Zero movie weekend.

This weekend, our total movie viewing will be: zero movies viewed. Last night, we went to the University to hear my oldest son sing the role of the Prince in an utterly charming setting of Cinderella. Tonight, we're headed down to the foreign land of Utah County, where my twin nieces are being baptized, and where a family party will be held afterward. The performance last night was lovely, the party tonight will be lovely, but no movies!

For many other people, the prospect of a zero-movie weekend wouldn't be unusual. I gather from most of my friends and acquaintances that they do not anchor their lives in seeing movies on the weekend, for various reasons: Netflix, babysitting issues, laziness (only joking, friends and acquaintances! just joking!). Plus, as I hear it, movie attendance has been on a steep decline for many years now. I, however, for many many years have thought of the two movie weekend as the norm--even my civic duty, doing my part to keep the struggling movie theaters afloat.

More, it makes me feel anxious when I don't see movies. Things might come and go, without my having seen them. What about that? Some movies I have to give myself time to consider seeing. Sin City was one of these, which came and went without my having seen it. Mostly, though, because I go to the movies so much, I see previews, which means that I'm primed to see them when they come. Plus there's a certain amount of movie-related reading that I do. All in all, my life feels somehow incomplete if there are not movies to round off the week. At least one!

Tonight if we weren't going to the baptism/family shindig, we'd probably be going to see The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada. I hope you'll all join me in crossing our collective fingers that it hangs around for a couple more weeks.