So earlier this month, I said that I was doing a Buffy Countdown because I want to celebrate the show that changed my life two years ago. It’s hard to believe how much has changed since then. I still feel like the two years after I graduated college were the worst years of my life. I know people like to make fun of the idea of a “quarter life crisis,” but for me, college was my dream. When college was... Read more
Grief takes on different natures as time goes on. When I lost Fr. Keon two years ago, I wasn’t sure how I was going to deal with things. Now, in honor of his talent at telling tall tales, I’m going to write a short fictionalized version of how I met Fr. Keon and how I said goodbye to him. It began on a rainy afternoon in New York City. I was at my usual bus stop, waiting for the 7PM... Read more
It’s not easy for me to pick which episode of Buffy will go in the #2 spot. I reserve my #1 spot for the episode I can watch multiple times and still love no matter what. The #2 spot goes to my favorite season finale. Joss Whedon is amazing at making finales and all the finales to Buffy were great. “Prophecy Girl” was the big finish to a less-than-stellar first season. “Becoming Part 2” is #3 on my list for being... Read more
I love Saint JP2. What can I say about John Paul II that hasn’t already been said? Well, what if I told you that he was a great devotee to St. Louis de Montfort’s Consecration to Jesus Through Mary? The story of John Paul II’s amazing connection with the Blessed Mother doesn’t begin with him, though. It began in Fatima, when Our Lady of Fatima revealed three secrets to the three shepherd children. Two of the secrets were about World War... Read more
I just think…that when it’s all over, it just comes back in flashes, you know? It’s like a kaleidoscope of memories. It just all comes back. But Becoming Part Two? It was the first time that Buffy ripped my heart out and crushed it in front of me. I think part of me know the second I watched this show that this would happen. It’s not really anything the characters said or anything they did. It was the feeling that came... Read more
Okay, so we don’t exactly have auto-drying clothes or flying cars. But as a fan of Back to the Future, I kind of think that there are things in our time that Doc and Marty didn’t see coming. Here’s a short list of things I love about 2015 that didn’t exist in the 80s. (Granted I’m not an 80s kid.) I’m gonna avoid the obvious Obama being President thing because Back to the Future had an African-American mayor. Having a black President... Read more
I. Love. This. Episode. It’s my favorite episode of Season 5 (my fave season) even though it doesn’t involve the Big Bad, because it shows Spike’s backstory, establishes a majorly important theme, and captures the nature of Spike and Buffy’s relationship. If you ever wonder why the heck I ship Spuffy, this is one of the episodes I would show you. The episode starts out with Buffy fighting a really badly dressed 80s vampire. Buffy does her usual snarking but right... Read more
WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS FOR THIS SHOW ENSUE! Also, if you’re a long-time fan of the show, there will be feels. Get tissues. “The Body” is the episode that I wish could’ve won an Emmy. Unlike most of the episodes here, this one is an out-and-out tear-jerking, dramatic episode. There isn’t any musical score in this episode, but to me, this episode didn’t need it. Music was necessary in “Hush” because it basically narrated throughout the silent parts. But this episode... Read more
1) There was a slight delay on my Buffy Countdown due to me coming down with what could either be a sinus infection or the flu. Either way, I was resigned to my room since Friday. I couldn’t update my Buffy countdown until now was because the topic of the episode dealt with death. I’m approaching the death anniversary of a dear friend this week. Grief and loss are not something you want to think about when you’re sick. If all... Read more
Hush is a unique episode in the Buffy lineup. It’s the only episode that was nominated for an Emmy and it feels like a mix of a silent movie and a Doctor Who episode. The episode is written and directed by Joss Whedon and it shows his range as both. Joss Whedon is known for his memorable dialogue and wit, so an episode where the characters are silent for most of the time is seriously different from that. The episode... Read more
Monique Ocampo Writes
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