Football is Life: Thoughts on Ted Lasso

Courtesy of The Movie Database

I don't like sports. I watch the Super Bowl for the commercials. I bring books to read at baseball games. So initially, the premise of Ted Lasso did not interest me. I thought it was going to be another sports show. (Just like I thought Remember the Titans was just going to be a football movie and ended up sobbing through most of it.) A bunch of friends kept telling me I needed to watch it though, so I gave it a try. The first episode was decent, but I said I'd watch a couple more just to see where it goes. And then I was hooked! I absolutely love this series and am here to share reasons why you should check it out. I will also be posting my thoughts with spoilers a bit further down (past the trailer), for everyone who loves it as much as I do.

For those of you who haven't experienced the amazingness that is Ted Lasso, here are some compelling reasons:

1. As referenced above, you don't need to be into sports to enjoy this show. 

2. There are some aspects that fans of chick lit and rom coms will enjoy, such as the situations involving the female lead characters.

3. Roy Kent. That's all I need to say. ;) 

4. Lots of pop culture references throughout. Most will appeal to a Gen X crowd, however. Some of these references are from musicals. This is, by far, one of my favorites. (I can't listen to "Right Hand Man" now without thinking of it.)

5. It is SO funny! Lots of hilarious lines and moments. 

6. There's an emphasis on mental health and it's handled really well. 

7. Like most good shows, there a lot of inside jokes that you'll appreciate once you've watched. 

8. It won some important Emmy awards, such as Outstanding Supporting Actor and Actress (Comedy), Outstanding Lead Actor (Comedy), and Outstanding Comedy Series!

If anything from the above list intrigues you, then check out this trailer. 

(Do not go beyond the trailer if you don't want to see spoilers.)

My thoughts on Ted Lasso:

I don't even know where I should begin. Perhaps I could share what really kept me watching. It was at the end of the second episode, where we see Ted baking the mystery biscuits and putting them into the little pink boxes. It was just so sweet and genuine and I knew I had to keep watching after that. There have been many more great moments since that one!

I just love so much about this show, from the characters to the situations to the pop culture references, and beyond. My thoughts will probably end up being random and all over the place, so just bear with me!

Thoughts on the characters:

It's hard to play favorites with the characters because they're all so great, but I definitely have a soft spot for Roy Kent. I'll elaborate on this more soon. I'm also sharing my thoughts on most of the main characters.

Ted: Given that he's the main character of the show, you'd think he'd be likable. And you'd be correct in that assumption! Ted is a lot of fun to watch, with his enthusiasm, funny sayings, inspirational quotes, pop culture references, kindness, etc. There are more layers to Ted than just what you see in the very beginning. The emphasis on mental health I mentioned earlier? That has to do with his panic attacks, resistance to therapy, and everything that came before that all happened. All in all, Ted is a good person to have on your side anytime! Also, he does a great Carlton dance (from Fresh Prince).

Side note: My husband does a really good Ted Lasso impression. :)

Coach Beard: Even before his epic "after hours" experience, I've liked Coach Beard. He tells it like it is and he's so quirky and fun to watch. I love his interactions with Ted and also how he calls Nate out on his behavior. He has such great lines, even though he doesn't talk nearly as much as Ted. 

Side note: Brendan Hunt is a fellow Redbird. He graduated from Illinois State a few years before I did, so our paths technically could have crossed when we were there at the same time. (My roommate did a lot of theater and I'd go to her shows, as well as other theater performances.) However, I didn't start going to Theater of Ted until after Brendan graduated. I'm glad he started this program though, as it brings back some fun memories for me. He also mentioned in the article that Theater Fest is what sealed the deal for him in terms of going to ISU. I went to Theater Fest at ISU in 1994, after I had already been accepted at the school. That visit sealed the deal for me though. (And I didn't even major in theater.)

Keeley: Keeley Jones is one of the chick lit elements of the show that I referenced earlier. She's fun and fierce and says what's on her mind, no matter how bizarre it sounds. She's also a fan of Sex and the City, which earns her even more points. I also wouldn't mind being her since she gets to be with Roy. ;) 

Side note: I only knew Juno Temple as one of the fairies from Maleficent, but I enjoyed seeing what else she is capable of.

