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Review: 'Parenthood' - 'Mr. Honesty': Stupid is as stupid does
A review of last night's "Parenthood" coming up just as soon as I picture our birth father stripping...
"You should not tell her this." -Crosby
Hoo boy... I'm not sure where to begin with "Mr. Honesty," an episode full of dumb stories and/or characters doing incredibly dumb things. There are episodes of "Parenthood" that represent everything that's good and smart about this show and its characters. This was the unfortunate flip side of that.
Okay, why don't I start with the good stuff? Amber's struggle to make ends meet, and figure out a direction for her life, felt honest and real and simple. No weird plot mechanics; just Amber's various choices (no college, live on her own, drive around a beater, get a low-paying McJob) catching up to her all at once, and her not knowing what to do. I liked her conversations with both Camille and Sarah(*), neither of which promised a magical solution, but just the idea that something's gotta change. So that was all good.
(*) Is this the least Lauren Graham has ever been featured in an episode? She didn't appear until well past the halfway mark, and only for the one scene. In the first two seasons, it seemed that in the balancing act of all the characters, the writers always made sure to have a significant story for both Adam and Sarah, who were first among equals in the ensemble. I'm glad to see they no longer need to force that, and can just let the stories go where they go.
For that matter, I would say the good majority of the Crosby/Jasmine story was very good. It dealt with an issue that felt real and germane to their situation - of course Jabbar's too young to put two and two together the way they assumed - and it showed, once again, how much material there is to get out of seeing them try to take care of a child while not being together. And I even let myself believe that seeing them so at ease with each other for the first time in forever was just a nice example of the growth of their relationship...
... But then Crosby showed up at Jasmine's place when Jabbar conveniently wasn't there, and I knew they were going to sleep together, and my heart sank a little.
It's not that they can't have complicated feelings about each other. They did really care for one another once upon a time, Crosby never really let go of those feelings and Jabbar's words had to have a powerful on them both. But having them fall back into bed together, and then seeing whatever complications come next with Jabbar, Dr. Joe, etc. seems much more trite and familiar than simply seeing their relationship play out as it has for most of the season so far. It's the show forcing conflict because someone (whether it's the writers, or someone at NBC) thinks they don't have enough. And that's unfortunate.
Still, that was preferable to either the Joel/Julia story or Adam turning into the world's biggest moron.
Julia trying to adopt Zoe's baby has been an awkward storyline from the start, and I suppose I should appreciate that baby daddy Troy at least came right out and said that they should be paid a reasonable sum of money(**) for their trouble. But Troy's desire for compensation and how that's thrown a monkey wrench into the plan feels just as much of a contrivance as every other step this story has taken. It's not on the level of Landry killing someone in each of the 48 contiguous states during "Friday Night Lights' season 2 in terms of implausibility and not fitting with the brand and style of the show, but it's still been fairly silly, and feels like a story I wish the writers could find a way to get out of. I had hoped that Zoe's initial rejection would be that way, but then they reconciled, and I imagine Joel and Julia will find a way around this obstacle, but... can we just skip ahead to Julie holding the new baby in her arms and Zoe and Troy going back to their home planet with Poochie already?
(**) I have friends who have adopted, and friends who have done surrogacy, purchased eggs, and gone through various other methods of having kids, and every one of those who watches "Parenthood" has sent me e-mails objecting to various details they feel the show has gotten wrong. And they always remind me of my objections when I would watch shows about newspaper reporters, or when my wife (who works in healthcare) watches medical shows, or how I imagine actual cops feel watching "CSI," lawyers feel watching David E. Kelley, etc. TV drama has a long track record of eschewing accuracy in the name of drama (or, sometimes, in the name of expediency, since fact-checking everything can take more time/effort than they may have). It's not ideal, but for the most part no one seems to notice unless the show is dealing with an experience that viewer has personally had. Still, given that this show is about parenthood, and that it's decided to spend so much time on this story, I'd like to think they wouldn't need to fudge the details as much as, say, "House" does with how a hospital works.
And then, there was Adam Braverman making the stupidest possible choice at every single turn. Sigh...
I get that human beings are not infallible, and that characters in scripted dramas are even less perfect most of the time (unless they're Tami Taylor, that is). But there is someone making the wrong choice because it fits with their character - say, Sarah letting herself get sucked back into Seth's orbit - and then there's someone making the wrong choice because it's what the story needs to move forward. (Ebert's old Idiot Plot rule, where the plot only works if everyone involved is an idiot.) I can buy Adam telling Kristina out of guilt, even though I agree with Crosby (and Kristina) that it wasn't the right thing for him to do. And I can buy him not having the heart to fire Rachel, as the central conflict burning within the heart of Adam Braverman is the struggle between doing what's right and what's necessary. But to then not tell Kristina about that immediately upon being asked? That is several bridges of stupidity too far. If you want to have him tell Kristina in that moment, and try to explain it and have her be just as upset as she was later? Fine. Do that. I haven't liked this whole Chekhov's Boobs story to begin with, but that at least would have been true to who everyone was. But to add this one extra layer of conflict, when Kristina had plenty of reason to feel hurt? Why? Why would they do that? What's gained from that, other than making us all want to hate Adam? Kristina is sympathetic enough in this situation as it is. Totally unnecessary.
Again, sometimes "Parenthood" is great all around, and sometimes it's a mix of greatness and head-shaking moments. But it's very rare for the silliness to outweigh the smartness. This was one of those weeks.
What did everybody else think?
Parenthood, Lauren Graham, Peter Krause, Dax Shepard, Erika Christensen, Monica Potter, Sam Jaeger, Mae Whitman, Craig T. Nelson, Bonnie Bedelia, Jason Katims, Alan Sepinwall
mike (guest)i only started watching this show a couple weeks ago, and last night's episode was bad enough that "the great parenthood experiment" of 2011, like "the great how i met your mother experiment", is over.November 23, 2011 at 12:34PM ESTReply to Comment
Tausif KhanIt is interesting you bring up the comparison between How I Met Your Mother and Parenthood. I felt that both shows were going in the same direction with their pregnancy story lines. Marshall's story lines about his father, his work and his own fatherhood issues seem to supercede anything that is going on with Lily. While Parenthood took the story line in another direction when Kristina started to advocate for herself strongly rather than demand Rachel be fired. She was advocating for herself in a way she could find out who this Kristina Braverman person is and I find that to be a really compelling story line and a great way to find a way out of a ridiculous plot line.November 23, 2011 at 1:35PM EST
amgMike--I certainly understand how you would give up on Parenthood if you've only seen the last couple weeks. The last couple weeks have been really weird for this show. I would encourage you to check out earlier episodes--Season 2 was great. I think the rest of us are hanging in because we love these characters, so if I didn't have that foundation, I might be right thee with you.November 23, 2011 at 1:41PM EST
Soam (guest)I don't feel at all like the Jasmine/Crosby story was a reach at all. I think the show has shown they still have a chemistry and a desire to be together all season long, and the story made perfect sense to me. I agree The Joel/Julia adoption has been a mess all along,and I agree it made no sense whatsoever for Adam to lie to Kristina in that situation just to create the extra unnecessary level of drama.November 23, 2011 at 12:36PM ESTReply to Comment
sepinwallI didn't say Jasmine/Crosby was a reach. I just don't think it's the most interesting direction the show can take those two.November 23, 2011 at 12:40PM EST
UGABugKillerIs anyone else seeing a Robin-like "I'm pregnant" storyline being born out of Crosby and Jasmine's one night stand?
I see them waking up next week, admitting it was the wine and their love of Jabbar leading them to a mistake...
... and then at the end of the episode, Jasmine comes to the studio to tell Crosby she's pregnant.
I always thought Parenthood was above such tropes, but I'm calling this one. I can see it, it's out there... I dare you to not do this, Jason Katims. I dare you to not do the expected.November 23, 2011 at 12:51PM EST
soamBut their one night stand doesn't necessarily change the direction they were heading in. It came about organically, and I believe it was earned so I'm okay with the 1 night stand and I look forward to see how they move forward with it, I do share some concerns that this will cause the writers to fumble a storyline that until now had been a strong point.November 23, 2011 at 1:04PM EST
JobinSorry I fail see how it came organically.
Last week we were lead to believe that Jasmine was crazy about Dr. Joe. And she's been reluctant to date anyone up until this point. Why would she throw all that away?
She breaks up with Crosby over cheating...and then cheats herself. Not a good place to put her as a character.November 23, 2011 at 1:18PM EST
Tausif Khan@UGABUGKILLER
While I think that would be a bit much, it would be interesting to see how Joel and Julia take all of these accidental pregnancies even though they are struggle to find a way to have their own baby.November 23, 2011 at 1:38PM EST
Tausif Khan@Jobin when Jasmine came to celebrate Crosby's studio opening she was giving him googly eyes and kind of flirting with him so for me this story line was set up. For me it deals with Jasmine's hope in finding stability. I feel that is the reason she is drawn to Dr. Joe. He is stable and trustworthy and can provide for her child. Now she sees that Crosby might be able to do the same and this would also all her to put her family back together which is what her son wants. Jasmine's story is very organic and reveals a lot about her.November 23, 2011 at 1:42PM EST
Jobin@Tasif Khan,
I saw that scene at the studio opening as Jasmine being happy for Crosby being able to realize his dream of having his own studio.
Obviously Jasmine would still have some remaining feelings for Crosby (they were engaged a few months ago, they share a child together), so why wouldn't she be happy for what is a clearly a great moment in Crosby's life?
