What is it about TV Shows that sucks us in?

What is it about our favorite TV shows that suck us in to their lives and make us identify with completely fictional characters that have no actual day to day interaction in our every day lives?  (I am in no way passing judgement...I have a slight obsession with a couple shows myself.)  I find it hysterical that I myself (in life BEFORE my DVR) would schedule my night's activities around a TV show.  Now, thankfully, DVR has changed that radically.  Oh, and I'm talking about NON-reality TV people...I'm talking about the shows that have characters where writers bring them life, not teenagers stuck in a house and "start getting real".

It's finale week, time for cliffhangers, wrap-ups, and character killings.  Tonight, as I write this, LOST is airing it's series finale.  I personally never got into LOST...but I understand people who have gotten attached to shows.  Lord knows I threw a full on party for the end of my favorite show, Friends. 

I know that there have been shows that have been a part of my life, (Friends having been the biggest one) and that there are shows on now that folks embrace in their own lives.  How is it that we find ourselves completely enraptured in these fictional lives and discuss them at work with co-workers the next day?  However the writers manage it, they do a damn good job at pulling people in!

Back to topic, since it's finale week, I thought I'd touch on a few that instantly come to mind when I think of series that throughout their seasons had touching season and/or series finale episodes.

• Friends - (like you didn't expect me to start with them, come ON) Wait, if Rachel is preggers, then who is Rachel's baby daddy??  Is it Tag or is it Ross?  (Finding out was HYSTERICAL the next season.)  Then there was the series finale.  Saying goodbye to 10 years of Chandler, Joey, Monica, Pheobe, Rachel and Ross...  (Okay, okay, I'm moving on...)
• ER - when Dr. Green finally succumbed to his brain cancer.  I have a distinct memory of my roommate Jen and I sitting on the couch, watching this episode, literally SOBBING and sharing an entire large box of Kleenex between the two of us.  To this day, whenever I hear that gorgeous ukulele version of Somewhere Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World, I get goosebumps and flash back to the two of us sitting there crying like babies.
• M*A*S*H - (yes, I know I didn't see this one when it originally aired, but hey, re-runs count) When Radar comes into the OR, and announces that Henry didn't make it home, instead his chopper crashed.  Holy cow.  I heard that the cast didn't even know that was the outcome of the episode until the moment that the actor playing Radar came back into the OR on set.  (THAT is good writing!!!)
• Grey's Anatomy - when they finally at the last minute figure out it's George, and then there's Izzie in her pink dress in the elevator and George in his Army uniform...good LORD pass the box of Kleenex again.

I'm sure that there are others out there that I will think of immediately after hitting the "post" button, but hey, those are the four that come to mind off hand.  Thoughts? 

You're Always On My Mind...

Okay, so there's not really a "you" on my mind to go with the title...but it definitely sums up my head lately.

There are a lot of different things running through my mind.  Stressful ones about bills; medical costs (mine, not the world's in general); frustration with people; frustration with myself; the stressful list definitely outweighs the frivolous list most days.

One of my thoughts within the last week, is how much I crave interaction with other people.  You would think I get more than enough of that during a work week with my daily interactions with patients and co-workers, and when I'd get home be THANKFUL for the peace and quiet.  There are days, that is exactly right.

Then, there are the days where I'm tired of the crap (can't we all just get along, really??) and I get home and want nothing more than to have someone to talk to, so entering my empty apartment is frustrating.  I have only lived with family and roommates, this is my first venture into living alone.  Dont' get me wrong I love it.  Really I do...but there are days, where I would kill to have someone I could talk to (in person instead of via phone, IM or some other virtual reason). 

Just a random set of thoughts that were running through my had this week...

Giggle-fest 2010 (Day 2)

Yes, this was taken from an actual virtual conversation today...

C: I have SERIOUS ADD problems these last couple days.... ooh shiny....

J: BADGER PANTS!!!

C: Don't joke about it... I was afraid of napoleon this morning. PTSD I am telling ya

C: Hey wait... do they make shiny badger pants? That would be awesome

J: Only if they can still make the sound....

C: I imagine shiny badger pants are for a whole different purpose other than badger mating pants. It's only logical... really

J: For ADD Badgers??

C: STOP THE HATE! DON'T DISCRIMINATE!

J: I wonder if you can get those paid for by insurance...you know...as a learning tool for badgers with "special needs".

J: Louise...

