New Beginnings

That Sound You Hear? » When You Come Back Down by Nickel Creek
Days Until The 2005 Hurricane Season » 16
Big News » Kenny and Renee sittin' in a tree, dashing the hopes of every girl whoever thought (but never really did) have a chance. Here's to you folks and more laughs than I could have inspired on my own. (I know it happened a week ago, but I was pent up in the mountains.)

Now, today's story...

My god, could I have possibly delayed this any longer? No, no I don't think that is possible. Though my week-long break must surely have given you enough time to catch up what's truly important — previous posts and the fiction blog, of course.

That said, this week is one of my favorite weeks of the year. Every May, the big networks announce their fall schedules (I know you're laughing at me, but you just wait). See, it's comforting that they do it now because it gives me something to look forward to as series' seasons are ending all over the place.

Today, NBC held its announcement event for advertisers in New York. The best news is that The West Wing is moving out of Alias' time slot and into Sunday at 8 P.M.

The worst news is that American Dreams was canceled. (I'd link that, but pretty soon NBC will be removing the site.) And the most worrisome news is that Scrubs wasn't on the schedule at all. Though, fear not, for NBC assures us that it will return the very moment after My Name Is Earl tanks. (Also not linking that one for reasons similar to the aforementioned.)

Then there's the new series: Fathom, E-Ring and Inconceivable. Don't get me wrong, I like the one-word titles, but not so crazy about some of the premises. Fathom farts around with a family that likes to scour the bottom of the ocean for new life. I'll have to see the pilot before I can believe that will sustain a series.

E-Ring seems to be what might fill the void left by the exit of JAG. It's set in The Pentagon and doesn't seem all that interesting. Again, not passing any judgment until I've seen the pilot. At this point, I'm just commenting on the premise and whatever else I've read about it.

Finally on Friday nights there's Inconceivable. Aptly titled since I can't imagine why anyone would write a medical drama set in a fertility clinic. Nor can I imagine it being any good. Once again, we'll wait until September to determine whether it's any good or not.

The new beginnings in the fall are always exciting. Because every new series has the potential to become a hit, but not all of them will. In fact, hardly any of them will.

Speaking of beginnings, I started my sign language class today, which from here on out will be referred to as ASL. The teacher is deaf, which is the best way to go for a class like this, and funny as hell. She forced us to symbolically tear out our larynxes and toss them into an invisible basket at the center of the room. We weren't allowed to have them back until class was dismissed.

Her name is Jennifer Briggs and she's been deaf since birth. So I'm sure she gets the same feeling watching us try to fingerspell our names that we do when we watch toddlers attempt a recitation of the alphabet. I'll keep you up to date on all the funny things Briggs does throughout the next 10 weeks. I'm sure there's more to come.

With that, I'm going to get a cinnamon bun because they're just that good. And because it's nearing midnight and I'd like to get this thing posted.

Done and done.

My PO Gig: I got the paperwork for my post office job. Oh yeah, the big written exam isn't until June 9. I need four weeks to prepare for a grammar test? I edited a newspaper for 2 years and have been writing since I could hold a pencil. I'll stop whining and go through the motions. Because come July, I'll be making more money than I thought a college student could possibly make. (Modesty's my thing, what do you want?)