Specials

Nobody’s Alpha



Specials

By Diego "Dr. ET"

I’ve noticed a continuing trend in TV shows, especially cartoons, ever since my childhood:

For almost 10 consecutive months, the TV programs show any episode about anything. Very, very rarely do the characters talk about the date and time, and very rarely does the date and time match the actual time the show is broadcast.

But then, starting December, TV shows suddenly start playing seasonally fit episodes. Suddenly, it’s cold in their fictional universes. Suddenly, there are carolers visiting the characters’ homes. Suddenly they’ve got a Christmas tree on the set, and everyone’s writing a wish list. These episodes are labeled as the “Christmas specials.”

It continues on to the first week of January. Characters suddenly start making up with each other, visiting old friends and forgetting past hostilities. Suddenly characters are making New Year’s resolutions and singing homage to auld lang syne. These are known as “New Year specials.”

After, they go back with their regular, exact date-less programming, with some re-runs and then by March, they’re playing episodes about summer, about being free, having fun, going swimming…the “Summer specials.”

And then the random programming starts again. Unfortunately, this is very much like how we are in life.

We act any way we like the rest of the year, then at Christmas time, we’re suddenly extra good or nice (some people do this in order to get presents and “pamasko”). Sometimes, we might only remember to thank God during this time (but I’m happy to say, this doesn’t really happen with Canossians…I hope).

And during New Year, we make resolutions; tell ourselves we’ll change for the better…blah blah…

It doesn’t really matter what you say your resolution is, because if you don’t really mean it, it gets washed away with the heat and wave of summer. And by the resuming of ordinary time, we’re back to the same old bad habits.

We are people. We cannot live our life like the seasonal “specials” on TV. “Special” is defined as “something that is exclusively for one thing.” Which is why Christmas specials are aired in their proper season, as well as summer specials, and maybe other celebrations like Valentine’s Day or Labor Day.

We should not change only at a particular part of life, and then go back as if nothing happened. In real life, unlike in shows, we have no script editors, rehearsals or re-takes, but we do have a Director. He tells us the right way.

But we are our own writers. It is still us who decides whether to follow Mr. Director, and take it from me, I highly recommend that you do! He’s a Genius!

Good things should not be seasonal nor exclusive for a special someone. Broadcast it to everyone, and even normal days will become a very special part of life.