It's that time of year, folks. If you are so inclined I'm sure that you've stumbled across a number of brackets on the internet in the past few weeks. There are plenty of good ones (I would recommend Deadspin's curse word bracket) and plenty of ill constructed ones. Hopefully my efforts fall somewhere in the middle. In year's past I've decided who the best Seinfeld character is, who the sexiest woman on the planet is, who the best current actor is, and which comedy of all time is the funniest.
This year I haven't veered too far away from those themes. I've decided to determine who the best character currently on television is. Obviously both the seeds and results are heavily influenced by my personal preferences and biases, but I did my best to add some objectivity to the process. Characters were boosted by Emmy Award nominations/wins as well as the popularity of the show that they are on. I've chosen characters from 40 shows (no, I don't watch them all) and 11 different stations. I should mention that I did not include animated characters (or else Peter Griffin would have won the whole thing) or characters from shows where one of the main characters is playing themselves (even if it's a fictionalized version- this excludes Louie, Curb Your Enthusiasm (assuming that there's going to be another season), Episodes, etc.). Feel free to let me know what you think of the bracket.
The Arthur Fonzarelli Region (top left)
1- Don Draper (Jon Hamm) in Mad Men (AMC)
16- Penny Hartz (Casey Wilson) in Happy Endings (ABC)
8- Andy Bernard (Ed Helms) in The Office (NBC)
9- Francis Underwood (Kevin Spacey) in House of Cards (Netflix)
5- Claire Dunphy (Julie Bowen) in Modern Family (ABC)
12- Hank Schrader (Dean Norris) in Breaking Bad (AMC)
4- Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) in Dexter (Showtime)
13- John Reese (Jim Caviezel) in Person of Interest (CBS)
3- Violet Crawley (Maggie Smith), Dowager Countess of Grantham in Downton Abbey (PBS)
14- Marshall Erickson (Jason Segal) in How I Met Your Mother (CBS)
6- Saul Berenson (Mandy Patinkin) in Homeland (Showtime)
11- Marty Kaan (Don Cheadle) in House of Lies (HBO)
7- Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) in Veep (HBO)
10- Will McAvoy (Jeff Daniels) in The Newsroom (HBO)
2- Alan Harper (Jon Cryer) in Two and a Half Men (CBS)
15- Ryan Hardy (Kevin Bacon) in The Following (FOX)
The Tony Soprano Region (bottom left)
1- Carrie Mathison (Clare Danes) in Homeland (Showtime)
16- Raj Koothrappali (Kunal Nayyar) in The Big Bang Theory (CBS)
8- Jackie Peyton (Edie Falco) in Nurse Jackie (HBO)
9- Hank Moody (David Duchovny)in Californication (Showtime)
5- Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) in Breaking Bad (AMC)
12- Officer Mike Biggs (Billy Gardell) in Mike and Molly (CBS)
4- Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson) in The Office (NBC)
13- Tom Haverford (Aziz Ansari) in Parks and Recreation (NBC)
3- Phil Dunphy (Ty Burrell) in Modern Family (ABC)
14- Fiona Gallagher (Emma Rossum) in Shameless (Showtime)
6- Molly Flynn (Melissa McCarthy) in Mike and Molly (CBS)
11- Jim Halpert (John Krasinski) in The Office (NBC)
7- U.S. Marshall Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant) in Justified (FX)
10- Kenny Powers (Danny McBride) in Eastbound and Down (HBO)
2- Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) in Game of Thrones (HBO)
15- Roger Sterling (John Slattery) in Mad Men (AMC)
The George Costanza Region (top right)
1- Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) in The Big Bang Theory (CBS)
16- Stevie Janowski (Steve Little) in Eastbound and Down (HBO)
8- The Governor (David Morrisey) in The Walking Dead (AMC)
9- Brenda Leigh Johnson (Kyra Sedgwick) in The Closer (TNT)
5- Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman) in Park and Recreation (NBC)
12- Caroline Channing (Beth Behrs) in Two Broke Girls (CBS)
4- Jackson “Jax” Teller (Charlie Hunnam) in Sons of Anarchy (FX)
13- Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington) in Scandal (ABC)
3- Peggy Olson (Elisabeth Moss) in Mad Men (AMC)
14- Max Black (Kat Dennings) in Two Broke Girls (CBS)
6- Dr. Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey) in Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)
11- Barney Stinson (Neil Patrick Harris) in How I Met Your Mother (CBS)
7- Gloria Pritchett (Sofia Vergara) in Modern Family (ABC)
10- Abed Nadir (Danny Pudi) in Community (NBC)
