When to Hold 'Em, When to Fold 'Em

The Topic:  The New York Times has contacted you to write for their advice column under the pseudonym, Ms. Serensky.  A female reader writes in with the following problem: "My boyfriend wants to break up, but I do not."  What advice do you give the person? Write your response to the reader using a formal paragraph for your "Dear Ms. Serensky" column.  (Thanks to Lauren Lang for this topic!)

Dear "Standing My Ground,"

While I admire your steadfast determination to keep a claim to what you see as "rightly yours," you must keep in mind that young men do not appreciate monikers likening them to property.  I can empathize with your frustrations in terms of the time you have spent "making him a better man."  While many women, past and present, can understand your unwillingness to let go of a man you have so carefully molded, you must indeed do just that.  Let.  Him.  Go.  Do you really want a boyfriend who does not choose you?  Do you really want to spend your time with someone who would rather spend his time elsewhere?  Do you want to put in even more hours trying to prove why he should stay with you, knowing that he does not want that?  I should hope not!  A young lady with your propensity for enhancing the inadequacies of the opposite gender should, as they say, "take your talents elsewhere." To state it plainly: forget about this young man immediately.  Sure, you will face some heartache, some bitterness, and some anger.  Sure, you may find yourself fantasizing about damaging his personal property, taking a bat to his truck, etc.  Sure, you will feel the sting of rejection when you see him carouse around town with his new prospects.  But, keep in mind: a woman alone feels less pain than a woman with a boyfriend who resents her.   I implore you to not fight this fight.  Do not present yourself to the world as a groveling, lovelorn, pathetic woman who needs a man by her side, no matter what the cost.  Bid him adieu, and move on.  Ultimately, I bet he will become "a flabby failure who sits whimpering in his basement."  Think about the satisfaction you will feel then!

Sincerely,
Ms. Serensky
Dispenser of Wisdom

Nobody Puts Bobbie in a Corner

The Topic: Share your favorite movie with us.  Choose only one movie.  In the form of a paragraph, explain why you think this movie tops your list of "Favorite Movies." (Thanks to Derek Stevenson for this topic!)

"A girl your age should not watch this movie," my mother said when I brought the VHS tape home from the video store. "I have no idea why your dad let you choose it." She took the tape from my hands and stowed it away.  However, as soon as she, my dad, and my brother left for the evening, I immediately found it and popped it in the VCR. Scandalous, right?! Not really.  A thirteen-year-old who wanted to watch a PG-13 movie seems reasonable.  Apparently, though, my mother did not trust the MPAA's ratings system, nor did she appreciate the title--this, after I presented much evidence of the harmless implications of "dirty" in 1963, the setting of the film.  So, I suppose that its forbidden nature served as my initial draw to Dirty Dancing.  As my readers know, I have an affinity for dancing, which also pushed me towards this film.  With Patrick Swayze in his prime, a stellar soundtrack, and the love story of a young woman who defies her parents to date a man who breaks all the rules, my enthusiasm for this film should not surprise any of you.   In fact, two of the three pictured items below came as gifts from past boyfriends.  Hence, it seems as though this movie must also serve as a way to my heart.  Eventually, my mom's irrational hesitations faded, or she at least gave in to my obsession.  She bought me the first copy of the Dirty Dancing book.  (I say "the first copy" because in later years I lost the original.  Luckily, I received a new copy three years ago as a gift.  I yelled in joy.) I used it, along with the soundtrack's tape, to practice all of the dances on the film: the Merengue, Mambo, Cha-cha, and Fox-trot.  Yes, I, an enterprising young lady who had some spare moments after completing her homework, would spend my free time practicing these dances.  I would sing along with the songs, dance with my imaginary dance partner, and ignore the snickers from my family.  I would daydream of performing these dances for admiring crowds.  I would eagerly await the day when a handsome man would choose ME for the last dance of the season as people watched us in astonished amazement.  Basically, I would have given anything to live in the world of this movie.  Even to this day, if I could find a mountain retreat with dancing lessons where I could hang out with people my age, I would sign up immediately! 

 

A small part of my collection.

A short clip from the final scene-- perhaps the greatest scene in all of film history!