The Argument Clinic

So a while back (in january) I wrote a post about my soap opera-related obsessions.  At the time, I was keeping up with 8 out of the 9 daytime soaps (whether through viewing or through online recaps)…I can proudly say though that I have cut back some.  I am currently only watching 3 soaps and not really keeping up with the others (too much of a time commitment ), except through random articles I read in soap opera digest or news articles on soapcentral.com (ok, i still have problems…oh well…).  Currently I am watching young and the restless, general hospital, and passions (so one on each network…). 

I primarily still watch passions because it was the first soap I got into…I have walked away from it on occasion, but I always go back!  I can’t help it, I am just addicted to finding out what the characters are doing.  Even though right now sheridan is being played by a temporary actress instead of mackenzie westmore (out on maternity leave).  And I just love GH and Y&R, they are the two best soaps out there in terms of acting, storylines, etc.  Just have connected with those characters more than the others.  Stopped watching all my children cause their stories have been lousy, plus my all time favorite couple (of all the soaps I watch), kendall and zach, got married….which only means they are going to break them up again (cause that’s how it works on soaps)…and I prefer to pretend that they exist in wedded bliss forever….so not watching was the only way to ensure that   (I know…I know…I have problems…).

I have noticed though that when you watch these shows every day, you really start to get to know the characters a little too well.  Start to be able to predict their dialogue (well, on passions that would be because they repeat stuff constantly)…mostly because you just understand how that character will react to a situation and how they approach things.  Its sad really, I notice that to some extent on other shows I have watched for a while (like friends when that was on), but when you watch it every day it is just different.  That is why my major pet peeve is when they change characters for the sake of the story and have them do something completely out of character.  They are doing that now with maxie jones on GH, have turned her into a very unlikable character lately, not even the love-to-hate type.  I try to not let it get to me too much though

So right now I am dreading the death of John Abbott on Y&R (he has been on the show forever so those scenes will be depressing) and anxiously awaiting the end of the sharon kidnapping storyline (uhhh…as a rule writers, it helps if you kidnap a character I care about…plus, she isn’t leaving the show so I already know she isn’t going to die…).  On GH, am looking forward to Laura’s return in October (of Luke and Laura fame), impatiently waiting for jax’s return from africa, and intrigued by what they will have next for sonny and jason’s storylines (sonny is a bipolar mobster, jason is his right-hand man who has temporarily taken over the business)…personally I am rooting for a jason and liz reunion, but who knows.  I suppose I will settle for jason and sam…though she just slept with his enemy, sonny’s brother Ric, so it could be a while before that reunion happens.  On passions, am interested in the Jared/Theresa (she may actually move on from ethan after 7 years of trying to get him!), Luis/Fancy (even though I was a huge sheridan/luis fan), and paloma as a cop storylines…should be interesting!  Will just have to keep watching!

So yeah, I still have issues but am cutting back some, so soaps really are taking less of my mental energy than before, but there are some I just can’t stop watching!

So this past weekend was really nice…just hung around the apartment on saturday (much needed rest…) and went to church sunday am.  Then drove up to see my grandma at schroon lake for the day.  Was gorgeous weather, sunny for the most part with a few clouds that came in and out.  Hopefully we luck out with the weather when I am there on my actual vacation.  It was warm, but just in the low 80’s so it wasn’t too bad.  It gets cool in the evenings there, which is what I am really looking forward to!

So I hung out and read on the beach for a while, played some cards with my grandma, took a walk on the road next to the lake (really pretty walk), just had a nice relaxing afternoon/evening.  My uncle charlie and his kids were up visiting my grandma as well.  There was a girl there going into her senior year in hs who is looking into rpi and wanted to know about it…always tough to sum up your thoughts on 4 years of your life in a few minutes, especially when college choices are really very individual…so many different factors go into it…difficult to give advice (for me anyways, it always seems that if I mention colleges to guys they have 5 million opinions on them…and never seem to consider that the person on the other end might actually be different than them…maybe that has just been my bad luck though…but I get bored listening to them and usually try to tune them out). 

Then the reality that it was time to drive back home and prepare for the usual monday morning work schedule hit me…  But at least I have a week off to look forward to (10 days from now!).

Am planning on going up to see my grandma again this weekend (its been really nice to get away and actually enjoy being outside for a change!) and then that’s it until my vacation starts.  Going to indianapolis for work for a couple days next week, so hoping that the lines won’t be too long at security with the new “no liquids” rules, but we will see.  I am willing to get to the airport early though, never really bothers me much (its the whole flying part that I really hate…).

Monday my lab at work went to the saratoga race track.  I don’t bet on the races, so that excitement was lost on me, but I do enjoy walking around, being outside (weather was perfect again!), watching the horses and such cause they are cute   Its amazing how many people are there this time of year, the traffic is crazy!  If I could avoid the northway for the entire month of august I would, but I can’t since that is the easiest way to get to schroon lake.  Cruel joke that our first day of vacation, when we have to travel up there, is travers day at the track…the busiest day of the entire season!  Will need to leave extra early to miss that traffic.  Anyways, had fun when we were there, was a nice day.

Then last night I went to delmonico’s italian steakhouse with my friends anna, sue, and jen…its anna’s b-day next week, we always take each other out to dinner for our birthdays.  I had never been there before, but the food was really good and we had a great time!

That’s it for now…