Sometimes...

... I wonder why I feel so inadequate.. I know, I know, it sounds amazing. Mallory?! Inadequate?! NO WAY! ;) But, I mean, honestly! It's not like I've ever suffered or anything! As I've been learning about different things in school, church and just... randomly, I feel like I have nothing to complain about (i.e. I shouldn't be complaining about how I look, or that I have nothing to wear, or that I ran out of make-up, or that there's nothing to eat...). I mean, honestly I've never...

~Been discriminated because of my religion (Sure, I get teased, but only by the dope-head Thomas xP)

~Been discriminated because of my race/skin

~Been discriminated because of my gender

~Gone without food for more than two meals

~Gone without clothes (because I didn't have any ;) )

~Gone without an education (For more than a week, because I was on vacation)

~Been in the middle of a war zone

~Been in the middle of a disaster area

I could go on, and on, and on, and on... and on... and on... So, what brought this melancholy, nostalgic mood over me? Well, we're learning about WW2 in English (more specifically, the Holocaust, and Anne Frank). And getting into the Civil War in History (as well as English). And I went to the LDS Humanitarian Center today. I feel so... so... so... Well, anyway...!

On the other not-so-bright side, Rachel and I watched one of the possibly most depressing movies I've ever seen today. Just to cheer me up (which was originally the plot of us getting together. Let's cheer Mal up by watching a tragic romance!! Yay!! [Note: For those of you who haven't figured it out yet - I'm being entirely sarcastic...]). This movie was Nights in Rodanthe. Yeah. Great, right? For those of you who don't know, it was originally a book, written by Nicholas Sparks - the most freaking *censored word* to ever attempt to write romances. You wanna know why he's so bad? BECAUSE HE ALWAYS ENDS IT BADLY (or so I've been told. I've never actually read any of his books, but I've seen two of the movies - not happy, I tell you.) From my favorite review site (www.ericdsnider.com), I learned that not only I think this way about his stupid books (or freaking movie adaptations of those stupid books).

'The ads say "Nights in Rodanthe" is based on a novel by the man who wrote "The Notebook," and that might tell you everything you need to know. Will there be schmaltz? Will it be a weepy romance? Will death and mourning play a role? Since it's based on a Nicholas Sparks book ("A Walk to Remember" is another one), you can bet your hankie on all of the above.'

So, from that, we have officially learned that this movie will be a stupid, depressing, lame-o story. But what? What's that Rachel? You want to watch it...? (My poor heart started bleeding as she said that - so, what did I do?! I agreed! My gut feeling told me 'NO!', but I AGREED. I SAID OKAY, I'LL SIT WITH YOU THROUGH IT. Grrrrrrrrrrrr...) Alright, Rachel. We'll watch it.

'Adrienne ((The main gal)) and Paul ((The main guy)) have both dealt with loss recently, and each has reached an emotional barricade of some kind. "What are you so afraid of?" she demands to know of him. "What are YOU so afraid of?" he fires back. And yes, it's the kind of movie where people have complex emotional conversations like that.'

Now, I know, Eric likes to make fun of things, but, honestly... that's true. When they were supposedly having 'complex emotional conversations'... I just didn't feel it. You know? And, c'mon, I'm one of the most feminine people I know! I cry over everything so, when I'm not feeling it...

'I guess it's admirable that a movie about two 50-year-olds falling in love managed to get made in Hollywood at all, and the central performances are solid -- but they'd have to be, to make something this rote and formulaic come even close to working. It all feels like it came from a template: push this button, establish that emotion, make that character sad, etc. I have nothing against a weepy romance, but this one didn't do anything for me, largely because everything it tries to do is so obvious and predictable. It's hard to get into a magic trick when you can see the stuff stashed up the magician's sleeve.'

Perfectly worded, Eric... perfectly worded...