Forced progressions

The worst way to nuture an idea/feeling is to move unnaturally through a progression.

My favorite show, The OC, does this in Season 4 in such a way that made me want to puke --and it still does-- yet I was (and still am) so engulfed in this show that I felt like I was a part of the Cohen/Atwood clan.

Mind you, I haven't watched it in a while. I think I've gotten through only the first two discs this year.

The Cohen's are: Peter Gallagher (Sandy), Kelly Rowan (Kirsten) and Adam Brody (Seth).

The Atwood is: Ben McKenzie (Ryan).
Note: He's a teenager adopted into the Cohen family early in Season 1.

McKenzie's character falls in love, very quickly, and too quickly (in my opinion) with Autumn Reese's (Taylor Townsend) character. So quickly that it feels really, really off and the writers of the show, whether it's John Stephens, Mark Fish, J.J. Philbin or Leila Gerstein (these are just a few names from the episodes I'm specifically referring to) I haven't a clue. It doesn't help that in Season 4 there are only 16 episodes and not the normal 24.

Why did Season 4 get shafted? Because Mischa Barton (Marissa Cooper) made a decision --a personal decision on/off set-- during Season 3 that changed everything forever. It's no sercret that Atwood's and Cooper's characters hit it off right away in this show. Not to get too detailed here (trying to keep it PG-13!!) but you can literally feel the sexual tension between these two.

The writers of The OC made a dumb, dumb, dumb decision to force Atwoods character into something that wasn't natural. It didn't help that Townsend's character is highly annoying and extremely pushy to the point where you wanted to strangle the girl's character half the time, up until the point where her mom comes into the picture and then you get why she is the way she is.

Lessons I hope Josh Schwartz (the creator of The OC show) learned:
1. Never cut your budget and force dialogue that shouldn't be forced; your (biggest) fans will strongly dislike it forever and will think twice about getting too into another show because you might just ruin that one too! I'm talking about Gossip Girl --and I never watched an episode because it's supposedly just like The OC, except it takes place in New York where the attitudes are much different.
2. If a characters persona doesn't seem to naturally fit with anothers (or is forced to grow faster than what is unrealistic, even for a reality tv show), don't pair it with an idea that ruins the developement of a main characters prescence in the show. Even if the main character can pull it off, you can still feel how "awkward" it must be for the actor to "accept" what their character has to act out. I did!!
3. If one of your main characters makes a big decision like the one Mischa Barton did, make sure you give your audience (even the characters in the show!!) enough time to go through the denial/acceptance phases. Why?? If you give someone time to adjust to reality --even if it's NOT reality-- you'll eventually benefit from making a smooth (not quick and SUPER sudden) move.

Anywho.

Here's the deal, when you don't nurture something back to health the right way, everything becomes blurry. Discombobulated. Uneasy. Unsure. You lose direction. You can also lose the main reason it felt right in the first place. But if you do it the right way and take it easy and continue to grow within the idea again, carefully, beautiful things can happen.

I'm feeling this with my job search. I'm in the 'fuzzy' era-stage at this point. What does that mean? I feel like I'm grabbing for anything and I kind of am for a few different reasons, but mainly because I need a job where I can be sustainable and live a 'normal' life...whatever that is nowadays. Oh wait, I know.
I have time for myself, family, a relationship (if that ever becomes an option), my friends, I have weekends off to do fun things, and my evenings are mostly free. But I want to use my degree, if at all possible.

In The OC, Atwood and Townsend were "grabbing" for each other because I think their characters came from two completely different perspectives --one was in denial through-out most of Season 4 without even needing to say it (though I think his character does) and the other felt as if they found a light at the end of the tunnel so they sped up to it fast just to prove a point to someone they felt they were obligated to do so with-- and nobody really appreciated the dialogue or how any of it unfolded. Well, there was no reason to "appreciate" the "love" between the characters. I, as a viewer, was never given a reason to do so. I felt empathy for Townsend at one point, but not enough to change my mind.

I can tell you that I'm not looking for empathy because I'm lucky to have the job I have and I'm very thankful for it, but I'm still looking for that "real" job. I don't want to run to the light at the end of the tunnel and make the "wrong" decision though. But what if I do? Well, I guess I just have to have Faith and I gotta Believe.

I have a huge project on my plate right now that just might be the answer to all of my prayers, but I'm not talking about it just yet. The ingredients are still being added to the mixture and the oven is just pre-heating right now. It could be a while before I make any announcements.

My journey continues and I know I'm paddling up the same river millions of other American's are paddling up...I just plan on working my competitors to the core and I'm doing that in my own ways. Three words: Don't give up. A lot of people do and I'm not about ready to become one of those people. I have an amazing support system, so I guess technically, I have more people on my side than I even know and for that, I'm extremely thankful.

What I'm going through isn't a reality show, but it is reality and I'm not about to pull an executive decision like Josh Schwartz did.
- I'm not gonna cut my budget in ways I cannot afford to where there are better ways to slice the pie.
- I'm not going to make puzzle pieces fit if they don't.
- I have to accept what the reality is.

These are the only ways I can currently see myself nurturing my life back to a healthy state of mind, body and soul.

I'm a very determind woman though and I won't back down. But I also say that whatever happens, will happen. Just make sure you give it 100%.