I woke up Monday morning in that fog that everyone is in when they first wake up. Most of you know what I am referring to. Those first few moments when you just wake up and you feel as if you have no idea where you are or how you got there. Then you realize... oh, I am in my own bed. You know what I am talking about unless you are just one of those strange people that can shoot up out of bed and look like you have been up for hours. I don't get it. Anyway, I proceed to fumble around in my pre shower funk as I like to call it, looking for my remote because my television is screaming this music from a reality series on Bravo. I continue looking for my remote and a few minutes pass, by now, the show has started and I find myself strangely drawn to what I am seeing on my TV screen. So I say hell with it and quit looking for the remote.
For those of you who are not familiar with this show, I will fill you in because I am now fortunate enough to have a plethora of knowledge about Orange County. This "reality" series is centered around five housewives that reside in a gated community in Orange county. Like any "reality series" camera crews follow these women and their families around and capture every shape and form of these peoples lives. All these families have more money than most Americans will make in a lifetime, which is not a bad thing, but it seems to me this is what drives these women and men and their families. So reality huh...
So I have been watching this reality show for over an hour now, and I am captivated by these families. I found myself wondering if America is watching this and thinking to themselves, "Wow, those people are so lucky, I wish I had what they had."? Or do we take to these shows because they not reality? It's not the way most of us live or go about our lives. I am not passing judgement on these people because it's not my place, but just observing. For those of us who would say, I wish I had what they did, what about this to chew on: What do we want so bad that they have? Is it the money? The material possessions they have and seem to pride themselves on? The ability to call a restaurant or store and have them close down simply because you have a American Express Black Card? How many people really define themselves based on these things?
I ended up being glued to my television for the better part of 3 hours, and was just asking myself question after question about these people and myself. Will money buy me my happiness? Are the families on this show really happy or are they just happy to have money and the ability to show it. I am still finding questions myself about this reality.
These are just all questions I was asking myself as I watched this show... but now I am strangely addicted to this show and will throw you random thoughts I have about it whenever I am lucky enough to find a three hour slot of time in which to watch said show. I find it funny that something as simple as a TV show could make me do some soul searching. That being said, there is something to learn from everything and always keep a eye open for the stuff that can make you dig down in yourself and look around...you never know what ya might find. Until next time.....
-andrew jacob
super happy time fun fact: I like my pancakes a little soggy in the middle.
