I'm writing today from a Starbucks in Vestavia, Alabama (I say a Starbucks because Vestavia, Alabama--like every municipality in the United States--has several). We're spending Christmas with Sarah's parents, and their Internet connection stopped working last night. So I'm in a Starbucks. Macy Gray is playing. The best thing I can say about this experience is that I am reminded of my friend Hassan, who did most of the Arabic translation in An Abundance of Katherines and who also does an amazingly fantastic Macy Gray impersonation.

I was largely heartened by the responses to my post about The Office. Most sparksflyup readers agreed with me about Team Pam being The Only Team For People Who Aren't Jerks. The only support voiced for Team Karen came from Rob. (His comment can be read here.) I don't personally know Rob, but he seems nice, and he writes a cool blog about tech-stuff. All available evidence indicates that Rob is probably not a Jerk. So he must just be confused. And I think we need to change his mind. That's the only way to change the world, after all: One Office viewer at a time.

So okay, Rob, I hope you're listening (because otherwise we'll have to track down your email address): You argue that Pam "had her chance." That, in fact, Pam had two chances. HOWEVER: What you fail to recall is that Pam was, at the time, engaged to be married. And that is a very serious commitment. Well, unless you are my former fiancee. But anyway, it should be a serious commitment. And because Pam is a good person, and a loyal person, she took her commitments seriously. This put her in an awful position, and finally--after an appropriately long period of discernment--she had to break the engagement.

Now, generally, I don't think very highly of people who break engagements--it's part of my general bias against Dumpers. In this case, however, I think it's forgivable--precisely for the reason you seem to have abandoned Team Pam. I root for Pam precisely because she passed up her initial chances with Jim. She passed them up because she is a nice and caring person who wanted to find a way to honor her promises but finally could not resolve her commitments with her desires. Jim should understand this; he should see it as a good sign. When Jim and Pam get married (FINGERS CROSSED!) one day, Jim will be grateful to have a life partner who has shown her faith in commitment.

Those of you also on Team Pam, please leave your reasons that Rob should convert in comments.