It took myself on a well-earned date to the movies one Thursday night this summer when Jonathan had a 9:30pm softball game. It was a rare opportunity to plan my own night, at my own pace.

It was going so well. And then, it was going NOT so well.

I confess: I broke the rules. You know I don’t break the rules often. Yet I just couldn’t resist bring my mango Juice Squeeze into the theatre.

We all realize there are “No outside food and beverages” allowed in movie theatres, which is why we all bring huge purses with us to hide all sorts of goodies. I’m guilty of sneaking in full burritos, bags of popcorn, and frozen yogurt. A simple Juice Squeeze? I didn’t even think twice about the little glass bottle.

Until I pulled it out of my purse, and dropped it into the cup holder of my armrest.

The cupholder with the hole in the bottom.

And it shattered into a thousand, tiny little pieces.

Oops.

At this point, a person has several options:

1. Run for the door and don’t look back OR
2. Fess up to management about your naughty behavior.

I, being the rule follower, decided on option two.

It was just my luck the theatre’s snack bar staff consisted of 15 year old who was sweeter than sweet. He was also really incompetent.

After I confessed, apologized, and swore up and down it would never happen again, he panicked. There I was in the middle of the theatre lobby as he went into disaster mode. He paced, and wrung his hands. “I need tape. I need to notify a manager. Someone needs to watch the snack bar…I just don’t know what to do first,” he said with the expression of a man watching his wife go into labor for the first time.

I wanted to curl into a ball and die—for him and for me.

I continued to want to curl into a ball and die for the entire preview portion of the movie. Naturally, I’d picked the aisle seat, approximately half way down the theatre aisle. Guess where every late patron wanted to sit? My exact seat with the broken glass. And, guess how long it took concessions boy to put up caution tape? Oh—he waited until the movie had started to  *loudly* pull out tape around the seats.

The worst part of the entire experience, besides giving the poor kid a heart attack, was not having a person there to giggle with or assure me everything would be okay. I wanted an evening alone, but when I got it, I felt so…well…alone.

Have you ever had a moment when you completely embarrassed yourself and had no one to laugh it off with? Do tell!

p.s. the movie I saw, Babies, was really cute.

It’s become a tradition to recap my year’s bests. As usual, this list is not necessarily books or music that debuted in 2009, bur rather things I enjoyed in 2009 for the first time. Each year I add or delete certain sections. This year I deleted the “Best Moments” category only because I’ve already mentioned most of our best moments in other places on this blog. Please add some of your favorites from any category in my comment section OR create your own post and leave me a link!

Best of 2009 Reads

Shanghai Girls- Lisa See

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society- Mary Anne Shaffer

Celebration of Discipline- Richard Foster

For Women Only- Shaunti Feldhahn

Best of 2009 Movies/TV

Julie and Julia

Invictus

The Blind Side

Young@Heart

Gran Torino

Slum Dog Millionaire

Glee

Best of 2009 Music

Lord of Lords-Hillsong

Say Hey, I Love You- Michael Franti

Have a Little Faith- Michael Franti

Single Ladies- Beyonce

We Got Love-Ryan Shaw

Use Somebody- Kings of Leon

Don’t Stop Believin’ – Glee cast

Magnificent- U2

Love- Matt White

*Thank you Amy, Anne and Matt for introducing me to some of these songs.

Best of 2009 Websites

www.Etsy.com

www.YoungHouseLove.com

www.farmandafryingpan.com

http://blog.christianitytoday.com/women/

Bonus section: Things I’m anticipating in 2010

Erin and Mike’s wedding

The arrival of all 41 babies

Matt’s graduation

Fourth annual summer camping trip

Scott and Lauren’s wedding

Getting a dog (Jonathan?!?! PUH LEASE?)

Best of 2006, Best of 2007, Best of 2008

I usually fall asleep when we watch movies at night but this weekend I stayed awake for three flicks– all very different but each quite good:

Definitely, Maybe
Starts out slow but I found myself loving Ryan Reynolds and Abigail Breslin throughout. This one is a girl movie but Jonathan sat threw it without too much complaining. If you’re in need of a chick flick, treat yourself to this movie.

Under the Same Moon
A story of a young boy from Mexico who travels to the U.S. in search of his mother, working here illegally as a house cleaner. The movie definitely has an “angle” it’s promoting, but I couldn’t help but fall in love with Carlitos and his perseverance.

21
Loved this movie and didn’t think I would! Considering I hate numbers and don’t gamble, I’m actually surprised I liked this movie as much as I did. It’s based on the book Bringing Down the House- a somewhat true tale of MIT students who make big bucks in Vegas playing blackjack.

Peach and I snuck off and saw a movie last night– The Other Boleyn Girl. I really enjoyed it but was a little disappointed I didn’t remember most of the historical facts I learned on Europe Semester about the Church of England’s roots and all of Henry VIII’s wives. If we think the New York Governor’s sex scandal is bad, Henry puts him to shame!

Last summer we had no weddings to attend besides my aunt Karen’s. It was a lovely, unexpected break for our wallets and weekends. This month alone: 4 engagements, 1 wedding. Yipppppeeee for Jeff, Cole, Lauren, Riz, Paul, Justin, Trisha. I am so happy for all of my friends and the wonderful marriages that will be happening!! Now I just hope that none of them take place the same weekend.

Isn’t this picture classic? Sorta reminds me of some of the dresses that Katherine Heigl had to wear in 27 Dresses. (Cute movie, I liked it but not as much as Juno or the Kite Runner).