BlogHer - Holiday Parties - Comments

One Day, One Room

justme82 — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 21:33:06 -0600

Very good season 3 episode. (3x12, I believe) Provides insight to some of the damage that is so much a part of House's personality.

One Of The Few Episodes I Haven't Seen

Megan Smith — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 21:45:06 -0600

That's one of the few "House" episodes I haven't seen. I'll have to keep my eyes open for it.

Megan
BlogHer Contributing Editor, TV/Online Video

Megan's Minute

I have to scoot back in...

nelle2nelle — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 20:09:53 -0600

to this thread to comment whilst it is fresh in my mind.

I just watched One Day, One Room, and this has to be my second-favourite House episode. I loved it the first time I watched, and this second viewing reinforced this notion in my mind.

I would love to see this character return.

That is all. ;-)

nelle

llhaesa

The kid in House

justme82 — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 18:16:35 -0600

Everything about House, outside of the whole doctoring business, is child like. Just he himself running about the hospital, if he's not working directly with a patient, is child like... hiding out and watching TV or playing video games, making inappropriate comments about female anatomy... just like any other 12 yr old boy. When Wilson moved in with him for a while, he was like a kid who's big brother just came back from college or something. Screwing around with Wilson, all the practical joking stuff.

A damaged and scared 12 yr old boy. His emotional self & his physical/chronological self... not in the same zip code at all.

As for Cameron... I don't think he ever lacked respect for her. I say that because he commented that he was impressed that she worked hard to get where she was because she "didn't have to" because she was pretty. I think he was distrustful of her youthful idealism, since that bright, shiny stuff would mess with his dark little world view. She matured as she moved away from him, literally & figuratively, and that process of maturing took a little of the shine off the idealism. Making her more attractive to him, but him less attractive to her.

Party On In The "House"

Megan Smith — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 09:56:55 -0600

Your point about the damaged 12 year old makes a lot of sense. I think you're right that his self worth is all about his job and when he's away from his job he falls back on his well honed defenses to get him by.

As far as Cameron, I also think he had no respect for her in the days when she was crushing on him. Partly I think it was a deep seated belief that "if she loves me, there must be something wrong with her," and partly because he never has respect for someone who's so vulnerable with their feelings.

He didn't start to respect her until she wasn't working for him anymore and was no longer crushing on him or intimidated by him.

Megan
BlogHer Contributing Editor, TV/Online Video

Megan's Minute

Little Glimpses Inside The "House"

Megan Smith — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 09:28:37 -0600

Those well written little glimpses inside House are one of the things I love about the character as well. They're part of what make House feel so real, not to mention fascinating.

Megan
BlogHer Contributing Editor, TV/Online Video

Megan's Minute

Tossing this in...

nelle2nelle — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 22:09:57 -0600

for what it is worth...

There are complex forces at work in our favourite doctor, from walls of verbal aggression built to deflect prior relationship hurts to insecurity that he does not measure up somewhere in life, perhaps in all of life.

There are stories of early medical profession faux pas (cheating on college exams) and of other medical professionals who look down upon him... so he has this drive to succeed and overcome, yet it tangles with all the other elements of his life, the physical pain, the emotional pain.

I love the rare moments when we see him with the walls down, where he functions as an adult and communicates as an adult. Watching some reruns on USA, it was nice to see this element reprised - I had forgotten that we actually do on occasion get a glimpse of the person inside.

As viewers, we know the tough exterior is in fact veneer shield, and those who work with him who take the time to explore the complexity of his personality (read that as Cuddy and Cameron most often, the others simply don't care enough, with the possible exception of Wilson, but he seems to misfire on interpretation at times) invariably feel a desire to get still closer, to get past the walls and to what they believe lies within. Like the Trix rabbit though, we know House will never let anyone in, else the show loses that spark of confrontation between those who want in, those who have had enough, and House living in his walled mind.

This is one of the most intriguing shows and characters ever created, and it never feels tired or overplayed.

nelle

llhaesa

Back at the party!

justme82 — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 21:19:46 -0600

The reason I love the character of House so much and that I'm so drawn to the show is because he makes such good sense to me. And, to be honest, there aren't alot of INTJs represented on television... or in the real world, for that matter. We're a very small contingency. :)

As for the dime store psychology... you are correct, to a degree. House's fear of losing control of self makes him push people away because he's fearful of surrendering control to anyone he thinks might hurt him. (And that's pretty much everyone but Wilson. He has conceded a bit of control to Wilson.) If he has to be mean spirited or maniuplative to do that, he will. It's self preservation, in his mind.

But that's the damaged 12 yr old at work. If you go back and view him as a damaged child, it's easier to see where it all comes from, I think. House is very self-loathing... self worth, outside of the job, is very low. So, when he's being an ass & pushing people as he does, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, so to speak, when people turn away from him. That's basically all he did to Cameron on their date. He avoided his feelings for her completely, and instead put it out there that she only liked him because he was damaged and since she didn't counter that with anything... he is able to convince himself that he was right. Vicious circle, for sure.

Better Late Than Never To The "House" Party

Megan Smith — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 19:29:22 -0600

First you're absolutely right, "Three Stories" was the 21st episode of the first season. Sorry about that guys, I've made a correction in the post.

Second, thank you for introducing me to a personality type, INTJ that I'd never heard of before. I read a couple of descriptions of what constitutes the elements of an INTJ personality, including this one at Portrait of an INTJ:

They value intelligence, knowledge, and competence, and typically have high standards in these regards, which they continuously strive to fulfill.

INTJs spend a lot of time inside their own minds, and may have little interest in the other people's thoughts or feelings. Unless their Feeling side is developed, they may have problems giving other people the level of intimacy that is needed.

