Survival of the Fittest

Yeah, I know I sound like a pansy whining about work and all. After all, I asked for it. And I really do love what I do. But I swear that Awards Season could break even the toughest of film critics -- even the ones who don't have any other work to do. Throw in the fact that there's a holiday coming up in a couple of weeks -- one that studio reps are trying to schedule around -- and we've got some serious insanity coming next week.

Take, for instance, this little snippet of my life:

Wednesday night - film screening from 7:30-9, get in car, drive across town, change from work sweater to casual sweatshirt in car, watch Paul's hockey game until 10:40, go home and crash

Thursday morning - send out site newsletter, handle general management issues, scramble to get review of last night's movie finished before rushing across town for a screening from 11-1:30

Thursday afternoon - rush home, work on review outside after power goes out, quickly eat yogurt for late lunch while checking email after power comes back, don't quite get review finished before it's time to leave again

Thursday night - pick Paul up from work so we can eat at Arby's before rushing off to another screening from 7-9, come home and finish watching Blue Jackets game (woohoo!), interspersed with Wednesday's America's Next Top Model

And that's nothing compared to next week. As of last night, I had screenings scheduled for Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday night, as well as Tuesday and Thursday morning. I just opened an email scheduling another screening for Wednesday morning. And Mark just mentioned that there might be one Friday morning, too.

Paul jokingly mentioned the other day that I'm spending more time with Mark than I am with him. It's a good thing he's not a jealous man. And it's a good thing he likes Mark.

Seriously, people, there are just so many movies one person can watch in a week. Not only that, but it's seriously cutting into my knitting time. I have no clue how Mark has been cranking out his scarves. See the picture I took of finished scarf #3? This guy is seriously making me look bad! I'm starting to wonder if he's superhuman. The most I get right now is a couple of rounds of sleeve after gulping down lunch -- or before I head to bed.

Tonight, though, I'm taking a whole night off. I told Paul to pick up the DVD of his choice on his way home from work -- anything he wants. I don't care if I've seen it before. In fact, that would be great -- since I wouldn't feel compelled to review it. I'm going to sit on my butt, eat a frozen pizza, consume numerous vodka tonics, sit on the couch with my husband, and knit. And then I'll go to bed and sleep until noon, at which time I'll have to get up and go shopping -- because I still don't have a dress to match my new black boots that I'm wearing to the film festival shindig tomorrow night. I hear it's just a bunch of old guys. Do you think they'll notice if I just show up in some undergarments, a pretty red lace shawl, and a fabulous pair of black boots?