"My Boys" Are Back

In my true sports-loving, beer-swilling, cards-playing 'tomgirl' style, I am addicted to this show over on TBS. The lead character in this series, "PJ", as portrayed by the darling Jordana Spiro, is a sportswriter living and working in beautiful Chicago. And, God help her, just like me and legendary political columnist George Will, the lead is a bit of Chicago Cubs fan!! (In about the only comparison I will ever have with Mr. Will...I, too, am just a frustrated sports writer.) Spiro is surrounded by a simply wonderful ensemble cast...comedians Jim Gaffigan and Jamie Kaler were the ones I was familiar with before this show...and all are guided by some excellent (albeit at times a bit quirky) scripts.

As we 'tomgirls' from real life can attest, most of our dearest friends are real guys...guys who don't mind we know as much (if not more) about sports as they do, guys who don't mind (perhaps even like) having us sit in with them for a game of poker, guys who are respectful that we have strong opinions and pay attention when we speak them, guys who don't mind us not always having 'perfect' makeup on while we're drinking our beer and eating our hot dogs. I've said this several ways here on the blog and countless times in real life, and although I get bashed for it occasionally, it is so true for me: it is an accepted universal 'tomgirl' code of law that men are the more dependable, more loyal, and more understandable friends to have (as compared to women). We 'tomgirls' all have about one good girlfriend who we can turn to in a pinch, but mostly we hang out with the fellas and love it. Clearly, 'tomgirls' are not the intended audience for "Cosmo" magazine (nor for the now-infamous drink of the same name, for that matter). Men aren't the enemy, men aren't prey to be hunted down, slept with, married, and mortgaged. Instead, men are our best friends.



I know I'm sentimentally drawn to the "PJ" character because her dreams run so much to my own, but I can't help recommending this show to practically everyone I meet. Lightweight and breezy, yet nothing is canned and features some universal truths/myths about the differences between women and men. This show truly is a guilty pleasure of mine...one of the few for television I still have. My only complaints: TBS needs to expand this show to an hour-long format, and give this team a longer viewing season in which to shine.

You can check out the show's website here.

Where My Mind Is Today: Enjoying the Circus, 2003

A quick note to let everyone know I'll be stepping away for a few days. I have to do several high-tension projects for work, have had a spate of personal issues which have required some time away, and also have to meet and greet with an attorney in DC within the next week or so. While my mind (and fingers) have several issues which require a public outlet, unfortunately time has not been a willing accomplice and so I must hold y'all in suspense (yeah, right). I hope to be back this weekend, Tuesday after the holiday at the latest. It's time to ape Moses, and go take my tablets to the people. Wish me luck.

That said, I'll finish with some reminiscence I've been doing over the last few days. Three years ago this week, I was unemployed, bitter, and pretty much without more than $5 to my name. (Now I'm just employed, been made a fool of, and with about $50 to my name until Thursday...then I'm flush again lol. And, yeah, I'm still bitter, but that's another diatribe for another time.) However, it was then that I was in my beloved Chicago in the summer, meeting new friends and living well on the cheap. And I was experiencing a fave band of mine in person...and also, for better and for worse, their fans and entourage (which is rather hysterical if you know anything about the sporadic history of this band). Most of all I was in contact with then (except for a couple I have parted ways with or have arguably decided to go missing in action) have reflected on the anniversary with great fondness. Strangely, too, many have remarked how my description then of the week has become even more appropriate as time has marched by: "too many freaks, and not enough circuses". If we all truly knew, I'm sure it's much stranger than that even.



Very few pictures remain of my actual TOFOG experience there (the jpegs died an untimely death with my computer earlier this year, the originals still held captive by someone I've not spoken to in months and most likely will never again), but I still have the memories. The above is one of the strong survivors. Forget Paris, folks, I'll always have Chicago 2003. And, somedays...somedays...those are good memories.

Take care to all of you...and I'll let you know what the attorney and editor said when I return. Have a happy Labour Day weekend, just in case my return falls after that.