"Sherlocked"

Upon returning home from my mission, I was one of those "awkward missionaries" that couldn't handle exposure to media. I could only handle watching cartoons with light-hearted and heart-warming stories attached to them, like "The Lego Movie" and "My Little Pony" (don't judge me).

But, for some reason or another, I found myself jumping right back into watching BBC's Sherlock. I have been home for six weeks and it still remains the only non-cartoon TV that I watch. A lot has changed in 18 months, but I find that I am still hooked on this show.

Why is that? That is something I've been trying to figure out. In class we discussed how people watch different types of media to fill certain needs. Why am I so attached to this show? I suppose I can conclude that it fills some of my needs. I'm hoping I don't have a need for violence (though it really doesn't incorporate much violence so I can safely rule that one out). I don't have a need for suspense (because I can't handle any greater amount of uncertainty in my life), or mystery (I'm not a huge fan of that genre) or high-functioning sociopaths shooting snarky comments at me all day.

Or maybe I do.

I've concluded that it's the characters. I. Love. Sherlock and Watson. Their friendship dynamic is incredibly endearing. Though a snarky, practically heartless, high-functioning sociopath, Sherlock has a soft spot for his best and only friend. I love the way they communicate and how their friendship is portrayed. The script, in my opinion, is incredibly brilliant. The actors bring their characters alive. I am so emotionally attached to these characters that I find myself captivated by their stories. That is why I think this show is so incredibly brilliant. It is not just the story line or the complexity of the mysteries presented. It is the brilliant portrayal of the characters that captivates people such as myself.

I'm sure many people, like me, are not afraid to admit that they are "Sherlocked."

What *Does* the Fox Say?

Youtube sensations. "Gangham Style." "Friday." I have always found them intriguing. I am especially intrigued by the success of "What does the Fox say?" which now has hit more than 447,000,000 views. This video first became popular while I was serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Missionaries do not spend any time or energy surfing Youtube, so I was incredibly confused when someone read my name tag and, upon learning that my name was Sister Fox, asked me, "What does the Fox say?" My response? "Umm.....I teach the gospel! Is that what you're asking me?"

 Although I had never seen the video, I still saw the effects of this Youtube sensation everywhere. About 3-4 times *daily* I would hear the question, "What does the Fox say?" Sometimes people even sang it to me. By the end of my mission I was so incredibly curious about this mysterious Youtube sensation that it was the first piece of media I watched upon returning home.

 My reaction: *THIS* is popular?

 Perhaps I had spent too long detached from the media to fully appreciate the humor and music presented in "What does the Fox say?" However, I wasn't too surprised to learn that the video was originally intended to fail and it's popularity was a complete accident. So why did it become popular? How did it speak to millions of people? Why did I get dozens of "likes" on my Facebook status that announced the title of my new blog? Why did my dad, who works for the Church, think it would be funny to hook the video up to giant speakers in his workplace and blast it across the entire floor?

 No idea.

 I have my guesses, though. The song, though perfectly ridiculous, is incredibly repetitive and catchy. It's clean. It's fun and crazy. It gets stuck in your head. The video is weird. Perhaps it helps people escape for a few minutes from a rigid world of stress and high-demand and allows them to embrace their inner spontaneity and extraordinariness that makes life more exciting. What *does* this Fox say? I still don't know why it's popular. What do you say? I guess you'll just have to watch the video.