Cajungirl64

Thank you for the kind acknowledgement. Rob was my "little brother," (2 1/2 years difference) and the most genuine, kind, funny person I've ever known. I might be a little biased, but the 400 people who attended his memorial service at The Writer's Guild in Beverly Hills felt the same. His passing was a complete shock as he was extremely vigilant about taking care of his health and had no known health issues. He left behind his wonderful wife of 22 years and his beloved kids. And of course, he left me behind, as well. I was his biggest fan from the day my mom brought him home from the hospital; he was my only sibling and I doted on him as much as I tormented him (until he got older and the roles reversed). Thankfully, neither time nor distance (I stayed in St Louis and his life was in CA) changed the closeness we always shared. We lost both of our parents in the last five years at 70 and 73 years old. Way too young. But to lose my brother at 52 is just unfathomable. Now I'm the last one standing. The only thing that gives me solace is the belief that my parents were waiting for him on the other side. He left St Louis after graduating from college and headed to L.A. with not much more than his car and the clothes on his back. His first job was as a showrunner on the soap "Santa Barbara," and he took off from there. More recently, just before "Man With a Plan," he wrote for "True Blood" and "Mike and Molly." His career spanned thirty years and his resume is incredible. But he'll be remembered most for his ability to make anyone laugh with just a look and for his total devotion to his family and friends.

Rachel is truly the only thing standing between me and a straight jacket. I've been outraged over so many things Trump and the Republicans have done. I didn't think it was possible for me to feel more outrage than I did after Charlottesville. But then I found out about the snatching of children at the border. Then Trump basically fellated Putin on live TV. Then he mocked Blasey-Ford (which he had been DYING to do). Through it all, Rachel has kept her eyes on reality versus the chaos; As she has repeatedly noted: she's "focused on what Trump, his administration and the Republican congress are DOING, not what they're saying." So it doesn't surprise me that she's one of the VERY FEW banging the drum about voter suppression efforts. Talk about outrage!! After her show last night, I spent at least two hours trying to figure out what I, as a non-North Dakotan, could do to help. Then I realized it's probably happening right here in my effed-up state of Missouri; we're just not hearing about it. So thank you AGAIN Rachel for a) pointing out all the "little" un-reported on issues that have the potential to add up to GIANT problems on Election Day and b) inspiring me to contact our election commission to find out how to help ensure Missouri voter's rights on Election Day. P.S. Rachel: please don't attempt any DIY home improvement projects requiring power tools or ladders; please let Susan do all the cooking or anything else requiring the use of fire; please don't adopt any wild animals in the near future, take very small bites of preferably easy-to-swallow foods and for God's sake, please don't even THINK about driving anywhere (hire a driver!). In other words, please don't do anything that could result in even minor bodily harm. Do you have any idea how many of us rely on you for the whole truth and nothing but the truth (and the calmness and wit with which you report it)? You are a national treasure and when the whole Trump/Russia story is finally revealed, you'd better win a Pulitzer for your early, thorough and dogged reporting (or there will be rioting in the streets by TRMS fans everywhere)!

My parents were VERY young when they had me (both only 20). I was blessed to have my Dad until he was 70 and I was 50 and my Mom until she was 73 (and I was 53). I'm 54 now and I can say with all honesty (whether for better or worse), I was still learning from them all the way up to their deaths. If you remain close to your parents (whether through proximity or just communication-wise), they will continue to shape you. In other words, as my parents grew older and changed, so did I. I became stronger through necessity as I was their caregiver. And in the last years of their lives I learned more from them about life in general than in the 50 years preceding. I learned the big stuff: the importance of acceptances and forgiveness, the way to age and die with dignity, and perspective on things that seem so important when you're young but wind up having very little importance in the end. I'm an entirely different person than I was ten years ago; mostly because of those life lessons my parents were still teaching me until the end. Everyone's experiences are different. I have friends who have very little contact with their parents (and some who gave no contact because they can't stand them) so I imagine they were fully parented much earlier. But even though I have my own grown children and a husband and a career that has spanned over 30 years, I know I didn't feel truly "all grown-up" until both of my parents had passed away.

A lot of posters think Jack is being too propped up as a saint and are sick of seeing his backstory as we all now know how and when he died. My UO: I love Jack and especially Milo's portrayal. He's no saint, although he tries (Randall gets that savior complex from Jack). He's definitely flawed (I think he's a bit on the manic depressive spectrum with his over the top grand gestures and alternately his alcholism to cope with life). It's obvious he had a terrible home life as a child and knowing he loses his brother while they're both serving in a horrific war just adds to the myriad ways Jack COULD have justifiably become one of the many casualties of the Vietnam War (ie homeless vets, PTSD sufferers, etc). And yet, he TRIES so hard to be the best husband and parent he knows how to be, based on his very limited and skewed vision of what he experienced as a child. My OTHER UO: Rebecca is the REAL saint in all of this, as she saved Jack many times (as we're beginning to see their initial coupling, it's obvious she was a light in a very dark world for him and then again when he was an alcoholic) and she saved her children the best way she knew how after Jack's untimely death. I think one reason Randall views Rebecca so much differently than Kevin and (especially) Kate is because he HAS children and understands how hard it is to be a parent, even under the best of circumstances. I wish Kate would have a daughter of her own: she'd come to see her own mother in a totally different light. She'd understand (because of toby's impending depression arc) how hard it is to care for a child/children and simultaneously have to be the rock for your husband who is struggling with addiction (Jack's alcoholism) or mental illness (Toby's depression). All while sacrificing her own dreams (even though Rebecca did it willingly for the sake of her marriage and her family).