Why does her happiness for him about the studio have to lead to them sleeping together?
If that scene meant Jasmine was actually having some serious rekindled feelings for Crosby because of his new stability, why wouldn't she have shown more movement to try to restart things with Crosby (or put things on hold with Joe for one last Crosby try) before a bottle of wine?
Again it seemed like the sleeping togther was all being driven from Jabar wanting to see them together.November 23, 2011 at 1:57PM EST
CecilyI think I might've cheered *and* said "Oh, no" when I saw Crosby show up at Jasmine's door. Was it the right thing to do? Absolutely not. But did it make me happy? Yes. Is that so wrong?November 23, 2011 at 2:00PM EST
Tausif Khan@Jobin
I take a look at Jasmine's trajectory holistically. She has always wanted a stable family. She thought she would be able to find this stability on her own but then thought her son should meet his father. She was reluctant for Crosby to meet Jabbar because he knew how unstable Crosby was (for me this instability wasn't evident until Crosby ruined relationships with his brother's family and mother of his child). This has always been the case.
Jasmine has been protective of Crosby's input on Jabbar because she had already established a relationship with Jabbar in which she and her mother could take care of him properly. So it was a fight for Crosby to establish his footing. She was also justified in her decisions to some extent because of Crosby's immature past. He had to prove to Jasmine that he was capable of being a family man.
He has shown that he loves Jabbar but he has not shown that he is a family man. Particularly with his interactions with Gaby and Rachel (particularly Rachel at the beginning of this episode). Crosby is still thinking as if he is a single man and he is. However, he also considers Jasmine's relationship with Dr. Joe to be false (I am extrapolating this) because he started to yell at Dr. Joe about his relationship with Jabbar so Crosby also sees Jasmine as a person he can persuade to being a date.
So Jasmine is looking for stability a good romantic partner and a good father to her child. She thinks she has found that in Dr. Joe however this has caused conflicts in her family (Crosby Jabbar and Jasmine). Jasmine sees Crosby finally getting some stability (hey even Adam the conservative businessman believes in this one!) and this man is also the father of her child (win! win!).
She could be happy for him and she could also be flirting with him. The problem is on this show we have never seen them be friends only. We have seen them be romantic partners. We have seen them fight. But we have never seen them be friends. I interpreted the happiness that you point out to also have romantic undertones because she was staring at him intently and she didn't mention Dr. Joe at all or bring him.
This does not mean they will sleep together but it leaves open the possibility for romantic interaction.
We go to the next episode no sign of Dr. Joe. It is all parenting decisions both Jasmine and Crosby agree and they respect each others thoughts on the issue.
They have wine together, Jasmine says that he should go they decide that this should not be the case. This is organic. This started in the previous episode and continued into the next one. We saw every step nothing was forced. The feelings were complicated. Jasmine didn't mention Dr. Joe which was problematic but it flowed normally.
Were they both wrong to do. 100% yes. Why because they had both just finished telling their son they will not get married. They will not be together definitely. What are they doing, being together. They sat Jabbar down to explain what was going on and try to make it clear and the next interaction they have is of a romantic nature.
Is what you say about doing it for Jabbar a part of this decision, I agree. Is it the correct decision for Jabbar's understanding no. On one level his parents lied. On another level if they don't make it they have complicated an already complicated situation further which also hurts Jabbar. Jasmine has also hurt Dr. Joe and Crosby helped her. Crosby doesn't like Dr. Joe so this is not a problem to him. Crosby probably sees it as getting his family back. However, just a couple of episodes ago Jasmine said that she wanted Dr. Joe to be a greater presence in Jabbar's life because she thought what they had was serious. This will also impact Jabbar as Dr. Joe is his Doctor and Jabbar's personal relationship with Dr. Joe. So this action has nothing but the potential of hurting at least two people.
Crosby is slimier because he sees women as conquests Gaby, Rachel and now Jasmine as he tries to "reclaim" his family (this is extrapolated from his behavior and attitude to other female characters). While the actions are abhorrent this is good writing in that now we finally see (not only have been told) that Crosby is a screw up.November 24, 2011 at 1:06AM EST
SlackerIncWhen they showed Jasmine making googly eyes at Crosby at the grand opening party, I groaned and just hoped it wasn't what it appeared (that they were setting up a rapprochement storyline of some sort). Now it is clear that this is exactly what they were doing. Like Alan, I wish they would have just stuck with an ongoing storyline of the two of them navigating the waters of separated parenthood. As Alan said, it's not that it's completely implausible for them to get back together, it's just not that interesting. I've never wanted Crosby to be with Jasmine though, so there's that.
And I'll note again that I will never agree that Crosby "cheated on" Jasmine. She had kicked him out!November 24, 2011 at 4:50AM EST
jan"They have wine together, Jasmine says that he should go they decide that this should not be the case. . . . Jasmine didn't mention Dr. Joe which was problematic but it flowed normally."
If I remember correctly (and I can't check for sure because I've erased the episode), I thought they were poking fun at something Dr.Joe would or wouldn't do when they were drinking the wine and laughing about it together. So I think he was mentioned, and not in a good way.
November 25, 2011 at 11:10AM EST
themadlibs (guest)I happened to watch this week's episode (one of 3 ever), knowing the adoption storyline has been driving friends crazy and wanting to support a few friends with vested interests (a birthmother, two adoptive couples, and a surrogate). I hear what you are saying, regarding how quickly we can eschew accuracy for expedited stories. I just wanted to say that I think it's important to distinguish between cultural issues (adoption being one that has long had a one-sided dialetic in the media) and vocational inaccuracies for the sake of drama/comedy. The path the writers are taking is propagating no new or creative dialogue. When I watch a show that's touching on a relevant issue, I hope that it will do so with a level of maturity, delicacy (in some ways) and creativity.
Unfortunately, I see the writers doing nothing of the sort. In fact, I noticed last night in my non-scientific analysis of my twitter and fb accounts that 10 different people in a 15 minute window said they were done with Parenthood after last nights misguided storytelling. It's unfortunate because from the cast alone, it's clear that there is a plethora of potential in fantastic writing and acting lost.November 23, 2011 at 12:58PM ESTReply to Comment
IPYes, this. It's frustrating when someone gets vocational details wrong; as a person in a creative field I know well that people always focus on what they know and always object to errors in their field.
But adoptive parents and surros are exposed to a level of ignorance that is more than annoyance. Imagine, Alan, if someone said: Boy, your baby is really ugly.Or, why did you decide to have three kids? Or even: Hey, what sexual position did you employ when you impregnated your wife?
Now imagine that someone said to you:
I hear you bought a baby.
Why won't you adopt an American kid?
Why didn't you adopt a kid with disabilities?
I bet you could have gotten a kid fast if you were just willing to take a non-white kid.
Why did go to such great lengths to have a kid? If you can't, you can't.
Are you afraid the mom is going to take it back?
I heard that all adopted kids get crazy.
These are all things that have been said to me or my friends.
Making errors on this subject are much more akin to making sexist or racist statements. Yeah, it's just television, but Parenthood wouldn't perpetuate the idea that girls are bad at math, or that African-Americans are great athletes because of breeding habits during slavery. However many people watch Parenthood -- five million? -- have been told that egg donors are paid $30,000. That means that children born via donor eggs -- and their parents -- will continue to be subjected to a level of ignorance that gets really old, really fast.November 24, 2011 at 2:43PM EST
SherylAs an adoptive parent, I have to agree. This type of disinformation may be the only type of information many folks receive about the subject at hand and the idea that adopted children have been bought and sold is a pervasive one. It does actual harm to adopted children and their families who have to deal with these presumptions on a regular basis.November 29, 2011 at 2:38PM EST
The_nv (guest)Both my wife and myself thought Kristina was overreacting, even after Adam lied to her, so perhaps the audience doesn't view Kristina as sympathetically as you do, and the writers recognize that and felt the need to give her anger more righteousness. Either way, I agree that basically all the stories being told right now are wrong for the show.November 23, 2011 at 1:02PM ESTReply to Comment
SoamGood point. Everyone who I know is a fan of the show usually has a hard time feeling sorry for Kristina, even in situations where she is in the right. The extra step may have been necessary because the audience is going to naturally side with adam over kristina, because Adam is a lot more likable.November 23, 2011 at 1:07PM EST
LJAI'm with @THE_NV and his wife. Sure, Adam was an idiot, but I can actually see how the stupid, stupid lie could come about. By the end of the episode, I felt far more sorry for Adam than I did for Kristina.November 23, 2011 at 1:20PM EST
Tausif KhanThe story line worked for me on a number of levels.
One I felt that Peter Krause as Adam played his relationship with Rachel as a father-daughter dynamic with a little attraction. This allows to see that Adam isn't perfect. There is no way he could explain himself out of this situation and make Kristina feel good about it. But it was good that he was honest.
I felt the whole fight was worth it because it ended where Kristina started to advocate for herself. She did not end the fight by demanding that Adam fire Rachel to save the marriage. She ended the fight by advocating for herself. She questioned the structure of the family in which Adam is able to anything and everything that he wants and she is forced to tend to the homestead. We see that Adam is terrible as a homebody during the first episode where he was unemployed. Kristina Braverman ended this fight by telling Adam that she wants to find herself before she can not tell herself apart from the idea of Mrs. Braverman, supporter of husband and family.November 23, 2011 at 1:50PM EST
SlackerIncFor the first couple seasons of the show, I found Kristina hellaciously unsympathetic. I thought she was brilliantly drawn as a character, a very realistic type that we all know in real life but don't often see on TV, but for me (I'm a Crosby type, a "slacker dad") she was so uptight, a huge buzzkill.
