You've Got a Friend in Me
I have been frustrated all week because I really wasn't crazy about my last couple of blogs. So thanks for reading and being patient!
I am a night owl. I can literally stay up all night long and I love it. But, it's frustrating when I am truly tired and can't fall asleep. I try reading, but I either get so into the book I don't want to sleep, or it doesn't do anything. Television can sometimes help, though I feel it can cause more damage by stimulation. Benadryl, Alteril, anti-anxiety pills and NyQuil are now literally flowing in my veins…if I had to type my blood, it would be a BACNQ or something. Opera usually helps, I can fall asleep right there during a show. But at home, it's not a sure thing.
A few years ago I was using the TV method and came across Nick at Nite. I can't remember what was on, but something decent enough to stop surfing. A huge part of why I stopped was because there was an immediate nostalgia from my childhood. When I was a kid visiting my grandparents and couldn't sleep they'd let me get into bed with them and we'd watch "Donna Reed," "The Laugh-In" and "Leave it to Beaver" (though I thought the boys were a couple of sissies) and other black and white old school programming. I also think Grandmother and Granddaddy were out of options with ways to distract me from being homesick. Whatever, it worked. I really, really loved "Donna Reed," despite the fact she was practically a Stepford Wife.
Anyway, its kind of become my go-to channel, so to speak. But sometimes, after "Chelsea Lately" I just push the down arrow button on my remote and there it is: a metaphoric warm blanket of love and happy memories. It's not something I do every night, especially since there are no more 1950s do-gooder shows.
I think for a while they played "Roseanne" and "Cheers," which are actually hilarious older shows. Growing up, my dad was so emphatic about disliking Roseanne Barr that it was practically sacrilegious to watch. Seeing as I am supposed to be a grown up, I watched with pleasure. And dammit, that show is FUH-NEE.
It's amazing what can make someone feel old. For instance, "Friends" was on. Uh, that show is not nearly 20 or 30 years ago, as in the case when I was younger. So, having a modern show on such a channel was startling. Clearly the folks at Nick at Nite have been reaching out to a different demographic because there are shows from this century playing! I must admit, I was hesitant about giving it another chance, but there was absolutely nothing else on. So I watched "Friends." I had forgotten how funny and popular it was originally and started reminiscing on my own life. I remember talking about it in Art class with the other three girls at my table while we made our favorite cartoon character's faces with clay.
Everyone loved Rachel. Remember the haircut? Everyone loved Jennifer Aniston; she won an Emmy for that role. I still do, actually. I recall comparing with my own friends which character we were most likely to be like. A guy friend couldn't be more like Chandler Bing with his sarcasm and wit. It's impossible to remember now which friend was which "Friend," but I was convinced I was just like Rachel Greene.
Now, not so much. In fact, not at all. If there is anyone on that show that I "am," it's Phoebe Buffay. What's crazy about watching it now is understanding a couple more of the jokes and how the characters seem very different from 10 years ago. Looking back, I was pretty fixated on Ross and Rachel…a fool for love, I guess. I personally think that Lisa Kudrow should have won the Emmy instead of Jennifer Aniston. Lisa Kudrow is funny and seems completely different from her alter ego.
There is an episode in particular that still has me laughing from the other night. "The One with Joey's New Brain." Ross is playing the bagpipes and says "sing along!" Then Phoebe starts humming with the music, not the words. It just kills me and makes my cheeks hurt.
Watch:
A big part of the show's appeal was the relationships they seemed to have with each other. They were idyllic and healthy for us commoners. I certainly wanted friends like them, who could laugh and practically read each other's minds. How fun to have a game in order to see how well your friends know you, and then find out they really, really do!
It never ceases to amaze me how intoxicating entertainment can be. I can literally lose myself in every movie, book or show I watch. But then I come back down--real people do not hang out at a coffee shop all day, nor do they have cool apartments or clothes. I definitely have no interest in hanging out at a coffee shop. Coffee exacerbates the whole awake-all-night problem.
