Ho! Are we obsessed?

I don't think Loretta and I are really obsessed about The Sopranos.

We are definetly Soprano Fans, watching every episode over and over again...sometimes switching back and forth between those confusing HBO East, West, and "P" feeds. Sometimes simply catching the same episode on HBO - E, then again three hours later on HBO - W. Afterall, the word 'fan' is derived from the word 'fanatic'. So, for the last two years or so, we've caught every episode, again, from Season One...up to and including the last one from Season Five...the one where Tony trapses back home from Johnny Sack's (Sacramoni) house through the snow, ice, and streams of Newark after Johnny was pinched by the feds. His coat sleeve torn, shoes soaked with water, pants dirty...Tony climbs over his backyard fence on that overcast, cold winter day...taps on the sliding glass door and Carmela let's him in with the last line from Season Five, "What the hell happened to you?!"

So now, tonight (Sunday, March 12th) at 9:00 pm, the premier of The Sopranos, Season 6...finally! Evidently, there are 12 episodes this season, and 7 episodes planned for 2007 (Season 7, the final one). Loretta and I have been watching this HBO phenom for many years. We didn't start watching it until the beginning of Season 2. Why the late hookup? Don't really remember. We kind of stumbled onto it one Sunday night, "Hey, Loretta...let's watch that Sopranos show...I hear it's pretty good". After one show, we were both hooked...thus the start of our obsession, uh...fanaticism.

I ordered a couple of Sopranos items from the HBO "store" on-line (the visor and ballcap in the photo). I've even practiced making a batch of Baked Ziti in preparation for the premier tonight. Yes, we will be wearing the caps and eating Baked Ziti tonight!

There are a hundred reasons why we enjoy the show. I suppose there are hundred reasons why some people don't watch The Sopranos: unfamiliarity, morals, children in the house...no cable. In fact, we know of not one person in our little social realm that watches this program...not one. Or, not one who admits to it. Even my beloved sister, Kris, admitted to me recently in an email response...I had referrenced my similarity to Tony Soprano's demeanor, personality, and self-esteem issues..."I really don't know who Tony Soprano is, we've never watch it...so I don't know what you're talking about". Ho! Get outta here! My daughter, Jen, though is a huge fan of The Sopranos (she lives in Seattle, so we will be partying 'together' in absentia).

We also happen to be big fans of several other HBO series: Deadwood and Six Feet Under...the latter, (sadly) may it R.I.P. I'm trying to think of what we can do for the premier of Deadwood Season 3 (don't know when that will be)...wear a cowboy hat, not shower or shave for a week or two, get some really cheap whiskey...buy a horse? I'll keep you updated.

It's 11:00 am...time for me to start the Baked Ziti process...I don't want to be messing around with it when the show starts.

Ciao!