Rebecca: It took me a bit longer to warm to Rebecca after hearing about her plans to use Ted in order to take down AFC Richmond as an act of spite toward her ex-husband. Then we get to the fourth episode with the gala and suddenly I get why she wants to do that and I also see this new vulnerable side of her and I'm now #TeamRebecca. When we get to "Make Rebecca Great Again" (not liking the title, but the episode was fabulous) and get to hear her beautiful singing voice, as well as see how kind she is to Ted when he has a panic attack, I envy Keeley for getting to be her best friend. I just wish she got to do something meta and follow Nate around with a bell saying "shame." (And I don't even watch Game of Thrones.)

Side note: I recently watched this conversation between Hannah Waddingham (Rebecca) and Juno Temple and it's delightful! I love their friendship on the show and how they elevate and support each other. 

Other side note: I don't agree with shipping Ted and Rebecca. I felt the same way about Penelope and Schneider on One Day at a Time. They are meant to be just friends, in both cases.

Ted Lasso Keeley Jones GIFfrom Ted Lasso GIFs

Roy Kent: "He's here. He's there. He's every f-ckin' where!" As he should be. The only exception is the Coach Beard episode. When I first saw Roy Kent, I thought he was just going to be this angry guy who was always annoyed with Ted. Then something flipped and I don't know when that happened. Maybe when he was trying to get Jamie to stop bullying Nate? Maybe it was seeing him dressed up for the gala? Whatever it was, I became all about Roy. I especially love him at the beginning of season two, when he tells Rebecca "don't you dare settle for fine." He's just so swoon-worthy and his growl is everything. Brett Goldstein plays this role to perfection and I'm thrilled that he won an Emmy for it. 

Side note: Brett Goldstein likes Grease 2, which earns him even more points with me!

Ted Lasso Roy Kent GIFfrom Ted Lasso GIFs

Jamie Tartt: I originally thought he was going to be the guy on the show that everyone crushes on, but he ruined that for himself in season one with his attitude. Although I did find it amusing that everyone was singing about him to the tune of "Baby Shark." I liked how he changed in season two, but not enough to sway me from Roy. I'm just glad he's becoming more of a team player and owning up to his actions. I love the unexpected scenes between him and Roy, such as when Roy hugs him in a very emotional scene in "Man City" and in the season two finale, when they are celebrating together on the field. 

Nate: Nate was totally likable in season one. Even when he was blunt about how everyone on the team was playing. It did help the team in the Liverpool game though. And I was happy to the point of tears when he got promoted to an assistant coach position. And even in the first half of season two, he was still pretty likable. However, once fame went to his head, things went downhill really fast. I was really mad at him after that. First, he berated Colin. Then he was a jerk to Will. I was furious when he told Trent about Ted's panic attack. And I was even more disgusted when he unleashed all his fury on Ted in the season finale. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you. I get that he has some issues with his dad, but he should have talked to Dr. Sharon when he had the chance, instead of taking it out on Ted. It also hurt my heart to see the "Believe" sign torn in half because it was obvious that he did that. 

Side note: I had a dream about Nate a few weeks ago. I was giving him advice on how to stand up to his dad and hugging him as a show of support. Why couldn't I have a dream about Roy?!? At least Nate was nice in the dream, but still...

Higgins: I really like how genuine Higgins is throughout the series. He's willing to give up his office for the team's therapist, even if that means being crouched at a small table. I love his relationship with his wife. It reminds me of my relationship with my husband. I also love the names he gives pets, like Cindy Clawford or Macy Grayhound (and Tina Feyhound). He could give Karen from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend a run for her money when it comes to naming pets. He's just fun and full of surprises. 

Dr. Sharon: She was another one I had to warm to, but I think it was because she was so cold toward Ted when she first arrived. As she started to thaw toward him, I started to thaw toward her. I really liked her friendship with Ted and how she could still keep things on a professional level when it came down to what he really needed from her. I also love the way she talks. Her voice is soothing to listen to. I just really want to know what she said in her letter to Ted.

Dani Rojas: I love his enthusiasm for the sport and just love watching him in general. In fact, I love everything he says. Even though I felt bad for him when his shoes hurt, he did such a great job in those scenes. 

Sam: Like he said, he's only going to get more wonderful and I fully believe it. I am interested in seeing where his story will go in season three. It looks like he's going to own a restaurant. I just hope he doesn't give Nate the window table...