2- Sergeant Nicholas Brody (Damian Lewis) in Homeland (Showtime)
15- Rafi (Jason Mantzoukas) in The League (FX)
The Jack Bauer Region (bottom right)
1- Walter White (Bryan Cranston) in Breaking Bad (AMC)
16- Charlie Kelly (Charlie Day) in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (FX)
8- Jess Day (Zooey Deschanel) in New Girl (FOX)
9- Nancy Botwin (Mary Louise Parker) in Weeds (Showtime)
5- Dr. Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) in Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)
12- Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch) in Glee (FOX)
4- Hannah Horvarth (Lena Dunham) in Girls (HBO)
13- Howard Wolowitz (Simon Helberg) in The Big Bang Theory (CBS)
3- Nucky Thompson (Steve Buscemi) in Boardwalk Empire (HBO)
14- Joan Harris (Christina Hendricks) in Mad Men (AMC)
6- Cam Tucker (Eric Stonestreet) in Modern Family (ABC)
11- Lesley Knope (Amy Poehler) in Parks and Recreation (NBC)
7- Robert Crawley (Hugh Bonneville), Earl of Grantham in Downton Abbey (PBS)
10- Schmidt (Max Greenfield) on New Girl (FOX)
2- Alicia Florrick (Julianna Margulies) in The Good Wife (CBS)
15- Adam Sackler (Adam Driver) in Girls (HBO)
First Round (Arthur Fonzarelli Region)
1- Don Draper (Jon Hamm) in Mad Men (AMC) over 16- Penny Hartz (Casey Wilson) in Happy Endings (ABC)- “People want to be told what to do so badly that they’ll listen to anyone.”
8- Andy Bernard (Ed Helms) in The Office (NBC) over 9- Francis Underwood (Kevin Spacey) in House of Cards (Netflix)- "I went to Cornell, ya ever heard of it? I graduated in 4 years, never studied once, I was drunk the whole time, and... I sang in the a cappella group Here Comes Treble."
5- Claire Dunphy (Julie Bowen) in Modern Family (ABC) over 12- Hank Schrader (Dean Norris) in Breaking Bad (AMC)- I’m amazed by how much better Julie Bowen looks now (in a role where she’s supposed to look like a typical suburban mom) as compared to her role in Happy Gilmore (where she was the romantic interest).
4- Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) in Dexter (Showtime) over 13- John Reese (Jim Caviezel) in Person of Interest (CBS)- Dexter is ruthless. “I’ve watched 67 people die and at the moment of truth I looked into their eyes and I knew–and they knew–they got what they deserved.”
14- Marshall Erickson (Jason Segal) in How I Met Your Mother (CBS) over 3- Violet Crawley (Maggie Smith), Dowager Countess of Grantham in Downton Abbey (PBS)- “Lawyered!”
6- Saul Berenson (Mandy Patinkin) in Homeland (Showtime) over 11- Marty Kaan (Don Cheadle) in House of Lies (HBO)- “So you're a religious man and a torturer. What are you, Catholic?”
7- Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) in Veep (HBO) over 10- Will McAvoy (Jeff Daniels) in The Newsroom (HBO)- McAvoy has a few solid rants (he does have Aaron Sorkin providing his lines), but the Veep is too funny to lose to a pretentious newsman.
2- Alan Harper (Jon Cryer) in Two and a Half Men (CBS) over 15- Ryan Hardy (Kevin Bacon) in The Following (FOX)- Kevin Bacon can act circles around Cryer, but Alan Harper is by farrr the more well known television character.
Second Round
1- Don Draper (Jon Hamm) in Mad Men (AMC) over Andy Bernard (Ed Helms) in The Office (NBC)- “People tell you who they are, but we ignore it because we want them to be who we want them to be.”
5- Claire Dunphy (Julie Bowen) in Modern Family (ABC) over 4- Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) in Dexter (Showtime)- Dexter’s “Dark Passenger” is pretty lame. Plus, Claire keeps racking up Emmys.
6- Saul Berenson (Mandy Patinkin) in Homeland (Showtime) over 14- Marshall Erickson (Jason Segal) in How I Met Your Mother (CBS)- “Quinn: Where have you been? You look wasted. Saul: I'm just old."
2- Alan Harper (Jon Cryer) in Two and a Half Men (CBS) over 7- Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) in Veep (HBO)- Sorry Selina. The president still hasn’t called.
Regional Semi-Finals
1- Don Draper (Jon Hamm) in Mad Men (AMC) over Clare Dunphy (Julie Bowen) in Modern Family (ABC)- “Nostalgia- it’s delicate, but potent. Teddy told me that in Greek, ‘nostalgia’ literally means ‘the pain from an old wound.’ This device isn’t a spaceship, it’s a time machine. It goes backwards, and forwards…it takes us to a place we ache to go again. It’s not called the wheel, it’s called the carousel. It lets us travel the way a child travels- around and around, and back home again, to a place where we know we are loved.”