But then this season she has surprised me by becoming more sympathetic yet in a way that still feels organic to her character. I do think she overreacted here (and who's going to take care of the baby?); but Alan is right: Adam as a character strayed into the "unbelievable idiot" category. I definitely don't think he should have told Kristina at all (but then, I think he should have got himself some nookie from Rachel and not told Kristina that either, heh). But I can buy that he would. However, the not telling her that he didn't fire Rachel makes no sense. Kristina has come in before. How was it that he somehow thought she would never find out? Come on.
As Alan said, this show can be so great but it can be maddeningly bad. Fortunately I feel some of the great episodes came this season, not so long ago; and they are overall the majority.
Also, just FTR, I don't think the adoption storyline is so bad. ::shrug::November 24, 2011 at 4:57AM EST
rcade (guest)I don't think Kristina was as sympathetic as you do. Adam made things worse when he lied about firing the young woman at the office, but given Kristina's age and life experience I expected more maturity from her.
Kristina's an accomplished woman in her own right who's been successful in a career. She should consider the possibility that Adam was put into an awkward situation by a young and drunk coworker that he did not initiate. She also should think about why it would be difficult, both for ethical and legal reasons, to immediately fire the woman.
Also, I'm having trouble buying Kristina's doubt that her husband of several decades finds her attractive. Her immaturity for her age is off-putting.
This episode made me think that they're headed towards Amber being the Luncheonette office manager/receptionist.November 23, 2011 at 1:05PM ESTReply to Comment
JoJOr Amber being the nanny for Nora and Max.November 23, 2011 at 1:07PM EST
JoJRe: Kristina, I think it's been established in the last few episodes that she's feeling very insecure post-pregnancy, so I would guess that overrides her age and life experience at the moment when it comes to her reaction about another woman she probably sees as very confident and secure in her appearance.November 23, 2011 at 1:08PM EST
amgRcade--I agree that it would have been nice to see Adam and Kristina have a more mature conversation on the first night of the revelation that grappled with the exact issues you raise (ethics of firing her, and so on). They're normally the couple that can do that. As with JOJ though, I do fully understand Kristina's insecurity. I'm only 30 (I hope people think of that as "only") and I see women in their early 20's and feel insecure at times, because aging is really hard in a society that values youth (and youth=attractiveness/beauty) to the extent that most models are "aged out" by 22, and jokes like Tom Haverford's on last weeks Parks and Rec about "wrinkly old housewives in their early 30's" is funny because its -mostly-absurd, but has a kernel of truth to it (in how women are viewed in popular culture). And women are still valued/assesse an awful lot for their looks, if not entirely.
Ok, enough of that rant, but I think Kristina's insecurities are totally fair, even if she certainly shouldn't have to have any reason to feel them.
Also--love the idea of Amber as receptionist at Luncheonette. I'll be really bummed if we don't go there now!November 23, 2011 at 1:52PM EST
Tausif KhanThe reaction of Kristina has nothing to do with her age or her ability to be a professional.
She is married to a husband who betrayed her trust. He went out of the house in a tense situation dealing with his parenthood issue and ended up just drinking with his brother and his attractive receptionist which ended up with her kissing him.
Kristina is supposed to feel something when Adam tells her this. It would weird if she felt nothing. Unrealistic if she was happy or jovial about it. It is natural she would be upset even if she had not just had a baby. It was about a betrayal of trust.
Regardless of this she behaved and thought rationally about this issue. She realized there was no way she could control her way out of this issue so she decided to advocate for herself. It shows real growth on the part of Kristina actually. She is taking control of her own life rather than trying to control other people's lives.November 23, 2011 at 1:58PM EST
Ann FHe didn't betray her trust. Some girl kissed him and instead of keeping it a deep dark secret like most men would, he showed an admirable (but very naive) level of trust and honesty in telling her - and she reacted by freaking out and interrupting him so constantly that a real conversation about next steps, what this means, was impossible.
When she went into her "I really wanna hear this, I'm very interested in what you have to say, I really wanna know..." loop but WOULD NOT shut up long enough for him to say more than two words, I started hoping he'll end up with Rachel.
I think it's funny that her going back to work is painted as some assertive, un-supportive to Adam move, like it's not going to be great for Adam to have someone else helping with the bills and acting like a adult woman instead of teenaged psych patient.
I know those two are supposed to have some great marriage, but I don't see it. The communication is all Kristina blathering and freaking out and not letting Adam get a word in edgewise and Adam agreeing to whatever to get her to shut the hell up.November 23, 2011 at 6:34PM ESTLike (1)Latest Likes:1 Anonymous
jan"He didn't betray her trust. Some girl kissed him and instead of keeping it a deep dark secret like most men would, he showed an admirable (but very naive) level of trust and honesty in telling her - and she reacted by freaking out and interrupting him so constantly that a real conversation. . . was impossible. . . .she went into her "I really wanna hear this, I'm very interested in what you have to say, I really wanna know..." loop but WOULD NOT shut up long enough for him to say more than two words"
That's the way I felt, too. I can understand her being upset, but her freaking out and not even listening to what he was saying--just talking over anything he tried to say--was really, really annoying. And just when I was starting to like her a little better.November 23, 2011 at 8:55PM ESTLike (1)Latest Likes:1 Anonymous
Tausif Khan@Ann F and Jan
It was correct for Adam to be honest.
I do not believe that Kristina asked Adam to explain what happened to entirely understand what Adam had done. I feel she partly asked it to find something she could hold on to justify her feelings. She was acting irrationally but she has the right to act irrationally.
Adam did betray her trust because they are bound by law to be partners in economic decisions and in social decisions specifically in raising their children. In the last episode Kristina was having trouble trying to find a way to help max with his friends situation. Rather than talking with Kristina about ways to make the situation better for Max he takes a call and leaves the house for business (that is understandable). This must also be taken into account that when Kristina was working at the beginning of the season and Adam was at home, Adam did nothing to take care of the house so I guess Kristin was supposed to work and also take care of the house. They are partners together, one person need not be the breadwinner (as this is increasingly becoming the case) and yet women are still expected to do the house work or help with kids when they return home from work. This is what Kristina articulated as being part of her given identity of Mrs. Braverman.
Adam betrayed her trust because as soon as he found out that it was point of celebration he didn't turn around and go home or call his wife to her what was going on. He avoided the tense situation at home and the duty to take of his children. This makes his wife feel alone at a time when she is at home with a young baby, a child with baby issues and Julie Taylor:redux. She is a person independent of this family but she can not make those decisions and show the family that. This is evident in the mini-golf episode. Adam on the other hand can leave the domestic sphere and go somewhere else and completely ignore his domestic duties. This is unfair and a betrayal.
So Kristina was being irrational when she was listening to Adam's explanation. However, it would have been weird if she was completely rational and understanding about the whole thing because this returns to the writers writing Adam as a saint who can do no wrong. This goes against the shows ethos of being grounded in reality and portraying realistic relationships.
My bottom line is that Adam has domestic duties too which he abandoned to celebrate with co-workers and he gets to leave the domestic sphere and does not have to care about it like Kristina.
Kristina was great because she did not force Adam to fire Rachel because that would have been wrong. Rachel was wrong to do what she did but her career would have been ruined and in this economy it would have been a disaster. Rachel is also keeping the company stable so it would be bad for the business. However, the problem of Adam's interaction can not be ignored.
Kristin had to find someway to make herself feel better so she decided since no one was going to speak for her she would do it herself and find a way out of the domestic sphere if her husband was not willing to take on more of the work of the domestic sphere on himself. Adam should not be portrayed as a saint so this is good writing and Kristina is growing.November 24, 2011 at 1:41AM EST
jan@Tausif Khan
"Adam betrayed her trust because as soon as he found out that it was point of celebration he didn't turn around and go home or call his wife to her what was going on. He avoided the tense situation at home and the duty to take of his children."
Okay, I'd certainly agree to that. And I have never thought of Adam as a saint. He's certainly as irrational as anyone else from time to time. I still have the feeling that Kristina is doing what she's doing more to get back at Adam than as part of growth plan for herself, though. And she did TRY to force him to fire Rachel initially, but that didn't happen.November 25, 2011 at 4:29PM EST
JoJAs a Crosby fan, I have to admit I was happy to see him and Jasmine clicking again. What will come of it is the interesting part. The conversation over ice cream with Jabbar was a heart wrencher.
Big kudos to Monica Potter for the scene where she confronts Adam when he gets home. It was played so perfectly in terms of her levels of anger and being ready to sob all at the same time.
I was so afraid that Amber's rent-in-cash was going to be stolen from the mailbox! I'm slightly disappointed that Camille told Sarah about Amber's situation but in the long run I guess Sarah will help her come up with a plan.November 23, 2011 at 1:05PM ESTReply to Comment
pamelajaye>was so afraid that Amber's rent-in-cash was going to be stolen from the mailbox!
that's what I was expecting too.
