Comfort Heroes
A good hero [or heroes] can come in handy. At least he comes in handy for me. I’ve been faced with major stressors in my life lately. Moving, deadlines, the demands of children, an impending state audit at work, a house-hunting trip, leaving behind the best neighborhood and friends and house ever, and a temporary living situation [7 of us in a cozy–read: small– apartment] are a taste of what life is like.
Today was day two of moving. We’ve been purging and purging and purging for weeks. Maybe months. We decided we’d evaluate each item and decide if it was really worth moving halfway across the nation, and when we got it there, if we’d know what to do with it when we got it there.
Despite all of this purging, a major garage sale and numerous trips to the dump, the movers commented several times about how much stuff we have. Five kids and living in a house for six years leads to the accumulation of a lot of stuff. Now we’ll be living minimally, with only what we can fit in our cars for the drive to our new state. For two months.
The movers started yesterday and finished today. And my I Pod was stolen by one of them!
So here I am–evening one in our new, fun apartment. My final revisions for my first book, Living the Vida Lola, are due this week and now I have no music to mask the noise of my five kiddos while I work. And my frustration has been mounting. I’m revisioned out, yet still have more to do [including this column], and my older boys want to watch a show. The choices: Lost, Supernatural, and My Name is Earl.
Surprisingly, I immediately have an opinion. Supernatural, hands down.
Why is this show enough to pull me away from what I NEED to do and into the realm of what I WANT to do?
It’s the heroes. They’re compelling. They’re complex. They’re entertaining. They’re tortured and smart and always in trouble. Sam and Dean are excellent heroes and they’re like a warm blanket or comfort food [and way less fattening than chocolate or sweets, which, alas, I succumbed to today in great quantity].
So here I sit, typing my column and watching Supernatural and I feel my stress dissipating. I’ll get through my revisions, and my kids and husband and I will enjoy our newfound closeness. Minimalism is a good thing and will help us appreciate what we have and our blessings. I’ll get through the audit, and I’ll buy a newly refurbished I Pod. I’ll always miss my friends, but I know we’ll all make new friends.
Heroes on the small screen can be that thing that pulls you out of a slump. Not any hero will do. For me, tonight, Sam and Dean are the heroes that helped.
Question of the Day:
What hero or heroes are your comfort food?
May 5th, 2008
Misa 
in
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May 5th, 2008 at 6:54 am
My ‘comfort’ hero will always be Duncan MacLeod from Highlander: The Series, played by Adrian Paul. It went off the air several years ago, but I have the DVDs. He’s the ultimate hero to me - smart and strong, resourceful, and always willing to do the right thing, no matter what cost to him. (And he’s darn good looking, too!)
Best wishes for happy times in your new home!
May 5th, 2008 at 7:02 am
Angel is my comfort hero. I have the series on DVD. His dark broodiness is like home to me. I can turn the lights out, snuggle in a blanket and just blissfully watch him. For some reason it calms me.
Moving is exciting! Best wishes
May 5th, 2008 at 8:24 am
Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy. I’ll take the original Mr. Darcy, absolutely, but Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy is just a little more…Colin Firthier. It’s like getting two for one.
Runners up: Angel (very nice explanation above), Tuxedo Mask from Sailor Moon (childhood comfort hero), Maxwell Smart from Get Smart, and more recently, Joe Pike (from Robert Crais’ Elvis Cole books).
May 5th, 2008 at 9:40 am
Holy Smokes!!! I can’t believe it. You’ve got such a great attitude for what you’ve had to deal with. My comfort hero? Lots of them, but I’ll just throw out Johnny Harris since that’s the one that came to mind. Hang in there!
May 5th, 2008 at 12:33 pm
My comfort hero is Jack O’Neal of the Stargate SGI…I can’t explain why, but I love his smart ass attitude, his loyaty to his cause and others, and he never leaves a man behind. And he’s my age…Not a lot heroes out there my age. My husband complains when I watch yet another rerun of the show on SciFi. Give me popcorn and Jack, and I’m a happy girl.
And I hate to move. There is always something you’ll find and wonder “Why on earth did I move this!” Best of luck in the new digs…The last time we moved, we lived in a small borrowed RV with a 100lb Lab in the Jail parking lot for six weeks, had to take showers in the locker room. It had its memorable moments. Our house was behind schedule due to bad weather.
May 5th, 2008 at 9:10 pm
I’ve never seen Highlander, Victoria, but I’ve heard great things about it. Maybe it’s a series I should Netflix this summer while I’m trying to kill time in our little apartment. =)
May 5th, 2008 at 9:11 pm
Thanks for all the good moving wishes, y’all. See, I’m already getting into the Texas way of talking. =) Angel, huh, LC? I never got into Buffy much, and so never watched Angel at all. Another one to try this summer?
May 5th, 2008 at 9:13 pm
See Liz, I KNEW I liked you for a reason…Colin Firth IS Mr. Darcy to me. He’s perfect and I love, love, love the A&E version of Pride and Prejudice.
Maxwell Smart, eh? LOL! I never would have chosen him. =)
May 5th, 2008 at 9:13 pm
Okay, V, where’s Johnny Harris from?
May 5th, 2008 at 9:14 pm
“…a small borrowed RV with a 100lb Lab in the Jail parking lot for six weeks, had to take showers in the locker room.”
Oh my gosh, I think my apartment is looking pretty good about now, Lee!
July 14th, 2008 at 8:40 am
Greg…
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July 14th, 2008 at 8:40 am
Susan…
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