Belated ntroduction and an apology

[grambax]

Hi,

This message is probably inappropriate, and could seem somewhat needy, so aplogies in advance and no reply is necessary.

But, while I've been aware of this site for a while, I only started posting a few months ago. I'm in the UK, where Magnum was initially ill served by ITV. It was given a prominent evening slot at first, where I rather dismissed it, as it seemed superficially to be far less clever than it turned out to be. Later the series became a late night filler, shunted around the schedules, often out of sequence, but I taped many episodes and treasured them. I bought the DVDs ages ago, but my partner had never seen the series. We have only in the last year or so started to watch them; my partner is a new convert and the series has become an end of week, Thursday night tradition. I regret not commenting on the episodes from the start, but I did start posting midway through the Second Season a few months ago.

But in truth this has been an awful year for me. Almost exactly a year ago my Mum was diagnosed with terminal cancer. She was hospitalised just before the final diagnosis, and remained there until she passed away, just after her birthday, at the end of January. To add to the drama, my Dad had been in frail health for some years and ended up in hospital a month or so after my Mum. They were in the same hospital, but in buildings some distance apart, which was torture and, as I have health problems myself, my life became focused on visiting both of them and, despite the worst winter in living memory, bundling my Dad into a car to visit Mum occasionally. Thankfully, when my pleas failed, my best buddy finally talked the hospital into having my Mum moved to my Dad's ward for her final month, so they spent Christmas, New Year and her last birthday together, with my Dad heroically staying by her side from 6am until midnight every day.

My Dad was no longer able to live alone, and on the very day Mum died he was granted an assisted living apartment, so my focus shifted to trying to set him up in a new home. Sadly it was not to be, and he too passed away suddenly, as I foolishly tried to revive him, a few days after his 85th birthday a few weeks ago.

I mention this partly because they instilled in me an appreciation for good film and TV, and were themselves fans of Magnum, and I thought that should be noted.

I also wanted to apologise to the forum. Quite a few of you were kind enough to welcome me when I started commenting on episodes, but then I suddenly stopped. I wanted to explain my reasons. I actually did continue watching most weeks but, although I am generally a non-drinker, in the last couple of months I had often had a few glasses of vodka in order to relax enough to even watch TV, so I felt my judgement was probably too impaired for me to comment properly on those episodes.

Anyway, there really is no need for anyone to comment on this. You have been very kind towards me here already. I know that you will sympathise and understand. This isn't a plea for further sympathy. I simply wanted to explain why my posts were so sporadic. Things have settled a little now, so hopefully life will return to something like normal, and I will be able to resume commenting on and discussing one of my favourite shows.

My best to you all! And remembering all those Magnum fans who are no longer with us.

[Visiting Stewardess]

Welcome back!

[grambax]

Thank You! Its good to be back!

[HigginsIII]

A big welcome back from me also !!! I hope things get much better for you in the future. Keep hanging in there and as Winston Churchhill so wisely said, " Never, Never give up. "

[grambax]

Thank You HigginsIII! Honestly, for now, I'm OK; better than I expected. And glad to be here. I'm sure I was barely noticed - I only made a few posts. But I had stated that I was working through the series and would comment, so , as everyone had been so welcoming, I thought it rude not to briefly explain, although I'm sure no one was sitting here waiting keenly for my personal episode observations!

I hadn't really noticed the board here for other TV shows before. We've been on something of a nostalgi kick the last couple of years and have been working our way through several older shows (thanks to their new availability on DVD or the net) so there are quite a few shows with threads there that I also look forward to contributing to.

[Magnum T.]

Welcome back grambax.
Sorry to hear all the troubles you went through, happy to hear you feel better now.
Hope to see you around!

[IKnowWhatYoureThinking]

Welcome back grambax!

[Styles Bitchley]

Welcome back! I know your past comments have been interesting and I look forward to more. Hope you can find some solace by escaping into the Magnauniverse. I know many of the rest of us have over the years.