Call Me "old fashioned..."

I don't often check #RottenTomatoes for their opening reviews, but Stephi and I had one of those rare opportunities this St. Valentine's Day to have almost the whole day to ourselves. My parents (Papa and Grammy Sue), for the whole glorious afternoon (>7 hours), took all three boys back to their house for what turned out to be quite a fun and #candy filled day. We cherish these whole days because of our non-stop schedules and our on-the-go attitudes. It's hard to slow down, and yesterday it literally took us at least 90 minutes to unwind and figure out what the rest of the day would have in store. Stephi really wanted to see "old fashioned," so that's what we did. I loved the fact that it ranked only a few % points lower on Rotten Tomatoes' critic reviews than 50 Shades did. As of tonight, 96% of user reviews enjoyed our movie, while only 51% enjoyed the alternative.

So brief hilarious side story, Stephi and I really inadvertently messed up our valentine exchange. Well, I did. Kind of. Oh, I was prepared. Procured a nice, sweet, sentimental, religious themed card, and she had done the same (we normally go humor, then write a sweet note, but not this time.) Stephi loves to read. She's a bookworm. So much so, in fact, that she has a list. Our anniversary is only a week before, so I know she really looks forward to our library expansion every February. Stephi has a list for most things, but this is a substantial list. She's E-mailed it to me multiple times, which of course, I've promptly glanced at and then accidentally deleted, lost track of what's been purchased from it, and so this holiday I went "off list."

...Crickets... taking the risk... but that's not the funny part. Or maybe it could have been.

I like video games. For Christmas, Stephi surprised me with #DisneyInfinity, #Avengers characters and all. Other than food and sports for me, oh the way to this man's heart? Video games and superheros. Have I mentioned how awesome Stephi is? Ok, so anyway, we also love to order on #Amazon. We are true Amazonians. We receive those glorious text alerts too. Ahhh, the joy derived from the "your item has shipped," "your items are now at your local carrier and will be delivered today by 8pm" thrilling kind of alerts. Don't mock. You've had the same reaction. We're so bad/sad we have to turn off the text alerts just so we can buy each other Christmas presents from the same account in "secret." Our Amazonian absent minded selves: auto-renew our Prime membership, buy water filters, school supplies, and have considered moving to a different town just so we can help them beta test the home grocery delivery... OK, no, but I do check the app in the stores, "Oh... hey hun, can we get this 50 cents cheaper on Amazon and have it here Tuesday, even though it's right here in front of us right now, for our use and enjoyment?" Yes, that's me. Her too, she just won't admit it yet. That's exactly what I was doing in #Target last week, wistfully checking Infinity character prices with my boys while they excitedly played with the sample display. Amazon app scan. Price savings? Yes! No purchases made that day.

Steph and I also recently collaborated, and together set a new 2015 budget. One which sadly didn't include expanding her book or my Infinity collection. So, the day after the Target trip, "ding" "ding" the Amazon alerts begin. I panic. Disney Infinity items had shipped. My first thought, nooooo I only scanned them yesterday, I couldn't have done the #OneClick. No way I purchased them. No way Steph would have purchased them. Did my kids? Where's that phone? Did someone hack my account? If they did, WHY WOULD THEY ORDER INFINITY CHARACTERS? Are they mocking me??? I login to the account and see two or no, wait, now three orders that are being shipped to my house! They're seriously mocking me! Who would do this? I took the next illogical step. Cancel every order, change the account password, and initiate online chat with customer service. "Someone hacked my account and is mocking me," I bemoaned! Steph is going to kill me because she's going to think I'm ordering Inifinty characters after I had promised I would stick to the budget.

Shortly thereafter, I reenter the family room of our abode, look at my wife simultaneously with the calendar on my phone, and think oh no... valentine's... "Hunny...?" You can figure out the rest. She ended up with 3 off-list books, and me? #Groot, #NickFury, & #Ronan, have sadly not arrived by 8pm.

OLD FASHIONED - spoiler alert...

No, I've never read the 50 Shades book, won't see the movie. Don't care to, don't have to, that's my opinion. I'm entitled to it. I've seen posts of people having parties, talking about getting dressed up (or not) and going to see the other movie, news anchors talking about it, people having charity fundraisers based on it - wait huh? Not sure how that one worked...