Favorite secondary characters (characters who have smaller roles but still stand out):

Phoebe: Roy's niece steals every scene she is in. I love how she keeps a tally of how much he owes her for swearing. It was also sweet what she said about him when Keeley told her to close her eyes and say what she thinks of him. 

Sassy: Rebecca's best friend needs more time on screen. She's so much fun. I love what she said to Rupert at Rebecca's dad's funeral. 

Trent Crimm: Another character it took me a while to warm to, but then when he and Ted had their day together and he wrote that nice article, I started to like him more.

Mae: The pub owner is hilarious and I love everything she says and does.

Baz, Paul, and Jeremy: These Richmond fans enhance the show and I especially enjoyed how they had the night out with Coach Beard. 

Colin: I hope he gets more face time next season. I enjoy watching him.

Top Five Favorite Episodes:

For the Children: The first time we get to see everyone in a different setting and how they interact. We also learn why Rebecca wants to ruin things for Rupert.

Make Rebecca Great Again: Another episode that's in a new setting, and when we first meet Sassy. We also learn about one of Keeley's past jobs.

Rainbow: Rom-communism. That's all I need to say about this episode.

Side note: I wasn't familiar with the song "She's a Rainbow" and then I heard it in Cruella a week or so later and was all excited to recognize it.

Headspace: I like the way this episode played out, especially the scenes with Roy and Keeley. We also start seeing Nate's dark side. 

No Weddings and a Funeral: Really well done, including the way Ted and Rebecca share their horrible experiences at the same time. There was a good balance of sadness and humor throughout.

I also loved the Christmas episode, of course!

Favorite moments (funny and/or heartwarming):

* Led Tasso. I just found this so amusing...that Ted became a different person when he changed the letters in his name. 

* Roy and Keeley's reactions to Phoebe's bad breath. Actually, most of the scenes involving Phoebe were cute and funny, but this one took the cake.

* The first time Ted tries sparkling water and spits it everywhere.

* Mae explaining to Ted what a wanker is. 

* Most scenes involving Coach Beard. I love when he sings karaoke though. 

* How inappropriately enthusiastic Rebecca, Keeley, and Sassy were being at the funeral, like when they were screaming and laughing together. 

*Akufo's reaction to Sam turning his offer down.

* Isaac giving Sam one of his legendary haircuts while the whole team watches.

* Everyone Rick Rolling at the funeral. 

* Roy: "You had me at coach."

* Anytime Roy does something romantic for Keeley.

* Roy hugging Jamie after that awful scene with Jamie's dad.

* Ted eating the spicy food to make his friend happy.

* The first Diamond Dogs meeting, where they establish that will be their name.

* When Ted beats Rupert at the darts game.

* When Roy is on Soccer Saturday and he lets his opinion be known, including all his usual swearing.

* When Rebecca helps Ted through his panic attack. 

Pop culture references:

This show is rife with pop culture references, as mentioned earlier. Too many to even keep track of and usually said through Ted's dialogue. Here's a bunch off the top of my head:

* "Ronald Reagan, the actor?!?" (Referring to a line from Back to the Future.)

* "Here's the unskinny bop." 

* "S'wonderful." 

* The Wizard of Oz pinball machine.

* Dr. Sharon singing "Tonight" from West Side Story on Ted's voicemail.

* All the romcom movies referenced in "Rainbow." 

* The Magnolia reference and then hearing "Wise Up" later in the episode.

* Sex and the City (including scenes from one of the episodes)

* Stepbrothers

* The Love, Actually scene in the Christmas episode

* The movie After Hours, which I had never heard of until after seeing the Coach Beard episode.

* A Wrinkle in Time

* The Carlton

* Smurfs

* John Stamos 

* Cheers (and Night Court, for that matter)

* H.R. Pufnstuf

* Reba McEntire

* "I Wanna Sex You Up." (I haven't heard that song in ages.)

* Toy Story

Overall, I just really, really, really love this show. I didn't even know I'd become as obsessed as I currently am. I'm glad to talk about it with anyone at any time! 

