Eye Feast #6 - Breaking Bad

Breaking Bad2008 - 2013
Created by: Vince Gilligan

*I've only seen up to Season 4. Please, don't leave spoilers. Also, there are spoilers in here up to Season 4.*

I'm sure that almost every one of you has at least seen an episode of Breaking Bad and therefore you don't really need me to spell out for you what the awesomeness of it is. But I'm going to do a bit of it anyway.


Bryan Cranston is an incredible actor. And I can't help but thank the casting powers-that-be that allowed him the chance to show his ability. Because he turned from nice, cranky, goofy Dad

To this crazy, awesome, killing machine.

Something I would have thought just a bad casting decision has turned into the best casting decision ever.

Then you have his sidekick; Jesse "Bitch" Pinkman. At first I felt embarrassed for him. Even though he had been cooking meth longer than Walter he seemed so out of his element even that first day. Later, I felt sorry for him. I felt guilty for him. I felt love for him. I felt just about every emotion for him that I have. He is my favorite character because he really has changed so much throughout the whole series and I feel that even though he was made out to be the "bad" influence, he really would have been better off without ever having met Walter.

Plus, he's made the word bitch into a catchphrase.

Gus. Gus was such a badass. He was completely and totally in control. He was the biggest meth distributer and yet he had everything working so well. No one would have thought he was capable of doing what he did, on such a large scale.

So, I kind of hate Skyler. She's annoying, she's in the way, she's a concerned, nagging wife and mother. And even though I hate her, I can see just how important and realistic she is in the entire story. I love the fact that she is in there simply because you do not love everyone in real life. Even though I hate how she treats Walter I have to remember that when you look at it from a outsider, normal, everyday perspective Skyler is the one who is in the right. She has every reason to nag her meth cooking husband and father of her children. She wants to make sure that everything will be OK. Even though she doesn't know exactly how to handle it all, she is trying and I think that is the most realistic of the show.

Hank gets on my nerves too. But I thank him for his great line, one that I say as often as I can even when no one knows what the hell I'm talking about.

This is actually a sticker. You can purchase them here. 

John and I play a game where we try to see just what Marie has that ISN'T purple.

The whole coloring of the show and what the characters wear is important. While Googling "Marie Breaking Bad Purple" I stumped across this chart that shows the colors worn by the main characters. I would have read the accompanying article but I'm a couple seasons behind. If you're caught up though, give it a read; I'm sure it's very interesting.

The Clothing On Breaking Bad is a Clue to Understanding the Characters. 

Breaking Bad is a great piece of TV that doesn't come around often. Even less so when it's not on HBO or Showtime. But AMC is proving time and again they understand what we want to watch. That we want to think and become engaged with multi-dimensional characters. They understands that with the decline of TV viewership it has to put on some spectacularly good shows to want us to be in our seats every week when it airs. And with Breaking Bad, many people want to be sitting at home when it airs.

Joe Legal vs Jose Illegal

I saw this post called Joe Legal vs Jose Illegal, the other day on another blog site and I just wanted to talk about it.

This is the picture the blogger added to her uninformed, angry, post. 

She has since deleted her post. 

But that doesn't mean that I still can't talk about her misinformed rantings.

Firstly, I want to talk about how all her “facts” aren't actual facts. She even states it in her comments.

“Also, didn't say they were 100% facts, who am I to confirm that?”

Well, no, you're not an important journalist and I get that you're just ranting out of your ass. Believe me, I do that too. But to have something with numbers and figures and then not even bother to look at or explicitly say that you didn't actually look anything up. Please. Do your audience a favor. Tell them that you're just a little racist so they know to take your "facts" with a grain of salt.

Besides, it's the fucking internet age. How hard is it to Google something?

[Sidenote: a quick Google will tell you that about half to 3/4 of undocumented workers pay some sort of federal taxes. 11.2 billion came from undocumented workers alone in 2010.]

In reponse to that I'll leave this here.

Via

Next, she talks about health care.