6- Saul Berenson (Mandy Patinkin) in Homeland (Showtime) over 2- Alan Harper (Jon Cryer) in Two and a Half Men (CBS)- “Is your name Saul Berenson? Yes. Are you sometimes called “The Bear”? I fucking hope not.”
Regional Finals
1- Don Draper (Jon Hamm) in Mad Men (AMC) over 6- Saul Berenson (Mandy Patinkin) in Homeland (Showtime)- “You’re happy with fifty percent? You’re on top and you don’t have enough. You’re happy because you’re successful, for now. But what is happiness, it’s a moment before you need more happiness. I won’t settle for fifty percent of anything. I want one hundred percent.”
First Round
(Tony Soprano Region)
1- Carrie Mathison (Clare Danes) in Homeland (Showtime) over 16- Raj Koothrappali (Kunal Nayyar) in The Big Bang Theory (CBS)- Without any alcohol Raj doesn’t stand a chance.
9- Hank Moody (David Duchovny)in Californication (Showtime) over 8- Jackie Peyton (Edie Falco) in Nurse Jackie (HBO)- The author of “God Hates Us All” is the master of vicious, blunt, and honest dialogue. Case in point, “I probably won't go down in history, but I will go down on your sister. While I'm down there it might be nice to see a hint of pubis. I'm not talking about a huge 70's playboy bush or anything, just something that reminds me I'm performing cunnalingus on an adult.”
5- Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) in Breaking Bad (AMC) over 12- Officer Mike Biggs (Billy Gardell) in Mike and Molly (CBS)- He’s a blowfish and nobody messes with him.
4- Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson) in The Office (NBC) over 13- Tom Haverford (Aziz Ansari) in Parks and Recreation (NBC)- Tom goes down quicker than his Entertainment 720 venture.
3- Phil Dunphy (Ty Burrell) in Modern Family (ABC) over 14- Fiona Gallagher (Emma Rossum) in Shameless (Showtime)- Phil’s insistence on being BFF’s with Dylan might have been the funniest thing on television for a while.
6- Molly Flynn (Melissa McCarthy) in Mike and Molly (CBS) over 11- Jim Halpert (John Krasinski) in The Office (NBC)- She’s arguably the funniest female actress going right now (especially with 30 Rock being over and Kristen Wiig gone from SNL).
10- Kenny Powers (Danny McBride) in Eastbound and Down (HBO) over 7- U.S. Marshall Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant) in Justified (FX)- “You’re out. I’m fucking in.”
2- Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) in Game of Thrones (HBO) over 15- Roger Sterling (John Slattery) in Mad Men (AMC)- “Don't fight for a king. Don't fight for his kingdoms. Don't fight for honor, don't fight for glory, don't fight for riches, because you won't get any. This is your city Stannis means to sack. That's your gate he's ramming. If he gets in it will be your house that burns. Your gold he steals, your women he rapes. Those are brave men knocking at our door. Let's go kill them!”
Second Round
1- Carrie Mathison (Clare Danes) in Homeland (Showtime) over 9- Hank Moody (David Duchovny)in Californication (Showtime)- Get the weed and whiskey and start playing the Warren Zevon because Moody is done.
5- Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) in Breaking Bad (AMC) over 4- Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson) in The Office (NBC)- Four years ago and this was a blowout. Today it still is, just in the other direction.
3- Phil Dunphy (Ty Burrell) in Modern Family (ABC) over 6- Molly Flynn (Melissa McCarthy) in Mike and Molly (CBS)- “Some voters find Claire angry and unlikeable. To those voters I would say...wait till she reads this.”
2- Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) in Game of Thrones (HBO) over 10- Kenny Powers (Danny McBride) in Eastbound and Down (HBO)- “It's hard to put a leash on a dog once you've put a crown on its head.”
Regional Semi-Finals
5- Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) in Breaking Bad (AMC) over 1- Carrie Mathison (Clare Danes) in Homeland (Showtime)- “The game has changed, yo. This is our city, alright? All of it. The whole damn place. Our territory. We're staking our claim. Yo, we sell when we want, where we want. We're gonna be kings, understand? Well, I'm gonna be king and you guys will be, like, princes or dukes or something.”
3- Phil Dunphy (Ty Burrell) in Modern Family (ABC) over 2- Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) in Game of Thrones (HBO)- “Claire’s a perfectionist, which sometimes is a good thing, like when it comes to picking a husband.”
Regional Finals
3- Phil Dunphy (Ty Burrell) in Modern Family (ABC) over 5- Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) in Breaking Bad (AMC)- Alex Dunphy: I can't believe it. I got a "B" on my paper.
