Guilty Pleasures...

Let's admit it.

We all have out guilty pleasures.

What is a guilty pleasure? Merriam-Webster defines it
Main Entry: guilty pleasure
Function: noun
Date: 1907
: something pleasurable that induces a usually minor feeling of guilt.

No duh.

So, finding that entry unhelpful, I betook myself to that noble lexicon of modern slang:

Urban Dictionary.
This is how Urban Dictionary defines a "guilty pleasure":
1. Something that you shouldn't like, but like anyway.
2. Something that you love to do, but you just cannot admit that you do it.
Guy 1: "DUDE, you still watch Pokemon?"
Guy 2: "WHAT? NO! Ok, I do, its my guilty pleasure.
4. Keeping a secret collection of ABBA and Carpenters and listening to their albums when no one else is around.


So, yeah, I think we all get the general idea. (Here's when you're thinking-"Renee, get to the point already!!")
So, what's my guilty pleasure?

Avatar.
Avatar-The Last Airbender.

Laugh all you want. I see you all rolling your eyes. I can't help myself-I love my Avatar. I discovered this delightfully delightful television series at the beginning of the summer, when I began working at NU. Our first training sessions were "character research days" where we watched the shows of the Nick characters that the park owns.

Did I ever mention what a physically demanding and taxing job I have? Riiiiiiigggghhht.

One of my fellow trainees was flabbergasted when I mentioned that I'd never heard of Avatar before. Honestly, I've never seen someone so disturbed. So, we watched an episode of Avatar. I was seriously unimpressed. However, I fit the Aang costume, and I'd probably have to cohort Aang, so I figured I should probably be somewhat knowledgeable about the series. Thus, in the spirit of being a good, well-informed employee, I reserved the first few episodes from the library. While I watched them in the comfort of my living room, a quiet, sneaky little thought stirred within my mind- "I'm actually kind of enjoying these," it whispered. I laughed superciliously, and quickly quashed that queer qualm.

And then promptly reserved the rest of Season One.




(Or, rather, I should say "Book One." Avatar seasons are called 'books,' and the episodes are called 'chapters.' Random Avatar fact you probably didn't want to know...but now you do!)

Anyhow, over the summer, I've fallen more and more in love with Avatar. It makes me laugh, it makes me cry (no joke. I don't kid about these things! :)), and it's made me practice my earth-bending moves on my long-suffering and ever-patronizing younger brother.

The series main premise is such: it takes place in a fantasy world, where there are four nations, named after the four different elements: air, earth, water, and fire. Certain people can be trained to 'bend' the elements; bending is a martial art-not magic. Nickelodeon's adamant that it's not magic(I learned this by reading the big blue folder at work that is filled with all sorts of inside information about Nick shows-they call it the "Nick Bible.") Anyhow, the basic plot is that Aang (that strange, hyper, bald kid with the random blue arrow on his forehead) has to master all four elements, defeat the power-crazed fire lord, and save the world.

Oh, yeah.

He's twelve.

No sweat, right?

When I was twelve, all that was expected of me was that I make my bed, do my school, and not pick fights with my younger siblings.

Moral of the story is that Avatar=EPIC. (I know you hate that word, Cordelia, but it's the only one that does it justice! :)) I just finished the the series, and I was on the edge of my seat with excitement at the end. My brother rolled his eyes.

But he was watching intently.

Here's betting that he'll be ordering some Avatar episodes from the library soon.