We do pay for their emergency health care but unlike whatsherbutt was saying they don't have expendable money to do it. Most, don't want to go to the doctor in the first place. Do you think that they want to go and tell people their information? To go to the place where they will be treated for some emergency and tell them that they are not actually a citizen? Yes, that's great. Not.

Most illegals don't go to the doctor for a cold. Most, because of their sucky work conditions, can't afford to miss work. If they go to the doctor it's for an emergency. But Americans do that as well. There are plenty of people who cannot afford insurance who go to the emergency room to get treated.

So this is a displaced frustration. Why not get angry at the fact that Joe WhiteMan can't afford to pay a reasonable insurance rate? Why not complain that not many companies are even offering insurance anymore? Why not bitch about the fact that medication costs are ridiculous, emergency room fees are hell, and that we don't have national health care?

The reason most people (illegal or otherwise) go to the emergency room is because they didn't have the money to have preventative care in the first place. And yes, here in America, we say that whether you're white or brown you can have access to life-saving medical procedures.

This is John Green, great author and funny man, who explains the complicated reasons Americans pay so much for health care.

Next up, her erroneous notion that illegal immigrants get free...everything.

According to the American Immigration Lawyers Association this is one of the top 5 myths about illegal immigrants. It is a MYTH that illegal immigrants come into our country and deplete hard-working US citizens out of billions of dollars, according to the Congressional Research Service.

I have a problem with this one because there isn't even any thought behind it. Many people think they don't "need no stinkin' insurance" including Joe WhiteMan.

The top reasons for not having car insurance:

1. Vehicle is not in operating condition.
2. Insurance is too expensive.
3. Premiums are too high.
4. Vehicle isn't being used. 

None of these sound particularly immigrant-y. And the top three states with the most uninsured drivers are: 

1. Mississippi
2. Alabama
3. California

Hahaha. This is the biggest piece of shit I've ever heard.

You know, those illegal immigrants come in and take OUR jobs! Our managerial, big business, have to wear a suit to work jobs and they get nights and weekends off while us 'Merican's have to work long hours in the heat doing construction, cleaning port-a-pottys, doing landscaping and cleaning houses. On Saturdays and Sundays.

Oh...wait. That's not right.

I don't know what kind of jobs you think these illegals are taking away from you, but they are definitely not taking the ones that privileged Americans are lining up for. Their working days are usually long, outside in the elements, and sometimes they don't get paid overtime even though they did the work.

Why? Because who are they going to complain to? Who can they go to see and tell that they are being stiffed by a greedy boss? They can't. But they have a family to support so they have to work these crazy hours, sometimes in very unsafe conditions doing the jobs that we won't. Don't even act like the work they do allows them to be off on weekends or nights with their families and gives them sick-leave, paid vacation, or any rights that American's have.

In her comments she also complains that Illegals are taking away money from hard-working Americans who should be getting paid 25-30$ for the 15$ the illegal is getting.

Here is another example of displaced frustration. What I don't get is why this is Jose Illegal's fault. She is from California. I don't know what the current cost of living is but 15$ over there probably isn't a whole helluva lot. And why is it Jose Illegal's fault and not the boss who would rather pay less to an illegal rather than more to an American. Is she really under the impression that if Jose left, her boyfriend would be making up that money? Please. They'd just find another desperate American who will go to work the 15$ an hour. It's not about him being an illegal, it's about greed.

According to the Immigration Policy Center, the connection between immigrant labor and American unemployment is practically none.

God! I can't believe those crazy immigrants who can't even speak ENGLISH! How dare they! They must really hate us Americans if they don't bother to even learn our LANGUAGE. They've been here for decades! Decades -- cleaning our houses, trimming our lawns, picking our fruit and they still can't speak English!? God, you would think that on their nights and weekends and with all their extra money they carry around (probably in a canvas bag with a dollar sign on it right?) they could learn English!

This sickens me.

This is why people are embarrassing themselves all over the internet. Because they don't get it.

Getting to be a citizen is a lot harder than it was back in the day. But even so, many people do come into America the right and proper way, studying everything that is on the test and learning what must be learned; Getting work visas, tourist visas, etc.

