Observations » Life

So What Happens in the End?

admin — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 08:13:10 +0000

Not the end you think. I was actually referring to the end of a TV show.

For quite some time, maybe as long as a full year, friends have been telling me about a “must see” TV show. The level of enthusiasm was somewhere between excited and lunatic. And while curiosity is my middle name, I took my time. After all House had a few more patients to be rude to, and Start Trek had a few more places to visit in the Delta Quadrant. But curiosity, as it may imply, does its job picking at the brain to the point where you actually go to the video store, see the show and decide to actually get it. The first season only though. I never thought that multiple seasons should be purchased upfront, before the quality, interest, added value can be established.

But truthfully, I wasn’t that excited. The name of the show implied a lot of noise, for a singular event. If you wish, a two year buildup of a storm that ends up in a single shower. Tons of smoke and ashes ending up in a single small, minor eruption of a volcano. Get the drift?

Prison Break, by definition is the act of, well, let me think how to say it, breaking out of prison. It’s a one time thing. You get into prison, and you break out. I believe that the show actually aired three years ago, counting about twenty two episodes per season, I assumed that it meant a volcanic storm. A major buildup for something next to nothing. So my expectations weren’t very high to begin with.

After cleaning the fish tank, watering the plants, pumping the cornered bicycle with a manual pump, and washing the clean dishes, I ran out of excuses, and Dorit and I sat down to watch the pilot.

It was a grand moment. We felt like we are part of some mysterious, obscure cult, which secretly convenes after the children went to sleep to watch something suspenseful and intriguing. I wasn’t disappointed. As it turns out, though, I ran out of luck. The worst possible scenario happened. I thought it was boring. Dorit loved it. We have to watch it. As we enjoy each other’s company, parting during prime time is not an option.

There are many shows that I like. Many shows I don’t, but at least I understand why other people like them. For the life of me I don’t understand why people like this show. Is it the squinting that happens once every two minutes, when the leading character surveys his surroundings trying to make sense of it? Is it just the prison setting? The conspiracy? The script is shallow, predictable, and as full of holes as Swiss cheese. A funny error (I think it’s an error anyway) is a VHS videotape of the “murder”. The tape is watched multiple times, and each time, the subtitle “rec” is shown as part of the tape. Now, I’m not a professional photographer, but as far as I know the “rec” subtitle only shows on the monitor while you’re recording, but it doesn’t show on the tape. By the way, if you choose to watch the tape on the camera itself, the subtitle would say “play”…

I like to watch shows with objectives. Shows that present a problem, a bug if you will, whether it’s a murder, or a sickness, or even a new race of aliens in the Betazoid System. The plot continues as multiple reasonings are used, possible solutions are presented and scrapped, and then, finally, in a climactic scene, the actual solution is presented. What’s the point in a problem that continues on and on and on, for multiple seasons? And as for the question in the title? Lets guess. The brother on death row is put to death, while the other brother gets out on parole and marries the lawyer. Right. Let me guess again. They run away, for two seasons they dodge the secret service, until finally their innocence is proven on the fourth season. One of the brothers marries the lawyer. End of story until the next bore is released.

I guess I’ll have to make up for it with more popcorn…

It’s Been a Dozen Years Already? Life After Divorce…

admin — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 13:22:05 +0000

Have you ever dated someone who felt, how shall I put it? a little difficult? Arguments were springing out of nowhere, about the most unimportant matters. In fact, sometimes you would feel that the relationship is, again, what’s the word? laborious? You were becoming tense, sensitive, upset. You were looking for good (or not so good) reasons to work late, to take the extra business trips to remote places, particularly difficult customers…

And all through this time, you were sharing the difficulties with your friends, and some of them, if not all, said: “you’re complementing each other”, or “negatives attract”, and my favorite worst: “otherwise, it would be boring”.

I feel somewhat qualified to refer to this eternal dilemma. I was married twice. The first marriage was with the opposite, or rather the opposition. The second marriage is much more agreeable, and trust me, not very boring.

Let me explain. I am a Jewish Israeli, child of a Holocaust survivor from Romania and a Sephardic Israeli who was born in Jerusalem, but whose ancestors came from Spain and Turkey. I come from a mildly traditional family, who always thought that God is OK, for as long as He doesn’t interfere with everyday life. I come from a relatively liberal home, that placed education in first place, followed closely by discipline, manners, moral, and honesty. My parents, having had no childhoods, having suffered significant difficulties growing up, tried their absolute best to provide everything for their children. Growing up in middle class Israel, there was no frivolous spending, but the word “no” was never heard when it came to education. All men of the family served in the military. It was not an easy place for growing up, but in retrospect, I can state clearly: I come from a good home.

My ex also came from a good home, but it was nothing like the one I came from. Her parents are American of Polish descent, who placed religion first and foremost. Their family fled Europe before the war, and although they have left family behind, they never experienced hunger, persecution, or physical danger. Her parents were comfortable but not rich, they gave their children good education and a good start. Helping them financially, though, was not a priority. A ceremonial artifact for the practicing of the religion was undoubtedly more important than helping one of their children with the mortgage payment for example. It was a philosophy.

Anyway, this was not meant for glorification of my family and the defamation of hers. I believe we both came from reasonable, yet very different backgrounds. A fact that caused many difficulties in our life together, and eventually to its demise. The constant bickering, arguing about everything, agreeing on nothing – from children education, to religious practices, to even brand names of groceries, life was too challenging, too difficult, in fact, it became too easy to give up. When the time came, the decision to leave was instantaneous, and was never regretted not once, not even a little, for the last dozen years to the day.

So guys and girls. If you are dating someone from a different background, someone with different values. If you’re dating someone who makes you feel like every issue is like pulling teeth. If you feel that even the smallest points take endless negotiations. If you feel that you are giving up a little, then a little more, then more still. If you get up one morning and you feel that there’s nothing left for you to give up anymore. If you get to that point, let me promise you. You guys do not complement each other, negatives do not attract, and boring, in the sense that life at home is agreeable, is good. Move on, you both deserve better.

An interesting twist I’m facing now, is that my ex-wife sometimes tries to remind me to “remember the good things”, and to “not make it all bad”. But unfortunately, I simply can’t. It does look all bad to me, and I can’t seem to be able to remember the “good stuff”. I’m sorry, there’s no bad party here, nor is there blame. Life in that relationship, though, was not worth living. Apologies.

Life

admin — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 07:58:06 +0000

Long corridor, doors to the left and right. You move forward and you can’t go back. You open some doors, ignore others. Some doors you’ve opened, you wish you hadn’t, others you wish you would have opened. One door at the end of the corridor, no choice there – everyone must open.

Lessons? Trust your instincts, enjoy the open doors, don’t miss the closed ones, and never regret your choices.

Life is good.