I Have Many Good Friends...Bazinga!

Way back in 2013, a gal that I knew introduced me to the TV series, The Big Bang Theory.  OK, let me just say, this is an unrestrainedly fanciful, extravagant television program!  It is a show about a bunch of geeky and socially awkward people (and then there is Penny).  

I have an abnormal schedule, so I don't get to catch a lot of prime-time television.  After binging on this series, I have discovered that I am also just plain abnormal.  There is a big difference from seeing certain oddities on a television sitcom and actually living it.

I can relate to several aspects of various characters, and I want to think that I may be more like Leonard, but I have concluded that I have a lot more characteristics that Sheldon has.

Here are some excerpts on Sheldon's character, from Wikipedia:

Sheldon Cooper – He was a child prodigy with an eidetic memory who earned a Ph.D. at 16. He exhibits a strict adherence to routine and a lack of understanding of irony and sarcasm; he is also uninterested in many of the romantic hijinks of his friends. Sheldon relies on his friends (usually Leonard) to drive him around, and he finds many practical (even straightforward) aspects of life difficult to deal with.

OK, I do not have any PhD's like Sheldon, I am especially not all that book smart, as I barely made it out of high school alive.  However, I do get sarcasm, in fact, I am the one who is often giving it.  But sadly, that is where our differences may end.  

My friends have said that it is very difficult/exhausting/annoying being friends with me.  I have rules that I expect my friends to follow.  

Rule #29: 

If you come over to my place while other guests are over, do not bring food for yourself, or you will be sent out to your car to eat alone.

Rule # 50:
Do not put your coat and bag on another seat at the movie theater, unless it is only 20% full.  (Especially if we are sitting in the highly sought-after first row of stadium seating, with the rails to rest your feet on.)

Rule #83:
Like the guys I know, don't get why I insist that they lower the toilet seat when they are done.  (Pfft, in case a girl comes over!)

Rule #99:
Do not text me, while you are on a date with me, unless you are stuck in a long line in the women's bathroom and need me to call 9-1-1 for you.

Rule: #129:
Be prompt, so that, even if I am tardy, I do not have to wait for you.

Rule #163:
If you need to speak during a TV show, wait for a break in the dialogue, then pace yourself so that you do not speak too long, resulting by speaking over new dialogue.  Make sure whatever you add is funny.  (I was trained to do this by watching years of MST3K.) 

Notice that my "friends" are missing from this photo.

A friend once told me a line that was also in another show, Curb Your Enthusiasm, except that she never saw that show, she just happen to quote it almost verbatim;

“You know what? Not everybody knows your rules, Larry. You've got your own set of rules and you think everyone’s going to adhere to them, but they’re not because nobody knows them.”

She, too, called me Larry.  I have another friend, (surprisingly), who drives me around so much, that I often refer to him as my driver.  (Once, I went over to Marshall "Wizzo" Brodien's house and introduced my friend as my driver.  I believe that annoyed the clown and possibly it annoyed Marshall as well.)

When I got a roommate for my apartment, I made him a map of the floor plan of all of the rooms.  It was colored coated, based on the times that he was allowed in various rooms.  The living room was off-limits during evening hours, preventing access to the hallway that lead to the bedrooms.  This was perceived as a problem.  So, I made hall passes that could be purchased, which were discounted with any rental of utensils or dishes.

One of my worst "Sheldon quirks" is the resistance of hugging.  I have improved over time, but...there was this girl, that I really, really, really liked, and she was a hugger.  I would always avoid them from her.  Oh, I gave in a few times, after she insisted, but I should not be that freaked out from a simple hug.  My friends would ask me why I would avoid contact with her, and, really, there is not an answer that I could give that they would have understood.

The last relationship that I was in, had all of the usual physical interactions that you would expect with a gal...and it was great.  Neither of us had any complaints in that area.  Perhaps the ironic part of my last relationship, the gal that I was with, was very much like Bernadette Maryann Rostenkowski-Wolowitz.

Melissa Rauch as Bernadette & my last relationship in leather!

Bernadette is attractive, funny, smart and has the ability to become very scary and crazy with little or no notice.  Just like the last gal that I was with.  She also kinda looked like her.

I have never been into games, especially sports.  Even though, I seem to be a natural at bowling.  If I play a video game, I hardly ever even notice the score.  So, I do not fit into the who gaming mode of a geek.  However, I do enjoy a good word game...

A typical night with some friends over to play Scrabble...

...or my actual typical night with friends.

I was also never into comic books...but I do like science and science fiction.  I saw Star Wars at the theater 7 times when it first came out.  That is nothing, my friend saw it 11 times.  A quick sidenote, if you have never seen the Star Wars movies, you MUST see them in the following order:

IV - V - II - III - VI

This way the surprises, like Luke's father' - Leia & Luke as siblings, are not ruined.  The newer episodes act as a flashback, with everything being rapped up with Return of the Jedi.

Star Wars, prior to 3D versions,
Jar jar, and even before Lando.

You learn that Vader is the Father in V, but then you go back and see how he became Vader with II and III like a flashback.  But if you watch in the order of II - III - IV - V (skip episode I) that is all spoiled.  This way you start off seeing Luke growing up as a rebel teenager, then you see Anakin grow up as a rebel teenager (without seeing that cute adorable innocent boy from I) and then the climax is seeing them both in VI finally confront each other.

...and watch Episode I way later, apart from the rest.  Nothing in Episode I affects the rest of the story, everyone in I are reintroduced in II.  Everyone who died in I does not affect any of the other movies AND that Jar Jar almost becomes invisible as he becomes a minor character in II and gets like one line in III.

I know that I see similarities in The Big Bang Theory and my life, that most won't ever connect themselves, but as Sheldon once said;

Watching The Big Bang Theory and they have the same shower curtain that I have, except mine has a world map on it, instead of the periodic table of the elements...and my penny in the bathroom is just a coin.

"There's a fine line between wrong and visionary, unfortunately you have to be a visionary to see it."

I am proud that I do have many very good friends, who have put up with me as I get older (as I just passed the age that Elvis was when he died.  Woo-hoo!) and as I get more odd.

This was the original pilot of The Big Bang Theory, which CBS rejected;

I am glad that CBS wanted the pilot reworked and ultimately went with the series that is on now.

Tony Lossano, Broadcast Producer (TV & Radio, Chicago), amateur bicyclist, a fantastic dog walker, and has never been married to Alyssa Milano.