Tears of Glee

Tonight's episode of 'Glee' brought me to tears.  I already am so endeared to the character of Finn, and he made some big steps in the right direction at his mom's wedding to Kurt's dad.  I love the character of Kurt, as well, so the entire scene had me balled up on the couch with tears streaming down my face.  And with AJ laughing at me (even though he was also all emotional about it), it just added to the whole situation.  And then, as the episode ended, I couldn't help but be even more upset at Kurt's decision to transfer schools.  And with the next episode being sectionals, how will it all get resolved so that they aren't Glee rivals?  Ugh!  I am so stressed about all of it!

Okay, so upon rereading this last paragraph, I'm wondering if I should seek additional help.  I clearly get way too attached to fictional characters in books, movies and TV shows.  This can't be normal.  I once cried for 20 minutes in my seat after seeing 'Miss Saigon' on Broadway.  Twenty minutes!  My friends were all sitting there wondering what to do with me.  Or the time that Yas, Marci and I saw 'Time Traveler's Wife' in the theaters, and the usher had to kick us out so that they could turn the theater over for the next showing.  We were sitting there in tears with the book in hand recapping our favorite moments.  I know a lot of people cry, but I'm telling you, my level of being impacted is different.  I become a mess.  Don't even get me started about what happened after seeing 'Life is Beautiful.'  Tragic.  The movie and my reaction.

Nap Time

Tonight is the premiere of part 1 of the final Harry Potter saga!  I am so, so excited.  These books have been such a source of fun and adventure for my imagination.  And even a source of support during some pretty tough times.  Seeing the movies come to life has been great!  There are ten of us geared up to go, and I even have my Gryffindor scarf ready.  And while AJ still has 300 pages to read before we hit the theater, I am in need of a nap if I am going to make it to a midnight showing.  So I'm curling up on the couch and getting ready for sweet dreams that'll leave me rested and ready for a magical adventure!

Epiphany

I just had one of those moments of clarity when you realize how a piece of your past has informed your present.  Like many of us, I grew up watching movies and television shows that have set me up for unrealistic expectations.  And these expectations can almost always be summarized by this:

Boy meets girl.  Boy and girl have deep connection, usually sharing a love for laughter, intelligence, wit...but is always complicated by other relationships, tense arguing and life hurdles.  They endure hurdles and find their way through life and identity exploration, but usually in the end, they find each other.  I didn't watch movies about princesses or teen pop idols making their movie debuts.  There was less cutesy moral undertones, and usually deeper, darker self-exploration.  It wasn't about making the world a better place; it was about figuring out what your own purpose was in the world and struggling to get there.  It was very Gen X.

So, as I curled up on the couch and watched "Reality Bites," one of my favorite films from my high school and college days, I couldn't help but have this "AHA!" moment because I was just as drawn to the intelligent, handsome, creative and beautifully flawed Troy Dyer today as I was when I was 16.  And I couldn't help but wonder why he wasn't standing at the bottom of my staircase coming to find me every time I leave my apartment.

So I can't help but sit here and wonder if Troy Dyer is one of the reasons I am still single.  Has he ruined it for me?  Is Troy Dyer my Prince Charming?

(500) Days of Summer

What a movie. Amazing and terrible, all at the same time. Just the kind of movie that pulls me in and breaks my heart. And through all of that, I'm left with a message peaking through my heartache. You can have an amazing love story with someone, but that doesn't make them your only love story. There's room for more than one in your life. I know that should give me hope, but right now I'm still sitting with the ache.

The Need for Speed

I had forgotten how good a move "Top Gun" is. Seriously good! I'm not just talking about the hot guys flying fast jets or the semi-forbidden love story. No...I'm talking about the story of friendship, the ghosts of parents' acceptance and the challenge of being your own worst enemy. There are so many layers...like an onion! And also like an onion, I can't help but tearing up in the movie's presence. I am so thankful that TBS brought this movie back into the forefront of my memory because I had almost lost that lovin' feeling.

Wolves and vampires and pouting...Oh My!

Tonight, I saw the second Twilight movie. And though it was not an academy award winning film, it was still quite enjoyable. Let's be honest, if you go to a Twilight film expecting much more than a mindless cinematic adventure, then you have set yourself up for disappointment before you've even step foot in the theatre. But if you fully allow yourself to become immersed in a world of vampires and werewolves and cheesy romance, then you can set down a path to an enjoyable movie-going experience.

Now, don't get me wrong. There are definitely some matters of discontent for me about these movies. But mainly this is stemmed in my leftover bitterness at not having a teenage experience that included hot guys fawning over me despite my angst and whiney nature. Seriously?! What is so appealing about Bella Swan? I work with students like her everyday, and I find her apparent innate lovability the least realistic part of these stories (and mind you, she's surrounded by vampires and wolves!)

Alas, regardless of how likable I find this character, I am glad that her fictional existence provides me with the opportunity to retreat into teenage fantasy land where I can wish that I could be 17 and dealing with such a torrid love life. Instead, I'll remain 31 and dealing with a non-existent love life. And I might also pick up the Twilight books and do some rereading to pass the time until my vampire arrives.