I Almost Wish Ghosts Were Real...

So, I hate to admit it, but tonight I watched "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past". However, now that I've watched it, I wish that this actually existed and ghosts would visit some guys from my past to smack some sense into them.

The movie tells the story of a guy, who is a carbon copy of most of the boys (note intentional use of the word "boy") whom I have dated, for whatever reason (in this case, he was burned by his childhood crush) vows to keep his distance from any woman that comes into life, to use them, and then immediately push them away to prevent any potential pain for himself. But of course, in return, he causes a great deal of pain and confusion for those women left in his wake (I can see you all nodding your head in unison).

It's full of stereotypical (because we know them all too well?) lines and behaviors, including "wise words" from his uncle, "If there is one thing you learn tonight, it's this. The power in a relationship lies with whoever cares less." The movie, like "He's Just Not That Into You," tells women in the audience that these boys are to be left alone, until the end when they get all Hollywood-happy-ending on us and make us think that these self-involved boys will actually change.

Don't hold your breath ladies, there are good guys out there. Go find one :)

Winning and Losing

Recently I had a guy friend in town visiting and he, like myself, is a big college football fan. Being that it was the beginning of the season, it came up in conversation once or twice (understatement). At one point, he started picking on my team, which he does on a regular basis (an obvious overlooked character flaw?), and was talking about how his team wins "championships" unlike my team in recent years. I started to say, "it's not about..." when he interrupted me and said, "Of course it's about winning! Is that what you were going to say?". I decided not to continue because he had been drinking and I knew it was a battle I would not win.

Well, I was thinking about that conversation tonight, and it hit me. I was right. It isn't about winning or losing. Now, don't get me wrong, I love (love, love) to win. I am competitive at heart and grew up playing sports year round, but it's not about winning, at least in this case, and not as much any more. To put in modern day musical times, it's about "the climb" (thanks Miley). Yes, I know cliche, but some of my victories were learned after my losses. But back to football...

At the end of the day, yes, I want my team to win, but if they lose, will it ruin my day (maybe :)? Will it take away from all the fun and excitement that game day brought my friends and I? The cookout that brought us together? Or the late night laughs and drinking games long after the fourth quarter has ended? No, it won't. Will I lose my job because of a Saturday game gone wrong? No, I won't. Will the world stop turning because we couldn't put enough points on the board??? No.

I will still wake up everyday and be me and have the hope of what the new day will bring. But my friend in question, apparently, it will ruin his day. And if his college football team winning another game strokes his ego and makes him feel more like a man, then good for him. But I don't need a win to let me know the sun will rise the next day and that next season, no matter who wins, we all start out at 0-0-0.