2 tradition!

we here in the house of oline love us some traditions. so it was that last night the vieve and i piled up on the fainting couch under the furry blanket to watch that great holiday classic, a very brady christmas. and to cry and cry and cry.

there isn't too much you need to know about the first 97 minutes of AVBC. imdb neatly summarizes it as "the entire brady family manages to overcome personal obstacles to spend a happy holiday together." well said.

what you need to know, what i feel it is time for you all to experience is the great climactic scene. and because pictures of people singing are always enjoyable, let's break it down:

mr. brady: here i go ill-advisedly into The Collapsed Structure.

mike roberts (the scrooge of AVBC): oh no! The Collapsed Structure is collapsing further, collapsing upon mr. brady,who only just ill-advisedly entered it.
(when i was a kid The Collapsed Structure always looked SO scary.now it looks more like a dumpster upended.)
mrs. brady: yes, i will deign to speak with you, local broadcaster,
since you have conveniently coordinated yourmicrophone with my ensemble.
alice: i disapprove.

bobby: look at me. i am emoting.
cindy: hey, mom, do you remember that time you weresick and we thought you wouldn't get your voice backin time to sing "o come all ye faithful" on christmas eve?
mrs. brady: why yes, yes i do...
dear viewers who may not remember that...
THIS is what it looked like.
[actual AVBC dialog]cindy: sometimes i wish i still believed in santa claus.
[actual AVBC dialog]mrs. brady: well, cindy, big girls can have wishes too.
mrs. brady: maybe if i sing, my wish will come true.
cindy: oh, we're going to sing now. ok.
peter: oh, so we're singing. this is just like that time we sang "sunshine day"on tv in pastel jumpsuits to win the money to pay for mom and dad's anniversary present when stupid jan miscalculated the cost of the engraving.ps. even though my head is a little square,aren't i still totally the cutest brady boy?
mrs. brady: yes, we're singing.
grumpy trucker dude behind the bradys: i do not approve of all this singing.
mr. brady:what is that sound? why, it's people singing!wait... it's the entire brady family singing!why, i think i'll just overcome the personal obstacle ofthis here Collapsed Structure so we can spend a happy holiday together.
bobby: so we're still singing...
bobby: shouldn't he be coming out by now?
alice: i'm a little old for all this singing.
cindy: maybe if i hide behind her, they won't now i've stopped singing.
mrs. brady: KEEP SINGING!
um...
bobby: DUDE.
alice: seriously. too old for this.
phillip: jan's hair smells so good.
jan: i wish i was marsha.
mr. brady: i'll overcome the personal obstacle ofThe Collapsed Structure very slowly so mrs. brady will have ample time to finish the chorus.then we can all spend a happy holiday together.
mrs. brady: it's mike! my singing helped him overcome the personal obstacle ofthe Collapsed Structure so now the entire Brady family can spend a happy holiday together.
bobby: this is the finest emoting i have ever done onscreen.
jan: stupid marsha.
cindy: i am totally going to cross this line.
bobby: i shall continue emoting.
alice: maybe i shouldn't have worn this housecoat?
mr. brady: i have come out of the Collapsed Structure. please stop that singing.
mr. brady: and i'm FREE!now the entire brady family can spend a happy holiday together!
YAAAAAAAAAAAY!
mr. brady: the entire brady family has managed to overcome personal obstacles.let's spend a happy holiday together and try to ignore the fact that i will die of AIDS in four years.