THE EXILE IS OVER

One and all, I am happy to announce, THE SELF-INFLICTED EXILE IS OVER! It took more than 400 days - I'll grant you - and I didn't save NEARLY as much money as I'd hoped to (figures), but it's over and I'm living in an adorable apartment with Turtle Man.

That's right. Turtle Man.

Oh boy, this had been a long time coming and I'm a little torn about it. But I, Little Tornado, now live with my boyfriend.

There are many reasons this happened, from the "we love each other" to the more practical. But  I don't want to talk about that right now. Suffice it to say - we made our decision and we're happy with it.

This is my first endeavor at having a "big girl" apartment so I hope to make posts about decorating and other random things we learn along the way. There is talks of a vlog in the works but nothing concrete.

But, as of now, new neighborhood: Bucktown.

Bye guys :)

Gilmore Girls rewatch: Season 1, Episode 1: Pilot

Hello friends!

I have a new segment on my blog!

For those of you that don't know, I'm a 'UGE Gilmore Girls fan and was so stoked about the trailer coming out. I have a party planned to watch them and am full of ideas. However, I feel like a rewatch of the series would do me some good.

I figured I'd document my rewatch as well as assemble an Encyclopedia of Pop Culture references as I went through.

General format:
QUICK summary of the episode with some commentary
Pop Culture fun.

Without further ado: let's dive in.

Summary & Commentary

Hi Lorelai

Lorelai likes coffee and is introduced as a young single mother.

Lorelai runs an inn and has a chef friend named Sookie and a sassy French concierge friend named Michel.

They make fun of Rory for this outfit, this entire outfit is popular again. I would wear it. You would wear it We all would wear it.

Rory, Lorelai's daughter, is smart and does smart people things in class like pay attention to the teacher instead of doing her nails. She also has a Korean best friend Lane who likes rock music but has to hide it from her mother, who apparently hates Rory and her mother even though this point is completely dropped in later episodes.

Plaid is Plaid

Rory gets into an elite prep school called Chilton but it's very expensive and Lorelai can't get a loan even though she's a home owner and banks literally give loans to Birthday Clowns.

Literally the most perfect couple alive. #goals

Lorelai goes to her rich, but cold, parents (Richard and Emily) and begs for money which they agree to as long as they come over every Friday for dinner. (side note - did not expect how emotional I would be seeing Edward Herman. I can't handle this guys. I'm at work right now!)

So tall. So dreamy. Let's all ditch school!

Rory meets a Sam from Supernatural, I mean Dean from Supernatural, I mean Dean from Gilmore Girls, and he has no personality except he's nice and asks her questions so I guess he's a good conversationalist? Rory has never experienced this before and no longer wants to go to literally the best school in the country so that she can find out more things about boring Sam Winchester, I mean Dean Winchester, I mean Dean Foster (that's his last name, right? Whatever). Which makes zero sense with her character at all but I mean whatever I guess. (Can you tell I'm a Jess fan. I'll try to tone it down. To be fair, I liked Dean at this point. But I stand by the fact that he's very boring. Points for looking like an anime protagonist though)

Man, this would never have worked in my house.

Lorelai is pissed about Rory's change of heart (why is Rory so mad that Lorelai made plans for them. #SMH) and Rory is NOT nice about it

Drink up, ladies, we're only just getting started.

They go to dinner where Emily and Ricard are super mean to Lorelai - meaner than in later episodes - it's still the pilot so the tone isn't on point yet. I will patiently wait for Emily to turn into the QUEEN that she is.

Trench coat game on point.

Rory learns that her grandparents are paying for Chilton then decides to stop being a crazy person and just go to the fancy school that will make her become a #bossypants

coffee coffee coffee coffee coffee coffee coffee

They drink coffee at like 11 o'clock at night because apparently they hate sleep.