She says that she despises every single one of the people who come over and abuse our system. But I think that she despises those who look like they come over and abuse our system. Many Americans (read white) live here, have lived here, will always live here and scam our system.

Wow these Illegals really have it made! I wish I could come into America, get free healthcare, free food stamps, free rent, and get paid to go to college! I mean, the way *Kelly* talks about it...why wouldn't they want to come over here?

Oh wait....

Hate Crimes Against Latinos Running Rampant Due to Alabama's Racist Immigration Law

The Ugly, Racist Response to Indian-American Miss America

Even though we are a supposedly tolerant, melting pot of cultures there are many people who don't understand that being American does not mean being only white. This lady sees brown kids who go to school and go to college and she sees illegals but a lot of those kids are born here, making them US citizens.

Yes, illegal immigration is a problem. Yes, things like bosses willing to pay less money to more desperate people is a problem. Yes, people coming to America to have their kids is a problem.

But there is a bigger problem when we think that we can attribute it all to one kind of people. That the problem is as easy as building a fence.

The problems we are facing here in America are long standing, hard, complicated problems that cannot be fixed simply by throwing out a whole mess of people. Though America tried in the 1930s.

I think more steps must be taken for tolerance. There seems to be so much hate lately from people who don't know what they're talking about.

11 Year Old National Anthem Singer Sparks Racist Comments

The Ignorant Backlash to Miss America

Public Shaming Tumblr

It's not an issue of legal or illegal. It's an issue of ignorance. 

Second Jobbing

I already have a great, nice full time job that sometimes gives me weekends. I work a more-or-less steady schedule in an industry I didn't actually graduate from but had I graduated, it would have been my industry.

But with my non-graduating and yet still attending college came this big, huge downside known as

Dun dun dunnnnnn.

Student loans.

Ugh. They are the worst. And I don't even have that many. I mean, I did go to school for four years I just never got a degree (that is a rant for another time however) so I kind of came out ahead in the student loan department.

But that still doesn't mean that I am loving paying back...whomever (whoever?) for the lots of things that I learned (because really, I could have done without to be quite honest).


I have bills people! Sure, I could forgo Netflix and save myself a whopping 9$ a month but I'd rather just go out and look for another job.

So that is what I started doing.

Only, it was then that I realized how shit it is looking for a job.

• All the online applications that probably don't even get looked at.
• All the putting in of your social security number (is that even safe?).
• All the answer the same questions over and over. I mean if you're going to ask me to attach a resume why in the name of horseshoes do I have to fill in all the "resume" bits.
• All the weird questionnaires that I probably answer wrong.
• All the trick questions about working mornings and evenings and weekends. I mean, it doesn't actually ask if you have another job and therefore CAN'T work evenings. It just looks like I don't want to. Very big difference.
• Then there are the whole tattoos, facial piercings, weird hair color questions and/or stipulations. I have both tattoos and facial piercings. I don't mind covering the tattoos as it's usually cold inside anyway. I just don't see the point at a lot of places.

I'd let him real estate my house or whatever. 

I am just trying to supplement my income so that I can pay my stupid student loans AND perhaps buy lunch meat that hasn't expired.

Is that too much to ask?

Probably. It's not like I want to work all.the.time. I know some people get bored at home or whatever but I am not one of those people. I can find plenty of things to do at my house and I'd rather be doing them.

But I'm trying to be responsible and pay things off and have more in my savings account than a 1.53$.

I mean, my first-world-problems were hard when it came time to decide to go to the Nine Inch Nails concert or see The Book of Mormon. (NIN won because the tickets were about 60$ cheaper per person).

Also, (another first-world problem) I'd sometimes like to indulge in a richer (read more expensive) beer when I go out. Oh how fun it must be to not have to scour around in the dark bar looking for the Specials neon board.

Still, I must prevail. I have only started looking for a couple days. It's just hard work looking for work.

Eye Feast #7 - Modern Family

Modern Family
2009 - Current
Created by: Steven Levitan & Christopher Lloyd


Was there ever a truer title to a sitcom than Modern Family? For those that are living under a rock Modern Family is a show about three families.

