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the pros and cons of co-habit-watching

8/28/2014

 
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My husband and I recently started watching House of Cards.  I know, we’re very late to the Card game, and I'm aware some characters are gonna get killed, but I’m totally addicted and it’s awesome.  I feel alive again!  

I haven’t been this hooked since Breaking Bad, and with that I was watching in real time, waiting each week for my Walter White fix.  We did binge on The Wire (also late to that game), but back then I was breastfeeding Elena, and totally distracted and “mom-brained.”  Also, at the risk of starting a big riot here, I like House of Cards better than The Wire.  (What, what!?) But that debate’s for another post…


Anyway, I believe this kind of addiction is GOOD FOR YOU if you use responsibly.


THIS IS HOW WE DO IT:

We watch one episode a night, after we get the kids to bed and the next day's lunches made, etc.  It’s not really “binge-watching,” since we typically watch only one at a time. It's more like “habit-watching.”  Or, "CO-HABIT-WATCHING," if you watch together.


THIS IS WHY CO-HABIT-WATCHING IS GOOD FOR YOU:


Healthy Kids

You’ll be motivated to get your kids to bed early! Better for them, better for you.  I know, most people don’t need extra incentive to get their kids tucked away as soon as possible, but it helps to have a Kevin Spacey cliff hanger hanging over your head.  Our kids are now in bed by 8 every night!  Predictability is key for children (so I’ve heard).


Happy Marriage

They say when you’re alone with your spouse, you should try to talk about things other than kids, money, and work.  Now we’ve got plenty:  Clair’s conflicted conscience, the fate of Freddy’s BBQ Joint, how much Rob looks like Corey Stoll…

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Better for your Wallet

We were thinking of hiring a sitter and going out for dinner this weekend, but we didn’t want to miss a night of the show.


Improved Sex Life

Ok, admittedly we’re usually too tired after we watch.  Yet the naughty scenes do remind us that we could do that too, one of these days...


Good Birth Control

Let's face it: You will inevitably choose watching more episodes over making more babies.


A FEW DRAWBACKS TO CO-HABIT-WATCHING…


Waiting

Both spouses have to be available.  Last night Rob said he might want to take a night off and do work! Luckily, I talked him out of it.  Nothin' gonna break-a my stride.


Question-Monsters

This one’s for Rob.  I probably double the time he would take to watch by himself, thanks to all my questions.  It’s not my fault.  Sometimes my mind wanders -- usually when old men are talking -- and then I’m not sure what I missed.  (I think this also happened in 10th grade American History class, which is why I now have so many questions about the Legislative Branch.)  


Risk

There’s always the chance that your four-year-old will wake up and emerge right in the middle of someone getting shot or fucked. I'm not ready for that explanation. At least not in the middle of a juicy episode!


What about y’all? Are you Pro-Co-Habit-Watching?

You can vote here!



Comments

my robin williams moment

8/12/2014

 
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It seems that everyone has a story about Robin Williams to share today.  There are people I know who were lucky enough to work with him, and many more who randomly encountered him.  That's what happened to me one evening right after I moved to L.A.  I was with Rob (husband) in the car and we were at a stop light on Sunset.  Rob turned to me and said, "look to the right."  There, in the car, next to us, was Mork from Ork in the flesh!  He saw me look and he gave me a big smile and wave.  I smiled and waved back, and the light turned green and we all drove off.

That was it.  But it made my night.  I thought two things:
1) Los Angeles really is a celebrity safari.
2)
That Robin Williams is one nice guy!  I mean, how many famous people take the time to wave and smile at a stop light?  Most of them pull their hats down or their sunglasses over their eyes.  It was like RW was getting a kick out of being noticed.  In that brief moment, I got the sense he enjoyed me enjoying him.  He was the rare cheetah who stopped and smiled for a picture, instead of attacking or running the other way (safari metaphor).

Anyway, all the stories I'm reading today seem to say the same thing.  Whether someone was friends with Robin, played a bit part in a movie with him, or merely got a glimpse of him at Starbucks, they all highlight his kind heart.  The guy was generous enough to smile and wave at us at a stop light, and I bet he did that at every single intersection, every day of his life.

To know now how he struggled on the inside just makes that generosity even more heartwarming.  He really spread joy all around, even in what might have been his darkest moments.  RIP.
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    Marian Belgray's an L.A.-based standup comic and writer/producer who's contributed to HBO, Cinemax, Nickmom, Comedy Central, Pampers, Funny or Die, and ​Parents.com, with articles and comedy videos.
    Marian’s performed at clubs around Los Angeles, including The Comedy Store, The Improv, IOWest, UCB, The Virgil, and Akbar.  She's the creator and host of CUFirstTuesday, a comedy show the first Tuesday of every month in Silverlake, and a certified writer for Comedywire.  
    She posts about her thoughts and biznatch here and on social media. She hopes you appreciate it.
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