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I’m Dating Another Man

It started online. That's how so many affairs happen these days, right? We connect with strangers in cyberspace. The veil of molecular ether makes us bolder. Maybe even flirtier. We form connections across airwaves. Fiber optic cables. Keys. And screens. I happened upon him chatting with several of his cyber-friends. "You're going to see that movie? I totally want to go." "What about MTM?" (Because EVERYONE in cyberland knows about MTM.......) "Forget MTM. I've GOT to see this movie with YOU."

It started online. That’s how so many affairs happen these days, right? We connect with strangers in cyberspace. The veil of molecular ether makes us bolder. Maybe even flirtier.

I happened upon him chatting with several of his cyber-friends. “You’re going to see that movie? I totally want to go.”

“What about MTM?”

(Because EVERYONE in cyberland knows about MTM…….)

“Forget MTM. I’ve GOT to see this movie with YOU.”

So.

My date with another man was set for yesterday. Thirty minutes past noon. My mate was crippled, after all. A broken collarbone is what he gets for thinking a 50-year-old man can still qualify for the Tour de France. (He will want me to tell you he picked up his bike and finished the day, just like the twenty-somethings on the Tour.)

Anyway.

Back to me.

And my illicit date.

I stood outside the IMAX, nursing popcorn and butterflies. Decided maybe I should go in and get the best seats available. From my perch dead-center, I tweeted him.

Because cyber is the language we’ve used to discuss our panting over the debut of Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar FOR WEEKS. AND WEEKS. AND WEEKS.

Through pretzels and popcorn and deafening bass, we sat together in the dark for almost three hours. Never once did I think about dragging out my phone to tweet a “what do you think?” or “can I have a bite of your pretzel?”

I guess I was a very bad date.

Because, at the end, Kenneth Andrews and I left with our respective partners. MTM and Krista accompanied us on our Date With Geekery.

And I’d do it all again.

🙂

********

Notes:

1. Interstellar isn’t Inception. It’s a visual spectacle, but it doesn’t make me think like Inception or Memento did.

2. MTM broke his collar bone at the ACL joint on Saturday when an ear-budded pedestrian stepped in front of him. He wrecked to keep from mowing her down, flipped over his handlebars and landed on his helmeted head and right shoulder. We find out today or tomorrow whether his injury requires surgery…….and whether his Nurse Ratchet will be able to endure whatever prognosis he receives. Please keep MTM in your thoughts and prayers, if that’s your thing.

3. If you are prone to wear earbuds in public spaces, PLEASE turn your music down and pay attention to your surroundings. (NOT YOUR SCREENS.) Expensive injuries (to yourselves or to others) aren’t worth that extra text or tweet or song or whatever.

4. We are very lucky MTM wears his helmet when he rides. We’re also lucky he was going uphill. He could’ve broken his neck at faster speeds.

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55 Comments

  1. I’ve often seen cyclists on the roads here with their earphones in and thought it was crazy! How on earth can they know what the cars, vans, tractors, lorries or anything else on the road are doing? Evidently, it’s not great on pavements either. I hope MTM can heal without surgery. How did the pedestrian react?

    1. MTM doesn’t wear headphones when he rides. Most serious cyclists don’t, because they understand how important it is to be alert. Casual cyclists, on the other hand………

      Many pedestrians (runners and walkers) wear them. On the bridge MTM rides, he has to share a lane with the peds, though it’s clearly divided. They come into the bike lane to pass others when it’s crowded, but when they’re wearing headphones, they should look both ways before stepping into the bike lane.

  2. OK, but was the movie good? Was it worth seeing? I know all about Kenneth – so no mystery there. 😉

      1. Do we have an IMAX in #CHS? (Citadel Mall?) Comes vaguely to mind.

    1. We saw it at Citadel Mall. It’s a visual spectacle worthy of IMAX. It won’t be the same on a smaller screen.

  3. Well luckily, unlike the movie, the pretzel was pretty bad. But it did the trick and got food in me since I hadn’t eaten yet! So you didn’t miss anything!

    I’m so glad we went with you, it was a fun watch and as MTM and I mentioned at the beginning, a spectacle worthy of an IMAX! And I’m glad we had a little time to discuss it after as well. I always enjoy discussing the craft of movies and storytelling!

