takalotti

Finally got around to watching their video for That's Christmas to Me. Oh. My. God. That was the cutest thing I've ever seen. From the first clip of Scott, I was awwing right away and became so giddy with excitement waiting for the others, which did not disappoint.

"You luuuuub be!"

Ugh. The only funny part was the meta joke made by the military guy. "'That gives me an idea'? What is he, in a play?"

So this isn't directly GG related. But the author's name sounds familiar. Is this Pamie, beloved GG recapper on TWoP? http://gizmodo.com/barbie-f-cks-it-up-again-1660326671

I absolutely think the Bravermans have needed (and still need) another Gabby, though not for Max. I know nothing about raising a child on the Autism spectrum, but all along I thought Gabby needed to be working with Adam and Kristina to teach them how to change the way they communicate with Max. But no, the writers had Gabby say that Max was ready for mainstreaming, which apparently in TV world means no one in the family needs to work on themselves anymore. This bugged me so much. Amber is referring to the LATCH system, which is a standardized system of installing a car seat in a car (relatively new, starting around 2000 I think). Compatible cars have these sturdy metal anchors in the backseat (in that crack at the base of the seat back) and nowadays car seats have these clamps that attach to the anchors (often making a click sound). I'm pretty sure there are several benefits to the LATCH system over using seat belts (better chance of correct installation, more secure, less likely to install in an improper location in the car). HOWEVER!!! Every car seat with LATCH clamps that I've seen also has the necessary loops and slots and whatnot for a good old fashioned seat belt installation. Why? Because not all cars have the LATCH anchors, especially if it's from before 2000, and people still drive and buy these cars AND have babies (imagine that). Amber acting like Nora's car seat would not be able to be installed in her car was completely bogus* as was the implication that she would need a new car because of this. Would it be good for her to get a generally safer car? Sure, but it's not a requirement, and certainly not for car seat needs. * Though I will say that for Nora's safety, I would not want her to ride in a car seat that inexperienced Amber installed in a mad rush and under the stress of a Max tantrum. Lol, reading it put this way, I wonder if Max considered busting out some bongos in the middle of the night (any fellow Big Bang Theory fans out there?).

My college design teammate is one of the executives for the company that makes the Origami stroller! That's the second most exciting bit of product placement I've ever seen! Way to go, Mary! I like that Drew is being mature, but I think the whole "I have to support my sister" bit is a little too over the top saintly. I would have been satisfied with an explanation like, "Look, my mom and my sister aren't doing so great. Family safety nets only stretch so far. I have to make the most of this opportunity because others might use up all the family resources." Well, I'm not sure if this really answers your question, but one difference is that a shower is not thrown by the prego, it's thrown for her by others (friends and/or family). You're right that the list of gift givers would be the same either way since the Bravermans are actually a cult and thus not allowed to have friends outside the family, but the initiator of the interaction would be different.

Ughhhhh I know this show's thing is a bright and shiny face on dark twisted humor, but it is not working. I didn't find any of the religious stuff funny, and I'm not religious (wasn't raised anything) so that's not why. I didn't find the cheap stereotype of a hormonal woman funny, even if a pill was to blame. I didn't find the "cheating" thing funny. Lou foists himself on an unwilling kiss participant - HAHA, he's such a nut! No. "Mom, I'm so disappointed in you even though you did nothing to cause this." - HAHA! No. Mom didn't want (or participate in, I gather) the kiss, but don't tell Dad - HAHA! What? No. I know there's a thing called hate-watching a show, but I'm pretty sure that's not what I'm doing. This is more like pain-watching. I like Mulaney enough to watch his show just on principle and with the slight hope it'll get better, but gee terwillakers does it hurt to do so. The only other time I can think of pain-watching a show was A Gifted Man to "support" Patrick Wilson (yes, I know my watching doesn't actually do anything for him, especially since I don't have a Nielsen box or whatever). I spent the whole season waiting for it to get canceled so I could be put out of my misery since I couldn't do it myself. Same feeling here. 8 more episodes left, right? Sigh. To the pain...

Regarding the issue of Howard and Bernadette having kids, I agree that no one should be pressured into having kids if they don't want them (and vice versa). However, I don't think the "compromise" Bernadette came up with is too bad. It's not that different from how many families were run in the 50s with the working parent being very hands off with the kids even when they were at home. I even know some peers who run things this way today. It's not how I want my family to be, but if it works for them, so be it. With B/H, it's the same thing just with the roles reversed. In addition to the dog-sitting episode furthering this story line, we recently heard Bernadette mention how she and Howard were saving up for a home. Yes, I know home doesn't automatically mean kids, but in sitcom-land it's usually a rite of passage that shows you're ready for kids. So it seems the writers are keeping them on the trajectory that'll get them to Bernadette's compromise. I for one expect at least a glimpse into the future where Howard is shouting to his kid from another room, continuing the cycle established by his mom (perhaps even in Debbie's house after Howard inherits it?).

Stuart is in his 30s according to the first episode this season (Raj was surprised because he thought Stuart was 45). I think I'm Howard's age, and my parents are mid 60s, so that's where I imagine Debbie is. So it is a generation gap. And I for one think it's equally weird, no matter which gender pairing it is. I accept them, in a to each their own kind of way, but don't see myself being part of one either way.

