Sometimes I Write

The Old Town Warren Theater puts a new spin on dinner and a movie. They have big, cushy seats, stadium seating (pretty standard these days), and LOTS of leg room, BUT…they also have real food. Not just popcorn here unless that’s your thing – it’s not mine. The ticket taking usher hands you a menu as you walk in. The menu includes sandwiches, pizza, burgers and fries, salads, and appetizers, and plenty of drink choices. You push a button on your arm rest and a server comes to take your order. When it’s ready, they bring it to you on a tray that is designed to fit into your cup holder. If you need a drink refill or anything else, you push the button and your server appears again. About 30 minutes before the end of the movie, the server comes with your bill and you pay them from your seat. This part is slightly annoying because you don’t want to miss anything on the screen, and it’s hard to figure out your tip with the server squatting in front of you waiting. For those of you who want to actually talk during your dinner, this may not be the best date for you. For those of us with limited time out because we’re paying a sitter AND paying for our date, it’s a fun way to kill two birds with one stone. (I’ve always hated that saying, ugh!)

We saw “Hitch”. The #1 romantic comedy at the box office right now. Everyone else was there to see it too! My personal space is important, so once again I was thankful for big seats and wide ailes for leg room. It was a good movie… pretty funny. We are big Will Smith fans and Kevin James cracks us up. Benny loves The King of Queens.

This movie got me thinking about relationships and all of the head games people play. That’s so annoying to me. I remember watching Oprah once and seeing these ladies who wrote a book about the rules of dating. I thought they were ridiculous – them and their rules. I don’t get all of the games people play. Is it the chase that’s the most exciting, or the reward of an actual relationship? It depends on who you ask. I have several single friends and none of them are enjoying the dating game. I don’t miss it. Oh sure, I miss the primping and excitement of it all, like the wondering of what that first kiss will be like, and the tingle you get when the other person’s hand brushes against you accidentally. What I don’t miss is the nervous butterflies in my stomach, and the Oh God, please don’t let me make a fool out of myself part. I don’t miss the tears after a bad break up, and lonely nights writing sappy poetry that the world will never read. Does he like me? Does he think I’m a dork? Does he think of me at all? Or, there’s the flip side. I wish he’d leave me alone, did I send out a signal that told this guy that I was interested? Should I use the line, “I’m dating someone back home”? What is it that makes courage disappear? Why can’t you just say, “you’re a nice guy but I’m not interested in dating you”…no dumb lines like “let’s just be friends”…just the truth. College dating isn’t so different than dating as an adult. I was engaged at 19 and married at 20, so I only speak from what I hear from my single/dating friends. From what I can tell, the games are the same. You can go from being an interesting and intelligent adult to feeling like a zit covered, puberty voice changing, blabbering idiot in a matter of seconds. Please don’t think I believe that everyone on the planet should be married, but I think all of my single friends wish they were, or hope to be. If only they were all born in the same decade and lived in the same state…hmmm…am I being a meddling Yenta? I think Joshua Harris was onto something when he kissed dating goodbye. Maybe courting is the answer. Dating without the head games sounds grand! Am I sounding cynical or what???

Want to check out a bit of a twisted love story? Watch The Village. I love the scene where Lucius and Ivy are sitting on the porch and she’s once again talking for him. She says to him, “Why can’t you share what’s in your heart?” and he replies, “Why do you have to share everything that’s in yours?” His speech that follows is great! That movie is not what the previews made it out to be at all!

On Mike Cope’s blog today he asked for everyone’s best romantic songs. Here’s my pick. The year was 1997… It was our 4th year of marriage, and the first 3 had been pretty rocky! This song was released and I think I wore out a CD player playing it! That year was a turning point for us. Benny and I vowed to make things work and in May we’ll celebrate our 12th anniversary! 🙂
Clint Black wrote this song for his wife, Lisa Hartman Black.

Something That We Do
By Clint Black

I remember well the day we wed, I can see that picture in my head.
I still believe the words we said forever will ring true.
Love is certain, love is kind, love is yours, and love is mine,
but it isn’t something that we find, it’s something that we do.

It’s holding tight and letting go, it’s flying high and laying low,
let your strongest feelings show and your weakness too.
It’s a little and alot to ask, an endless end, a welcome task
love isn’t something that we have, it’s something that we do.

We help to make each other all that we can be,
though we can find our strength and inspiration independently.
The way we work together is what sets our love apart,
so closely that we can’t tell where I end and where you start.

It gives me heart remembering how we started with a simple vow,
there’s so much to look back on now, still it feels brand new.
We’re on a road that has no end and each day we begin again,
love’s not just something that we’re in, it’s something that we do.

We help to make each other all that we can be,
we can find our strength and inspiration independently.
The way we work together is what sets our love apart,
so closely that we can’t tell where I end and where you start.

Love is wide, love is long, love is deep and love is strong.
Love is why I love this song, I hope you love it too.
I remember well the day we wed, I can see that picture in my head
Love isn’t just those words we said, it’s something that we do.

There’s no request too big or small, we give ourselves, we give our
all, love isn’t some place that we fall, it’s something that we do.