February 2007 - Page 5 of 6 - Ramblin' with Roger

Super Bowl revisited

I finished watching the Super Bowl at 11:47 pm Sunday night. Yeah, I know it didn’t run that long. I finished watching the pregame last night.

I don’t think I’m THAT selfish. Most TV I watch pre-recorded. The Grammys? DVR, mostly to see, this year, the re-formed Police. The Oscars? Like to watch for the speeches, not who wins. (Note to self: watch the Golden Globes before Oscar night or delete ’em.) As for the baseball playoffs and World Series, I tended to watch until 9 or so, then get up early the next morning and fast-forward through the rest.

I’ve watched the bulk of the football playoffs on the five-inch black-and-white set, while Carol and Lydia watched skating on the 19-inch color set. I offered to go to a sports bar on Sunday to watch the Super Bowl, but was told that I didn’t need to do that. All I wanted to do was watch about six hours of mind-rotting football/commerce once a year in more-or-less real time, including about half of the pregame.

The wife asked earlier in the week whether she could go to the movies on Sunday, and I’d watch the child. Well…what time? 1 or 4. Yikes, not 4! So she went at 1 to see Freedom Writers, which she liked, BTW. Then she asked me at 4:30 if I wanted to take Lydia for a walk. I’m pretty sure I whined something, and she relented. (It was also COLD out.)

Anyway, I ended up taping the pregame, which allowed me to show the wife the segment about the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Hines Ward and his Korean heritage Tuesday night. (She really liked it, as I suspected she would.)

The great thing about the DVR is that I can pause live TV, and I did, several times, to eat with the family, to make Lydia feel better when she had a table crash on her, to change Lydia. The tricky thing about the Super Bowl is that I DON’T fast forward through the commercials, as I do through usual TV.

End of pout.

Anyway, here are this year’s Super Bowl commercials, watched only once each (unless they were broadcast more than once), to ascertain whether I 1) remembered them and 2) liked them.

NFL: Chad Johnson’s Super Bowl Party
Martha Stewart, Janet Reno, Jimmy Fallon and David Beckham all gather together for a Super Bowl bash.
This was so grainy or out-of-focus that I didn’t recognize any of those people in the commercial except Fallon.

Pizza Hut: Cheesy Bites and Jessica Simpson
Jessica Simpson glides down the red carpet, all for the tasty Cheesy Bites pizza.
My cultural illiteracy is such that I wasn’t sure if that was JS, or someone feigning to be JS. Eh.

Ford: New F-Series Super Duty
The new Ford F-Series gets broken down into tons of tiny pieces.
For whatever reason, I tend not to remember motor vehicle ads very often, including this one.

Bud Light: Rock, Paper, Scissors
Bud Light shows why playing “Rock, Paper, Scissors” probably isn’t the best way to determine who gets the last beer.
There is a bit of a mean/violent streak in a number of these commercials. Here’s one, which I didn’t enjoy, in part because I guessed the punchline before it occurred.

Blockbuster: Mouse
The Blockbuster rabbit and guinea pig are back, but they need a little help learning how to use a mouse.
Have they used these characters during the year? It’s not that it was SO memorable two years ago. They should reprise the characters later in the year to maximize their effectiveness for the SB. That ad was OK. But the poor mouse!

Doritos: Crash the Super Bowl
A finalist for the Doritos Crash the Super Bowl contest.
Visually unappealing.

Sierra Mist: Beard Comb Over
That beard comb over isn’t fooling anybody. But, Sierra Mist Free tastes just like regular Sierra Mist!
Don’t know if I liked this because I like Jim Gaffigan, or what. It’s very silly.

SalesGenie.com
SalesGenie.com will give you 100 free leads for signing up right now!
This was so cheesy that I thought it was a local ad.

Sierra Mist: Karate Class
How will you defend your Sierra Mist?
I didn’t get the point of this ad, which featured Gaffigan and Michael Ian Black, both of Ed, now that I think of it. Seemed dopey.

