tonight's State of the Union horrified me.

I am horrified.

I got home from work and flicked on the television to catch the State of the Union Address…already in progress. The camera had cut to the audience, focusing on General Peter Pace applauding his (and our) Commander in Chief.

Now I don’t want to get into a blogging debate on the pros and cons of the war…or any Republican – Democrat – Independent – Green discussion whatsoever. I know what I believe. I know what I care about. And while I sorta care what you think…I’m not dying to chat you up about it. If you go there….I will ignore you and quite possibly delete you.

I was a bit surprised to realize that until that moment, I had no idea who our Chairman of the Joint Chiefs is. What truly horrifies me is what I do know instead.

I know who General Percy “Fitz” Fitzwallace is. Yep. He’s the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs on West Wing. (what’s wrong with THIS picture) I know that the Chief of Staff is Leo McGarry and that his deputy is Josh Lyman. I know (and am strangely attracted to) Toby Ziegler, Communications Director. Isn’t he a great writer? (rolling my eyes) I know the Press Secretary CJ Cregg succeeded Leo and I know that her real name is Claudia Jean. Sigh.

Leo. I know him so well…we’re on a first name basis. When Leo had his heart attack and was left alone overnight in the cold, dark forest…I was almost as sad as when John Spenser had a heart attack and died in real life. The difference was the Leo was pretend and Mr Spenser was the actor whose talent made Leo beloved. Damn.

I am horrified that I know a whole lot more about the personal lives of Sam, Mandy, Donna, Ainsley, Zoey, Joey, Danny, and Amy than I do about most of my coworkers with whom I spend hours….just about every day of the week. Not to mention Mrs Lanningham. I am sad I never got to meet Charlie’s sister. See…this really IS horrifying.

It is truly horrible that I do not know who the Chief of Staff…or their deputy…is. Do we really have a Communications Director in the White House? I might be able to pick out the Press Secretary in a lineup, but I have absolutely no idea what his name is. Sheesh.

Ya’ know…I’m a bit smarter than the average bear. I know what’s going on in the world…and why. I am well read, and reasonably well informed on issues foreign and domestic. I have an educated opinion. I vote my consciousness and what I know is right for me and mine.

How is it that I know more about a former television show’s fictitious depiction of the inhabitants of the West Wing…than I do about the real life players? I am horrified.

I gotta go Google now.

By the way, I like Laura way more than Abby…and I actually had Martin arrested once.