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Degrassi TNG seasons 13 and 14

Photo courtesy of TVLine

If you're reading this post, it means I have finished watching all fourteen seasons of Degrassi: The Next Generation. This show has become a lifeline for me during the pandemic and I couldn't get enough of it. I got my friend hooked on it, so thankfully I can relive past seasons vicariously through her. (I'm so excited about who she has yet to meet!) I feel so connected to the characters, even though they are in high school. I've even had dreams about some of them! So much has happened to each one that I was worried the school was cursed or something. No one could avoid having at least one bad thing happen to them during their time at Degrassi. I loved all the drama on the show. It was better than a soap opera! I even found myself reeling after some episodes that had big game changers. I'm so thankful I had the opportunity to watch Degrassi: The Next Generation and I definitely plan to watch Next Class soon.

I recently watched It Goes There: Degrassi's Most Talked About Moments after finishing the series. It's definitely worth checking out! It was also nice to see some of the cast looking all grown up. 

I'm listing some favorites below. I'm not explaining why for the overall series, as you will have seen in past posts why they were chosen throughout the time I was watching.

Top five favorite guys from the series:

1. Marco

2. J.T. 

3. Eli

4. Adam

5. Sav

Top five favorite girls from the series:

1. Holly J.

2. Fiona

3. Ellie

4. Jane

5. Imogen

Favorite characters from these past two seasons:

1. Zig: At first, I found him annoying and then I didn't like what he was doing with his life. That all changed when he moved into Maya's house and started softening up a bit. I hope to see more of him in Next Class.

2. Becky: Originally, I couldn't stand her when she quit working on the show for homophobic reasons. Then she fell in love with Adam and changed so much as a result. Sticking up for Zoe, even though it meant getting her brother into huge trouble, sealed the deal for me. She's not the same person that she was at the beginning of season twelve and I ended up liking her a lot. 

3. Tristan: I first thought he was over the top in terms of his personality, but then he grew up a bit more and his personality worked on him as he matured. I really like who he is now, even though he enjoys stirring up trouble sometimes. He cracks me up too.

4. Frankie: She's just fun to watch and I can't wait to see what happens for her going forward. Hopefully nothing bad! She has a great singing voice. 

5. Grace: I just like her personality a lot. She doesn't take BS from anyone. She also can be really nice when she wants to. 

Check out my first post about this series.

Check out my thoughts on seasons three and four.

Check out my thoughts on seasons five and six.

Check out my thoughts on seasons seven and eight.

Check out my thoughts on seasons nine and ten.

Check out my thoughts on seasons eleven and twelve.

Season thirteen:

No more long intro! Now I have to guess who some of the new actors are playing. Also surprising that Tori is already off the show. 

I came into the season in the wrong order, thanks to some mistake on YouTube. I then watched the other episodes to catch up to when that episode happens, so it was fun to see how everything fell into place.

If I didn't already love Eli, I do even more now. I feel bad for what Clare has to go through, but I'm glad she has him as her cheerleader. I can't believe he even remotely stepped out on her though. I wonder if their relationship will be okay. Especially now that Clare kissed Drew and is fantasizing about him. I feel bad for Eli that Clare broke up with him, but their relationship was starting to drift. Although it seems like they could get back together again. Yet there's the bombshell for Clare, and I'm guessing it involves Drew....

I think it was a bit demanding of Becky to tell Adam not to hang out with Imogen. I'm annoyed that she got mad at Adam for acting jealous of Todd.

I feel bad for Tristan having to see Miles make out with Zoe. Tristan looks really good this season. And it looks like he might still have potential with Miles...

I don't like Imogen's new glasses. The other ones enhanced her face more. These new ones hide her face a bit.

It was bad enough they killed off JT, but ADAM?!? So, so, so sad! The tribute video and celebration of his life was such a tearjerker. I hope this speaks volumes to anyone considering texting and driving.

It will be interesting to see how things go for Drew this year. They're not starting off too well. I feel bad that Bianca ended things. I'm glad he's trying to be a better president though. I like the chemistry between him and Claire more than I was expecting to. Too bad things went south between them. I hope they can get back to a good place together soon. It looks like they're on that path again. 

I really don't like Zoe. Maybe she'll change like Paige and Holly J. did. I'll give it some time. I hated what she did to Maya over the internet though. I don't see how they will ever become friends, but somehow I also see it happening in the future. I didn't like how she was so manipulative with Drew and then acted like a victim. I do feel bad for her about what happened at the party. I'm glad Luke and the other guy got in trouble for it. I hated how Luke was trying to pull a Brock Turner defense. I love how Drew, Dallas, Miles, and the others were there for Zoe at the end of the episode. I'm also glad she's taking more ownership of her life. I felt bad for her with the whole trial situation. The defense lawyer was awful. How can women do that to each other? 