Phil Dunphy: Good for you.
Claire Dunphy: Yeah.
Alex Dunphy: No, it would be good for you. It's terrible for me. Thanks to your moldy encyclopedias, my take on mitosis was completely out of date. They don't even call it "protoplasm" anymore. It's "cytoplasm".
Claire Dunphy: Well, you could have asked one of us.
Alex Dunphy: Now you're making jokes?
Claire Dunphy: I'm not making a joke.
Alex Dunphy: Really? What's the difference between a gamete and a zygote?
Phil Dunphy: Don't fall for it, Claire. She's just making up words.
First Round
(George Costanza Region)
1- Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) in The Big Bang Theory (CBS) over 16- Stevie Janowski (Steve Little) in Eastbound and Down (HBO)- Stevie might be the most underrated comedic character in television history, but Sheldon has won multiple Emmys.
8- The Governor (David Morrisey) in The Walking Dead (AMC) over 9- Brenda Leigh Johnson (Kyra Sedgwick) in The Closer (TNT)- Mrs. Kevin Bacon can’t close the deal against The Governor.
5- Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman) in Park and Recreation (NBC) over 12- Caroline Channing (Beth Behrs) in Two Broke Girls (CBS)- Caroline represents everything that Ron hates in the world. “The less I know about other people’s affairs, the happier I am. I’m not interested in caring about people. I once worked with a guy for three years and never learned his name. Best friend I ever had. We still never talk sometimes.”
4- Jackson “Jax” Teller (Charlie Hunnam) in Sons of Anarchy (FX) over 13- Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington) in Scandal (ABC)- She’s hot, but he looks about as bad ass as possible.
3- Peggy Olson (Elisabeth Moss) in Mad Men (AMC) over 14- Max Black (Kat Dennings) in Two Broke Girls (CBS)- Don’s disciple made it in a man’s world. She didn’t settle for a female profession like waitress.
11- Barney Stinson (Neil Patrick Harris) in How I Met Your Mother (CBS) over 6- Dr. Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey) in Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)- Not only is Barney a better character than McDreamy, but NPH played a better doctor (Doogie Howser).
10- Abed Nadir (Danny Pudi) in Community (NBC) over 7- Gloria Pritchett (Sofia Vergara) in Modern Family (ABC)- “Cool, cool.”
2- Sergeant Nicholas Brody (Damian Lewis) in Homeland (Showtime) over 15- Rafi (Jason Mantzoukas) in The League (FX)- I’m blown away when a Brit pulls off an American accent so seamlessly.
Second Round
1- Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) in The Big Bang Theory (CBS) over 8- The Governor (David Morrisey) in The Walking Dead (AMC)- Sheldon Cooper, for those that don’t know, is a physicist with no social skills. His insistence on using logic and rational thought leads to mildly humorous lines/situations. For example, "That's a false equivalency. More does not equal merry. If there were two thousand people in this apartment right now, would be we celebrating? No! We'd be suffocating!"
5- Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman) in Park and Recreation (NBC) over 4- Jackson “Jax” Teller (Charlie Hunnam) in Sons of Anarchy (FX)- “I have been developing the Swanson Pyramid of Greatness for years. It’s a perfectly calibrated recipe for maximum personal achievement. Categories include: Capitalism, God’s way of determining who is smart, and who is poor. Crying, acceptable at funerals and the Grand Canyon. Rage. Poise. Property rights. Fish, for sport only, not for meat. Fish meat is practically a vegetable.”
3- Peggy Olson (Elisabeth Moss) in Mad Men (AMC) over 11- Barney Stinson (Neil Patrick Harris) in How I Met Your Mother (CBS)- “You always say, if you don't like what they're saying about you, change the conversation.”
2- Sergeant Nicholas Brody (Damian Lewis) in Homeland (Showtime) over 10- Abed Nadir (Danny Pudi) in Community (NBC)- Brody would dispose of Abed quicker than he did the tailor from Gettysburg.
Regional Semi-Finals
1- Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) in The Big Bang Theory (CBS) over 5- Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman) in Park and Recreation (NBC)- “Leonard: Come on, Sheldon. It will be fun. Sheldon: That's what you said about the Green Lantern movie. You were 114 minutes of wrong.” This pick is equally wrong. I can’t tell you how badly I wanted to go with Ron here, but The Big Bang Theory is the most watched show on television.
2- Sergeant Nicholas Brody (Damian Lewis) in Homeland (Showtime) over 3- Peggy Olson (Elisabeth Moss) in Mad Men (AMC)- They both play the #2 roles on their respective shows and after Season One Brody (Lewis) had an Emmy. Olson (Moss) has been nominated three times, but has come away empty handed each time.
