Documenting Summer

The summer after my senior year of high school, my two good friends Rebekah and Rebecca decided on a summer-long mission: They were determined to find the best Caesar salad in the greater Aurora area for the best price. So they embarked on this quest with nothing but loose change from their respective summer jobs and moxy.

They had a running written log of their opinions on each place they visited, each salad they consumed -- had it been now instead of then, perhaps they would've shared their knowledge by way of a blog. But it was 1996 and, being the technological dark ages and all, we only had Hello Kitty! notebooks and cool Japanese pens that broke the third time you used them. Apparently, their detailing of each restaurant was extensive, as was the detailing of the ingredients, quality, and overall combined flavor of each salad. I'm not sure if I ever heard the final results of their summer long adventure, but I'm sure they're still hard birds to please when it comes to a salad with creamy dressings, crutons, and Parmesan cheese.

I have my own version of this, which just happens to also coincide with summer. Russ and I just finished the first season of Stargate SG-1, which was awesome sci-fi fun, and are gearing up to begin the whole Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV series, interspersed chronologically with episodes of Angel, Firefly, and Serenity. Before you call me a dork, I need to tell you that it's been claimed by some of the most intelligent writers I know that Buffy is the best written series that's ever been on TV -- and that's a heavy claim, indeed, when up against shows like The Simpsons, Seinfeld, The Sopranos, M*A*S*H, and the X-Files. I'll keep you posted on my own thoughts about Buffy and its place on the medal podium of TV series.

The other thing, besides sci-fi series, that summer means for me is documentaries. I love me a good documentary and summer seems to be the perfect time to catch up on all things weird and wonderful. Documentaries are the film version of creative non-fiction: You can't believe every single detail to be the God-honest truth, but you can relax into the most truthfully entertaining version the creator could muster.

So here is my carefully compiled must-watch documentaries for maximum summer (indoor) enjoyment:

1. Spellbound: I went to the annual Illinois Speech Meet a few times in elementary school, which is nerve-wracking enough. But at least you know exactly what you're going to say going into it. These kids are the definition of graceful as every word in the book (literally) is thrown at them.

2. Riding Giants: I'm a little afraid of ocean waves, so watching people surf 50+ foot waves at beaches like Mavericks almost makes me faint. But it's a thrilling ride nonetheless.

3. Bob Dylan-No Direction Home: Martin Scorsese's documentary is often scattered, but that fits the life and myth of Bob Dylan perfectly. I not only learned about Bob Dylan's 1965 transformation from folkie into electric rocker, but all about the folk movement of the 1950s and 60s.

4. Ken Burns' Civil War: I was just eleven when I saw this for the first time and I've been a fan ever since. Back in the day, I hoped to marry a man in the mold of Shelby Foote. If you watch this, you'll understand why. Plus, Mary Chestnut was the C.W.'s equivalent to bloggers.

5. Grizzly Man: Was he passionate or mentally ill? The questions are as much fun as watching Timothy Treadwell walk up to an Alaskan Grizzly bear and pet it on the neck.

6. Waiting for Guffman: Not technically a documentary, but for laughs, music, and small-town insights, there's nothing better than hanging out in Stool World and then, heading down to the DQ for a lowfat blizzard.

7. Supersize Me: I'm not a "DIE MCDONALD'S!" sort of gal, but watching this guy gain 30 pounds and huff his way up three flights of stairs is pretty sobering. Keep veggies on hand while watching to counter any nausea.

8. Bowling for Columbine: No matter what you think of Michael Moore, this is a compelling look at gun usage in America.

9. Andy Goldsworthy-Rivers and Tides: This is a quiet documentary, almost a meditation, but also a fantastic insight into the life, inspiration, and projects of an outdoor sculptor.

10. Touching the Void: A mix of actors and documentary, this one is full of tragedy and lives on the brink of loss up in the Andes. Russ and I sat on the edge of the couch while watching this one.

Honorable Mentions: Dogtown and Z-boys, The Gods Must be Crazy, Ken Burns' Jazz, This is Spinal Tap

In my soon-to-be viewed queue: An Inconvenient Truth, Wordplay, Who Killed the Electric Car?, K.B.'s Baseball, Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, Rize, Trekkies, Unknown White Male, Murderball, Born into Brothels, Dig!, The Blues, and Fred Rogers: America's Favorite Neighbor.

Enjoy.