R.I.P. As the World Turns (aka My Ode to Soap Operas)

So, I'm supposed to be studying for my last final tomorrow (side note: yay!), but I'm proscrastinating. Also, I'm saddened by the news that CBS has cancelled As the World Turns. The last episode will air September 17, 2010 after 54 years. Once upon a time, especially in late middle school through early college, I eagerly waited to see what would happen next in Oakdale.

Though I haven't regularly watched the show in a few years, I hate that the genre is slowly dying. Guiding Light went off the air this fall after a 72-year, 15,762-episode run and the future looks pretty bleak for daytime serial television. My viewing timeline of GL was very similar to that of ATWT, which is fitting since they were considered "sister" shows. And while I was sad to see GL's cancellation, it didn't hit me as hard then as ATWT's has hit me now. Maybe it was because GL was virtually unrecognizable to me by the end of its run having been reduced to out-of-studio location shoots and shaky, single-held cameras as a means to cut costs. I did tune in for the very last episodes of GL. It was like saying good-bye to a long and faithful friend. I was pleased that it ended with the annual Bauer barbecue and the reunions of some of my favorite relationships/couples, especially the four Muskateers, Mallet and Dinah, Bill and Lizzie, and, of course, Josh and Reva.

This makes me wonder what will be in store for As the World Turns' final episodes. I dearly hope it centers around core characters and families and brings together the most cherished couples. I would especially love for the final words to be spoken by Nancy Hughes, played by Helen Wagner. Wagner, the only original cast member remaining, spoke the first words on the soap ("Good morning, dear") in 1956, and it would be fitting if she spoke the last.

I know soap operas get a bad rap, but their very nature makes them so fascinating. They are a unique television medium in that they tend to go on and on creating rich, vibrant histories. This is the reason they are so very different from primetime shows and the reason fans get so into them. People who watch soaps generally grow up watching soaps with their mothers or grandmothers. I grew up watching Days of our Lives with my mother and when I got older, I branched out to other soaps. Because it's on everyday year after year, the characters become familiar and viewers become unusually invested in their lives. While soaps today have fallen mightily from the deliciously campy, adventure-filled, love-in-the-afternoon, heydeys of the '80s and the more realistic, well-written, social awareness of the '90s, I still hate to see the genre die. And though General Hospital and All My Children are especially atrocious these days, I would never want these shows canceled mainly because, misguided or not, I still have hope for them to get better and become the shows I once loved. I think daytime can be revitalized and I draw such hope from the example set by One Live to Live, which, in my opinion, is the best in daytime. It's just soapy goodness. It helps that the show has hired a head writer that seems to sincerely love and, perhaps most importantly, respect the genre. As a result, the show has experienced a rebirth in quality storytelling. OLTL isn't perfect but it's generally well-written, respectful toward its history, and integrates the entire cast and canvas.

While I wasn't entirely surprised by the decision to cancel the show (ATWT has been hanging by a thread for a while now since producer Proctor & Gamble hasn't been exactly subtle about it's desire to get out of the soap business), I was most certainly disappointed. Lately, I have been checking in with ATWT once in a while since the news broke that Paul Leyden's Simon is returning, so I would be up-to-speed when Simon stepped back into Oakdale. Though Simon and Katie were the reason I first tuned into ATWT (they are still one of my top soap couples of all time), I became fond of the other Oakdale residents and was entralled in their lives, loves, joys, and heartbreaks. If you'll indulge me, I'd like to relive some of my favorite moments/couples/storylines.


-Simon and Katie's wedding of convenience. One of the funniest, most entertaining weddings in soap history. I wish I could find a clip of it. Seriously, it's up there with, though doesn't quite surpass, Sean and Tiffany (er, Elsie May Crumholtz)'s wedding from General Hospital.

-More Simon and Katie: Halloween. The airport. Simon admits he loves Katie. Katie teases Simon with her superstitions. First Halloween anniversary. The real wedding. The cottage. Simon begs Katie to live when she flatlines after donating part of her liver to sister Margo. I really wish I could find the scenes of Simon and Katie in the opera house basement in Malta as they are probably my favorites, but alas.