Regional Finals
2- Sergeant Nicholas Brody (Damian Lewis) in Homeland (Showtime) over 1- Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) in The Big Bang Theory (CBS)- “My name is Nicholas Brody and I'm a Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps. I have a wife, and two kids, who I love. By the time you watch this, you'll have read a lot of things about me, about what I've done, and so I wanted to explain myself, so that you'll know the truth.”
First Round
(Jack Bauer Region)
1- Walter White (Bryan Cranston) in Breaking Bad (AMC) over 16- Charlie Kelly (Charlie Day) in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (FX)- “This is the first day of the rest of your life, but what kind of life will it be, huh? Will it be a life of fear, of "Oh, no no no I can't do this"? Of never once believing in yourself?”
9- Nancy Botwin (Mary Louise Parker) in Weeds (Showtime) over 8- Jess Day (Zooey Deschanel) in New Girl (FOX)- Botwin’s more resourceful than the ditzy Jess.
12- Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch) in Glee (FOX) over 5- Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) in Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)- ''I thought I smelled cookies wafting from the ovens of the little elves that live in your hair.'
4- Hannah Horvarth (Lena Dunham) in Girls (HBO) over 13- Howard Wolowitz (Simon Helberg) in The Big Bang Theory (CBS)- “Do you know that part on your resume where they ask if you have any special skills? Well, it's the thing where they ask you to list like, 'yoga, Spanish, water skiing, Photoshop.' I feel like I don’t I have any special skills.”
3- Nucky Thompson (Steve Buscemi) in Boardwalk Empire (HBO) over 14- Joan Harris (Christina Hendricks) in Mad Men (AMC)- Call me crazy, but I think Christina Hendricks is over rated. Curvy? Absolutely. A good actress? Sure. Stunningly beautiful? Nope.
6- Cam Tucker (Eric Stonestreet) in Modern Family (ABC) over 11- Lesley Knope (Amy Poehler) in Parks and Recreation (NBC)- Perhaps the only one in the field that can out color coordinate Lesley is Cam.
10- Schmidt (Max Greenfield) on New Girl (FOX) over 7- Robert Crawley (Hugh Bonneville), Earl of Grantham in Downton Abbey (PBS)- "I found this place on 3rd Street where you can design your own perfume: Base notes of cocoa because of your brown...ness, sea salt because it kind of sounds like 'Cece,' and sandalwood -- Sandalwood, always up to no good!"
2- Alicia Florrick (Julianna Margulies) in The Good Wife (CBS) over 15- Adam Sackler (Adam Driver) in Girls (HBO)- “People aren't mean. They're just polite liars.”
Second Round
1- Walter White (Bryan Cranston) in Breaking Bad (AMC) over 9- Nancy Botwin (Mary Louise Parker) in Weeds (Showtime)- An interesting duel of characters who do the same thing (sell drugs to make a living). Breaking Bad essentially took the Weeds concept and made it 3843748439 times better.
4- Hannah Horvarth (Lena Dunham) in Girls (HBO) over 12- Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch) in Glee (FOX)- “I hate everyone who loves me.”
6- Cam Tucker (Eric Stonestreet) in Modern Family (ABC) over 3- Nucky Thompson (Steve Buscemi) in Boardwalk Empire (HBO)- Nucky is Boardwalk Empire, but Cam is one of the true scene stealers on television.
2- Alicia Florrick (Julianna Margulies) in The Good Wife (CBS) over 10- Schmidt (Max Greenfield) on New Girl (FOX)- I love Schmidt, but he couldn’t handle a powerful woman like Alicia. “Stephanie: There seems to be a whole subdivision of erotica devoted to devoted wives.
Alicia: Good to know.
Stephanie: I hope you're not offended. Men masturbate when they think of you. It's almost an honor when you think of it.
Alicia: No, even when I think of it, it's not an honor.”
Regional Semi-Finals
1- Walter White (Bryan Cranston) in Breaking Bad (AMC) over 4- Hannah Horvarth (Lena Dunham) in Girls (HBO)- WW advances simply based on his ability to rock the Heisenberg hat.
2- Alicia Florrick (Julianna Margulies) in The Good Wife (CBS) over 6- Cam Tucker (Eric Stonestreet) in Modern Family (ABC)- “Owen: He's two-faced.
Alicia: Everyone's two-faced.
Owen: You're not.
Alicia: Yes, I am.
Owen: Then you've changed.
Alicia: No. Issues got more complex, and I grew up.”