So what does it say about me that when Sheldon was on his bed with his legs elevated, I thought he was trying to get blood out of his nether regions from seeing Amy looking so pretty? Yeah, that's what I thought... Has anyone seen the movie Bernie? Stuart and Debbie's relationship makes me think of that. Non-sexual but otherwise rather intimate, "weird" because of the age gap, how she funds him and expects him to be at her beck and call. Hopefully Debbie doesn't chew excessively. Anyway, I do like the Stubie relationship (Stubbie looks like it should be read Stuh-bee, not Stoo-bee) just for the irony of how wrong Howard thinks it is. And I also like that it's given Stuart a little bit of swagger back, even if he loses said swagger when Debbie's says Heel.

How in the universe is it possible that MB didn't give herself whiplash flinging herself away from Penny's door? That was hysterical.

I must not be remembering the last couple episodes of last season well. I thought Penny wasn't going to give up on acting, but now she's trying to get a non-acting job? I mean, it's a better pay-the-bills-between-gigs job than waitressing as far as money goes (perhaps not for schedule flexibility, but I have no idea). I'm confused. Holy crap! You two are psychic!!!

Oh my sweet mercy, I'm going to be watching the PTXvlog tutorial on repeat until I have it down. Now I just need four friends who are willing to learn it with me. Any takers? I call dibs on Mitch!Avi has gone on record about being the one who has the hardest time with the dance choreography, right? (Remembering all the steps, not that he has difficulty executing a step.) I don't think I'm making that up. If I'm right, I wonder if this was easier or harder for him. ETA: Either the WWH video or the tutorial for it lead me to the SuperFruit PTX Vol 3 Dance Party video. Seriously, my face hurt from all the extreme grinning I was doing and I cried tears of laughter at some parts. No lie. Enjoy...

I liked this episode better than the pilot. Most of that was probably due to the fact that it wasn't an acted out version of his stand up (that I know of, at least). But another factor was that the doula theme amused me since I used one when I was pregnant. I especially liked the line, "It's like paying someone to be your mom," because that perfectly describes my situation. Even though it sucks that I didn't want my mom in the room with me, nor would she care enough to be there for me, I was quick to laugh at how true his comment was XD However, it also meant I knew they got a couple things wrong about a doula, but that's okay. I expect simplified humor from a sitcom. Oh, and I like Mary Jo.

I completely agree with this. In addition to the fact that knowing his stand up spoiled most of the humor for me, some of the stand up bits were really ham fisted into the episode. The one that stands out to me is the wheelchair joke. Really? You're just randomly going to say that when you just met the guy you're hoping will hire you?

I'm realizing that I really don't get what the show's position is regarding Ryan and pills. When Amber and Drew showed up, Drew gave the bottles the side-eye, and later Amber asked how he was doing with them. The implication to me is that the show seems to be trying to say that taking pills is bad, and being off them is good. This is consistent with how Amber acted back when they lived together and she found a newly refilled bottle that he was hiding and lied about. And this would be okay with me if they were saying Ryan has an addiction to his pills. But I never really got that message explicitly. Maybe I wasn't paying attention, or maybe it was buried in some over-talking/excessive-crying scene. So without that explanation, I always thought the issue was that Ryan had an actual issue (like PTSD) that legitimately warranted taking pills, but that he was mismanaging using them. Not in abusive way, but in an unbalanced way like, "I feel better now, so I'll decide on my own I don't need to take pills," even though the pills were the reason he felt better and then, "My problem is back! I'll decide on my own to take the pills again and how many I should take even though I've been off them for a while!" That's a real situation that people get into, and that's what I thought the show was portraying way back when. But now everyone's acting like pills are bad. Not if you actually need them and use them correctly. On the other hand, I don't know why I'm expecting this show to give a consistent message on anything.

I wholeheartedly agree. When Sandy chastised Hank, saying, "What part of our daughter being in distress did you not understand?!?" I really wanted Hank to say, "Uh, how about the part where you said 'she fell in with a bad crowd' and gave NO other details!" Out of character, of course, but that's what I shouted at my TV at least.

Agreed. It looked like a class ring more than a wedding ring. It was just weird.

But don't you understaaaaand? It's a symbolllll! See, the ring represented Zeke's strength. He's a tough guy, you know. It's hard to tell because no one mentions it. Anyway, taking the ring off meant he would be vulnerable, so he HAD to wait until the last second to take it off. And he had to have it back immediately afterwards, regardless of the fact that he'd likely be bloated from IV fluid, to show that he was gonna make it. So not cheesy at all!

Digby wasn't immortal, but I'm not sure the right word for it. To me, immortal is like the Tucks in Tuck Everlasting. You could stab them right in the heart and they'd heal up instantly without any after effects. In episode 2.01, Bzzz, when Ned finds Chuck covered in bees he says something to the effect of "This is why I don't let Digby play in traffic." The implication to me is that if Digby were to be hit by a car (or have some other lethal kind of accident), he could indeed die. It's possible Ned was just guessing Digby could die and didn't want to risk it. But we saw YoungNed perform lots of experiments on bugs and plants, so I feel comfortable believing that Ned knows and isn't just guessing. Therefore, even without Ned's magical second touch, I wouldn't classify Digby as immortal. However, it does appear that Digby doesn't age. Not only does he look young, but he still has a lot of youthful pep too. So I don't know if there is a term for someone who doesn't age, likely won't die of natural causes, but can be killed just like anyone else.