I'm not sure I trust Leo yet. The arm grabbing sent off Rick vibes. I like that Alli is calling the shots and I hope he is able to change. It's horrible that he beat her up again and I'm glad Alli told the cops on him. I hope he will be deported. I was worried it would get to the point where Alli ended up in the hospital like Teri. I'm so glad she is taking steps to get him out of her life.

Zig changed a lot. I wasn't expecting to see him looking and acting so different. I find his whole bad boy thing really annoying. I thought toward the end of last season, things were better between him and Maya and that there was promise of possibility. 

I'm glad Dallas got his act together. I was getting worried for a while. I love how supportive he's been of Alli with her whole abusive ex-boyfriend situation. I'm so glad Dallas and Alli are finally together. 

Maya and Miles's relationship annoys me sometimes. I guess I'll have to wait and see where things go with that. 

I'm glad Imogen was able to effect change at the school in terms of the dress code. The new girl she's interested in seems cool. I also love her friendship with Becky.

I feel like Maya inviting Zig to stay at her house is asking for trouble. It was lame that Miles tried to pull a Peter move on Zig, but at least he didn't actually frame him for having drugs. I'm kind of enjoying the sexual tension between Maya and Zig. I'm glad he is getting help in order to leave the gang and I was surprised Miles's dad is the one behind all that. I'm glad Zig is starting to get his life back to a good place. I am surprised Vince is back. I thought he was put away for the shooting at prom a while back. 

I am furious on Dallas and Connor's behalves for being racially profiled. The cops should have called Snake and asked if he gave his permission to borrow the car. WTF?!? I'm glad Mike is going to file a complaint. I hope something comes out of it. 

I think Dave is no longer on the series. That's too bad, as I liked him.

I hope the new teacher doesn't try to make a play for Tristan (and I don't mean write a play for him to star in). I guess my hopes were too high. I kind of feel bad for Tristan and also kind of don't. The whole situation was inappropriate and would end up blowing up in someone's face. This is no different from Paige with the student teacher. 

The graphics in Realm of Doom seem sub par for 2014. It was hard to take that game seriously. I'm glad the British guy isn't another situation like Connor had with the older woman or what happened with Darcy and the sexy photos. However, it's kind of sucky that things fizzled out between him and Becky just because she couldn't handle him being in grade nine.

Luke brought the whole house arrest and legal situation on himself. I am so mad at the mom for asking Becky to stick up for him. I'm glad Becky told the truth though, as hard as that was for her to do. 

It's lame that Drew got fired when Mrs. Hollingsworth was the one who acted inappropriately. I'm glad Drew was able to get something out of the situation instead of having to make it a news story.

I really like Imogen and Jack together. So cute! I'm also warming to the idea of Drew and Becky together. 

I love that Zoe was singing "Defying Gravity." She has a good voice. I also liked when she sang the Golden Girls theme with Maya. They have a good harmony.

Season fourteen:

Things are already starting off rocky with Clare's pregnancy. It's sad that it's going to break things apart for her and Eli. I don't blame him for being mad, but he needs to stick with that instead of going back and forth with Clare.

Maya still annoys me for some reason. Maybe it's her constant need to fix things. She needs to get therapy for Cam's suicide. I feel like she never did that.

Miles and Tristan are cute together. I still don't like Miles' dad and I hope his mom will find out about how he gets abusive. I hope Miles gets his act together soon. I was annoyed at him for driving high and then making Maya lie about it. I'm glad Tristan is mad at him.

I like that Becky has become more edgy and less of a little miss sunshine. I don't blame her for being mad at her brother. This new band guy (Jonah) seems intriguing. I like him and Becky together.

I'm sure the nude photo "fundraiser" will blow up in everyone's face soon. I feel bad for Frankie for being ostracized for not going along with it. I also feel bad for Zoe for being blackmailed. I wonder who is behind that. I feel bad for Frankie with how Zoe was treating her without gathering any evidence first. I'm glad Zoe deleted the photo, but it sounds like the situation did bite her in the butt after all.

I feel like Jenna and Connor are suddenly missing from the show. Jenna would be a good person for Clare to talk with about pregnancy and potentially keeping the baby. I'm glad to finally see them back on.

