The Blacklist - Thanks - Sort Of

 Anyone who knows me even remotely well can tell you I love James Spader. Alan Shore was one of the greatest characters ever written. Honestly, I never thought I could ever see Mr. Spader act in anything and not see him as Denny Crane's husband on Boston Legal. Ten years ago I was proven wrong. The Blacklist hit the small screen and I was once again in awe of the acting genius that is James Spader. Raymond Reddington was an even better character. Quirks and all!

  The pilot episode started out with Red walking into the FBI building and being surrounded by security, guns drawn, alarms sounding. He was, of course, number one on the FBI Most Wanted list. From that opening scene, we are whisked away on the adventure of a lifetime. I've laughed, cried, covered my ears, and shielded my eyes. Some characters I loved. Others I hated. But each week we met a new "blacklister" and watched Reddington and his FBI task force apprehend the criminals law enforcement didn't know about.

  Jon Bokencamp, the show's creator, is brilliant. He made the most horrible people not just likable but lovable! Teddy, a torturer who uses animals to get information and who tried to get his son into the family business, made criminals talk using violent yet inventive methods. Glen, aka Jellybean, worked at the DMV and could track anyone no matter how hidden they were. He was crude and rude not to mention a fabulous bowler. When Clark Middleton died, the actor who played Glen, the writers penned an episode about his funeral that included Huey Lewis and the Statue of Liberty and introduced us to his mom Paula who was a real hoot!

  After 10 years of watching and rewatching, trying to figure out answers to long-held questions, and wondering who exactly Raymond Reddington was, last night was the series finale. In two hours they were going to answer all my questions and explain what I couldn't figure out. I was excited. I was sad. I was on the edge of my seat. I was ready! 

  What I ended up being, and it hurts me very much to say this, was disappointed. Yup I said it. It wasn't the ending this spectacular show deserved. It certainly wasn't the ending the fans deserved. When the two hours were over I was left with the same questions I've had since the beginning. If anything I had more things I needed answers to. 

  I don't know how the show should have ended. Red alive or dead. The task force in jail or off to find new adventures. But I do know last night's ending was not it. Right up until the final scenes I was on board. I even knew Raymond would die. Maybe an hour three was needed. To tie things up. The reading of his will perhaps or a letter left for Harold Cooper. Perhaps Dembe, played by the fabulous Hisham Tawfiq, could have spilled the secrets he knew. Something. Anything.

  This morning I checked other fan reactions on social media. Apparently I was not alone. I would say for every "great ending" comment I saw there were twenty "disappointing" ones. Blacklist fan groups are hating on it in record numbers. Everyone seems to be thinking the same way...good for Raymond going out on his own terms but bad for those of us wanting answers. Many use the words cheated and robbed. 

  Like many shows before it, Lost springs to mind, we are left without answers to the questions we carried with us from season to season. After ten years to still be in the dark about the show's core "secrets" is one thing but to end it without answering even one of them is wrong. It's disrespectful. And it's what we got.

  Ang 

  

  

No Thank You

 Recently someone asked me if I wanted to do something with them to which I replied "no but thanks for the offer". That should have been the end of it. You asked. I answered. But it wasn't. And that bothered me.

  Why do people feel they deserve an explanation when told no? Isn't no enough? Ummm yeah, it most certainly is. My response would have been different if one of my nearest and dearest had asked. I would have given a reason as I declined though none was necessary. They would understand without being told. Yet somehow someone who I spend very little time with thought it was her right to demand an explanation. Then ask yet again for one when none was provided.

  Would the truthful answer have stopped her questions? I don't think so. The reason I said no was that I just didn't want to. Period. But I have my doubts that to this particular person that would not be a valid reason to refuse. She would be wrong.

  We all wake up some days and want to do nothing. Watch a little tv or read a book. Stay in pj's and bake cookies or eat ice cream out of the container. And that's perfectly okay. Sometimes we change our minds and cancel plans and that's okay too! Our friends will know if we are just having a moment or if we are going into a slide and in need of some help. Then "no thank you" will not be enough for them and they will figure out a way to help or get you to people who can help. Those are your close friends.

  From birth we are hard-wired to ask for explanations. Remember asking your parents if you could go somewhere and they said no? I'd bet money your next question was "why not". I'd bet my life savings that they replied "because I said so". No further conversation was going to happen. You asked. They answered. End of discussion. 

  Does that mean we don't owe an explanation to children but we do to adults? I'd say the total opposite. Explain to your kids the reasons why. Tell them your job is to keep them safe and what they want to do might not be safe. Or that you did that as a child and the results were disastrous. They might learn from your mistakes or at least not fight back quite as hard because you didn't dismiss them. 

  Bottom line...if an explanation isn't offered, don't ask for one. Don't think you know better or that if you cajole me enough I'll change my mind. I won't. What I will do is resent you for not respecting me or my wishes. 

  Ang 

  

Happy Canada Day!!

  Happy Canada Day!!! July 1 is our day to celebrate being the greatest country on earth. We watch concerts, see fireworks, paint our faces, and put flags all over ourselves. It's the one day a year we proudly display our patriotism. For reasons unknown to me, tomorrow those displays are gone and we are back to our quiet self-deprecating ways. So let's enjoy these 24 hours while we can!

  Canada has made the world a better place in so many ways. Think about Frederick Banting who at 32 was the youngest person ever to receive the Noble Peace Prize for medicine. As amazing as that is, his work in the discovery of insulin changed the lives of tens of millions of people worldwide. Pretty impressive.

  Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone. James Naismith gave the world basketball. What would the weekend be without Saturday Night Live, the brainchild of Lorne Michaels? Terry Fox and Rick Hansen showed us all that physical challenges could be overcome with mental fortitude and kindness. And how many of you chose Celine Dion singing My Heart Will Go On as your wedding song? You're welcome!

  Margaret Atwood is one of the greatest authors of this century. She and Lucy Maud Montgomery are heralded throughout the world. Ten years before Rosa Parks started a chain of events in the US, Viola Desmond refused to move out of the "white's only" section of a movie theater. And we claim both Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Ryan Reynolds as our own. 

  We lead the world in freshwater and our military is praised for its many peacekeeping missions.  Our politeness and willingness to help others is legendary. Wayne Gretzky, Sidney Crosby, Brooke Henderson and Steve Nash all call Canada home. We have the highest tides in the world, the best view of the northern lights and world-renowned maple syrup.

  Universal healthcare, an old age pension, and the "baby bonus" are all things we can be proud of.  Mr. Dressup and The Friendly Giant entertained the kids while their parents watched This Hour Has 22 Minutes or played Trivial Pursuit. We gave the world the paint roller and garbage bags...imagine life without those! Not to mention peanut butter, the Wonder Bra and the pacemaker.

  Canada is not perfect. We have skeletons in our closets we are deeply ashamed of. Our historic, and more recent, treatment of Indigenous people is horrific. We need to overhaul both the healthcare and education systems. There is a lot of work to do with this fentanyl crisis and kids dying by their own hands. But...

  I still believe for all our faults we live in the greatest country on earth! Happy Canada Day to us!!

  Ang