de-glee-ing

So now that we are solidly into the Glee season, I feel I can comment on what I’ve seen so far. I have often found that you have to wait a few episodes to really form any kind of opinion because it takes that long for characters to emerge and potential hilarity to ensue. It’s really rare that a series pilot is really *that* awesome.

That said, Glee had a good pilot. I had to love the way they break into song because that can be incredibly cheesetastic or make you smile and/or hum along. And somehow they managed to be both. You laugh because you have to – there is no choice. Followed quickly by a groan, followed quickly by another laugh.

Also, I cannot say enough about Jane Lynch. I really feel that she deserves every good word she gets, def one of the most underrated actresses ever. Her comic timing is to die for and every facial expression floors me.

So, now to the poop.

I really hate cliches and the first few episodes quickly tumbled down the garden path toward cliche hell. I held my breath for it, figuratively of course, and expected them to do some dumb things at every turn. Happily they surprised me roughly 50% of the time which is more than I can say for, oh every other sitcom out there. (mad kudos to arrested development though – esp for knowing when to call it quits. part of the problem really)

The characters are ok though some of the storylines are so played out already just 8 episodes in. That scene in Holy Grail with the soldiers all yelling “GET ON WITH IT” comes to mind 2 or 3 times throughout an episode. We get the angst. We get the drama. But I guess high school IS angsty drama, so what else can they write about?

I also am ever so slightly turned off by the canned music and the lame attempts to lip synch. Obviously they cant sing and do some of those dance steps at the same time. Only N’Sync can do that. And that’s ok. We’re ok with that and would rather just hear good solid vocals. WHich is abounding. Otoh, it might be nice in future episodes to have them actually sing, not produced, just for fun.

OK, the other big problem I have with the show is that whole married teacher thing. My friend Kyle said it best when he commented how he didn’t like the way they set you up to root for the guy to cheat on his wife. The show made his wife a lunatic and just not a very nice person, but then again Emma, the guidance counselor is a total freak and full of crap too, so I feel fairly neutral about the whole thing. Again, they are taking weeks to develop the story and I feel each episode has done the two steps forward one step back thing. This is why I wait for the whole season to come out on DVD. Oh well, I’m hooked now and I hope the rest of the season does not totally change the name from Glee to Blow.

a word about fraud

I have felt like a fraud on some level for most of my life. When I was a kid, being the fairly observant person I was, I knew intrinsically that something was different about my family.

Exhibit A: my brothers and me

 

To this day, when people meet me, we tend to start down the road of where are you from, and I think, as in where did I grow up or where am I from from? It really is a crapshoot of what they are really asking and 5 out 10 times they want to hear Korea, Japan, China, San Francisco or whatever.

As an adult, I tend to plunge head first into the questions – no my last name is not my married name. Yes I’m adopted. No I didnt grow up in a very traditional home in the asian sense. Yes I can see when I smile. I also have found that people try hardest to be tactful when they are asking the most impertinent questions and I look right through that to the heart of the matter. They are ignorant. And that’s ok. You are ignorant until you are not. Think about that for a minute.

In the meantime, as I’ve gotten involved in various relationships with men who shall not be named, I have discovered that there are two types of guys. The guys who want the girl who looks asian but is basically white, and the guys who want the FOBs (that’s fresh off the boat, forthose wondering). I have been turned down on more than one occasion for “not being Korean” (that’s a direct quote) and even though I do tend to laugh behind my hand, I have yet to master subservience.

(Don’t let that blow your mind)

In yet another area of my life, I have discovered a new way of being a fraud. This one however is nothing to ponder at all. I can easily say I am a good ten years younger than I am without anyone batting an eyelash. This past weekend I had the privilege of playing accompaniment for a choir. I took literally dozens of questions about where I’m going to school, comments about people “my age” and random blind date attempts with eligible young men. (I also get hit on by boys in high school who think they’re hitting on an older woman, but they have no idea. most recently a guy at a coffee shop who asked if I had a car.)

I am not complaining about this in any way. I look younger than I am. Woo hoo. What it does though is make me think, well gee whiz, what HAVE I been doing with all my life? I am solidly an adult and I have yet to grow up. I feel in some ways that it would be great to move somewhere where no one knows me and just tell people I am 26 and reload the last 10 years. And if’n I knew a guy who might could get me a jiggered up license and/or social security card, I reckon I woulda by now.

And then I would really know what fraud is.

ask and it shall be given

not to be overtly sacrilegious or anything, but this is about asking people to do stuff, not necessarily asking God to.

so the thing is that i cannot say no. i cannot. it is virtually impossible for my mouth to utter the phrase “i’m sorry i cannot do ….” fill in the blank. i think my body goes into spastic contortions and i look something like harry potter being attacked by dementors. which is really quite similar to what i go through when asked to do certain things.

my mom has always said that her rule of thumb is if someone is compelled to ask her to do something, and it is within her ability, she will do it. she sees it as a sign from God that He motivated someone to think of her. (sorry Mom, your secret is out. Note to church staff: do not use this knowledge for evil but for good.)

for me, however, i have the trouble of being asked to do things that i absolutely positively do not WANT to do and therefore when i say yes i spend the next days, weeks, months, dreading and waking up in the middle of the night wanting to cry/scream/laugh maniacally.

it’s easy for you to say, well, duh Robin, say no. well, yes. ok i’ll say no. see the problem?

bring this a step further and you’ll see my dread in asking others to do things for me! it’s related. i know the mind gymnastics i go through, so i project onto others the same. i realize that many many other people do not have any problem whatsoever with saying no, and good for them. i just feel like i’m always imposing and i hate that feeling. and i would hate for someone else to go home and complain to their parents/spouse/friends/boss/etc that they are overwhelmed, and God forbid they write a blog about it!!

then again, i love being busy and involved in good things. i love arts and music and anything related to that gets me all excited and i want to be a part of it all. but then i start feeling like i need help and just dont even know what i need help with. i suppose in a way it comes down to pride (doesnt everything?) and that i think i am so incredibly awesome that i can handle anything. well, i cant. and there’s a line in the sand somewhere around here…

yes i can’t.

meanwhile, back at the ranch…

i’m super excited for the rest of this year. so many great things going on and so many opportunities! i really shouldn’t complain and so… i wont. life is good.

ps. i have a new favorite website at Tungle.com – it’s a meeting organizer that works with your google calendar. too cool. thanks to Kyle for sending it my way. i think it’s awesome and hopefully will help me stay organized!! now i need to find a website that will come up with a set list. haha.