Single Mom Movie Review: Jerry Maguire

"I care about the job, but mostly I just wanna be inspired." - Dorothy Boyd

"A real man would not shoplift the pootie from a single mother." - Rod Tidwell

"Don't cry at the beginning of a date. Cry at the end, like I do." - Laurel Boyd

As we finish up the first month of football season, I feel the annual craving to watch Cameron Crowe’s Jerry Maguire.  1996 was the year I started paying attention to the Academy Awards, and pretty much solidified my dream to go to film school. Tom Cruise & Cuba Gooding Jr. had my 15 year-old vote, even though the incredibly long (though I’ve grown to love it now) English Patient  took the final trophy home.

My feelings for Jerry Maguire have changed over the last decade. I used to think it was an incredibly romantic love story, an inspiring sports tale and one man’s conquest for the greater good.  Ah …the folly of youth.

As I watched it again last weekend, I felt a totally different connection to the film. I’ve always had issues with Rene Zellweger’s character, and since becoming a single mom myself, there was a time when I thought Dorothy Boyd’s neediness was downright pathetic.

Now that I’ve had a few years of single motherhood under my belt, not to mention at least 6 years working in various offices, I’ve started looking at her reasons for following Jerry Maguire (almost off a cliff) in a different light.  Why? Because in the last year, I myself have felt the urge to escape administrative hell, and like Dorothy, I have only had “three lovers in four years.” So when she was presented with opportunity to escape both of those lives simultaneously through one man, I suddenly could relate.

Pisces Pictures

Hello everyone!

I assume most of you are former Cost of Living readers, or my friends and family who have pushed me to keep writing. My old blog was slowly dwindling in its popularity, and the regularity of posts was shoddy as best. I was not being consistant, and I figured now that I officially have permenant custody of my daughter, there would be no drama to lure readers. 

My life was getting busier as well, and I was starting to go on real dates. Also, having moved to the “big city”, I spent more of my free time at concerts, shows, museums and other social get-togethers.  I was online only to check email and Facebook.  I was ignoring my blog and having a good time doing it.

But I started getting questions DURING those social get-togethers. About my blog! I wanted to chill and revel in my REAL LIFE, but instead my friends kept asking me “UM…. when are you going to post again?”

Recently, a fellow blogger/old high school friend who has been reading my blog for the last 3 years hosted a girl’s night at her house. I’ve reconnected with my friend; this move finally bringing us back together for the first time since her wedding in 2007.  As we chatted and drank wine, I sighed and told her my blog was dead.