to craft a work that includes symbolic elements and a cycle of events. Pretty much every story has a common structure, with a cycle of events that led to a resolution. Almost all movies are predictable in a sense because of this, and I think the reason that this is even present, that I am even able to notice the subvert implications of what are video could be interpreted as, reflects a commonality amongst the human population. There are multiple layers to everything, and I believe one of those layers is universal to everyone that inhabits planet Earth.
Random segue aside, the first sketch I want to discuss is the same type of sketch I discussed in my previous post. That's right, I'm still trying to teach myself how to draw. I haven't given up quite yet. And, much like my attempts to teach myself guitar, I am actually making progress. Just a few nights ago, I drew the cartoon version of my friend that was described by my friends as decent. Compared to the normal "atrocious", I'd say I'm moving on up in the art world. Not to mention it gives me something to do when I'm not reading. I think to fulfill my art graduation requirement I'll take a drawing class or two. It may end up being a fun adventure that will strengthen a skill which I severely lack. Trust me, most of my sketches make my soul cry. On second thought, there may be a lucrative business to be made with soul-crushing drawings. I could design Hot Topic shirts for a living.
Now for the second type of sketch. A friend of mine had the idea for creating a sketch group where we would create videos centered around campus life and other comedic ventures. He proposed this last semester, but we are finally working at it and making some astounding progress. The script for the first video is already completed, we have a list of at least 30 items of other things we will attempt to do, and many people are already on board to help with their respective talents. What fascinated me most about this was the meeting we had today. The first script involves the use of many forms of alternate energy sources to.... I don't wanna spoil anything. Suffice to say, there are multiple usages of non fossil fuels that function to provide an obstacle for the protagonist in a way I will not spoil. That's when a revelation struck me. While we are using this for comedic effect, someone else could watch our final product and interpret it as a political message. None of us meant for that to be inherit in the script, but as clear as day, the symbolism is present. Approaching it from a psychological perspective, as I am apt to do, I think it speaks to a natural drive in humans to craft a work that includes symbolic elements and a cycle of events. Pretty much every story has a common structure, with a cycle of events that led to a resolution. Almost all movies are predictable in a sense because of this, and I think the reason that this is even present, that I am even able to notice the subvert implications of what are video could be interpreted as, reflects a commonality amongst the human population. There are multiple layers to everything, and I believe one of those layers is universal to everyone that inhabits planet Earth.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Words and Pictures
I could probably spend an hour detailing stories of my experience playing Words with Friends. It's a very polarizing trip: either I feel ecstatic because I just scored 30 points for a two letter "word" (xi is by definition a Greek letter, which to me doesn't mean it's a word) or I feel like I should cheat just to have a chance to catch up to the score my opponent has garnered. Recently, I lost 400 something to my mere 260. I guess sometimes I don't try to rack up a huge score on my turn, I try to play the coolest word. Like Rhino, which is only 8 points, but getting it all to fall in place is difficult. Especially given how I seem to have a problem obtaining vowels. I've had to play multiple turns where I didn't have any vowels to play, and strangely when that happens they also like to give me letters that are difficult to use without vowels, v. I'm not sure what to do with two v's and no vowels, and I'm too proud to swap tiles, so I just spell out simple words like to just to get some points that turn. Again, I could go on and on about this but it's a fairly boring topic. But if you ever feel stressed about school or whatever, just play me in a game of Words with Friends. It's a guaranteed confidence boost (for you at least.)