I also worry - if you fire an employee for kissing you, can they sue?November 23, 2011 at 5:35PM EST
Hannah LeeUnless there's a contract, you can fire an employee for anything, and they can sue you in any case, but they probably wouldn't get far unless they could prove discrimination (or retaliation in a whistle-blower type situation)
However, if Adam fired Rachel, she'd probably be able to build some type of sexual harassment case, given his (and Crosby's) behavior leading up to the kiss (late night drinking, suggestive dancing, personal conversations about her manner of dress that never once used the phrase "office dress code" , Adam insisting on Rachel riding in his car and on going with her to her door even though she told him not to) She could say she felt pressured by her boss, or since she was a bit tipsy, that she though he initiated the kiss. It could get very sticky. (That's the kind of stuff he should / could have talked through with Kristina, instead of lying about having fired her)November 23, 2011 at 6:20PM EST
Jobin (guest)Alan,
You forgot to mention that Adam also tried to blame keeping Rachel partially on Crosby, which was just lame. He can't even be honest about the hopefully real reasons that he didn't fire her (shes good at her job, and she's cheap, when they are struggling as a business). Yet his dishonesty just leads down the road to him having actual feelings for her emotionally, which would be a SERIOUS departure from the character they have established to date.
How can they go from last week's wonderful Dr. Joe is the new BF, and Crosby has to get used to it to now making Jasmine sleep with Crosby. So now you make Jasmine, who seemed to have some serious feelings for Dr Joe (seeing all the trouble she was going through to date him), cheat on him. Making Jasmine in essence no better than Crosby, who cheated/slept with Minka Kelly.
I understand that there has to be some conflict and plot driven events but it seems they aren't exhausting all the possible storylines available to them before clumsily transitioning to some other major plot event.
1) Why not spend the entire season with Jasmine / Crosby apart and learning how to navigate the complicated nature of shared custody?
2) Why not spend more time with the studio? This went from an incredible risk, and a big balancing act keep the business viable, to them being "fully booked." Oh and the reason they are "fully booked" is because some smarmy creepy music exec liked Chekov's boobs (sorry Alan had to reuse that...its GOLD!).November 23, 2011 at 1:13PM ESTReply to Comment
sepinwallIf anything, Jobin, Jasmine is now worse than Crosby. Crosby slept with Gabby while he and Jasmine were estranged and he was sleeping on the houseboat again, where Jasmine slept with Crosby while things with Dr. Joe are just peachy. I'm not saying what Crosby did was wonderful either (especially when you factor in the effect it had on Max), but Dr. Joe is going to have even more of a right to be pissed if he finds out than Jasmine did.November 23, 2011 at 1:21PM EST
amgI don't know; I hear what you are saying Alan, about the fact that they were somewhat estranged at the time (and as such I thought Jasmine's response at the time didn't factor that in enough), but I think cheating on someone you love, share a child with, and are engaged to, is different than cheating on someone you have only been dating a few weeks and can break things off with in one conversation if you so choose. Especially when its not like she just slept with some random other guy she's met through a family member, but a person she has a long and close and intimate history with. Not saying that either is good or right or whatever, just that I don't think its so easy to say what Jasmine is doing now is definitively "worse" than what Crosby did.November 23, 2011 at 1:38PM EST
JobinI couldn't remember if Crosby was on a break at that point when he slept with Minka Kelly, but thanks for clearing that up.
Crosby sleeping with Minka Kelly was far more of a betrayal to Adam/Kristina/Max than it was to Jasmine.
It is a shame too, because they finally figured out this season that Jasmine didn't have to be complaining about or to Crosby every second she was on screen. She was actually becoming likeable, and now they've gone and had her cheat.
I can at least buy the Julia adopting the baby storyline, because she's always been a completely nuerotic mess, who won't stop until she gets what she wants, not matter what the obsticles.
But these Jasmine/Adam character depatures for the sake of a pointless plot machinations is just a complete betrayal of the how they have developed them up until this point.November 23, 2011 at 1:40PM EST
But we have been lead to believe up that Jasmine has been as clear that she's very reluctant to bring new men around Jabar. So even though she's been only dating him for a few months or so, it's pretty clear that she sees him as someone she could be with long term ("Dr Joe is sticking around, so you are just going to have to get used to it." Jasmine to Crosby the previous episode I believe). So her throwing that away is still a major problem for me.
Also, Jasmine ended things with Crosby because he slept with Minka Kelly while they were on a break in a sense. But they were on a break because they were attempting to live together, and it clearly wasn't working. They were basically trying to make their relationship work because they are attracted to each other, and because they each love Jabar.November 23, 2011 at 1:49PM EST
amgJobin--I definitely agree that Crosby and Jasmine were still engaged and trying to make their relationship work, if with some time apart, and that the "on a break" thing in no way permitted Crosby to sleep with Gabby, just that it was more complex and nuanced than him just cheating at any random time. And this is why I'm sort of seeing that as "worse" than Jasmine. You may be right that she's more serious about Joe than I'm assuming in my first response, but even if she had seen (or does see still) a lot of potential for a long term relationship with him, its different than throwing away an engagement with a person you share a child with. She -can- just say goodbye and walk away from Joe if she wanted-- no strings attached. People who are legally bound together, or share children can't do that, obviously.November 23, 2011 at 2:23PM EST
Tausif Khan@Alan Crosby is still disgusting because in the beginning of the episode he was acting as if getting with Rachel will be a whole lot easier because she kissed the old dude and he is much better than the old dude.
However, what makes him worst is that just after he finished telling his son that he and Jabbar's mom would never be married he flirts with Jasmine while drinking wine and does not listen to Jasmine when she tells him he should go. Crosby has an equal role to play in the destruction of the relationship of Jasmine and Dr. Joe. For if Crosby and Jasmine: Redux doesn't work out and Dr. Joe leaves Jasmine Crosby is ruining his son's chance of finding a stable home.
Crosby wins the prize for most vile action.November 23, 2011 at 2:23PM EST
I understand that she can easily find another Dr for Jabar, and go on with her life, where she cant do that with Crosby.
But this whole season, she had been repeatedly showing Crosby that from this point on they weren't going to be romantically together, and were going to have deal with a complications of raising Jabar together while they aren't in a relatinonship with each other.
For her to backslide back into sleeping with Crosby, after telling him for months they will not be together again, just because they crack open a bottle of wine is pretty weak.November 23, 2011 at 2:46PM EST
amgJobin--Yes. The plot itself is unfortunate. Totally agree. As Alan pointed out, much more interesting and realistic--if sad--direction, is watching painful co-parenting scenes like the icecream scene with Jabbar.November 23, 2011 at 3:12PM EST
pamelajayewhen your ex-fiancee with whom you share a child and whom you till love, invites you in "for a drink" - just say no.
Or at least have coffee.
And never, never stare into each other's eyes...November 23, 2011 at 5:40PM EST
ed wNo coffee. On tv, an offer of coffee rarely just means coffee. ;)November 23, 2011 at 11:37PM EST
SlackerIncLet's review Crosby's fling with Minka Kelly; this bugs me so much and makes me feel like I'm in the Twilight Zone.
(1) They didn't mutually decide to "take a break". They lived together in an apartment they had found together, and Jasmine just kicked Crosby out, angrily declaring "what are you doing here?!?" when he dared to show up.
(2) Jasmine said something like "we need to take some time", but to me when that accompanies being kicked out (which it's questionable she even had the RIGHT to do to him) it sounds more like a euphemism for "this isn't working out, and I'm moving on".
(3) After the above happened, Crosby had the opportunity to sleep with Minka Kelly.
(4) Minka Kelly is MAD HOT, YO.
(5) Not only that, but the way it was portrayed on the show, they had some true, compelling romantic chemistry, tenderness, kindness, etc., between them.
(6) Any guy who passes on Minka Kelly in that situation because "well, maybe Jasmine didn't completely break up with me, and maybe she'll let me back in the apartment one of these days, so I'd better be a good chaste little boy in the meantime"...well, that dude is too pathetic to live. Seriously, get a pair.November 24, 2011 at 5:12AM EST
Tausif Khan (guest)I liked last nights episode because it addressed the things I was concerned about on the show.
The men on the show are saints, both Adam and Joel behaved ridiculously last night. The actual plot line of the improper kiss is ridiculous but the implications for Adam's behavior and for his family is really good. Adam is trying to portray himself as the best in that scenario but there is no way he comes off looking good. Kristina is trying to find someway to find something good she can hold onto so that she doesn't feel bad and it culminates in a brilliant outburst from Kristina. She questions her role as a person in the family. She questions Adam's role as the sole breadwinner and leader of this family. That Kristina has the title of Mrs. Braverman and is the shepherd of this family but isn't doing what she wants to do for herself.
Joel on the other hand is starting to act just as crazily as Julia. While I find the actual actions ridiculous the character moves from being the sounding board for Julia's crazy decisions to becoming a person in and of himself who makes mistakes and is on a team with his wife. This episode's crazy behavior has him tracking down the birth father. When the birth father asks Joel whether he really wants the baby he doesn't emphatically say yes and it reveals that he is mainly in service of Julia's desire here. He wants to make her happy but he has also realized that it is frustrating being the who has to support the family and look after the domestic front, much like Kristina realized tonight.
One thing I enjoyed tonight is that Joel and Julia were called out on how ridiculous they were being about the baby. They were telling Zoe what to eat and how to behave and paying for her medical bills while Zoe gets to carry the burden of all of the horrible physical attributes of pregnancy. They are not just working to adopt Zoe's baby but it does seem like they have purchased Zoe in the process. The show has not answered the question of whether any of Zoe's personal desires were met to show that she is a person as well to the audience. Yes the Graham's are nice to her but she also needs to realize that this contract has a lot of power over her. Who is going to enforce the contract or reveal that it is unfair to Zoe when Joel and Julia cross the line? Joel and Julia are telling her what to do not negotiating with her on things she might want. This whole process has been really one sided. What will happen to Zoe once the baby is delivered? Will she be kicked out of their lives?
