The Secret Garden

Recently I've tried to implement somewhat of a FIFO system on my backlog. That is to say, "first in, first out," which essentially just means that the oldest items in the backlog should be the next ones I attempt to log. I like that I'm semi-seriously pushing myself to do this because it's forcing me to read and watch and play the stuff I've been putting off for years instead of just jumping right into my most recent acquisitions. Unfortunately, the book backlog is front-loaded with all sorts of books I had as a kid (or at least as a young teenager) and we all know just how little I've enjoyed those for the most part. That said, The Secret Garden wasn't half bad. I was especially dreading this one, actually. Not just kid-lit, but little-girl-lit, and little-girl-lit from a hundred years ago to boot. The daunting prospect was enough to make me shudder. But there's actually some decent characterization and story-telling going on here, and that was more or less the best case I could envision going in. My girlfriend claims this is an old favorite of hers, but when she asked me the other night what part I was on, she seemed to have very little memory of the characters or plot. Oh well. Sometimes we remember liking things as kids, but have no recollection of anything else about them, I guess. Like, how many Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles episodes did I see? Easily dozens and possibly a hundred. But if you asked me to summarize the plot of any one of them, the best I could do would be struggling to recall more information about this one episode where Shredder and his baddies rigged a "free pizza" contest so that the turtles would win a booby-trapped pizza prize. Also there were some episodes with aliens (I think) who called themselves the "Dudettes" or something like that. As in, female dudes. Look, clearly, it's hazy. (Did Yogi Berra ever say something like that? He should have.) Wow, that got away from me fast. Anyway, I rarely "grade" things on Back-Blogged, and when I do I try to do so on a curve. ("Considering the genre and the time period..." and so forth.) But in terms of overall enjoyment and entertainment and enrichment, this 23-year-old man in the year 2011 would have to give The Secret Garden something along the lines of a D+. But when the expectation is an F, that's something to be proud of. So, rest easy in that grave, Frances Hodgson Burnett. You've done all right by me. That said, I will never read A Little Princess. Ninja Turtle-loving six-year-old me hated that movie!