Hopping on the HIMYM bandwagon

So the internet exploded earlier this week with people bashing and defending the How I Met Your Mother series finale. You can read just a few of the responses here, here and here. And if you haven't seen it yet (seriously, do you live under a rock?) SPOILERS AHEAD.
It took me days to gather my thoughts and to see if anyone else would share the same opinion as me, but so far, I come across two camps: a few scattered people who enjoyed the ending and defend it well, and a lot of upset folks who dismiss it and illustrate some OK points-- but mostly they're just disappointed emotionally, which doesn't seem like a valid argument to me.
I'd like to tackle the HIMYM ending from a different perspective.

1. It's OK that the mother died and that the story wasn't really about her: This is true to HIMYM form. A lot of Ted's mini lessons to his kids over the seasons were that the conclusion drawn at the end of the story was not the expected outcome. How many times was he looking for X but really wanted Y, etc etc. HIMYM is full of "things aren't always what they seem" morals. So it's perfectly true to form that the entire series "mislead" viewers and that the real purpose of the story, the hidden meaning that Ted only discovers later, wasn't 100% meeting The Mother.
2. That doesn't mean he had to go back to Robin: If there's one big thing HIMYM teaches, it's that timing is everything. Ted and Robin never got the timing right and the show strove to demonstrate that even if things are just a wee but off in your relationship, you probably aren't meant to be. It was subtle and full of character development, but not concluding with Ted and Robin back together could have been the most profound thing the writers ever did. This isn't the cheesy Friends ending where Rachel gets off the plane. We expected more from HIMYM. I would have preferred not to have a pretty bow tied on a too-happy ending. We didn't need things "wrapped up" and it would have shown more character development for Ted to be OK without romantic love in his life at the time of the finale.

3. Downright gross and inappropriate: Was anybody else CREEPED THE FUCK OUT by the way Robin wanted Ted on his wedding day and on subsequent occasions when Tracey was present? That's just sour grapes. And it's kind of a terrible friendship when instead of being happy for someone you've conveniently fallen back in love with them just because you're not OK being alone. That showed an ugly side of Robin I didn't want to see. Let's just say that on my wedding day, I really DON'T want one of my best friends to be secretly in love with me -- because it's not real love anyway. True love isn't some misplaced longing and yearning: it's sitting at a hospital bed at 3 a.m. and changing someone's colonoscopy bag. I'm a staunch believer that thinking you're in love with someone, when that love is unrequited no less, isn't real love. It's wrong. People were right when they asked if Robin and/or Ted murdered Tracey.
And seriously, side note: who would ever spark up a romantic relationship with your friend's ex-wife? Not cool.
4. The hypocrisy: Ted and Robin back together prove that a lot of Ted's exes were right: Robin was a "threat" and they had legitimate reasons for dumping Ted because of her. Ladies, the moral of this story is, if you boyfriend still hangs out with his ex, run. Run far away. Tracey should've bolted.
5. What the story was really about: It's totally fine that Tracey dies-- illustrating that life isn't always neat, tidy, or perfect. Fine. But first, the writers could've executed it (pun) better. As has been said, to Ted and the kids, Tracey has been dead six years. To us, six seconds. That's sloppy writing. But I do love the concept that Ted's daughter brings up "The story isn't really about how you met Mom. What's it's really about is..." NOT ROBIN. What was this story about? IT WAS ABOUT FRIENDSHIP. Plain and simple it was about the ups and downs of friendship as the foundation of you LIFE, as the rock that strengthens you when romantic love fails you. Over and over through nine seasons of failed dates and relationships, Ted's life was made wonderful by his FRIENDS. The story wasn't about JUST Robin. It was about all of them, together. It was about platonic love.

6. The ending I would have written: I would have written something similar; it seems legit that with careers and babies and divorce, friends grow apart. Fine. You know what I would've written? Ted's daughter identifies that the point of the story was the power of friendship and encourages Ted to call up his old gang. Maybe together with Lily, Marshall and Barney, they all go to Robin's apartment and they all collectively persuade her back into the group with a blue french horn. No romance necessary for Ted and Robin. Just friendship. Because friendship is enough. Wouldn't it have been a grand surprise ending that not everyone ends up with a soul-mate? Not everyone needs to be in a relationship? Love doesn't conquer all and at 50 years old, they're OK with that? That would have been a classier ending than the one we were served. But just about anything would have been.

