I Love April

And no, I'm not in a wonderful part of my life, nor am I particularly partial to the current month; I'm referring to a different April. So here goes...If you know me, you know that I'm not a big fan of comedy--at least not in the sense that is enjoyed by most people. I'm not a huge fan of movies, shows, or even stand-up. With one distinctive exception: Parks and Recreation. 

I recently got into this show because one of my classmates, who is actually a stand-up comedian as a hobby/talent/part-time gig/not totally sure tbh, started posting a countdown of his favourite moments from the show as it was nearing its series finale. Even though I usually lack the attention span to click on video links, something compelled me to click on these ones--and I'm glad I did! I found these clips intriguing and got into the show. So I've been binge watching the show for roughly the past two months, and I finally finished it today--only a few minutes ago actually. It was great and surprisingly enjoyable/entertaining/touching in all the right ways. It not only appealed to my sense of humour but I also identified strongly with two of the major characters. 

My first pick is probably fairly predictable, as I get the impression that most fans of the show gravitate towards this character. I personally identify with his quirks and strive to exhibit many of his traits and values. It's...Ron Swanson. Maybe you guessed it, maybe you didn't; doesn't matter. We (yes, Ron and I) don't need your approval. We also like our privacy; most people don't make the cut for knowing personal things about us (e.g. birthday, how we feel, etc.). We are also both men of few words (specifically around people we aren't that close with), love meat, and share an aversion to small talk. I also strongly admire how he is a man of principle; he knows what he stands for and believes in and sticks to his guns, making exceptions (which is usually just a strategic navigation of loopholes) only for the most valued of people. As a general rule, I'm not a fan of mustaches--even less so of them on faces, but I'll make one for Ron Swanson. Call me Tammy 4, but who can resist that adorable giggle he does?

My second pick is, I'm guessing, one of the less popular characters of the show: April Ludgate-Dwyer. I also see aspects of myself in April. She is, of course, a hyperbolic stereotype, but I identify with the traits they are trying to suggest. Apathy, a dark sardonic sense of humour, disdain for social norms, lacking passion but still looking for a purpose, hesitation to express physical/verbal/any kind of affection, etc. April's basically my twin sister.

So...to be honest, I'm not totally sure what made this show click with me. It might be the right humour? Good acting? Strong personal identification with the characters? Who knows. Thank you, Parks and Recreation, for making the last two months of my crappy school-infested life a little not crappy, kind of. I love you. Or I hate you. But I love you.

P.S. I am somehow writing this the night before a practical and written removable denture exam--and a month of 9 final exams in 3 weeks, but that's okay. This satisfied feeling of completing this great show was too good to let die without some sort of tributary recognition.

"Niceness" is a Ninja

Something annoying that I've encountered a lot recently mostly through my academic setting is people trying to be "nice" or convince others that they are "nice". This has always been something that annoyed me, but lately it's presented itself in a specific form. 

Even if all evidence points to someone being a "bad" person or having strongly negative qualities, some people will say "Well, I STILL don't think they're a bad person..."--and here's the kicker--"...because they haven't done anything bad to me." This is the most selfish and pretentious thing that I've heard these "nice"-strivers say so far. Extreme analogy: The Nazis didn't do anything bad to ME; therefore, I can't hold anything against them. They're not bad people.