Passes, Popcorn, and PG-13

Everyone has a secret guilty pleasure. For most people it's things like chocolate, reality TV, or mystery novels. It's something they love. Something they'd never want to give up. Usually it's something slightly embarrassing or revealing that they would NEVER want their closest friends and family to know about. Or maybe it's something that they would ONLY want their closest friends and family to know about. Either way, I bet that now I've got you thinking of yours--laughing to yourself about how embarrassing it is--wondering what certain people would say if they ever found out. Well, I'm gonna tell you mine. Yep, I'm gonna lay it all out there. I'm not afraid. You see, there is no "guilty" in my "guilty pleasure." I love mine soooo much, that I really don't feel guilty at all!

So here it is....

Drumroll please....

It's...

GOING TO THE MOVIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just LOVE it! I love everything about it. I love the rush that comes when you see a good trailer on TV. I love the excitement of waiting for a new movie to finally be released. I love planning when I'll go see it. I love the ticket lines, the waiting, the crowds!

I love the smell of the popcorn. I love the grouchy ticket takers, (I do everything I can to make them smile), and I love the nice ones that greet me as a regular. I love choosing just the right seat. I love the pre-movie trivia, and in some cases, I even love the low-budget adds....

....Then....that exciting moment arrives!!!! The lights dim, the crowd hushes. The cell phones are (by those with appropriate respect for what's about to happen) turned off! Those who have had the privilege of accompanying me to the movies know that this is the moment when I usually lean back in my seat and say, (with big eyes and childlike wonder), "It's time!" The first preview comes up...I'm ready, notebook and pen in hand. (How else can I write down the names and release dates of the next movies I need to see?)

I hardly breathe through the previews. I love them so much. I could sit through two hours of just previews.

Then the movie starts and the magic really begins. I have a certain strong affection for the first five minutes of movies... The scene is set, the music reels you in, and before you know it, you're transported!

People usually ask specifics about what types of movies I like. Well, I don't play favorites. I love a good comedy when I need to laugh. I love a romance when I'm feeling romantical. I love a suspense thriller when I'm in the mood to be suspensed. I love a good drama when I need a good cry. That's the beauty of cinema--there's a movie for every mood. Each has it's own merits. Each has a story to tell.

It's amazing how a good movie can unify a room full of stranger sitting together in the dark. It's amazing how watching a story unfold can make you see the world (and sometimes even other worlds) in a completely different way.

And there you have it. My "not-so-guilty" pleasure...and I know that while reading this you probably are thinking one or more of the following three things..."Doesn't she know she can watch movies at home?" "Couldn't she put her money towards something more worthwhile?" OR just simply "She's weird. I wonder if she knows how weird she is..."

And my answer to all three is simply....

YES!!!!

But it will probably never change, because I love movies, and true love lasts a lifetime!