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C is for… Charmed #AtoZChallenge
C is for… Charmed
Charmed is the story of three sister witches who discover a Book of Shadows in their attic and unleash their witchy powers. This got eight seasons from 1998-2006. Why are all my favourite series so far over :0( Thank goodness for DVDs.
CharmedP3 is the username I use for NaNoWriMo and Camp NaNo, after the club that Piper owns later in the series.
My top five (well six) episodes from Charmed are:
Something Wicca This Way Comes – Season 1 Episode 1/Forever Charmed – Season 8 Episode 22
For me this series has a great opening to hook and a great ending to satisfy.
Once Upon a Time – Season 3 Episode 3
I love this episode where the sisters are ‘childified’ by fairy dust and where they are scared of the ‘tween time’ and ‘tween’ spaces between doors (the quality of this clip isn’t great but it gives you the gist).
Witches in Tights – Season 5 Episode 5
A kid whose drawings come true makes the Charmed Ones Superheroes – Piper is not particularly amused by the costume.
Chris-Crossed – Season 6 Episode 10
Chris goes back to the future and we learn who is really is. I like the Halliwell mansion as museum idea.
Give Me A Sign – Season 2 Episode 15
Bane Jessop played by Antonio Sabato Jr returns to kidnap Prue and she has a horrible time looking at his gorgeousness.
If I was ever brave enough to get a tattoo I would quite like one of the triquetra from the Book of Shadows.
The girls have different powers – which one would you prefer, telekinesis, freezing time/blowing things up or premonitions? For me and my laziness it would have to be telekinesis.
And a quick nod to Carnivalé
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B is for… Beginning #AtoZChallenge
B is for… Beginning
I have been “doing my PhD” for a good while now though I only registered in October 2011. I’m doing it part time and I seem to have been starting it FOR.EV.ER. I came to a realisation about why this is after supervision the other day. It is because whenever I have been pressed to come up with my research question it hasn’t felt right, it doesn’t seem to encompass what I want to explore.
At the moment I am toying with a new idea and it is one that is still sitting comfortably a week or so later and so I hope to move forward with it.
I submitted the abstract below to an internal Post Graduate Researchers’ Conference – it wasn’t accepted as an oral paper (so substitute the word reading for listening) but I will be making it into a poster and I will share on the blog when I’m done. This summarises how I have been feeling about the beginning of the process. It also links to my theme for tomorrow, C is for… Conferences.
Round and Round in Circles and Back to Square One
This autoethnographic account of my early PhD journey (inspired by Taylor 2008) will explore the confusion I have experienced from trying to narrow my research focus on a topic that is so meaningful to me. A PhD is not just about the one research project but is also about training in research (Marshall and Green 2010). It is therefore important to develop skills of analysis and to be able to rationalise decisions made. A sense of frustration can be created by exploring the ‘dark side of the moon’, only to come back to the ‘light side’ again. What is important though is returning from that journey with the acceptance that where I have settled is the right place for me. My account will be subjective, but by sharing, a dialogue will be opened with the experiences and emotions of those listening (Ellis 2004).
Ellis, C., 2004. The Ethnographic I: a methodological novel about autoethnography. Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press.
Marshall, S. and Green, N., 2010. Your PhD Companion. 3rd ed. Oxford: How To Books.
Taylor, J., 2008. An Autoethnographic Exploration of an Occupation: Doing a PhD. British Journal of Occupational Therapy. 71 (5), 176-184.
……..
For me though I think I will still feel as if I am beginning until I am in the data collection process…then, as they say in the vernacular, this shit is going to get real.
If you’ve completed a PhD or are further in the process than me – how did you find beginning? When did it feel real for you? Does the title of my poster-to-be fit with your experience?
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B is for… Buffy the Vampire Slayer #AtoZChallenge
B is for… Buffy the Vampire Slayer
And again with the Joss Whedonverse. I have been a fan of Buffy since and even despite of the movie (yes, you can see from the picture that I even own it on DVD!! And you can see my original cinema ticket on the post here). Thankfully the series was much less hammy and got a good run of seven seasons from 1997-2003. I did buy the ‘graphic novel’ type eighth season but wasn’t so keen.
My top 5 episodes from Buffy are: really, really hard to narrrow down but I’m going to be good (unlike I was on this post where I realise I’ve done this theme a little before – good to see my top episodes have stayed fairly static – Quite entertaining to see my episode write up is virtually identical too despite being written two years apart)
Once More With Feeling – Season 6 Episode 7
I absolutely adore the musical episode – own the separate DVD (even though the episode is in the season boxset) and the Soundtrack. I’m Under Your Spell is a great song and I was pretty impressed with all the singing.
Hush – Season 4 Episode 10
The gentleman are one of the freakiest monsters of all time. I used to be able to do their face and scare my sister silly. The fact there is no speaking in most of the episode is impressive and I love the bit where Buffy is miming staking a vampire!!!
Normal Again – Season 6 Episode 17
I’ve seen this in other supernatural series (such as in tomorrow’s C is for… Charmed) but Buffy really nails it with the last shot leaving us wondering is this all a figment of her psychosis.
Doppelgangland – Season 3 Episode 16
Good Willow playing Evil Vampire Willow – Bored now!
The Pack – Season 1 Episode 6
Hyena Xander is smoking hot
I have to give a quick mention to the scene with the Yellow Crayons – makes me weep.
In fact I could go on about Buffy all day and don’t think there are many episodes I wouldn’t be happy to watch – though what was with the Cheese man in the season 4 closer!!
And a quick nod to Being Human
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Are you a Buffy fan? Which is your top episode and why?
Have you ever found that you’ve already blogged about something, almost written an identical post and not realised?
kirstyes 