And this one at TypeLogic.com which also lists several real and fictional INTJ individuals:

INTJs have also been known to take it upon themselves to implement critical decisions without consulting their supervisors or co-workers. On the other hand, they do tend to be scrupulous and even-handed about recognizing the individual contributions that have gone into a project, and have a gift for seizing opportunities which others might not even notice.

Now since you say that you're an INTJ personality I'll have to take your word for some of the assumptions you make about House.

What I would say though---dime store psychology once again, not the real thing---is that if House fears a loss of his power, that wouldn't only mean to authority figures, but to people who he cares about. His fear of a loss of power over himself as you say means to mean he has to have the upper hand in pretty much every situation he finds himself. If that means manipulation or cruelty that's what he'll use.

Thanks for commenting and giving me a lot to think about.

Megan
BlogHer Contributing Editor, TV/Online Video

Megan's Minute

House...

justme82 — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 18:39:36 -0600

Ok... so I'm about 3 months or so late to this party... but I only just a month or so became addicted to/obsessed with House. You've made some interesting points. I'd like to comment on a few of them.

This has nothing to do with nothing, but the episode "Three Stories" was actually a season one episode. (1x21, I believe. 2nd to the last of the season.)

I have to respectfully disagree with some of the statements concerning his relationships with females. House doesn't do well with relationships with anyone, regardless of gender. Part of it is certainly damage from past relationships, parental and otherwise, and part is just his core personality in general.

I say this because I share a very similar core personality with House. (I am an INTJ, as far as the personality sorter demographics go and I believe House is as well...) I understand alot of what he does. Alot has nothing to do with past hurts or relationships but is just part of the way the INTJ personality works.

House's relationship with Cuddy is partially attraction based and partially "fighting the man", as it were. She holds power over him. House, like myself, likes control. Not over everyone else, but over self. When you have a supervisor or anyone above you in rank, you are giving up some of your power to them, like it or not. All the pushing & posturing is an attempt to keep that power loss to a minimum. He would push a male just as much... perhaps even more. He certainly pushed Vogler...

House's relationship with Cameron. He had/has sincere feelings for her. That relationship went bust because Cameron pushed too hard, too fast. House wasn't toying with her or attempting to hold power over her. He's very, very child like and immature when it comes to dealing the aspect of a romantic relationship. In the episode "Love Hurts", where they go on their date, you can see his immaturity in his preparations for the date. He's like a 12 yr old boy. When they're together on the date, he fidgets and fusses... like a 12 yr old boy. Cameron pushed too hard when she asked him to tell her how he felt about her... and I think she didn't realize really what she was getting herself into with him anyway. When she asked him how he felt about her, he deflected. He didn't tell her how he felt about her at all, but instead told her how she felt about him... he turned it around on her. That wouldn't have been a killer, except that she bought into it. Had she not bought into what he said and pushed forward with the conversation, instead of letting it die right there, I think things would've been different. As it was... she bought into, which then feeds into his lack of self worth and "she only wants me because I'm damaged" attitude.

I never saw any interactions from House to Cameron that were mean spirited on House's part. Her recent (seasons 4 & 5) interactions with him, on the other hand, seem to be very pointed and meant to hurt. In one later episode (don't recall which one, off hand) Cameron remarks on all the things she misses about being on House's team... and she finishes with "I don't miss you."

Gwynneth stated that House can truly be vicious and cruel. Honestly, I see very little of that in House. When he made the comment to Cuddy that she would suck as a mom, he was detoxing. Stressed out, detoxing, in pain, out of control. His most pointed comments are reserved for Wilson, honestly. Who, knowing House better than anyone, doesn't seem to take them to heart for the most part.

Everyone (especially females) would get on a whole lot better with House if they treated him like the brilliant doctor, but twelve-year-old-child-in-an-adult-body that he is... :)

Keep your panties on!

Tracy Evans — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 20:58:11 -0600

The best thing you can do at an office party? Lay off the booze. And keep your panties on!

The Moxie Report. Giggles. Gaffes. Girl Talk. From television producer, writer and mom Tracy Evans. http://themoxiereport.blogspot.com

so true

Whenwen — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 19:45:22 -0600

you speak of many o' truths...good points.

These are great recycling

Alissa-Taylor Gifts — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 09:17:16 -0600

These are great recycling ideas for the holidays (or any day of the year really). My dad and I have been re-using wrapping paper for as long as I can remember. Aside from saving the earth, re-using bags, ribbons, and bows will also save money on buying gift-wrapping materials. My family always uses cloth tablecloth and napkins, and we have been saving out plastic food containers for years to re-use them as leftover containers. Taylor Gifts also has many items to help people recycle, like the 3 Recycle Bags and the Can Crusher

Alissa - Taylor Gifts

Taylor Gifts Blog

There's always peanut butter cookies..

kazari — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 17:41:57 -0600

But for anything else, we buy norgran egg replacer. It's worked in every cookie, muffin and cake recipe I've tried so far, it's completely egg free, and it doesn't compromise the taste.

good luck!

In addition to the suggestions above

Candelaria Silva — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 19:05:51 -0600

See who among your friends or co-workers who might want to join you.

One friend has contacted her local college to get the name of students who aren't able to go home. She always invites a couple fo her dinner.

There are often people we work with or who are in our neighborhood who might appreciate an invite.

And Christmas for two can be whatever you make it...as self-indulgent as you like. I'd probably do a combo of private and some public event like the movies, or volunteering, etc.

Enjoy!

blog.candelariasilva.com

Good and plenty!