    1. We watched Contact last night to compare, so it was a full day of outer space for us.

      1. Yeah we got to try to watch that again soon. How did it hold up over the years? It’s been awhile since I’ve seen it

        1. Interstellar is pretty clearly a reimagining of Contact. Same executive producer and everything. I think Contact is the better movie, because it’s more cerebral. The outer space portions and effects aren’t the centerpiece of the film. I’ve always loved the irony in it.

  4. I had been biking all summer without a helmet.I am so very glad that MTM didn’t suffer worse injuries. Tell him I wish him well and a speedy recovery and that I will buy myself a helmet next spring.

    1. Whenever I think it’s a pain to strap it on, I’m going to remember the big gash on MTM’s. It really saved him from a more serious injury.

      1. I know two people who had close encounters on their bikes with vehicles this past summer, one of whom was not wearing a helmet. She was lucky and has been wearing one ever since. I hope MTM doesn’t need surgery!

  5. Oh, I do hope MTM doesn’t have to have surgery (like adding insult to injury) and bless him for choosing to risk his own safety and not both his and the ped’s. And thanks for the brief review of Interstellar. We’re hoping it comes to an IMAX here … I think that will be the only way I’ll be willing to sit for almost 3 hours. (And by the way, we watched Memento again about a week ago … what a great thoroughly creepy and thought-provoking film).

    1. I can’t speak for Andra but I can tell you it felt just like a regular long movie, not like a 3 hour movie. We definitely felt there was a little time that could have been cut out from it but for the most part what is there serves its purpose. The opening is where most of the slowness happens but then the pacing settles into a sweet spot and it flies right by.

    2. It is very slow at the beginning. His approach to establishing all of the relationships was ponderous. At least thirty minutes too long.

  6. fantastic foursome, andra. and hugs to mtm. just saw, ‘the armstrong lie,’ powerful doc about the fall of a biking giant, rent it when you can – think you both would love it, it holds nothing back –

    1. MTM cannot stand him to the point that I don’t think he could watch something with him in it for any length of time…….

    1. She probably waltzed away from it (with her headphones still in) and hasn’t given him another thought……..

  7. Hi Andra — and MTM — I do hope M is okay — how frustrated he must be (never mind the pain) to be put out of commission for riding.
    I’ve been looking forward to seeing Interstellar myself, but have heard, like you said, that it’s nothing mind-blowing. But they don’t all need to be Memento, I suppose.
    My best to you both, from Penny & I…

    1. At least it was a movie I anticipated, unlike much of what’s come out this year.

  8. Hope mtm recovers quickly.

    I want to see Interstellar but your review co includes with most others I’ve read.

  9. It’s not luck that MTM was wearing his helmet – it’s intelligence. I NEVER ride without my helmet (then again, I’ve never been on a bike ride where I haven’t needed it). I am sending healing vibes your way and will say a prayer (or two, or three…) also. Good luck MTM!

    broke my collar bone when I was but 15 years old popping a wheelie up a hill on my Steen 100 with a Hodaka engine (motorcycle) (don’t ask me why or how I remember the name of the motorbike). Stupidly I had my sister on behind me and she was dragging me off so I turned around to sock her and push her off the bike (because I’m a sweet older sister)…hit the gravel wall and slammed my collar bone into the motorbike bar……….OUCH (sister fell on her butt – which had padding so don’t feel too sorry for her). Now…when I’m lifting in crossfit I’m always hitting that side of my bone because it sticks out more than the other side. 🙂 See what you have to look forward to MTM (you may be lopsided for ever)? My sister broke her collar bone when she fell off the top bunk while sleeping…. See Andra? I made another memory…and so did MTM, unfortunately MTM’s memory will be a painful one for awhile.

    1. We have something else in common, Lori. I broke my brother’s arm when we were kids. He deserved it, though. He was trying to come into my room. 🙂

      MTM’s collarbone is broken at the end, where the ACL joint connects to the shoulder bone. The end of the bone is fractured, and that joint connection is severed. The joint thing is what has me really worried about surgery, because I don’t know whether that connection can repair itself. I guess we’ll learn more in the coming days.

  10. Sending healing vibes to MTM. And thanks for the Interstellar eval. Really looking forward to seeing it and dragging Bill out of the house.

    1. Get a lot of popcorn. They pretty much show previews for every IMAX movie coming out in the next year…….takes a while to get to the actual film.

