Some movies have the ability to quell the buzz in my frontal lobe. They are the best white noise to my creative surges, and somehow their very existence in the background breathe life into my work. I don’t know how or why they do what they do, but something about their soundtracks and the pleasing rollout of plots and characters, means I can tell my story as they tell theirs.

They distract my inner critic with her OCD editing streak and trebuchet over my creative blocks. They are literally blockbusters. (See what I did there? Haaaaaaa. I still got it.)

Today’s selection: Necessary Roughness.

Between Scott Bakula’s charming smirk and Hector Elizondo’s uncanny resemblance to my father, this 90’s classic will finally (by virtue of its pleasing background noise) let me tell the story of the last few weeks.
The last 6 weeks, actually.

We blazed through a 5th birthday, had our Christmas, moved into a new house, got lice, had a leaky dog, lost someone special… there have been more plot twists in January alone that I shudder to think what the rest of the year will hold.
Every time something started to unfold in front of me I thought ‘oh boy… at least I’ll be able to write about it…’ and then another wave would come in and I’d feel like I was gasping for air just to process the present, let alone story-tell it.

So it’s taken me a while to find my voice in it all.

At the end of the day it only took a few things to pop the bubble and get me to spill: a pound of chocolate covered raisins, 3 seasons of Pretty Little Liars (I know I’m not 15, but Lucy Hale’s doe eyes just suck you right in to the Netflix vortex I swear), a couple days of living in sweats, a few cries, several nights of the whole family in the big bed, the binge watching of all the Rocky movies, and a bout of the worst flu in the world.

And now that February is here, I can maybe wash my face, start again, and look ahead to all the incredibly good and exciting things this year has in store.

“…I don’t wanna put any undue pressure on you guys, but Coach Gennero’s last words were, win or I’ll die.”

Right, February? *Cracks knuckles.*

Mantra: This too shall pass.