I think the "her" is going to be Kate. Toby isn't wearing his wedding ring. We see his depression arc in the season three trailer and we also see Kate throwing away one of several pregnancy tests (meaning she's not pregnant - she only had 8 eggs but Toby's little swimmers weren't that potent to begin with. Combine his inability to fertilize one of Kate's 8 eggs, plus his being off his meds, he's headed for a big depressive episode. I think Kate will try to be supportive of and for him but she will also be wrestling with her own grief over not becoming pregnant. Mix it all together and I see Kate and Toby splitting up. Re: Kate as "the her." I think, with the help of a grown up Tess as social worker, Kate will ultimately decide to adopt on her own. She'll become very attached to a child and be prepared to adopt when somehow, something goes wrong and she'll have to give up the kid. Kate will perhaps attempt to commit suicide at that point. Maybe that's why they're all there to see "her." Or maybe the stress and disappointment plus her unhealthy weight cause her to have a stroke or perhaps an ultimately fatal heart attack (just like Jack) and everyone is there to say goodbye? I know a lot of these theories sound far-fetched, but this show does far-fetched really well (and in a way that makes it all seem so believable).

I can't believe I'm the first (and only) one listening to this - I hope it's just because I'm posting in the wrong thread. (P.S. For all Steve Perry fans: BUY THE NEW CD... It's #1 on Amazon and for good reason).

He's obviously emotionally damaged - the war, the loss of his brother, his POS dad. One thing the show has consistently shown is that Jack was "a doer." Randall talked about it last night, as well. I think when Rebecca showed up, he wasn't sure HOW to react, so he did what came naturally to him: got busy doing something productive. I, for one, am REALLY interested in seeing how Rebecca gets him to open his heart and believe he's worthy of being loved (I'm just a big ol sap... Ha)!

Thank you ?? I should have paid closer attention to her whole interaction with William. But at that point, I had no idea how integral she'd be to Randall's storyline.

Actually, my mom did that. To make sure my brother and I had to put them away. (Really!).

This is a tough crowd... LOL. I totally bought the whole Jack/Rebecca premise. Now that I'm in my 50s, I look back on my dreams as a young woman in my early 20s and the choices I made "for love," that took me down a completely different path. I wanted to be that wild, free girl on the back of Springsteen's bike in "Born to Run." But like Rebecca, I fell in love 'at first kiss' and went with my gut. Impulsive? Probably. And those gut decisions don't always work out (mine didn't). But when Rebecca looks back on the highs and lows of her life with Jack, it seems she rarely regrets her choice. RE: Randall. He has such a savior complex. His anxiety stems from his constant need to prove he was worthy of being adopted by such wonderful parents and trying to live up to the "mythology" of Jack Pearson. I agree with whomever suggested he has ADD. Can't stay focused, high anxiety, manic behavior. I really loved the scene if Randall and Toby discussing their mental illnesses. I really hope the show does a good job of exploring those issues... It's so necessary for our culture to de-stigmatize and legitimize depression and anxiety issues. So, so many people are affected and afraid to come forward. RE: Kate. I normally can't stand her. I, like her, was a total Daddy's girl. My dad was a much more complicated man than Jack, but he was also shaped by severe trauma and tragedy at a very young age and was also in the military (during the Vietnam era, although he didn't see combat). My dad would NEVER have allowed me to be such an incredible brat to my mom (even when he was cheating on her, which was often). He demanded I respect her (and him, of course) and he didn't "coddle" me the way Jack did Kate. He taught me to be a strong woman in a man's world and that whiners never get anywhere in life. So Kate's sense of entitlement ALWAYS grates on me. But I was actually clapping after she opened the can of whoop ass on Randall after his speech of righteous indignation (and I LOVE Randall). She's finally being herself and following her own dreams. She's making progress!! She's learning to speak her truth.im glad they didn't stretch out her saying "bye" to Jack in her anesthesia dream. I thought it was just enough for her to tell him "I have to go..." In fact, I got choked up in that moment having recently lost my own dad (and mom). It's so easy to want to stay in those memories and not move forward for fear of "leaving them behind." She's finally come through on the other side. WTG Kate. And God help me (please don't judge me...haha) I love Toby. He is a wonderful husband and a good, kind man. I know his depression arc is going to be tough to watch. But it just like Rebecca had to be Jack's support through his addiction, I think Kate will rise to the occasion and be strong for Toby. Finally re: the rec center story. I think the reason Randall is so invested in the Jamaican (?) woman and her child (and thus the rec center) is because it's a link to William. He WILL wind up having to make a choice between Beth and his family (representing his dad, Jack) and the whole inner city life and the woman who is challenging him to fix the problems (representing his bio dad, William). It's very possible Beth might make the choice for him. Wouldn't it be the most obvious trope to have the happiest couple be the one that doesn't make it? I don't think Kevin will be alone at the end as everyone predicts. I actually think it will be Randall. (Just my $.02).

