To Read or Not? That is the question.

Two unrelated conversations triggered this thought process. The first occurred at a meeting between Language Arts teachers. In that meeting, the reading habits(or non reading) of youth were discussed. My main complaint at that time was that reading for enjoyment had declined and it showed in the students' scores. The other conversation was a text message from my sister-in-law asking what were the last three books I had read. The question made me stop for a moment. I struggled to remember three books that I had read in the last six months. How ironic it was that I complained not too far back about reading habits and with this simple question my habits had come to light. Am I part of a statistic now?

To begin with. reading has always been important in my life. My mom told stories of my Aunt Carolyn reading me to sleep. My mother told me that was the beginning of my thirst for reading. I remember growing up that I could never go to sleep without reading first. I even read Shogun every year because I loved that book. My family jokes that I read the entire encyclopedia. That is untrue but I did enjoy reading it from time to time as a way of learning new stuff. I proudly claim that I read the last Harry Potter book in one day. So, how am I now a statistic of reading decline? What has replaced my reading?

Now, I find my spare time spent watching TV or on the internet. My reading is now done in snippets and not marathon chunks. IS this bad? Am I deteriorating into a pre-Renaissance man or is this the next stage in evolution? Short articles and shows squeeze my relaxation time as does physical activity. Do I not make time for reading or is reading antiquated.

Reading books has three distinct advantages in my opinion. Reading a book increases your vocabulary. I cannot see how it could not. It contains so many words you cannot help but run across some you do not know. Also, seeing these words used in literature helps to solidify them in our minds. Another advantage is that reading allows us to immerse ourselves int eh mind of a character. Books are great about that. the ability to see inside a characters minds is unlocking secrets to our own. Finally, reading helps engage and activate the mind. The mind has to work hard as we read. It does not just absorb the information. It has to manipulate it and turn it into images and unravel its mysteries.

TV and the new short media has its one advantages. TV and other brief media are brief. The ability to get information quickly is great. Books take hours, while TV takes an hour or less. In our current world time is precious. TV also allows us to immerse in situations. We can suspend our reality for awhile. Finally, TV allows us to multi task. At this moment, I am listening to an interview while typing. It allows us to do two things at once. It engages our eyes and ears keeping our brain firing rapidly. More firing means more productivity. Is that a bad thing? Or is it just background noise to dull our thoughts and keep us comfortably numb.

Books have been used to stir the minds of populations and inspire people to rise to action. Common Sense, The Bible, Democracy in America, and On Liberty are just a few. Even entertaining books, such as Gulliver's Travels, were written to speak out against people and policies. Not all books have this impact or goal, but have we lost something because our reading habits need short lengths so the brain cannot be challenged and changed from extended exposure. Is TV and the internet now just a marketing tool? With so much misinformation and focus group studies being used, are we allowing TV to brainwash us? Before I become a luddite, TV and the internet are not from Satan. They bring quick information that is quickly digested. We are now able to be more informed than most governments were 60 years ago. We even get the information quicker than 40 years ago. More information is not a bad thing, right? Information is the key correct. We do not have years to wait on a book to be written. We are involved in the world today and change happens in the blink of the eye. What is right and what is wrong?

As a Literature teacher I want people to read but my habits do not espouse that policy. Is it bad not to read much? I am interested to hear the opinion of all two of you out there reading my blog. Should we read more, and how is it helpful? I am leaving this article unfinished, because I want your opinion.

Sing us a song, you're the piano man.

The impact of song on life is very evident. A song can make our day, fix our mood, or soothe our souls. Music's impact can be quick and very apparent. I thought for this blog the perfect title would come from Piano Man by Billy Joel. Sitting here listening to it makes my mood very thoughtful and uplifted. So right now I am going to create a blog playlist in order to help write this article. It will just be one second with the help of iTunes. Finished in under 5 minutes. I have 1 hour of selected songs in order to inspire my work today. So let the inspirations flow.

Songs are essential to movies, TV shows, and even elevators. We want to fill the quiet time in our life with song. I remember I was unable to study in college without music playing in the background. It blocked out everything else. Even now, I use my iPod to create playlists to help inspire me. I have a running playlist to help me keep pace or a playlist for cleaning. The iPod has made it so easy to manipulate our music that I think they are the new mix tapes of the 21st century. really, who has not created or been given a mix tape. the power of music can be seen in how a song can make or break a scene in a movie or show. the proper song harmonizes our mood with that of the character which allows us to connect to them in a deeper level. Song connects us all.

