Gilmore Girls Revival: I Have Thoughts

So I finally finished the Gilmore Girls Revival last week, and I didn't think I was going to be that person who posted an entire blog post about my reaction to it, but I need to talk about this and hopefully some of you are GG fans and will care and respond so we can chat. Oh, and please know that I realize I'm thinking too much about all of this and it's a TV show and not the end of the world, but for some reason I clearly have an emotional attachment to this based on the strong feelings that arose after I finished.

I will also say that I recognize that my preference in both movies and books is an ending that ends and is not a cliffhanger. I know some people would say that that's boring and not letting the audience be creative with imagining things, but I don't care. I like bows, and I'm not ashamed to say so. Real life is messy enough, so I like my fake TV life to have periods. 

Finally, I should let you know that I have always been Team Jess. Sure, he was a punk at first but he turned out to be awesome and he understood Rory the best and I just loved them together. Or, okay really I just loved him, but the point is, Team Jess forever.

Now then.

The first two episodes were amazing, in my opinion. Cameo after cameo of past cast members made it such fun to watch. I kept shouting, "There's ____!" and it was so great. Paris was my favorite part of the whole revival. I know a lot of people loved Emily, and she was great too, but that scene in Episode 2 when Paris and Rory are in the bathroom and Paris is having a meltdown was hi-freaking-larious, and I laughed out loud more than once. I loved every minute. I thought the Jason Stiles appearance was unexpected and nice (I know a lot of people hated his character in the series, but I actually kind of liked him and Lorelai). I wish they had been able to get Max to come back too!

I was a little confused overall about how quickly the timeline was going. Did anyone else get distracted by the jump between Winter and Spring? At the end of Winter, Lorelai and Emily were going to go to counseling the next week and everyone was wearing puffy coats and it was SNOWING and then it's the beginning of the Spring episode and they are sitting in their first counseling session wearing flowery dresses? In a week???? Maybe I missed something.

There are no words for how surprising and awesome it was to see Mr. Kim finally make an appearance. Loved it.

I was obviously distraught to find out that Rory was basically Logan's mistress. Sleeping with someone while they are engaged to someone else? I don't know a single person who would tell you that's okay. I never liked Logan in the regular series, and it didn't surprise me at all to discover that he's still a sleazy playboy. What did surprise me, however, is how the Palladinos wrote Rory's character. Sleeping with Logan is one thing (I guess), but she apparently has a boyfriend she can't break up with, so she's cheating on him too! I thought the Paul thing was funny at first, but then it just got old and dump him already. 

Maybe I'm just not smart enough to understand the symbolism that was going on there. I felt like it was a random and funny plot for the first episode, but are we really supposed to believe she strung him alone for an entire year and he just went along with it? Who is this guy?

As an editor and someone relatively knowledgable about the publishing world, I found Rory's career path unlikely, if not completely unbelievable. She's a freelance writer who wrote a really successful piece in the New Yorker but now can't find work anywhere? But she has money to fly back and forth to Europe weekly? Are we to assume she got money after Richard's death and that's what she lives on? So many questions.

And okay, the book thing. You can't just say you're going to write a book and then write a book and you are instantly a success and going to be rich and famous. Writing is a very difficult career to break into that most can't actually do full time. And lots of people write books and a lot of them are terrible and don't make any money at all. Arg.

So Winter and Spring were fantastic, and then Summer took a nosedive into lame town. I found the poolside scene odd to open the episode, and then the musical. The musical. The internet seems divided on this, so give me your opinion. Love or hate the musical? For me it was pretty much solid hate. I think they could have showed the first scene so we could get the gist and then moved on but no. We had to watch what felt like 3 hours of ridiculousness that didn't have anything to do with anything. I get that it was supposed to be silly and weird and Stars Hollow-y, but it went on tooooooo loooooooong.

So then we get to Fall. I thought it was pretty cliche that Lorelai was going to do Wild, so I loved and appreciated the fact that they made fun of it. And the Parenthood cameos (!!!!!). Love. Although did it make anyone else mad that she bought all this brand-new hiking gear and then just gave it all away? I know it was supposed to be symbolic, but seriously that pack and all that stuff cost a ton of money! She could have sold it to someone else or tried to return it or something. I'm probably overthinking this.

This post is getting long, so let's cut to the ending. 

WHAT ON EARTH.

Some people probably saw this coming? I don't know. All I can tell you is that I think it's rude. If you're going to go through the trouble of bringing back all the cast and doing this big revival series years later, don't end on a cliffhanger. I felt like I got less resolution than I had at the end of the original series, and if you couldn't tell already, I'm not happy about it.

