Five People Who Influence Me

            Hey guys, I’m known as TheCinemaChick!  While I usually stick to movies, I have one more top five list I’d like to make.  You know about movies I’ve hated, movies I’ve loved and the movies that have a special place in my heart.  However, I’d like to write something about the people who’ve been inspirational to me.  I’ll have my reviews for Underworld: Awakening and Red Tails up very soon, but this has been floating in my head and it’s important to me. 

            The thing is, there’s things I’ve wanted to say for a while, but I had to remember one thing a Pulitzer prize author once told me.  “Turn off your internal censor.  If people don’t like what you write, too bad.  It’s your words.”

            So now, I’d like to talk about the five people in my life who have been a huge impact on me.  The list isn’t in any particular order, so I’m not playing favorites here.

5. Butterfly

            I’ve known Butterfly since we were in high school.  We got along really well since we’re both kind of offbeat and eclectic in our own ways.  One Halloween, we decided to put glitter in his hair and added some black lipstick.  Not sure why we thought that was a good idea.  He’s been a constant in my life for ten years now.  We see movies together, our taste in music is really similar and we’re still the weird kids we were back then.  He’s become my unofficial little brother.  I do see him as a part of my family and I don’t know what I’d do if he died.  He’s funny, he’s sarcastic, he’s a great guy.  When I’m having issues, he’s willing to help me through them.  Everyone needs that one friend they can rely on not matter what and Butterfly is that person.  We can talk about anything without it being weird.

4. Terra

            Terra is my former college room mate.  In a really bizarre way, she is also my “wife”.  Before everyone jumps to conclusions, neither of us are gay.  While at college, my group of friends created our own little family, since most of us were pretty far from home.  Somehow, I was voted to be the father and she was the mother.  Since we lived in the same room, we started joking about being a married couple.  When I first started having problems, she ended up having to take care of me.  I couldn’t walk so she’d have to get my meals and help me hobble to the bathroom.  In a sense, I’m forever in her debt for everything she did for me.  I did pay homage to her when I wrote a story for my Advanced Non Fiction class, called “A Year in Life” where I chronicled my injuries to my surgery to my recovery.  Surprisingly, everyone who read it wanted more Terra.  I think it’s because of a running joke she and I have about barbecue sauce.  Long story short, barbecue sauce should not be used for a pain reliever.

3. Mumford

            I met Mumford in college.  We had a bunch of classes together and we’d see each other around campus.  I wouldn’t say we were friends though.  I mean, we didn’t hang out on weekends or work on projects together.  During college, we were acquaintances at best.  Now you’re probably wondering why he’s on this list.  Well, for one, I’ve been reading his blog, which is amazing.  He’s got some strong opinions and his short stories make me jealous.  Seriously, he’s got some skills.  The reason he’s an influence on me is because lately, we’ve been talking more.  He’s been helping me through a rough patch and I’m incredibly grateful for it.  Mumford is a great guy.

           

            My college family knew him too.  He usually saw me with them.  We’d talk outside of class but what made me laugh (I really am laughing about it right now), is that my friends all thought he was attractive.  In a group of about five to seven girls, I’d have to hear them talk about him a lot.  If memory serves me correctly, I think one of the girls wanted to ask him out.  I just don’t recall which one it was, though I know who it wasn’t.  I know she didn’t.  She chickened out at the last minute.  My friends still ask me about him, which is little weird.  I know Kit Kat got sick of me talking about him because when I picked a name for him, I couldn’t decided, so we went through a list and ended up with the first one.  

2. Kit Kat

            You know she had to be on this list.  Kit Kat and I met through Fry.  We’ve known each other for years at this point and we’ve both come to the same conclusion.  The truth is, we are somehow long lost sisters.  It is seriously freaky how much we are alike.  I mean, we have the same taste in movies, music, books, clothes…you name it and we probably agree on it.  Ok, the one thing we don’t agree on is whether Coke or Dr. Pepper is better.  That’s one debate we’ll never settle.  But ask what our favorite shows on TV are and chances are, we’ll both say Being Human.  Ask us what our favorite food is, we’ll say Mexican.  It’s weird how alike we are when we’ve known each other only four years.

            She and I talk on a daily basis over instant messenger.  And like any other sisters, we have our squabbles and disagreements.  We’re not freaking perfect.  She was with me when I got sick, when I was going through rehab and supported my decision to return to school.  She was the one who really pushed me to start writing this blog and to stick with it.  I do feel bad because she has seen me at my worst.  She does understand because we do have similar situations going on.  We’re both job hunting like there’s no tomorrow and trying to get out in the world.

            One thing about Kit Kat.  She is the only person in the world who can call me Gimpy and not get a death glare.  Seriously.  Everyone else who has done either gets the glare or a slap on the arm.  She keeps me calm, keeps me focused and understands the way my mind works.  We’re usually on the same page.  We’re caffeine addicts who love tacos and share an unusual obsession with non Twilight vampires.

1. MovieMamma

            Yeah, my momma is my biggest influence.  Granted, things haven’t always been easy for us.  We’ve had a lot of struggles but we’ve managed to come out on top.  She’s always been the one in my corner cheering for me, whether it was a spelling bee, a UIL competition or even just a recital.  My mother is the one who taught me to not beat myself up when I make a mistake.  When I did choir, I was very hard on myself.  I had to be perfect.  One year, I pushed myself too hard and I forgot my song.  I left the recital in tears.  She told me later that messing up is fine.  Everyone embarrasses themselves at some point.  So, the next time I forgot my lyrics, I just smiled apologized and moved on.  During high school, I ended up mentoring some of the younger girls who had stage fright.

            I’ve always had big dreams.  Some of them weren’t exactly logical but she still told me to never give up on them.  Well, I highly doubt I’m going to move to London and be a billionaire writer at this point nor am I going to be a super popular singer like Adele.  Still, she knows that I want to be the next Roger Ebert and she listens to me talk about every movie I see.  She’s blind now, but I guess me talking to her about the films helps her live vicariously through me.  When I told her I wanted to be a writer, she said she thought it would be a great idea, so long as she got the first copy of my book.  She was the first person I called when I had three poems published.

            Even though my mom is sick and she won’t get to experience some of the things I’d hoped we’d do together, she’s still the biggest influence on my life.  She’s the one who told me that I shouldn’t doubt myself.  My mother is the one who showed me I have the strength to overcome anything, even though most of the time I feel defeated.  She’s helped me through the most painful breakup I’ve ever had and still listens to me cry when I’m upset.

            My mother is the most important person in the world to me.  Don’t get me wrong, I care about all of the people on my list.  Butterfly is my brother, Mumford is becoming a good friend (assuming I don’t scare him off), Terra will always be my “cannibal” (again, you had to be there for that one) and Kit Kat is my partner in crime.

            Everyone has people they love and can’t imagine life without.  It shows in different ways and sometimes, we’ll fight and disagree.  I know Kit Kat, Butterfly and Terra have different views than I do.  That’s fine with me.

            I’m TheCinemaChick and I have some amazing people in my corner.