Friday, May 20, 2011

A Word About Food (and some Guilty Pleasures)

I suppose I am fortunate I can work from home a few days a week.  Although, there are many who would argue typing away on a rainy day about the minutia of my life hardly qualifies as "work."  The main battle I have on these days is what to eat, and when to eat, and how to eat???

I am struggling to work this all out.  Yesterday I found myself starving around 2pm because I had not eaten.  Correction, I usually have some coffee and a banana before noon.  I find the thought of food nauseating right when I wake up.  Consequently, at lunchtime I devour whatever is around.  Yesterday that included leftover burgers and Easter candy.  I may be eating peanut butter cups all summer.  I prepared homemade mac and cheese and red sauce for dinner options, but hardly had the appetite to eat it when time came. 

Naturally, after 9pm I destroy the snack cupboard.  Nacho plates are built the size of airplane hangers.  Sugared cereal bowls filled again and again.  Who created these eating patterns???  And how the hell do I get out of them???  Would it kill me to throw in a vegetable? 

So last week we went out for fine dining, with three courses, and I was up all night because my body did not know what the hell happened.  Porcini mushroom ravioli???  Toscana Lamb Shanks???  "Boy you best take that white linen eating out of this stomach!!!"  I do like food.  I just hate the constant battle to prepare, think ahead, shop... 

My wife has been saying for years there should be some sort of "Food Pill."  We can send (supposedly) folks to the moon yet scientists cannot develop a device that provides nutrients and makes me feel full all at once???   I am looking at a $200 grocery store bill from Monday and I swear we could spend another $200 today.  And we all eat like s&*^!!    Who has the time to think ahead and cook well rounded, nutritious meals??  If you do then please shed some light.  Or better yet keep it to yourself.  I think I would rather think no one eats right.  Just as I prefer to think no one lives and behaves right.

Some Guilty Pleasures:
There is a misconception that I watch a bunch of tv.  Not true.  On days like this, when I am home ALL day, I do not even turn tv on.  At night I am more apt to watch a game than crime shows or reality show.  I do miss scripted series ruling the air.   I still vividly remember Thursday nights in my living room anxiously waiting for NBC's comedy lineup.  Theo Huxtable, Alex Keaton and the gang at Cheers were all welcome friends.

I suppose many kids are experiencing this with CBS these days.  But I never got into "Two and a Half Men" or "How I Met your Mother."  Am I am horrible person for not wanting to see Doogie Howser as a womanizer??  I mean, did you see the Tony Awards a few years back???  That is where he shines!!  I know, if I can suspend disbelief enough to believe we landed on the moon...  I should give him the benefit of doubt.  "Big Bang Theory" is probably good but I just can't do it.  I give CBS my reality family block, and that is enough.  We watch, and still enjoy, "Survivor".  This past season we gave "Amazing Race" a chance too.  Both of these shows move nicely, have amazing production design, and show the entire human spectrum.  You wonder aloud how these young girls sit around and let Boston Rob hijack shows and win a million bucks.  You root for fathers and daughters to make it through India without contracting disease.  Good clean fun examing (albeit in a contrived fashion) the human condition.  And alas we make some popcorn (with lots of butter and salt:  see earlier rant on bad eating) and enjoy as a family. 

When the young one is asleep I have become addicted to (2) very smart and funny scripted shows.  Amazingly, NBC has one of them.  Prompted by reading review after review praising it, I have succumbed to "Parks and Recreation."  Amy Poehler is fine in the leading role.  Poehler is Leslie Knope, a spirited and decicated member of Pawnee, Indiana's rec staff.  But this show is ALL about it's supporting cast.  Aziz Ansari, as sarcastic, failed entrepeneur Tom Haverford and Nick Offerman, Leslie's deadpan superior Ron Swanson stand out.  Rashida Jones, Aubrey Plaza and more recently Adam Scott and, why not, Rob Lowe, are also terrific.  The jokes are plentiful and fast moving.  With such a talented acting and writing group themes range from dating to government furloughs;  censorship to veganism; club going to shotgun weddings.  Laugh out loud funny in a world of not so much.  I am talking to you "Cougar Town."

The only other show on my DVR season pass is the lead in to the dreadful Courtney Cox vehicle, ABC's "Modern Family."  Whereas Parks and Rec has been slowly building its audience and reputation, this show has been a hit from day 1.  And for very good reason.  Following an extended nuclear family and the many issues that surround them, "Modern Family" is smart, relevant and very, very funny.

Weird that both shows follow the same "mockumentary" style that helped "The Office" attract viewers.  In both cases this is mre a gimmick than anything.  The shows are fine without it and can stand on the script/scenarios without problem.  But, as in most art and culture, monkey see/monkey do.

Ed O Neill is patriarch Jay Pritchett.  Think a tad more refined Al Bundy.  Instead of Peg Bundy, he has trophy wife Gloria (Sofia Vergara.)  Her malaprops and English language struggles provide some of the funnier moements.  He has a gay son Mitchell (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) and daughter Claire (Julie Bowen.)  Each child has its own family, including Mitchell's adopted Vietnamese daughter Lily. 

Every half hour connects the three households with various story archs that inevitably bring laughter.  Since Claire has high school age kids we get storylines revolving around dating, popularity and teen angst.  Gay adopted parents provide plenty of laughs too.  I especially liked last weeks episode where Mitchell's partner Cameron (an excellent Eric Stonestreet) felt slighted at play group that he was getting Mother's Day wishes. 

And O Neill is clearly having fun as aged LA businessman feeling a bit self conscious.  This week he had failed Botox which dropped one side of his face.  And I would be remiss if I did not mention Ty Burrell, as Claire's over-eager, wants to be pal rather than dad, Phil.  He can be annoying and try to hard...  but everybody knows a dad like this.  God I hope I am not like that.  Is that why I relate?  Ugh.  Now I am going to be thinking about that all day. 

Fun stuff for sure.  And since I have been told my music is esoteric, isn't it good I have mainstream tv habits?  Or is it only because I haven't found some crazy underground internet tv networks?  And no, that is not an invitation for everyone to send me horrible, disgusting videos found on the internet.  Although I would probably watch.

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