Toyota: Tundra Stops on a Dime
The Toyota Tundra has awesome breaking power.
I said that I didn’t pay attention to vehicle commercials, but this one I remember as pretty darned impressive, if you care about that type of thing.

Fedex: Office on the Moon
Behold, the zero-gravity moon based office of the not too distant future.
Better in concept than execution, which is how I find many FedEx SB commercials. The puns were a bit sophmoric.

Bud Light: Auctioneer Wedding
With an auctioneer presiding over the services you can get to the beer faster.
Not big yuck funny, because it telegraphed the joke, but OK.

Snickers: Kiss
There’s nothing more sensual than sharing a sweet, delicious Snickers with your best friend.
The great controversial ad of 2007. I’ve heard earlier versions of this had the guys going at each other with wrenches and other tools after “the kiss”. It wasn’t so much offensive as it was so “Brokeback”, and after a dozen parodies, and aware of hundreds more, it seemed…dated.

Schick: Quatro Science
Super Bowl Ads – Four blades are better than 3, are better than 2, are better than…
Saw it, don’t really remember it.

Pride (Lionsgate)
A new sports drama from Lionsgate.
Vaguely recall.

Chevrolet: Everybody Loves a Chevy (General Motors)
There’s Chevy car for everybody.
Don’t recall.

Bud Light: Language Course with Carlos Mencia
Carlos Mencia teaches all the different ways to ask for a Bud Light.
I’m sure some people were offended by this one. Liked the punchline more than the setup, Holmes.

Late Show with David Letterman (CBS)
David Letterman and Oprah cuddle up to watch the game.
My favorite commercial. Worked on SO many levels: he’s from Indiana, she’s in Chicago; the feud, followed by her blockbuster appearance; the Oprah-Uma thing Letterman did at the Oscars. Sublime.

GoDaddy.com: Marketing
Everybody wants to work at GoDaddy marketing when it’s a room full of sexy girls.
Saw this three times, I think, and each time I went, “Eh.”

Coca-Cola: Grand Theft Auto
It’s the Coke side of life with Grand Theft Auto.
I think I want to see this again. It was too busy on a first watch, but I wasn’t turned off by it.

Budweiser: Fake Dalmatian
A little dog feels down and out, then the next thing you know he’s got his own parade.
Awww! Not as clever as some of the others in the series.

Garmin: Ultraman
Garmin Ultraman will defeat the evil map beast!
Visually irritating.

CareerBuilder: Office Jungle
Do you feel like your job is a horrible jungle?
I’ve been there, so I related to this one.

Doritos Crash the Super Bowl: Checkout Girl
This checkout girl gets a little excited over all the new Doritos flavors.
Need to watch again, because I wasn’t sure what to make of it.

GM: Car Wash Dudes (General Motors)
Stripping gentlemen are here to wash your Chevy!
Here’s the real problem with this ad: I can’t see the car. Reminded me of a segment of The Apprentice (my wife watched, I was in the room) where both teams were supposed to make a commercial for a body wash, and the ads were both SO bad, neither team won the challenge.

American Heart Association: Gotta Have Heart
Diabetes and obesity beat up a poor little heart. Take care of the guy!
This ran at least twice. Yeah, yeah, take care of your heart, but this won’t help me do so. That violent streak in the SB commercials continues.

NFL: NFL and United Way
NFL and United Way want you to step-up and volunteer your time.
I’ve become inured to NFL soft-and-fuzzy commercials. They become like wallpaper.

Bud Light: Slapping
Instead of a handshake, try slapping the other person real hard in the face.
More violence. Didn’t particularly like. Irritating frat boy stuff. (But I can imagine other people actually doing it.)

GM: Robot (General Motors)
A car-building robot is nearly driven to the edge by an insatiable demand for perfection.
Bob Garfield’s position on this was exactly the same as mine, which is that it reminded me that GM is llaying off people, and nobody can build a decent car for them. (See below.)

Coca-Cola: History
Coke celebrates Black History Month.
Don’t remember specifically..

