Fun Times In Branson

This past week was spring break so my parents decided to make a trip down south for a visit.  They also brought my niece and nephew along for the ride.  Usually when they come down we just end up hanging out around the house and going out to eat.  This time we wanted their trip to be a little more eventful, so we decided to meet up in Branson and take in a show.

I have now been in Branson, MO three times in my life.  It is a very surreal experience for me that a place like this can exist, let alone thrive.  I don't know how well the folks of Branson are doing, but every time I have been there, it is packed.  Maybe there just isn't anything better to do in the mid-south, but it seems crazy how many flock to this little town every weekend.  My previous two trips to Branson were fairly uneventful.  We didn't go to any shows, we just randomly observed the town.  This trip we decided to attend the ultimate Branson experience that is Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede.

Parenthood... someday

From a young age I always thought about fatherhood as an eventuality that would come sometime in the way distant future.  Even when I got married the reality of becoming a father lived someplace undefined by time.  It was going to happen, but it was still quite some time away.  A year ago when my wife started talking about it, things got real.  Now we were actively going to try to make this future become a reality, and it was kinda scary.  Over the next several months I had time to let the idea sink in, and I was starting to be okay with it; even excited about it.  All the while the fear was growing.

Just a couple weeks ago I walked in the house on a Monday evening after a day of work.  My wife was looking pretty pleased with herself as she told me I had a gift.  I opened it up to find a onesie, a bib, and a positive pregnancy test.  This is one of those occasions in life that is momentous. We have all seen movies depicting men experiencing this same news followed by a variety of reactions.  American's Funniest Videos has surely aired tons of clips featuring fathers with shocked faces, or jumping around screaming.  All of those images give you a template for how you are supposed to respond.

Thoughts On "The Office"

Last week I mentioned that I was less-than-impressed with this season of The Office.  I caught up on the last couple episodes this week.  The entire time I was thinking about why I feel the disappointment that I do.  I still really enjoy the series, and it continues to be better than a lot of other stuff on tv.  When I watch it I still laugh.  There is just something different about it. I have great memories of the second and third seasons.  Those seasons were able to capture a sort of magic that has been missing since.

A television series that goes on for several years allows you to spend so much time with the actors in their roles. This is great when you want to create depth and really explore all aspects of the characters.  However, there is only so much depth that can be achieved, and then you are tasked with maintaing consistency.  The Office did a really good job of creating the characters.  Even the secondary characters are fully realized.  However, now the secondary characters are only there to deliver their same old quips.  They each have their own quirks, and all of their jokes have to play on that. It is still funny, but it is starting to feel stale. I don't know how much longer that formula will continue to work.

Sweater Weather Is Waning

The weather this past weekend was pretty much perfect.  It is always such a good feeling to experience the first warm days of spring.  Outdoor activities are once again novel and exciting.  The air seems easier to breathe, and the sun seems to shine a bit brighter.  We grilled out Friday night.  I got to ride my bike for the first time of the year on Saturday.  Sunday we relaxed out on the deck.  It was a good weekend.

This springtime excitement is pretty much universal.  It must go back to our days as school kids.  The warm air was a sign of the nearing summer vacation.  Here in the real world there are no more summer vacations.  Work goes on, and we are left to stare out the window and think about the fun we could be having.  Our years of school have conditioned a Pavlovian response in us.  We cannot avoid this strange sense of optimism we feel, though there is no good reason for it.  The rising temperatures are only going to force us to mow the lawn, and increase our chances of seeing somebody at walmart wearing jean shorts, a tank top, or both at the same time.

LOST: "Sundown" & Other Crap TV

Another episode of LOST has come and gone.  I don't know what it is, but this season just isn't doing it for me.  I don't feel nearly as excited about it as I should.  This season seems really awkward, and the flash sideways thing still isn't working for me.  Just a few weeks ago I loved the episode with the strange little kid and the cave.  Those memories seem like they were so long ago.  They haven't been able to recapture that excitement in me.  I think a lot of LOST fans really enjoyed "Sundown", but I didn't care for it that much.

I don't know what I was expecting out of the final season, but I don't feel like my hopes were too high.  I wanted them to answer questions, and hopefully bring a satisfying conclusion to the story arcs of our favorite characters. They are definitely answering questions, but not much has been satisfying about it.  There are moments in every episode this season that are really good.  I will undoubtedly continue watching.  There is just something that feels very empty about it all. For me, they haven't been able to create the high stakes like they did in past seasons.  I am starting to not even care, which would be the most disappointing end.