The one where Friends taught me something

FRIENDS turns 20 this year. If that doesn't make you feel old, Lisa Kudrow is 50 and Matthew Perry and Jennifer Aniston, the youngest cast members are 44. The show ended 10 years ago this spring after 10 seasons and for a number of reasons, it's a show that represents more than just a sitcom for me.





If you never wanted to sit at Central Perk and watch Ross pine for Rachel this is not your blog.


If you never wanted Joey to ask you "How you doin?"...


Or Monica to cook for you....


Or Chandler to show you his Nubbin....if you don't know what a Nubbin is....


If you didn't want to play with Marcel...you know, touch Ross' monkey I mean...


If you didn't want Phoebe to sing you "Smelly Cat" while baking you a batch of her nana's famous cookies Nest'le' Tollh'ouse chocolate chip cookies


If you never wanted to slap Ross for saying "we were on a break" and you


Didn't throw up when Rachel kissed Joey....I blocked the rest of that story from trauma...



I guess you can't relate.


I still laugh at these...


And cry....the cast isn't the only one that got old. I was their age! They are my


Generation. I related to this show in part because I lived this. In part because I wanted Friends like this, the kind that accept you no matter how stupid you are, love you


No matter how many mistakes you make, are just trying to make it like the rest of us,


Have insecurities and show them, and don't hide who they are or apologize for it.


These characters knew how to love and support each other and they were there through heartaches and heartbreaks. They were there through Ross' divorces and Monica's dating her dentist even though he was older and not what they originally thought she needed. They supported Joey's acting even when he was killed off Days of Our Lives as Dr. Drake Remoray....


They put up with Chandler dating Janice even though nobody could stand Janice. They were there when Phoebe had her brother's babies and Rachel had Ross' and they were there in the end when Monica and Chandler adopted.


Remember when Brad Pitt was cute and married to Jennifer Aniston and not stuck with that crazy woman and a house full of kids that I'm still not sure aren't half political statements and not family....?


I remember so much of this show just off the top of my head, it's scary!


Since there were 10 years I am going to pick my favorite episodes from each...a hard task because there were so many good ones and the last year was tough:

Season One:
"The one where Rachel Finds Out"
The whole season let up to this and this set the tone for the next 9 seasons of waiting!

Season Two is hard to pick because season Two and Three are probably my favorites but I will go with "The one with the Breast Milk". Ross...the baby...and everyone drinking breast milk. How can it miss? (The one with the Prom Video is a close 2nd!)

Season Three:
This was the season of the break, Richard and Monica, So much goodness but I have to say I loved "The one with the Football" it was a Thanksgiving episode and everyone was sort of happy and Ross and Monica are competitive and crazy!

Season Four:
This was easy for me. "The one with the Jelly Fish" it was the 1st episode that season and Ross and Rachel were together or were they...but the Jelly Fish...well we just can't talk about it!

Season Five:
Season four ended with Ross' wedding and season five picks up with the aftermath of Ross saying the wrong name at the alter. It's common to say the wrong name on your wedding day...right? Anyway, my favorite this season is "The one were everybody finds out". When Ross sees the kiss...well just awesome!

Season Six:
"The one where Phoebe runs" because she runs the way I feel!

Season Seven:
"The one with Phoebe's cookies" just so Phoebe!

Season Eight:
Season eight is where they started to mess up! Joey and Rachel should never have dated or anything else. It starts out happy though. Chandler and Monica just got married. "The one where Rachel has a baby" is my favorite although I always thought Emma was too close to Emily to make sense as the right name for the baby.

Season Nine: "The one with the Fertility Test"
Oh my Gawd! Janice makes an appearance!


Season Ten:
It's the end of the line. Phoebe gets married, Monica and Chandler adopt twins, and Ross and Rachel....well you will just have to see for yourself but finally the show ends with "The last one Part One" and "The last one Part Two."


Okay that's it...the thing about Friends, for me, my favorite episode is whichever one I am watching. I wish I could go back and fix the things I screwed up at times but that's not the way it works....except when I watch Friends. For a few minutes I am 20-something again and can do anything as long as I have Ross. Monica, Chandler, Joey, Rachel and Phoebe!






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