-Hunt Block's snarky and dastardly Craig Montgomery. I loved Block's Craig with Cady McClain's Rosanna.

-Paul and Rose: I loved Scott Holroyd's Paul (I still prefer his Paul to Roger Howarth's version) with Rose. They just sparkled. First meeting. The gazebo. First date. Engaged.

-Trent Dawson's Henry Coleman and his hilarious, partners-in-crime-turned-best-friendship with Katie.

-Hal Munson's death. How I loved Hal. The sadness surrounding his death was exaccerbated by the fact that it resulted from his portrayer Benjamin Hendrickson's suicide. Jesse Soffer's performance as Will Munson was especially moving. I loved his entire run as Will. He was one of the best actors the show produced. And that's not damning with faint praise. This is a show that launched the careers of Meg Ryan and Julianne Moore in addition to employing one of the best casts in daytime.

-Dusty and Lucy: It started at the warehouse. Hiding. The charm. Dusty comforts Lucy at the Oakdale PD. First kiss. "I could drown in you." Dusty saves Lucy. Breakfast in bed. Courtyard break-up.

-Jack and Carly's Montana wedding and Jack is Sage's father.

-Luke comes out to Holden and Lily.

-Lucinda's cancer.

-Paul and Meg in the cabin. Before they spiraled into a mess of suck. This was also the only time I cared about Roger Howarth's Paul.

-Luke and Noah: First and second kisses. First time.


Also, some iconic memories I've only seen via YouTube.

-The fabulous Lisa Grimaldi.

-Bob and Kim.

-Julianne Moore's dual roles of Frannie and Sabrina Hughes.

-Teenaged Lily and Holden first meet in the Walsh stables. I really wish I could find the scene where Holden drops down from the loft and Lily is left speechless. That's one of the most recognizable moments from the show.

-Steve and Betsy's wedding. (Betsy Stewart was played by future America's sweetheart Meg Ryan.)

-Old school Tom and Margo, played by Justin Deas and Margaret Colin.

-Scott Bryce's vulnerable and tortured Craig Montgomery. His Craig was best with Finn Carter's Sierra and is likely Craig's best pairing period.

-Margo pulling Casey off life support.

-Jack and Carly in Teague's cabin.



I know there are plenty more, but it's hard to get them all when a show has a decades long history. Luckily (and hopefully), these will all live on via the wonder that is YouTube.

Winter Fashion 2009: Vineyard Vines

I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving. Here at Casa Château LeBarron, we're already decorating for Christmas! Now that the holiday season has officially started, why not kick it off with some winter fashions? The good folks over at Vineyard Vines are ready to indulge us. Just take a look at some of their promotional materials...










So cute.


Disclaimer: I'm still reeling from all the turkey I've consumed over the last few days (not to mention bogged down in preparations for finals), so I'm feeling a bit uninspired. I'll let you create your own commentary. Here are a few templates to get you started:

I [emotion] this [noun].

The [noun] of this [noun] is [adjective].

What a [adverb] [verb] [noun] [punctuation]

[ARGYLE!] I kid, I kid. This is an argyle-free post.



Now let's see what Shep and Ian are offering this winter.



Waffle Scoopneck






Slopeside Sweater




Cashmere Cable Kelly Street Sweater




First Class Cardigan




Sea Island Cardigan






Cozy Knit Cable Turtleneck






Berkshire Plaid Cashmere Murray Shirt






Wool Cashmere Cableknit Crewneck Sweater




Fair Isle Crewneck Sweater






Corduroy Dress Pants




3-Button Herringbone Sport Coat




Boys Compass Long-Sleeve Graphic T






Boys Fair Isle Sweater




Boys Shep Shirt




Girls Perfect T-Neck




Girls Ruffled Cardigan




Girls Tea Party Cardigan




Girls Clipper Sweater Dress





Now that's a nice start to the holidays!