Wild Hogs (Walt Disney Pictures)
A new type of road movie starring John Travolta, Tim Allen, and William H. Macy.
Saw the trailer for this movie in the theater, which I probably won’t see, so didn’t pay the ad much attention.

Sprint: Connectile Dysfunction
Do you suffer from Connectile Dysfunction?
Don’t remember.

Frito-Lay: Enjoy the Game
Frito-Lay celebrates Black History Month.
Don’t remember this, specifically. I remember SOMETHING about Black History Month, but don’t know which ad was which.

Coca-Cola: What Else Haven’t I Done?
When an elderly gentleman tries a Coke for the first time, it acts as a catalyst for all kinds of experiences.
I like the idea of this commercial more than the real thing, but didn’t hate it.

Honda: Ridgeline
The new Honda Ridgeline hauls quite a load indeed.
Oddly fond of this one.

Toshiba: HD DVD
Experience the thrilling new Toshiba HD DVD.
Don’t remember.

GM: Chevy is America’s Favorite
Every twelve seconds, somebody buys a new Chevy.
Don’t remember.

NFL: Making a Difference
The NFL does its part to help make a difference in the community.
Don’t remember.

Nissan: Auto Claustrophobia
The new, and affordable, Nissan Versa puts an end to squashed hair-dos and auto claustrophobia.
Am I not paying attention anymore?

Panasonic: Toughbook
The Panasonic Toughbook can take all the abuse you can dish out.
Nope, don’t remember.

Acura: Dreamer
Acura dreams up new innovations to keep them one step ahead of the rest.
Nope.

Bud Light: What Would Carlos Do?
What would Carlos Mencia do in a situation like this? Hilarious.
Did see this, or maybe I’m confusing it with the previous Carlos ad. BTW, the notion of the minority person giving others as little info as possible reminds me of something I read years ago from a black female writer of note that the character should offer up as little info as possible.

Meet the Robinsons (Walt Disney Pictures)
The latest animated feature from Disney about a quirky family in the not-too-distant future.
Eh.

E*TRADE: Bank Robbery
You’d never guess who the perpetrators are of this bank robbery.
OK, hit me over the head: your financial institution is robbing you blind. Irritating.

Coca-Cola: Happiness Factory
So just what happens when you put your money inside of the vending machine?
OK, on first view.

Bud Light: Gorillas
Gorillas trapped inside a zoo plan to steal themselves some Bud Light.
Better in concept than execution.

Revlon: Sheryl Crow
Revlon challenged Sheryl Crow to go on tour with their new hair color.
This ad had been teased during the pregame. Eh. But I do admire the resilience of the singer, who seems to have recreated herself a couple times. Not enough to actually buy her albums, though.

CareerBuilder: Office Jungle Fight
The office turns into Lord of the Flies when you’re fighting for a promotion.
Good thing CareerBuilder ran three ads, for even though I enjoyed the ad, I still didn’t remember the name of the company.

Taco Bell: Lions
Lions discuss the proper pronunciation of carne asada.
Eh. A followup, I noticed later, of a pregame ad.

Van Heusen: A Man’s Walk (Phillips-Van Heusen)
This guy’s got some stylish clothes.
Don’t remember.

Toyota: Tundra is Powerful
The Toyota Tundra climbs up an extremely steep crane.
Liked. OK, I liked quite a bit.

Emerald Nuts: Robert Goulet
Beware of Robert Goulet, for he will mess with your stuff once you fall asleep.
They should repeat it during the year, could be a successful conmmercial. Bob Goulet, perpetrator of ersatz cool. I rather liked it.

T-Mobile: Dwyane Wade and Charles Barkley
Charles Barkley is old news…Dwyane Wade is where it’s at!
Saw this before the SB. It’s OK.

FedEx: Don’t Judge
FedEx advises us not to judge a book by its cover.
Remember it. Maybe with repeated viewings, it’ll be more interesting.

