Meet the Doctor

Who exactly is the Doctor from Doctor Who?  He’s a Time Lord, he travels in a blue box (that’s bigger on the inside) called the TARDIS, he’s old and currently the last of his kind, and he runs – a lot. But is that all the Doctor is?

Meeting the Doctor, while wonderful and exciting, is also overwhelming and confusing. He carries so many burdens, so many ’secrets’ – little insights to his character he forgets that you don’t know – and so many stories that he’s a world of his own. Meeting him is like beginning school all other again, from kindergarden up. And its fun and exciting, not to mention possibly dangerous.  

So, let’s introduce the Doctor. The video below, made by Seduff, introduces the Doctor as he’s been and what’s he’s become. It especially focuses on the latest Doctors (Nine and Ten – remember, he can ‘regenerate’ 13 times – or, better yet, die 13 times and only “change his face”) and it focuses on how he changes the lives of those meets.

Meet the Doctor  -

The Beauty of Creativity

The world is full of obsessions, addictions, and devotions to movies, books, and music.

And these obsessions, these addictions, they inspire people of all ages, shapes, and sizes.  They make people think and create and use their own ingenuity to further their devotion and possibly instill it in others.

The Internet offers many outlets for this creativity, such as Fan Fiction and Fan Videos. Both are extremely popular, often gathering a following of their very own. Fan Fiction offers a chance for people to write with already established characters in an already established setting – but the idea, the plot of that story, is all their own.

Fan videos are a touch more complicated, because the vidders strive to create a flawless movie worthy of theaters/t.v. – most videos are music videos, but there are several that are ‘mini-episodes’ and trailers for Fan Fiction or possible plot-lines.

One exciting phenomenon of Fan Fiction and Fan videos is ‘AU’ (alternate universes) that are ‘Crossovers’ with other fandoms. A mix and match up of two different obsessions, such as Harry Potter and Twilight.

There are hundreds of these videos and fan fictions on the Internet and they all encompass an undeniably creative flare. Some are basics, like mixing HP and Twilight, but there are others a little more inventive, such as Pirates of the Caribbean and Doctor Who or Harry Potter. Many fans of anime will mix and match up Avatar: the Last Airbender and Naruto or Bleach.

TV shows aren’t immune to this phenomenon – Heroes and Smallville have been matched up, Lost has dozens of mixes, and BBC shows such as Doctor Who and Robin Hood have many crossovers.

Then there are the really creative crossovers! Such as this Joker/Hermione pairing I’ve recently discovered on YouTube.  Sweeney Todd also has a fate with the Joker and Doctor Who on YouTube.

This YouTube video by xxtingxx shows this Joker/Hermione pairing I mentioned:

This video, along with the idea of Fan Fiction and other Fan videos (crossovers or not) is amazingly creatively. When people come to love something, they make the most of what they love. They write their own plots (sometimes more interesting than the original plot) and make their own shows.

This is the Beauty of Creativity.

When You Can’t Yell Fire

Feeling particularly feisty? In a mood to cause trouble? Is the desire to regress to your childhood days when you were rotten overwhelming? No need to worry, you’re not the only one suffering mischief.

People, old and young, are licking popcorn and tossing it freely at others. Adults, parents especially, have fallen whim to putting ice down their kids’ shirts – in public. And it’s always best to watch the old women who walk the malls, they’ve some quick feet good for a trip.

So, maybe the weather is the cause or maybe the upcoming holiday (Thanksgiving) is, but either way, mischief is in the air.

And this means getting creative! Yelling “Fire” is illegal nowanddays, and licking popcorn just makes you more hungry than amused. So, let’s look to other things.

Such as, when you’re making a presentation first begin by asking if everyone will pat their head, rub their stomachs  when you say ‘go’ – trust me, people will do it, thinking it’s part of your presentation. It’s extremely entertaining because they do it, expecting something, and then are forced to laugh and blush when they realize they’ve been duped.

Or, are you in a public setting? At a sporting event, concert, speech, or just waiting for the movie to start? Then look up, and stare. I mean, stare. Glancing up repeatedly is entertaining and fun, but staring has a far better result. (And if you can, get your friends or neighbors to participate).

Slowly, like a domino effect, the surrounding crowd will begin to look up themselves. Mere glances at first, then full out staring and searching. What is she looking at? They’ll wonder and question, nudging their neighbors and turning to ask others. And, just like a wildfire, the question will spread and the people will stare.

Until, eventually, everyone is staring up at the ceiling. Ah, what fun it is. It’s even better if you’re witty/clever enough to come up with something to say that’ll cause everyone to blanch or look away angry and embarrassed.

Mischief is on a high right now, but to make the most of it you have to think outside the box. Subtlety and creativity are an all time must. So, if you’re feeling particularly feisty and rotten, make your mischief worth its while.

Repeating Humanity

In the latest season of Doctor Who (season 4 of 2008, with companion Donna Noble), the Doctor comes into some terrifying truths about humanity. A Time Lord from Gallifrey, the Doctor is 904 years old (according to the 2007 Christmas special) and travels around in a time machine called the TARDIS (Time And Relative Dimensions In Space).

In season 4, episode 10, Midnight, the Doctor is confronted with a terrifying and chilling take of humanity’s mob-mentality. When traveling across a planet called Midnight, a planet made of black diamonds, the transporting bus/vessel “breaks” down.

