SassTown

 

Jack is back and so am I. As the Mayor of Sasstown I granted myself an extended administrative leave for reasons I still have not figured out. This has been by far one of the most disconcerting holiday seasons I have ever experienced and the recovery has been slow. Having the kids off from school all of that time in addition to my husband underfoot just about did me in. The extreme wintery conditions that confined us indoors most of the time only added to the insidious mind sucking energy flowing through our home. It’s amazing that the new year got here without my head popping off.

Faced with this kind of challenge in the past I might have found excuses to get out of the house in hopes that being swept up in a crowd of people who were putting out an anticipatory vibe would raise my spirits. Unfortunately here in the big D (the Detroit area for you non-automotive types) it is impossible to escape the cloud of anxiety the seems to have enveloped everyone great and small. Here in Michigan we are way ahead of the economic slump curve the rest of the country is just beginning to experience and it shows on all of our faces. The last few years have taught us that even if your career is not directly auto related, watching ever increasing job loss, an exodus of people and the tax revenues they represent and the free falling home values illustrates firsthand how our whole region is suffering.

So when the real world is overwhelming it’s time to escape into books, movies and the new season of television. I let myself be engrossed with my daughter’s Twilight series, you know the whole Edward Cullen vampire vs Jacob Black werewolf drama. Not always one to follow the crowd I’m kind of a Jacob fan. Maybe it’s some loyalty mojo bubbling up from the tiny sliver of Cherokee running through me. My daughters have all seen the movie several times and I’m glad I waited to finish reading the book before I let them take me. It was worth the wait, with many clever moments and breathtaking scenery from the Pacific Northwest.

I’m closing in on finishing season 3 of Dexter, which is my new number one favorite program. It’s safe to say I have sort of a crush on Dex. His foul mouthed sister Deb is my favorite character and I’m trying not to pick up her nasty language habit. Most of my friends can't understand how a show about a serial killer has risen to my number 1 spot. Dexter Morgan lives by a strict moral code where he feels it is his obligation to kill killers who have gotten away with murder. Michael Hall's character just has this cool, understated monotone geek charm that is hard not to love. It's one of those shows you really have to see to understand what I am talking about.Each of the characters in this Miami Homicide crew have chemistry that's fun to watch and the writing is inventive and full of surprises.

 

Jack, is of course back and I’m keeping half an eye on the story line. 24 has not really held my interest the last two seasons but curiosity has me watching to see how Jack handles himself in the new politically correct culture. I am a fan of Jack’s style of getting the job done by any means necessary and cutting through all the BS along the way. I have successfully guided 3 out of 6 kids through the teenage and college or as I like to call it the pseudo-adult phase, I am a proponent of counter-surveillance and torture if the circumstances are dire. Bribing bad boyfriends to GO AWAY is a specialty of mine. Privacy, forget about it. Anything that is in my house, my car, your backpack, anything that I am paying for (like college grades) is my business. I could probably teach CTU a thing or two.

Now my method of watching a movie or tv program at home usually goes something like this. I walk through the family room on my way to some task awaiting me and one of my loved ones will have chosen something and I will watch for brief intermittent periods. If my interest is piqued I will monitor it from the kitchen. If I’m really taken with it I will go sit down with them and fold the never ending laundry.

Last week my youngest was watching Dirty Dancing with Patrick Swayze. I got pretty focused on it by the time it got to the famous “you don’t put Baby in a corner” scene. Next thing you know I'm shushing everyone as the “now I’ve had the time of my life and I owe it all to you” dance ensues. I really shocked myself when I felt...um...I hate to admit it but I felt weepy! You have to understand I have a long standing policy against crying in public. I hate crying period. I’m pretty sure my moment of weakness was due to the knowledge of Mr Swayze’s cancer diagnosis and I’ve always had a bit of a soft spot for him.

It’s really annoying when reality intrudes on my escape time. I need my escape time these days, I am not as resilient as I used to be. It’s always been my job to be the rock, to know the practical solution in most situations. Right now I am just glad that in my time of weakness and anxiety I can rely on my faith to lead me. I’m a bit tired and anxious, but still a rock.