Lately, I've discovered there are plenty of times were I will be sitting around with nothing to do. Well, I mean I have homework but I'm not doing it. Rather than spend twenty minutes on Facebook when that happens, I've decided to try to teach myself how to draw. Which is similar to my continued attempts to teach myself guitar, in that it would work so much better with an actual tutor and I highly doubt I'll ever go anywhere with it. Or maybe I'm wrong this time. Perhaps the spirit of Andy Warhol is buried deep within me, waiting to be giving a pencil and paper and time to craft a masterpiece. Cause really, how hard is it to draw cans of soup? Just to get myself use to the concept of actual drawing and sketching, I think I will stick to drawing that which has already been drawn. For instance, there is an Angry Birds bookmark sitting in front of me, squawking at me, and I may just practice drawing a few birds and pigs. They look simple enough. At the very least, it'll give me something to do and will exercise different parts of my brain that have gotten rusty. Maybe I'll imitate some cartoonists drawings, but I think that I'll stay away from people for now. Baby steps, and any other cliche metaphor thats appropriate.
Lately, I've discovered there are plenty of times were I will be sitting around with nothing to do. Well, I mean I have homework but I'm not doing it. Rather than spend twenty minutes on Facebook when that happens, I've decided to try to teach myself how to draw. Which is similar to my continued attempts to teach myself guitar, in that it would work so much better with an actual tutor and I highly doubt I'll ever go anywhere with it. Or maybe I'm wrong this time. Perhaps the spirit of Andy Warhol is buried deep within me, waiting to be giving a pencil and paper and time to craft a masterpiece. Cause really, how hard is it to draw cans of soup? Just to get myself use to the concept of actual drawing and sketching, I think I will stick to drawing that which has already been drawn. For instance, there is an Angry Birds bookmark sitting in front of me, squawking at me, and I may just practice drawing a few birds and pigs. They look simple enough. At the very least, it'll give me something to do and will exercise different parts of my brain that have gotten rusty. Maybe I'll imitate some cartoonists drawings, but I think that I'll stay away from people for now. Baby steps, and any other cliche metaphor thats appropriate.
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Scholarship Weekend Brah
The last four days or so in Auggietown have been quite awesome, to say the least. On Thursday I got to help the other section of the Liberating Letters class with their trial. This gave me an excuse to be as ridiculous as I could in an hour and a half period. I actually ended up being two witnesses and the bailiff. My first role was to play Poseidon. To get in character, I made a very crude trident. Also, because I had/have a cold and my face was super dry and cracking and bleeding (not an attractive sight), I put a band-aid under my nose, and my friend insisted that I have a mustache. The Odyssey doesn't specifically say that Poseidon had a French mustache, but its implied (not really). As Lord of the Surf, I decided that it would make sense for Poseidon to talk in a surfer accent, and end every sentence with "brah." So that's what I did. I also played one of Odysseus' men, which was boring expect when the Prosecution asked where I was when Odysseus got back to Ithaca and I replied "I was dead." I keep the same mustache as Poseidon, cause it was covering up my cut up face, which probably hurt the believability of my performance. Being the bailiff was also quite the experience. Since witnesses can't swear themselves in (who know?), Groven's son was the one to swear me in, and diss me of course. He takes after his father it would seem. I also managed to show that I was quite snappy with the swearing in process as well.
Anywho, I should talk about Scholarship Weekend now, since that's the name of this post (brah). Thursday night, I made sure that my room was clean, tidy, welcoming and all that jazz for the kids I was gonna host. I finally got around to washing my bedding even. But one thing was missing: an email telling me who I was gonna host. Turns out some people didn't get assigned anyone. I was bummed. So I tried to steal someone else's kids. I figure if some people had four they had to fit in one room, they may as well give me two, right? Right. So I spent half of Friday trying to get someone to host. And I almost did end up hosting for someone who had baseball practice, expect out of nowhere baseball practice got cancelled. So my only chance to host a student vanished as quickly as it came. But the rest of the night went amazing. I was to help set up the Big Show, but by the time I showed up it was already done. Whoops. Then myself and another participant had to find a third participant and ran around campus trying to recruit someone, which we managed to do just in time. For the Big Show, I read texts from Bob, got my paper writing skills attacked, read S**t Auggies say, demonstrated owling, and got complimented on my boxers while I was worried about falling off stage mid owl. I wish that had been part of rehearsal so I would've had time to come up with a better response. Still, it was pretty awesome.
