Office Romance

Alright, I promise this is my last post about The Office for a while. But everyone, whether you’re a fan of the show or not needs to read this.

You’ll remember a post I did for Valentine’s day this year about true love at the movies. Among the few that made the list, Pam and Jim Halpert from The Office were given honorable mention.

I’ve always said that just because a movie or show ends in a wedding or engagement, doesn’t mean it’s a happy ending. I’ve written about this on a post called “Marriage – A Beginning, Not an End.”

When questioned about their struggling marriage that has just been watched in the fictional documentary, Pam’s response is pitch perfect.

“When the documentary started airing, people on the street told me I had this fairy tale romance. But there were a lot of times last year where it did not feel like a fairy tale. But then it got deeper, and stronger, and now it’s better than a fairy tale. It’s like a long book that you never want to end. And you’re fine with that because you just never ever want to leave it.”

I’m proud to announce that Christianity Today feels the same way many of us do about Pam and Jim’s fictional relationship. It’s nice to see your ultimate favorite show condoned in a Christian magazine:

For me, it wasn’t love at first sight. The first time I ever watched The Office, the scenes felt awkward and the staff of Dunder Mifflin seemed weird. But it didn’t take long before I fell for those quirky characters, and I’ve been watching ever since.

Sure, The Office has been through its ups and downs (most notably, the departure of Steve Carrell as Michael Scott), but in its ninth and final season the show has gained momentum by way of two characters whose relationship hooked us from the very beginning: Jim Halpert and Pam Beesly.

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“There’s a Lot of Beauty in Ordinary Things”

Waking up. Morning routines. Commute. Coffee breaks. Homework.

These are all ordinary things. None of which will ever be the topic of a Jerry Bruckheimer movie.

We all have ordinary routines strung throughout our days. And more often than not, they can grow redundant, monotonous, and just plain boring.

That’s why a lot of us turn to other vices in order to shake things up a bit.

Last night I was lucky to get off work early enough to make it home in time to watch the finale of The Office with Sarabeth. Ironically, it was the first time we’d ever seen our favorite show on NBC the night of its airing.

My mini-review of it is at the bottom of this post.

The last line of the show was Pam’s words: “There’s a lot of beauty in ordinary things.”

Sarabeth and I used to commute to work together, and though that got ordinary after a while, I still missed it when we no longer could do that.

When I took a job that required me to be there at 4 a.m., the first day I left was really sad for us because we could no longer have our routine breakfast together.

Our case study worker made her second visit night before last and she is going to recommend us for approval with the state! That doesn’t mean we’re approved yet, as they’re still waiting on some out-of-state paper work, but let’s just say we went ahead and ordered a pack-n-play and will be picking it up in a week or so!

But I am sure the novelty of having a child in the house will wear off at some point, and I’m sure I’ll grow tired of waking up every ten minutes to rock him or her back to sleep, and those things too, will become routine.

But may I heed the legacy that The Office left behind in our home, and remember that there’s a lot of beauty in ordinary things.

I’ve been trying to capture and remember those seemingly dull moments, because I know they won’t last.

Just this morning I found myself just standing outside the bathroom staring at our four year old puppy. She was just sitting there, staring back at me. It was dull and ordinary, but it was special. (Of course, Sarabeth had no idea what I was doing, so she ran over to give Pixie a hug and said I was just being weird, acting like a creeper/stalker… I captured that, too.)

So moral of the story is, people might think you’re weird, like pulling a George Banks at every sentimental or inconspicuous moment. But when you start shifting through memory lane down the end of your road, I doubt you’ll regret taking so many mental snapshots of your daily life.

NOW… about last night’s final episode: “Spoiler alert.”

All I can say is two words: Michael Scott.

He came back! Like a lost dog whom we’ve missed for so long. And it was perfect - absolutely perfect - that he only had two lines in the whole episode. It showed me that his character was so developed that even in his two year absence, he grew and matured. He no longer found his identity in front of the camera… He had matured and grew wiser in Colorado (our dream state) – and he has kids!!

As far as the rest of the episode goes, I think it went smoothly. It wasn’t quite Return of the King great, but as far as wrapping everything up and bringing each character to its closing, I felt like it was very satisfactory, and I was left with no questions.

Oh, and I’d like to point out the irony, that in yesterday’s blog post I mentioned how the finale would be like the actual burial of the show, and Dwight and Angela stood in their graves to be married. Thought that was kind of funny.

And I love that they danced to the Cars 2 theme song. With the exception of Brave, The Office has made a reference to every Pixar film. Yes, I’ve personally verified that myself.

All-in-all, Michael Scott’s two little lines cracked us up, and were funnier than the entire last season put together. But it was very well worth the wait.

