Eeeeek.

I've noticed a  pattern: I'll write a random blog post but then someone else will occur and that other one will fall by the wayside. Which has happened yet again. So instead of that post, here's one on things that scare me, in honor of Halloween.

Please note: I'm a chicken. Results may vary for other viewers.

Scariest TV episode

"Doctor Who," "Blink." Y'all know I'm a Doctor Who fan. If you haven't watched before, give "Blink" a shot. It's a nice intro to the series (no previous knowledge of the show necessary, as the main characters are barely in it) -- and it's grade-A creepy. Trust me, you will never look at statues the same again. You will shriek. It's on Amazon Instant and Netflix streaming.

Scariest movies

"Dead Again." It's not even that this movie is all that scary; plus Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson pre-divorce is awesome. But it scared the crap out of me so much so as a teen (or tween?) that I can't think about scissors -- the murder weapon of choice here -- before going to bed or I can't sleep.

"Paranormal Activity." I'd say before this movie, I was probably more freaked out by Blair Witch Project, but that was likely more due to the shakycam that nauseated me to no end.  Paranormal Activity, though, ranks at the top now.  My sister likes to stand over me in the dark when I'm trying to sleep at her place. Shuddup. It's not funny.

Also, I watched "Woman in Black" last night. As scariness goes, it wasn't terribly so. But it had enough creepy old-timey photos and sinister-looking Victorian toys (ceramic dolls, wind-up monkeys that moved on their own) to make me watch something funny afterward.

Phobias

View from a spire at the
Sagrada Familia in Barca.

Stairs and heights. I hate stairs -- especially spiral stairs; it's that narrow part of the stair, damn it. I always think I'm going to tumble down and fall dramatically, like on TV or the movies. Maybe that's why I also hate heights. Put those two together and it's anxiety time. Just ask same sister who stands over me in the dark. We were at the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona and were at the top of the spires, which freaked me out. And then we had to climb down *very* narrow spiral stairs all the way to the ground. That's the closest I've come to a panic attack, ever. I mean, strangers were asking if I was okay.

Scariest experience 

Stop me if you've heard this story before because I tell it a lot: So my friend Amanda and I were on our way to London years ago when we had to spend a sleepless night at Boston's Logan Airport. So we get on the early morning flight to London and I fall asleep as soon as I buckle in (as I'm wont to do). Then suddenly Amanda is shaking me because the PA system has started saying something along the lines of: "Please prepare for an emergency landing in water." Panic ensues. And then the crew gets on and says the announcement went off by mistake and we're not crashing to our deaths as we thought. I try not to think about that every time I fly. It doesn't work.

In conclusion: Happy Halloween!

But you don't have to take my word for it....

Butterfly in the sky.... God, didn't you love "Reading Rainbow"? It was one of my very favorite shows growing up. The episode about New York City at night? Awesome! The one where LeVar takes us to the set of "Star Trek: The Next Generation"? Unforgettable! I always wanted to be one of those lucky kids who got to spend a few seconds talking about a book they loved.

Now the last few weeks have been sometimes stressful, sometimes fun but super busy, so haven't had much to talk about. So when that happens I'm just gonna do a BYDHTTMWFI (see blog post title) about the things I'm into lately. Bottom line: They're all cool.

Books

The Raven Boys. I'm a huge fan of supernatural TV shows, but for some reason supernatural/fantasy books are a really hard sell (Harry Potter excluded): weird names, silly-sounding places, dumb powers. But Maggie Stiefvater's "The Raven Boys" -- about a group of boys searching for a lost Welsh king in Virginia, of all places -- is great. Love the characters (Adam, a book version of Matt Saracen = swoon), intrigued by the Welsh mythology, liked the prose. Now I have to wait for the next book. Argh.

When the Game Was Ours. I generally knew Magic Johnson and Larry Bird are basketball icons but never knew much else about them. This book tracks not only their careers but also their rivalry -- and how it made each of them a better player. Loved this book. Loved.

Movies

Pitch Perfect. Go see this movie. It's like a cappella meets Bring It On. The story is run-of-the-mill: Anna Kendrick (my love for her knows no bounds) is an alterna-girl who joins a ragtag a cappella group seeking glory. But it's exactly what I wanted: cute and fun and musical. Though, warning, it's gross in parts. Now I wish I could sing. It is a-ca-awesome.

The Art of the Steal. Fascinating documentary about the Barnes art collection that was outside Philly (kicking myself I never saw it when I lived there) and now is in a new home in the Philadelphia Museum of Art -- despite the fact that the original owner explicitly said his collection should never leave its home or be part of the museum. Ever. Interesting because of its look at art and who owns it and how it's acquired-- the politics behind it. I must say, I'm conflicted about going to see the collection at some point. On one hand, it's amazing art. On the other, well, just watch the movie....

TV

Bomb Girls. A Canadian show on the Reelz channel about women working in a Canadian munitions factory while the boys fight in World War II? Sold. Duh. The clothes! The hair! The drama! It's like "Homefront" (an old fave) without Jeff (Kyle Chandler) and Ginger, a.k.a. The Best Couple Ever.

Downton Abbey. This third season? Trumps the second season by far. Squeee!

Hope you check these out. But you don't have to take my word for it....