"Christmas Scandal"

6 December 2023: Working late into the evening after being on campus for eleven hours calls for TV comfort food. Tonight Parks and Rec's season two episode, "Christmas Scandal" is hitting the spot. 

"Twilight is dope!"

12 July 2023: Really, really hard day today, work-wise. Had to take 30 minutes to watch a Parks and Rec just to to chill for a bit--like actual medicine or something. Picked this one, which has too many great lines to list. 

"End of the World"

11 July 2019: I've already blogged a bit about this episode of Parks & Rec before, but it is one of my favorites. Today was another strange day. Everything feels a bit off (and some things, more than a bit). But I watched this episode on a lark and it made me feel better.

"Flu Season"

21 November 2016: Today was a strange day--no classes but lots of work to get done, cold and windy outside, just...different. Gray. By the time evening rolled around, I was starting to feel a bit out of sorts. Just in time, the "Flu Season" episode of Parks and Rec came on and, to use the cliche, it was good for what was ailing me (and the start of a mini-marathon of episodes leading to "Harvest Festival"--an awesome run!).

In an episode full of great moments, one of my favorites is a Ben and Leslie moment, as Ben is awestruck by the speech a flu-ridden Leslie is able to give. It is one of the first times you can really see him falling for her. Sigh...

A Letter to American From Leslie Knope

10 November 2016: A friend sent me this link today and it absolutely today's good thing. I think Parks and Rec will be a good a continuing source for good in the world in these depressing days.

Galentine's Day: Part One

12 February 2016: I celebrated Galentine's Day a bit early with two good friends by having dinner at Waffle House. (Wish I had taken a piture, but the gif below will have to do.) Despite having to drive through some nasty snow to get there, it was just a great way to end the week.

"All Will Be Well"

17 July 2014: After first hearing it on one of my favorite episodes of Parks & Rec, I really fell in love with this song. I (finally) used an mp3 credit from Amazon to download it and have been playing it frequently, including as my "wake-up track" on Thursday morning (and every morning since then). It really is a great way to start the day--soothing, reassuring, and just lovely.

Baby Knope!

10 April 2014: It's probably unreasonable how happy a TV show can make me, but Thursday was a long day, smack in the middle of a long and somewhat stressful week. So Thursday night, coming home and watching Parks and Recreation would have made me happy with any old episode. But a hilarious episode that includes the news that Ben and Leslie are having a baby? Terrific! 

Parks and Rec Dance!

23 February 2014: Got to see Krista, Erin, and Eric today, which always rocks. We had lunch, played, and even went to the park. And it looks like the love for Parks & Rec runs deep in our family.

Previously.tv and Rectify

After a long wait, the folks behind Extra Hot Great, one of my all-time favorite podcasts, and, (before that, one of my favorite websites) have started up their new venture: previously.tv. And it's pretty amazing--tons of great writing about television. Even though the site just launched on Monday, they've been collecting writing for some time. Explore a bit and you'll see some great pieces from earlier this year. Check out, for instance, this lovely piece about Andy on Parks and Recreation, written back in February. Or this one on Chummy from Call the Midwife. Both are parts of a "Characters We Love" series.

Which leads me to my next point: you all need to be watching Rectify. What an amazing show. So much is said through gestures, single images, the way a scene is laid out. The people behind this show get everything right. And of course, previously.tv has some smart writing on it. I just finished watching the episode that first aired a week ago and it blew me away, especially the last scene. Sarah D. Bunting says it best: "Don't let the pace fool you; Rectify is the unlaziest storytelling on TV right now."

A cat with impeccable taste

Wesley, in the laundry basket, watching Parks & Recreation on the Kindle.