Nationwide: K-Fed Rollin’ VIP
The now infamous Nationwide spot featuring K-Fed.
What is the problem here? I thought it was fine.

Bud Light: Hitchhiker
Would you pick up a hitchhiker? Would you pick up a hitchhiker if he was carrying a case of Bud Light?
More violence, this time implied. And I liked it, especially the punchline.

Lexus: Gravity
A Lexus gets dropped from a helicopter.
Don’t remember.

Jack in the Box: Just Like Dad
Little Jack follows in his daddy’s footsteps…almost.
Don’t remember.

Footlocker: Kevin Garnett
Meet one guy who isn’t too happy to receive Kevin Garnett’s autograph.
Don’t remember.

Budweiser: Beer-Stealing Crabs
Little sand crabs scuttle away with a cooler full of Budweiser.
Remembered, but have no impression.

Prudential Financial: Rock Solid
Prudential wants to be your rock. How romantic!
Don’t remember.

Honda: CR-V
The CR-V is all glitzy with Elvis playing in the background.
Don’t remember.

HP: Orange County Choppers (Hewlett-Packard)
The boys from Orange County Choppers shill for HP.
Vaguely remember.

IZOD (Phillips-Van Heusen)
The sporty, preppy clothes of IZOD are back.
Vaguely remember.

Budweiser Select: Jay-Z and Don Shula
Jay-Z and Don Shula play a high-tech game of tabletop football a la James Bond.
Remember well. Eh. Slightly irritating, and I’m not sure why.

E*TRADE: One Finger
Oh, the things that you can do with one finger.
The better E*TRADE ad; it DOES have that underlying attitude in the implied punchline.

Flomax: Here’s to Men (Astellas Pharma)
Here’s to men and all of their urinary problems.
I’m sure I saw this and ignored it.

Hannibal Rising (MGM)
Hannibal Rising is the prequel to all of the Silence of the Lambs movies.
Saw it. Eh.

CareerBuilder: Torture
Does your job feel like torture?
I’ve been there. Yes. AND I remember the brand name.

Honda: Fuel Efficient
Little Hondas motor around a slalom of gas pumps.
Seemed amateurish.

Snapple: EGCG
A man journeys to find out what EGCG is.
Do remember. Labored.

NFL: It’s Hard to Say Goodbye
For some football fans, it’s very hard to say goodbye.
An NFL ad I DO remember. It’s OK.

Cadillac: Punk Rock
Decades of Cadillacs melt seamlessly into one another.
OK.

Cadillac: Tiki Barber
Tiki Barber explains why he loves his Caddy.
OK.

Netflix: Billions of Movies
Tons of movie characters take over the landscape as they make their way to people’s homes.
OK, though I was VERY unclear at first just what was going on.

fight Girls Return!
The Miller Catfight Girls return to IFILM in a no-holds-barred manfight between two hot and sweaty beasts.
Eh.
***
VIDEO: Bob Garfield Reviews the Super Bowl Commercials. “Why Snicker’s ‘BrokeBack Mountain’ Moment Was One of the Game’s Big Ad Blunders.”
***
Found two old friends here, one of whom I’ve been in contact with. Happy, happy, joy, joy.

Pepsi, Please

I read an interesting story last month: “How Pepsi Opened Door to Diversity; A 1940s All-Black Team Targeted a New Market And Broke a Barrier” by Stephanie Capparell, in the Wall Street Journal: January 9, 2007. pg. B.1., adapted from her new book The Real Pepsi Challenge: The Inspirational Story of Breaking the Color Barrier in American Business.

Here’s the article abstract:

Their jobs turned most of the men into Pepsi fanatics. Said team member [Jean Emmons]: “All of my friends had to buy Pepsi. I kept stockpiles of Pepsi in my house. All the places I went had to have Pepsi. If I was out with someone and they ordered Coke, I might have thrown a glass of water in their face. . . . My wife would say, ‘I think you’re going crazy — Pepsi, Pepsi, Pepsi!'”

