Last night I posted The Long Goodbye: Flashpoint to End After Season Five. I spent the majority of the evening online via Facebook and twitter. I spent the majority of the day coming to terms with the news.

To those who say, “It’s just a television show,” I say this: You’ve obviously never really watched it. Not really. Because if you had, if you had joined us on Facebook or twitter, you would know.

It’s not just a show. It’s not just an online community. It’s a family.

It’s a part of my family. And I’m a part of them.

FLASHPOINT has been so much to me. I’ve never missed an episode. Never. Through the FLASHPOINT Team One Facebook community, I’ve found more of myself than I knew I had. I’ve made friends who have encouraged me to break out of my shell and get over my fear of the unknown.

If you search “Flashpoint” on my blog, there’s a plethora of posts ranging from casual mentions to in-depth articles.

The FPTO community has supported me as I pursue my dreams of writing, commenting on my blog and sharing my posts when it caught their attentions.

I’ll not forget Angelo’s comments last summer when I said I had to write. A few well-meaning commentators suggested I look for a “real” job. Angelo wrote,

You don’t write because you want recognition. You don’t write because it seems like fun. You don’t write because you want to.
You write because you have to.
If that’s what Molly Jo feels then that’s what Molly Jo should do. In fact, based on her comments, I doubt she could prevent herself.

Little did he know I’d save this comment and it would (and still does!) continue to inspire me during moments of self-doubt.

I have an autographed poster that now means more than ever. An SRU ornament from Kate. An abundance of saved comments and emails and tweets from so many.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FLASHPOINT is more than a show that takes my breath away. It’s been the promise of success. As a fan, a word from a producer or writer is amazing. As a writer, it’s currency.

Best. Email. Evvver.

Mary, affectionately known as Sarge, has always been my Go-To Gal for, well, just about anything. She really knows how to Keep The Peace when it’s needed (which, thankfully, isn’t that often!).

I want to be a writer. And FLASHPOINT has been with me through my attempts and trials. The show has inspired me. The community has supported me. I know they’re separate issues, but somehow, it doesn’t seem like it. It seems like, as long as there’s FLASHPOINT in the world, everything’s okay.

How many of us at FPTO have had actual dreams of Team One rescuing us from bank robbers or traffic accidents? How many of us have secret code words with each other because of ridiculously silly conversations? How will Kate and I ever think of TOAST the same way again? [Yes, that’s a code word, no I won’t share the meaning, but no, it’s nothing bad. Just inspirational. And yummy.]

I really thought if I tried hard enough, if I proved myself with my writing, I could draft a Spec Script for FLASHPOINT producers to look at, maybe even end up writing an episode or two for them.

I’ve talked about moving to Toronto and I’ve been serious about it! If you don’t know me too well, you don’t know how big a deal that is: I don’t like change! To think of moving to another country just to be a writer for a TV show… well, if they’d had me, I would have. No questions asked.

I get that the community will still be there. I’ll still buy jewelry from Kate’s online store. I’ll still tweet with Angelo, Kelley, and everyone else. I’ll follow the producers and writers however I can online. I’ll watch whatever shows the actors do next.

But it won’t be the same. We won’t all be together again like this, not ever.

And that makes me sad. And it makes me cry.

So you know what? If that makes me silly in your eyes, I don’t care. Because it’s late. Because I’m tired. And because I’ve been dealing with this family break-up for quite a few hours now.

And FPTO’s usually the Team that makes it all better. For all of us. But now Mom and Dad are retiring and moving elsewhere. And us kids gotta grow up and fend for ourselves.

That’s just a little scary.

But we can do it. Because even from a distance… we’re still family.

And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!

[FPTO photo courtesy of Angelo at FPTO on Facebook.]
For other posts on FLASHPOINT, read
Hello/Goodbye: How Flashpoint Keeps Hitting the Mark [August 5, 2011]
Do You Know FPTO? [November 6, 2011]
The Long Goodbye: Flashpoint to End After Season Five [May 1, 2012]

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What's the Word? Wednesday: May 2, 2012
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