Anywho, I should talk about Scholarship Weekend now, since that's the name of this post (brah). Thursday night, I made sure that my room was clean, tidy, welcoming and all that jazz for the kids I was gonna host. I finally got around to washing my bedding even. But one thing was missing: an email telling me who I was gonna host. Turns out some people didn't get assigned anyone. I was bummed. So I tried to steal someone else's kids. I figure if some people had four they had to fit in one room, they may as well give me two, right? Right. So I spent half of Friday trying to get someone to host. And I almost did end up hosting for someone who had baseball practice, expect out of nowhere baseball practice got cancelled. So my only chance to host a student vanished as quickly as it came. But the rest of the night went amazing. I was to help set up the Big Show, but by the time I showed up it was already done. Whoops. Then myself and another participant had to find a third participant and ran around campus trying to recruit someone, which we managed to do just in time. For the Big Show, I read texts from Bob, got my paper writing skills attacked, read S**t Auggies say, demonstrated owling, and got complimented on my boxers while I was worried about falling off stage mid owl. I wish that had been part of rehearsal so I would've had time to come up with a better response. Still, it was pretty awesome.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Coming to you live from the classroom!
The title of my bittersweet return to blogging (more on that in a minute) is my clever way of announcing that I wrote this while I was fed up with my Computer Programming assignment (more on that in half a minute). Though, I suppose no one will read this while I am still in class so it's not really live, but it's live to me. So yeah.
The reason I am blogging and not programming is because I no longer understand what the issue is with my code. It keeps telling me "reached end of file while parsing," which is completely foreign to me. So I googled what parsing means. Essentially, the computer is attempting to figure out how my sentence is structured, and it's figuring out the grammar of my line of code. My best guess is that I don't write a complete sentence with my code, and that's why it won't run. Programming has a habit of throwing unnecessary words out of the window, so I'm not sure why it needs to figure out if I'm using proper sentence structure. The problem appeared out of nowhere, then it suddenly disappeared, and now it's back. It did not return with my patience, which it stole upon its first appearance, and so I decided now would be a fitting time to resume blogging.
Cause it's been like, forever. I haven't written any new posts in about a month and a half. It wasn't until a friend told me I had to resume and "update my fans" that I even considered it. Though, I always knew this day would come. I always knew my blog would show up on my doorstep on a Thursday afternoon, and ask me if it could come in and get out of the rain. I always knew I would invite it back in, when I pictured this moment in my head; I just didn't think I'd say yes so easily. But it's been so long. I wonder if we'll ever be as close as we were once. I'm also hoping I manage to not drift away from my blog once we rekindle our relationship with each other.
I feel like there is so much more to say, but if I get it all out now, what's the incentive to continue writing? So I'll save it for another day. Not too long though. Like a lost lover, my blog and I have much to catch up on.
The reason I am blogging and not programming is because I no longer understand what the issue is with my code. It keeps telling me "reached end of file while parsing," which is completely foreign to me. So I googled what parsing means. Essentially, the computer is attempting to figure out how my sentence is structured, and it's figuring out the grammar of my line of code. My best guess is that I don't write a complete sentence with my code, and that's why it won't run. Programming has a habit of throwing unnecessary words out of the window, so I'm not sure why it needs to figure out if I'm using proper sentence structure. The problem appeared out of nowhere, then it suddenly disappeared, and now it's back. It did not return with my patience, which it stole upon its first appearance, and so I decided now would be a fitting time to resume blogging.
Cause it's been like, forever. I haven't written any new posts in about a month and a half. It wasn't until a friend told me I had to resume and "update my fans" that I even considered it. Though, I always knew this day would come. I always knew my blog would show up on my doorstep on a Thursday afternoon, and ask me if it could come in and get out of the rain. I always knew I would invite it back in, when I pictured this moment in my head; I just didn't think I'd say yes so easily. But it's been so long. I wonder if we'll ever be as close as we were once. I'm also hoping I manage to not drift away from my blog once we rekindle our relationship with each other.
