All Male Bachelorettes for One Bride
Some things are static when it comes to weddings. The bride will wear a white dress; there’s something borrowed, something new and something blue. But what is a bride to do when she realizes that all of her closest friends are men?!
Check out what this Engineering student did.
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Good Guys Finish Last
A few days ago, I was watching my favorite version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory starring Gene Wilder. As each of the Golden Tickets were found, I found myself feeling a sense of disappointment and let down as if I was Charlie and in the movie. Thinking “perhaps, Charlie is feeling the same way as I do that all of the children who found golden tickets appear to be either spoiled rotten, ungrateful and/or entitled”. After it was determined that the 5th ticket found was a fraud, sheer luck – and perhaps fate – allowed Charlie to be the final child who found a golden ticket. Oh how my heart jumped for joy thinking, “yes! A good humble kid will get to tour the chocolate factory!”
Oftentimes, art imitates life and life imitates art. As I watched this movie, I thought to myself how often this plot line in a movie actually happens in real life. That the very people who seem ungrateful and entitled seem to always have good things happen to them; and those who seem to need “a break or a chance” almost never find those golden ticket moments in life. As I continued watching the movie, and each of the 4 rotten kids met untimely exits from the factory tour before it is over, I again compare this phenomenon to real life that quite often those who are given golden opportunities and are unappreciative and ungrateful for the opportunity that they have been given will often time find themselves make a premature exit from or squander the opportunity.
There are countless professional athletes – too many to name – who fit this bill. They were given amazing opportunities to play professional sports, made millions of dollars, only to find themselves bankrupt shortly after retiring from the league. I’m also reminded of a young lady who received a college scholarship to attend one of the top institutions in the Nation – an Ivy League University. Instead of being appreciative of the opportunity she had been given, she somehow got involved with drug dealers and a murder – was subsequently kicked out of school, lost her scholarship, and sentenced to prison. There are countless athletes who are probably just as good as or better than some guys who made it to the big leagues but for one reason or another were not afforded the opportunity to play at the professional level or other students who were probably just a qualified for the scholarship but were not chosen, who would have greatly benefited from a scholarship to an Ivy League institution and would have not only been appreciative of this amazing and rare opportunity but would have used it to change the course of their lives and not end up worse than when they started.
That being said, I’m hopeful with the way Charlie and the Chocolate Factory ended. The story ended with Charlie, the good guy, inheriting the Chocolate Factory and being able to have his entire family live with him – what an amazing blessing! I know, this is a story, a mere fairy tale. But quite often, life imitates art and art imitates life.
I recall being single, and I remember a time when it seemed as if all the good men were either married or attached; and thinking what slim pickings there are in the single men pool. I knew that there were “good guys” out there but I seemed to rarely come across any who were available. After going through heart-break and disappointment, I kept the faith knowing that when true love manifested itself, I would know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God had indeed blessed!
There are plenty of “Charlie’s” out there who were given a golden opportunity in life and they made the most of it. I know, I’m one of them!
Where is the Oogielove?
Since I’ve had kids, I’ve been asking myself, “where has the romance in my marriage gone?” I’m sure parents with small kids can relate to this – prior to having children, there is a level of intimacy between husband and wife – after children, just getting to bed at the same time is a treat. I’ll use this time to reiterate to those of us who have small children, make time for your spouse! Don’t get so wrapped up in the kids that you forget to spend quality time with your spouse. I’m preaching to the choir here. Don’t have your spouse asking, “where is the Oogielove?”
Some of you may be asking, “what exactly is Oogielove?” I’m glad you asked. I wish this was some sort of endearing phrase that I had thought of to call the intimate time between my husband and me when we have gotten the kids off to sleep and have some quality time to ourselves – well it’s not. Last week, I had the awesome privilege of attending a movie premiere, with the kids, to see a new “G” rated movie titled “The Oogieloves in the Big Balloon Adventure.”
Prior to the movie showing the kids participated in Camp Oogie where they saw movie clips, learned the Oogie Cheer and dance and decorated their own lunch bag. Us parents, bloggers, and members of the press were escorted to a continental breakfast and had the opportunity to chat with Kenn Viselman, Producer and Visionary for the movie.
The Oogieloves in the Big Balloon Adventure is an interactive movie experience for children and their families. The film follows the Oogieloves: Goobie, Zoozie and Toofie as they set out on a special adventure in LovelyLoveville. This movie is unique in that it encourages and allows the children to stand up and dance and sing at various points in the movie. This is quite different from how our children have been taught to conduct themselves in a movie theater. My observation was that some of the children were a little hesitant initially when encouraged to get out of their seats and do the Oogie Cheer – after a few times, all reservations had disappeared.
During our talk time with producer and visionary, he stated that the basis of the movie and characters is to promote love; to demonstrate conflict without evil and violence. His goal was to bring a more appropriate “G” rated film to the marketplace. He also shared how the idea of an interactive movie for kids came about as a result of him seeing a Tyler Perry movie where movie goers were talking back at the movie. The audience members talking back to the movie was quite shocking to him, a white male, in attendance at a movie where the movie goers were a predominately black audience. From that experience, the idea to create an interactive kid’s movie where children can dance, move and be children at the movies; have a show type experience at a movie that is a fraction of the cost came to fruition.
Overall, I thought the movie was a home run. The characters are kid friendly, the setting in the town of LovelyLoveville is quaint , cute and charming. And the cast includes first class entertainers such as: Toni Braxton, Cloris Leachman, Christopher Lloyd, and Jamie Pressly. Don’t be surprised if at the end of the 88 minute movie run you are chanting the Oogie Cheer.
For additional information, check out the website, http://www.oogieloves.com
Movie Trailer:
Real Talk w/Terry 