A Taste of What's To Come

I have a ton of tests, projects, and other assignments for school coming up so new posts will be slow (read: nonexistent) for about a week and a half or so. In that case, to tide you over, here's a preview for my next post (I'm planning on doing Vineyard Vines):

Do You Believe in Redemption?

Sorry about the lack of posts lately. School has started again and I just had LASIK surgery, so I have been busy and then incapacitated (sort of). I will get back to the reguarly scheduled fashion posts as soon as possible (read: whenever I stop being lazy and get around to it).

Since my doctor forbade me from doing anything exciting for the weekend, I've been doing nearly nothing except listening/watching the coverage on Teddy Kennedy. Being of a younger generation, I wasn't exactly privy to the intimate details of lives of the Kennedys the way my mother and grandmother apparently are. But thanks to this weekend, I now know more than I ever needed/wanted to about the Kennedy family. I mean, I knew the family was known for its tragedies (JFK, RFK, Chappaquiddick, JFK Jr.), but I didn't know about Teddy's oldest brother who died in WWII, sister who suffered from a mental disability, his plane crash, role in the lives of Jack and Bobby's children, child stricken with bone cancer, divorce from a woman who battled with alcoholism, and failed presidential bid among other personal and family tragedies. I have a new appreciation for the theory of the "Kennedy curse." I can't imagine the enormous pressure he must have been under to not only live up to the expectations of his family, but, despite being the youngest child of Joe and Rose Kennedy, to act as it's de facto patriarch. It gave me a new perspective on the man. While he certainly wasn't perfect, he was most certainly human. Even though there are those who believe his mistakes rendered him beyond redemption, I think it is a testament to his character that he never stopped trying to find it. He made mistakes, and as tragic and devastating as their consequences were, he seemed to take upon himself the burden of atoning for them when lesser men would just make excuses. And while I certainly don't condone his actions at Chappaquiddick, I do admire his personal and public struggle for redemption.

For me, the most touching moment of the remembrance of Ted Kennedy was the eulogy given by his son Edward M. Kennedy, Jr. Sometimes I wonder if I have a heart of stone, but even I was choked up by this incredibly moving speech. The image of a 12-year-old Teddy Jr., whose leg was amputated due to bone cancer, being aided up a snow-covered hill by his encouraging father is both heartwrenching and heartwarming.

So, we say good-bye to Teddy Kennedy, a dutiful public servant who bore the burden of the Kennedy expectations and tragedies just by virtue of living. Now, he can finally rest in peace.

Now that I've gotten the sentimental stuff out of the way (leave it to me to kill the mood, but I hate to end with such sadness), let's dive head first into the shallow end of the pool. (I know, I know, this entire blog is basically an adventure in being shallow. So sue me!) Who knew young Teddy Kennedy was so attractive?! JFK gets all this attention for being so handsome, but, in my humble opinion, Teddy was the best-looking Kennedy brother. I present the following as visual evidence (as always, click on the images to make them bigger):















Let's all say it together: DAMN!

Yes, I'm Still Alive

Sorry, about the lack of posts this summer, but real life sometimes gets in the way. It's been a rather busy summer! The cruise (way back in May!) was wonderful. To relax and be carefree in the warm Caribbean sun was more than I could ask for after four years of hard work! The cruise started in Puerto Rico, which was just lovely. We spent the night in Old San Juan because we wanted to make sure we didn't miss the boat. It worked out well because our hotel was right in the middle of Old San Juan and we got to shop (Ralph Lauren and Coach outlets, yay!) and look around. We visited the Castillo de San Cristóbal, which was amazing. The first destination on our cruise was St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, followed by Antigua, and Bermuda. We ended in NYC where we stayed for three more days. We managed to fit in three Broadway shows (God bless student rates) and some shopping (of course!). As for the shows, we saw The Little Mermaid, Mary Poppins, and Rock of Ages. (I'm not going to lie, I thought Mary Poppins was kind of weird. But that's probably because I've never seen the Julie Andrews movie. Apparently, I grew up under a rock.) Best of all, Filene's Basement had a wonderful sale (including their Vineyard Vines merchadise). Let's just say my wallet took a hit. Totally worth it.