I feel like there is so much more to say, but if I get it all out now, what's the incentive to continue writing? So I'll save it for another day. Not too long though. Like a lost lover, my blog and I have much to catch up on.
Saturday, December 24, 2011
A short Christmas story
Once upon a time there was a girl named Gina. She was short, short-tempered and mischievous but she had a golden heart. Shortly after her 18th birthday, she had to travel far away from her family to go to college in a magical place called Auggietown. She packed up all her clothes, jewelry, belongings and her favorite teddy bear. She hugged all of her family and then she was off on her own, ready to experience all the world offered.
Gina got to Auggietown and immediately made friends with almost everyone she met. She studied hard (or hardly studied, depending on how many parties there were that weekend), she explored the city and because she was so likable, she never had to go to dinner alone, which is a very nerve-racking experience. Like omg, totes not a good time. I, like, get goosebumps just thinking about it. But despite all of the wonderful times she had at Auggietown in her first semester, she couldn't help but feel like something was missing. Gina was never quite sure of what it was. She had plenty of great friends, she was happy most of the time, she wasn't failing her classes, she got along with everyone. What could be missing?
Then one day in November Gina figured out what she was missing. It was around the time of Thanksgiving. All of her friends were talking about going home for the holiday and Gina couldn't because her family lived too far away and she had no money. It was her family that was missing, and while her friends were great, they couldn't keep her company over Thanksgiving break. One by one, her close friends got in their cars or got picked up and departed Auggietown to go back to the places they were from. All the while Gina wasn't able to. "Forever Alone" she sighed as her dear friend Alia got on the trolley and rode off into the sunset.
When December rolled around and it came close to Christmas, Gina became determined to not spend this holiday alone like she did on Thanksgiving. Cause like, the break for Christmas was a month. A MONTH. She was totes not spending a month by her lonesome. She asked her dear friend Alia if she could spend the break at her house.
"I'm sorry Gina" Alia replied with a frown, "but I just don't think that will work out."
"I try to love you but you never love me back" Gina said a little melodramatically.
"Oh Gina, that's not true" Alia hugged her short friend. After a few seconds, Alia said "We could find a suitcase big enough to hold you. I mean, you're not that tall, and we could stick some Powerbars or something inside if you get hungry."
Gina contemplated this idea for a second, but then decided against it. So then she went to ask her friend Joe, who was nice but also naive at times. And an idiot. And he listened to too much gangster music.
"Joe, is it possible that I could spend Christmas at your house?"
"You serious right now?" he asked.
"Yes Joe, that's why I'm asking" Gina replied as she rolled her eyes. "I promise I won't complain too much if you play that awful music you listen too on the way there."
"Hmmmm" Joe stared off into the sky while he thought. Cause the answers TOTALLY up in the clouds Gina thought, suppressing the urge to be overly sarcastic. "Gina I just don't think that'll work out. I gotz relatives coming over this year and there won't be any room for you. Sorry shorty."
One by one, she got similar responses from everyone she asked. Crestfallen, she then asked the one friend who could help her: the kind-hearted Drew.
"Drewwwwwwwwwwwww" she called as she knocked on his door. He opened it, wearing his winter hat and rubbing sleep out of his eyes. "What's up?" he asked.
"Drew I need somewhere to stay over winter break. Is it possible that I could crash at your place?"
He shook his head. "Sorry, but there's no room for you to stay."
"I could keep all my things in the garage," Gina suggested.
"There's a hobo living in our garage" he replied. If anyone else had said that, Gina would've called him or her out for lying. With Drew however, it could only be true. "Forever Alone" she sighed as she walked away.
Gina then went for a short walk, feeling like life had cheated her. Christmas was supposed to be about family, about sharing the holidays with people that care and love you. But she couldn't go home, and she couldn't stay with anyone in her new college family. It was set to be a very lonely Christmas.
