IT'S BEEN LOVELY BUT NOW I HAVE TO SCREAM

I spent most of Friday glued to the computer taking online exams for government jobs. Jobs, I ,may add, which I believe would be soul killing should I actually snag one. Friday was also the last day of school so I was on duty to shuttle Ally hither and there for teen festivities. Sometime IN the afternoon, our next door neighbors set up a bouncy room in their front yard and had a herd of small children whose high pitched shrieks could be heard through the closed windows. Got the picture?

I was cross eyed and head achy when my husband came through the door and without a moment's pause began to berate me for how I parked my car. The thought process behind my parking decision, was simply that it would be temporary as I would soon be going out with Ally again and I didn't want to block his "space."

Rather than engage on the subject, I decided to pack my gym bag and leave when I drove Ally to her next destination. I went to the gym and mentally divided our assets while in the step machine. I was disappointed that the steam room and the whirlpool were not working on this rare occasion when I wanted to use them - but this was the theme of the day.

I called Ally to see if she was ready for a ride to her next destination, she said she and her friend were on the bus there and wouldn't need a ride until after 10. What to do? I was already down the passive aggressive path and not ready to go home.

I recall that I have a voucher for the movie theater. I have had it for about a year and a half. I will drive to the theater and see if there is anything I want to see! Me! My Choice!

The only attractive movie I recognised on the marquee was "My Life in Ruins" which I was aware of because Nia Vardalos had been on some show I saw talking about how hard it was to get it released into theaters because, according to the studios, "women don't go to the movies."

It was starting at 7:50 and it was 7:55. I grabbed a popcorn and kept a good thought that there would be a seat which didn't require that I disturb the on-time patrons. I slid into the dark theater as the opening credits were running and got a nice seat on the aisle.

Ladies, may I say that while this was a simplistic romantic comedy, it was funny and charming and filmed on location in Greece. The theater was full of laughing people. And it wasn't mean, slapstick humor. It was the perfect antidote to my day.

When I called the girls, they weren't ready to leave the party. The popcorn filled me up so I didn't need to eat. Where to go? To Borders to wander the aisles making note of books I'd like to read. I spent some time looking at the huge variety of magazines they carry and sat for a bit with the paperback I had in my purse. At 10:45 I went to get the girls and head home.