Hooked

I just watched episode 16 – season 5 of “How I Met Your Mother” entitled “Hooked” and it became one of my favourite episodes. In the story, a beautiful young woman named Tiffany “hooks” Ted (keeping Ted in reserve as backup while she pursues her own dream boyfriend), the gang discusses their own experiences both as the one who “hooks” and the one on the hook.

Who hooks – a person who keeps someone in reserve, stringing someone, usually says, “I can’t be with you, right now”

On the hook – a person who is being hooked, the person who is hoping for that “someday it will work” thing

As Lily puts it, we have all been in someone’s hook and we have kept someone on our hooks. It is true, maybe not for everyone, but most of us probably did.

Now, I understand more clearly, being on the hook is not knowing when to give up or not knowing when to talk about it or not knowing what the real score is – but you still hope it will get better. The stubborn phrases that can keep you hooked are  -”I’m happy being with you”, “be patient”, “you’re my secret” and the classic, “not right now”. I’ve had my share of On The Hooks, and it’s very frustrating and depressing. It makes me look at myself as a puny human being who cannot make any headway to what seems an improbable cause in the first place. On the other hand, I made a couple of Hooks too in my life, just like in the ending of the story; Ted found out that Tiffany was also on the hook with his so-called boyfriend. It is a chain of hooks, and it’s a vicious cycle.

Therefore, I vow to be more insightful whether I am hooking or on the hook. Thinking seriously, I think I am in the “hooking cycle” right now – and I am getting out.

Thanks to Craig Thomas and Carter Bays for creating such a good show.

Watch the episode here free. –> http://www.zshare.net/video/73198151207755ee/