I liked that beginning of the Jasmine and Crosby story line of having to tell Jabbar that they weren't getting married or would be together. I felt that it the show was actually talking to shippers in the audience who were clamoring for the family together and to deal with how they can still be a family even though Jasmine and Crosby are not together romantically or sexually. This is similar to the struggle that Sarah and Seth are going through in the struggle to figure out how family might work without romantic involvement.
I found Jabbar's desires a little old fashioned. There are so many examples of children with divorced or unmarried parents now that I thought Jabbar would have been able to understand that his parents wouldn't get together. However, maybe this emotional journey is something we need to see. I don't know whether this expectation of Jabbar to feel this way is realistic but maybe it is something specific to his character that he so warm and loving. Jasmine also should have talked about Dr. Joe with Jabbar at this point.
The show that I think handled it the best was the Gilmore Girls. I remember Rory saying that at one point when she was younger (and this is probably at Jabbar type age) she hoped her parents would get together but then eventually realized that Lorelai and Chris wouldn't work it out. She then wanted Lorelai and Luke to get together because it would make her mom happy. Maybe its because Jabbar doesn't understand dating yet that he doesn't get what is going on.
I didn't like how this show concluded this story line. I didn't like Jasmine and Crosby falling into bed. For me it was to over the top and walked back some of Jasmine's own character traits. It complicates her character and shows that she also can be mercurial and sleazy (cheating on Dr. Joe) which I guess grounds her character but that actual decision doesn't seem like her (I saw it was foreshadowed from last week with her being proud of Crosby and the studio opening) and I thought should would have put a stop to it because she likes Dr. Joe. Yet with Jasmine falling into bed with Crosby shows to me that Dr. Joe is more of a plot point showing us that Jasmine wanted stability and support in her life which Dr. Joe represents. Now that she sees Crosby might have that she thinks she can put her family together for her son.
While I realize they both think they can rationalize this as they are doing it to put the family back together they don't realize that if this is not something that lasts (which it seems like it isn't) then it will hurt Jabbar even more because they haven explained how romance/dating works in a relationship among parents.
My whole feeling on the issue is that should find some way to show how they can still be friends and raise their child. If they don't do this with Jasmine and Crosby the show should do it with Sarah and Seth.
Crosby was particularly nasty in this episode in that he looked at Rachel like she was a piece of meat and hoping that she would kiss him next. Then later in the episode he gets drunk with the mother of his child, Jasmine and sleeps with her even though he has just told his son they are not going to be together and knows that the mother of his child is in a relationship with another person. Now I feel that Crosby has earned his reputation as not only a screw up but a nasty person.
Amber's story line is brilliant in this episode. It returns to the issue of money troubles that this show wanted to address in its first season with Zeke and his property ownership situation (which is why I thought it was odd that Amber would come to Camille even though we haven't seen how they solved the money problem, commercials?) More of this story line would be great.November 23, 2011 at 1:31PM ESTReply to Comment
JobinI don't see how Kristina was questioning Adam as the leader of the family, she was more questioning how he could do this to her after she's sacrificed so much for her family (her career, staying home, being the primary parent dealing with Max), and Adam betrayed his family by lying about firing Rachel to Kristina. Had Adam fired her, or at least been honest about not firing her, this whole mistake kiss could have been dealt without threatening the marriage.
I think you are reading into unspoken dialogue far too much in regards to Joel. Joel's been on board with adopting.
"My whole feeling on the issue is that should find some way to show how they can still be friends and raise their child."
This had been the whole storyline with them up until this point, and it was good. But now they have to toss a monkey wrench into it with them sleeping together.
"and sleeps with her even though he has just told his son they are not going to be together and knows that the mother of his child is in a relationship with another person."
How is Crosby the nasty person? He's not the one in a relationship, and it's pretty clear all season that he would be with Jasmine if Jasmine would take him back.November 23, 2011 at 2:36PM EST
gracedI didn't think Jabbar wanting his parents to be under one roof was old fashioned. When he said that, I teared up -- not my weekly light tears that I get from most Parenthood episodes, but true, sad tears. My parents divorced when I was 10, and I felt exactly like Jabbar. I didn't care if it was difficult or hard for my parents to stay together; I wanted them to. I wanted us to be a family. I know that relationships are tough, but I like the idea of Crosby and Jasmine being together and getting married. I think it's important for kids and I think seeing them learn to trust one another for the sake of their family would be an interesting journey. They clearly have feelings for each other, and they both want the best for their family. I think it could be an interesting road.November 23, 2011 at 3:54PM EST
Tausif Khan@Jobin
You have to take into account visual communication. With Joel When Zoe's boyfriend asked him the question he did not respond emphatically yes and he didn't look comfortable with the question. Then when the boyfriend talked about the contract Joel talked about his wife's role and not about what they were doing together. Joel has always been of the opinion that because his wife wants a sibling for Sydney he wants it too.
The reason why it is about Kristina is she lists all those qualities about being Mrs. Braverman and then tells Adam she is going back to work.
It would have been about Adam and Rachel if she had badgered Adam into firing Rachel. It is about Kristina.
@Graced I acknowledge what you are saying. I don't come down hard on the side I came down on. I said maybe it is because Jabbar is so young, Rory was a lot older when she came to her conclusion. Also, this could be something he personally feels so it is a good character moment, I just felt it was also the Parenthood writers talking to the shippers in the audience telling them they wanted to be more realistic at the time, the ending was undoubtedly a bit more soap operatic but still realistic in some sense I felt it did ground the characters.
I am just surprised that it would be so traumatic to realize this give the prevalence of such situations. I would think more of his friends or children he knew from class would have these situations and he would be able to see that he wouldn't lose either parent on some level. The desire to have two parents underneath the same roof I don't know whether it has more to do what is normative or based on individual personalities and feelings. That is what I was trying to bring up. Children living in non-conventional four person families are becoming more and more the norm so I was a bit surprised but I think the writers were showing the emotional journey.November 23, 2011 at 9:00PM EST
Tausif Khan@Graced
one more point, you point about marriage helped me to clarify something. For me it is not important whether they get married or not (I would like them to be together. I would also like Dr. Joe and Jasmine to be together because I would like to see D.B. Woodside acting on television on a regular basis but I digress). One of the things that is missing from this show that was the heart of Friday Night Lights was that first and foremost Tami and Eric Taylor were friends. The show did not pander to sexualizing the characters even though they were attractive. They demonstrated a relationship, even one that was estranged at times (Eric going to college coaching while Tami stayed in Dillon) that was built on friendship and was not boring. Were Tami and Eric hot for each other, yes but the show didn't exploit it for ratings. I feel that Parenthood exploits sexuality a little too much for ratings and this leads them to over the top soapy story lines like Adam and Rachel or the will they won't they of both Seth/Sarah and Jasmine/Crosby.
Jason Katims is a master at finding drama in real stories and that those stories are interesting to see on television. I feel that he could use a bit more of that in Parenthood which is why I want him to show more unmarried couples who are friends and work together to help their family or like Eric and Tami Taylor a stable relationship based on friendship not exploited for sex.November 24, 2011 at 1:23AM EST
Hannah Lee (guest)Hmmm… how not to be too negative? Ummmm…the acting for the most part was very good.
This episode was far too soap-opera-y. This show has such a good set up for interesting, real-life based storylines. But with the Chekhov's Boobs story (love that, Alan), the Crosby/Adam start a business together, the Crosby/Jasmine co-parenting, and Julia/Joel adopt-a-baby storylines, it has had them play out in ways that are cliché and contrived. Why?
This show needs an influx of Friday Night Lights' writers.November 23, 2011 at 1:37PM ESTReply to Comment
Tausif KhanNow Chekov's boobs which Star Trek episode or movie is Alan referencing?
*Joke courtesy of Tim Minear in the Train Job commentary of Firefly where Joss Whedon is referencing the play write Chekov and Minear asks from which Star Trek movie Whedon's reference is derived.November 23, 2011 at 2:08PM EST
Hana (guest)I agree with your review but I sure need more Lauren Graham in this show. One scene a week is not enough. I´m not liking the direction of the season where Kristina is becoming a lead. I don´t like the character at all.November 23, 2011 at 1:38PM ESTReply to Comment
Maureen (guest)I like this show, but Adam not telling Kristina about Rachel still being employed by them was beyond stupid. Adam is an intelligent man, did he really think his wife, who seems to call him quite frequently at the office, not notice when Rachel answered the phone? Very sloppy writing.November 23, 2011 at 6:02PM ESTReply to Comment
Erika Herzog (guest)That screeching monologue Kristina gives when she confronts Adam is such an out-and-out disservice to Monica Potter that i am coming to believe she must've done something to the writers to make them hate her. Kristina's character had been improving and becoming three-dimensional there for a while, and then this, a full stop!?!? Why!!!!???
and to have the end result be that Kristina will now get a job out of the household, that was totally illogical. i was half watching / wincing during the show until this point when i was just utterly baffled.
thanks for all the Friday Night Lights references. they always cheer me up!November 23, 2011 at 10:34PM ESTReply to Comment
Tausif KhanIf Kristina had behaved rationally and been understanding of the entire situation that would have been bad writing
1) It would have made Adam into a saint which denies the shows ethos of having realistic characters and relationships
2) She had voiced concerns about the hire before so for to be understanding would go against her character.
3) Also to react rationally and understanding to that news would be ridiculous because Adam left his domestic duties to attend his supposed work duties which turned out to be a celebration.