Pop Culture Extravaganza

Joey:              "Yeah, I've never been here before. Just passing through on my way to Hartford." Lorelai:          "You're a regular Jack Kerouac"
	Jack Keruac	Jack Kerouac was an American novelist and poet. Lorelai is most likely referring to his book, On The Road, that is based off of Keruac's travels with his friends across America.	5/5 Still Relevant On The Road is considered "a defining work of the postwar Beat and Counterculture generations." Hipsters everywhere tote this as a favorite - now we know who to blame for the total over use of the word "Wanderlust" - NOTE: Kerouac never actually used the word "Wanderlust"
Lorelai:          "Oh, what do you need? Hot tea, coffee?" Rory:             "Lip gloss." Lorelai:           "Aha." (pulls a makeup bag out of her purse) "I have vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, and toasted marshmallow." Rory:             :Anything in there not resembling a breakfast cereal?" Lorelai:          "Yes." (pulls out another bag) "It has no smell but it changes colors with your mood." Rory:             "God, RuPaul doesn't need this much makeup."
	RuPaul	RuPaul (or RuPaul Andre Charles) is an American actor, drag queen, model, author, television personality, and recording artist.	5/5 Still Relevant Currently, RuPaul is most famously known for his TV Show, "RuPaul's Drag Race" - a competition to find "America's next drag superstar." However, this premiered in 2009 while the episode of Gilmore Girls he was mentioned in aired in 2000. At the time, he was most famous for his music career. I would argue that RuPaul is more relevant now given the LGBT-Awareness movement that is currently happening in the world - he was awarded the Vito Russo Award at the GLAAS Media Awards for his work in promoting equality in the LGBT community in 1999 and is truly a spokesperson for the LGBT community to this day.
Lorelai:          "Wow, you're crabby." Rory:             "I'm sorry. I lost my Macy Gray CD and I need caffeine."
	Macy Gray	Macy Gray is an american R&B, jazz and soul musician.	3/5 Still Relevant Her last album came out in 2011, which isn't a crazy long time ago, but 5 years is 5 years.
Lorelai approaches Luke with an empty cup of coffee and he gives her a disparaging look. Lorelai:          "What? It's not for me, it's for Rory" Luke:             "You're shameless" Lorelai:          "Look, Officer Krupke, she's right at that table, right over there."
	West Side Story	Officer Krupke is the police officer in the movie musical West Side Story.	4/5 Still Relevant The movie came out in 1961 - so it wasn't the most current reference at the time. However, it's a classic musical and is still done today and the movie itself is also a classic. Classics never truly fade.
Lane:             "Rory, if my parents still get upset over the obscene portion size of American food, I seriously doubt I'm gonna make any inroads with Eminem."
	Eminem	Eminem is an American rapper, music producer, songwriter, and actor from Detroit, Michigan	5/5 Still Relevant Even though Eminem's last album came out 3 years ago in 2013 - you'd be hard pressed to find someone who doesn't know who Eminem is. Plus, you're a liar if you say you wouldn't, after a few drinks, be able to bust out all the words to "Lose Yourself" when it comes on at a party.
Mrs. Traister:         "For those of you who have not finished the final chapters of Huckleberry Finn you may use this time to do so. For those of you who have, you can start on your essay now. Whichever task you choose, do it silently."
	The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain	The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is considered to be one of the Great American Novels. It tells the tale of a young boy named Huck Finn (friend of Tom Sawyer - the narrator in Twain's The Adventures of Tom Sawyer) who runs off on a river boat with a runaway slave named Jim.	5/5 Still Relevant This is a book you read in English class in high school, which is exactly what Rory is doing in her high school It is a classic for a reason. Still relevant.
Rory pulls a plaid skirt out of a bag given to her by her mother. Rory:             "I'm gonna be in a Britney Spears video?"
	Britney Spears	Britney Spears is an American pop singer regarded as a Pop Idol and credited with reviving the teen pop genre in the late 90s. Rory jokes that she is going to be in a Britney Spears music video because in the music video for Britney's debut single "... Baby One More Time," Britney sports a school-girls outfit.	5/5 Still Relevant It's Britney freaking Spears. Nuff said.
Lorelai:           "Sookie, there are several chapters from a Stephen King novel I'd reenact before I'd resort to that option."
	Stephen King	Stephen King is an American Horror and Supernatural Fiction novelist. His books are known for being particularly gorey or psychologically traumatizing.	5/5 Still Relevant Dude's prolific. He puts out at least one book every year and hasn't slowed down since 1974. Considered one of the greatest writers of our time.
Sookie:           "Where's your paté?" Lorelai:           "At Zsa Zsa Gabor's house?"
