Every year for the last two or three, my two youngest boys have been making our way through the Rocky movies. I have of course seen them multiple times, but to my boys its all brand new. Wouldn't that be cool to be able to experience that again for the first time? I remember the thrill of the movies. My first one was Star Trek, believe it or not, when I was a kid. I had never been to the theatre before that I remembered. The mother of the birthday party I was attending was shocked to find that out. I don't remember much of it other than the fact that one of the characters had a bug put in his ear and when it came out later in the show it had grown by huge proportions. Still gross. Still weird.
Its funny what memories coming rushing back. My first drive in show watching "Empire Strikes Back" which essentially formed my entire child hood from the ages of 5-10. Grabbing a towel and wrapping it around my neck, closing it with a clothes pin to re-enact Christopher Reeve in Superman. That was an awesome show. My friend Davey Lukes and I had watermelon that day which was a rare treat back then (none of that seedless stuff either...that didn't exist back then) Fast forward in and around the same year, and I remember drying my eyes on my dads t-shirt when ET died right in front of my eyes. I still remember the relief when his heart lit up in that plastic bag.
Hence, I make it a point to watch a few movies with the family. Rocky in particular for "guys night". Those are the nights that Kelly escapes the lunacy that we can often surround her with. Most often she is gone for a few hours to wade into a glass of wine and conversation with some old friends. We (myself and my two youngest boys) take the opportunity then to order Wings, pick up a couple of Stewarts Root Beer for them and of course a couple Bud Lights for me. We turn on the TV, rent the next version of Rocky and its on like donkey kong. I know what's coming and I still love it. What I realized at some point is that there are tons of life lessons in those shows. After the show I always ask what they learned from it. Im overwhelmed sometimes to hear their answers about never giving up, about facing fears, about chasing a dream...and here I was just enjoying making some memories. Add to that, who doesn't like walking around with kids after a show like that talking in that Rocky drawl for an hour. Eh Yo Kid..Why you gotta eat the last wing like that?
We have wrapped up the Rocky series, so its time to start from the beginning again or find something new I guess. They are still a little young for Die Hard I guess. Yippee Ky Yeah!! I digress. Whatever we pick, whether its a great movie or not; whether it leaves them wondering why on earth did you make me watch that (Quite literally what my then 9 yr old shouted out when we watched Turner and Hooch...I forgot what happened to Hooch), whether it's happy or sad or action-packed; the most important thing is that it's maybe the only time it is currently accepted by my wife Kelly that I can buy wings and beer for the kids. Ha Ha! Sorry left turn there in Albuquerque (my mind occasionally does that sort of thing)... the most important thing is obviously the time we get to spend together. It's something that is inclusive of everyone, is the end result of someones creativity, often gives us a few feel good moments and yes...Mama joins us for "Family Movie Night" which has its own unique memories as well and by rights deserves it's own blog...no wings and beer though.