Just then, Gina heard a car knock right behind her. She was jolted from her thoughts and decided to see what jackass had felt it necessary to give her such a shook. When she turned, she had no time to see who it was before she was embraced in a very loving hug. "Oh Gina, we missed you so much!" a familiar voice declared. It was her mom. She pulled away and was swiftly embraced by her dad.
"Gina, you look like your freezing! Come on, get in the car. We have a lot of catching up to do." It turned out that her parents decided that since Gina couldn't come home for the holidays, they would come to her instead. She no longer had to spend the holidays alone, and Christmas that year was the best thing she ever could've asked for.
Gina got to Auggietown and immediately made friends with almost everyone she met. She studied hard (or hardly studied, depending on how many parties there were that weekend), she explored the city and because she was so likable, she never had to go to dinner alone, which is a very nerve-racking experience. Like omg, totes not a good time. I, like, get goosebumps just thinking about it. But despite all of the wonderful times she had at Auggietown in her first semester, she couldn't help but feel like something was missing. Gina was never quite sure of what it was. She had plenty of great friends, she was happy most of the time, she wasn't failing her classes, she got along with everyone. What could be missing?
Then one day in November Gina figured out what she was missing. It was around the time of Thanksgiving. All of her friends were talking about going home for the holiday and Gina couldn't because her family lived too far away and she had no money. It was her family that was missing, and while her friends were great, they couldn't keep her company over Thanksgiving break. One by one, her close friends got in their cars or got picked up and departed Auggietown to go back to the places they were from. All the while Gina wasn't able to. "Forever Alone" she sighed as her dear friend Alia got on the trolley and rode off into the sunset.
When December rolled around and it came close to Christmas, Gina became determined to not spend this holiday alone like she did on Thanksgiving. Cause like, the break for Christmas was a month. A MONTH. She was totes not spending a month by her lonesome. She asked her dear friend Alia if she could spend the break at her house.
"I'm sorry Gina" Alia replied with a frown, "but I just don't think that will work out."
"I try to love you but you never love me back" Gina said a little melodramatically.
"Oh Gina, that's not true" Alia hugged her short friend. After a few seconds, Alia said "We could find a suitcase big enough to hold you. I mean, you're not that tall, and we could stick some Powerbars or something inside if you get hungry."
Gina contemplated this idea for a second, but then decided against it. So then she went to ask her friend Joe, who was nice but also naive at times. And an idiot. And he listened to too much gangster music.
"Joe, is it possible that I could spend Christmas at your house?"
"You serious right now?" he asked.
"Yes Joe, that's why I'm asking" Gina replied as she rolled her eyes. "I promise I won't complain too much if you play that awful music you listen too on the way there."
"Hmmmm" Joe stared off into the sky while he thought. Cause the answers TOTALLY up in the clouds Gina thought, suppressing the urge to be overly sarcastic. "Gina I just don't think that'll work out. I gotz relatives coming over this year and there won't be any room for you. Sorry shorty."
One by one, she got similar responses from everyone she asked. Crestfallen, she then asked the one friend who could help her: the kind-hearted Drew.
"Drewwwwwwwwwwwww" she called as she knocked on his door. He opened it, wearing his winter hat and rubbing sleep out of his eyes. "What's up?" he asked.
"Drew I need somewhere to stay over winter break. Is it possible that I could crash at your place?"
He shook his head. "Sorry, but there's no room for you to stay."
"I could keep all my things in the garage," Gina suggested.
"There's a hobo living in our garage" he replied. If anyone else had said that, Gina would've called him or her out for lying. With Drew however, it could only be true. "Forever Alone" she sighed as she walked away.
Gina then went for a short walk, feeling like life had cheated her. Christmas was supposed to be about family, about sharing the holidays with people that care and love you. But she couldn't go home, and she couldn't stay with anyone in her new college family. It was set to be a very lonely Christmas.
