Since the Real Housewives of New Jersey, the Garden State is finally known for more than the smell of the Turnpike and girls with big hair. But after being a faithful viewer of the series, tuning in every Tuesday for my dose of "reality", I was left wondering what I really learned from these women.... besides how to flip a table at a b*tch, of course.
"If you're not familiar with the table flip, you're probably not from Jersey."
But seriously though, Bravo brought together a diverse group of women who I surprisingly learned a lot from. Each person had a different perspective to life, family and love.
Danielle - Unfortunately, watching Danielle was like a "How To" in reverse. Although she said that all she wanted was someone to love and take care of her and her children, she seemed to searching for money love in all the wrong places.... online chatting with a man called "Gucci Model", having phone sex with a stranger, and dating a guy 20 yrs her junior. If that isn't a recipe for disaster, I'm not sure what is. It seems like women like Danielle, who are desperate for attention and affection, always settle for Mr. Right Now and never wait for Mr. Right. Now don't get me wrong - dating and having fun is perfectly acceptable. But trying to create a relationship out of a purely sexual situation is generally not going to happen... "why buy the cow..."
Jacqueline - All of the Housewives talked about Jacqueline's big heart, but it seems like she has a case of "being too nice". Most of us are guilty of this, believe me I definitely am. Sometimes I try so hard to find the good in people that I can't see them stabbing me in the back. But overall, the viewers learned from Jacqueline to stand up for what you believe and persistence pays off. Mazel Tov to her for the newest little addition to the family! [For those of you who hadn't watched the show, she had multiple miscarriages in a row.]
Teresa - She is the embodiment of what a typical "Jersey Girl" is. From the hair to the attitude, I thought she was a hilarious depiction of NJ and I'm sure out-of-state viewers were not disappointed after seeing her. It is so obvious that she loves her family and is completely dedicated to them. But Teresa is in her own bubble and I found myself rolling my eyes at the TV when she talked sometimes. She was amusing, but for those of us who have to live in the real world, her carefree attitude was verging on just plain oblivious.
I saved my two favorite Housewives for last... the Manzo sisters - Dina & Caroline. Besides being the most entertaining, I thought that they left me with many gems of advice.
Dina - As we watched her season-long debate whether or not to work, Dina's dedication to her family was clear. She exhibited the age-old question... Can a woman have it all? For her, the answer was "maybe... but not at the same time". As a young woman in law school who wants to be successful and still have a family, this debate was especially interesting. Women's lib taught us to want it all, but are we going to even be happy if we get it? And do we want it because we should or because balancing work/family/life/etc is the key to happiness? This law school student thinks the jury is still out on this issue. :)
Another interesting issue that arose was Dina's belief that a wife has to treat her husband like she's his girlfriend [presumably by keeping up appearances and planning date nights] otherwise he's going to go out and get a girlfriend. While I think this might be a little harsh, I think it does ring of truth. My parents have been married for over 25 years... they will be the first to tell you that not all of those years were happy - marriage is difficult and takes a lot of work. But they have a romantic date night every week and it does seem like those special nights help them stay such a strong couple. Who knows, maybe getting all dressed up for a night on the town with your love is the key to a successful relationship.
Caroline - Caroline is the quintessential housewife... she lives for her family, she is the glue that holds them all together and you can just picture her stirring a big pot of sauce on the stove. She is a little bit older than the other Housewives, but it only adds to her likability and wisdom. If I had a problem, she is definitely the Housewife I would turn to. From her advice to Jacqueline to rule her family "with an iron fist" to her call it like it is attitude, Caroline is one of few Housewives viewers could actually learn something from.
So what have I taken from this show?
"If you're not familiar with the table flip, you're probably not from Jersey."
But seriously though, Bravo brought together a diverse group of women who I surprisingly learned a lot from. Each person had a different perspective to life, family and love.
Danielle - Unfortunately, watching Danielle was like a "How To" in reverse. Although she said that all she wanted was someone to love and take care of her and her children, she seemed to searching for money love in all the wrong places.... online chatting with a man called "Gucci Model", having phone sex with a stranger, and dating a guy 20 yrs her junior. If that isn't a recipe for disaster, I'm not sure what is. It seems like women like Danielle, who are desperate for attention and affection, always settle for Mr. Right Now and never wait for Mr. Right. Now don't get me wrong - dating and having fun is perfectly acceptable. But trying to create a relationship out of a purely sexual situation is generally not going to happen... "why buy the cow..."
Jacqueline - All of the Housewives talked about Jacqueline's big heart, but it seems like she has a case of "being too nice". Most of us are guilty of this, believe me I definitely am. Sometimes I try so hard to find the good in people that I can't see them stabbing me in the back. But overall, the viewers learned from Jacqueline to stand up for what you believe and persistence pays off. Mazel Tov to her for the newest little addition to the family! [For those of you who hadn't watched the show, she had multiple miscarriages in a row.]
Teresa - She is the embodiment of what a typical "Jersey Girl" is. From the hair to the attitude, I thought she was a hilarious depiction of NJ and I'm sure out-of-state viewers were not disappointed after seeing her. It is so obvious that she loves her family and is completely dedicated to them. But Teresa is in her own bubble and I found myself rolling my eyes at the TV when she talked sometimes. She was amusing, but for those of us who have to live in the real world, her carefree attitude was verging on just plain oblivious.
I saved my two favorite Housewives for last... the Manzo sisters - Dina & Caroline. Besides being the most entertaining, I thought that they left me with many gems of advice.
Dina - As we watched her season-long debate whether or not to work, Dina's dedication to her family was clear. She exhibited the age-old question... Can a woman have it all? For her, the answer was "maybe... but not at the same time". As a young woman in law school who wants to be successful and still have a family, this debate was especially interesting. Women's lib taught us to want it all, but are we going to even be happy if we get it? And do we want it because we should or because balancing work/family/life/etc is the key to happiness? This law school student thinks the jury is still out on this issue. :)
Another interesting issue that arose was Dina's belief that a wife has to treat her husband like she's his girlfriend [presumably by keeping up appearances and planning date nights] otherwise he's going to go out and get a girlfriend. While I think this might be a little harsh, I think it does ring of truth. My parents have been married for over 25 years... they will be the first to tell you that not all of those years were happy - marriage is difficult and takes a lot of work. But they have a romantic date night every week and it does seem like those special nights help them stay such a strong couple. Who knows, maybe getting all dressed up for a night on the town with your love is the key to a successful relationship.
Caroline - Caroline is the quintessential housewife... she lives for her family, she is the glue that holds them all together and you can just picture her stirring a big pot of sauce on the stove. She is a little bit older than the other Housewives, but it only adds to her likability and wisdom. If I had a problem, she is definitely the Housewife I would turn to. From her advice to Jacqueline to rule her family "with an iron fist" to her call it like it is attitude, Caroline is one of few Housewives viewers could actually learn something from.
So what have I taken from this show?
- Family first.
- There is such a thing as being too nice.
- There is a difference between Mr. Right & Mr. Right Now... don't confuse the two.
- Treating your husband/spouse/significant other like you are still dating can rekindle that early excitement and keep a relationship healthy.
- & sometimes you do have to flip a table at a b*tch to make your point. :)
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