Angela Martin

Pam Beesley

Pam's Best Moment: Season Seven, Episode Two: Counseling

When and how she interacts with everyone in the office to get her Office Administrator Job--it's not the most moral but it does show that she would be good and knows the office well.

Michael just signs, because it's Pam, 

She acts out a sex-story to Meredith,

Plays with Angela’s cat,

Discusses decorative changes Darryl was inspired by from tv shows.

Pam's Worst Moment: Season Five, Episode Ten: The Surplus When she throws out the tiramisu Jim brought her because he wouldn't take her side in the chairs v. copier debate.

Pam's Best Line: Season Nine, Episode Sixteen: Moving On When she lives mid-day to interview for a job in Philadelphia and Andy asks her where she's going she just replies:

“Not on a three-month boat trip.”

Pam's Most Memorable Moment: Season Five, Episode Nineteen: Golden Ticket When going through Michael's list of prepared reasons for skirting a phone call (being at the civil rights rally, stopping a fight in the parking lot, an Obama fashion show, having a colonoscopy) and that's she's saving that Michael is “trapped in an oil painting”.

“Public libraries are such important, lovely places!” Yes but do you GO there. Do you STUDY there. Do you meet friends and get coffee there. Do you borrow the FREE, ZERO SUBSCRIPTION, ZERO TRACKING books, audiobooks, ebooks, and films. Have you checked out their events and schemes. Do you sign up for the low cost courses in ASL or knitting or programming or writing your CV that they probably run. Do you know they probably have myriad of schemes to help low income families. Do you hire their low cost rooms if you need them. Have you joined their social groups. Do you use the FREE COMPUTERS. Do you even know what your library is trying to offer you. Listen, the library shouldn’t just exist for you as a nice idea. That’s why more libraries shut every year

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore

20Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore

An important and crucial character, Dumbledore was to us as he was to Harry, a role model, with whom we learned more about character, personal growth and the complexities of human nature than we would’ve learned from him about Transfiguration (had we known him as a Professor and not Headmaster).While Dumbledore had his reasons, our journey with him thru the final book held the most important lessons he could have and I feel should have bestowed upon us. While difficult, by being ashamed we lost out on his wisdom on the loss and guilt of his sister and brother, the complexities of choosing the right path as when Voldemort chose the wrong path, and of course his relationship with Gellert Grindewald. Thru Dumbledore, we see and are shown how our idols, and more importantly our parents, are human and as such, perfectly, imperfect

On the other side, we also learn about how one can be powerful, important but also still childlike as we saw with his obsession with sweets and socks (regardless of what he might have really seen in the Mirror of Erised).This is important because as we age we lose some of our sense of wonder, and are told we must always be mature and un-childlike.

Throughout the series Dumbledore also bestowed wisdom with many fabulous quotes; here are some of the ones that have always stuck out with me

"It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live”

“You will find that help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it”

“Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light”

"It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends"

"We must all face the choice between what is right, and what is easy"

"Do not pity the dead, Harry. Pity the living and above all, those who live without love"

One I believe is a nod from JK about Harry Potter and the world she created for us

"Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?"

Here, Harry Potter is comforted by Dumbledore about his journey during the seventh book, his life so far, his relationships with others, answers to some of his most crucial questions and who he wants to be if he chooses to live.  

So thank you JK Rowling for giving us a man from whom we learned so much, and were able to learn from as we grew up, and grew, with him.

Dobby, the Great House Elf

In the beginning, the middle, and I’m sure to his end, had his final moments not been so serious and painful, Dobby could easily be considered very annoying. He wouldn’t listen and didn’t fully think things thru, making things a lot harder and sometimes more dangerous for Harry. But while I would consider him an adult, just with all the pitfalls of hanging out with a toddler, Dobby was fantastic and a great role model for those who are trying to accept themselves.

