Critical Thinking

It has been said of me that I am most happy when I have something to complain about. I won't dispute that, because by nature I am a very critical person. My husband said the other day that if you can get something past me, it must be pretty good because I will pick it apart and tell you what's wrong with it. I know that sounds pretty negative, and, sure, it can be that way, but we can't all be Miss Pollyanna Sunshine. Someone needs to be realistic.

All that to say, last night was freaking awesome!!! I can't stand reality shows, and society's idea of "romance" makes me want to vomit, so to say I'm not a fan of "The Bachelor" is somewhat of an understatement. Yet because the lack of entertainment on Mondays after "Chuck" is over, I will usually tune in to see the last episode of "The Bachelor" just to see one of the girls go home in tears. I know, I am so cruel. Quit your whining. It's a rare treat to see all 3 of the parties involved end up crying, so last night's finale was right up my alley. I would just like to say, they know these girls are going to be in the limo bawling their eyes out, couldn't they have a box of tissues in there? One more thing -- what a blubbering idiot. I fully believe real men can cry. Jesus himself wept, so there's your standard, and my husband isn't afraid to cry if he feels like it. But, gee, this guy was over the top.

Okay, first of all, if I knew my man was going out with 20-some-odd other women I would drop his sorry butt, so I don't know how or why these pathetic lonely-hearts put themselves through that. And then they go on an "overnight" date with the guy and they still want to be with him, knowing he was just on another overnight date with some other chick the night before. Is it any wonder then, when he dumps you on national tv six months or so later saying he's in love with someone else and can't control how he feels? He just fed the other woman that same line right before he dumped her for you. What happens six months or 10 years into this new relationship when he meets some little chippy at work and can't help how he feels about her? The fact is, you absolutely CAN control how you feel, which is why it's called a "feeling" not a "doing".

Why was he so surprised when everything was "different" after the show? Let's see, the cameras are gone and there's no more competition with the other girls, so YEAH, I'm thinking it might be just a teensy bit different. You mean he actually thought the show was REAL? What a loser.

I don't know confuses me more: men and women who still want to be a part of this show, or the men and women who watch this drivel every week. THIS IS NOT ROMANCE!!! It's really not even "reality". This is why we have the need for conferences to teach our young people what it is to be a REAL man or woman. I am so sick of having to change the channel when commercials come on for these shows because I don't want my husband or children to have to witness the endless parade of half-naked women throwing themselves at this one man (and who is this guy anyway that he's such a find?). This is what society's children now find perfectly acceptable. Seriously?! It makes me nauseous.

Can you imagine if these two end up married and have kids. What a story for the grand-kids. "Grandpa, tell us how you and Grandma met and fell in love."

"Well, you see kids, Grandpa was married, but that didn't work out. So he went on this tv show and fell in love, but that didn't work out and she dumped him. So he got his own show and met two woman and fell in love, but he could only pick one, so he got engaged, but that didn't work out, so he dumped her. Then he went back to the first one (who is Grandma) and picked her again." Hmm...I'm sensing a pattern here.

Anyway, I was positively giddy watching the show last night because it was so easy to make fun of and comment on in a "Mystery Science Theater 3000" kind of way. I mean, if you knew when a train wreck was going to happen, wouldn't you set up your lawn chair to watch? Ahhh...let sweeps month begin! I'd say we're off to a great start. I loved how the host could barely contain himself. The producers must have been breaking out the champagne and dancing backstage. Ratings....that's reality!

Old friends, new friends

I just love facebook. I love being able to share pictures with friends and family. I love keeping track of my favorite tv shows, authors, and other interests. I simply adore writing notes rather than creating endless email forwards of the same things. But what I enjoy most of all is keeping in touch with friends. It's quite exciting finding people you used to know and hearing how their lives have changed in the last 10-20 years. And when you find one friend, you get to see who all they are friends with and "friend" those people too. I will admit though, it is somewhat odd becoming facebook friends with people I went to school with but rarely spoke too, and now it's all "Oh my goodness! It's you! How are you? It's so good to see you!" It's kind of amusing. I'm enjoying it though. I realize that people grow and change, and if I had known most of my current friends in high school, I doubt we would have been that close either. When Will and I got married, I wanted a completely fresh start, and I pretty much severed any ties I had to my "old" life. I finally feel like I'm at a place in my life where I can go back and say it wasn't all bad. Thankfully, the technology is there to be able to do that now. What's funny is that one of the people I found lives within a few miles of me. Weird.

I saw a sign on someone's car recently that said "life is good." It made me start thinking: Life sucks. God is good. Not that I haven't been incredibly blessed by a loving husband, great kids, and amazing friends, but "life" didn't do that, God did. All this world has to offer is pain, which reminds me of CS Lewis' quote, "The pain now is part of the happiness then." If it weren't for all the sorrow we experience, heaven might not be as sweet. I know we'd be much more hesitant to leave this world and step into the next.

So. God is good. Live like it.