Monthly Archives: April 2013

The West Wing — a learning experience

Politics,

A few days ago I watched the final episode of The West Wing. I began watching it several months ago, not expecting to like it, but after a couple of episodes (and definitely after the first season) I was hooked.

I knew about the program when it was on television but, not being particularly interested in politics, I was not interested in The West Wing either. Also I was still boycotting anything featuring Rob Lowe. Also I was probably too busy dealing with the kids and working on a master’s degree — at least when the program started.

I knew a few people who watched The West Wing but still wasn’t interested — ugh, politics. More recently I knew people who loved it and the actors in it. Here is an example:

A certain bird I know online mentioned she loved the TV series, Psych because of Dulé Hill. I’d never heard of Dulé Hill and, while his character in Psych is cute and quirky, didn’t quite get the attraction. Now I do.

Another online friend wrote about being distracted by “…CJ, Toby and Sam, Josh and Donna, Charlie, Leo and the President…” Had I not been watching the series I would have had to ask what in the world she was talking about.

I learned to love most of the characters on The West Wing. I did not love the dark-haired woman who left after the first season though. She almost made me quit watching The West Wing after a few episodes, but the other characters/actors (even Sam/Rob Lowe) made me stick with it.

Now when something happens in the real world — in the current administration, I can usually relate it to something that happened on The West Wing and remember what President Bartlett did or what his staff advised him to do or not to do.

I’ll miss my daily visits with the folks on the series, but it ended at a perfect spot and in a perfect way. Another 8 years with a different administration would have been wrong. Anyway, I can always go back and watch it with my husband — he is still on season 1. Lucky duck.

A New Leaf

Musings,

A few weeks ago I was the victim of a nasty stomach virus and for a couple of days afterward I had little appetite for anything except Gatorade. Slowly I got back to my regular diet, but one thing has changed — possibly for good. I started drinking tea in the morning instead of coffee. At first it was because my stomach could not tolerate it, but later I realized I don’t like the buzz I get from it anymore. And I don’t like the way it often makes my stomach hurt.

tea for two

The other day Clare and I were in a tea shop and she said she thought she would stop drinking coffee in the morning. I thought that was a good idea and decided to join her. She also knew the quote at the end of this post by heart.

I still like coffee — the smell, the taste, the ritual; I also like tea — the smell, the taste, the extended ritual: boiling the water, warming the pot, measuring the tea, timing the brew, adding the [whole] milk before pouring the tea in the [China] cup. Where coffee gives me a jolt, tea teases me awake.

I don’t know how long this will last — but I plan on enjoying it while it does. And I’ve not given up coffee — I’ll still drink it occasionally — but not every morning. It is hard to get a good cup of tea at a restaurant — this morning I asked the waiter to boil the water in the microwave if necessary, but it had to be hot. She did it right — and my tea was delicious.

“There is a subtle charm in the taste of tea which makes it irresistible and capable of idealism… it has not the arrogance of wine, the self-consciousness of coffee, nor the simpering innocence of cocoa.”

– Okakura Kakuzō, 1862-1913.