Few things are as painful

As watching episodes of the brilliant Freaks and Geeks on DVD.

The absolute accuracy with which high school identity and awkwardness is portrayed hits the mark every time – like a misanthropic, sadistic, dentist.

I’ve never winced and laughed harder at the same time.

I hate stories that portray young adults (you know, teenagers) as always doing the right thing. Because being a teen is about letting go of the black-and-white rules and accepting the grayness that adults see.

Case in point, Sam doesn’t want his sister’s parents-are-away party to get out of hand so he switches the keg for non-alcoholic beer. Sam seems pretty guy in the white cowboy hat. Moments later his love interest shows up and her cousin asks for beer immediately. Sam realizes the social power of mammals around fermented beverage and uses its status to help get in good with the cousin – and thus the love interest? Now find an adult who would deny that for some reason certain liquids make social gathering go better, not many, I’d wager.

So Sam’s situation is the real deal what growing up is like (as I recall anyway).

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