You ever feel like enough is enough? As Gus says, “That. Is. E-NOUGH.” I can’t take one more quarantine post. Not one more. Whether it’s funny, political, informational, factual, or pure made up CRAP, I’m DONE.

So. Here is my reprieve. And yours too, if you want it.

Day One (too bad I’m not starting this on the first, but that’s just like me, a day late (or six, but who’s counting?) and a dollar short).

Someone you are grateful for.

Well, I’m grateful to a lot of people but in the spirit of keeping this light, I’m gonna be grateful to the writing team on the Greatest Sitcom Of All Time: FRIENDS. Bright/Kauffman/Crane. I mean, they’ve kept me going all these years, through good times and bad. You could always depend on them for a laugh a minute. Still, to this day, I will laugh out loud watching that show. And I’ve seen every episode at least three dozen times. It wasn’t always squeaky clean jokes, but it wasn’t nearly as raunchy as what’s on now and passes for comedy at prime time. Chandler, Rachel, Monica, Joey, Phoebe, and Ross keep me in stitches no matter what they were doing. And they did A LOT in ten years. They played endless games of foozball, got married, got divorced, got drunk, got locked out of cars, raised a chick & duck, moved furniture (PIVOT!!!), cooked Thanksgiving (including, but not limited to: Chanberry Sauce and a Traditional English Trifle), entertained siblings, visited relatives, hosted parties, been hired and fired, changed jobs, went to museums, plays, and concerts (‘that would be the work of a blowfish’), moved, had run-ins with firemen, had babies, had breakups, went on road trips, drank endless cups of coffee, went on vacation….it was a good time, every time. My all time favorite episode is when they are late to Ross’ big event. “We could not, would not, want to wait.” ~Phoebe. “That’s right. I’m takin’ the essence!!!” ~Joey Ross, tapping his watch frantically, “The–the dinosaur’s tail has stopped going around—” “You were gonna drink the fat???” ~Rachel ….I think I know every word.

I would like to think I’m Rachel (“What? You just click when they click”), but if I were being honest, I’m most definitely Monica. Neurotic, squeaky clean, barely controlled hair, ultra competitive, fat and happy Monica. Phoebe drives me crazy, as does Ross. I love Chandler and his super sarcastic jokes. Joey is hilarious, too, but Chandler has my heart. He’s a transponster, you know. That was probably my second favorite episode, where the girls lose the apartment.

Thanks to the whole Friends team. They shaped my teenage years and showed me what I wanted my twenties and thirties to be like.

Who’s your favorite friend? And what was your favorite episode?