The first is Jay, his new wife Gloria, and her son Manny. This is the old man marries a young second-wife bit.

Then there is Jay's daughter Claire. Whose family is considered the "normal" bit. She is married to Phil and has a two daughters: Haley and Alex, and a son, Luke.

Then lastly there is Mitchell: brother to Claire and son to Jay. He is gay and living with his partner Cameron. They adopted a little girl named Lily. They are the gay/adopted bit.

Now all this in itself is absolutely genius.

The fact that there are three separate families that must talk to and interact with each other and sometimes have problems with the way the other person is living makes for great comedy.

But I like that it also speaks more to tolerance and the new way of life that America is coming to. I mean, the way Mitchell and Cameron talk about their lives is hilarious.

But they are caring, loving parents and lovers. Why are you crazy people trying to stop them from happening?!

My favorite of the characters (though they really are all marv) is Phil.

Phil is hilarious and is always trying to get on Claire's dad good side.

He is the absolute cutest. Plus even though Claire rolls her eyes at him a lot she totally loves him so they are great together.

Manny, Gloria's son, is wise beyond his age. He will give you the best advice.

Then there's Gloria's feisty Latina-ness.

And her English.

Modern Family is the hilarious TV comedy that newly defines families in a funny, caring way.

Looking Forward To:

It's that time of year where everything is turning up fall. It's supposedly right around the corner. Starbucks is already serving up their Pumpkin Spice everythings.

But not here. We've got a few more months of upper 80s. And that's ok with me. I'm a big fan of fall, but since we don't really get one I can't complain when it's short.

There are a few things I am looking forward to as the colder weather draws near (drinking a hot pumpkin spice isn't among them).

Moving
Our lease is up soon and John and I cannot wait until we move. This time instead of trying to fit all our stuff into a tiny space, fight for parking spots close to our door, or worry about how loud we watch Netflix at one o'clock in the morning -- we will be moving into a rental house. With a yard. And a bigger kitchen. Ohmyglob I cannot wait. I have been wanting to just go home and sit outside with no TV, no technology... but both of us don't fit on the balcony. Soon we'll have a front yard and a back yard to sit out on and just take in the humidity.

I'm literally counting down the days.

[You can see other tiny apartments here.This is why I think people who move to New York are crazy.]

My Birthday
For the past few years I've had lackluster birthdays. I don't have many friends and I was always living in a tiny apartment so it was pretty understandable. This year however I'm hoping that it will be a bit of a more fab affair with my friends and John's friends to invite as well. Plus, I'll be 25. Which is like...old. I'll be a quarter of a century and that is something to celebrate.

If I'm not looking like this after my three-day birthday weekend I will be tres sad. 

New Years
New Years is always an exciting time because it's a time for new beginnings and resolutions that you will totally do...until the 2nd. But I am particularly fond of New Years since it's the day John and I got together.

I'd like to tell you that we looked like this last year but I don't really remember much after midnight...which means
we totally did not sip champagne.  

Thanksgiving Week
Every year my dad and my brother go camping during the Thanksgiving Week. When I only worked weekends this was cool because I'd head over to my mums and we'd watch a lot of TV. It's tradition that when the boys are gone we watch the entire Pride and Prejudice BBC Miniseries and The Sound of Music. Then, we'd watch Christmas things or Bridget Jones's. This week I only have a few days off so we'll have to start early and end late. This is not the only time of year we get to be giddy and girlie but it is the only time of year we can do so without my brother and da making faces.

Christmas
I love Christmas with its lights, pine scent, and colorful wrapping paper. I love presents too! I love giving them just as much as I love getting them. Though, really I'm so old now that I would rather get housey things than anything else. I'm really excited to decorate our house (!) with Christmasy things. I had a real tree last year and the smell was absolutely incredible.

And they air How the Grinch Stole Christmas which is one of my favorites.

Thanksgiving
Always kind of a lack-luster, lazy holiday for me but still awesome because when else are you able to stuff all kinds of carbs into your mouth with no one saying anything bad about it?

I work this Thanksgiving so this will be my thanksgiving meal.