Shakespeare and Me

The Karlek Family Christmas Special, 1975 (MSN Paint)

"All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players..."

I may not have been quite as eloquent as Mr. Shakespeare, but I'm pretty sure I was saying the exact same thing a couple weeks ago when my facebook status went something to the effect of "If someone you know is annoying you, just pretend they're a character in a TV show."

Seriously. If your husband keeps forgetting where he put his glasses, or he leaves his phone in his car and you need to get a hold of him right now, don't get upset. Just smile and shrug, because he's a brilliant scientist in a 1950's situation comedy where people smile and shrug a lot. His brain is so full of formulas and science stuff that he just can't be bothered with the minutiae of daily living. That's why he married you--because your mind is like a steel trap, ever ready to grab new information and file it away where you will have ready access to it should it ever be needed by your handsome, caring, but somewhat scattered husband.

You say your son never comes to see you now that he's moved out of the house, and you feel like he just doesn't care that you might be sitting in your big blue chair in a big blue funk, thinking Why, oh why doesn't my son ever come to see me? Well, perhaps he has an entire life that you know nothing about. He could be involved in things that only the creators of shows like "The Blacklist" and "How To Get Away With Murder" can think of. Yes, you don't even want to know, Mom.

And your daughter. Maybe the reason she's always in a hurry to get off the phone--and you would never complain, because, hey, at least she calls you every morning after she's dropped your granddaughter off at school--is because she hurriedly fit that phone call in during her drive time (hands free, of course), and as soon as she gets to the coffee shop, she needs to ditch you so she can run in and get her breakfast before she hurries on to her job, which will keep her busy for the entire day...

Oh, wait--that's not a TV show, that's her life. Never mind.

Of course as far as you're concerned, you may be the biggest character of all. Don't lock yourself into one program. You can change the channel anytime you want.

All the world's a television set...