He launched three major press campaigns from 1948 to 1951. For the first, he found accomplished African-Americans to profile for a “Leaders in Their Fields” series — about 20 names in all. The campaign compared the professionals with Pepsi, a “Leader in Its Field.” It began in April 1948 with United Nations diplomat Ralph Bunche. That series was complemented in the upstart Ebony magazine by a seven-ad series drawn by award-winning African-American cartoonist Jay Jackson, known for his biting satire of racists and red-baiters. For his third series, Mr. Boyd took a crew to the campuses of black universities to photograph top students enjoying Pepsi.

All the way, they continued to break down color barriers to their careers. Mr. Boyd proudly takes credit for helping open the door to diversity. “It was a contribution to social progress,” said Mr. Boyd of his work at Pepsi. “I didn’t make that much of a dollar. I wasn’t paid on the basis of other executives. It was at the beginning.”

However, as the article noted, it wasn’t easy. Pepsi’s decision to go after the black consumers, based on the assessment that they were missing out on a part of a $10 billion market, was done somewhat quietly, lest they offend some of their white Pepsi drinkers. The team of black employees hired to promote the beverage were not only paid less, but suffered not a few indignities.

If you’re interested in reading the whole article, please let me know, and I will make it available to you.

Not so incidentally, the picture is from Pepsi’s diversity timeline webpage. The little boy in the photo is the late Ron Brown, who would grow up to be Secretary of Commerce under President Clinton.
“PEPSI and PEPSI-COLA are registered trademarks of PepsiCo, Inc.”

MOVIE REVIEWS: The Pursuit of Happyness; The Queen

Albany people: VOTE YES today, noon-9 pm. I’ve stolen, er, apppropriated all the reasons why here.
***
Carol and I saw The Pursuit of Happyness on MLK Day. Lydia was in day care, and the local theater was showing matinees. So after going to the Indian buffet, we walked to the theater. It was good, Will Smith was good, the interaction between the main character and his son were good, probably because the son was played by Will’s real son, Jaden. It was “inspirational”. So why was I not bowled over?

At first, I thought it was that the situations that the character was going through were so incredible that, if it weren’t based on a real guy, I’m not sure I would have believed it. That might be part of it.

I’ve figured out, though, that the REAL reason I was underwhelmed was that the commercials, and especially the trailer REVEALED TOO MUCH. I know that when X happened, Y would follow. A pity.
***
For some obscure reason, my wife was under the impression that The Queen had had reviewed badly, so when we had had a chance to go, we didn’t. (It got a 98% approval rating from Rotten Tomatoes.) So, when the nominations came out a couple weeks ago, and I recognized the paucity of the nominees that I had seen (The Devil Wears Prada, Dreamgirls, An Inconvenient Truth, Little Miss Sunshine, and the aforementioned Pursuit of Happyness), I decided to take the afternoon off and go see The Queen.

Immediately, seeing this movie is a problem, as it’s now “Nominated for six Academy Awards” including original screenplay, best actress (Helen Mirren) and best picture. That said, I was a bit distracted early by the use of clips of Diana, in a way I wasn’t bothered by Joe McCarthy in Good Night and Good Luck. However, after Diana dies (hope I’m not accused of being a spoiler, because that is THE plot point), I became quite engrossed in the movie. Particularly, the relationship between Elizabeth II and the newly-elected Tony Blair (Michael Sheen) was intriguing. This is not a BIG performance by Mirren, but highly nuanced. By the end of the film, the clips from the funeral procession worked for me. Not having seen enough films, I’m not sure I’d have picked The Queen as best picture, but Dame Mirren’s performance is certainly worthy of consideration, and perhaps of the treasure trove she’s already brought home (Golden Globes, SAG, etc.). I DO wonder, though, if QE II and Blair really had a piece of dialogue that foretells of the later trouble Blair would have with the British press.
***
Just got this, unfortunately. Mary Liz and Paul are not only friends, but they gave a great presentation at my church on Sunday

New York State Library Public Program

People of Courage, People of Hope, Seekers of Justice, a New York State Library Public Program – Free.