I still see it as an improvement because old Kristina would have tried to control the situation of Adam and Rachel to make herself feel better. However, she realizes she can't do that. Instead she is going to find out who she is beyond being Mrs. Braverman.
Her husband avoids his domestic duties, look at the season premiere that even though he is home he doesn't take care of the house and just plays around. She is not going to be the only one without freedom and is speaking for herself. They will have to share domestic duties if Kristina goes back to work or things won't get done. It is a good decision for Kristina because she is articulating what she wants and not trying to fix other people. Kristina is still growing.November 24, 2011 at 1:47AM EST
Erika Herzoghmmm. i appreciate your response but i sort of disagree with a lot of this.
i think that there was this amazing opportunity on the part of the writers to show Kristina's reaction in an interesting, real way, but instead it was this continuing shrill tone that has been Monica Potter's cross to bear in this show.
i'm not as interested in the absolutely dreckitudinal soapy situation between Adam and the hot chick and his wife. it isn't what i enjoy about the show -- like how Alan describes it when PARENTHOOD veers into the soap opera that's when i just want to turn the show off -- and find it very very annoying.
one last thing: i don't think Kristina saying she's going to go back to work is about Kristina needing or trying to find herself. the way it's (poorly) written, it sounds like Kristina is mad and wants to punish Adam. like she's saying, fine, you're going to be a jerk, well I'M going to go back to work so eff you! that doesn't seem like a hugely "searching for my identity" decision.
so i basically totally disagree with you on that whole last paragraph. :-)November 24, 2011 at 1:56AM EST
Erika Herzog"If Kristina had behaved rationally and been understanding of the entire situation that would have been bad writing"
also want to clarify that when i say bad writing, i am not saying if Kristina was less upset or had a different reaction that would necessarily be _good_ writing.... i just think that this storyline among others this week were just pure soap in the worst way. better writing of Kristina's reaction -- upset, mad, angry, rational, understanding -- whichever way they went with it -- would have made the whole thing more palatable. instead it's this shrill portrait of a hysterical woman, hard to take in real life but definitely not what i want to see on pretty people television. by an actress i've really enjoyed in other things (Head Over Heels - guilty pleasure - and The Very Thought of You)....November 24, 2011 at 2:02AM EST
Tausif KhanI can definitely see where you are coming from. I still don't agree with all of what your saying but I can see your interpretation.
The reason why I believe it is her trying to find herself is that she identifies the concept of Mrs. Braverman and identifies the criteria for what establishes the concept. It is a person who looks after the kids and supports her husband no matter what. This is how the character has been written. Up until this point she has had almost no reason to do otherwise. Adam is selfish however and sees himself as the leader of this family. Back in the first episode he established that he would like to be the breadwinner of the family. He did not say that this would preclude Kristina from working but he views his identity and his contribution to this family through work. This was very Zeke like to me. It showed Adam could be bull headed too. It made the character more realistic. But this in turn defines Kristina's role for this family. He defined her as a person who could not be the the bread winner. Kristina also has not continued working after her baby was born and has been taking care of her full time the rest of the family ignoring her for most of it (see mini-golf episode). She is trapped in domesticity. This is something the show has been building. In the last few episodes we got to see crumble some what underneath the pressure but also saw her as a bit happy when Adam made her feel beautiful and wanted. But none of this allows her to explore who she is. It keeps her in the domestic sphere. Adam meanwhile doesn't have to worry about this at all. He just has to make money.
I will agree that part of it is eff you Adam, she is angry, irrationally so but she can't be blamed for that. But what I understand about people is that when they talk they put themselves at the center of the narrative. What is best for me. In this case rather than trying to control her way out of this situation she focused on something can control her own self-determination. She decided she wanted to work and she wasn't asking Adam she was telling him so that he knew he had to support her and that she would not continue being everyone's support system.
I agree that Kristina's personality can be grating but there are people like that in real life. I think I identify a lot with Kristina's struggles. Also, what is interesting to me is that when she got angry at Adam she scrunched up her face and her anger reminded me of Max's anger so I felt their was a familial connection there. She is very shrill and controlling but she pointed out she needs to work on that (with the help of Max's teacher pointing that out) and she has been progressing. She can't rapidly change into being someone else so her dealing with her control issues I feel is a great arc.
As for Monica Potter, if you are able to go see the early clips on Hulu of Parenthood (it could be on NBC.com), they might have been removed but in those early clips it is just a lot of the cast and crew of Parenthood reflecting on parenting and being a child. Monica Potter talked about how she was very mindful of all of her children's actions and would monitor them all closely. So for me I think she is incorporating a lot of her own ideas into her performance. Television writers general write to an actors strengths so that the story can proceed better. Recently she revealed that she had been talking with some of her friends who had recently had babies and they had had post partum depression. She had talked with the producers on the show about incorporating this into her character on the show and she said that it would be a part of the show. So Monica Potter has had a hand in shaping the character I feel. The postpartum issue also gives an insight into the character and how she might be feeling and why she might be feeling horrible.November 24, 2011 at 3:04AM EST
Tausif KhanAlso, in terms of your point about soap opera plot lines I completely agree and slightly disagree.
I completely agree if soap opera plot points turn out to be employed just for the shock of the twist then the show is not good (see: Ringer).
However, people like Quentin Tarantion and Joss Whedon have made their careers on turning tired old cliched plots and making them great by giving their own perspective on the plot line.
Whedon in particular is famous for working with show concepts and show which sound terrible on paper and turn out really great when you watch them.
Take for example Buffy and Angel. Buffy is a young woman just starting to figure out who she is, oh yeah she also is the chosen one to slay vampires and fight demons. Her boyfriend/true love is ironically a vampire (oh how tragic!) even though she kills vampires she has found a way to love one. This vampire the most violent vampire in history has been cursed by gypsies and is no longer evil because he feels the pain of each victim he kills.
On paper this sounds like garbage it is very close to Twilight (I have not read or seen Twilight only heard certain plot points). However, when you watch it the story is amazing. The chemistry between the actors is great, how Whedon teases out how this relationship is tragic and how they try to make it work turns out to be heart breaking. But you can only get this if you watch it.
While science fiction concepts are more prone to this type of hacky sounding nonsense, this is also possible in realistic fiction as well. Things that sound ridiculous and boring on paper turn out to be exciting.
For Jason Katims this is the marriage of Tami and Eric Taylor. 99% of their screen time is devoted to making financial decisions, taking care of the kids and Dillion's football situation. On paper that sounds like drek. However, when you watch it you realize how much drama is being pulled from such everyday occurences. It is what made the show brilliant and what other shows (including Parenthood) have failed to capitalize on. Parenthood like other popular shows uses sex as major plot points. While I do not doubt it is an important subject some of the uses of this topic are purely for entertainment and that I don't think is at the heart of this show. I feel that entertainment combined with reality is what this show strives for and it is at its best when goes for these types of moments, the moments closer to Tami and Eric Taylor and away from Gaby and Crosby falling into bed together because they look hot.
There was one showrunner (I believe it was Steven S. Deknight who writes Spartacus but it might not be) who said that the words soap opera are used a lot nowadays. I also see the shortened moniker "suddser" to allude to this as well. The show runner said that soap opera is being used as short hand for drama. Any small moments between characters that cause tension are being characterized as soap opera moments. Soap opera is taking over the terrain of drama. On this point I agree.
Because of this I try to look at plot lines to see how actors act them and what themes arise out of plot lines on dramas before I think that the plot line might be useless. Admittedly the Adam-Rachel-Kristina plot line is ridiculous and over the top. For me this partly has to do with the fact that Rachel isn't a character. Her beautifully playing the piano, telling us that she like indie bands and dropped out of a master's program are starts to an idea of a character but not enough yet. It is also ridiculously cliched and over the top but I have to see how the writers write the story line, how the actors interpret it and what the outcomes reveal about the characters. In this situation it lead to the characters evaluating their relationship in a healthy way in which Kristina decided that she wanted more than being stuck at home.November 24, 2011 at 4:30AM EST
Geekwife (guest)I Don't feel adoption situation isn't trite is it average no but my husband and I adopted our daughter and we didn't go through a agency. And at one point the birth parents asked us to pay a large sum of $$ for our daughter. Luckily after we refused they came around and did the right thing They didn't want to keep the baby. In Our case it was the mom who was pushing it. Sometime these things happen and some parents so desperate for a baby consider it or even do it.November 25, 2011 at 6:13PM ESTReply to Comment
west coast ram (guest)I can't stand Kristina as she is always complaining about something. It was stupid for Adam to tell her in the first place as everyone knew how she would react. Needless to say Adam probably would be told by a labor lawyer that he's F'ed because there would be no way to fire her and not be sued.November 28, 2011 at 5:02PM ESTReply to Comment
JasmineI am an unapologetic Crosby & Jasmine fan. What many of you REFUSE to get is this: Crosby and Jasmine are totally hot for each other. Yes, they broke up and moved on, but they didn't get over each other before moving on. Both of them love Jabbar, no Question, but they also are deeply in love with each other.
