The Day I met Timothy Hutton

Sticking with the theme of Sundance this week, here is my favorite interaction with an actor.

It was 15 years ago and Sundance was much smaller as I have mentioned.  My friends and I parked by a 7-11.  I got a Super Big Gulp to drink while waiting in line.  I drank it all in about fifteen minutes.

I realized I had made a possible mistake drinking 32 oz. right before sitting down for two hours.  So I decided to find out how long the movie was.  (I didn’t have a film catalogue.)

I asked an usher.  He didn’t know.

I asked the guy at the door in the Sundance coat.  He didn’t know.

I asked the girl who took my ticket.  She didn’t know.

So I go out to the lobby and I see Timothy Hutton.  (I recognized him.  How could I not?)

I think, “HEY! This is his movie.  HE would know.”

So I walk up to him and say, “How long is your movie?  Because I just drank a Super Big Gulp and I need to figure out if I’m gonna be ok.”

He turned to his assistant.  “Super Big Gulp?”

Assistant, “Really big soda.”

He turns to me, “Go the bathroom now.  This is a great movie and you really don’t want to miss it.”

So I did.

And he was right.  It was hilarious.

My Inability to be Paparazzi

I have always gone to Sundance to watch movies.  Because it would be a miserable failure if I went to stalk.

I’m just not very good at recognizing famous people.  They need to wear signs.

For instance, last weekend, I’m pretty sure I saw a Vampire, but he wasn’t sparkling so I couldn’t really tell.

And then there was another guy who I’m pretty sure I’ve seen on screen.  You know, that one?  With brown hair?

Watching all the paparazzi, I realized I could never succeed at that job because I would need face recognition software.  I would have to take pictures of everyone I saw just to make sure I didn’t miss someone.

Because, to be honest, when I see someone that looks familiar at Sundance, I usually think I knew them in college.

Sundance Film Festival 2012

I accomplished part one of my Midlife Crisis:  I went to the Sundance Film Festival.  (Did not have time to get my nails and hair done, however.)

In college, I went to the Sundance Film Festival every year.  It was a blast.  My friends and I would show up, get in a waitlist line and watch a movie.  It was a really casual scene.  It was low key.  It was fairly easy to get a ticket.  There were a lot of ‘people’ who showed up and went to movies.

That was 15 years ago.

Now, if you want tickets, you need to register online in October.  In December you get a time in January when you can buy the tickets.

Waitlist lines start at least two hours before the movie.  And there is no guarantee you will get in.  People stood in line for three hours in a snowstorm for the film Arbitrage and not one got in.  (Amazing film by the way)

Paparazzi were everywhere.  We ate very tasty Buffalo Burgers by a window and the WHOLE time we were there, about 40 people were standing around outside because there was a rumor Robert Redford was in the building.

Most of the people we met were in the film industry.  We stood in line half the day and got to know fellow wait listers.  Only one was there because she likes movies.  We met one guy from Norway who ‘took a break’ from his medical residency to move to NYC and try to make it as an actor.  I was in awe because I could not do that.

I did have fun though.  We got into four movies and I liked two.  One was nice and artsy but a little slow and one was so bad that I feel like suing everyone in it for my time. (I understand if a movie goes wrong but during the question and answer period the cast and director stated that they had INTENDED to make a bad movie.   That should have been in the catalogue.)

This is the cast from The First Time. We may not have had very good seats. And the camera in my phone may not be all that great. (Loved the movie, though)

It was a good time, but it made me nostalgic for the past and the ability to drive to Park City, find a parking space, and go to a movie.  *insert sigh.

Planning the Perfect Midlife Crisis

At this time of year, I generally have a constant headache.  It is either a “Christmas is how many days away?” headache or the “the year is ending and I have done what with it?” headache.   And because my birthday is in February, I also have the “I’m turning… and I don’t even have a bucket list” headache.  And the fact that the theme of my headache keeps changing, causes a headache to fill in the gaps while the stresses alternate.

Recently I found the blog called Thoughts Appear.  At the top of her website, she has 30 before 30 and 35 before 35 pages.  She accomplished 30 things before she turned 30 and now she is working on 35.  I love this idea.

I will be 40 in a little over a year.  I would like to accomplish 40 things, but I’m not sure a year is enough time.  So I’ve decided to develop a different, yet equally worthwhile goal.

I have decided to plan out my midlife crisis.

I do not want to turn 40.  I have not accomplished what I would like with my writing, I do not have a PHD and I live in suburbia as a stay at home mom.  I am in the PTO. I may even be on a couple committees.  I think this makes me a perfect candidate for a crisis.

And I want it to be good.

I did not accomplish last year’s resolutions.  I tried to have a car chase by going 35 in a 25 mph zone, but I just pulled over when the cop lights went on.

I’m going to make this more realistic.

I don’t have it all planned, but I have a couple ideas running around.

I am definitely getting into shape.  I plan on running a race every month from March to September so when I do turn 40, preferably in another country with a cabana boy, I will look incredible and it will be completely realistic for the cabana boy to have the hots for me.

And I plan on having a secret rendezvous with my husband at Sundance Film Festival where I will make him call me Fifi all weekend.  The tips of my hair will be aquamarine, to match my fake nails.  (The fact that I just announced this on the internet makes me realize I may need to work on perfecting my secrecy techniques.  I blame it on my crisis.)

And I am SERIOUSLY considering joining the Fruit of the Month club.  It’s just a really big commitment.

So over the next few weeks, I will be developing my crisis plan.  If you have any suggestions, please send them my way.