#BlogExodus 11: Rejoice

Tonight, on the advice of my sister, I am going to rejoice in doing what the rest of America does at night: watch television.

She's suggested that I would enjoy Blue Bloods and, since I have Amazon Prime, it appears that I can "watch now."

Stay tuned for a review, which may follow. For now though, I'm boosting my pop culture quotient -- just like the rest of America.

Inspired by Ima on (and off) the Bima, this post is one in a series marking the days of the Jewish month of Nisan leading up to Passover, which begins at sundown on Friday, April 22, corresponding to 15 Nisan. If you want to play along, check out this year's #BlogExodus and #ExodusGram prompts. Once again, this series of posts also is priming my heart, mind, and spirit to participate in Beyond Walls: Spiritual Writing at Kenyon, a six-day summer writing seminar that is an initiative of the Kenyon Institute at Kenyon College in Gambier, OH.

JanetheWriter's Java Jive

If you’ve spent even a little bit of time with me — IRL or virtually — you likely know that I don’t know Russell Crowe from Sean Penn from Tom Cruise.  I can’t distinguish NataliePortman from Lindsay Lohan, Keira Knightly from Jennifer Aniston.  I do, however, know Helen Hunt, Jill Eikenberry, Julianna Margulies and Christine Lahti (not to be confused with latte), which should give you a very big clue about when I last saw “must see” TV.  But I digress…

Similarly, I don’t know a cappuccino from a café au lait, a latte from an espresso, or an Americano from a French roast.  So I was somewhat interested to read this article in today’s New York Times.  Sadly, though, it taught me little and I’m still most comfortable with one of these options on my daily trek to work:

At the McDonald’s at 39^th and Second, I’m good with a “large coffee with milk,” and even better with the $1.09 price tag that’s part of an ongoing promotion that offers any size coffee for $1.

If I opt to walk up Third Avenue, I can satisfy my caffeine craving with a medium Dunkin’ with milk (sometimes with coconut syrup) from the Dunkin’ Donuts between 37^th and 38^th.  This fix sets me back $2.17. 

On the rare occasion that I find myself in a Starbucks (there’s one on 32^nd and Second and another one on 41^st and Third, as well as one at 81^st and Second, a short two blocks from Temple Shaaray Tefila, where I’ve been known to pass the time before an adult education or worship committee meeting), the only thing that rolls easily off my tongue is this:  “A tall blond roast in a grande cup,” which leaves room for milk.  Of course, once I add enough milk to suit my taste, the coffee’s cold…  Generally, this concoction can be had for $2.01, although in some stores it goes for $2.45.  Lately, though, I’ve been using a gift card, a lovely treat given to me for my birthday.

When next my travels take me to Chicago, I’ll make sure to stop in at Caffé Streets, where according to the article in the paper, I’ll fit right in with others in my demographic by ordering “Regular Coffee!!!,” which the proprietors describe as “Drip coffee, as ordered by flustered middle-aged people overwhelmed by a myriad of options and frou-frou drinks.  (Asking what size often results in a complete meltdown.)”

Whatever you’re drinking these days, enjoy it and keep warm!

My Kinda Television

Ask my friends and they’ll tell you that I’m totally out of touch with pop culture. And, they’re not wrong. I freely admit that I don’t know Brad Pitt from Sean Penn, the Coen brothers from Christian Slater, and I could no sooner identify any of them in a line-up than I could fly to the moon. The same goes for Angelina Jolie (although I do know she’s Jon Voight’s daughter), Paris Hilton, Nicole Kidman, Britney Spears and the rest. I don’t know who they are and I seem to be surviving just fine, thank you.

When I do watch television, it’s Jeopardy and re-runs of Law and Order SVU and House. For a little variety, sometimes I check out The Food Network, Without a Trace or Cold Case, but that’s about it.

This week, my options seem to have increased exponentially. RCN expanded its channel line-up and tonight, while flipping through channel after channel after channel, I happened upon St. Elsewhere and all my old “friends” at St. Eligius -- Donald Westphall, Daniel Auschlander, Mark Craig, Philip Chandler (Denzel Washington), Victor Ehrlich (Ed Begley, Jr.), Wayne Fiscus (Howie Mandel) and the rest – on American Life Television. Although Mrs. Hufnagel wasn’t in the particular episode I caught, I’m sure she’ll turn up soon enough and I’ll be waiting for her.

In the meantime, you can be sure I’ll be watching some of the other shows I've now discovered on American Life, including LA Law, The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Bob Newhart Show (not to be confused with Newhart, which I never watched), as well as Lou Grant and Trapper John, M.D. I can’t wait to catch up with Grace Van Owen, Arnie Becker, Michael Kuzak, Roxanne Melman, Victor Sifuentes, Rosalind Shays, and, of course, Benny Stulwicz. From MTM and The Bob Newhart Show don’t forget about Mary, Rhoda, Lou, Murray, Ted, Sue Ann, Phyllis, Lars, and Bess, as well as Bob, Emily, Jerry, Carol, Howard and Mr. Carlin. Oh, to see Mary toss her hat again would just make my day! And Billie Newman and Rossi from Lou Grant... Trapper, Gonzo and the others from Trapper John...can't wait!

Now, if only American Life would add The Waltons and Little House to its line-up, maybe, just maybe, I’ll become a television junkie like everyone else I know…