Love, Actually

This post has absolutely nothing to do with running or cycling or anything even remotely fitness related.  Consider yourself warned.


I've never been what you would call, schmoopy.  Not about love.  No judgies, I just didn't have that in my life.  Schmoopiness that is.  Valentines, anniversaries would come and go, passing as if any other day.  All those times in your life where romance was deemed necessary, just, nothing. And I rolled with it. As you can imagine, I was not really a Love Story kind of movie goer.  Truth be told, I'm not much of a movie goer at all. But given a choice, I'll always pick a documentary* at the Angelika over a blockbuster hit in a huge theater. (or at the Alamo Draft House coming soon to Dallas - quel excitement!)  Love stories?  Not my scene.  Let's just say war movies are much higher on my list.  And I'm not easily moved to tears over some on screen affair.  Now, Iwo Jima, yes.  Anyway.


Last summer a friend suggested I watch Love Actually.  Actually, I'd never heard of it much less seen it.  (I KNOW) But this advice was coming from a dude, so I thought maybe it would Actually be bearable. Like High Fidelity.  You know, a man's "love story."  


So I queued it up on Netflix and watched. And was in tears before the opening credits finished rolling. No joke.  I loved every single minute of it. "It's brilliant; it even writes on glass."  So much so, that as soon as it ended, I watched it again.  Who WAS this weepy Pink Girl?  Crying over, a, a LOVE STORY.  It was like the scene in How the Grinch Stole Christmas. You know, towards the end, when the Grinch hears the Whos singing, hand in hand, and his heart grows three sizes?  Welp, my shriveled little heart grew three sizes right then and there watching that film. It gavel me the courage to say, "Let's go get the sh!t kicked out of us by love!"  

(Photo is actually a screenshot from my iPad)

 It was a defining moment in my adult life - TPG learned to love a love story! Everybody say "awww" and breath a collective sigh of relief.  She's human after all!


And since that day last July, I've watched that film many times over and changed the way I view schmoopiness.  Instead of rolling my eyes, I'll smile and think of the happiness that schmoopiness brings to others.  Growing, this Pink Girl is growing.  And I rather like this new attitude.  


I was chatting online with friends today (yes, I'm basically 15) and the talk of holding hands let to marriage led to general schmoopiness about their husbands.  I love hearing my friends talk about how much they love their husbands, I do.  It gives me faith in marriage and what it can be.  I love, love.  I love the idea that two people can be so utterly devoted to one another and so entirely enamored of each other. Schmoopy.  Having nothing to contribute to the conversation, I just watched the tales of adoration pop up on the screen and smiled.  


And because pretty much everything in my life I can set to a soundtrack of sorts, I turned the conversation to "our song" and "first dance" conversations.  "Have I Told You Lately," "Fly Me to the Moon" and "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off" (so perfect for this couple!) were all mentioned. 


And I wondered, so, um, do other couples really have "our songs"?  So tell me, couples, what IS "your song"?  What did you two step to for your first dance at your wedding?  If you're engaged, what do you plan to dance to?  Do tell!


I'm curious about your schmoopy!  






*And if your'e looking for less schmoopy and a good documentary instead, queue up Ride the Divide!  No schmoopy to be found, promise.