**Also, was anybody else bothered by this? Robin is supposedly a world-travelling journalist and her careerism breaks up her relationship with Barney, and yet she somehow has SEVERAL DOGS??? You can't have dogs and travel the world, you terrible pet owner, Robin. And if the dogs were a "subtle way of showing that she's slowed down and isn't travelling anymore"... then why would she end up with Ted over Barney? The only flaw we ever saw in her and Barney's relationship was her careerism, because Barney vowed always to tell her the truth (the other potential flaw thus eliminated). If the show wants us to suspend disbelief and treat these characters and well-rounded, fully fleshed-out humans, then NO, Barney and Ted aren't INTERCHANGEABLE.

Let us know your thoughts. Am I right? Wrong? Super totally wrong? Could you have written a better ending? Don't forget to Tweet, 'Gram, Tumblr and Pin us!
Gotta book it
xoxo
JEM

The February Novel

In late January, there was a rare gathering of friends from all across Ontario and Quebec. We managed to squeeze in almost a full 48 hours together before the grown-ups had to return to their jobs and the "adult children at home" had to get back to their fruitless job hunting. It was a magical weekend; we often see one another one-on-one, but for almost the whole gang to be in the same room again was intensely special.
We weren't what I'd call a "dorky" crew during our undergrad days; sure, we did well at school, but we also drank like fish and smoked and passed out in weird places and dated hot heart-breakers. Normal BA stuff.
But as we sat around in my bud's living room, getting progressively drunker on cheap beer and even cheaper wine, the conversation - which had started with normal catching up- quickly took on a literary tone.
It was probably one of the most genuine, enthusiastic talks I've ever had with this group and that's saying something, because this crew consists of some of my very best friends. Everybody- guys and girls- just wanted to talk about what they were reading now, what they'd read back then, which books were going to make great movies, and what they'd write if they had the chance. Keep in mind, only one of us there (me) is a self-identified "writer". We were a motley crew of history majors, education majors, sociology & poli-sci double majors and one long English major. Who woulda thunk we'd come together over books?
Anyway, the drinks kept flowing and some revelations were revealed. Apparently, a lot of us used to write when we were younger. I didn't share with the gang that I had just recently tossed all my high school notebooks, including the 350 hand-written page notebook.
But at some point between the fourth and fifth glasses of Red, one of my adorable teacher friends piped up: "Hey! We should all write novels in February!"
And so a pact was made: we would each shoot for 1,000 words a day, from February 1-28th, resulting in a short novel approximately 28,000 words long. At the end of the month, we'll share our novels with each other. So I should have four novels to read by month's end.
We're now seven days into February and most of us admittedly are rather behind. Personally, I only have about 1,300 words so far. BUT I'm loving actually writing again. My brain is constantly churning, searching for inspiration, filing away ideas for later... it's like a winter miracle. In fact, I'm rushing this post a little so that I can procrastinate on job hunting and get writing again! I might even enter the draft in a contest or something, if it holds up after editing. If not, at least I got my writer's mojo back.
If you want to write a February Novel: it's not too late!
1. Don't waste time comparing ideas, paralyzed by the thought of "choosing the wrong one". Just pick something and go with it.  I was afraid to write a cop novel because I thought I was limiting myself with the genre. I was also worried about writing something that the guys wouldn't want to read. That was just an excuse to not get started earlier.
2. Just write; don't edit. Some people are getting bogged down thinking their words are crap-- that's not the point of the exercise. In this case, we really are going for quantity not quality. Because as a writer, you're your own worst enemy.
3. Set a reasonable goal, like say 500 words a day. Don't beat yourself up if you miss a day-- and don't stop if you're on a roll!
4. Do it with someone! A lover, a friend, your book club. You'll need someone to hold you accountable, and I am literally SO STOKED to read my friends' novels. This is definitely a project that's meant to be shared.
5. Tweet, instagram, pin and let us know how your own #FebruaryNovel is coming along.

Gotta book it
xox
JEM