People of Courage, People of Hope, Seekers of Justice celebrates the Capital Regions participation in the Underground Railroad movement of the 19th century. African American residents of the Capital Region were significant participants in the international effort to abolish the federally sanctioned institution of slavery and advocate for the rights of People of Color. A rich, complex collection of historically-documented stories that have informed the accounts of abolitionists and freedom seekers will be presented in this PowerPoint presentation. Presenters: Paul and Mary Liz Stewart, independent researchers and co-founders of the Underground Railroad History Project of the Capital Region, Inc. Bring your lunch.

Tuesday, February 6th, 12:15-1:15pm

All programs are FREE. TO REGISTER online go here , or e-mail NYSLTRN@mail.nysed.gov or call 518-474-2274. Classes will be held in the Librarians Room in the State Library, which is on the 7th floor of the Cultural Education Center, Madison Avenue, Albany, unless otherwise indicated. The New York State Library/Reference Services, Cultural Education Center, Albany, NY 12230 (518-474-5355); http://www.nysl.nysed.gov

Repent

In answer to Lefty’s question about the Super Bowl, I said 21-17 Colts (the Colts won 29-17), and that at least one TD will be scored by the defense or special teams, when in fact, there were a couple, the Chicago kickoff return and a Colts interception return. It was as though I knew what I was talking about.

I don’t mind people thanking God in these things, but I AM uncomfortable with the notion that God is on a particular coach’s or team’s side. Was God rooting for Tony Dungy, by all accounts a good Christian man, over Lovie Smith, who is theologically likewise? Somehow, I doubt God cares. Maybe, when I get to heaven, She’ll set me straight.

You know the Bible 100%!

Wow! You are awesome! You are a true Biblical scholar, not just a hearer but a personal reader! The books, the characters, the events, the verses – you know it all! You are fantastic!

Ultimate Bible Quiz
Create MySpace Quizzes

Yeah, yeah, yeah – some of these were gimmes. (Hint: George Burns is NOT the correct answer.) But this is what I want to know:

There’s this sign on Albany-Shaker Road in Albany, about twice the height and twice the width of a #10 envelope. It says: REPENT. I want to know, when someone sees this sign, do they actually repent? To whom do they repent? Then what?

When we were driving to and from Charlotte, NC, on I-81, we saw these series of three crosses, the one in the middle taller than the other two. Yes, I do know what they represent. What I want to know is whether they have the (presumably) desired effect?

I found these series of meme questions:

What is the least appropriate thing to pray for?
Stuff, such as a new X-Box.

If God were to appear briefly before you in any form you could choose, what would you choose?
A tree.

What is the first thing you would say to God? (assume you know for sure it really is God)
You picked a sycamore? I thought you’d go with an oak.

What would be the most morally difficult thing you could be asked to do?
Cause someone physical pain.

If you could only repent for one thing when you die, what one thing would you choose?
I suppose not being patient enough with a couple people who were important in my life. One still is, but not the other.

I found this in the WSJ late last month -an Israeli firm that broadcasts prayers for a fee:
IP Service” src=”http://www.po-ip.co.il//images/grafix/poip_s_banner.gif” width=90 border=0>

And speaking of prayer, Carol’s Aunt Vera Throop, my mother-in-law’s sister died this weekend. Vera’s the first in that family of Olins to have passed on. Carol’s going to the funeral, but I’m not, because I have – for the very first time – jury duty.

The Adenoidectomy

I’m looking for the proper analogy.

You know when you go to a really fine restaurant, and the food is really great, first rate, but you can’t find the waiter to fill your water glass or get/pay the check? Or when you order something online, and it is everything you wanted, but the shipping charge in the fine print is much more than you anticipated? Well, neither of these is exactly spot on, but I’ll leave it there.