I have known for a long time that I look at life and listen for a song. What song reflects where I am at that moment in time? Or what song reflects who I am at that time? These songs help focus my life or allow my mood to wash over me covering me in its arms. When I am sad, a sad song allows me to experience sadness and feel joy at the same time. Isn't that funny? Songs tap into our emotions and allows our heart to sing. If you wonder if that is the case then watch how your body sways and responds when a powerful song comes on. We innately enjoy music. It has the power to free us.

Free us? Yes, I propose that music frees us. It makes our souls soar and lives prosper. A world with no music is a world with no hope or dreams. History points to this. The bible shows us one that one of the great worshipers of God was David. He composed hundreds of songs that glorify God's name. These songs or psalms have inspired hymn writers for centuries. Song was found in the fields of the South during slavery. African American slaves sang songs as they worked. Songs express what the heart wants to say. It frees us from our current situation and creates within us a new situation that we can experience. Many times songs begin and instantly my spirit changes. I begin an experience that can be tied to an old memory or inspire me to new thoughts and hopes. I am envious of anyone with the music talent. Their ability to inspire and mesmerize is a talent I want. Unfortunately, my singing ability is limited and my musical aptitude is very low. However, this does not stop me from attempting to sing my song. I recommend not being in the same room as I am. Songs present us with freedom from our current situations and emotions.

Also, songs can bring people together. Some of the most powerful memories are from concerts where the crowd starts singing the song. When the band stops playing and the crowd sings on, causes goose bumps to arise on my skin. In church when the whole congregation sings a favorite hymn, you can feel the electricity in the air rising. Songs off the top of my head that can rock a room are Sweet Caroline, YMCA, and Margaritaville. Those songs will get several people singing out loud.

What makes us respond to music?Sometimes, melodies attract me. Other times lyrics will be the enticer. On rarer occasions both will combine to create a song that transcends moods. These songs that combine lyrics and melody become songs that instantly transport me to a mood no matter what I am doing. They do not accentuate the mood; they create the mood. My wife will testify that I do not know many lyrics. Consequently, I am more attracted to the melody. Right now I am listening to Love the Way You Lie by Rhianna and Eminem. The melody is so cool.

I have found that once I find a new song that I like that I play it until everyone around me becomes sick of it. My current obsession is with the Avett Brothers. They sing folksy mellow songs that are pure awesomeness to my ears. I know that everyone else is tired of them but at this moment they speak to my life. In a year a new favorite will become my muse. Life changes just like our song does. However, the Avett Brothers will be able to transport me back to this time with their songs. That is the power of song.

Today, I embark on a bold experiment for 7th graders. I will ask them to choose a theme song for their life. It is a scary prospect based on their listening choices and limited life experience. I look forward to seeing what insights the songs give me. I have chosen Phil Collins' In the Air Tonight. It is a song from my high school years that represent my time in sports. It melody matches my personality. A slow rhythm that has burst of intensity like myself. I also like the lyrics as I often feel something coming in the air. The electricity and smell that precedes a storm is one of my favorite things to experience. What would be your theme song? Sing us a song, you're the piano man.

Check What?

Yes, I am back with my mindless drivel about all things media. Why am I now dusting off the blog and attempting to reach back out to the cyberworld ? If you remember, I started this blog in an attempt to improve my writing. Through laziness, I fell off the wagon and never dared to approach this medium again. To be truthful, I felt like I had nothing to say. You know what. I don't have anything of value to say. Consequently, this blog will relate my view of how the world operates through my media tinted eyes. However, I am sure that it will not be a huge benefit to society. This is not a bad thing. My reason then and now was to improve my writing through the practice of writing (I know I tell my students all the time that it works that way but who would have thunk it). Consequently, the practice of writing is the goal and not to make something that will be treasured at Blog Nirvana (Is that in Seattle?). My goal is to present a blog every Saturday and hopefully I will improve or drive off all my readers. The possibilities are endless. Enough of a prologue to this great experiment, let's get cracking.

