Three Things That I Love Right Now.

With the [infestation] rise of reality television, I have found less and less that I care to watch on network tv, honestly.  I know that's not a Popular Opinion. I KNOW. My twitter feed tells me so. (I never really watched Lost, either.)

So. I got Showtime a few months back to watch the fourth season of Dexter [in, like, three days] and in the process, discovered the shows United States of Tara and Nurse Jackie.  Who else is watching these shows?

Anyone?

I have to tell you that I love them both. Love! 

Although, I fear, that just like a real-life addict, Nurse Jackie is going to break my heart.  I like her as a character.  She's good-hearted and filled with love and compassion for her patients.  But her addiction is already progressing, right?  She's putting her friends at increasing risk. She's using people and lying and all of the things that people who are addicted to drugs do, when they are actively addicted to drugs. It's going to be a trick to pull off, I think, keeping viewers engaged and liking Jackie, while at the same time staying true to what the experience of being/living with/loving an addict really is.  I'm sure many of you have had first-hand experience.

Also, and perhaps apropos of only this: in my tenure as a medical professional (and in my life) I've known several medical professionals who have been addicted to drugs.  I don't know if they are at increased risk or not, but they have more/easier access and so, it happens.  These assertions of mine are purely ANECDOTAL in nature, so take them for what they're worth (maybe NOTHING to science people, I'm saying.) The access to certain medications is really limited and there are means in place to uncover abuse, so in my experience, the person in question may actually be suspected of stealing meds. And sometimes the places/people for whom they work ask them to 'resign,' doing no formal drug testing or complaining to state agencies, and so the professionals are free to go and work elsewhere. 

The whole point of telling you this is to say that if you, or a loved one is in the hospital and had a medical procedure and feel like the pain medication isn't working, pay attention.  It may be, you know, saline.  It is highly unlikely but not outside the realm of possibility.  Also, if you or a loved one has a visiting nurse for home health care, hide the (good) medications somewhere.  Ahem.  If you are a nurse, you are likely not abusing drugs or taking your patients drugs or lying to your husband/wife/co-workers/family members. I KNOW.  I'm just saying, that Nurse Jackie is sooner or later going to hurt my heart.

Moving on.

United States of Tara is, perhaps, my very favorite portrayal of a person with a Diagnosed Mental Illness. Aside from the fact that her switching is very obvious and her alters are extremely dramatic in their presentation (both understandable in the context), I feel like Tara is portrayed like a real person in a real relationship with a real family.  I love how the show addresses each character's conflicts while maintaining their integrity as whole people.  Too often, I think, the portrayal of those with a Diagnosed Mental Illness are portrayed in a way that is wholly sensationalized and boils them down to ridiculous characitures.  And don't even get me started on what I think of most portrayals of therapy in general.

Anyway. 

Lastly, in this mish-mosh post of reeedonkulousness: I have fallen in LOVE with..um...kid's bento lunches? YES. Kid's BENTO. LUNCHES.

I stumbled upon this website, which I blame for a cascade of web-surfing research and subsequent dreams of cute little picks that look like bunnies and little pieces of fruit leather, cut out to look like stars. Not to mention eggs in the shape of animals! I KNOW.

There is so much in this world about which I am clueless.  CLUELESS!  I had no idea about this entire community, beautifying the world, one lunch at a time.

You're WELCOME. 

Comments

[Barb]

I am a reader of your blog! (which I love BTW!)
Just wanted to tell you that I am so happy that you love the United States of Tara - my first cousin is a writer for that show. :) Will pass along to him that you like it!!

[The New Girl]

Kelly: I am PLUGGING AWAY at The Wire from Netflix. It's KILLING ME that each disc has only TWO EPISODES on it, so it is taking FOREVVVVAAAAAH. But I have to say that I am way, way hooked.

I'll still take the spanking, though. You know.

[magpie]

I love Nurse Jackie. Ooh, heading for serious trainwreck... However, the day after I watched it for the first time, I had to go in and have a colonoscopy. Let me tell you, I wondered about every single nurse in the room...

[Kelly]

Sorry, one more thing. I just visited the bento box site and now feel like a complete and total mom failure. That shit is cute, though.

[Kelly]

OMG. All this Showtime watching is making me suspect YOU NEVER WATCHED THE WIRE PAST THE FIRST EPISODE. And for that, I'm going to have to spank you.

I have to watch Nurse Jackie. Perhaps she'll give me some tips for me future career.

[ElizabethSheryl]

I looooooooooved the first season of United States of Tara. I haven't had showtime in awhile so I haven't had a chance to watch season 2. First, I love Toni Collette and John Corbett (Aiden *dreamy sigh*) so I was already lookin' to like the show, and then I actually watched it and was hooked. I also really like Secret Diary of a Call Girl which is also on showtime.

Did you ever watch In Treatment? I watched the first season and started a bit of the 2nd season (as you can tell I lost cable) and really enjoyed it. I have never had regular sessions with a therapist so I have no idea if it was accurate at all but I loved the focus on each character and the unfolding of their lives.

[Alexis M]

When we got Direct TV last year, they decided to throw in some Showtime. Like you, my man and I had been watching Dexter previously but unfortunately not in real time. We were thrilled when we got to see it as. it. came. out. and also discovered NJ and USoT. OMG I lurved them both so much I went out and borrowed previous seasons of each from the library.

[the new girl]

Alias Mother: I am hard-pressed to explain my infatuation. I am not a collector or a stuff person either. Plus, I'm not all about Cute and Sweet (a bonus fun fact about me that I am assuming you may have already inferred.) I just find them so...visually appealing.

My preferences are for the simpler, less adorned variety. But still. I find the kids' lunches attractive. And for the most part, healthful.

It may be my stymied artistic energy (since having children, I've made absolutely NO fine art) or the Functional-type craftiness of them. Creativity + Food = Fun for me.

The ones that I prefer don't look like they take a whole lot more time than packing a regular lunch and well, I figure, if it's a person's passion...

[Alias Mother]

I simply cannot get into bento. I mean, I understand the lunch concept and frequently pack the Buddha lunches that are bits of leftovers and whatnot. But the whole culture with the cutesy this and the color coordinated that...I don't get it. I think I'm missing the point. Every time I read one of those blogs all I can think is: how much time do these people HAVE in the morning, anyway?

But I'm not really a stuff person. So maybe that's my problem.

Nurse Jackie and Tara are both on my "Netflix these TV shows" list. Thanks for the thumbs up. They both look great.

[Lisa]

Oh, my word, do I love me some Nurse Jackie . . . how interesting (and insightful of you) to read this after the latest episode I viewed, where I felt she had hit an all time low. . . she *is* going to break our hearts. You captured my feelings precisely.

[inannasstar]

And you forgot to mention the deliciousness of John Corbett in Tara. Yummmmmmmmmmmmm : )