I get that it all comes full circle. Now Rory will be a single mom, blah blah. Okay. But seriously, people. And let's not forget that this was the ending that was planned years ago that never got written. It has a totally different meaning now that Rory is older, so I don't know if I agree that the writers should have been married to those ending words for this revival. And again, rude.

There were a few bright spots: Lorelai and Luke getting married, obviously. And the scene with Dean and Rory in the market was absolute perfection. That for me was probably the best "closure moment." Paris was a bright spot for me because she's hilarious, and I loved the story Lorelai called to tell Emily about her dad on her birthday buying her a pretzel. I like that they imply that Michel stays at the Dragonfly because Lorelai is expanding, and it seems like Lorelai and Emily are on the path to a better relationship. Emily seems happy, and I totally loved her DAR rant.

But here's what I'm unsettled about. And by unsettled I mean mad.

Christopher is obviously still in love with Lorelai and seems sad and lonely, which for me was depressing. Since he and Lorelai are clearly not going to ever get together, I wish we could have seen him happily dating or even married! And he and Rory seem to have this awkward relationship too, so it was just all kind of sad. (Side note, he hasn't aged a bit!)

Another low point? JESS WASN'T AT THE WEDDING. Michel and Lane were there. I think it was lame of the writers to not have Jess be there too. And speaking of Jess, he is way too good for Rory. Like I already said, I have always been Team Jess and Rory, and I guess I still am, but after watching the revival, I think I'm really just Team I Want Jess to Be Happy, and he still seems a bit lost, obviously pining for Rory, who doesn't deserve him because she is sleazy and a hot mess. 

I guess Jess is Rory's Luke, and we should imagine that at some point way down the road they end up together? But that's too long for Jess to be unhappy in the meantime, in my opinion. Maybe I need to not be so obsessed with Jess? Don't answer that.

At the end of the day, I really enjoyed the revival, but to be honest I can't help but feel like the ending might have ruined it for me. Maybe I just need some more time to process. I thought they did some things that were great and other things that were a dud. Seeing all the old cast was probably the most fun, and I'm glad the saga of the Final Four Words has been put to rest. Amy Sherman-Palladino, you are an evil genius, that's for sure.

I know that in life things don't always go according to the plan, and things don't always get wrapped up in a neat red bow, but TV is not real life, and I have to shamelessly admit that I just really wanted my bow. And dang it, I wanted Rory with Jess.

Did you watch the revival? What was your favorite part? What was your least favorite? What did you think of how it ended? Were you/are you Team Jess, Team Dean, or Team Logan?

*For more reading, I liked and agreed with many of the points discussed in this article. There were also a few interesting articles on Slate if you want to Google it.

Currently // December 2016

First of all, I want to go back a few posts and thank you all for your sweet and kind responses to my confession about being a working mom. It’s been a difficult adjustment for me this year, to say the least, and lonely at times, but there are so many things to be thankful for, and one of those things is how lovely all of you are.

On that note, thank you for your excitement about Baby Bum #2! We really are just so thrilled and thankful. I have more thoughts to share about pregnancy this time, but for now I will just say that I do not take the privilege of being pregnant for a second time lightly, and Jordan and I are continuing to pray for a healthy pregnancy and healthy baby while treasuring any and all time we get to have this little one in our lives. He or she is already so very loved. 

Now for a quick currently update! Linking up with Anne.

Doing 

I had been doing pretty well with my running 2-3 times a week until the middle of September, and then my whole house was sick for a while, and then I got pregnant and felt nauseous and so tired. I can’t describe the extreme exhaustion, but let’s just say it was epic. Anyway, needless to say I didn’t do much for a while. But I really want to try to stay as active as possible, and having a desk job doesn’t do me any favors, so it’s up to me to put in the effort at home. 

About a month ago, I started going once a week to the gym with Jordan’s brother. He can take a guest for free, so we’ve been meeting every Tuesday at 8:00 after R is in bed, and you guys, I never thought I would be a night gym person, but I love it. Of course, every night around 7:45 I start questioning my own sanity, but knowing that someone is meeting me there gives me the motivation to get off the couch and in the car. 

Once I’m on the treadmill, I just want to stay forever. I’ve been running 2 miles, then speed walking on a high incline for another half-mile or so. Then I either do the stairs or the bike for 10ish minutes. Then I do some weights (just arms and legs, nothing that directly involves abs/stomach and nothing too strenuous). The whole thing takes about an hour, and then I go home, stretch, and do my 10-minute yoga video. I’ve been trying to make sure I do the video every night, and it feels amazing. 

