My First Movie

I've been retracing a lot of steps I've taken throughout my life and reliving some of the joys. I need to remember the joys instead of the pain Life has delivered, so I've been reminiscing.

My mom will tell you that one of the first movies I saw in the theater made me cry. Well, let's be real here. The woman took me to see Bambi! Even the daughter of a hunter is going to shed a tear at that one. Hell, if I'm being honest with you, I still do! I own Bambi and Bambi II on DVD and when I'm feeling nostalgic, I will pull them out to watch.

Funny enough, I don't remember that event, but I do remember another. My grandma took us grandkids to see For the Love of Benji. If you remember Benji, you know he was this tough little dog who had some great adventures. 

I was a little girl, all dressed up with ribbons and bows. My grandma made the grandsons sit closer to her because, well, they were a bit more rowdy than I. There were two teenage girls sitting beside me. We were sitting in the small theater in my hometown and I was so excited to be at the movies! It was a big deal for me! The movie is playing and all is going well. Grandma had hushed the boys for probably the millionth time. Then, Benji gets hurt! OMG! It devastated my world! How could that happen? And I, once again, burst into tears! 

Looking back, I feel so bad for those girls sitting beside me that day. They simply wanted to see a movie and they get stuck next to a little girl whose heart broke over an animal getting hurt on the screen. The one girl put her arm around me and comforted the sobbing mess that was me. "Look," she said, "see? Benji is going to be fine!" The little dog had gotten up and was alive! 

I made it through the rest of the movie just fine. The boys, of course, had to tease me. Grandma said "It was only a movie! What were you crying for?" (She was always a bit more baffled by me. She loved having a granddaughter, but my sensitivity was a bit much for her at times.) We went across the street to Circus Circus (which is now a parking lot) for ice cream afterward.

Let me tell you something: An animal gets hurt in a book or on the screen? Even at my age, I still cry! I've always had a soft heart when it comes to animals and I'm fairly sure I always will. (I watched I Am Legend and refuse to watch it again!)

Tomorrow it will be 18 years since my grandma left this earthly realm and I miss her each and every day. However, I remember so many times I got to spend with her, doing fun and amazing things. This is just one!

Tell me: What was the first movie you remember seeing? 

Judge Not Lest Ye Be Judged

intelligence

Pronunciation: /inˈteləjəns/

The ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills

If there is one thing I hate above all others, it is when people make the assumption that I am stupid or uneducated based on what they assume I read, watch, and/or listen to. Let me explain a little bit about me:

I am an author of paranormal romance. I have been working on a BDSM series. I also have written contemporary romance.
I love to read romance. It is one of my favorite genres. It doesn't mean that is ALL I read. I enjoy lots of different genres: horror, sci fi, non-fiction, chick lit, urban fantasy and LITERATURE. I have read every James Herriott book ever written. I own hardcover copies of The Tale of Two Cities, Great Expectations, The Portrait of Dorian Grey, Portrait of a Woman, Don Quixote, Tom Sawyer, Peter Pan...you get the idea. And I've read them all.

I am, basically, a music junkie. I listen to everything from classical to rock. Beethoven, Mozart, nature sounds, Celtic Thunder, Pink, Josh Groban, Merle Haggard, George Strait, Luke Bryan, Rhianna, Enrique Iglesias, Tanya Tucker, and the list goes on. I grew up listening to country music and it is the music I listen to most often. It is comfort food for my soul. Doesn't mean I'm some dumb hick. Just means I'm comfortable there.

As for the movies/tv shows I watch, I seldom have time to sit and watch anything. When I do, I turn to the shows and movies that feed me in an emotional or mental capacity. I've been on a Netflix kick for the last month. I've watched shows that make me laugh. The world is such a dark place these days so I go to my list and find things to watch that make me smile. I had a The Ranch marathon (Sam Elliott, Ashton Kutcher, Danny Masterson) and laughed out loud. I fell in love with Grace and Frankie (Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin) and I'm working on The Gilmore Girls because I LOVE this show. The mother/daughter dynamic hits every emotional chord a person has...especially if that person is a daughter. I have watched every single episode, but I can watch it over and over again.

You see, I'm not a person who believes in wasting my time. I know what I like, how I like it, and when I like it. I don't do something because everyone else does it nor do I listen to the critics. If I did, I would never discover new bands, new authors, or new shows. But I don't believe the world or social media should dictate the things I allow myself to enjoy.

Here's the reason for this rant:
I have someone who believes it is okay to put me down simply because of the things listed above. I've been told I limit myself because I won't "explore" what this person thinks I should. I don't have unlimited hours in my day to lay around and watch television or read books that don't interest me. Like I said, I don 't believe in wasting my time. My time is a very precious commodity these days. I spend it doing things I love with the people I love. This doesn't mean that I'm unintelligent because of my likes or dislikes. I think I'm incredibly intelligent, but I don't feel the need to reiterate it on a daily basis. I have wisdom and knowledge. I study up on the things that have a direct impact on my world or those who reside in my world. I don't believe I need to use million dollar words to impress upon people the level of my intelligence. I have made some very poor decisions in the last couple of years because I listened to people who didn't have my best interest at heart. But I'm also a big believer that this doesn't mean I have failed. It simply means I've learned from that experience. I've started listening to my heart and following it where I need to go. Here is where the old adage of "People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones" comes into play. If you have never made a mistake, that is awesome. However:

There are so many varying degrees of intelligence and no one has the right to make you feel inferior. We all know things that others don't. Some of the most intelligent people I know never graduated high school or went to college. And some of the most unintelligent people stand in front of a classroom of students who are hungry to learn, but cannot instill knowledge.

So, do you wanna share? Tell me about the lessons Life has taught you because you truly only fail if you never try. Show me I'm not alone here!