My Way Of Thinking

• Random Pop Culture:
• I'm not writing about the NFL this week for what should be obvious reasons. Also, I'm instituting a separate section for Mad Men. I do one for Lost and briefly did one for Heroes -- which I have still yet to watch this season and I'm not sure I miss it at all -- and even if very few of you watch the show, it's cathartic to get all of my thoughts down. 'Cause, you know, if you don't write it down, you just may forget it.
• Curb was much better this week, but the episode still didn't flow particularly well and there were still a couple of parts -- putting Wendy Wheelchair in the closet -- that seemed too over the top. However, there were some insanely funny parts and, more than anything, you had some top-notch Leon dialogue. "Did you dizzle it?" "You have to bring the f***ing ruckus to that ass." "Split it in two. Bring the bottom half of the ass home."
• Cheyne and Meghan still have to be far and away the favorites in The Amazing Race. I'm really impressed by Brian and Erica though; I was sure they were one of the weaker teams, but Brian keeps stepping up.
• Whatever the Phillies gave up for Cliff Lee, it wasn't enough.
• Mad Men Thoughts:
• A lot of parallels to earlier episodes, including Don treating the brother well because of the guilt over how he dealt with his own brother. Last week, there were two uses of the phrase, "you people," which called back to when Betty said that to Jimmy Barrett. Sure enough, Roger made a crack tonight about how Don and Betty looked like the people on top of a wedding cake, which Jimmy also said last season.
• I think Ms. Farrell is more progressive than crazy stalker-ish. I don't doubt that she can -- and will -- make Don's life hell when he breaks it off with her, but she strikes me as a late '60s girl who's a little too early.
• Note that in the first couple of scenes where Don was with Ms. Farrell, he was very clearly looking Dick Whitman-ish. Hair tousled, unshaven, not wearing a tie at one point. Maybe she's the only place he feels comfortable enough to let his hair down, which is striking considering that Betty discovered the shoebox that Don's brother sent -- and Campbell intercepted -- in the first season. That discovery and the way that Betty played the good wife at the end made me feel strongly sympathetic to her, which surprised me.
• If we're trying to figure out how Joanie and, maybe, Sal come back into the picture, the impending sale of Sterling-Cooper has to be significant. To Duck's company? Back to Bert, Roger, and Bert's sister? They could be setting up a way for Don to leave and either work for Connie Hilton outright or join another firm.
• When Betty opened the drawer to find the cash and the shoebox, I got a big flashback to The Sopranos, when Carm found Tony's stash of money in the bird feed bin.
• I got a huge Godfather vibe from the very last scene, as Don is highlighted as the god that everyone thinks he is but Betty is left to resent him and maybe even mourn over the fact that she's stuck because of who he is. It reminded me greatly in theme of the end of The Godfather as Michael is at the altar during the baptism. I don't doubt that Weiner was shooting for that kind of feeling.
• Random Music Video:
• Don't think I've put this one up before, but who knows. I was just randomly thinking of this band a few days ago and checked out the video. Song kicks ass.