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Gonna miss ’em

In general, I’d rather ignore a TV show until it’s played out, all seasons are done, rumors of a sequel have been squashed, and I can now binge-watch with wild abandon. That’s just how I roll.

But when I bought something* recently and got three free months of Apple TV with my purchase, I asked my brother for an Apple TV recommendation, and he suggested Ted Lasso. My brother has been spot on for my tastes with previous show recommendations, so I took him up on it and binge-watched the show until … until … gasp …. until I came to the last episode aired to date.

Then I had to wait for each and every show to come along. (Oh, what tragedies of modern living.)

That was a couple of months ago, and since then, I’ve tuned in once a week or so to watch the latest episode. To follow along. To witness the story unfold. So different than my usual TV-show binging habits.

Oddly, I haven’t minded. Actually, I’ve rather liked it.

I have looked forward to each episode. I have marveled at the depth of the story while laughing at the levity and humor of it all. I have felt for the characters, the team and the town. (Go, Richmond Greyhounds!) And I have come to truly enjoy this story and its week-by-week unfolding.

I have enjoyed getting to know Leslie and the things that make him tick. My heart has swelled to see Sam standing up for his principles and vision. Roy has helped me understand the thousand different meanings of a grunt, and the power to transform, inch by painful inch, while Rebecca has shown me a thousand ways a smile can communicate an equal number of unspoken comments.

Ted has shown me basic humanity, again and again. Beard has me winking at the various references to Burning Man culture. And Nate has helped me remember that behind many a hurtful or small-minded action done by someone is a hurt being themselves. Dani reminds me that soccer (whatever our passion is) is Life! And Rupert reminds me no matter how many times a snake sheds its skin, it still doesn’t change its color or pattern.

I love stories. I love being witness to other’s lives, to other’s dreams, to other’s backstories and situations. I love being a human, and stories help me get out of “just” my own head and my own life and my own challenges, and into the lives of others. With Ted Lasso, I feel so wonderfully welcomed into a front row seat to watch the game, most notably, the game of life, through the many characters, both their individual lives and their interdependent and connected lives.

I’m going to miss this show when it comes to an end. I’m going to miss the incremental unfolding of the stories large and small, the individual and collective challenges, the victories, the losses, the discoveries about life and of self.

Stories connect us. They remind us of our humanity by showing us the intimate details of others’ lives. Of Ted Lasso, I’m a fan.

Go, Richmond Greyhounds!

 

PS – The Ted Lasso cast visited the White House recently to discuss mental health.

 

the something* asterisked above

I think how I got Apple TV was when I bought a new laptop a few months ago after some balsamic vinegar, which flew off some drenched salad greens I was eating way too close to my laptop, dripped deep into the insides of my laptop and things went kerplewy. Like not-fixable kerplewy. If you’re going to trash a laptop based on some balsamic vinegar flying around, best it be an older laptop, as mine was. It had served me well.

doing what must be done

OOOOH, I just remembered a little something!

This kerplewy-ing of my laptop happened — true story — around 6 p.m. the night before I was delivering my first workshop (of many many) to a large three-letter agency. I’d been working on the workshop content for months, had gone through many iterations and was finally sorta-ready to deliver it the next day. I still needed to do another run-through that evening and get everything set up on my computer for the workshop the next day.

While I didn’t know at that moment when my laptop wouldn’t start up that it was fried, I knew I had a nonworking laptop and an online workshop to deliver the next day, and I needed to fix my situation ASAP.

I texted my mom, who lives about 15 minutes from me, and told her I needed to borrow her computer, told her I’d explain why later and that I was coming over in the next half hour. She said, thankfully, “okay.”

I have had many a stressed moment in my life. I’ve had super stressed moments. I’ve had not-so-stressed but-over-reacting moments. I’ve had full-on freak-outs. The works. But that night I was smooth, focused and on point. There was no time to freak out, and freaking out wasn’t going to help. I needed to get her computer, get everything set up (internet connection, printers connected, logins and passwords at the ready … all the things.) And so I did.

During my first workshop the next day, I lost sound for about 15 minutes while students/participants were speaking. Still, I didn’t freak out. I was like, “Ok, bring it on.” Life did, and it all worked out just fine, including getting a new laptop and three free months of Apple TV and new “friends” to get to know on Ted Lasso. All good, all good.

 

FWIW, It took me watching quite a few episodes and then googling Jason Sudeikis before realizing he is an SNL cast member and one of “The Two A-holes.” Brilliant.

 

2 Comments

  • Stephanie
    Posted May 30, 2023 at 8:10 pm

    Reading this feels like you are inside my head! From the getting 3 months free Apple TV to the binge watching all the episodes until I had to start waiting every week for the new one to come on, having to Google Jason Sudeikis… All of it. Watching Ted Lasso I, too, feel as if I am losing “friends” after I’ve just gotten to know them. While I think it’s great that they always knew it was only going to be 3 seasons and am happy that they are writing it in a way that “wraps up” the storyline but I feel like they could go so much further with it. It’s one of the best shows I’ve ever seen and I’m sad to see it go! ☹️

    • Post Author
      Jessie Newburn
      Posted June 1, 2023 at 6:19 pm

      I feel you and hear you! I was so surprised by my experience of the show. (I had a standing late evening appointment on Wednesday, May 31, and told the person, “I have to leave early tonight. I want to watch the Ted Lasso show as it streams.” (Not like I couldn’t watch it later, but I wanted to be there while it was happening.)

      I totally agree that I love how the story “wraps up” … and I wish to know them more: more chapters, spin-offs and stories. 🙂

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