I know that once a week really isn’t very much, but at this point in my life I’m all about setting realistic goals and celebrating small victories, and a consistent once-a-week gym routine is something I’m excited about!

Jordan and I were also able to do a date night last week for maybe only the second or third time since our anniversary IN MAY. And this isn't because we have a baby. It's because we are terrible at dating. Forget once a week. We can't even handle once a month. I had a buy one entree, get one free at one of our favorite places, so we went out for dinner and had such a great night. We talked about real adult things, not just R (although we did pause and watch a few videos of her on my phone, no shame), and we made each other laugh and it was all fun and games until I ate too much and laid on the couch groaning for an hour with my feet up after we got home due to a gas bubble in my stomach that wouldn't move. Pregnancy problems.

Enjoying

I am really enjoying watching R experience the Christmas season. Last year at this time she was 4 months old and let’s be honest: not very much fun. I mean, sure she was fun, but this year she’s FUN. There’s a giant light display through the park in a nearby town, and we took her through it one night before bedtime. We rode in Jordan’s truck so she could see out the windows better, and she absolutely loved it. 

We taught her to say “woah,” so she just kept shouting WOAH WOAH the whole time. Cutest ever. Speaking of cutest ever, she has also started doing this hilarious dance move that had Jordan and I rolling last night. Seriously I was crying I was laughing so hard, and I had my hands over my mouth with glee and R put her hands over her mouth too and it was the funniest thing. I need to try and get it on video.

Cooking

Chili! A few years ago my brother gave me the recipe for the best chili ever that he created himself. Part of the recipe includes pouring an entire bottle of Shiner Bock into the crockpot, and the strong beer taste cooks out of course, so it just gives the whole thing this amazing flavor. Yum. Crockpots were made for working moms, I think.

Oh, and before anyone makes the most obvious joke, yes I'm cooking a baby too ;)

Wrapping

Presents! I’ve sent a few Christmas presents in the mail to friends already, and I have all of our presents piling up in the spare room closet. I’m excited because I actually thought of something perfect to get my father-in-law! I always end up getting him socks. Borrrring. 

We bought R three things this year. The girl plays with empty shoe boxes and bubble wrap, so Jordan and I don’t feel like we need to go broke buying her things. I think she will love what we picked out!

1) A Little Tikes shopping cart that we bought at a consignment store for $12 and I just need to clean it up a bit 

2) This hopping rabbit that she can pull behind her when she walks and it hops! So cute. 3) 3) Finally, I found this book, which she’s a little too young for right now but I think it will be hilarious when she’s a tiny bit older. For now I think she will love turning the pages.

For anyone interested, Christina recently posted her toddler Christmas wish list that has some great ideas.

Playing 

The event on our advent calendar a few days ago was play Skipbo, so Jordan and I turned on  Christmas movie after R went to bed and played a few rounds of Skipbo. For some reason even though this is basically a game of chance, I always beat Jordan pretty handily.

In the second game, I beat him only to find out that he had been holding a Skipbo in his hand for the last few rounds and let me win intentionally! Which offends me on many levels, but he said he was trying to spare himself from my inevitable rage when I lost, so I guess that’s acceptable.

So those are a few things going on currently! 

I have a super busy next couple of days with rehearsals and performances for our church’s big Christmas program that I’m playing violin in, so I probably won’t be able to post until next week, but maybe over the weekend I will get a post written on all things pregnancy related that have led up to this point. 

Let me know if you have any specific questions or things you’d like me to write about in that one!

The Best Christmas Present

I've been bursting to share our news with you for weeks, and I just can't wait anymore. R is going to be a big sister! Baby Bum #2 will be arriving in June 2017!

I wanted to make sure I told all of our family and friends first, and then I wanted to tell my boss. I hate having that conversation, so I put it off and put it off, and finally I got myself so worked up that I decided to just do it already. So finally I went in and talked to him, and now I feel free to share it publicly on the blog with all of you!

I am currently 11.5 weeks, with a due date of June 23. I won't make you do the math in your head... this baby and R will be about 22 months apart, give or take a week or two. We went in for our first ultrasound at 8.5 weeks, and everything looked great! I go back for my next appointment in 2 weeks.

At this point I do plan on going back to work after I have this baby. Me not working still is not an option at this point for us. I am doing weekly pictures at home, but just like with R, I won't be doing weekly updates on the blog. I will share updates on occasion, but it won't be anything regular.

We were trying, and thankfully we did not need to see a fertility doctor this time. I feel so blessed and thankful to have the opportunity to be pregnant again, and we are both so excited to grow our family and for R to be a big sister! Bumgarner, family of 4! Yay!