The process for the surgery starts with the phone call to the surgeon’s office, which Carol tried several times unsuccessfully, before I called, and got the office on the first attempt. I was told by a very nice person all that would be taking place in the next eight weeks, only some of which actually happened.

For instance, we needed to have Lydia’s pediatrician do a physical and fill out the surgeon’s forms within the month before the surgery. This would mean we’d need to get the form in the mail, but that didn’t happen until we called again, three weeks before the surgery; these did arrive promptly, so that we could schedule the pediatric visit.

I was told we’d be getting a phone call two weeks before the surgery. Well, no, not until Carol called them. We did, however, get the promised sheet of paper about the pre-surgical procedure, though it was a bit cryptic in places.

Carol took Lydia to the pre–surg visit a week before the procedure, and that was quite positive. Carol explained would be happening to Lydia, and even got her a couple books, one with Curious George and one with Madeleine, about hospitals. I wonder if they were too intense, for Lydia had a couple nightmares during that last week. She did, though, like playing with the doctor kit; she particularly liked giving me a “shot”.

A couple days before the surgery was scheduled, we were concerned that her coughing might preclude Lydia from having the surgery that was desired so that she would be less susceptible to colds. That would have been ironic, but as long as she didn’t have a fever, and she didn’t, she was good to go.

The day of the surgery:

The procedure is scheduled for 10:40 a.m, and we’re supposed to be there at 9:10. Lydia can’t eat anything the day or the surgery, and we think this will be a problem, since what she usually wants to do is go for yogurt and/or cereal first thing. She also can’t drink anything three hours before the surgery. She wakes up at 7:40, and we try to encourage her to drink something, to no success. Perhaps she’s internalized the no food or drink rule.

We get to the place at 9:17, and we were already missed by the surgical team, apparently. So we waited a few minutes and then I met with the young woman who would take the insurance information. She was very nice. In her office were 8 by 10 pictures of Jon Bon Jovi, one with Richie Sambora, and, hanging prominently on another wall was a huge framed pic of JBJ. Somehow, I thought it was sweet that she could personalize her office so.

We get led upstairs by a nice woman named Lydia, as it turns out. We go into another waiting room for a short time, then to a pre-op room, where the very nice nurse and the anesthesiologist both check her out. I met the surgeon, who I’ll call Jason, because that’s his name, a very affable man, but how old IS he? I think I have socks that are his senior.

Lydia was given a nasal spray administered by machine to clear her air passages, then an inhaled drug to relax her. The latter made her really loopy (read: stoned).

So after we read her some stories, another nurse came by, introduced herself. Then, contrary to what Carol was told – and what Carol told Lydia, that Carol could accompany Lydia into the surgical room – the nurse carried off Lydia to surgery. Lydia was screaming, Carol was crying, and I was bewildered.

We went to the waiting room, where my parents-in-law were sitting. That was 11:20. By 11:40, Dr. Jason came out; the surgery was very successful. Her adenoids were “a mess”. By noon, Dr. Jason was out again, telling another family that he’d removed the tonsils of their family member; he is very efficient, but one didn’t feel rushed, as he answered any and all questions.

Carol and I go to recovery. Lydia is conscious, but crying uncontrollably, even when Carol holds and rocks her. She settles down with a Popsicle, but the waterworks begin again when we go to post-op. Eventually, she becomes more like herself. Around 1:30, I get Carol and me some food, with my mother-in-law helping to dress Lydia. We got a couple prescriptions, one for pain, one was an antibiotic. Then the in-laws bought some Boston Market meals for all of us, which served as comfort food. Carol and I were exhausted, as though we had done heavy manual labor.

So, the surgery went well. Most of the folks were great, including the surgeon and most of the staff. But at the pivotal point, the experience was…disappointing. More so, because that night, Lydia asked her mother, “Why did you leave me?” As parents, bumbling through as we do, we don’t always get it right, but we do try to be honest with her. That nuance between being mistaken and telling an untruth isn’t entirely clear. Another in one of those highly overrated “life lessons” is to never promise what you don’t control, and probably not even then.