Just then, Gina heard a car knock right behind her. She was jolted from her thoughts and decided to see what jackass had felt it necessary to give her such a shook. When she turned, she had no time to see who it was before she was embraced in a very loving hug. "Oh Gina, we missed you so much!" a familiar voice declared. It was her mom. She pulled away and was swiftly embraced by her dad.
"Gina, you look like your freezing! Come on, get in the car. We have a lot of catching up to do." It turned out that her parents decided that since Gina couldn't come home for the holidays, they would come to her instead. She no longer had to spend the holidays alone, and Christmas that year was the best thing she ever could've asked for.
Monday, December 19, 2011
The one where I analyze the #SaveCommunity movement and attempt to be intelligent
On November 14th, NBC released their midseason schedule that would begin airing in January, and Community was not included in this schedule. A lot of people collectively said "WTF", and then made petitions to save Community and put it back on the air. First and foremost, the show is not cancelled, and it is still in production. The rest of the season will still be aired, and it's likely a fourth season will be broadcast. It's just taking a break. It's like when a couple is still together but wants to explore other options to try to recapture some passionate spark. Community and NBC aren't breaking up, they're merely taking a break from one another to explore other options. In this case, NBC is gonna hook up with 30 Rock and Community will.... have a chance to improve? Idk, the details are a little fuzzy, like when real couples take a break from each other.
If I may continue my belabored analogy, the Save Community movement is like a best friend to the couple that's taking a break. It wants the two to stay together, cause otherwise it won't get to use NBC's home bowling alley as much. Granted, they may also have a genuine belief that NBC and Community are perfect together: it would be difficult to imagine any other network taking on a quirky show about community college where anything and everything can happen(though in my experience, college is quite quirky and out-there. Community captures the true college experience accurately). However, this post is not about weather or not NBC is the best mate/network for Community. It's about how the Save Community movement is failing to accomplish their goal.
The Save Community website has a petition that you can sign and a short blurb that reads "Community is the best show on television and gets millions of viewers every time it airs! We can't understand why NBC would want to put our favorite show on hiatus." This blurb is what turned me off to the movement, even though it is technically something I support. Let's break it down. "Community is the best show on television" By being hyperbolic in their statements, they have made themselves appear, at least to me, incredible. The best show on television? That's an opinion. NBC is not in the business of opinions: it's in the business of making money. It doesn't matter if you think that it's "the best show on television" or "the greatest show of all time" or "a gift from the heavens that is capable of satisfying all the needs of mankind for all time", that's not what matters to them. If one guy thinks that Community is the greatest show ever and is the only guy watching that show, chances are it's not gonna survive. The shows that last are the one's that get the most views. That's why Jersey Shore is still on the air: lots of people watch it, for some reason. While Community may have a larger fanbase, or people who state that it is their favorite show to watch, Jersey Shore gets more views, and ultimately that is what advertisers and networks are after.
Even the most adamant fan of the show has to admit that the third season started off pretty weak. I had to acknowledge the same thing. But it did get better as the season went on. And that's what this break may provide: an opportunity for the show to improve and recreate the magic that they had the first two seasons. NBC and Community may be taking a break from each other, but this will give Community a chance to reflect on it's past mistakes and come back a better man/women/show (I didn't really know what gender Community would be in my "couples-taking-a-break" analogy). Meanwhile, NBC will get a chance to play the field and experiment with different lovers and will remember what it was that was so attractive about Community in the first place. Fans of Community need to give NBC a chance to sleep with 30 Rock. I mean, 30 Rock is a pretty hot man/women/show (again, not sure how to incorporate genders). I'm a fan of it. Sure, in my perfect world 30 Rock and Community would both be aired on the same night, like they were in the past, but that is not the reality of the current situation. This break does not mean that Community is cancelled, and if that unfortunate scenario were to come to pass, the Save Community movement would hopefully improve it's strategies. Cause a petition isn't gonna do much on it's own.
I offer this as my gift to fans of Community who are attempting to recover from this tragedy: a cute picture of a puppy.
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