All posts by Denise

family, friends, relationship thoughts

Wedding… party?

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imageIn continuation of yesterday’s, “I went to the movies” post, what I went to see was the movie Bridesmaids. I really didn’t know much about it except that a lot of people on Twitter feed were going to see it, and that they all had a different opinion about if it was good/bad/ugly.

A big reason I opted to go to the movie (because, seriously, that whole Twitter feed thing happens every weekend, but the movies never even really register with me) is because this is a year of weddings for me and my husband. I am SO GLAD so many of our friends and family have found the loves of their lives… I just want to know why they all found them at the same time! ;)

I am in one wedding, and my husband is in another. As such, a day does not go by that I don’t think about someone’s wedding, and so a title like Bridesmaids just screamed, “SEE ME!” So I did.

It was okay. I summed it up on Facebook as, “Hollywood’s version of a wedding with adult language and junior high humor.” So, as I said, it was okay. I think they tried a little TOO hard to get laughs, and the funniest parts were the ones that I think every woman in the theater could relate to having experienced themselves.

Because, seriously… weddings are serious business. And anything serious business is just RIPE for comedy. Oh, when you’re going through it, you can’t laugh. Noooo… the world really MUST stop because you can’t find the perfect garter to wear under your dress. This. Is. TRAGIC.

Then years later you facepalm yourself and wonder what the big deal really was.

The big deal, though, really is how you get from engagement to wedding without alienating everyone around you… because of those serious-tragedies-that-really-aren’t. And THAT, my dear friends, was the part of the movie that rung the most true.

It is so easy to get wrapped up in everything being perfect that you lose sight of the people around you, and the fact that they are the ones that truly matter. You forget that the world does not stop for your wedding, and that every person you’ve surround yourself with in the wedding planning is still living a day-to-day life that can not be put on hold. Watching that movie, there were moments when reality smacked ME in the face, and I looked back on my own wedding planning with a few regrets at how I handled things.

I’m excited for every one of my friends and family members who are getting married this year. I hope they find as much joy and satisfaction in marriage as I have. I can’t wait to hear those “I dos” and watch the bouquet be tossed (thankful I am no longer out there trying to catch it!). I can’t wait to hug the bride and groom and wish them all the best.

Because whether myself or my husband are in the wedding party, a wedding IS a party. Its a celebration of love and a new life beginning. And its in that moment that all the stress of planning, all the no-tragic-tragedies of planning cease to matter and the hurt feelings fade away. It’s in that moment that its all made worth it.

general-post, motivational

A date with myself

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I did something yesterday I have never done before… I took myself to the movies.

Now, its not that I have an issue with going and doing things on my own. In fact, I’m someone who will rarely actually call a friend to go with me somewhere. I always figure friends have other plans, and why expect someone to go with me to do something I can just as well do myself?

No, it was because I am not a movie-going person. My husband will mention going to the movies, and I usually wrinkle my nose. It’s just SO EXPENSIVE, and do you know how much I can get in done in those two hours? I can probably count on one hand the number of movies I’ve gone to see in the last five years.

However, this weekend, I kept seeing on Twitter people posting about going to the movies. And suddenly… I wanted to go. I wanted to go see a movie. But still, I was on the fence. It just costs so much…

I decided to sleep on it, and yesterday morning I woke up still wanting to go to the movies. It was a very dreary and cold day, so it just seemed to fit. I had some house chores I wanted to get done, though, so I decided that if I got my work done, I would go. So after breakfast, I got to work on the house… and I finished with plenty of time to shower and get to the theater.

I made it to the theater with about 10 minutes to spare before the movie I wanted to see. I walked up, asked for my ticket, and almost walked away when the lady told me how much it was. I kept my cool, but what I wanted to say was, “Seriously!? I can pay that to get into a concert!” or “I can spend that on Broadway and go home with a buzz!” I remembered in that moment why I never go to the movies.

But, like I said, I kept my cool. Got my ticket. Went inside and found the concession lines ridiculously long. I squinted up at the prices and decided I most definitely did not need anything. For a bottle of water, I could almost get dinner out after!

I grabbed a seat in the theater and for once actually stuck my phone down in my purse and ignored it for two hours straight. I laughed at the movie and completely lost track of anything else.

The movie? Not worth the price of admission. It was funny! It wasn’t BAD. It just wasn’t great. I am glad I went to see it, but I am not going to be wanting to rent it or anything later. Saw it once and that was enough. However, the experience of just letting go and getting lost in the crazy world of the movie? Yeah, that was worth the money. Getting out of the house and enjoying myself? Worth it.

I left the theater, and I was HUNGRY. I went to a little Mexican cantina for supper, and when the woman behind the counter asked me how I was, I replied, “Great! I am taking myself out on a date!”

After a delicious meal, I headed home. I just felt so good about myself for going and doing what I did. It really is okay to spoil yourself sometimes.  Movies are still expensive, so maybe next time I’ll take myself to a bookstore or something. But, hey, I’m glad I went, and ultimately… that’s what matters most.