Everything I Need to Know I Learned From Bones.

So I recently got hooked on the show “Bones.”  By “hooked,” I kind of mean something near “obsessed,” but I digress.  As with any good TV show, Bones can teach us all sorts of lessons.  Here’s what I’ve come up with:

Bones & Co. via 2012 Fox Broadcasting Company

     Evolution, my friends, as in nothing is constant.  Don’t fight it, you’ve got to just accept it and go with the flow.  And Whether you go along with it or not, the world will change.  Such is life.

     Structure and logic have their place.  But so do spontaneity and fun.  Just look at Brennan’s friendship with Angela.

     Dr. Brennan may refute me on this [the whole quantitative vs. qualitative thing, anyway], but just look at the people she’s surrounded by.  Few people really understand her, but the ones that do [especially Angela and Booth] really understand her.  That sort of quality of relationship is invaluable.

     Can I just say, one of my favorite things while watching Bones is seeing Brennan figure out what Booth needs emotionally?  Favorite.  Rather than something to be looked down on, emotions are valuable tools.  We have them for a reason, you know.

     Along the same lines as emotions, gut feelings are legitimate, too.

     Just look at the people in Dr. Brennan’s life.  Her parents up and left, and her father is a hardened criminal.  But that doesn’t mean that love isn’t there.  And Bones is an empiricist, so her signs of endearment surely look different than the average person’s.  Moral of the story?  Just because it doesn’t look like you expect it to, doesn’t mean it’s any less valuable.  Love is love.  Accept it, give it.  Love it.

     Or the daughter of a “mama-bear” type.  Or the daughter of a man who owns a gun.  Or a knife.  Or any sort of weapon.  Just be very careful when dating anyone’s daughter.

     Just like it might take examining the bones to find the cause of death, sometimes you’ve got to do a little digging to figure out the necessary things about people.

     Yes, this one seems contradictory.  But in general, jumping to conclusions is not a good plan.  Assuming things and concluding based on those assumptions rarely has more benefits than waiting for real answers.  However, remember those acceptable gut feelings?  If your gut tells you to jump fast to a conclusion, it might be okay to do so.  Gray area.  That’s life.

     Self-explanitory.

     Stick it to the man, right?  A “Cocky” belt buckle and striped socks may be all you can muster.  Or maybe you’ll go out and wear statement clothing and tattoo everything you can.  [Okay, the latter really wouldn't be a quiet form of rebellion, but it's not exactly blatantly loud rebellion, either.]  The point here is this: individuality is golden.  Don’t let your voice get stamped out because you’re afraid of the authority.  DISCLAIMER: I am not telling you to do something rash or dangerous.  Emphasis should be placed on “quiet.”

12. Advice for “budding authors”: “Well, the first thing you should have is an idea and then… Well, first you need something to write with. They… they know that. Well, obviously you need a writing instrument and you need an idea. I’m just not sure which should come first.”

     Basic scientific premise here.  Don’t believe everything you’re told. Sometimes, you’ll have to do your own testing.  But without such things, you’ll believe anything, and if you believe anything, soon enough, you’ll be trying to believe everything, and you’ll fall for anything.  Test your hypotheses!

     Like love, family comes in all different shapes and sizes.  None is any better than any other.  Love is love, family is family.  Family is love, and that’s what matters.

     Fact.  Ipso Facto Colombo Oreo.