R.I.P. – AMC & OLTL

Anyone that REALLY knows me, knows that I am a sucker for soap operas.  It all started in the 80s when I’d sneak up past my bedtime and watch Moonlighting.  I loved Bruce Willis!  Moonlighting stirred up a love for drama television in my heart, I later moved on to shows like Wonder Years, Doogie Howser, Beverly Hills 90210, Port Charles, etc.  It’s no surprise that two of my all time favorites shows are All My Children (21 year long fan) and One Life to Live (11 year long fan). 

 I found out last night before bed that BOTH of my soaps are being cancelled!  I can’t believe it!  They’ve both been on since before I was born and I thought they’d both be on until I died (and beyond that even)!  My mom used to watch All My Children when I was little and the first storyline I can ever remember paying attention to was in 1990 (I would’ve been 8) and it involved Hayley Vaughan (Kelly Ripa).  From then on out I can remember watching the show most days when I wasn’t in school and every summer.  Jenny and me spent a lot of time at my great grandmothers house in the summertime and I distinctly remember watching the storyline where the tornado hit Pine Valley in 1994 while at grandmas house and how much the story scared me!   Grandma used to explain who each character was to me and give me every detail of the storylines.  It’s really what I remember most about being at her house. 

In 2000, I started watching One Life to Live as well.  I have no idea what got me hooked on it but it’s been my favorite soap of the two ever since.  Since I’ve always either been at work or school when the shows are on, I got into the habit of taping the shows and watching them at night before bed (I taped them on VHS!).  It became my ritual, it helped me relax after working all day and I got to escape into the world of mixed up paternities, people coming back from the dead, multiple personalities, and romances.  I know it’s dumb, but watching the stories gave me joy and was an outlet from everyday life for me.  I have such happy memories when I think back on my childhood and I can remember lots of those memories including me watching AMC with my mom or AMC with my grandma. 

I don’t like reality TV or talk shows, I don’t even like the home improvement shows, or the cooking shows.  I just want to watch good old fashion entertaining, unbelievable and outrageous storylines where for 1 hour I can get lost in the land of soaps. 

I know I’m more upset about this than I should be….  But in a way, I feel like I’m losing a part of myself - something I grew up with and characters that I feel connected to.  Something that everyday, was just for me....
But I can't help it, I really am sad.....