It was nice to see Spinner again, although it's so random that he's suddenly managing The Dot after being away for so long.

I'm glad Mike and Alli are still in a good place with their relationship. I was starting to get worried. 

I'm glad Imogen sorted things out with Jack, but now that we know she's still in the closet with her family, that's another hurdle for their relationship....and it looks like they didn't get past it.

There was a funny coincidence with a current event. On December 1st, Elliot Page came out as transgender. That same night, I was watching an episode where Zoe talks about being in a movie with Elliot's dead name. What are the odds?!?

If I didn't get teary-eyed from the plan to name the baby Adam, finding out that he is really Eli's totally sent me reeling. I hope he will listen to Clare soon. I feel bad for Drew though, but I'm annoyed that Mike told him instead of giving Clare a chance to. I was worried when Eli wouldn't hear what Clare has to say, but I'm glad he found out the truth and that things could become good between them again. I still love them together. 

I'm annoyed that Miles's mom didn't believe him about his dad being abusive. I'm glad Frankie and Hunter helped him stand up to their dad. I'm also glad that Frankie told her dad how much he hurt her. I hope he can do something to repair his relationships and not just throw money at everything. 

I am glad Zoe finally confessed about the Degrassi nudes. I don't feel bad for her for getting consequences, as she's been a mean girl from the very beginning. I hope this makes her a better person. Sounds like she and Miles could get back together.

Clare's dream about Snake was so funny. Also, the facial hair just isn't working for him. Too bad he's no longer principal though.

I'm worried about Zig's whole situation. It's scary that his friend got stabbed and I'm glad he's okay. Scary that Maya's house got robbed. I'm glad Maya and Zig are together now, although the last thing he said before the credits has me worried for them. I hope he doesn't get sucked back into the gang lifestyle. 

So sad about Clare losing the baby. I did not see that coming. I'm glad Eli is helping her through that, even though it affects him too. I can't decide if she's going too far in regards to the video cameras.

I'm so glad Maya and Tristan are friends again! I also hope that things with this new guy work out for Tristan. They seem like they'd be cute together. 

I'm glad Lola told Frankie about the kiss. I feel bad for Frankie, but I think she needed to hear the truth. Hopefully she and Winston can get to a good place again. They were so cute together in the musical and I'm glad they kissed and made up.

The sex stuff on the computer in class was hilarious. Poor Becky! I'm glad she's starting to ask questions though. Being sheltered about sex isn't doing anyone any favors. Too bad about Jonah stealing her money to pay back Vince. It's sad that Becky can no longer trust him.

Where did Clare's stepdad disappear to? Same with Maya's dad and Becky's dad.

I'm glad Zig got everything sorted out with all the gang violence and that he has someone looking out for him and Tiny. I'm also glad he and Damon made up.

I like how Drew helped save the prom and how everyone stood up for him at graduation. I can't stand the new principal. I want Snake to come back! It was nice to see him at graduation though.

I'm glad Clare and Eli sorted things out and that their relationship won't suffer during her gap year. They are meant to have a future together! 

Someone was peeling onions next to me during the tribute to Adam at graduation. 

It was strange to have the summer story at the end of season 14 instead of at the beginning of Next Class. The mystery was interesting though and I kind of guessed who was behind everything after a while. Also nice to see Scott Thompson from Kids in the Hall. Zoe is becoming more likable, but her thing with Grace is totally the same as Paige and Alex. I'm annoyed that the situation caused the end of Frankie's relationship with Winston. Logan wasn't even that cute! Tristan was so funny with his commentary. 

Now that I'm set up for Next Class, it's time to get watching!

It wasn't ALL that bad!

Blog Project 3.0 has been going on for about three years, even though one of the group members changed after a few months. I love blogging with this group and I hope we can continue to inspire each other.

We will be posting bi-weekly as life keeps getting in the way.

I chose this week's topic: I know we all want to "flip the bird" to 2016. However, I thought we should write about good things that have happened in 2016 either in the world or in our personal lives, so that the year doesn't feel like a total waste.

First, read what everyone else had to share on this topic. I will be only posting links to posts on this same topic from my group. So check back if you were hoping to read their blogs and don't see a link yet.