Even as a writer, it’s not possible for me to put into words how much I will miss this show, and how happy I was to see Michael Scott one last time.

What I Learned From Michael Scott

On March 25, 2005, Jerry Seinfeld, Tim Allen, and the cast of Friends stepped out of sight of adoring fans to make room for the newest addition of what would become a multi-Emmy-winning sitcom, unlike any the United States had ever seen before. And it would continue for nine years, taking its final bow on May 15, 2013.

Admittedly, NBC’s The Office has been lagging for the past two years, but being diehard fans of the show, the Toy household is still sad to bid farewell. With the season finale airing tonight, I thought it would be appropriate to tip our hats to this prime time phenomenon.

I’d like to point out that with Michael Scott being the heartbeat of the show, I think it’s fair to say the show died the night he left us with the words, “Let me know if this ever airs.” The last two years have been merely a memorial service, trying to recapture the life that once existed, like harnessing the ghost of a once-lively person – but couldn’t. Some jokes given by the cast of eulogists were good, and many were bad. But tonight, we gather for the long-awaited burial.

I hope and expect to use up every hankie in the house.

I’m not ashamed that I think Michael Scott is one of the most depth-filled, widely developed, funniest TV characters of all time. (Okay, truth be told, if Sarabeth would let me, I would have a poster of him hanging up in our bedroom.) But just because you’re funny doesn’t mean you’re bright. And so, in honor of the show’s ending, I thought it would be fun to take a look back and remember some good times with the world’s best boss.

(Forgive me if this seems out of place on my blog, but I just can’t help paying homage to my favorite show. Office fans, read,  remember, and laugh.)

WHAT I LEARNED FROM MICHAEL SCOTT

Don’t promise an entire class of kids that you’ll pay their college tuition until you have the funds to do so.

Don’t write an age-sensitive joke in a woman’s “bird-day” card.

Don’t conduct a meeting on obesity dressed in a fat suit.

If you’re going to fake-fire someone, make sure you have the punch-line right. (“You’ve been X’d, punk!”)

You can’t declare bankruptcy by yelling it.

Giving mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to a dead bird does nothing.

Clear it with your boss before you announce in front of the whole company what branch is closing down.

Don’t invite your friends/colleagues over to a dinner party if you’re forced to sleep at the end of the bed in your own house.

Don’t hold a roast in honor of yourself. It actually might hurt your feelings.

It is, in fact, a “dog-eat-dog” world, not a “doggie-dog” world.

Abraham Lincoln never said, “I will attack you with the north.” (Though it has long been our favorite Lincolnian saying in our house.)

If the building is presumptuously on fire, and you’re a man, and the manager, don’t be the first one to run outside like a frightened little girl.

If you’re going to a job fair to represent a paper company, you might want to have some paper with you.

Don’t hold the pizza delivery guy hostage just so you can get your discount.

Watch out for indoor ponds.

Goodbye Office. We will miss you and forever continue to watch your DVD’s.

Feel free to add your own favorite Office moments.

[Image Credit]

Casting Stones

I was driving to work yesterday, just a regular 80′s-music-induced drive. I drove the usual speed limit, dealt with the usual traffic not knowing how to merge, and then it happened.

I was singing along with the Cranberries (don’t judge), and I actually saw the white pebble slip out from under the truck in front of me. That’s how big it was. And even though I watched it shoot toward me, the impact on the windshield still made me jump.

I was angry. Even though there wasn’t yet a visible crack, I know that sometimes it takes time for those to appear and grow. I thought about writing down the truck’s license plate number so I could sue him when it comes time to paying for my windshield repair.

What a dumb thing to think, right? But all sorts of possible scenarios are permitted to play out in one’s imagination.

I thought about how this truck driver has absolutely no idea how angry he made me, and how he will never know that he totally destroyed my Toyota Scion. He’s just going to go about his day oblivious to his negative impact on my life.

What a jerk.

And then it happened.

I know it was a bird because I watched as a flock of them soared toward me from the bushes as I slowed down toward the end of the off-ramp. It wasn’t like the sound of a rubber ball on my windshield. It was softer – and more feathery-er.

It’s the first time I ever hit an animal that I know of. Even though in my younger days I actually tried to hit squirrels. I’m not very proud of that, and lucky for them I’m a bad aim.

Well, it was a bird this time alright. Just for confirmation I looked into my rearview mirror.

5…4…3…2…

Aaaand, thud. It landed right in front of another car, making it swerve a little. (“I swear, Honey! A bird hit a UFO and fell right in front of me as I was gettin’ off that dere freeway!” – I usually think of the average Ketuckian sounding like Mater the Tow Truck.)

