I was thinking it was interesting that there was that ep where they discovered the boys' mother had been a composer and gave that up to have kids. On the one hand it was great because it showed that adulthood is always about giving things up when you choose something else. But I couldn't help but notice that Mom's sacrifice was in no way sad or tragic the way of course it is if you choose work over children. Or even just have work and no children, since it's not like either Larry or Charlie particularly rejects the idea of family. They both seem to want it. It just hasn't happened so far.

Sometimes I think these characters' thoughtfulness gets used against them in an odd way. Larry, for instance, lives a very examined life. He knows himself well. If there's something he regrets he's aware of it and can say it. Most people just aren't so aware, can't respond to someone's questions with "Oh yes, I've thought about that..." And because of that it's as if they're so much more lacking in things than other people, when that's just not really true. So it's like you're allowed to just accept the idea that the people doing brilliant work regret not having the life of other people, but the people living normal life can't be said to regret not having their lives. Yet both things are common desires for people to have.