Then came my cousin's graduation in South Carolina, followed by the family beach trip to my favorite vacation destination: Hilton Head Island. We went to Hilton Head every summer growing up and after a couple alternate destinations (Cape Cod, Europe) the last couple of years, we returned this year with great fanfare (obviously!). We always vacation with my uncle and his family, so it's always a blast with the eight of us (my mom, brother, grandmother, aunt, uncle, and two cousins). We went to the beach and the pool. The boys played some golf while we girls took a day cruise to Savannah, Georgia. It was such a great trip and brought back so many memories, my grandmother bought a place so we can return every summer.

The traveling stopped for a while as I started my first class in graduate school! So that kept me busy for five weeks. But after that my mom, grandmother, and I took a trip out to Minnesota to visit family (my grandparents are originally from Minnesota, so most of our family still lives there) and attend my grandmother's 65th high school reunion! I know, time flies and all.

So now I'm home again, getting ready for the new semester to start. In the meantime, I'm having laser eye surgery in a couple of weeks, so that should be great. And tomorrow we're going to the Carolina Panthers' training camp practice in Spartanburg, South Carolina, with our neighbors.

Now that we're all caught up, I hope to get back to the fashion posts. I've got some topics and pictures, I just need to get around to it.

Fresh From Key Largo!

I have made my triumphant return to my homeland (North Carolina) and I come back a certified scuba diver! Yay! The trip was great. So worth it. And flying over driving? Best decision ever (I know, I know, I've said that before. But I mean it!). Now I'm ready to leave for my cruise! We fly to San Juan tomorrow morning and the boat leaves Sunday. I can't wait, I'm so excited! The only problem is packing. I'm already busting the seams on my suitcase. I still need room for the things I plan to acquire on the trip! Grr! Damn airlines and their stupid paying for checked luggage ridiculousness. Oh, well. I'll keep working on it, I guess.

In other news, I graduated from college. Yes, it finally happened and, no, I'm still not sure about it. The graduation was great. Our commencement speaker, Archbishop Desmond Tutu was simultaneously insane and awesome. There were lots of mentions of the basketball championship (speaking of, this is completely unrelated, but totally worth checking out). I'm going to miss it. I just can't fathom my life without school. And lately it's really been starting to hit me that I will not be going to Chapel Hill in the fall. I guess I will technically still be a student since I'm enrolled in a graduate program, but still. It's not the same. We'll see how things go.

I Think I'm Finally Ready To Talk About It

So, it's been over a week since that awful Wednesday evening when Anoop was kicked off America Sucks American Idol. It took a week of bitterness but I think I'm finally OK with it. Still not overly happy because when I think about that damn judge's save, I still get a little rage-y. But I've accepted it and I'm ready to move on. I know, that's what really matters. Anyway, Anoop seems to be taking it extremely well. His interviews have all been gracious and charming. I especially loved this one. It helped kickstart my healing process. So good for him! I hope he does well. Alright, I think that's enough of my melodramatics for now.

I did go to the Clef concert last Saturday. It was really good. Probably the best one I've been to, and I've been to every single one since I was a sophomore. They released their new CD, Twist. It's pretty great. I highly recommend it. You can check out a bunch of their performances on YouTube.

Also, Monday was the last day of classes and I attended the last class of my undergraduate career! So sad. I have one more exam for the semester and then...GRADUATION! I still have mixed feelings. The whole thing has been very bittersweet. I didn't realize when I came to Chapel Hill just how much I would love the town and the university. Well, it's been a great four years.

Now it's time for my cruise!

Final Four Update

Well, I've had plenty of time to recover from my road trip to Detroit for the Final Four. I'm so glad my roommate and I went. It was well worth it. We'll never have an opportunity like that again. And to think we were going to come home after the semi-finals. I know! But the day we were going to leave, we decided we just couldn't. Best decision ever! I know I missed the Franklin Street mob, but being in Ford Field with the team in that moment was priceless. I can rush Franklin Street for any old Duke victory! Anyway, here are a couple of snapshots from the weekend. We even went wine tasting in Canada!