Darwin Shrugged
Froggie
Moma Rock

Let's face it...2016 has been the year to forget. I saw a meme about burning the calendar at the end of the year. There's also a post about how the word of the year has been an extended version of the "F" word. Yeah, THAT bad! I do have to agree to an extent. This past year has robbed us of some great talent, starting with David Bowie and most recently, Florence Henderson. It's also been harrowing in terms of people I care about losing people they love (sometimes children).  I even lost a cousin way before his time should have been up. And a classmate (who is also the husband of one of my friends) getting really sick out of the blue.

Then, of course, there was the election. The one I've dreaded since a certain reality TV host became a nominee. The one that same person somehow won. The one that has made people, including myself, miserable and anxious for the past month.

So what is there to be happy about in 2016? What makes this year less of a complete waste of time? I'm here today to reflect on the good things in the world and in my personal life.

* I turned 40. It's something I had been looking forward to for a while, and I definitely enjoyed the outpouring of love on my big day. I still can't believe I'm 40 sometimes, but am also thankful to have lived this long already.

* The Cubs won the World Series for the first time in 108 years! Being from the Chicago area, it's definitely something to celebrate, as well as bond with friends over.

* Hamilton. Although I haven't seen it yet, it has been one of my saving graces this year. I've become even closer with my kids because of it. I've made new friends as a result of starting a fan group. I've listened to the soundtrack more times than I can count.

* Going on a cruise with my family. It was nice to "escape" for a week and I loved seeing the delight on my kids' faces.

* Taking my kids to NYC. The older two were so little when we were last there together that it was like the first time for them. I loved seeing it through their eyes. I even had some new experiences, like going to Ellis Island, as well as seeing the Statue of Liberty up close. I even ran into a friend from high school at a museum. Only in New York...

* Great TV shows like Stranger Things, Fuller House, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Speechless, The Goldbergs (this is the first year I started watching), Search Party, and, of course, This is Us. Plus, all the shows I've been watching regularly for the past few years.

* Lots of wonderful books to read throughout the year. 2016 felt especially stellar in the good reads department. This is also the year I got into audio books.

* Some good changes at my job that have made it that much more enjoyable for me to work there. (Although some more friends left this year, which is not so good, I'm glad we can still stay in touch.)

* Making some new friends in my community, at work, and online.

So yeah, most of the list was more personal than global, but so be it! I am glad to see 2016 go in less than a month, but have some fond memories of the year to take with me into 2017. I'm just hoping some smart decisions are made in a couple of weeks, so I don't dread the new year!

What made 2016 tolerable for you?

My Kind of Olympics

Remember the blog project I did in 2010 with three other women? Well, Froggie decided to resurrect it with me and we each got to invite another friend to join us. She invited a mutual friend (someone I met through her) and I invited a friend whose blog I really enjoy reading. So now it's Froggie, Mom of Many, Moma Rock and Merrylandgirl. Hope you enjoy the topics that we'll be exploring!

This week, Moma Rock picked the topic: Recap of the Olympics in your own words. What is your favorite event or athlete to watch? If you don't watch, why don't you?

Before reading ahead, first see what everyone else had to say on this topic:
Froggie
Mom of Many
Moma Rock

I'm in the latter category. I've never been interested in the Olympics. I'm not a sports person and I just don't have the time investment to put towards watching. The only shows I've watched all summer are The Glee Project and The Big Bang Theory (in reruns). I also have political reasons for not watching this time. Even though the International Olympic Committee said they're not political, they did something that was really bothersome to a large chunk of the population. I won't go into detail here, but it's bad.

Maybe if these events were brought to the Olympics, I'd watch:

*Musical Theater competition. Nations could write and perform in their own original musical production. Then the judges could rate on music quality, acting, originality, etc. There would be translations available in all languages.

*Comedy competition: Each nation could have a representative to be a comedian and do a five minute stand-up routine. They'd be rated on how much they make the audience laugh. Again, there would be translations available in all languages.

*Storytelling competition: The competitors would be given a classic children's novel, such as "Corduroy" or "The Cat in the Hat" and have to tell it in the most engaging way possible. Scoring would be based on how well they brought the story to life. Same deal with translations as the above two events.

*Housecleaning competition: The competitors would be set up in a house occupied by someone featured on the show "Hoarders." They'd have to clean the entire house from top to bottom in the span of a day. The team who made the most progress would win.