C: Roger that... I am going to need a LOMN

J: I'm on it...would that go under DME or as a high tech radiology procedure, and do you have the correct CPT and ICD-9 codes?

C: Do you have any idea how frickin' weird we appear to "normal" people?

J: Pfff..."normal" is boring...look how much more fun we're having!!!

C: true... back to DME.... how durable do you think badger pants are? I figure they are pretty feisty creatures... I bet they are hell on pants.

J: Doesn't Sears make those "re-enforced" pants? I wonder if those would qualify. We'll have to see if there is any study documentation on this though.

C:  Sears Associate: "I am sorry Ma'am? You are looking for Badger sized re-inforced, shiny pants?" (snort)

J: Hmmm...good call...I wonder where Smokey the Bear gets his pants...I'm sure he has a great contact. His are probably even made of fireproof fabric...so no shiny corduroy fires can start.

C: Scruff McGruff might also be a good person to check too.

J: Hey I think he's in Chicago, Illinois, 60653 right?

C: 6065-TWO ... HELLO haven't you heard that all the million times I have? Sheesh.

C: Thanks for bringing me back to reality. It's amazing I get any work done with you around :P


*And THIS is why I love working with C...conversations like this really, truly, happen.*

The Many Adventures of Two Front Desk Jockeys

In order to stay sane at work, folks resort to many different tactics.  Some healthier than others.  My good friend C and I have worked together for a total of almost 2 years.  We worked together in the same office, yet for different practices and now, we've worked together for the same practice for 3 months.

We share daily life outside of work stories, laugh at things that probably aren't funny to anyone but us, listen to patients' families and the "interesting" parts of their lives that never cease to make us wonder which crazy tree folks fall from.  (Trust me, we're our own brand of crazy too, so we don't pass judgment, just are thoroughly entertained.)

If you are friends with either of us on facebook, you would see that we both update often with some of the funniest things that happen in our office or something absolutely dumb our boss has said.  After today's latest installment, I decided I had to compile some for a blog...if you don't get them, no biggy, some are inside jokes anyways...but oh how we laugh...I think it's how we have stayed sane (if you can call us that) while working with cancer patients.

Without further ado...some of our gems...
(PS: I reserve the right to update this as time goes on only because I can't even begin to imagine that this is the end of our hysteria...)


J: "C! Say Chicken Fajita!!!!!" BAAAAAAAAH HA HA HA HA HAHA!!! C: "SHUT UP!!!"

C: it was just a toxic toot. J: A what??? BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH H AHA HA HA HA HA HA HA!! C: I swear! That kid rivals a 13 year old boy!! J: (collapsed in hysterical laughter)


J: you do realize we're missing one key thing right? C: I already told you I have a plan for that!

J: M=me P=Patient: M -"Help yourself, there is hot water for tea, or just plain water, and if you like we can make some more coffee." P -"What, no beer?" M -"No, sorry, they caught on and wouldn't let us tap another keg." P -*sigh* (He is officially my new favorite...)

C: Me: "I never got that email" P: "You never got that email?" Me: "No" P: "So you didn't get the email?" Me: "No, I never got the email" P: "I sent it at 7:56" Me: "I didn't get it" P: " Oh, I guess I sent it to the wrong address"

C: Patient's are often like my 14 month old daughter. They argue for no other apparent reason that to argue. Hmm...

C: My boss: "So what's this about today? Office helper day?"

J: Napoleon is wearing the badger mating pants!!!!!!

J: From now on...you are Louise.

(For the record, we were reading back on these and laughing so hard, tears and snorts abound...)

J: Ever since Legally Blonde (moreso the Broadway version than the movie), whenever the UPS guy comes into the office I almost lose it giggling...

J: $23 mouse for the doc? Denied. $260 headset for me? Approved. ????

C: ...and short sleeve pants!

J: what's that? Two grown women laughing (and admittedly yes, I snorted) at a name like we're 12 year olds? Yes, yes we did.

J: Actual question from an insurance company: "is the patient experiencing symptoms?" No, we just like to zap people for no reason, especially in the BRAIN. YES the patient is experiencing symptoms, why do you think she's seeing a doctor????

J: bootlegging, birthday suits, suitors being run off by crazy aunts...nope, not watching an episode of Dukes of Hazzard, instead, listening to the folks in my waiting room. I swear Boss Hogg or Roscoe P. Coltrane is about to come waltzing through my door.