Night Out.

Peeps, I have a recipe for awesome. It goes something like this:

1. Gather up fabulous people . . . like your fellow literary nerds so you all can discuss things like the pros and cons of Game of Thrones, new witty lit, and the mutual disgust of the Fifty Shades of Grey phenomenon (BDSM Twilight fan fic? Gross . . . on so many levels . . .beyond, you know, the pathetic attempt at writing and grammar . . . geez . . . but I digress).

2. Get Hit On. You realize your age when it's suddenly a big deal that the dude at the ticket counter tries flirting with you. Like it's a highlight of your evening.  You see, the last person to hit on me was last November . . . and he was fourteen . . . and thought I was thirteen. "So . .. you're in eighth grade, huh?" *wink
"Um, no, honey, I teach eighth grade."
"Oh . .. OH! Wow, I'm sorry!"
No, kidding.

Anyways, tonight, someone my OWN age, the first since like college, tried flirting. Ego boost? Just a little.



He asks for my ID (cause, you know, it's a rated-R movie, and you have to be a grown up for those).
I oblige.
He takes the little piece of plastic, blinks, and smiles shyly, his face brightening. "Well, yeah, you're old enough. Young face."
"Haha, yeah."
He nods to my Hogwarts tee. "I like your shirt by the way, that's really cool."
"Oh, thanks."
"It's a shame there are no more books or movies. She's writing a book for adults now or something."
"Yeah."
"Have a great night."
"Thanks! You too."
And he just kept smiling. So either I looked like a total idiot or he was actually flirting with me Even if I was imagining the flirting, allow me to live in my fantasy and massage my withering self-esteem. Please and thank you.

3. Break a few rules.
Like sneaking an ice cream sundae into a movie theater, Dude, yes. I can now check that off my list of smuggled food goods. Score.

4. Pick an AWESOME film. 
And by an awesome film I mean this one:

[source]

Judging by the adverts, this movie had the potential to soar into the realms of awesome or sink into that stinky black hole of epic fails. It soared. On vibrant wings of EPIC WIN. As good or better than Avengers. Seriously. SO. GOOD. Go see it. Like NOW.
And then read the book. Because it is equally awesome, though different.
That's something brilliant, you see: when a film-maker can create a movie based on a book, tweak it noticeably, and the die-hard fans of the book still go "OMG I LOVED THIS!!! WHOO-HOOOOO!!!"
And, I mean, come on, Dominic Cooper isn't bad on the eyes. Am I right or am I right?

5. Drive home with your favorite sing-a-longs and turn the volume UP.  I started with showtunes and then ended up on Katy Perry. Yeah . .. it's an odd mix . . . so what?

6. Have someone to rant to about how AWESOME this night was.
Do not go home to two gamers who are so focused on the elimination of pixelated foe that they cannot share in your impassioned joy and, therefore, you must bottle all epic joy until you're too tired to care . . . *sigh* Silly boys.

7. Tell your husband someone hit on you. Watch him get jealous.
"Don't you want a wife pretty enough other men notice?"
"Oh, I know they notice.  They don't need to say anything. You're mine."

Oh, honey, nothing's going to change that. Not a bit.