*City scavenger hunt: Teams would be sent to various cities around the world with a set of items to find. The team who found their items first would win. And these would be challenging items too.

*Shopping competition: It would be like that Shop-Til-You-Drop game show. Teams would be released into a huge mall with a budget. They'd have to get the most items and use as much of their budget as possible without going over. The team that had the most items and was closest to the budget limit would win.

*Double Dare obstacle course competition: If you remember the kid's game show Double Dare and all the crazy things they had to do on the obstacle courses at the end of the show, then you'll really like this competition. Whichever team does the whole course in the quickest amount of time will be the winner of this event. Sundae Slide, anyone?!?

Now that's my kind of Olympics...

When a strike is good....

You all probably know by now that I met my husband because of a mutual love for the sport of bowling. However, you probably don’t know much of my history with bowling or why I love it as much as I do to begin with.

When I was little, I would go to watch my dad on his league night. It was a special privilege to stay up late and eat junk food while cheering for him and his teammates. They would teach me different hand symbols for applauding a strike or spare or even sympathizing about a gutter ball. There was always a lot of excitement in the atmosphere and the sound of the many balls hitting the pins offered up a neat rhythm.

I even took bowling lessons when I was about six years old. There was a bowling alley by where I grew up and my dad would take me every Saturday morning. I was part of a very small group learning how to bowl, so it wasn’t too much pressure and I had a lot of fun.

As I grew up, I continued to enjoy the sport and would go bowling often with my family and friends. I also loved the scene in “Grease 2” where they were singing at the bowling alley (even though I thought “Score Tonight” was only about getting a lot of strikes at the time). I always found something comforting about going to a bowling alley, even if I was just there to watch and not participate.

In the fall of 2000, I was dating a guy I later became friends with. He suggested that we join a bowling league together. It was one that met on Sunday mornings (yes, I was not a parent yet and was willing to get up at 8 a.m. on a SUNDAY) for breakfast and a few games each week. We’d also go on bowling dates to get in some practice before the league officially started. When we decided to just become friends, we stayed on as bowling partners for the rest of the season. My dad was thrilled that I was bowling again and we'd go bowling together, as well, for me to get extra practice. I even competed with him in some special parent and (grown) child competition, but I didn't do too well.

When the breakfast league ended, I joined a women’s league through a friend of my mom’s. I felt amateur there and didn’t really have a lot of people to talk to. In the fall of 2001, I asked three of my close girl friends to join a Sunday evening (more ideal) league that offered pizza as part of a package deal. (Twelve dollars for three games and a pizza worked for me.) We had fun bowling together and even made up code names for ourselves. We first used our nicknames and later switched to “Sex and the City” characters, even making shirts for ourselves with our names. We sometimes had other friends who came along offer support. (It was in this league that I had to pre-bowl for Super Bowl Sunday, which was a catalyst in meeting my husband.)

When my husband and I started dating, our first official date was at a bowling alley, where he taught me how to walk with the ball, thus improving my technique and score. He would come to our league nights for support and I’d later go to support him when he joined my dad’s league. We would also continue to go on bowling dates, as there was an alley that did Sunday night “all you could bowl” deals. (You’d think I’d be all bowled out by then.)

On Super Bowl Sunday the year of my wedding, I didn't skip out on league night and instead invited a close friend to bowl with us in place of someone who was going to be away. She then was witness to my first ever score of 200! I think I still saved the score sheet after printing it out.

After I became a mom, I didn't bowl as often as I used to. I think my husband also stopped participating in his league. When we lived in New Jersey, we'd occasionally take the kids bowling. There was a program through AMF where kids got to bowl for free and adults used a family pass to bowl as often as they wanted. The alley that was participating was a little bit out of the way, but we went often during the summer of 2009 with our boys. By the end of the summer, our older son was doing really well, scoring in the 90's. We'd even let our younger son roll the ball and then my husband would help him push it down the lane. It was a lot of fun. Unfortunately, the nearby lanes in Maryland that were participating were for duckpin bowling. We tried that once and didn't like it as much as the standard 10-pin bowling we're used to. Scoring was weird too. We went bowling a couple of times earlier this year (to lanes that were further away), but haven't been since. I have hopes that one day at least one of our sons (or even our future child, b'shaah tovah) will want to bowl in a league with either my husband or myself so that we can continue the sport and pass along the love for bowling to future generations.