Well, I thought about that bird. And the stone from just a minute before.

You see, I got really upset that someone caused a loud noise on my windshield, which never cracked, by the way.

But I had a negative impact on that bird’s life. So negative that I killed it.

I thought about that Bible verse that says God sees every sparrow fall to the ground. Matthew 10:29 I believe.

After I repented, I realized God was teaching me something.

Someone might cast a stone or two at me, and I have no reason to complain. Two reasons:

1) I probably (and I mean definitely) deserve to have stones cast at me.

2) Instead of complaining about the stones thrown at me, I should focus more instead on how I can avoid being the boulder that crushes someone else.

Historical Fiction, and My Next Book Announcement

If you’ve read The Man in the Box, you know that I am a huge proponent for combining fiction with reality. That’s probably why I loved Life of Pi so much. Now, to be sure, I’ve learned to be very weary of historical fiction books, such as Gingrich’s To Try Men’s Souls. 

But there is one I’d like to point out that was awarded the Newberry Award Medal back in 1990. It’s called Number the Stars by Lois Lowry. It’s a wonderful little book set in Denmark, 1943 about a little Danish girl, Annemarie, who must learn to be brave in the face of the Nazi relocation effort of the Danish Jews – especially since they’re looking specifically for her best friend Ellen Rosen.

It’s a wonderful piece of literature I plan on using as our first means of introduction to World War II with our kids. It chronicles the way life changed for so many in such a short amount of time in a kid-appropriate way. But I can’t see how adults couldn’t get pulled into this short read as well, and not walk away having learned some interesting facts about a particularly brilliant method many Danish people used to hide their Jewish neighbors.

I try not to be too random with my reading selections. Often, I find a piece of history I’m interested in, or a new work of fiction particularly catches my fancy, and I’ll dive in. It may seem kind of out of the blue that I chose a twenty-three year old kids’ fiction book about Nazis occupying Denmark.

Well, you’ll be seeing plenty more Holocaust-related books reviewed here on AdoptingJames in the next several weeks. And here’s why.

I’m proud to officially announce my next book project. Without giving much away, it will be a young reader’s fiction book that takes place somewhere in Austria around the time of the Nazi uprising. I’m being very intentional to make it so that your kids (and mine) will find it engaging and funny (watch Life is Beautiful – it can be done!), and adults will adore it.

I told Sarabeth with a deep sigh the other day, “I wish we had lots of money so I could fly to Germany and walk the streets and smell the smells of Europe, so I can better write this book.” But I’ll just have to do with what God has given me: A library.

Since I can’t go to Europe myself, what better way to smell the dew on the cornflowers, and taste the stale bread, and shiver by the stove cramped in the fireplace during a cold, dark winter in Nazi-ruled Europe than to read about it?

That’s the beauty of historical fiction. It does something that non-fiction books can only do with ultra-accomplished writers (such as Eric Larson and Gregory A. Freeman), and that’s this: They serve as a time portal, picking you up out of your comfortable chair, and placing you dead-center in the middle of history unfolding all around you.

That is what my book will strive to do for you and your children. And I can’t wait for you to read it.

Doors, Dogs, and Doubt

So it has finally begun. I realize I’ve been quiet on the topic of our adoption journey since I’ve first started this blog early last year.

Well, with our classes out of the way (not much to blog about there), the paper work filled out (most of if), and house made as child-proof as can be (the picture here is of our future child’s room), I am thrilled to say that we had our first home study visit yesterday evening.

We’ve been worried sick over this visit for the past couple of months. When we brought it to the attention of the foster-to-adopt class that we live in a loft – a home without doors – we were practically laughed out of the program.

It was humiliating, for sure. But it only angered me. First off, Sarabeth had drawn a perfect blueprint of our home (as instructed) showing that the two bedrooms are completely separate – each at the end of our U-shaped loft. There’s lots of privacy.

The second thing that angered me was how quickly the minds of our fellow classmates – prospective foster-to-adopt parents – sunk into the gutter – hence all the laughter.

We could put up a door, separating the nook and bedroom from the living room, but it would significantly devalue the worth of the loft. So, in the interest of financial planning, that was not feasable.

The second thing we were worried about was our three dogs. Dachshunds. And if you know dachshunds, they’re known for four things: cuddling, sensitive backs, barking, and lots more barking.

It’s stressful having people over knowing the dogs are going to spend the first ten minutes barking their fool heads off. So, over time we’ve learned different strategies of keeping them at bay (locking them up) and shortening the length of barking time (bribery with treats that require perseverance and time to get through).

So needless to say, we were prepared for the home study visit to end with, “Call me when you get some doors up, and you get your dogs under control.”

