I’m just kind of psychologically preparing for the onslaught of programming that’s about to come my way. Over the summer, while I’ve often struggled to come up with things to blog about, I’ve also enjoyed my time untethered from the television. With no Grey’s Anatomy to catch up on or Eli Stone to play in the background, I’ve been able to live life again (and my liver is not happy with me).

However, the autumnal chill finally hit today and now I realize that next week we’ll all be privy to the endless romantic sagas of Seattle Grace Hospital. From the anxiety of our favorite charisma vacuum Meredith Grey to the newfound lesbionic urges of Drs. Torres and Hahn, we’ve got a lot of melodrama to plod through.

But for this season, I really don’t know if I can dignify Grey’s Anatomy with a well thought-out blog post on a semi-regular basis. I mean, I love that TiFaux can often serve as a bridge between high and low culture — whenever anybody does that, it’s my favorite — but it’s hard to critically examine a soap opera of this nature when you kind of hate all the characters and the plotlines have been spinning and weaving for ages.

How do you seriously address this?

On that note, my coverage of Grey’s Anatomy this season will be exclusively in LOLGreys. Perhaps I’ll be inspired to do a few one-offs based on real opinions I feel the urge to thrust upon the Internet, but I generally think that gramatically incorrect, childlike ruminations superimposed on dramatic photographs will suffice.

Like this:

Back in the day, when TiFaux was just a mere bloglet, we thought about having Gaywatch as regular feature on the blog. However, instead of ghettoizing (<– you like that?) the gayness into a weekly feature we’ve managed to ingrain it in TiFaux’s identity. It’s a part of who we (er… I) are, in addition to the gentle sarcasm and mild cultural elitism. However, there are a few homo-pertininent items that I wanted to bring to your attention.

First up, an outing! If you watch Brothers and Sisters, you may know that the gay brother (who is played by a straight actor) is dating some other gay dude. Well, the other gay dude has just come out. His name is Luke MacFarlane and, well, he’s not a homely fellow.

I wish I had something to say about this other than “Rowr, mother may I?” I guess it’s just kind of funny that I’m sure he has gotten the compliment somewhere of how brave it was to play a gay man.

In other news, Grey’s Anatomy is going to have a plotline about two gay soldiers and there will be a hyped-up kiss between the two characters. The funny thing is that one of the characters will be played by a Road Rules alum named Dave. For the record, he’s kind of dreamy as well in a more boyish way.

Rahr.

Recently (or, more likely, not so recently), pop culture has revealed the concept of the “cougar.” It’s a pretty ugly term, really, if you ask me.

It refers to a woman Of A Certain Age who has a notably voracious sexual appetite for the young mens. Perhaps it has something to do with the rising number of aging leading ladies, or perhaps it has something to do with the rejection of the notion that women can’t age as gracefully as men and retain all the same sexual appetites.

I don’t know — gender studies weren’t/aren’t on my area of expertise. Suffice it to say, a cougar is a lady who is pre-menopausal, post-wild-oats-sewing, empowered and confident. Think Kim Catrall on Sex and the City.

On that note, let’s have a dumb survey. Who’s your favorite TV cougar? (Needless to say, I’m feeling sick and can’t think very straight — you’ll have to let this post slide)

• Jan (The Office) - Not to make this the week of Jan, but she has made her love of her ex-assistant Hunter quite explicit. In a creepy way, to be sure.
• Katherine (Desperate Housewives) - This week, we learned that the character played by Dana Delaney was actually banging Teri Hatchers’ character’s teenage cousin ten years ago. She’s not necessarily the most likable character, but she’s got great hair and no shortage of sass.
• Addison (Private Practice) - I gave up on this show almost simultaneously as it began, but I do know that she had a superficial thing going for the guy who played Piz on Veronica Mars (remember that gross ogling scene on the backdoor pilot for Private Practice? Read that post, it’s much better than this one).
• Samantha (Sex and the City) - The cougar icon.
• One of the dames from Cashmere Mafia/Lipstick Jungle - From what I understand, these shows are chock full of ‘em.

