Out of Respect for Boston

Twitter has taught me a lot of things in the almost three years that I've had an account:

I like to fangirl about my favorite shows and books. And to fangirl with other people.

There are some extremely generous people in this world.

There are some people with political or religious agendas, who beat up on anyone who holds a view different than their own.

There are people wanting to make a difference, save the planet, offer assistance.

There are hilarious comedians in this world.

Some people don't know when to shut up.

A lot of celebrities are just real people like us.

I can know about an earthquake within minutes of it happening anywhere around the world.

And I heard about the Boston Marathon bombings within minutes as well.

It was then that Twitter truly impressed me. I saw hundreds of tweets, many from the Boston PD informing people to stay away from the Boston Marathon finish line, to take shelter. The hashtag #prayforboston was trending worldwide almost immediately. Cell phone calls were down and I saw multiple people tweeting that they were alive & safe, as well as where to find them in the aftermath. Many people sent out their regards and their prayers to those affected.

And today, the FBI released photos and video of the suspected bombers, with those photographs quickly making the rounds on Twitter. Social media has done amazing things in the last few days, and hopefully it will help to find those responsible.

I cannot pretend to understand the horror that the Boston people have had to witness this week. I don't have family in that area, but I do have friends there--at school and running the actual marathon. I'm grateful to know they are all safe, and as many others, my thoughts are with the people of Boston and all those affected.

And....in connection to my favorite show of all time, Castle, ABC Network announced last night that they are moving the episode previously scheduled to air this coming Monday a week later and swapping in the episode meant to air next week.

The episode they have moved is a pivotal one for the series. **SPOILER** It's the episode in which we may finally hear Kate say the three little words to Rick. The episode involves Kate accidently stepping on a pressure sensitive bomb with Rick distracting her by arguing with her about who fell for whom first. Because of its story line, I understand and appreciate why ABC decided to move it a week. However, because of its tight finale and premiere schedules, ABC could not push back the finale date and keep the episodes in order...which causes a predicament that sent some fans on Twitter into a tizzy. 

Castle star Stana Katic (Kate Beckett) tweeted the announcement last night, telling fans that the story line will be a bit off. Most fans were very, very considerate and understanding of the fact that ABC's choice was out of respect for the people of Boston. But what I didn't appreciate from some fans was the annoyed comments, especially of those living outside the US, with the fact that ABC "ruined" the timeline. It sometimes amazes me how little respect there is for others among common people. To some people on Twitter, the bombings meant nothing, they just worried about their TV show. It's really quite sad. At the very least, fans should respect the fact that ABC and their favorite TV show are respecting the feelings of all those affected by the bombings in Boston. At this point, sensitivity trumps story line and order. As long as you know in your mind that it is backwards and that the DVD set will be in the correct order, nothing else matters in the television entertainment world.

What matters is the thoughts and feelings of those affected in Boston and being sensitive to those feelings.

And may we continue to send our prayers and our help to the people of Boston (and now to the people of Waco, Texas as well). Keep retweeting and spreading the word and photos of suspects in hopes of finding someone who knows anything at all.

Hopefully tomorrow brings a better day.