ordinary people

Anytime Sam feels ordinary, she makes an odd noise coupled with a bizarre gesture, to mark the moment as unrepeatable and thus historic.

When D picked Garden State the only reservation I had was that the Times review kept mentioning it was this generation's "The Graduate":

Garden State, Zach Braff's small, smart, off-kilter comedy, has the cheek to present itself as ''The Graduate 2004,'' although its affectionate subversion of a popular classic also stamps it as ''The Anti-Graduate 2004.'' From its story of the awakening of an emotionally numbed young man -- played by Mr. Braff, who wrote and directed the movie -- to its editorial use of a contemporary pop soundtrack that throws in vintage Simon and Garfunkel (''The Only Living Boy in New York''), ''Garden State'' obsessively refers to that 1967 generational landmark.

Not being of this generation, I was afraid I wouldn't be able to relate to it. The fact it used one of The Shins song as a plot device scared me. The Shins? Never heard of them.

Well since the movie choice was just a plot device as well, expectations were very low. And, by now, y'all have learned what happens when expectations are low. I truly enjoyed the movie to the point that I will need to see it again. I found I was really relating to it: I saw a lot of my life in its chapters (that's how the movie felt, unfolding in chapters.) The whole thing about not wanting to feel ordinary mentioned on the beggining of this post is the very fuel that propels me in life. Something Mr. LV, Ms. VL and I use to talk about endlessly back in hign school. My generation.

And fun was definitely had Wednesday night.