Everything I Know, I Learned From Parks And Recreation ~ Love & Other Blogs

I’ve been watching a lot of Parks and Recreation lately. I must confess, I had never seen a single episode until two months ago, but Kristen's husband noticed that I have excellent taste in TV shows, and he just knew I would like Parks and Rec. He was right.

I’m the type who doesn’t start watching a TV show until it’s been on air for a few years. I started watching The Office last March. It’s now officially one of my favorite shows of all time. It’s up there with Boy Meets World and Clarissa Explains It All. In a year’s time, I’ve watched every season of The Office three times, in order, thanks to Hulu Plus and Netflix. Based on that alone, when I get stuck on a show, I really get stuck. I lived in Alaska for a summer, what else was I supposed to do? Leave me alone.

That’s not what this is about. Parks and Recreation has changed my life. First off, who doesn’t love Amy Poehler? She is a funny woman. I hate how comedy has turned into “overly-stupid” comedy. It’s too extreme, but women like Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, Mindy Kaling, and Zooey Deschanel are funny without being extreme. Without being raunchy and vulgar. Plus, I love seeing beautiful ladies in comedy. Second, this show is hilarious.

What could Parks and Recreation possibly teach me in such a short time?

A Positive Attitude and Hard Work Gets Stuff Done
Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) is nothing but a blonde ball of positivity. She works hard and she believes that whatever she sets her mind to she can accomplish, and you know what? She does. She does accomplish her goals – big and small. Harvest Festival? Done. The Parks Department budget gets slashed, the Womapoke Tribe puts a curse on the festival, Lil’Sebastian the miniature horse goes missing, but not even all of that can get Leslie Knope down. She and the Parks Department pull through and have the biggest turnout in Pawnee Harvest Festival history. You go Leslie Knope and the rest of the Pawnee Parks Department! You go!

In Love – When You Know, You Know
Andy and April may not be the ideal-looking couple, but it doesn’t matter. Those two are in love. They dated for three weeks and one day said, “What if we got married?” And then they did – the next day in their house. They didn’t dilly-dally. When you know, you know. They knew. The couple that eats turkey chili for breakfast out of frisbees together, stays together.

You Can Be Too Dedicated
I’m not talking about Leslie Knope, I’m talking about Chris Traeger. He’s obsessed with being healthy. Granted, he had a blood disorder as a child so it triggered him to be a health nut, but he’s crazy. He is LITERALLY obsessed with health and positivity. Poor Chris is too busy working out and taking multi-vitamins to stop and smell the roses. Finally, it hits him one day that he is getting older, that he has not had a lot of luck with love in the past year (whatever year that is…). Then he turns into an emotional wreck because multi vitamins and wheat-germ smoothies don’t keep you warm at night, Chris. Once he starts seeing a therapist 15 times a week, he gets his act together. Chris, slow down, stop moving every once in a while and enjoy life. They say the first person who is going to live to be 150 has already been born. Chris Traeger believes he is that human being.

Side note: Rob Lowe is hilarious.

There Is A Wrong Way To ConsumeAlcohol

Maybe We Need To Address The Obesity Epidemic
Pawnee, Indiana is the fattest city in the United States. This is obviously exagerrated, but it makes a point. Fast food restaurants on every corner, sodas that are massive in size. This is America, and as Ron Swanson would say, we have a choice to eat and drink these things because that's our right. However, it's happening because we are making it so overly available to the public. Pawnee is using it to "create jobs" and make the consumer happy. Really, they are making the consumer unhealthy. I'm not going to get on a soap box, but seriously...