While at first Dobby loves Harry for being the boy who lived, his admiration for Harry grows more overtime for the simplicity of Harry treating him as an equal, something that Dobby didn’t experience in his life before and wouldn’t experience much in his lifetime at all. Overtime Dobby begins to love and appreciate himself more, becoming someone who stands up to bullies and is always there for his friends but he shows how rough of a battle it is. While he has always wanted his freedom, he wasn’t able to take the 10 galleons a week and weekends off provided by Dumbledore for wages thinking it to be too much, and wasn’t able to easily tell Harry about Umbridge considering she was his temporary master. While we can easily see Dobby’s friendship, loyalty, and equality with Harry Potter, it is the struggle to change and be yourself that is a lesson less shown or seen that we can grasp with Dobby as while Hermione and Luna were always confident with their intelligence and didn’t care for others, Dobby knew who he was and was proud but still struggled, something that is much more common, especially for young kids and teenagers.

Dobby knew what he was worth, was kind and giving, and did what was right—even against his friends. He struggled with his place in the world but knew to really only care about the opinions of those who matter

Charles Minor

Charles’ Best Moment: Season Five, Episode Twenty-Four: Heavy Competition

When he calls Dwight into a private meeting because he see’s Dwight as a good performer and wants to make sure he’s happy, and gives Dwight more responsibility.

Charles’ Worst Moment: Season Five, Episode Twenty-Five: Broke

When he lets him embarrassment and annoyance with Dwight make him not listen to Dwight or question more that the Michael Scott Paper Company is broke.

Charles’ Best Line: Season Five, Episode Twenty-Eight: Company Picnic

When he says to Jim "Must be nice to get a rest from all your rest”

Charles’ Most Memorable Moment: Season Five, Episode Twenty-One: Two Weeks

“I am aware of the effect I have on women”

Cringiest Moments

1.      Season Four, Episode Eleven: Night Out

When after making a joke that Pam nudges Toby about and everyone laughs at, Toby puts his hand on Pam’s leg…for a few seconds..and the room goes quiet, everyone sees and Jim and Pam just stare at the floor while Toby tells everyone he’s moving to Costa Rica and then hops the parking lot fence to leave

 2. Season Five, Episode One: Weight Loss Part One

When Holly stops and yells at Angela for screaming at Kevin and calling him a dummy and then it comes out that Holly “thinks” Kevin is mentally challenged.

 3. Season Nine, Episode Ten: Lice

When Pam’s mom calls and you know it’s going to come out they all got Lice from Pam and not Meredith

 4. Season Five, Episode Twenty-Eight: Company Picnic

For starters, the sketch show just wasn’t good; but watching them go through the different branches that would soon be closed and then going with B…..for Buffalo.

5. Season Eight, Episode Twenty: Welcome Party

When Andy breaks up with Jessica during a bachelorette party, that he crashed.

 6. Season One, Episode Five: Basketball

 When Michael first “stops the game early” between the Warehouse and the Office and gives the win to them, but then changes it under pressure from the warehouse. All because he got tapped on the nose.

 7. Season Two, Episode Four: The Fire

 When a few of the women are playing desert island and with “who would you do” mention Jim, Oscar and Toby. But then the cameras show Kevin is just feet away, hears them, and he even clears his throat.

 8. Season Four, Episode One: Fun Run

 When Michael holds off on letting anyone know how he’s was able to “get to the scene” so fast when Meredith was hit by the car, and explains that he was “in the car” not specifically “the driver”.

 9. Season 2, Episode 2: Sexual Harassment

When Michael tries, and mostly succeeds, in making Phyllis feel better after Packer rips into her. But then goes to far

“You know what I’m afraid of—of getting a boner”

  10.   Season Two, Episode Nineteen: Michael’s Birthday

When Pam make announcements on the loud speaker at the Rite Aid; especially since they’re so bad

Luke this is your Father, come set the dinner table

Jim Halpert, Price check on fabric softener

Cinderella--Grimm

There are a million different ways we can all go into the Disney manipulation, white-washing and ending the loss of the Grimm stories that managed to capture the ‘grandfather tales’ passed down thru generations, previously only spread by word-of-mouth. 

Rook di goo, rook di goo! There's blood in the shoe. The shoe is too tight, This bride is not right! 

