My Top 10 in Television for 2020 - Part One

NOTE: Just a quick diversion from my usual The 500 Blog Post series. It's my break and I have a little extra time.

Household secret from the pandemic: Lots of time to watch TV. And, being small-screen aficionados, my wife and I did just that. Throughout our lengthy quarantine, we researched programs and, after viewing, enjoyable conversations ensued including one the other day in which we debated our Top Ten television programs of 2020. 

Our tastes are eclectic and we are not easily offended, so pretty much anything goes. For my list of Top Ten series in 2020, I am focusing on new programs. Consequently, some may be 2019 releases that we watched during this calendar year.

10. The Crown: Season 4: Sure, they took some liberties with the dialogue and the facts and Netflix refused appeals to put on disclaimers to that effect. Granted, few know what was actually said behind closed and heavily guarded doors. However, despite the falsehoods portrayed and presumptions made, such as the doubtful arguments between Prince Charles and Lord Mountbatten, the acting was exception and I enjoyed the quick, clever banter. The sets and costumes are still spectacular. Additionally, the series made it to the eighties when I was more aware of royal events. Everyone of my vintage remembers Diana Mania. Netflix

9. The Queen's Gambit: I watched this one solo, while recovering from a foot surgery. I binged it in two days. Tremendous cinematography, stunning set and costume design, with an outstanding multi-generational soundtrack to boot. And who would have thought chess could be sexy. Then there is the character Jolene, who delivers a line that nearly made me spit my tea with laughter. Netflix

8. Watchmen: I was skeptical when I learned that one of my favourite graphic novels was going to be a television series. I wasn't wowed by the 2009 film adaptation and this new series was pitched as an "original remix of the source material". It's a bit uneven at times and "suspension of disbelief" is mandatory. It also tends to divide viewers based on their political leanings. I pushed all that stuff to the side in favour of a fun, viewing adventure. Watchmen is worth the ride for many reasons -- the soundtrack, the fascinating storytelling choices and, perhaps above all else, the special effects that are blended with eye-popping cinematography. 

If you've seen it, perhaps, like me, you want to try Nostalgia Pills and wonder why you didn't know about the Tulsa Race Massacre and Black Wall Street before 2020? HBO/Crave

7. The Boys: (Season 1 & 2): This is not for the faint of heart. The violence, although comically exaggerated, is disquieting to say the least and the language is ghost-pepper spicy. Karl Urban's character, Billy Butcher, drops enough F & C bombs to rival a Tarantino or Scorsese script. If you can get past all of that, it has plenty to offer: action, comedy, intrigue, mystery and even a playful dollop of social commentary mixed with a Billy-Joel-friendly soundtrack. Plus, I am envious of the T-shirt collections of several characters -- perhaps that is why is is on Amazon Prime.

6. Schitt's Creek: My wife and I started this series in 2015. We liked it, but didn't love it. Consequently, it fell by the wayside. This year, on the strength of its showing at the 2020 Emmys where it won a record nine awards, we took another look. Boy, are we glad we did. It takes a full season for the show to get its legs. When it does, comedy gold follows. 

This half-hour sitcom was a wonderful distraction from everything negative that 2020 offered. If you want to escape politics and the pandemic...I recommend a heavy dose of the Rose Family, taken nightly. The whole cast is great, but Catherine O'Hara is a national treasure. 

PS: My sympathy to anyone named David who just spent the year hearing their name pronounced exaggeratedly with Moira-esque aplomb. CBC Gem or Netflix

Coming Up Next - Part Two

   

#OneWord 2020 - Part Two

In my last post,  I reflected on my success with the 2019 goals I set with my #OneWord: Persist.

This is my fifth year participating in the #OneWord social media challenge and I've had varying degrees of success using a single word to narrow my focus. The experience has been positive and beneficial but, this year, I am taking things in a different direction.

My wife and I recently watched a Ted Talk by Susan David in which she discussed the power of emotional courage.

The following quote resonated:

"Only dead people never get stressed, never get broken hearts, never experience the disappointment that comes with failure. Tough emotions are part of our contract with life. You don't get to have a meaningful career or raise a family or leave the world a better place without stress and discomfort. Discomfort is the price of admission to a meaningful life."

I'll admit, I have learned to diminish my emotional response to situations. There was a time when I was aggressively outspoken regarding my feelings about...well...pretty much everything.  At times I was a bit pushy and, regretably, did not take the feelings of others into consideration when ranting and railing over the many injustices of the world (big and small, real or imagined). Some of this I couched in comedy. I felt, incorrectly, that I could say anything I wanted as long as it was "meant to be funny".

I eventually made the conscious decision to censor myself. It was challenging. I still struggle to "read" people and situations. However, with time and practice, I got a lot better. My life improved noticeably. Friendships, career, physical well-being and most importantly, my relationship with my girlfriend (now wife) flourished.

However, am I just internalizing, or bottling, these emotions?
Do I need to start paying the price of admission to a more meaningful life? 
Do I need to embrace discomfort?
I think so. DISCOMFORT is my #OneWord2020

It is important to add the following caveats.

• I will continue to work on my ability to acknowledge the feelings of others and take them into account when acting on my discomfort.
• I will seek guidance from others - especially my wife.
• This will be a slow process and I am not setting goals for myself yet. I have set an alarm for April to update this post. 

I suspect my first challenge with discomfort will be modifying the dependence I have with my smartphone. It brings me great comfort and allows me to disengage with human connections. That has to change if I intend to live a more purposeful and meaningful life.

#OneWord 2020 - Part One

It is said that "one cannot catch up on sleep". According to Matt Walker, a scientist who specializes in brain activity, "sleep is a non-negotiable, biological necessity" for humans who "are the only species that deliberately deprive themselves of sleep for no apparent reason". If that is the case, then I am not sure what I have been doing for the past week. It sure feels as if I am "catching up on sleep" when I'm getting ten or more hours a night. 

Should I disturb him, or just go back to sleep?

I'm a little concerned about next Monday morning, when the alarm goes off at 7:00. 

How difficult will it be to get back into a regular routine?

This is compounded further by the dubious choices I've made with my diet. It's time to put the chocolate, candy, chips, cheese, beer and bourbon well out of reach.

For me, January 1 has, for the past four years, been a day of reflection and a chance to lay down plans for determining my #OneWord. The #OneWord Challenge is a social media movement that encourages individuals to choose a single word as their focus for the year. Some, like me, connect that word to S.M.A.R.T. goals.

Last year, my #OneWord was PERSIST and I set goals in this blog post.

Reflecting on that post and my #OneWord I think I've been reasonably successful:

• My fitness goals were somewhat derailed by three injuries and a bout of shingles - but, I'm persisting. 
• I have persisted with Duolingo Spanish and my study streak is at 565 days.
• I played guitar a little less but, I've been taking piano lessons for three months and I practise regularly.
• I persisted with my writing, averaging a blog post every six days.

In Part Two of this post, I will choose my #OneWord for 2020 and try to establish a few S.M.A.R.T. goals. I also hope to share how I incorporate #OneWord and Goal Setting Lessons with my students.