Regional Finals
1- Walter White (Bryan Cranston) in Breaking Bad (AMC) over 2- Alicia Florrick (Julianna Margulies) in The Good Wife (CBS)- “Who are you talking to right now? Who is it you think you see? Do you know how much I make a year? I mean, even if I told you, you wouldn't believe it. Do you know what would happen if I suddenly decided to stop going into work? A business big enough that it could be listed on the NASDAQ goes belly up. Disappears! It ceases to exist without me. No, you clearly don't know who you're talking to, so let me clue you in. I am not in danger, Skyler. I AM the danger! A guy opens his door and gets shot and you think that of me? No. I am the one who knocks!”
Final Four
3- Phil Dunphy (Ty Burrell) in Modern Family (ABC) over 1- Don Draper (Jon Hamm) in Mad Men (AMC)-
“Ordinarily I'm a rule follower, but when someone tells me I can't bring my own snacks into their stadium? That's when I get a little... nuts. It's a free country right? Let's just say it Ruffles me when some Goobers tell me I have to spend my half my PayDay on their hot dogs.”
1- Walter White (Bryan Cranston) in Breaking Bad (AMC) over 2- Sergeant Nicholas Brody (Damian Lewis) in Homeland (Showtime)- “You asked me if I was in the meth business or the money business. Neither. I’m in the empire business.”
Finals
3- Phil Dunphy (Ty Burrell) in Modern Family (ABC) over 1- Walter White (Bryan Cranston) in Breaking Bad (AMC)- “I'll admit it. I'm turned on by powerful women. Michelle Obama, Oprah, Condolezza Rice, Serena Williams... wait a minute.”
Friday, March 22, 2013
Monday, March 11, 2013
Change Over Time
As far
as most people my age are concerned they haven’t changed a lick since high
school. When they look into the mirror it’s hard for them to notice how much
different they actually look because change is a gradual process. The incremental
nature of the change in our physical appearance is almost impossible to
perceive because the difference is so miniscule on a day to day basis. When you
add up all the slivers of change over the years (9 years since high school),
though, it’s rather substantial. The same can be said for our personalities.
The physical changes are easier to prove. Sometimes we can see it in pictures. There are a few still frames from my college days where I almost don’t believe that it’s me in them. Other times we can see it in the way we view those younger than us. By this I mean that when we were 21-22 it was a lot easier to point out others that were of a similar age. Now at 26-27 (my birthday is on Thursday- I’ll expect a Facebook post from all of you) it’s a lot more difficult to accurately point out those that are 21-22. I was recently at a Fairfield University basketball game (let’s go Stags) and everyone in the student section looked like they were 14-16. It’s a lot more challenging to notice how our disposition shifts over the course of time.
Last April I wrote about how it took me roughly 12 years to realize that I do not have all of the answers. This process, believe it or not, is called maturity. When I was 17, 21, and 25 I was brash, arrogant, and overly critical of others. Nowadays I’m still confident, but much more measured in my actions and commentary of those around me.
This maturation, of course, is easy for me to admit to because it reflects positively on my current self. I’m sure there are plenty of ways that I’ve changed (or not changed) for the worse. In these instances the admission of an evolving personality is much harder for all of us.
We like to think that we’ve been a certain way our entire lives. I’ve always been patient. I’ve always been a procrastinator. I’ve never been one to disparage others. It’s just my nature to be lazy. I’ve learned that these absolutes are largely untrue. Saying things like that just makes it easier for us to rationalize present day actions and decisions. If you’ve always been a procrastinator it’s easier to put off a work assignment until the last minute. The thing is, though, there have definitely been plenty of times when you’ve gotten out in front of something. It could have been when you planned a vacation or did your Christmas shopping before Thanksgiving. Ipso facto, waiting until the last minute to do something is not something that’s ingrained in you. You make the choice every time.
I don’t mean to suggest that there aren’t any values that people hold true to throughout their lives. Some people are more honest, trustworthy, respectful, and loyal than others. These qualities are definitely admirable, but I think that everyone is capable of them. For example, I pride myself on being a patient person. That doesn’t mean that I don’t get irritated. I get annoyed allll the time. I just choose not to reflect that frustration outwardly. I have to constantly remind myself to be patient so that I don’t lose my cool. Some fundamental character traits remain (relatively) the same over time, but they are still malleable. Case in point, “loyal” people cheat on their spouses all the time. In some respects they are still “loyal” (not to their spouse- maybe to their friends or their company) regardless of their extramarital dalliances.
I think it’s tough for people my age to admit that they’ve changed because they’ve gotten used to being characterized a certain way their entire lives. People have always told me that I’m loud, outgoing, and smart. I still exhibit those qualities, so it would make sense to assume that I haven’t changed in other areas, but I have.
