It's Been Good While It Lasted, Netflix DVD

You should all be happy to know that I finally watched a DVD that I've had from Netflix for almost an entire year.

That's right. I have been paying $10 per month, for a year - for you math dummies, that's $120 - to have a DVD collect dust in my apartment. I have essentially been allowing Netflix to use my apartment as a storage facility. How did this happen, Dan? Where did this go wrong. So many questions... I received the DVD on March 13, 2009. There was so much promise then, so much anticipation! At one point, I looked forward to receiving this DVD! I pined for it! And now, almost an entire year later - a year of guilt and self-loathing, a time that I looked at that DVD with both sorrow and resentment - now, $120 later, I have finally watched this film, which I could have bought on Amazon for $17.99 (plus shipping and handling).

Why has it taken me so long, you ask? Only god knows. I've resisted it for so long for no good reason. Firstky, it's an Almodovar movie... I love Almodovar! Every time I hear he has a new film coming out, I freak out! I love his movies so much that I study the trailers and obsessively seek out interviews, articles... and yet, there are countless movies that he made in the past three decades that I've never seen and apparently am in no rush to see! Here is a perfectly delightful and fascinating example of his cinema - one of the films that, no doubt, made his reputation - and I have treated it like my redheaded, bastard stepchild. Why is that?! Why would I be so cruel to Pedro? Especially when all of his movies are consistently good. This one is called "What Have I Done to Deserve This?" and it turned out to be excellent. Was it his best ever? No. Then again, that's a tall order. Still, it was better than 70% of the films I saw this year (and I've seen a lot).
In truth, I'm sort of sad to return the movie... it's been with me for so long. I mean, first of all, it's seen my bedroom in so many configurations! It was here when I added the new desk. It saw the end of the green sheets in favor of blue stripes. It sympathized with the addition of a sad little khaki dust ruffle (poor dust ruffle never had a chance - was always a disappointment to me). It even supported me when I made the brave decision to add a nightstand to the side of the bed that I don't use for my non-existent (but, somewhere-out-there) boyfriend. Speaking of, it's been with me through good dates and bad. It's witnessed the full-cycle of a relationship (and maybe a few friendships). Yes, it sulked in the corner as I watched the entire first 4 seasons of the Office (not to mention an entire year of other instant Netflix films and tv series), but it stuck with me through the spring rain and the windy fall, through the blistering summer and through the snowy winter. It didn't quite spoon me on my birthday and through the holidays but, I felt its envelope-y presence. It might just be the best, most non-judgmental friend I have!

So, on this Wednesday, February 24th, Happy (belated) Valentine's Day, Netflix DVD and Happy (early) Anniversary! I hope you find luck with your next recipient, but I'm almost certain it won't be a long term relationship like ours. Netflix DVD, je'taime.