 I learned a lot in college. One- third of the information I gained at TWU I can include on a resume. The other two- thirds of learning happened outside the classroom. One such "golden nugget" (Thank you M. Richardson.) was picked up in my very own senior housing apartment by my roommate... much to the chagrin of my other roommate. Yes, it was the appreciation of villains. Perhaps Kelly wasn't into Julie and my interest with villains because it came with singing (loudly) to the tune of "Cruella De Vil", for example, often while she was trying to write a paper or study for a test. (Sorry, Kel). I guess I've been thinking about the complexity of villainous characters lately at work. I don't know why. Probably because I've been working a lot so that's where I do a lot of my thinking. But also because there are a lot of changes taking place and I'm meeting new sides to otherwise docile co-workers. Granted most of them are not true villains... they just carry villainous tendencies one might otherwise see in an entertaining form of fiction. One great thing about classics such as Lord Voldemort, Darth Vader, and Ursula is that they know they are villains. They have a mission. They know others will oppose them. And they usually have a catchy theme song. Isn't the passion and panache they carry so admirable? Out of curiosity, I took the "Which Super Villain Are You?" quiz ( http://www.thesuperheroquiz.com/villain/) to reveal that I am 74% Dr. Doom, of the Fantastic Four. However, I don't know how that happened because I did say "no" to the question, "Do you have a horrible scar?" "yes" to the question "Do you love plants and gardening?" and "no" to "are you bald?" Dr. Doom doesn't garden AND he's bald. Beside the picture of Dr. Doom in the "results" section of the quiz is the caption: "Blessed with smarts and power but burdened by vanity." hmmm... Not sure what to make of that yet, but I'm sure my response to "Do you enjoy wearing skintight clothes?" plays a role. Villains are a definite art. Motivation along with their eloquence and twisted psyche make stories interesting. I'm perplexed at an artist's ability to create one and delighted by the plot shifts they provide. One of my favorite villains recently is Miranda Priestly, played by Meryl Streep in "The Devil Wears Prada." Not only does she get away with saying things like, "Move at a glacial pace... You know how that thrills me" she's also got style and knows it. Ficticious villains are great to hate and fun to study. And when I meet the occasional villainous tendency in someone I can't help but apply a theme song. From the infamous, "You're a mean one... Mister Grinch" to the deliciously wordy, "They come flocking to my cauldron crying, "Spells, Ursula please!" And I help them. Yes, I do" I think a theme song makes the everyday villain a little more palatable. | 
