The Office: Part II

As some of you know, I don't like to follow trends. I ignored Harry Potter for 8 years just because everyone else thought he was the bee's knees. And so, because of this hipster vein in me--and because I wait until I can Netflix or pirate shows before I watch them--I just finished Season 9 of The Office. 

I've talked about The Office before on here, so maybe this won't seem like anything new. You've probably heard me say, as I often have, "Man, I want a job like that; where I get paid and no one cares if I work."Seven years after I first saw the show and 12 years after it first aired, the story of Dunder Mifflin ends. And with it's end, I can officially say that I now have a legitimate office job; my very first. I work 8-5. I try to climb the ladder. I play pranks on that sci-fi nerd who despises me. I flirt with the cute girl. 

It's rare that we have see films, books, television shows and other media forms that emulate real life. If we wanted real life, we'd look at our day. The fact that we're watching TV says that we're dissatisfied with our life. To paraphrase Sven Birkerts, "to [watch a TV show] voluntarily is at some level to remark the insufficiency either of one’s life or one’s orientation toward it." And yet, The Office is made up of humdrum, everyday experiences. 

But that's what makes life so beautiful, right? 

In the finale of Season 9, Jim and Pam talk about seeing the films of their lives; how they wish they could have talked to their past selves and given them the knowledge they know have, knowledge gained from living. The pixels of everyday life make amazing footage. 

This is a personal blog, so what does this mean for me? Like Season 9 Pam wishes she could tell Season 2 Pam, you could be so much happier if you would let yourself be. My life's not perfect right now, but neither was Oscar's when Michael outed him, or Jim's when he left Athlead, or Meredith when everyone thought she was a deadbeat. Why should I let a few disheartening plot twists stop me from enjoying this amazing story of my life? I'm the main character!!

The Office has given me an amazing amount of hope and courage. When I have rough days at the office, I can come home and commiserate with Plop and Erin, or Kevin and Phyllis. When I worry about my future, I can remind myself that I'm only in Season 3 of my story. There's a lot more to come. 


That's what she said.