	Zsa Zsa Gabor	Zsa Zsa Gabor is an Hungarian-American actress and socialite known for her charm, grace, and decadent lifestyle. Think the Kardashians of the 30s and 40s. I love this quote by Gerold Frank (who helped Gabor write her autobiography) so much that I'm going to share it with you: "Zsa Zsa is unique. She's a woman from the court of Louis XV who has somehow managed to live in the 20th century, undamaged by the PTA ... She says she wants to be all the Pompadours and Du Barrys of history rolled into one, but she also says, 'I always goof. I pay all my own bills. ... I want to choose the man. I do not permit men to choose me.'"	1/5 Still Relevant I would say the majority of kids today have no idea who Zsa Zsa Gabor is. However, I just ordered her autobiography after reading 2 paragraphs about her so maybe they should?
Rory drops her books and then is surprised by someone standing right next to her Rory:              "God! You're like Ruth Gordon just standing there with a tannis root. Make a noise." Dean:              "Rosemary's Baby"
	Rosemary's Baby (film)	Rosemary's Baby is an American psychological horror film written and directed by Roman Polanski, based off the book written by Ira Levin. In the movie, Minnie Castevet, played by Ruth Gordon, stands there holding a tannis root.	4/5 Still Relevant Still a great movie. I'm sure most people would recognize the name - but most people haven't seen it. Then again, I think that's why Rory was so excited that Dean kew it. So, kinda the point.
Rory:              "Chicago. Windy. Oprah."
	Oprah Winfrey	Oprah Winfrey is from Chicago.	5/5 Still Relevant It. Is. Oprah.
Dean:              "So, how are you liking Moby Dick?" Rory:              "Oh, it's really good!" Dean:              "Yeah?" Dean:              "Yeah, it's my first Melville."
	Moby-Dick, by Herman Melville	Moby-Dick is novel written by Herman Melville about a captain obsessed with catching and killing a whale that destroyed his former ship and severing one of his legs at the knee. Also considered a Great American Novel - this book was commercially a failure during Melville's lifetime and became beloved after his death.	5/5 Still Relevant It's a classic book that everyone recognizes the name of and knows what it's about (a whale) even though most people don't read it because it's hella long.
Dean:              "Every day. After school you come out and you sit under that tree there and you read. Last week it was Madame Bovary. This week it's Moby Dick."
	Madame Bovary, by Gustave Flaubert	Madame Bovary is a novel written by Gustave Flaubert about an adulterous doctor's wife that created a huge controversy in the late 1800s. His book more or less established modern realist narration that most books today employ.	5/5 Still Relevant Again, another classic if not as recognizable as Moby. However, I have officially ordered this book to read as well.
Lorelai:              "Oh, you're gonna have to walk faster than that. You're gonna have to turn into friggin Flo Jo to get away from me."
	Florence Griffith Joyner, also known as “Flo Jo”	Flo Jo was an American track and field athlete considered to be the fastest woman of all time.	2/5 Still Relevant She’s still regarded as the fastest woman because of the world records she set – but Gilmore Girls is the only place I’ve heard her mentioned.
Lorelai:              " Aw, you're not gonna give me the Mommie Dearest treatment forever, are ya?"
	Mommie Dearest	Mommie Dearest was a “1981 American biographical drama film about Joan Crawford and the abusive relationship she had with her adopted daughter […] and son.	2/5 Still Relevant This film is regarded as a cult classic but not well known within the regular populace. It’s on my list, but then again, what isn’t?
Rory:                 "So, do we go in or do we just stand here reenacting The Little Match Girl?"
	The Little Match Girl	The Little Match Girl has many iterations, so I’m not sure which one Rory is referring to. There is the original short story written by Hans Christian Anderson, the 1928 French film, and a 2016 Disney animated short film. I’m assuming it’s one of the first two as the latter was after this episode aired (unless Rory had an “in” at Disney and knew their future projects. However, the story is about a young girl standing in the cold trying to sell matches on the street. Lorelai and Rory are standing motionless outside Emily and Richard’s door in the cold.	3/5 Still Relevant Again, this was relatively obscure when it was mentioned in 2009. But, I mean, Hans Christian Anderson is Hans Christian Anderson.
Lorelai:               “Okay, look, I know you and me are having a thing here and I know you hate me but I need you to be civil, at least through dinner and then on the way home you can pull a Menendez. Deal?"
	Lyle and Erik Menendez	Lyle and Erik Menendez were criminals convicted in 1994 for murdering their wealthy parents.	2/5 Still Relevant Unless you followed the trial in 1994 – you probably won’t remember the Menendez brothers.
Lorelai:               “Is he dreamy?" Rory:                   “Oh, that is so Nick at Nite.”
	Nick@Nite	Nick@Nite is a segment featured on Nickelodeon featuring sitcoms for preteens rather than children. They used to feature many older sitcoms like “The Brady Bunch, “Gilligan’s Island,” and “Three’s Company.”	4/5 Still Relevant Nick@Nite still exists but it’s veered away from shows like “The Brady Bunch” to feature more shows like “Friends.” Rachel is less likely to talk about how dreamy Ross was than Marsha was to talk about whatever boyfriend she had.

