So my husband and I rarely watch television together anymore. I remember when we were first married, movie night was a lovely mix of action and romance. We’d rotate between Meg Ryan and Arnold Schwarzenegger (pre-politics era). They were the good old days when my darling appreciated funny, kissy movies .
Oh how times change.
Don’t ask me why, but over the past few years, every time I bring a romantic comedy home, he kisses my cheek, tells me to enjoy the show, and heads to the internet to see if BYU’s Cougar Board has updated itself in the last ten seconds. He’s very sweet and polite about the whole thing.
I hate it.
(Can I add that this sometimes feels like a personal rejection? That by rejecting romantic comedy, he’s rejecting me since I’m kind of romantic comedy live and in person. I should tell him that sometime…next argument, for sure.)
Anyway, there are only three shows (aside from the random action flick) that we watch together: 24, The Office, and House Hunters International. There, I said it. We’re totally addicted to House Hunters. We tape it every single night and watch reruns religiously.
We tell ourselves we’re just doing research, since our next move will be overseas (1-2 years). But who are we kidding? We’re addicted to the suspense. Which will they choose, #1 with the roomy kitchen, #2 with the big back yard, or #3 with the classic Siberian charm? We sometimes pause it right before the big reveal to go over the pros and cons, then bash them relentlessly when they fail to choose wisely.
My favorite aspect of the show is how every single buyer wants “space to entertain”. You’d think the entire world was full of dinner parties the way people talk. They’re convinced that the only reason they’re anti-social is because they don’t have enough room. Trust me, each and every one of them is completely deluded. None of them are having rolicking parties just because they purchased something with a “great room”.
I know this from experience. When we bought our first duplex in grad school, we entertained religiously, always having parties and game nights. It was cramped but it was fun.
Then we had kids.
The End.
So if you’re not social, don’t blame it on your house. Blame it on those blasted kids that constantly mess up your great room with things like jam covered bar stools, and permanent marker on your newly painted white built-ins. And the whole, “If you build it” bit? They will come, all right–“they” being loads and loads of neighbor kids who want to bring their sticky fingers over to play at your big, roomy, “party” house.
Hey, it’s a life.
Well, we do want a space big enough to entertain. Right now we can only invite people over for dinner if they don’t have kids because there’s no where to seat the kids when it’s time to eat.
I like Flip This House. Those people are DUMB. Or is it Property Ladder? It’s the one with first time flippers. DUMB.
How does it happen? My husband lost all interest in chick flicks long ago. Come to think of it, it may have been around the time we got cable. . . Darn that ESPN
You’re right. I used to invite people over before I got toothpaste in my couch cushions.
I am one of those weird females who only wants to watch if something is blowing up. I get embarrassed over romantic comedies.
But I LOVE househunters. I also laugh at the Property Virgins, but seriously, couldn’t they have named it something else. I am just waiting for my 7 year old to ask what a virgin is. I’ve already decided to tell her it’s someone who hasn’t done a particular thing before. Then I could just see her yelling about how she was a monkey bar virgin. Sigh. Did you see the one last night where they chose the ruin? I mean a ruin? We mocked them extensively.
We have to have that space for entertaining to accommodate the huge amounts of family (ahem, in-laws) who eat here on occasion. Party’s with friends? That sounds like fun… I guess we sort of skipped that stage and went right for the messy kids.
I like those shows too, I always think the people are idiots, they always choose the wrong house! Crazies! My husband’s a girl, so he still watches chick flicks with me, we just watched Sleepless in Seattle the other night! tee hee (Ohh, I’m SO mean!)
That is so funny. Before we ditched our cable the only show we watched together were Alton Brown (Food Network) and HGTV-one of the favs being House Hunters. Then HGTV got too gay for us…it’s somehow not quite as satisfying watching Steve and Chris hunt for a sweet little love nest.
I bet it would totally turn Jason on if you both posted and chatted live on CougarBoard about football and all current events happening in the Sports world.
Although I always put things into perspective with Heather by saying something to the effect of: At least I don’t Hunt, at least I don’t smoke, at least I don’t drink, at least I don’t go to nudey bars, at least the Sports I watch are clean, etc…
I don’t know how well it works, maybe you’ll have to ask Heather 😉
Annie, I just had the weirdest Facebook experience. I think I stumbled on a picture of Jason when he was a kid. Are there a lot of people in the world with his name? I’m dying to know if it is him! Did he ever live in the city I live in? It is a boy scout picture and I went to high school with a few of the other boys.
Oh sure, that’s what I need, space to entertain. Snort.
Oh yes, but House Hunters isn’t nearly as entertaining as my random check to see if Annie has written anything (please, say it’s true) to make me laugh today. Thanks again for blogging it up, baby. You’re always good for a chuckle. Does that make you feel any measure of writers servitude, knowing that my reading your posts gives meaning to an otherwise miserable existence? No pressure, but if you could keep the laughs coming, I’d really appreciate it. This ledge is awfully high. Push me, already. Somebody push me… Okay, okay, you wretched child, I’ll get off the computer already. I just needed one quick laugh.
So, somone was noticeably missing from lunch yesterday! I missed you!
A-freakin-MEN! I wish I had something more novel to say in response, but the baby is currently screaming in his bed instead of giving in to sleep. Kinda kills the witty.
Have not caught the international version but we are amused every time we watch the generic House Hunters at how many times they say “nice” per episode.
“Nice yard.”
“Yeah, really nice.”
“Oh this is nice.”
“Nice big shower.”
“The carpet could be replaced but nice and roomy.”
“Not a fan of the 70s wood paneling but a nice sledgehammer could take care of that.”
I admit it. I don’t want to entertain. I want the space big enough to do it but I don’t want to do it. I want space big enough to hide in and write all day long. Of course, the problem with that is that if there’s that much space, there’s that much space for trucks, cars, and fruit-snack wrappers to litter the floor. *Sigh*