Cleaned the bathrooms - check. Groceries bought and put away - check. Comic books bought and read - check. Run a mile today - check. Sometimes, I feel my life has checklist after checklist. After I finish something there is no satisfaction, only knowledge of what must get done before the stress will leave my body. Along those lines, I have noticed the programs being designed to help all of us manage our lists and keep our lives checked off (Please no Star Trek jokes and if you do not know Star Trek then no nerd jokes ) . Stunning To Do List can even be found on my iTouch. Likewise, Outlook has the ability to help organize your lists. Even Franklin Planner has a whole industry devoted to the list business. It is their effort to make us ultra efficient so we can enjoy life and stay stress free. Ironically, the lists only help to stress me out as they grow longer and remain uncompleted.

While cleaning the bathroom today, I had a Sheapiphany. Do not confuse this with a epiphany which is the sudden realization or comprehension of the essence or meaning of something. A Sheapiphany is the altering of reality to conform meaning to the way of life that Shea feels at that moment. While scrubbing, I realized that cleaning the bathroom was not on my to do list for the day. Actually, I had not made one. However, the act of cleaning was a goal for the day. To me that distinction made all the difference in the world. I listened to the Avett Brothers on the iTouch while I enjoyed the hour long cleaning I gave the bathroom. There in the midst of the vinegar fumes a Sheapiphany occurred. I realized that the difference between a check on a "to do" list and a goal was enormous. Some would argue they are the same , mainly my wife, but I beg to differ.

Checks represent the stuff that is in the way of happiness. Instances where things interrupts life. However, a goal recognizes an accomplishment in life and is followed by celebration. Checks seem to get in the way of passion, while goals embrace passion. Now it does seem weird to be passionate about cleaning, but I wanted a clean house. Cleaning was no longer in the way of life but another goal in life. Once, I had read about Jewish rabbi who embraced mundane tasks as a way to pray to God. In these tasks, he worked to please God. With that goal during his tasks, he felt happiness during those endeavors. I will agree that making cleaning a goal every week is hard, but if I can then it will be more satisfying.

Before you quit reading, think on this. Checklists are created by obsessive compulsive (OCD) and anal retentive (AR) people in order to bring order to their world trying to contain the stress. Unfortunately, these people have transfered their habits into the collective sub-conscious of humanity. This makes us believe in the sacred need for lists to be productive. Color coded, tabbed, tagged, and labeled are their goals. Thus, driving the passion from these tasks and creating a negative aura around them. Checklists give me stress, and their completion just makes me let out a sigh of relief. No joy in it, just thankfulness for surviving. Items not done on checklists serve as failure, while goals not accomplished just means we try harder. If you are unable to see the difference between a goal and a check, then you might be OCD or AR. That is fine but don't drag me down.

The chief enabler of the checklist mentality is Bill Gates. His many products are made to delight the OCD and AR people. These products try to make their lives more productive, which allows time for more productivity. Nothing is wrong with productivity, but it is not what inspires me. I do not know anyone who said that checklist changed my life. On the other hand, goals are what help us to achieve and inspire us to do more.

I am a nonconformist slacker who is tired of an OCD world. I liken myself to Steve Jobs who goes for art. Allow the brain to breathe and create is what I say. Some would say that the iTouch ,a Jobs creation, is the ultimate OCD tool, but I would argue that it was not created to make your life more productive. It was created to enhance the iPod experience in media. Who knew it would be hijacked by OCDers for their nefarious uses. The iTouch remains the place for dreams.

One last thought, the term slacker is a misnomer on a certain type of individual. Anyone who does not ascribe to the checklist mantra is deemed a slacker and unproductive. While our productivity is not measured with checks, it is just as impressive. Break out of those chains and embrace the passion. I think if more people spent sometime in Slackerville then smiles might be more prevalent.

(Thanks for reading my latest blog. Take my insights as humorous musing from a contrarian. No offense is intended as OCD and AR people are some the best people I know and they sure do get stuff done. Stay tuned for something from my mind next Saturday. Oh by the way I was not careful with my indentions for paragraphs. I have no idea if they line up or not. I am such a rebel.)

Lost and Final? Really????

