1.01.2010

I DID IT

In 2009, the year now in the past, I set out to watch 750 movies.  If you haven't been following this goal from the beginning, I know what you're saying, WHAT in the WORLD was she thinking?  Who would decide to do that and why?  As I've said a couple of times, I did it because I came to film school and realized I had classmates who had been watching movies incessantly for their entire lives.  They were obsessed with film, they had written about film, and some of them majored in film or film studies in undergrad.  My competitive streak kicked in.

And actually this started with my professors.  In class they were constantly asking if we had seen this documentary or that documentary.  I was always saying no.  I HADN'T SEEN ANYTHING!!!!  "Eyes on the Prize."  That's about it.  I was mortified.  But glad there was a documentary library where we could check out as much as we wanted, two a day, and the office was open daily.  So I decided to watch 2 a day.  I was quickly gaining some measurable ground and by the 2nd semester I was regularly answering, "Yes" when the question arose.  And I even got to the point where I was talking about movies none of my classmates had seen and sometimes that only one of my professors had seen.

That was great, but not enough.  At the beginning of 2009, I decided I had to do more.  I originally said, I'll watch 2 movies every day.  And I knew I wanted to mix in some of these other films "everyone but me" had seen.  So I knew that would be among the number.  Do you understand how many horrible docs I would have to watch to get to 2 a day???  YIKES.  But 730 didn't sound pretty enough to me.  So I decided 750 was a prettier number and it was still technically only 2.05 movies a day.  Very manageable... except I started the goal a week or so late so I had some catching up to do!  I started with gusto and got caught up within a couple of weeks.  Rashan helped immensely by subscribing me to Netflix and watching I'm sure 100s of films with me.  He got behind my goal 100%.  Throughout the year I would get caught up, then go on vacation or have a lot of work to do and fall behind, sometimes by a few movies, once by more than 20.  I spent the last 2 months or more in the hole.  In the last 2 days of the year I watched 10 movies.  It was a struggle to drag myself over the finish line BUT I DID IT.  And I'm SO proud!

When we came home from the Peach Drop in downtown Atlanta last night, I thought, "What am I going to watch tonight?"  It's such a change.  And I woke up thinking, my break ends MONDAY, I don't want to do anything for the next 3 days and certainly not anything involving a screen.  YOU, TOO, BLOG.  And then I got inspired.  Inspiration can really be annoying.  I was thinking I'd just chillax with Rashan since he's off today but now not only am I blogging... but I want to watch a movie.

7 comments:

Ginae said...

yeah! congratulations Jameil! you set a goal and you accomplished it..definetely something to be proud of. personally, i don't know how you watched all those movies...i know my attention span can be whacked at times..

lol@ inspiration being annoying at times..so true so true

Trish said...

I admire your determination! I have a couple of resolutions that I'd really like to see materialize. I'm sure it will take a bit of time to get out of your movie routine.

Not so Anonymous said...

Congratulations, Girl!!! That was a big undertaking, but you were consistent with those monday updates! Owww!

Adei von K said...

Wait, 2009 is now the year past???????????

I had a dream you only watched 740 but you told everybody you made it to 750.

I'm still boggled by the amount of movies under your belt! Way to go!

Have you watched when harry met sally yet???

Sparkling Red said...

That's amazing. There's no way I could have watched 750 movies in a year. You are one very determined woman!

Rashan Jamal said...

751. Purple Rain
752. Belly
753. Scarface

Now that I've been immensely helpful, it's your turn to watch movies with me, starting with those 3. No? Fine, be that way!!!

Jameil said...

GINAE... THANKS! sometimes it was sooo hard.

trish... thanks! it will definitely take a while!

nsa... thanks! that was part of what kept me on track.

adei... shut your face. i didn't lie. i actually watched them. hater. nope, still no when harry met sally or any of my other faves.

red... thanks! :)

rashan... or not.