  11. Sending positive thoughts and a prayer or three. I so hope that MTM’s course of treatment will not involve surgery. Think I’ll stick with Shank’s mare. 🙂

    1. He goes to our DR at 1:30 today, though I’m sure we’ll be sent along to the orthopedist from there.

  12. Give my best wishes to MTM…I’ve always thought the wheel was over rated as an invention and two in line is insane…tell him to ask an architect if it would stand up. Great post and real best wishes to MTM:)

  13. Positive healing vibes being sent MTM’s way. Caregiving isn’t a walk in the park either so you will be in my thoughts in the next few days/weeks

    1. I haven’t gotten impatient with him once………but it’s early days. 🙂

  14. Thinking of MTM. Avoiding a collision was the brave thing. At least there was only one injury (sadly it is his)

    1. It would’ve been messier if he’d hit her, though even the doctor said, “She would’ve stopped your pitch over the handlebars…….”

  15. Oh no :(((( The same thing happened to my son a couple of years ago. No fun. I’ll send healing thoughts to MTM…and you. XOXO

  16. I’m trying to get over my lather for the earbud ignoramous who caused MTM severe injury. How are you taking this so calmly? Or perhaps you are being polite in blogland. Best wishes to your biker for a speedy recovery, surgery or waiting for self-healing.

    I’ve skipped ‘Interstellar’ so far because I think I want to sit through the 2:59 in my recliner at home even though IMAX is alluring. That’s so long, Andra. Now since you’ve rated it as more flash than substance, I’ll continue to wait.

    1. I don’t know what point getting upset about it would serve. It happened. We have to deal with it. If anything, I hope we can somehow start a movement to ban ‘distractions while walking/running/riding’, because, much like drivers, those people should be paying attention to what they’re doing, not to a screen or to music that drowns out their surroundings.

      If you have a big tv, you’ll get the idea. 🙂

      1. When you’re out in public, the public deserves your attention. That’s what I get, Andra. Dang. You are pretty cool. Good for you. You are right that being upset at her gains you nothing. Me, even less. But still here I am angry at such behavior. Principle of it, I guess. How could she be so self-centered? Grrrrrrr. I guess I’ve heard too many people loudly answer their cell phone while I’ve been viewing my weekly first-run movie for blog review.

  17. Nice date. I never dated much. I’ve dated myself, but that’s different.

  18. Oh wow.! Will definitely keep MTM in my thoughts.! I hope the recovery is speedy and painless.! Btw – great foto of the moon 😉

  19. Oh no, I”m so sorry to hear about MTM’s accident!!! Pedestrians with earbuds and/or phones are a hot button issue with me, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had people literally walk into my (stopped) car because they obliviously stepped off a curb or in front of a parking garage exit. Then I get the glare even though I saw them wandering and waited in the lane to keep them safe from other drivers. 🙁

    1. I know, right? They’re clueless, and it’s somehow your fault???

  20. Prayers are said on all’s behalf and what a great post Andra!

    Freezing to death in Indiana,

    Jim

    1. We’re not far behind you, Jim. Freeze warnings here tonight. Stay warm, and thanks for the prayers.

  21. This gave me good giggles! We should have put you and Kenny in the middle so he could oohhh and ahhhh in you ear…lesson learned for next time!

  22. I thought of MTM’s crash today during my midday run (earbuds in/sound at a level I can still hear stuff around me). It’s second nature for me to turn and look before changing lanes, so to speak, but today I really noticed the fact that I was doing it. I’m sorry the walker/jogger he almost hit wasn’t so courteous. 🙁

  23. Oh dear!!! Thinking and praying for MTM! And when, when, when will people learn that walking around blasting music while stepping out into a street is never a good idea???? I almost hit a woman who dashed in front of my car. She also had her earbuds in and was in her own little world. Arrrrggghhh!!!

  24. Thank goodness he wears a helmet. I’m the praying sort, and have mentioned MTM. 🙂
    I’d like to see Interstellar. Kate and Tom went to see it when I was up in MN, enjoying a date night. I won’t tell MTM about Norske Nook. I didn’t get pie for home, but, did buy one of their frozen pie shells. Can’t wait to make pumpkin pie in it.

    Okay. Just doin’ some catching up, so, need to get on with it. 🙂

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