On this supposedly uninhabitable planet, the Doctor and the other travelers (a family: mother, father, and teenage son; a professor and his assistant; a woman traveling alone; and a stewardess) find themselves suddenly threatened by an unknown entity. The birth of a curious new life on this not-so uninhabitable planet.

But stranded and stricken, the terror and anxiety of the situation escalates into the chilling bowels of humanity.

Doctor Who is a wonderful show because of the emotions and thoughts that it provokes. The show takes contemporary issues and puts them in an alien (science fiction) setting. Such an action makes the issue more stark, more pronounced, and almost more terrifying. Because it shows that these issues the world has, these questions we ask, and these worries we have are easily universal.  They can be placed in any sort of setting, situation.

An old show, and an old Time Lord, the Doctor has seen a lot and lived through even more. And every episode, in its own unique way shows this.

I’m particularly fond of Midnight because of the dynamics of the dialogue and acting. Stranded on a ship, with something strange and unexplainable, people will act in any way to figure out what it is and/or get rid of it.

And while I’m sucker for a show with good dynamics, dialogue, music, and acting – like House and Lost  and West Wing (yeah, I know, old show) – there’s something different about Doctor Who. It’s hard to explain, but its there. Something unique and memorable that touches you in a way you can’t – no, you won’t – ever forget.

It’s fascinating and intriguing. And I highly recommend it for anyone and everyone.

This clip is from Midnight, it contains spoilers for the episode’s end:

When Life Dulls

Life can easily become routine and seemingly mundane. Life is long, hopefully, and time is even longer, hopefully. So, what to do when life becomes dull? Well, simple, make some food.

Not just any food, now. Don’t look on the Internet for recipes or talk to your friends about dishes they last made so to mimic them. No, just make something (or, if that’s too much for an organized person, zest up an old recipe randomly and uniquely).

But to just make food or to just add ingredients to food, it’s exciting. Have some left overs from that random time you went out to eat – are they starting to look less and less appetizing? Well, throw it into a frying pan, add some stuff from around the kitchen (like eggs or lemon juice or vodka) and cook it up. Sound gross? Might very well be, but at least you tried it.

Don’t have left overs? Well, you’ve food (hopefully), so whip it up! Take some rice, throw in some cooked tomatoes, maybe some peppers, even meat (if you like), add something juice/liquid wise and you’re set.

It’s all about artistic ability and living in the moment, adding a dash of this and a pinch of that. Some dishes will be disgusting, others will be amazing, and some will be in-between. But that’s why its exciting, because it’s an adventure.

Then there’s the adventure of altering the recipe – making a cake? Throw some rum on a part of it. Always wanted to know how that tastes. Making pasta? Try basting or marinating the noodles first. Enjoy spicy foods? Try cooking red and green peppers in the pan before or during the actual cooking of the meal.

Flavor is everything, remember.

Life is always a little more exciting when food is mysterious. Not mysterious in “am-I-going-to-get-food-poisoning” sort of way but just “is-this-going-to-make-me-drool-later-when-I-think-about-it?” No way life will loose its zeal if you’ve the possibility of making your taste buds orgasm.

No Sulking is Allowed in the Airport

Hugh Grant once said (in Love Actually, 2003), “Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport.” He sees the true love of the world when people greet each other at the airport.

While the thought is pleasant, and mildly true (I’ve never seen someone who isn’t happy to be greeted before), there are those who aren’t greeted. Those are random busybodies who meander through the groups with side glances and offhand checks of their cell-phone (that might or might not be off airplane mode).

It was this sight I was witness too when the god-like announcer voice of my state’s airport announced “No sulking is allowed in the airport, except in designated areas.” One quick glance to my father and a surprisingly loud voice of a little girl not five feet away from me confirmed I had heard that correctly. No sulking was allowed.

Nudging my father, who promptly rolled his eyes and said it was obviously a mistake, I couldn’t help but smiling. No sulking was allowed – it might’ve been a mistake or even a peculiar slur, but what’s said was said.

And a good rule it was. Airports aren’t generally happy places, except when you meet up with family or friends. They’re tedious, trying, and liable to bring on mental breakdowns. Especially when you watch the luggage trolley go around four times and your luggage is nowhere to be seen. So, to ban sulking is bound to enhance airport joy.

Well, no, not really. But its bound to be so utterly ridiculous sounding that it’ll spur tired and cranky passengers into their second winds.

Southwest Airlines used to do something similar by giving comical ‘Safety Instructions’ like, “Welcome aboard Southwest Flight XXX to YYY. To operate your seat-belt, insert the metal tab into the buckle, and pull tight. It works just like every other seat-belt, and if you don’t know how to operate one, you probably shouldn’t be out in public unsupervised.”

And, “”As you exit the plane, make sure to gather all of your belongings. Anything left behind will be distributed evenly among the flight attendants. Please do not leave children or spouses.

Last one off the plane must clean it.”

Airports are surprisingly dreary places and could use a lot more humor. They might be frustrating, and they might be tedious, but so are lines are Christmas or that randomly schedule family reunion. Those things end and so does traveling through the Airport.

So, liven up people and take the Airport with a grain of salt. And remember, no sulking!