• Fans of As the World Turns are angry writers didn’t gay it up enough
• E! Kristin has spoilers for Heroes and Grey’s Anatomy
• An interview with Growing Pains’ Tracy Gold
• ABC to make a High School Musical reality show
• Viewers thumb their noses at critics and watch Oprah’s Big Give
• If Dan and I were to have a baby it would probably be a video game based on Dexter. In somewhat related news, The Wire’s Dukie likes Dexter
• CW renews a bunch of shows including Gossip Girl
• FCC Okays Nudity On TV If It’s Alyson Hannigan (The Onion)
• Nerd Alert! Buffy Season 8 issue 12 comes out this week
• If Rudy Giuliani stayed in the race, his political ads might start looking like this musical from UK show Skins

I like things that are bright.

• They’ve chosen a lucky lady to be the new Bachelorette.
• Grey’s Anatomy’s Justin Chambers could have nearly high-fived Britney on her way into the treatment center.
• Naveen Andrews talks Lost.
• Calm yourselves. The Bionic Woman is coming to DVD.
• Star Jones is once again out of the job.
• The folks from The New Adventures of Old Christine seem nice.
• The WGA won’t picket the CBS investor meeting.
• New York Magazine pits Cashmere Mafia and Lipstick Jungle against each other.
• Tyler Florence continues to torment me with his heterosexuality. He and his wife are expecting a second child.

You guys, he may seem nice, but he’s crazy. I’m not talking about Obama.

• People interviews the latest Project Runway castoff.
• The WGA yelled at Jay Leno for breaking its rules.
• There’s going to be another season of The Two Coreys. Because I guess the first one already aired.
• TV Guide has a guide of what to watch during the strike.
• Zoey 101 hasn’t been canceled because of you-know-who’s fetus.
• Law and Order is going to London.
• TV Guide talks to The Wire’s Clark Peters and new show host Carson Kressley.
• Noah from Heroes defends the show’s second season.
• Nick Hornby interviews the creator of The Wire.
• Wallace Shawn surrounded by lesbians.
• MTV is going to air another Gauntlet. I will not watch.
• E-Kristin has scoop on the last pre-strike episode of Grey’s.
• Survivor’s cast has been announced and it includes fan favorites Cirie and Yau-Man.
• Nate Berkus will host Oprah’s Big Give.

I haven’t had Mexican in forever. This must change.

• First and foremost, Jack from Project Runway talks about his sudden departure.
• Hypeful counts down the year’s top ten musical moments.
• Like Christmas with the creepy uncle, Isaiah Washington is picketing with the Grey’s Anatomy cast.
• Reno 911 will be back in January with Christina Applegate and Seth Green.
• In more questionable decision-making, Will Arnett will voice KITT in the Knight Rider movie.
• Strikers want the WGA to get back to the bargaining table.
• Will there even be upfronts next year?
• Keifer is a popular prisoner.
• Israel will have its own Survivor.
• Watch clips from the next season of The Tudors on YouTube.
• Colombians don’t like the American Ugly Betty.

I’m pretty sure indie superstars Rilo Kiley have been on Grey’s Anatomy before — possibly multiple times.

But I heard them play my favorite song off their okay-ish new album* the other week and it made me happy. The song is called Breakin’ Up (on this show, we can only wish) and is fit for a disco queen. In any case, this is just an excuse to post a clip of Jenny Lewis and company performing the song live on MTVU.

It’s not Jenny’s best vocal performance, but she does rock the cowbell and white tights. She does get some help from some awesome backing singers, though.**

*it’s pretty good, don’t get me wrong, but I don’t know if they’ll give us another The Execution of All Things

**I love footnotes!

If you ever go to Portugal, know that ‘polvo’ means octopus, not chicken. I learned this the hard way.

• I Am a TV Junkie is devoting today to all things Tyra Banks-related.
• Katherine Heigl admits that the George-Izzie things was a baffling ratings ploy.
• The Go Fug Yourself gals give fashion kudos to one Kristen Bell.
• February will see a new edition of Big Brother airing seventy times per week.
• House would have a “very sarcastic” musical episode. Not that it’s going to happen, though.
• NBC’s new midseason schedule has 1 vs. 100 and The Biggest Loser. Instead of, you know, actual shows.
• Win one of Jamie Bamber’s used towels. If you’re disgusting.
• Buy a Friday Night Lights “crucifictorious” shirt.
• Jason Sudeikis has a big ole interview all week on The Apiary.
• John from Cincinnati will hit DVD in March.