The West Wing and Me
My latest obsession is The West Wing. I have just discovered the brilliance of this show, and I have Friends L and K to thank for this.

Friend L had been trying to get me to watch The West Wing for quite some time. He even went so far as to loan me Season 1 (after a stern lecture on the value of this DVD collection and the fact that he does not loan it out to just anyone) with the assumption that I would cave and watch it and love it. I didn't ask to borrow it. He had the confidence that just having it in my possession would win me over.

I resisted for a good month or so. One day I had nothing better to do, and I didn't feel like I could give the DVDs back to Friend L without legitimately giving it a chance, so I watched a few episodes (even though my initial plan was to hold on to it for awhile, then give it back without watching it and tell him I just couldn't get into it).

The first couple of episodes really did nothing for me. I have absolutely no interest in politics or anything remotely resembling politics. I also know little to nothing about government, how it works, who the people are, what they do, or why. The fast pace of the show stressed me out. I didn't know the people or the stories. I was prepared to tell Friend L that I was right. I do not like this show.

But then I watched a few more episodes. And now I have to admit that I am completely hooked and obsessed and in love with The West Wing. I am frantically trying to catch up, having learned that I am eight years late on this bandwagon. And now I plan to run for President one day in one of those electory-thingies that they do.

I cannot stop watching this show.

I don't have time to sleep enough on a normal day, but somehow I have managed to go through three seasons in about a month. Where has all of this TV-watching time suddenly come from? I do not know. Apparently President Bartlet and Friends have the ability to create time out of thin air.

And for that, I love them.

I do not agree with all of the politics of the show. But anyone who knows the show will know that the politics are not the point of the show. I am in love with Josh. I want to be C.J. I cried when Mrs. Landingham died. I cried when Leo died in real life last week.

It's like a weird fake family that I don't have. I should probably slow down my episode consumption before I start believing that these people are real and they are friends of mine.

I've been jotting down quotes from the show. There are too many good lines and quotes for me to keep up with. The writing on this show is brilliant. But here are just a few quotes that resonate with me. I won't go into why. And I don't remember which seasons they belong to:

The only thing you ever had to do to make me happy was to come home at the end of the day. - Jed Bartlet speaking to his middle daughter.

I don't always know the right thing to do, Lord, but I think the fact that I want to please you pleases you. - Leo quoting a monk. (I'm still trying to find the name of the monk)

The streets of heaven are too crowded with angels tonight. - Jed Bartlet speaking to a crowd about a pipe bomb that killed some college kids.

This guy's walking down the street when he falls in a hole. The walls are so steep he can't get out. A doctor passes by and the guy shouts up, 'Hey you. Can you help me out?' The doctor writes a prescription, throws it down in the hole and moves on. Then a priest comes along and the guy shouts up, 'Father, I'm down in this hole can you help me out?' The priest writes out a prayer, throws it down in the hole and moves on. Then a friend walks by, 'Hey, Joe, it's me can you help me out?' And the friend jumps in the hole. Our guy says, 'Are you stupid? Now we're both down here.' The friend says, 'Yeah, but I've been down here before and I know the way out.' - Leo

I can't believe I have taken a break from watching Season 4 long enough to blog this much.

They'd better cancel this show soon. I show no signs of weakening my efforts to watch less of it. And someone may have to jump down in this hole with me and show me the way out and back to reality.

C.T.