Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Signs You’ve Lost Control of Your Life

I realized this weekend that my life has totally lost control. I’m pretty much used to hectic being my new normal but when I glanced at the calendar and realized that next Sunday is the Oscars and, for the first time in I don’t know how long, I have only seen one of the nominated Best Picture candidates, I freaked.

WTF??? How did this happen?

It was then that I knew I had completely lost control of my life. You may laugh and say, “Oh, please. The Oscars?? It’s not like you forgot your kid in the emergency room when you stepped out to get cough syrup at the all night pharmacy and you left your stove on with a pot of soup boiling on it. Now THAT’s losing control of your life.” Sure, not seeing any Oscar nominated movies for 12 months is not a sign the apocalypse is coming but for a movie addict like me it’s a sign that I have not been managing and maximizing my time in the most beneficial way.

Intellectually, I know this last year has been one of the busiest and most challenging of my life but, still, that’s no excuse for not seeing movies! And, yes, I know that I’ve tended to wait longer to see films if I think they’re more DVD material or will be on Netflix soon, and yes the cost of going to movies is crazy, but, like the purchase of tangible books, I will never stop going to movies completely. I WANTED to see The Help. I’m curious to see The Artist. I definitely want to see The Descendants. All I’ve seen is Moneyball. And that was because we got it on demand through our internet services. I didn’t even see it in the theatre. Sigh. It’s like there’s a hole in my life that I won’t be able to fill (at least not in less than a week!)

So in the next five days, I have to fit in three movies. I know, I know, there are nine nominated films but I may be a movie addict I’m not an insane movie addict. All this while hockey playoffs and practices are going on for The Boy, when I have to travel back home this weekend to see my folks, when I have to do things like, oh, buy groceries, do laundry, deal with house reno decisions and try to get at least 3 or 4 hours sleep a night. Let’s not even discuss squeezing in some writing time in there. That’s the second sign I’ve lost control. My writing output has diminished considerably in the last six months. Double sigh.

Maybe I can squeeze in ONE movie. But, really, how will I be able to enjoy Billy Crystal’s jokes if I haven’t seen most of the films?? Triple sigh. At least I can still enjoy the dresses and the acceptance speeches. It just won’t be the same.

How about you? What signs tell you all control has left the building?

4 comments:

  1. I'm glad I'm not the only one... My moment of panic was ten years ago. Since then I have watched the Oscars without the credentials of having watched the movies, and believe me, it's really all right. Give way to a new way, and enjoy the hoopteedoo.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hey, Mirka! I have a feeling this state of panic will hang around for a while.So, yes, I'm going to do my best and take your advice ... just enjoy the show!

    ReplyDelete
  3. So interesting that your moment of realization was not that you had somehow failed in your work, but that you had failed in your pleasure... Sounds like a good wake up call and remedy all in one! One big sign that I'm losing control is when I'm not reading or walking... too bad I don't have something like the Oscars to kick me in the butt, though!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Anne! Yes, That is funny, isn't it? I think it's because I get so few moments of pure, unadulterated selfish pleasure that when I've let one pass me by I know my life has gotten away from me! :)

    ReplyDelete