It does create reflection on the people we choose to keep in our lives and why. Phoebe can say to her friends, "thanks for the invite, but I don't want to," and they don't get angry, she doesn't care nor does she mean to be rude. When we are able to be honest with people, say or do something stupid without being judged or truly having each other's back, we can spot the ones worth keeping.
I am a night owl. I can literally stay up all night long and I love it. But, it's frustrating when I am truly tired and can't fall asleep. I try reading, but I either get so into the book I don't want to sleep, or it doesn't do anything. Television can sometimes help, though I feel it can cause more damage by stimulation. Benadryl, Alteril, anti-anxiety pills and NyQuil are now literally flowing in my veins…if I had to type my blood, it would be a BACNQ or something. Opera usually helps, I can fall asleep right there during a show. But at home, it's not a sure thing.
A few years ago I was using the TV method and came across Nick at Nite. I can't remember what was on, but something decent enough to stop surfing. A huge part of why I stopped was because there was an immediate nostalgia from my childhood. When I was a kid visiting my grandparents and couldn't sleep they'd let me get into bed with them and we'd watch "Donna Reed," "The Laugh-In" and "Leave it to Beaver" (though I thought the boys were a couple of sissies) and other black and white old school programming. I also think Grandmother and Granddaddy were out of options with ways to distract me from being homesick. Whatever, it worked. I really, really loved "Donna Reed," despite the fact she was practically a Stepford Wife.
 |
| I wonder what color her dress is. |
I think for a while they played "Roseanne" and "Cheers," which are actually hilarious older shows. Growing up, my dad was so emphatic about disliking Roseanne Barr that it was practically sacrilegious to watch. Seeing as I am supposed to be a grown up, I watched with pleasure. And dammit, that show is FUH-NEE.
It's amazing what can make someone feel old. For instance, "Friends" was on. Uh, that show is not nearly 20 or 30 years ago, as in the case when I was younger. So, having a modern show on such a channel was startling. Clearly the folks at Nick at Nite have been reaching out to a different demographic because there are shows from this century playing! I must admit, I was hesitant about giving it another chance, but there was absolutely nothing else on. So I watched "Friends." I had forgotten how funny and popular it was originally and started reminiscing on my own life. I remember talking about it in Art class with the other three girls at my table while we made our favorite cartoon character's faces with clay.
Everyone loved Rachel. Remember the haircut? Everyone loved Jennifer Aniston; she won an Emmy for that role. I still do, actually. I recall comparing with my own friends which character we were most likely to be like. A guy friend couldn't be more like Chandler Bing with his sarcasm and wit. It's impossible to remember now which friend was which "Friend," but I was convinced I was just like Rachel Greene.
Now, not so much. In fact, not at all. If there is anyone on that show that I "am," it's Phoebe Buffay. What's crazy about watching it now is understanding a couple more of the jokes and how the characters seem very different from 10 years ago. Looking back, I was pretty fixated on Ross and Rachel…a fool for love, I guess. I personally think that Lisa Kudrow should have won the Emmy instead of Jennifer Aniston. Lisa Kudrow is funny and seems completely different from her alter ego.
There is an episode in particular that still has me laughing from the other night. "The One with Joey's New Brain." Ross is playing the bagpipes and says "sing along!" Then Phoebe starts humming with the music, not the words. It just kills me and makes my cheeks hurt.
Watch:
A big part of the show's appeal was the relationships they seemed to have with each other. They were idyllic and healthy for us commoners. I certainly wanted friends like them, who could laugh and practically read each other's minds. How fun to have a game in order to see how well your friends know you, and then find out they really, really do!
It never ceases to amaze me how intoxicating entertainment can be. I can literally lose myself in every movie, book or show I watch. But then I come back down--real people do not hang out at a coffee shop all day, nor do they have cool apartments or clothes. I definitely have no interest in hanging out at a coffee shop. Coffee exacerbates the whole awake-all-night problem.
It does create reflection on the people we choose to keep in our lives and why. Phoebe can say to her friends, "thanks for the invite, but I don't want to," and they don't get angry, she doesn't care nor does she mean to be rude. When we are able to be honest with people, say or do something stupid without being judged or truly having each other's back, we can spot the ones worth keeping.
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