In Search of...a satisfying ending

I'm starting my blog a little early, the night before, largely so I can vent about my evening's television viewing. A couple of days ago I was talking about happy endings in movies, and I don't want to confuse that with a satisfying one.

American Idol, for instance, provided me with just such an ending to tonight's program by finally ousting "Tattoo Girl" as I lovingly refer to her (Megan Joy to her mother). What started out as a love affair with Simon and her looks ended in a sparring match, and I for one am a happy camper that it's finally over. More time now for my faves - Danny, Adam, and Allison (or affectionately, guy who lost his wife, guy wearing eyeliner, and rocker chick).

Now to the series finale of Life on Mars, a show whose cancellation I have been whining incessantly about. I was on board and on the edge of my seat until the last ten minutes, when, in an absurd turn of events, it turns out that the entire cast were time-traveling astronauts who, yes, land on Mars in the end. You have got to be kidding me!! I want to know what herbs those writers were smoking when they came up with that brilliant idea!

So tomorrow is the conclusion of ER, and after tonight's Life on Mars debacle, I'm a little bit nervous...although anything that contains screen time with George Clooney...or even the possibility of screen time with George Clooney is probably going to hold my attention and leave me satisfied.

Clooney aside, I am looking forward to an evening of reuniting with old friends...friends that have seen me through almost as many major transitions in my own life as those that took place on the show, although I have to admit that I stopped watching once the last original character left. I mean, without John Carter, Doug Ross, Mark Green or Nurse Hathaway I really didn't see much point in watching. Even the addition of John Stamos couldn't reel me in.

So now it's got me thinking about my book - In Search of George Stephanopoulos. No, I didn't forget. And I've got quite a few George Stephanopoulos mentions to make up for to move me up the Google ladder! But can you have a satisfying ending without a happy one? And just because something doesn't turn out as you planned, does that mean it isn't happy? I mean, what if, by George Stephanopoulos marrying Ali Wentworth (notice both full name mentions) he did me a favor? (Unlikely, but possible). What if he spared me boring dinners with journalists, celebrities, and heads of state? Oooh yeah, that sounds just awful!

Anyway, my point is that maybe what we think will make us happy isn't what would satisfy us in the end. Maybe a satisfying ending is what happens when we get out of the way long enough to let our own story unfold. And maybe I'll share some of that story with you tomorrow. I think it's time.

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