54 Things I Learned in my 54th Year: #51 A Year In The Life is Spot On

(this post is full of Gilmore Girls spoilers, so consider yourself warned)

The first time I watched Gilmore Girls was five or six years ago with Ingrid.

She was super into it for a while, but after Rory graduated from college she kind of lost interest, and she abandonded me for Grey’s Anatomy, so I finished watching the original seven seasons and then the sequel/miniseries released about ten years later, A Year in the Life, by myself.

Last year Gretchen randomly decided to watch the first episode of Gilmore Girls, and she was hooked.

So we started watching it together on most nights this past fall and winter and into the spring.

Marit joined in the nightly GG watching pretty much immediately.

We fell into a routine.

1. Make three bowls of popcorn.
2. Snuggle under blankets on the couch downstairs.
3. Watch the next GG episode.

When we finished watching the seventh season we moved onto AYITL.

I had already watched it, so I knew what to expect.

I wasn’t sure how Marit (11 years old) and Gretchen (13 years old) would like it, or if they would like it at all.

AYITL was so much different than the original series.

The original series is both relatable and totally hokey.

Sookie, Michel, Babette, Mrs. Kim, Kirk, Taylor, Gypsy, Paris… they are all so over-the-top.

That’s why we love them.

And anything set in a small town in Connecticut is right up this small town girl from Connecticut’s alley.

The OG Gilmore Girls was just over-the-top-enough to make it an escape.

AYITL was different.

It was still a little hokey and extra and Taylor, Babette, Kirk and crew were as exaggerated as ever.

I read reviews and reactions to AYITL. People were pissed. They wanted everything wrapped up nicely in a neat package. They wanted the happy ending.

They thought it was unrealistic that Lorelai and Luke weren’t married yet.

Not me.

I’ve made enough unhealthy relationship choices to no longer trust my own judgment in that department.

If I was Lorelai I wouldn’t have married Luke yet either. I’d be too afraid that I would somehow sabotage things.

I totally get it.

And I loved seeing Lorelai give herself the time and space she needed in order to figure things out.

People were also pissed about Rory.

She had so much promise and potential. 

She should have been successful.

They shouldn’t have done that to her. 

I can understand that behavior at 22, but at 32? She should have known better. 

Yikes.

First of all, Rory has sucked at relationships from the very beginning.

And the most influential person in her life has pretty much sucked at relationships for all of her life also.

Being smart or driven doesn’t also mean you automatically make healthy decisions in every other area of your life.

I had no idea how to have a healthy relationship with a man when I was 22.

When I was 32, I still had no idea how to have a healthy relationship with a man.

Not gonna lie, 42 wasn’t all that much different.

It wasn’t until I hit 50 that I started to have a little clarity and insight.

So for Rory to be making some seriously questionable life choices at the ancient age of 32?

Yeah. I get it.

And then there is Emily, who I think is the most believable character in the entire show.

Emily might be overly blunt and judmental but she spent her life putting herself second and playing the part of the perfect wife. She might have felt needed, but she wasn’t fulfilled. She was constantly moving but she wasn’t really living. She was empty.

I’d be mean and bitchy if I felt that way, too.

Seeing Emily just do her own thing and finally feel like it’s okay to live her life the way she wanted to was probably my favorite part of the whole series.

Because that’s what I’m finally doing this year, too.