Saying, "Good-bye," is hard to do...

I ate too many cookies and I'm crying. Those are unrelated events, really, outside of their shared relationship with me. This isn't about cookies, anyway, which, in fairness, were delicious, I just shouldn't have eaten so many.

I'm crying because I just watched the finale of The Office. I can be overly sentimental about such matters, but this touches me a little more deeply than usual. It's a good show, but I wouldn't say it's my favorite. It is, however, somewhat perfectly what it is, though, silly stories about finding joy and humor and love in ordinary things. It's a show that I've watched from the beginning, too, so I'm a little more invested in it. Watching something run its course from start to end has a certain significance, at least for me.

I liked how they wrapped it up. It was well done and satisfying, a fitting farewell. There was an appropriate amount of closure without being overly indulgent. There's still the sense that the characters live on in some reality, but that they've moved on with their lives and this chapter that's been shared with us is over. It helped that the characters acknowledged this in a very natural way. It was time.

What really strikes a chord with me, and it happens with other things, too, is that I have so little going on in my life that I can (and do) put myself in the world of a TV show. It's a real part of my life, in this case, half an hour at a time over 8 years, 9 seasons, and 201 episodes, every single one of which I've experienced. I felt a part of something, uncommon for me in real life, but now it's over and I'm sad. I'm sad that I won't have this specific distraction from my life, something that made me smile and laugh and feel a little. I'm sad that I have such a void that's so easily filled by a television show. I'm sad that I don't feel good at all while writing this, times like these a big reason why TV has become so important to me. I'm sad because it's not likely to change anytime soon, and now I'm short a proven escape.

I wish my relationships with people were as strong and as trustworthy and as reliable, but, well, they're not, by and large. The more I think about it, the more similarities I see, though, with most of the attachment and significance being on my end. At least with television, it's more of a given--there aren't the same expectations of reciprocation. People are so much more disappointing that way.

So I'm sad...and I cried...over a TV show. At least there was a sort of good-bye and a bit of closure in that sense. Plus, I can watch the re-runs anytime I want. You can't do that with people, and if you could, why wouldn't you just make new memories instead?

If you're reading this and if you know and care about me at all, let's make some new memories. Not everything has to be some blockbuster episode, just a normal day at The Office, if you will, would be more than fine for me. I'm rarely busy, so most any time slot that works for you will probably work for me--just don't pre-empt me, please. I'd appreciate it if you don't post-empt me, either (whatever that means). And if you've stumbled upon this somehow and don't know me from an extra in the show, go make new memories with people important to you. As much as I enjoy TV, I'd be much happier if I didn't have time to watch it.

Auditions for co-stars in life are open, name your place and time.