Just do it #2: Go to a movie by myself

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Anyone out there ever seen that episode of Sex and the City where Carrie goes to see a romantic French film by herself on "date night", sighing contentedly with only her box of Whoppers to keep her company?

I remember thinking to myself, I could never do that.

It's not that I have to have constant company to feel happy. It's just that I don't particularly want to have other people see me hanging out by myself, especially at a place where people are coupled up or with their posse.

There are certain situations where people can "go it alone" without being judged. Widowed octogenarians can go to the ballet by themselves. Traveling businessmen can opt for a sit-down dinner for one. But a twenty-eight year old alone to a movie... well, that just seems kind of odd. I felt like strangers would make assumptions about me that were not true, or worse, that I would run into a friend who would ask me, "So, who are you here with?"

Still, I posed this as my next "Just do it" challenge because I had seen it on so many other lists, so I thought I would give it a whirl. I didn't want to go alone to just any movie. Instead, I decided there needed to be a reason why I was going by myself. Then, I came up with this list of seven reasons about why Julie and Julia would be the perfect movie to see alone:

1. My closest friends were out of town on vacations. (Lucky bi-atches.)

2. Dan declared after seeing the preview that he would rather have a root canal without anesthesia than be dragged to a showing.

3. I didn't want to press my luck anyway because he had just gone to 500 Days of Summer with me the previous week. (Loved it, by the way. How sweet is that 3rd Rock from Sun guy?)

4. My mom and sister were both too busy.

5. It wasn't a shoot-'em-up movie where I would want to bury my head in Dan's shoulder.

6. It wouldn't have a complex plot I would be dying to talk about afterwards.

7. I didn't want Dan's good-natured jabs about how my idea of cooking is heating up a Lean Cuisine.

So, folks, yesterday my box of Junior Mints and I went to the matinee of Julie and Julia. At first, I was a bit of a nervous wreck. I kept rehearsing what I would say if I saw somebody I knew. Would I claim that a friend was going to meet me and that I had just come early to save us seats? Would I say that Dan was in the bathroom? Or would I be honest and tell them the long, drawn-out explanation that I have a blog called La Vida Lista, and one of my lists is about "Just do it" challenges, and the most recent one is about going to the movies by myself, and yes, I do have friends, and yes, Dan is doing great, he just didn't want to come to this particular movie, it was nice to run into you, thanks for the offer for me to sit by you guys but I'm honestly fine by myself because that's what this challenge is all about, no, really, I'm fine, so just back off, nosy-ass!

I'll save you all the suspense: I didn't run into anyone I knew.

After I stopped scouring the rows, I relaxed and really enjoyed myself. I love that the movie is about a woman who becomes a famous writer through through creating a blog! I mean, if twenty-eight year old Julie Powell can boil a writhing lobster, cook 524 elaborate French dishes in one year, and still write hilarious blog entries about all of it, then maybe there's hope for all us slacker bloggers out here. I know ya'll love blogging as much as I do, so my advice to you is to see this movie and read The Julie/Julia Project if you want to feel inspired. If nothing else, the movie got me to give Panera Bread a rest and actually cook a decent meal this week.

Verdict of going to movie by myself: Success! I already feel a little braver than yesterday. Honestly, I don't think I'll do this again, though. I love wrestling with Dan for the arm rest, and sighing over girly movies with friends. It was definitely a good one-time challenge.

My next "Just do it" challenge: Cook a delicious meal for eight during my beach vacation. I'm going to do the works: a cocktail, appetizer, main dish, side dishes, and cap it all off with a dessert that is almost too pretty to eat.

Told you I was inspired!

Life itself is the proper binge.
- Julia Child