Gilmore Girls Book List

Book Title	Author	Genre	Episode Mentioned
On the Road (Natalie Picked)	Jack Kerouac	Beat	S1E1: Pilot
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn	Mark Twain	Satirical Novel	S1E1: Pilot
Moby-Dick	Herman Melville	Adventure Fiction	S1E1: Pilot
Madame Bovary	Gustave Flaubbert	Realest Novel	S1E1: Pilot

Gilmore GIrls Movie List

Movie Title	Genre	Where Can You Watch It?	Episode Mentioned
West Side Story	Musical	Amazon Video (Pay)	S1E1: Pilot
Rosemary's Baby	Horror	Hulu or Amazon Prime	S1E1: Pilot
Mommie Dearest	Biographical Drama	Hulu or Amazon Prime	S1E1: Pilot

Gilmore Girls Rewatch Short Cuts

Season 1

• Episode 1: Pilot

How I Feel About Work Right Now (Day 300: 400 Days of Exile)

xoxo

Little Tornado

Not Doing So Well: Day 222: 400 Days in Exile

I've been hitting new lows lately. I already wasn't on a particular high , but on December 15 I got some bad news.... and I... haven't been handling it well.

I did something very nice for Turtle Man, more or less before this bad news, but he did not receive it until after and I don't think he understands that he is dealing with two different Little Tornados.

The one before was a muted storm - not doing super well, but not doing poorly.
Now, I"m a tempest. My emotions are everywhere. I'm sad all the time, which is something I am NOT used to. My body image is in the toilet. My sense of self worth in general is suffering.

All of these feelings, including some anger I should have expressed to Turtle Man but instead kept it bottled up, pretty much exploded when I was on vacation with all of my firends and I feel like any good will I earned is gone. And that I am just terrible and worthless and.... it's just all a little too real.

I go back and forth from being angry and sad and whenever I'm happy I feel like I don't deserve to be and I go back to being angry or sad.

I just want to sleep indefinitely.

I don't know.

*Shrugs*


Little Tornado