But sometimes, the joy of truth is just that it’s funny

Clark Green

Clark’s Best Moment: Season Nine, Episode

When Dwight tells him “ The bubble wrap is the only thing that is stopping his suit from getting wrinkled. These meetings are all about presentation”

And he responds “that’s actually really smart—God, if only there was any other use or situation for that kind of knowledge”

Clark’s Worst Moment: Season Nine, Episode Two: Roy’s Wedding

When he uses Erin’s gullibility to get her to his apartment alone for a “reporting job”

Clark’s Best Line: Season Nine, Episode Eleven: Suit Warehouse)

When describing Jan’s sexual appetite “Women reach their sexual peak at whatever age Jan as last week. I mean, if it was….like making love with a wild animal. But not like a cougar, like you might think.. It was…uh…like a swarm of bees. Bees that just find something wrong with every hotel room”

Clark’s Most Memorable Moment: Season Nine, Episode One: New Guys

When he walks right across the slack rope

Lovely, lively then lament

It’s National Book Month, but while I have been given and introduced to books through school, from friends and family, following reviews online, many of the books I have been able to read because of my local library.

More than ‘just’ books many local libraries also have classes, are a meeting space, have activities for children or other community specific events with some being hosts of local political events or debates. In addition, local public libraries have become a symbol of the shared public space that is not only central to the community but a place you can go that is FREE (separate from taxes of course). Even as the world turns more digital there are certain databases, and historical texts that aren’t being added online or would be difficult to absorb separate from the understanding that staring at a screen 24/7 is bad for you.

Libraries are glorious and should be as much of a necessity as a post office or grocery store for a community but they’re not always appreciated and people commonly undervalue the benefits a good library can bring allowing them to slowly disappear for things that will make a bigger profit.

Public Charge

“It’s hard not to feel like we are turning our backs’ on our own history

If these people are willing to risk their lives

to travel 3,000 miles

and apply for asylum at our borders, we owe it to them to at least look over their application

because at some point

someone

was willing to look at ours.”

That was Hasan Minhaj’s closing of his Netflix show “Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj” Sunday’s episode ”Immigration Enforcement”.  This past Thursday’s holiday of Thanksgiving Day is split by US citizens (natural-born and otherwise) as while it is important to be thankful, it’s also important to note how people came to be in the US and what they did once they arrived. Christopher Columbus’s arrival and the first Thanksgiving is not how it is portrayed to and by children, every year and many have grown to understand the importance for not pretending atrocities of generations past did not occur. Until next week, Tuesday, December 4th, you may make your thoughts, comments, appeals, data contributions and anything else about the amendments to public charge established in May 1999.  The two main parts of the changes are (1) that new immigrants (temporary or permanent) must prove that they will not become a public charge while residing in the US, and (2) any immigrants currently in the US who want or need to change their status or duration of stay will need to show similar proof in order to stay in the US.

My question is why, currently there are programs that immigrants may and may not use and regulations about when certain services may become available to them. Making them stricter or creating a fear as illustrated in the second part of the change doesn’t create a larger problem for current immigrants that already go without, but it will create a problem for the rest of the US population. Lessening the services of food stamps and healthcare access when they are already vulnerable will allow any small issue to become a greater threat. Health and wealth are compounding issues, primary care is preventive care and a few extra dollars to start up and get you settled after a traumatic escape, journey and experience can make all the difference for decades to come. Following the events of this weekend with the beginning of asylum seekers from Honduras, running from the gangs and violence this country stands against makes this even more important and defining. Please understand, they just want what we want. To live, for their children to live and have the best chance of a happy life.

Earlier this year, the Miami Herald spoke to a woman who resides in Florida but whose mother lives in Cuba. Her mother, a 70-year-old woman, doesn’t want to live in the US but uses the Visa to visit her daughter and grandchildren. As her Visa was set to expire she reapplied—but was denied, not only unable to get a new Visa but the six months she had to remain on her current Visa before it expired were then cancelled. There is no reason for this, people who speak, act, look, eat and just are different from you are not out to get you. I know it’s long and a lot to read, but please read thru what you can and share your opinion with our Department of Homeland Security (per a few specific instructions) about the changes overall or to amendments that you believe is what is best.

Public Charge Comment Section and Amendment Changes