• Karen the bread winner and Dan the fumbling 1/2 man. So, did Deb's money make Dan the evil man he is today? Nathan hated his power - Lucas hated his lack of it.
• I loved seeing the Rivercourt Boys again. Tim as Luke's best friend. What exactly does that mean? In an alternate universe Tim and Nathan would not be friends? Luckily in either world Tim was still a 1/2 wit. Gotta love that boy!
• Keith Scott Motors. OK, so at first I thought they were saying that Keith married Deb, but then remembered the episode where Keith had said it was his dream to open up a dealership on his own. Well, here he got to because Dan did not have the money to beat him to it. I was relieved when I finally figured out Deb and Keith were not married. It worried me a little. I have to say I like evil Keith better than whiney, look-at-me leaving town again, boozie, Keith... speaking of boozie... ha ha ha.
• "Equal Opportunity Instigator"- ah, Whitey, you wise old man. Did you all catch that picture on the wall of Whitey and Dan and the trophy blocking Dan's face. LMAO!
• Is it just me or were the "stunt"/ "stand-ins" in this episode pretty obvious? Lucas had a stunt dunker. Was it because they couldn't lower the basket, or because our little CMM is all growed up and didn't want to hurt an ankle? Hmm. I don't have a problem with a stunt dunker. Just thought it curious that's all.
• In relationship to the above... who was the red headed guy with the goatee driving the mini van when they kidnapped Nathan? I was like, is that Tim's dad? Is that a gaffer? Is that a stunt driver because they were close to mud? Again, I don't have a problem with it, just found it curious.
• Keith and Karen having a torrid affair. Did he really say he would raise Lucas as his own? Well, at 17, it might be a little late for that. RUN KAREN RUN.
• In Nathan's dream of heaven...even there... he wanted nothing to do with naked Brooke. That's our boy!
• Dan visiting Nathan at the RC to offer money to bow out of the game. WAS IT JUST ME OR DID EVERYONE see James cracking up when Dan went all globetrotter?!?! I think that was a bit of James and not so much Nathan. LOL. Like can you see them doing about 50 takes and everytime JLa starts cracking up, you hear, "CUT!" and then he falls to the ground rolling and laughing his ass off. God, MARK, please put that on the season 2 DVD!!! PLEEEAASSEEE!
• Skillz punched Tim. OK, I don't have a lot to comment on... I just like repeating it and replaying the shot in my head... pauses to review... LOL... Skills Punched Tim!!! TOO FUNNY! I liked it.
• Dan in a letterman's jacket. 'nuff said. ROTFLMAO
• Brooke putting together those shredded pieces. I love it. You have no idea. I am so going to buy a shredder and have Ashley find some pages that I don't know about and shred them so I can try to put them together. I am very fascinated by this!
• ...and no, I have not forgotten, merely saved the best for last... Old School Haley! How great were they in every scene together? The cracker jack bracelet scene. Awe. Of course he could not, even in his dreams, imagine that with anyone but them. And Haley's line, "Last time all I got was some tattoo with a random number" HMM. I'm gonna guess "23"
• At the RC when Nathan won and Lucas told him to hurry back... I loved James' acting here. You knew he was coming around.. you know, waking up. Great acting chops! Then when Haley handed him the bracelet and it became the ring. MAN! Powerful stuff.
• "Haley! Haley! Haley!" I was yelling it with you Nathan!
• Lucas called her. I'm glad. Hello, NATHAN... you told Karen about Lucas' not taking the test. Ya know. There are some things you just don't keep from the ones you love.
• Nathan calling Haley and telling her not to come home... this leads me to my overall thoughts:

"Heaven was a place where Dan chose your mom over mine...and Haley was tone deaf." ~ Nathan Scott

So, my best conclusions from this episode would be that while in this dream/coma state Nathan found out some stuff that he needed to about himself. Some of it Uncle Cooper had planted and some of it was always there. He realized the things important to his life and he found a way to deal with them. His mom, his wife, his brother, his dad, and his game.

His mom was obvious. He saw some of what it was like from their (Karen and Deb's) perspectives. I think he looked past his anger at everything and realized he was blaming the wrong people. I'm glad he made up with mom. Of course, as a mom, that scene was very touching. His wife was less obvious. I think he realized that it was ok for Haley to be important in his life, but he didn't have to have just ONE thing important in his life. I can't begin to understand the complications that come with that scenario. I understand that they want to go off and find their dreams so they do not have any regrets... BUT what about the regret they will have if they lose each other? Which is greater and which will be more costly?

His brother in the sense that its his new support team. Someone he can count on. His dad... well, I say his dad is important, but only in the sense that he can see that his dad cannot control him. His game... his dream... his love... his chance at high flyers.

I know that its all muddled and may not make a lot of sense. But if you just grab at the bits that are good then it can help. I mean, I am constantly surprised each week by what occurs. I never know what's going to happen next and I have given up on trying to figure out the inner dealings of the "mastermind." I am relaxed and enjoying the show at a new level and I'm here to say that I'm along for the ride. No matter what happens (Yes... no matter what! REALLY!)

AS FOR THE PREVIEW... I won't go into it. You can see it and deduce for yourself, but D1 and I did figure out that if Nathan moves back in with Dan and Lucas stays and they all live under the same roof... will we get Nathan and Lucas fighting over the bathroom scenes? Will we get Lucas pulling that brotherly prank and *flush* the toilet forcing Nathan to jump out of the shower soaking wet? UDecide Cingular vote of the week... Nathan in a shower... Lucas standing by the toilet... To flush or not to flush, that is the question. Vote A for yes and B for no. I don't know about you all but hell, I might switch from Sprint PCS just to vote for something that possibly could be the hottest tv moment. ::EYEBROWS:: bowm chica bowm bowm!

So, until next time. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the show. Watch Cool Hand Luke in your down time. . . read Generation X by Douglas Coupland. . . download Tyler Hilton's new song, "That's How Love Should Be" at itunes. . . find a new little coffee shop no one knows about yet- trust me, they will have one really great item on their menu that you will develop an addiction for!