Yikes. I must be the only person who thought this was a moving episode in which ALL the characters were involved... The last scene was sickening. Welcome to America, indeed.

Cherry.. Hello :) Re: quitting smoking and needing to lose weight. I smoked for 30 years and quit shortly after my 50th birthday. I had just watched my dad (a smoker since the age of 15) die of congestive heart failure at just 70 years old. By the time he was 55, he'd already had quadruple bypass surgery, a pacemaker and a defibrillator but was STILL was still smoking right up until he passed away. My mom, also a lifelong smoker, was told at the age of 56 that she had mid-stage COPD. She supposedly quit for the next 8 or 9 years but I eventually caught her smoking. She went on oxygen full-time when she was 70 and passed away from advanced COPD at just 73 years old (and she was still sneaking cigarettes right up until she had to go into a hospice facility, 5 weeks before she passed). When my dad died (at around the same time my mom was put on 24/7 oxygen), I knew I was headed for serious trouble if I didn't quit. I didn't even know if it would make a difference after 30 years, but I knew I had to try. Until that point, the only time I had quit was during the nine months I was pregnant with my only child 26 years earlier. AND at 50, I was already deep into menopause, so I KNEW I would gain weight if quit (plus I had already gained a few menopause pounds). Long story even longer, I decided to try hypnosis and use a NON-NICOTINE re-chargeable e-cig as my "desperation" backup. I was very honest with the hypnotherapist. I told her I LOVED smoking and that I really didn't WANT to quit. I never had bronchial infections, shortness of breath, wheezing or coughing. I never smoked more than one pack a day (except back in my early 20s when I still liked to drink) but I had always considered that one pack a day my reward system, my coping mechanism, and sometimes my best friend and I was afraid to give it up after 30 years. Well, she worked all of my hopes (of success) and fears (of failure) into the hypnosis "script." I was fully awake through the whole process, just INCREDIBLY relaxed. And on November 4th of this year, I'll be celebrating my 4th year without a cigarette. Yes, I really did quit right after the hypnotherapy session. In the two years following that day, I took care of my mom and stepdad as they both began the dying process - my mom of advanced COPD and my stepdad (who had been like a second dad for over 25 years) of advanced prostate cancer. Losing my dad was the hardest thing I'd ever been through until losing my mom and stepdad four months apart. 2016 was easily the most painful, grueling, awful year of my life. And yet... I NEVER picked up a cigarette. Now... Did I gain weight? Yes, I definitely did. In fact, I gained a single pound for every year I smoked - 30 extra pounds I could hardly afford. After my mom and stepdad passed away, I was seriously depressed and even though I didn't have an appetite, I didn't feel like getting out of bed either so the extra weight just clung to me like a barnacle on a boat. But a year later, after lots of hard work through therapy, I slowly learned to practice some self-care; something I hadn't done for many, many years. And as I moved forward and healed, I started to lose weight without even trying. Earlier this year, at my annual physical, my doctor told me I was back at my early 2013 weight - I had lost the 30pounds, plus 3 extra for good measure. I don't know your personal circumstances, but I just want to say you can do anything you NEED to do (you don't even have to necessarily WANT to) if you put the full weight of your intention behind it. In other words, if you choose to have your own back and drown out the other voices (whether it's your own internal naysayer or the voices of people you're surrounded by). Early on in my therapy work, my therapist told me the mental aspect of being "stuck" in life, whether because of grief, depression, anxiety or even fear of change, can cause the same physiological reaction in your body as your mind. She was right. Quitting smoking had been a necessary first step, but three years later, when I finally made the conscious decision to start taking care of MYSELF as well as I'd taken care of everyone else, I started shedding weight almost without even trying. I know you're probably thinking "way easier said than done), but considering I've had MS for over thirty years and Hashimoto's Thyroiditis (an autoimmune disease which causes your thyroid to either overreact or (more often) under act) for ten years, I'm a true believer in the mind-body connection. Intention + action = results. Good luck to you, Cherry, and anyone else reading this who is trying to give up a bad habit or struggling to work through grief and inertia. Just remember, you're not alone!!

I love when she has Chuck on though. She tries so hard not to sound panicky, but he knows her too well and does an excellent job with that smooth, calm voice of trying to talk her off the ledge at least for the moment (thus, talking most of us off the ledge, too, until the next insane thing happens). But it's obvious she's as nervous as the rest of us that the jury asking for the definition of "reasonable doubt" is a bad sign. Then of course, Brian Williams, while interviewing his go-to guy for the Manafort case, basically came out and confirmed that line of thinking. Which totally took away any zen I might have felt from Rach and Chuck's chat. Gaaaaaahhh! Gonna chew up some Xanax like baby aspirin.

Oooh... Good catch on the "didn't eat the meat" thing. I didn't think about that...

I agree about Kasie. I like her a lot. Interesting about Dylan Byers...