How I Spent Independence Day 2005

Well, I didn't do a whole lot this weekend. I kept thinking, "What do I have planned for the 4th? What am I going to do? Any cookouts or pool parties?" I don't really know why I felt the need to be doing something really social. I guess I must not have really cared, though, because I didn't do much to find out if any of these kinds of activities were actually going on. Instead, I decided to watch a bunch of old movies, starting with the 90's and working my way back. So here's what I watched: "Notting Hill," "Sleepless in Seattle," "The Philadelphia Story," and "The Strawberry Blonde." It was quite fun. Two I watched by myself, and the other two with my parents. We had popcorn and chips and IBC. After "The Strawberry Blonde," my mom taught me how to waltz?!?! It was so much fun, though. I LOVE my parents!

The key message I want to get across here -- besides spending quality time with parents -- is to watch old black and white movies. They're great! "The Philadelphia Story" was made in 1938, and "The Strawberry Blonde" came out in 1941. After seeing "Batman Begins" on Friday, I just felt like the plots of old movies are so much more . . . real? Complex? Interesting? Hmmmm, what? The plots aren't too ambitious or so intricate that you find unintended problems. They're complex on an emotional level, not on a special effects one. What I mean is that it's nice to not be able to see EVERYTHING in a movie; that way, the director/producers have to rely on the actual story. It's a refreshing change from a lot of movies today. I'm not saying that all contemporary movies stink now; there are a lot of really great stories on film right now. I guess I just want to say, "Hey, watch some old movies once in a while! They're good!" And after you do, maybe your mom will teach you how to waltz and talk about how traditional dance is a lost art.