Like I said, we chose "old fashioned" (and ice cream mmmm...) Synopsis: "OLD FASHIONED centers on Clay Walsh, a former frat boy who gives up his reckless carousing and now runs an antique shop in a small Midwestern college town. There, he has become notorious for his lofty and outdated theories on love and romance as well as for his devout belief in God. When Amber Hewson, a free-spirited young woman with a restless soul, drifts into the area and rents the apartment above his shop, she finds herself surprisingly drawn to his strong faith and noble ideas, which are new and intriguing to her."

Here's my honest review of this flick. I walked out heart-warmed. It moved a little slow at first I admit. It contained elements of "holier than thou," "we're going to plaster the religious themes like a bad meme type of movie." Clay and Amber's relationship could be labeled as a bit awkward, but it was creative. It was unique. It was good. It was a little spark that turned into a burning flame. There were points where I generally felt for Clay, who, for a moment, doubts why he's even fighting for his own lofty righteous ideals when confronted after his friend's bachelor party by the woman other friends had hired for that party. She's clearly not the type to fight for her self-respect, nor was she the type to fight for a strong solid man that each woman deserves. Clay struggles with self-doubt, regret, self-chastisement (my mind flashed to #MontyPython #HolyGrail #monks #tablet thumping, pies lesu domine, dona eis requiem... if I don't flash Python, it's Lord of the Rings, or some random wandering like that...) Clay's self punishment by isolation method was a little painful to watch, but understandable.

My heart broke for Amber, who, later in the movie, described her first marriage and honeymoon as anything but glorious. The day and week that's supposed to be an exclamation point in your life, wasn't even close for her, and Amber always desired more. So she ran, continued to run, searching for the fulfillment of her desire. Maybe women in general just desire more than we men do, wouldn't shock the women out there right? Maybe women desire certain things about us men and want us, no crave us, to simply be masculine. I read a great take on this by one of Stephi's friends at Simply Momnipotent Mrs. Dot does an awesome job illuminating women's desires so no need to delve further here.

I like old fashioned #chivalry. It never died. I believe in it. I believe in the hold the door, pull the chair out, stand up when someone enters the room, fedora wearing, warm hello, kind of chivalry. I believe in the chivalry that demands men respect women, and that women respect men, that marriage is forever, and that marriage isn't easy. Chivalry that acknowledges love is learned and that a very important purpose of true love in marriage is to bring life into the world (no foolin!)

Now think about this men, ladies. Think about it and pause. Desire is inherent in our nature. When we don't have, we desire. Even when we don't know what it is we don't have or want, we are tempted to desire. It's not unhealthy or unholy in and of itself. Desire coupled with true love? Phew! AWESOME sauce! I believe MEN have an innate desire to be chivalrous. Whether that's developed or not is another story, but society certainly can and does enjoy disguising examples of chivalry as: something thrilling, something extravagant, something lofty, or out of our masculine nature, or out of the ordinary. But it's ordinary. It's simple. It's plain and good.

Clay and Amber inevitably realize, just like Clay's adorable eldery Aunt did immediately, that like God forgives our sins and shows mercy to the repentant, a man and a woman can find that a little chivalry mixed with true love forgives and conquers. Why? Because it's simple. It ignores all else, and focuses on the other in the relationship. It's that little spark that ignites the kindling, moving to the twigs and branches, and finally the logs. It engulfs all in the full fire of undeniable love that can even be rekindled and brought to full flame again from the very same embers the next morning.

Guys, isn't that what you want? Ladies? Isn't that better than the flame out/lighter fliud induced/unsustainable flicker that dies when the fuel runs out, when the extravagance becomes plain, when the extraordinary becomes just ordinary? Sure, the haters will hate. The mainstream media will and have taken scissors to the valentine ideals of love #oldfashioned attempts to express.

I walked out happy. Doubt the viewers in the next theater over could say the same.

#Disney #DisneyInfinity #ValentinesDay #Amazon #gifts #OldFashioned #chivalry #men #ClayandAmber #truelove