Has anyone else seen this?

I have a weakness for artsy independent films that no one else sees. Last weekend I rented Like Crazy and watched while Bert worked late Saturday night. I felt the same way I did when Blue Valentine ended. But Sunday came and I couldn't shake the feeling of this movie. Days later I am still thinking about it. I think I have decided I like it. Without giving too much away, it is not a warm and fuzzy. In fact, it leaves you a little raw. The story builds around a couple trying to make it work long distance which may be why it affected me so much. Because watching this couple try to navigate being in different cities felt all too familiar. In 52 weeks, Bert and I missed two weekends. But two days a week doesn't make up for all you miss out on during the week. Before marriage, we had never woken up on a Sunday where one of us didn't have to pack up and leave. Crazy! Now when I think about the circumstances around our courtship--that we had never lived in the same city, that he had hardly ever seen me on just a regular day (no makeup, sweat clothes, grouchy from a long work day, etc), that we hardly knew each other's friends or coworkers; all I can think is crazy! I watched an interview with the actors where the question was broached why do people think they can make long distance work? that it will work out for them when it always seems to fail?

Who knows? Why did we try it? Why did we think we could make long distance work when I couldn't make it work with a guy that lived down the street? I talked about all of this the other day with a friend who is struggling in a long distance relationship. I guess what I am trying to say is despite the challenges, YES! sometimes it does work. 
Has anyone else seen this movie? What did you think?

P.S. This song is in the movie and I just love it! Someone needs to choreograph a ballet to it.

P.S. I love hearing couples' stories--how people met, the challenges it took to get where they are. To me it is not the perfect romances but the real life, slightly worn love that is so inspiring. The rise and falls, the changing of lover and beloved and the knowledge that God has his hand in all of it. It really is one of my favorite things to find out about someone. 

Resume Part One

The other night I rented Morning Glory --a romantic comedy starring Rachel McAdams as a newbie producer of a morning news show. I thought it was hilarious.  It got me thinking about working and my past jobs and how there seems to be a pattern that resonates with all twenty somethings and first jobs and perhaps that's why I thought this movie was so funny.

Have you seen the movie? How does your post grad experience match up?

I graduated in four years with a very generic degree and no idea what in the hell-o I wanted to do. So after a four day stint doing tours at the CNN center and taking MARTA into downtown every morning, I found myself a promising internship at a Children's Hospital in a more central area of Atlanta--it paid a whopping $200/week.  I spent the next five months preaching to my mother, my boyfriend, my best friend and anyone who would listen that if someone would just give me a chance, I would commit my life to showing them what a great job I could do. 

Just like the character in the movie; after stalking multiple people in parking lots, sending out numerous follow up emails and all but following the receptionist to the mailroom to make sure she delivered my resume; I finally got a few interviews where I completely oversold my meager five months post college work experience and promised that I would work day and night to make sure that my market would see share increases (whatever the hell that meant--I probably read it in Interviewing for Dummies). 

After an overly kind, very desperate woman who probably saw sucker tattooed on my forehead interviewed me, I had a job.

And just like Rachel McAdams in the movie, it took me about 5 seconds to realize I had been thrown into a lion's den. That the person before me had burnt bridges with almost all my clients, that there was no trust left with my organization, that I had a budget of about zero, that my market goals were ridiculous for my territory and that no class in college or in the expensive prep school my parents sold a kidney to pay for ever taught me how to write a business plan.

So I spent my first few months schlepping from office to office, wearing a suit my mother had bought me along with a smile that I hoped would keep me from getting my head bitten off by the angry receptionist. It took one year, lots of late nights, one panic attack on the side of Buford Highway and a lot of persuasion to actually pull off what they had asked me to do. I exceeded the goals for my territory in enough time to interview for my next job. Which turned out to be on the south side of Atlanta. Seriously, one of the first doctors I called on ended up on the news two weeks later for harassment of patients and drug reps. I was 25, had no husband or kids and got to travel every few months for work. I loved it!

And I continued this pattern, loving each job for different reasons and thriving on the challenges they shot my way until exactly a year ago....

when I retired to be a stay at home mother!

What one year "in the field" can do to a good pair of shoes