I think the biggest problem with Crosby and Jasmine is people who do not want to see them together. Maybe that's the reason Katims has put them together. I think the Jasmine Haters are in for a big surprise! My guest is Jasmine will breakup with Dr. Joe, and will be
preggers with Braverman #2. Don't know how they will work it out because Crosby has moved on to the Cellist.November 30, 2011 at 5:33PM EST


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I would like to get some other opinions' on my situation please…Back ground…I am 43 and I have two children, my eldest child is 22 and my youngest daughter is 15. Now I have been divorced for about 14 years now. My issue is as follows…My youngest daughter and I had a pretty good relation up until a few months ago. We use to talk about anything and everything from school, her mother, future and even boys that she likes ( had to hold my seat at times) but we talked. We would talk about her friends in school and even some of the growing pains that come with just growing up. Now I am getting married in 2010 and I made sure that we even talked about this in great lengths trying to reassure her that she would always be my little girl and that I will always LOVE her. He was cool with it; at least that is what I thought. A little more history first; Last year around this time the glue that held the family together passed away. This was extremely difficult for all members including myself. It was a very long time before the family (my daughter, her mother, my daughter's grandmother on her mother's side and her uncle. My daughter have been living with her uncle ever sense the passing of her aunt. My feeling about this situation is a whole other story at another time.
Now this is the situation…My daughter asked if she could hang with me on this particular Saturday and as usual the answer was sure. She asked if I could drop her off at the Baltimore Harbor. Now this was Thursday and I told her I would let her know about that. Now my fiancée and I had a previously scheduled appointment that would take about an hour or so and I informed my daughter about this and how this was the last appointment that we would have to do. She was fine with going with us. We finished with the appointment and she wanted to go to the mall, (she's 15 what else does a 15 year old girl want to do right) so we take her, get something to eat, talk a few and we are off to drop her off with her friends. Now the rules were as follows: When you get with your friends you call me just to let me know you are with them she replies "ok". Oh I forgot Thursday she told me that her uncle was picking her up from the harbor at 8pm. So before she got out of the car I confirmed with her that at 8pm her uncle would be picking her up; yes was her response, so off we went. Now 8pm comes around and no call from my daughter, 8:15 no call, 8:30 no call 8:45 no call from her. I started calling her at those times as well and she would not answer my calls or my text messages. Well at this stage I am scared out of my wits and pissed needless to say. I leave to go to the Harbor to find her. While I am driving I call the uncle to see if she is with him and he was home and knows nothing about this. Now I am really pissed, She lied! That is all that is running through my head. She said that he would go and get her because he was closer than I was I said ok but five minutes later I called him back just to see if he had spoken to her. He said yes, and that her grandmother was coming to get her. I asked if she was coming back to his house and he said yes so I told him I am on my way to his house then. When I got there I explain the whole conversation and why I was so upset and he understood.
Now after being at his house for 10 minutes the grandmother calls the uncle and I remember him saying that I was there now. He gives the phone to me and I speak to her. "I am so sorry, I was my fault". I chimed in and told her that we will talk about this when you get here. 5 minutes later they both walk in and right away the grandmother starts I am sorry…I listen for a minute and then the uncle jumps in and says that he forgot about this. My daughter then jumps in and says that he was trying to call uncle but she could not reach him. I said wait everyone; this was not the agreement that we had. If that was so then why did she (my daughter) call me and just tell me that uncle could not be reach and that he was not there I would have picked her up. No problem. This does not explain why you (my daughter) did not and would not answer the phone or reply to all of my text messages. This does not explain why your uncle told me that he knew nothing about this until you too get home. I told her that I was so afraid and scared that something might have happened and I was ready to spank and punish her and I have never had to do that before. I gave her the benefit of the doubt that night and hugged her and kissed her saying that I felt this way because I love her and will always protect her as long as I have breath in my lungs.
That was over two months ago and to date she does not speak to me at all. What in the world is going on? As a father this is so confusing to me. Her mother said that I need to give her space but going on three months. This is not right. Am I missing something here?

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Overall Niche Grade
- AcademicsA+
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- DiversityA
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- AthleticsA+
- Party SceneA+
- ProfessorsA+
- LocationA+
- DormsB-
- Campus FoodA-
- Student LifeA+
- SafetyB-
University of Texas - Austin is ...
Athletic Division
NCAA Division I-A
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University of Texas - Austin Rankings
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Acceptance Rate
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Neither required nor recommended
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$16,832/ year
Average cost after financial aid for students receiving grant or scholarship aid, as reported by the college.
Based on faculty accomplishments, salary, student reviews, and additional factors.
Student Faculty Ratio
Evening Degree Programs
- 82%
- of students agree that professors put a lot of effort into teaching their classes.353 responses
- 41%
- of students agree that it is easy to get the classes they want.358 responses
- 47%
- of students agree that the workload is easy to manage.358 responses
Full-Time Enrollment
Undergrads Over 25
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Varsity Athletes
What one word or phrase best describes the typical student at this school?
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Campus Life
Freshmen Live On-Campus
Data not available
- 53%
- of students say that Greek life is pretty big.474 responses
- 66%
- of students say varsity sports are a big part of campus life.530 responses
What one word or phrase best describes your school?
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After University of Texas - Austin
- 83%
- of students feel confident they will find a job in their field after graduation.245 responses
5,563 reviews
- Excellent1407
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- Poor177
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The University of Texas at Austin is amazing! The professor are so caring and very engaged in a students' education. The Collaberative Study Section provided by TIP are super helpful. There is so many opportunities to get involved in anything you want to along with many awesome people to meet. What starts here changes the world. Hook 'em Horns!
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UT is definitely academically-challening. The programs will challenge you and possibly stress you out, but they are some of the best in the nation and will provide great job security. Life on campus is what you make of it, and there is plenty of organizations to join and things to do in a huge city like Austin, and there is definitely always a party going on. One of my favorite thins about UT is having the chance to meet people from a variety of different cultural background. You can definitely learn a lot from others who are different from you.
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The university of Texas at Austin is a great university for students that enjoy having big experiences. I had an opportunity to visit it and i can tell that my experience was very unique. The environment felt like i was in home. Everyone treats you as you were part of their family. The buildings are really big and having great capacity of students. Teachers are well-trained and they offer you opportunities to get to know them. At UT Austin they have plenty of opportunities for students who want to stand out. This university is well prepared and has everything a student need to succeed. Great university! The university of my dreams...!
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Convert psd to html 12112007
This project was awarded to efflux for $80 USD.Get free quotes for a project like this
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Convert psd to html
I need a psd converted to xhtml , I have attached a jpg preview, I will send the psd file.
I will be making a joomla template from what you do. For the modules in the left and right columns etc use pngs with alpha transparency.
All titles in the modules are h3 tags and are real browser text
use png transparency where applicable and use ie6 png fixs on those.
This site is left aligned.
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Keep your home safe with Sears Canada and our selection of home security cameras and accessories. Hidden security cameras for your home keeps burglars at bay and helps catch intruders when they strike. We also have a selection of wireless security cameras, home alarms, and safes to keep your valuables protected, as well as video surveillance setups for businesses.
Copyright © 2016, Sears Canada Inc. All rights reserved


text:
UPDATE 8:08a
UPDATE 10:34a
Police are continuing their search for the man who they say stole a vehicle with a 1-month-old inside.
Security camera video captured who police believe is the suspect. He is described as 6'0" - 6'2" and 25-35 years old with very short hair or a shaved head. Police said he was wearing a black shirt with a white design along with light colored pants or jeans.
Any information on this suspect can be reported to police at (806) 378-3038.
The child and the infant have been located, police said.
The infant was uninjured.
They were located at a motal in the 5400 block of Amarillo Boulevard East. Officers said they had checked this area 10 minutes after the infant and vehicle were reported missing but they were not there.
A suspect was taken into custody but police now believe it is not the correct person. The description of the person may have been incorrect, police said.
First Reported
Police need the public's help locating an SUV stolen containing a 1-month-old baby inside.
According to police, a copper-colored 1998 Toyota RAV4 was stolen from a convenience store in the area of Amarillo Boulevard East and Columbine just before 7 a.m., Monday.
Inside the vehicle's back seat was the 1-month-old boy.
It is not known which direction the vehicle was traveling, police said.
If this vehicle is seen, 911 should be called.


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8 posts tagged with teachers and history.
Displaying 1 through 8 of 8. Subscribe:
Interactive timeline of history
Chronas is a history project linking Wikipedia and Wikidata that lets you use a time slider at the bottom to see how the world looked any given date during the past 2000 years, watching realms grow and disappear. Video describing how it works. If you click on the countries/regions/empires shown, then it will show you the appropriate Wikipedia entry. [more inside]
The Archaeology of Teaching
Workers renovating Emerson High School in Oklahoma City recently discovered slate blackboards, still complete with chalked lessons and drawings, which had been covered up by the installation of new boards in early December, 1917. An additional photogallery (and autoplaying video) can be found here (slightly different versions of that page here and here).
The Teacher Wars
A new book by journalist Dana Goldstein profiles the deeply controversial history of the teaching profession in the US. A write up in the New York Times and the New Inquiry.
"So think about what you would want to know from someone who was actually there."
In school, most grades have a favorite teacher. For Rockport-Fulton Middle School's seventh grade, it's Bobby Jackson. He teaches Texas History. (Via) [more inside]
San Francisco Symphony
Keeping Score is designed to give people of all musical backgrounds an opportunity to explore signature works by composers Hector Berlioz, Charles Ives, and Dmitri Shostakovich in depth, and at their own pace. The interactive audio and video explores the composers' scores and pertinent musical techniques as well as the personal and historical back stories. [more inside]
Because the History Channel is currently airing pablum documentaries like "Sex in the Civil War"
Best of History Web Sites (from EdTechTeacher,) is a resource of annotated and rated-by-content links to over 1200 history web sites across a broad range of related topics. The site also offers links of special interest to educators: hundreds of K-12 lesson plans, teacher guides, activities, games and quizzes and more.
