What Would Buffy Do?

Good grief this has been a busy summer. Trips, rehab, more trips, MOVING . . . which by the way, is the worst thing in the entire world. I am not looking forward to doing it again in 14-ish months when my lease is up. 

But I digress. With all that's been going on this summer, I've neglected my writing, my working out (not great during this bathing-suit heavy time of year) and of course, my blog. Which I will attempt to rectify in the oncoming weeks. 

However, the one thing I haven't neglected is my classic sci-fi TV show watching. My roommates and I have taken a walk down memory lane and started watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer from the beginning. And let me say, it's as wonderful now as it was when my mom insisted I watch it in the 6th grade. 

As my roommates and I hunker down on our couches every few days to blow through a couple episodes, we often find ourselves amused by the moronic high school teens who walk down dark alleys by themselves late at night, only to be attacked by blood-sucking vampires and subsequently rescued by Buffy. 

Which of course makes me think of my idol and Buffy creator Joss Whedon, who began  the series after being disgusted by the "little blonde girl who goes into a dark alley and gets killed in every horror movie. The idea of Buffy was to subvert that idea, that image, and create someone who was a hero where she had always been a victim."

Buffy was certainly a a hero to me. Someone for me to look up to as a young girl . . . and as a fully grown one sixteen years later. And she taught me many important life lessons that I carry with me. Including: 

1. Never face an apocalypse alone. Always bring your two best friends along as backup. 

2. When in doubt, ask a librarian. They know everything. 

3. Never fight the undead without really great shoes. 

4. Caring about others is a strength - not a weakness.  

5. Choose Halloween costumes wisely. Very wisely. 

6. Friends don't let friends turn evil. 

7. And most importantly, you don't have to be a muscular, cape wearing superhero to fight evil or save the day. You can be the petite blond who usually dies in horror movies. Or a nerdy redhead. Or the class clown. Or the stuck-up cheerleader. Or the once-evil-turned-good undead. Or the tweed-wearing librarian. Anyone with the courage to stand up to the darkness can be a hero. 

So thank you Buffy for imparting your wisdom to an impressionable young girl. And when in doubt, always ask . . . What Would Buffy Do?