For the month of February, I am going to preview one of the most anticipated returns to television in the modern era. Even the President bowed to the pressure of this shows premiere. I think the world is going to stop on February 2nd and pause for 1 hour as "Lost" returns for its final season. If you are not a "Lost" fan then this will be a great time to hit Wal-Mart to avoid those terrible crowds. Managers need to reduce the number of employees because people will not be out and your employees would be useless twittering and facebooking about it. Oh my, how this show has made an impact on the television world. It is a modern day "Twilight Zone" and if you do not believe me listen to the music. For the people who want to experience this final season but dread watching 5 twenty-four hour seasons, then pop on YouTube and watch this great recap http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdT8eqMO4qk&feature=related.

Now, I thought I could talk about how much I like or dislike the show, but truthfully I am on the fence. It has great continuity and great writing, but it does require a mental drain and constant tension. Who wants read about the virtues and vices of "Lost"? Instead, let me pose the 5 top questions I want answered this final season of "Lost"a la David Letterman.

Number 5 - Who created the smoke monster? I mean that thing has been causing more damage than a battalion of tanks and no one seems to know how it works. Creepy and scary with a bad temper. What makes it tick? Is it organic, man- made, alien, or an evil hybrid baby of the gods. Since I recently studied mythology, I noticed that half breeds of gods were either heroes or villains. As for the smoke monster, the one downside to it is that it would be really hard to market it as an action figure. What would you do package a smoke bomb for a one time monster or a bunch of black cotton balls attached together? marketing has to be scratching their heads.

Number 4 - Who is Jacob and his mysterious nemesis/partner? Jacob seems to be the one in control but we know little about him. He seems to be immortal except when he is stabbed and pushed into the fire. So the god angle is iffy. Why was he invisible before and now visible? Also, he visited all the Oceanic Six at some point. Either he has supernatural origins or he is one creepy stalker. I just got to know what this dude has to do with everything going on. His friend is also creepy. I am assuming he has been going around the island possessing bodies.

Number 3 - Will Hurley finally get some love? I mean out of all the castaways he si the one that has not really been given a shot at love. His one chance and she is blown away to make an emotional impact. Come on guys. Quit keeping this brother down. I mean he has cool curls, lots of money, and can make people laugh. give him some love. you would think he could find someone. For heaven's sake, a big brother needs love too.

Number 2 - On a similar note, which female will be drawn into Sayid's lovers curse? Every woman this man has loved has met violent deaths. Which begs the question, who will the writers offer up this time to show Sayid's human side and then push him into killer mode after their death. Common plot device on "Lost", make Sayid likable by making him fall in love and when you need a torturer/assassin violently kill the girl in front of Sayid to trigger transformation. rinse, wash, repeat... My money is on bringing back a looney Claire and letting her die at the hands of the curse so that she can be with Charlie in a Titanicesque type scene.

Number 1 - Who will be left standing in the Jack, Sawyer, and Kate love triangle? I am talking five seasons of this tension. Someone needs to give in and beat the other one up and claim the prize. For those keeping score, technically Jack has been getting sloppy seconds from Sawyer. The Juliette addition created an interesting side plot but seemingly killing her off seemed an easy out for the writers. Everyone has a side on who Kate should pick and I am one who is saying quit dragging it along and grow up and choose woman. My prediction is one of them has to die so that Kate can love the other. How else can you resolve it? My only other thought is to go PC and let Jack and Sawyer get together and leave Kate out of it. That would be crazy.

I am hoping these questions will get answered. what questions are you looking forward to be answered on "Lost" or do you have any predictions? Comment and let me know. I do hope the ending is not so horrible that many TV's will be crushed. I do not think everyone will be happy with the end but so is life.

By the way the other questions that did not make the list:

Richard, why the eyeliner? You are on an island.

When did Walt get so tall and totally lose the ability to control the tenor of his voice?

Will Locke come back to life?

What are the other red shirts, I mean survivors, doing on the island? (Star Trek humor)

What happened to that dog?

Where is Claire?

Why did Ben steal the French Lady's baby?

Why does anyone listen to Ben?

Were the characters of Hurley and Charlie modeled after C3po and R2D2 out of Star Wars or more of a Laurel and Hardy theme.

God in "Numb3rs"

I have recently started watching the TV show "Numb3rs". I must admit I am drawn to the solving of problems through math. Hard to believe since I am a Language Arts teacher. The puzzle side of my brain loves figuring out the patterns in life and applying those to predictive behavior. Ok, enough geeking out.