Study Guides, Teacher Resources
Shmoop is study guides and teacher resources that help us understand how literature and history and poetry are relevant today. Take for example Shakespeare's Sonnet 130. Get a technical analysis of it's literary devices, explanations of the themes, and audio/video readings of the sonnet.
An American Art Form
NEA Jazz in the Schools takes a step-by-step journey through the history of jazz, integrating that story with the sweep of American social, economic, and political developments. This multi-media curriculum is designed to be as useful to high school history and social studies teachers as it is to music teachers. Start with the introductory video to get a feel for the place. The education outline contains five lessons. If you just want to listen, all the music samples are on one page. Perhaps you're more interested in individual artist biographies, or a jazz history timeline. [more inside]
Page: 1


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"Three" is a mobile network provider, mainly notable for its fast 3G and 4G connections. This service provider puts a lot of emphasis on networking and staying connected, allowing you to share your life with family and friends. Learn about the Samsung smartphones that Three offers, so you purchase the right device for your needs.
Samsung Galaxy Ace 3
Samsung Galaxy Ace 3 mobile phone from Three is a 4-inch smartphone with a 5-megapixel camera that features an LED flash and records full HD video. The device works on the Android 4.2.2, Jelly Bean, operating system and supports 3G internet connections, whilst it also works with 4G and Wi-Fi. The smartphone features 8 GB of internal memory that you can further upgrade to 64 GB with a micro SD card.
Samsung Galaxy Fame
The Samsung Galaxy Fame is a stylish and compact 3.5-inch mobile phone with the Android 4.1, Jelly Bean, operating system. The phone connects to 3G and Wi-Fi and supports Bluetooth and NFC. The internal memory of this small phone is 4 GB, with 3 GB of usable memory, and you can increase it to 32 GB with a micro SD memory card. Use its 5-megapixel camera or front camera to capture the moments of your life.
Samsung Galaxy Note 3
Samsung Galaxy Note 3 features a large 5.7-inch full HD super AMOLED display and a stylus, the S-Pen, which allows you to easily use the touchscreen. The smartphone comes with a powerful 13-megapixel rear camera as well as a small 2-megapixel front camera to take photos both ways. In addition, you can record videos in full HD. This Three phone is compatible with 3G and 4G as well as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections.
Samsung Galaxy S4 and Mini
Samsung Galaxy S4 features a 5-inch full HD super AMOLED screen with a smart pause feature that pauses the video when you look away from the screen. Moreover, you do not even have to touch the screen to preview photos and emails as you can control the phone by hovering your finger over it. The phone supports 3G and is 4G-ready. Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini is this phone's smaller version with a 4.3-inch screen.
Samsung Galaxy S5
Samsung Galaxy S5 comes with a 5.1-inch super AMOLED display and a 16-megapixel camera for high-resolution photos. This phone has a built-in heart rate monitor and it is also water and dust resistant. The smartphone connects to the internet via Wi-Fi, 3G, and 4G.
Samsung Galaxy devices are a widely available on eBay, they can be purchased in a new, used or refurbished condition. The price is naturally reflective of the condition that you choose to buy.


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The Kestrel wrote: »The only factions available for campaigns in Napoleon are France in the campaigns of Napoleon and Russia, Britain, Austria, and Prussia in the Campaigns of the Coalition. You can also buy The Peninsular Campaign, which allows you to play Portugal, Spain, Britain, or France in a war for control of Iberia.


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North Park University is proud to partner with the Association of Fundraising Professionals to offer professional AFP members this special opportunity:
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WARSAW, Poland — A proposal to alleviate deforestation could benefit greatly from a cross-sectoral, holistic approach to land management, according to a top forest carbon expert.
The broad thinking of a "landscapes approach" is useful for planning and land-use assessments, which can integrate multiple options and generate helpful scenarios key to devising strategies for maintaining forests' carbon and forests' health, said Martin Herold, an associate scientist with the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) and a professor at Wageningen University in the Netherlands.
A landscapes approach seeks to ensure that all uses of land in a given area — and all the human users of that land — are being addressed by integrated, sustainable policies.
This approach can benefit planning around the REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation) program, which is complex because it involves multi-sector and multi-stakeholder perspectives that reside not just within forests, but on broader concepts with far-reaching components.
"We must think and monitor broader than forests for REDD+," Herold said on the sidelines of U.N. climate talks in Warsaw, Poland. "The landscape is a concept quite new to the broader REDD+ audience, but because REDD+ is complex, a landscapes approach is probably the right scale to structure that complexity."
REDD+ is being developed under the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), intended to generate financial value for keeping carbon stored in forests by leaving trees standing, and increasing incentives to encourage sustainable management of forested lands in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
At the UNFCCC Conference of Parties in Poland, negotiators agreed on the Warsaw Framework for REDD+, which aims to help developing countries reduce greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and degradation of forests — accounting for one fifth of all human-generated emissions. Under the agreement, the United States, Britain and Norway pledged a total of $280 million in financing to help maintain sustainable forest landscapes.
The money will be managed by the BioCarbon Fund, a World Bank program that manages public and private funds to encourage activities that sequester or conserve carbon emissions in forest and agricultural systems.
"It helps people to think of things that are REDD+ solutions, and assess them on the landscape scale," Herold said.
"We can assess REDD+ progress based on quantifying reduced emissions or sequestered carbon in the forest, but we also need to consider co-benefits — whether it has changed livelihoods or income, if it has negative or positive side effects on ecosystem services or the amount of food and wood harvested. Those questions can only be seriously addressed with a landscape perspective in mind."
For further information on the topics discussed in this article, please contact Martin Herold at firstname.lastname@example.com
This work forms part of the CGIAR Research Program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry.
Video by Kate Evans: Martin Herold discusses REDD+ and the landscapes approach:
Further reading
On landscapes: Defining objectives and measuring progress
Boosting both food security and forest resources requires new thinking
Drivers of deforestation and forest degradation: a synthesis report for REDD+ policymakers
An assessment of deforestation and forest degradation drivers in developing countries


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(The Root) —
"I'm a well-known writer of women's fiction. I want to incorporate black characters into my books. How does a white woman write black women correctly? For example, is it disrespectful to have a black woman have a bit of a thing for white men? What's the best way to introduce a black female character in a book? Do I write something like, 'Despite being African American, Carissa found blond men attractive'? Or something like, 'Right or wrong, Carissa loved white boys and had picked one out to take home with her'?
"There's a sad dearth of people of color in romantic fiction. I doubt it's racism. I think it's mainly because so many white writers, like me, simply don't know how to get it right, so we stay in our comfort zone. Any advice?" –Too White to Write?
If, by saying you want to write black women "correctly," you mean "in a way that's guaranteed not to inspire any complaints, constructive critiques or outright criticism," you should probably just stick to your genre's safely monochromatic cast of characters.
After all, views on depictions of black women in media are as diverse as their audiences. We aren't all alike, and our assessments of whether your book should be awarded a Nobel Prize or used for kindling won't be, either.
Of course, you're right to anticipate heightened sensitivity surrounding the characters you're contemplating, and that's with good reason. Quick background reading assignment: Iconic: Decoding Images of the Revolutionary Black Woman. In it, author Lakesia Johnson chronicles how figures from Sojourner Truth to Gabby Douglas have had to counteract media-fueled negative stereotypes thrust upon them (angry, emasculating, Mammy and sex object, to name a few).
You're probably familiar with those tropes, and with reactions to works like Kathryn Stockett's The Help, the novel-turned-blockbuster film about African-American maids working in Mississippi in the 1960s.
"Despite efforts to market the book and the film as a progressive story of triumph over racial injustice, The Help distorts, ignores and trivializes the experiences of black domestic workers," the Association of Black Women Historians said in a scathing statement in response to the film, adding that it "makes light of black women's fears and vulnerabilities turning them into moments of comic relief."
To be fair, black writers don't get a pass here, either. The ABC series Scandal, brought to us by Shonda Rhimes (and currently causing between-seasons withdrawal symptoms among plenty of African-American viewers), has been accused of "send[ing] the message through its high-powered protagonist that black women don't deserve loving and healthy relationships," and "continuing perpetuation of the stereotype of a black woman whose libido and sexual urges are so pronounced that even with an education and a great job, and all these other things, she can't control herself."


text:
Chocolate Dots Wedding Cake
I had so much fun with this cake, but the reception was an outdoor reception in the middle of the day... In the Mississippi heat! UGH! I waited until just the last minute to get this cake put together due to the fact that I didn't want it to become a puddle of cake soup on the floor. The bride loved the cake. Her mother cried, she cried... I cried... Go figure! There were an assorment of cakes, chocolate with B/C, french vanilla with B/C, White filled with fresh strawberries with B/C. Chocolate fondant dots
Comments (8)
Shyanne_Mommy on
I think I would have cried too!!! Great job!
Erika513x2 on
that cake is cool 8)
DoniB on
that is just too cool! I usually don't like dots very much, but for some reason, this one appeals. Great job! :)
DiannaSue on
Really came out fantastic. Great display. Love the dots.
nursey on
Great job ..............they're very cute
kim34 on
omg rhiscake isjust beautiful i,m from msand yes it,s been hot lol great cake
tcturtleshell on
How awesome! I love it!!
CambriasCakes on
That's really cool and it's ton of cake too! Sounds like my kind of party!
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