I won’t bore you with the details, but let me just say that last night’s visit couldn’t have gone any better. The case worker, who was a wonderfully nice person – to our surprise – didn’t see any problem with us having no doors as our bedrooms are indeed very separate from each other.

…And she was a dog lover! She had two of her own – a collie and a something Shepherd (Australian, German, I forget – either way, the kind of big dogs I would like to have one day).

So all this to encourage you, if you’re living in a world of worry, or anxiety is keeping you up at night, and you don’t have the strength or faith to pray about it (like me), keep your friends in the loop and they’ll pray on your behalf. Many of our friends and family members prayed for us, and we’re so thankful.

So, with just a few more things to check off our list, we’re almost approved to be foster-to-adopt parents – and so, so excited, and shocked, and simply thankful.

Yeah, despite all the worrying, things are starting to fall into place. I bet it’s that way for most other people as well.

Life of Pi: To Read or to Watch … That’s the Question, Isn’t it?

Sarabeth and I sat down to watch Life of Pi less than an hour after I finished reading the book. Having read the book of course, I was extremely excited for the movie – and curious as to how it had maintained just a PG rating.

I know some of my readers have yet to see the movie, or even read the book. Or maybe you’ve seen it, but not read it or visa-versa. So you’re wondering, is it worth reading or is it worth watching?

Allow me to share my thoughts on both written and visual depictions of the story by Yann Martel.

Life of Pi by Yann Martel. Let me tell you, the first few sentences had me hooked. Now, let me make clear to you: I’m not blind to the fact that this book’s cover may have well been a picture of those “Coexist” bumper stickers. (Somebody pointed out at church recently that we already do coexist, so what’s the point of the sticker?)

I read books with many different hats on. I found myself having to switch hats on many different occasions while reading this piece of work.

As a blogger and book reviewer, I couldn’t wait to share this exciting read with my readers.

As an author, I learned many  new tricks from Mr. Martel, and am indebted to his bravery of venturing into new territories, and am awed by his storytelling abilities. He truly has proved himself a master of fiction.

As a husband, I sounded like this throughout the last two weeks: “Sarabeth, this book has a lot of potential” … “Sarabeth, I don’t agree with his religious outlook, but he’s such a great writer, I don’t care!” … “Umm… this book is really gory. You might not be able to read it” … “I just threw up” … “I just cried like a baby.” … “Finished. Let’s start the movie.”

But as a Christian, I was not blinded to the overt inclusivistic themes of the book.

(To be sure, the movie hammered those themes much more than the book did.)

I will say that it was extremely fascinating to hear the account of Christianity retold through the eyes of a Hindu/Muslim (yes, the main character Pi subscribes to both religions, plus Christianity).

I am a huge proponent of seeing the world (and God) through the eyes of non-Christians, which is one reason why I think it’s pointless for Christians to only read theology-based books, or listen to only Christian music.

There are so many passages from the book I wanted to share on this post to you all, but space (and time) limit me. So for the sake of story, I truly hope many of you get a chance to read this book. I would be remiss in not warning you however, as I hinted above, that the book is extremely gory at times, and could be overly upsetting to many animal-lovers.

Life of Pi directed by Ang Lee. If anything stood in my way from watching the movie, it would have been director Ang Lee’s weak reputation as a movie director. Need I say more than 2003′s all-time disaster Hulk? That, and his insistance on being controversial, i.e. Brokeback Mountain.

But people have redeemed themselves before. Everyone deserves another chance.

I think Ang Lee did the story more harm than good. I don’t know if it was his decision to add all the weird New Age-y special effects, which really served as nothing more than a New Age mini-sermon disrupting the story, or Hollywood’s insistance to cash out on the 3d rage. Either way, the exagerated color schemes and light shows were all for naught, in my opinion.

I never felt that sense of hopelessness and fear and desperation that we should have felt from Pi since falling into the lifeboat. There was never that Cast Away feel of being alone and missing the life that has forgotten you thousands and thousands of miles away.

Danny Boyle, director of 127 Hours would have been a shoe-in for this project. He knows how to make the audience thirsty for a single drop of water. With a certain, magical way of filmmaking, he can trap every audience member’s hand between a rock and a wall, and convince us all to long for a knife to saw off our arm. That’s exactly the kind of director Life of Pi needed.

I would suggest watching the movie if you simply can’t get to the book. Because, in Lee’s defense, he does stay true to the story, despite his weird detours and out-of place special effects.

In summary. Despite my disagreement with Yann Martel’s vision of God, I will eagerly anticipate his next book.

I think Ang Lee has run out of chances with me.

What are your thoughts? Do you prefer the book or the movie?