"Numb3rs" has become part of my morning workout routine as it comes on at 4 am and 5 am every morning. While watching it the other day, I realized that one of the main characters made an observation on God that really hit home to me. Don, the FBI agent brother, told his dad that he was trying to understand the spiritual journey and the one thing he realized was that "Whatever God is, I am pretty sure its how we are there for each other. "I have never had something impact me that way while trying to maintain a 6.5 mph pace. In all honesty, it struck the core of my being more than any sermon has, my apologies to my pastors. It amazes me how much a TV show or song lyrics can really drive home a point more than any sermon even though both are saying the same thing.

Let me briefly, talk about the point made on the show. I took the comment to mean that God's love is evident in the way we treat others and especially how we create friends and families and are just there for them. I know like DUH!!! It is something I knew mentally but never really it hit me the way it did on the treadmill. It made me remember that words are easy and money convenient when problems arise, but to be there for someone, really there for someone, is the evidence of God. I believe I am there for myself but not often enough there for others in my life. Being there for others is not a burden, it is a warm embrace from God. I think that in our efforts to help others we reach out with the hands of God and feel his embrace around us. That is like WOW. My friends, who have responded to the problems in Haiti, amaze me. Greg, your family's love and willingness to help is awe inspiring.

This leads me to also wonder why a show can have such an impact in 15 seconds that pastors struggle to have over the course of a year. DO we need background music to help enhance the experience? Do we need 15 sec. sermons? I am kidding. It could come from how we are wrapped in our shows,or that the words spoken by the pastor are stored in our head and make it to our heart during emotional impacts. Maybe we are more emotionally invested in the fictional lives of our TV characters than our church.

One possible reason may be that the telling of the story allows us to experience life vicariously. In this experience, we join in the journey of the character. The character's growth and learning allow us to experience a little bit of the transformation that occurs. Now, that needs to be backed up by actual experiences.

Consequently, those experiences come from listening to our pastor, participating in activities, and taking on our own adventures. I think the journey of the character crystallizes our own journey and helps us to step back from our own life. With this perspective, the heart can transform. I love a good story and the insight I get from them. They often inspire me to do more and experience more.

Therefore, how can a pastor drive home this transformation. A good soundtrack may be a good start. I am a proponent of preaching from the Bible but I do believe that the use of clips and media to help focus the point does wonders in the information age. We no longer experience life wholly in reality. The fictional experiences are shared experiences that can trigger a true understanding.

This is heady stuff for 5 am. In my ramblings, I hope I have expressed that God's love is expressed in how we are there for each other and that the impact of media is in helping us to focus and understand our own experiences. Enjoy your shows and be inspired.

The 3 conspiracy

The other day, I was trying to make a point to someone and realized that I was struggling to come up with three reasons why it was important. This inability to produce three reasons seemed to invalidate my argument in my own mind. Why is that?

I thought about this for awhile, which is the result of too many days off for snow. I realized that I consistently make three point arguments, speeches, and lessons. Being an English teacher, I immediately thought of the 5 paragraph essay. It requires the basic structure of 3 supporting arguments or examples. Drilling down further, we teach that a paragraph needs three supporting sentences. Why the fascination with three? Is two not enough and four too much? This all reminds me of the story of Goldilocks and her constant choosing between three items.

Has this formula for writing affected the way media is produced? I think so. We look at stories as having three parts; a beginning, a middle, and an end. Movies hope to make it to trilogy status. More than three points in a sermon often bores us to the realm of sleep.

Is this a bad thing? No not really as structure makes us better writers. However, when people break through this barrier it makes us uncomfortable. It is beyond our norm which can make it great or awful. Agree with me or not, but I believe there may be a third option. That is what we have been taught.

Chuck Me!!!!!

As an avid fan of movies and television shows, I will preview each month a show or movie that I am looking forward to watching that month. To begin with, this month's show is the premiere of "Chuck". As many know, this is my favorite TV show currently being aired. I have constantly posted about my excitement for this show,almost to the point of annoyance. What makes this show great in my eyes and why should anyone watch it?

If you need to know what the show is about please take a moment to read this very good write up at http://www.aceshowbiz.com/tv/chuck/summary.html . I think it would be well worth the 20 seconds it will take.