The same holds true when you consider your friends. They’ve all changed immeasurably over the past 8-10 years, but it seems like they haven’t. Back in 2009 I tried to figure out why this was the case. I didn’t exactly have the answer back then, but I think I have a better sense of why this happens now. First, when we reunite with old friends we fall into the same conversational patterns and rhythms that we grew accustomed to back when we saw each other on a more regular basis. We also see our old friends demonstrate some of the same personality traits and idiosyncrasies that we remember from years past. This reinforces the projection of who they are as a person in our minds. They fit the same mold that we have always had for them, so we make the assumption that the rest of their personality is the same as well. We color in the rest, so to speak. We think it’s great that they are “the same”, but if our old friends still acted like they were 18 we’d say, “Wow, you haven’t changed one bit,” and it’d be a negative thing. There’s actually a line in the Pearl Jam song “Elderly Woman Behind A Counter In A Small Town” that speaks to this, “I’ve changed by not changing at all.”
Without knowing that we’re doing it we project a future for our friends in our own minds. For example, I went to a Knicks game with three of my high school friends on Thursday night. When we were 18 I knew that one would work in technology with computers, one would work in management/logistics, and that the third one would work in sales/finance. They also knew that I’d end up working in sports. Because we met each other’s expectations it’d be easy to assume that we had not changed. Your friends are all very different than they were in high school, but if you’re lucky whatever threads you formed back then are strong enough to endure.
Admitting change in some ways is also an admission that you’re an adult. Your entire life people have told you how young you are and how much life you have left in front of you. They tell you that they wish they could be your age again. One day, though, you stop being so young. You get to the point where some people still perceive you as young, but others look to you for advice and guidance. It’s a weird spot to be in. I’m now officially in my late 20’s. I still feel like a kid, but I’m clearly an adult. Coming to grips with this is not easy. It’s challenging because being young seems a lot cooler than being old. Everyone romanticizes the past. They look back at the “good old days” and wish they could be that age again. It’s a weird parallel because when you’re young (at least when you’re in your teenage years) you look ahead to the days when you’ll be considered an adult.
I don’t think I’ll really feel like an adult until I’m married and/or have children. In fact, I once referred to the five milestones that psychologists point to when discussing the transition to adulthood- completing school, leaving the house, becoming financially independent, marrying, and having a child. I’ve accomplished the first three, but the last two still seem like they are a long way away. You obviously don’t have to knock off all five before you’re officially an adult (like I said, I’m clearly an adult right now), but doing so helps convince others (and ourselves) that you are.
Birthdays naturally lend themselves to self reflection (something that I don’t think we do enough) and even though my youth is officially over I feel like I’m in a good place in my life. Two and a half years ago, when I attempted to assess the angst of twenty-somethings I wrote the following:
"The decisions and actions that will make us true adults are on the horizon, but we're scared of heading in that direction. We won't ask ourselves the tough questions because we hope that the answers will just make themselves apparent to us. We just keep prodding along assuming that we'll figure it all out sooner or later. It hasn't even crossed my mind. I'm years away from that. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. Well guess what? We're almost at the bridge. So start thinking about the answers to the questions that will eventually shape who you are and who you become.”
Re-reading that passage is both terrifying and encouraging (and a reminder that I used to be a halfway decent writer); however now that I’m almost 27 I think I’m less afraid of the monumental changes that are still yet to be determined in my life. I wouldn’t say that I’m willing to embrace them with open arms, but the feeling is more of an optimistic anxiety.
The physical changes are easier to prove. Sometimes we can see it in pictures. There are a few still frames from my college days where I almost don’t believe that it’s me in them. Other times we can see it in the way we view those younger than us. By this I mean that when we were 21-22 it was a lot easier to point out others that were of a similar age. Now at 26-27 (my birthday is on Thursday- I’ll expect a Facebook post from all of you) it’s a lot more difficult to accurately point out those that are 21-22. I was recently at a Fairfield University basketball game (let’s go Stags) and everyone in the student section looked like they were 14-16. It’s a lot more challenging to notice how our disposition shifts over the course of time.
Last April I wrote about how it took me roughly 12 years to realize that I do not have all of the answers. This process, believe it or not, is called maturity. When I was 17, 21, and 25 I was brash, arrogant, and overly critical of others. Nowadays I’m still confident, but much more measured in my actions and commentary of those around me.
This maturation, of course, is easy for me to admit to because it reflects positively on my current self. I’m sure there are plenty of ways that I’ve changed (or not changed) for the worse. In these instances the admission of an evolving personality is much harder for all of us.
We like to think that we’ve been a certain way our entire lives. I’ve always been patient. I’ve always been a procrastinator. I’ve never been one to disparage others. It’s just my nature to be lazy. I’ve learned that these absolutes are largely untrue. Saying things like that just makes it easier for us to rationalize present day actions and decisions. If you’ve always been a procrastinator it’s easier to put off a work assignment until the last minute. The thing is, though, there have definitely been plenty of times when you’ve gotten out in front of something. It could have been when you planned a vacation or did your Christmas shopping before Thanksgiving. Ipso facto, waiting until the last minute to do something is not something that’s ingrained in you. You make the choice every time.
