Tonight was the series finale to "The West Wing". And although it's a shell of its former self now that Aaron Sorkin has been gone for so long, it sort of made me think about how long ago that show began and what I was doing when it started.
When the series started, I was beginning my senior year of college at Texas A&M University. The Bonfire fell just before that Thanksgiving. The Dallas Stars won their first Stanley Cup that summer. I had recently been introduced to "Sports Night" thanks to Travis Fluitt and was absolutely prepared for the genius of what was to come. Actually, did I watch the show from the get go, or did I get into it later? I don't remember. I do remember watching several episodes that Travis had taped...but what season and when I guess I'll never know. Anyway, it's been a long, long time since the fall of 1999. Since then, everything has changed. I graduated college, graduated medical school, became a doctor, and have almost finished my first year of surgical residency. Many of my friends got married, many got jobs, some got fired, some were rehired, and many went back to school. I've lived in College Station, Dallas, Houston, and Springfield, MA since then. I've purchased a house and started mowing the lawn again. I got a dog. My grandfather died. So did Johnny Carson, Chris Farley, Phil Hartman, and countless others. Terrorists flew jet airplanes into the World Trade Center. I visited NYC for the first time in my life 5 years later. I've turned off the machines that kept people alive in the ICU. My sister graduated and is making twice what I make. George Bush was elected President twice. My dad survived prostate cancer, quit smoking, and started again. My mom had the same car through all of this, even though Carolyn got two, I got two, and Dad got two. I finally made it to Vegas...and didn't lose any money. I saw Lake Tahoe for the first time. I drove from Texas to Massachusetts and a bunch of states in between. I saw Dean Chris Berman at Bradley International Airport (in Hartford CT, near Bristol CT). I've seen U2 twice, Coldplay, The Blue Man Group, Dennis Miller, Cirque de Soleil, and saw the entire New York Museum of Modern Art...while it was in Houston. I haven't even begun to see anything.
I fell in love for the very first time and got engaged. I've never been happier.
A lot has happened. Much continues each day. The journey will continue...
When the series started, I was beginning my senior year of college at Texas A&M University. The Bonfire fell just before that Thanksgiving. The Dallas Stars won their first Stanley Cup that summer. I had recently been introduced to "Sports Night" thanks to Travis Fluitt and was absolutely prepared for the genius of what was to come. Actually, did I watch the show from the get go, or did I get into it later? I don't remember. I do remember watching several episodes that Travis had taped...but what season and when I guess I'll never know. Anyway, it's been a long, long time since the fall of 1999. Since then, everything has changed. I graduated college, graduated medical school, became a doctor, and have almost finished my first year of surgical residency. Many of my friends got married, many got jobs, some got fired, some were rehired, and many went back to school. I've lived in College Station, Dallas, Houston, and Springfield, MA since then. I've purchased a house and started mowing the lawn again. I got a dog. My grandfather died. So did Johnny Carson, Chris Farley, Phil Hartman, and countless others. Terrorists flew jet airplanes into the World Trade Center. I visited NYC for the first time in my life 5 years later. I've turned off the machines that kept people alive in the ICU. My sister graduated and is making twice what I make. George Bush was elected President twice. My dad survived prostate cancer, quit smoking, and started again. My mom had the same car through all of this, even though Carolyn got two, I got two, and Dad got two. I finally made it to Vegas...and didn't lose any money. I saw Lake Tahoe for the first time. I drove from Texas to Massachusetts and a bunch of states in between. I saw Dean Chris Berman at Bradley International Airport (in Hartford CT, near Bristol CT). I've seen U2 twice, Coldplay, The Blue Man Group, Dennis Miller, Cirque de Soleil, and saw the entire New York Museum of Modern Art...while it was in Houston. I haven't even begun to see anything.
I fell in love for the very first time and got engaged. I've never been happier.
A lot has happened. Much continues each day. The journey will continue...
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