An ER update

This is my only weekend at home for the month of May, and I am spending it in the least productive mode possible. I originally had big plans to clean and organize the house in time for
Steven's graduation guests next weekend. But then on Wednesday, I overloaded the washer, which forced Steven to move the mouse trap to the middle of the floor, and when we went to move it back after dinner, we were greeted by a long straight tail sticking out the back. Yuck and ick. I am using the untimely death of our mouse friend to justify staying in bed and watching the good doctors at County General do their thang all weekend. It has, thus far, been lovely.

Since the finale I have made it through four complete seasons of the show, averaging around a season a week. At Digital Shelf, you can rent a full season for 4 bucks. Ka-ching! Though, for some reason, Season 3 is in high demand, could not be rented, and cost 50 bucks at Best Buy. Grrr. Even on Amazon, where they sell the complete seasons for 20 bucks each, Season 3 was still 40. What gives? I didn't think it was singularly spectacular. But I now own it, so if you are going through a similar ER fixation, let me know.

What I have discovered in these weeks of intense research and memory searching is that everything I remembered about the show - is wrong. Kerry did not sing a Green Day song at Jeannie's funeral. Jeannie sang a Green Day song at Scott Anspaugh's funeral. Dr. Carter was not in charge, he wasn't even an ER intern until the third season! And the episode with the novel that I had such affectionate feelings for - wasn't even an important plot point. Instead, that is the episode where Mark gets beat up in the bathroom. I don't know what kind of weird denial centered suppression is going on in my brain but it has clearly been hard at work my entire life. It's like having a very specific, not very useful amnesia. Perhaps my brain is constantly in shock - that it can never handle bad news. I was always kind of a somber kid, especially in school, so I remember fearing terrible things happening. But apparently, when they actually do, my brain is ill-equipped to confront it. I just keep taking side doors.

Now I am well in to season 5 - and wondering when the heck Doug is finally leaving - trying desperately to remember if Kellie Martin was in "Life Goes On" or "Picket Fences". Or was it both? These are the important questions that must be answered. Also, I do love a good Romano villain. And what is Lizzie doing dating Benton? Surely she ends up with Mark? It's a nice little world they've created for us, and I am happy to indulge myself completely.

Steven and I watched the latest episode of Grey's Anatomy on Thursday, and Steven commented that it was weird to see other people in scrubs. It's true. It was also strange to hear George say "hook that blood up to the rapid infuser" because it is so not that kind of show. I love that just because George moves quickly and is good at saying things fast, that means he would be an excellent trauma surgeon. What? And why do they refer to the ER as "the pit?" It's hard to go back and forth, because Grey's pales in comparison as a medical drama. I rarely cry at ER - strange - but Grey's always gets me. Is it because it's new? Am I more invested in the characters? It might just be that too many people die on ER to get really emotional. On Grey's, if someone dies, it's a full-length episode event. Also, I felt really bad for George on the last episode of Grey's, because they did these little quick takes during the wedding scene, and showed all of the other characters happily paired off. Even the interns were in pairs! I still think that TR Knight refused his relationship plotline with Lexie and that's why he's getting no love this season. If so, what an obvious ouch. His departure at the end of this season will not be as dramatic or memorable as Clooney's - but I don't think Grey's has the stamina to last more than a couple more seasons anyway.

In other news, today marks 18 months for the Steven and Susan success story. We celebrated by being extra nice to each other and eating a late lunch at La Fiesta. It is sad that they have finally killed El Cazador, but at least it has forced me to admit that Fiesta is an acceptable substitute. Tomorrow is picnic and tennis.... if we can pry ourselves away from the incessant medical drama.