America Peals

First things first! From wide and far, readers have noted egregious spelling errors and I am here to “woman” up and state that I do not usually have the time to proof read these posts.

That being said, I am so frackin’  proud that people care deeply enough to mention this to me. I have a copy-editor in the wings: a luscious Opera singer, Robert Hoyt.  I need to find a bit of cash though to bring him on board. And, Mr. Hoyt is the man. He was a college football player, a rocking cook and generally one of the most gracious, FUNNY men, I have come to call my friend. I lived with Rob and his wife Jennifer (she deserves her own post) for a year when I first arrived in NY. We lived in the Sunnyside Opera House. We drank, we ate, we sang and we loved being together with all of our creative friends. We did lip syncs to swirly lights off the Mac and dance numbers. Sometimes, medicinal plants were used to enhance our adult romper room. Oh, and don’t go there in terms of “play.” We are friends, not members of the cast Shortbus.

Today’s lesson is going to focus on the season premiere of House.

One did you know that Hugh Laurie is a novelist?

Secondly, short of Tony Soprano, there is no TV character that adequately performs complexity. Laurie does.

For those who do not watch the show, Laurie is a brilliant doctor in New Jersey who cures people with ridiculous ailments because his mind is singularly focused on his fascination for making things work. Laurie does not have friends save one. He angers people. He does what he wants at his hospital. He is terrible at relationships. He is rude. Yet, his brilliance forgives him all aforementioned iniquities. His capacity to problem solve and make recondite connections, makes him a Dostoevsky superhero.

Laurie is also a Vicodin addict. And, until last season, he was a high functioning drug user.

The House premiere tipped my experience of Gregory House upside down. As a result of a dangerous break from reality, Laurie is hospitalized last season. Without any of the supporting cast in this episode, except his oncology friend (the dude who commits suicide from Dead Poets Society), Laurie is in lock-down in a psych hospital reminiscent of the prison in Oliver Stone’s first film, Midnight Express.

I KNOW I TAKE TOO LONG TO GET TO THE POINT.

Laurie’s only desire is to get a letter of recommendation from Medical Director of psych hospital so he can go back to medicine. Despite reverting back to his hell raising ways, Laurie finally gives up and works with the doctor. And, during this time, he connects with a woman who eventually falls for. Scene ends with Laurie in tears as he embraces this woman.

So, why the hell did I recount this? Sometimes, we all lose our way. We stop feeling. We think that we are leading the only life we know and damnit its a fine life.  Now, I am not asking anyone to go knock over a CVS for prescription and perform medicine, so that you can have an epic break down. But, I invite people to question their lives. Is your life your best effort? Or, is it something else?