I don’t mean to suggest that there aren’t any values that people hold true to throughout their lives. Some people are more honest, trustworthy, respectful, and loyal than others. These qualities are definitely admirable, but I think that everyone is capable of them. For example, I pride myself on being a patient person. That doesn’t mean that I don’t get irritated. I get annoyed allll the time. I just choose not to reflect that frustration outwardly. I have to constantly remind myself to be patient so that I don’t lose my cool. Some fundamental character traits remain (relatively) the same over time, but they are still malleable. Case in point, “loyal” people cheat on their spouses all the time. In some respects they are still “loyal” (not to their spouse- maybe to their friends or their company) regardless of their extramarital dalliances.
I think it’s tough for people my age to admit that they’ve changed because they’ve gotten used to being characterized a certain way their entire lives. People have always told me that I’m loud, outgoing, and smart. I still exhibit those qualities, so it would make sense to assume that I haven’t changed in other areas, but I have.
The same holds true when you consider your friends. They’ve all changed immeasurably over the past 8-10 years, but it seems like they haven’t. Back in 2009 I tried to figure out why this was the case. I didn’t exactly have the answer back then, but I think I have a better sense of why this happens now. First, when we reunite with old friends we fall into the same conversational patterns and rhythms that we grew accustomed to back when we saw each other on a more regular basis. We also see our old friends demonstrate some of the same personality traits and idiosyncrasies that we remember from years past. This reinforces the projection of who they are as a person in our minds. They fit the same mold that we have always had for them, so we make the assumption that the rest of their personality is the same as well. We color in the rest, so to speak. We think it’s great that they are “the same”, but if our old friends still acted like they were 18 we’d say, “Wow, you haven’t changed one bit,” and it’d be a negative thing. There’s actually a line in the Pearl Jam song “Elderly Woman Behind A Counter In A Small Town” that speaks to this, “I’ve changed by not changing at all.”
Without knowing that we’re doing it we project a future for our friends in our own minds. For example, I went to a Knicks game with three of my high school friends on Thursday night. When we were 18 I knew that one would work in technology with computers, one would work in management/logistics, and that the third one would work in sales/finance. They also knew that I’d end up working in sports. Because we met each other’s expectations it’d be easy to assume that we had not changed. Your friends are all very different than they were in high school, but if you’re lucky whatever threads you formed back then are strong enough to endure.
Admitting change in some ways is also an admission that you’re an adult. Your entire life people have told you how young you are and how much life you have left in front of you. They tell you that they wish they could be your age again. One day, though, you stop being so young. You get to the point where some people still perceive you as young, but others look to you for advice and guidance. It’s a weird spot to be in. I’m now officially in my late 20’s. I still feel like a kid, but I’m clearly an adult. Coming to grips with this is not easy. It’s challenging because being young seems a lot cooler than being old. Everyone romanticizes the past. They look back at the “good old days” and wish they could be that age again. It’s a weird parallel because when you’re young (at least when you’re in your teenage years) you look ahead to the days when you’ll be considered an adult.
I don’t think I’ll really feel like an adult until I’m married and/or have children. In fact, I once referred to the five milestones that psychologists point to when discussing the transition to adulthood- completing school, leaving the house, becoming financially independent, marrying, and having a child. I’ve accomplished the first three, but the last two still seem like they are a long way away. You obviously don’t have to knock off all five before you’re officially an adult (like I said, I’m clearly an adult right now), but doing so helps convince others (and ourselves) that you are.
Birthdays naturally lend themselves to self reflection (something that I don’t think we do enough) and even though my youth is officially over I feel like I’m in a good place in my life. Two and a half years ago, when I attempted to assess the angst of twenty-somethings I wrote the following:
"The decisions and actions that will make us true adults are on the horizon, but we're scared of heading in that direction. We won't ask ourselves the tough questions because we hope that the answers will just make themselves apparent to us. We just keep prodding along assuming that we'll figure it all out sooner or later. It hasn't even crossed my mind. I'm years away from that. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. Well guess what? We're almost at the bridge. So start thinking about the answers to the questions that will eventually shape who you are and who you become.”
Re-reading that passage is both terrifying and encouraging (and a reminder that I used to be a halfway decent writer); however now that I’m almost 27 I think I’m less afraid of the monumental changes that are still yet to be determined in my life. I wouldn’t say that I’m willing to embrace them with open arms, but the feeling is more of an optimistic anxiety.
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