Friday, July 3, 2009

Revolutionary Road

I watched Revolutionary Road tonight. It was not cheerful Friday night fodder, I pretty much wish I would have just watched re-runs of Big Bang Theory because now I feel all angsty and restless and weird.

The movie got me thinking about my parents. For as long as I can remember, I don't think my parents were ever really happy in the life they built for themselves and I wonder if they felt like the couple in the movie. Endless days of putting on a facade and forcing themselves into some sort of mold of what they thought happiness should be when really everything was falling apart within them. At such extremes that they made horrible decisions that hurt so many people in an attempt to rescue themselves from their own misery.

It makes me sad to think about that, and at the same time so very glad that Mr. P and I paved our own road to get to our own happiness that I almost feel guilty.

Told you I was feeling angsty and weird. Seriously, I need to go find my Big Bang Theory DVD.

ETA: So last night I was all cocky in my love for my life and my husband. But now that Mr. P has BITCHED about my lack of accountability for iPod wires for an hour, I am seriously rethinking my position.

8 comments:

Jen L. said...

You are so right. Sometimes people go to such great lengths to create what they think a happy life *should* be that they completely lose sight of reality. I had a big reality-check while we were on vacation, prompted by my MIL kind of nagging all of us about child-rearing. Once I got over the feeling of "Ok, I'd better do things to her liking this week" and realized "Shit. I take care of this child every day and he's GREAT!!" things were much easier. Everyone's got to take their own path because happiness is different for everyone.

Guess I was feeling angsty, too. That's mostly because I finished my True Blood DVD and now I can't get another one til Tuesday. Dammit.

W said...

I just watched it last week too, so I know exactly where you are at.

It always scares me a little bit that when I look around at all of my friends, everyone I know, really, and I am pretty sure that I have the best marriage of any of them. I understand that I am outside looking in and all that, but it has been my experience that everyone else's outsides usually look better than they really are, and if that is the case... well. I am grateful every day for my husband. We work hard at what we have, and I appreciate so much that he is willing to work with me.

Or he is such a good faker that I just think we have the best marriage ever. Either way, I am happier than everyone else I know.

mmmm. note to self: try not to comment so soon after waking up as you are likely to hit publish knowing damn well that you left a rambling, nonsensical comment....

DAVs said...

That's sad about your folks. But I'm glad you guys are doing things differently!
Happy 4th!

Anonymous said...

Hi, Hotch! I was just thinking about you because I am rereading The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl by Shauna Reid. It's a very smart and funny little memoir as well as an inspiring weight loss book.

When I read it the first time, Shauna reminded me a little of you, with her close relationship with her sister, her difficult parents, her determined and successful weight loss efforts, and her charming love story. It might be a nice antidote to Revolutionary Road!

Anonymous said...

I read that book and it was DEPRESSING, so I will probably skip the movie...besides being depressing was it good?


Steal me something from dad's house...not anything gross...see if he has some money laying around.

rachaelgking said...

I've never seen it... sounds like I should, though. Hooray for appreciating what we have :-)

creative kerfuffle said...

i haven't watched the movie but i think my parents are just like yours. though they are still married they shouldn't be. they depress me and at the same time i feel like they made their beds and now they have to sleep in them. it's bitchy of me but i feel like they've gotten what they deserved. then i feel guilty for feeling that way. and i feel guilty that, aside from the nonsensical spats, the hubs and i are pretty happily together.

Alice said...

oy, i kept seeing clips of that movie and going "you know, that looks like a GOOD movie, except i don't think i'll LIKE that movie." i think you have confirmed that for me.

 
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