The show itself has never garnered stellar Nielsen ratings. In the shows defense it has been up against "Dancing with the Stars", "Prison Break", and a host of other good shows. However, it has survived 3 seasons due to a fan base that loves the show and lets NBC know about it. Here is an article that discusses the campaign that brought it back for a third season (http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/TV/04/30/save.chuck.show/index.html). Besides die hard fans, the show has racked in rave reviews from critics. All these people must see something special in the show. I believe that the show is very fresh and unique among your choices of half hour comedies, hour long dramas, and reality shows. It uniqueness makes it a must see.

One reason to watch is for the actors it uses. All are fresh and new to television. Each one seems to embrace their character in such a way that it makes you believe that in real life they may not be far off from it. Also for a struggling show, the guest appearance are huge. Season 2 had such stars as Michael Strahan, Jerome Bettis, Carl Lumbly, Morgan Fairchild , Bruce Boxleitner, Chase, and Scott Bakula. The upcoming season promises to be just as exciting with Angie Harmon, Brandon Routh, and others making appearances.

Another reason to watch has to be the song choices for the show. I have never watched a show that uses so much music to set the mood of the story. Not only do the producers go after pop hits from our youth and today, they also go after indie groups with songs that fit the story of the show. The show uses three to four songs each episode on average. When looking at iTunes store, the songs used on the show have high popularity scores. Could it be because they were featured on the show? Just like we use the iPod or iTouch playlists to create mix tapes of our moods, the show attempts to create the same type of structure. The show even has two of the characters with a cheesy cover band, Jeffster, that rocks a keytar. They have their own Facebook page and opened for Chuck at the San Diego Comic Con. How cool is that?

Finally, the main reason to watch is for the writing of the show. It is witty, intelligent, and funny. The shows writers take time to create comedic moments for the characters that flow with the show. From spoofs to one liners to continuous running jokes, the show is not afraid to make fun of itself or the culture it is representing. The show parodies our struggles with real life by following Chuck's real job making 12 bucks an hour. We have all been there. These types of humor make the show a feel good hour of television. Likewise, the writers spend time referencing pop culture items to give a sense of the show being connected to our world and give homage to the greats. Just the other day I was watching an episode and the bomb used by an assassin was an IG-88. Come on, everyone knows that one of the assassins called by Darth Vader to Bespin was the IG-88 Assassin Droid. Star Wars reference at its best. Plenty of geek and 80's references for all. However, the writers go a little deeper so that the show is not just about the comedy and pop culture references. The comedy only lightens up the underlying problems and tensions that the creators carry over from episode to episode. One thing I enjoy about the writing is that the episodes for the most part are self contained missions that instill a sense of accomplishment. However, actions and feelings continue over into other episodes creating dramatic tension. This tension instills a sense of continuity that makes the show feel like a journey and not half hour snippets. Thus the creation of a dramedy (its own unique genre). More importantly, the investment of time in this show is worthwhile as the journey is a well crafted story with viewers watching the characters change and evolve with a sense of purpose and destiny. This makes the story seem real and very believable even though some of the writing is campy. Consequently, the writers create a quirky story that mirrors our own quirky lives. To top it off it is very family friendly and speaks to many generations. My wife and I both love to sit down and watch episodes of "Chuck". Even with our varied tastes, the shows writing brings something for both of us.

In conclusion, there are many reasons to watch"Chuck". Whether it is for the actors, music, or writing; any choice will bring you in contact with a show that is very unique and appealing. The show returns to NBC on Sunday January 10th from 9:00 to 11:00 pm with its premiere. On Monday January 11, there will be another episode of "Chuck" at its regular timeslot of 8:00 pm. Take it out for a spin and watch these episodes and see if you do not enjoy the ride.

Videos and references to help.

Jeffster preforming : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nViWOd87oKY (Not their best performance but it is cool.) (I wish i had a garage cover band.)

Songs that have appeared on "Chuck": http://nbcchuck.wordpress.com/music-from-chuck/

Heroic Journey by Joseph Campbell that I think the overlying drama is based on:

http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/smc/journey/ref/summary.html

Scene from Chuck pointing out all the elements (music, drama, acting): **spoiler as this is the last episode of season 2 do not watch if you want to watch in order**http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=US5jYr905rg&feature=related

Free available episodes online at NBC: (My recommendation is watch the last four as they really tell the story. Without commercials that is 168 minutes.) http://www.nbc.com/chuck/episode_guide/index.shtml