the opinion columnist

I've realized something about myself since getting married... something anyone with a brain could have pointed out to me my entire life, but somehow I was unaware... of the fact that I happen to be extremely opinionated.

I guess, I started to notice a few years ago that, although Matt has some strongly held opinions, he doesn't (unlike me) really feel the need to state them out loud (or via blog) or really at all. He always states them very diplomatically, during civil debates, in a way that makes him sound like a total genius. But normally he will only do this around very close family and around people who are being moronic... the rest of the time he just keeps his mouth shut.

I, on the other hand, LOVE to rant, and immediately put in my two cents about things that matter and things that don't matter, and most of the time I sound like a complete idiot for doing so, so I pay the price.

Maybe this is why Proverbs 25:8 is so convicting to me. "Do not go out hastily to argue your case; Otherwise, what will you do in the end, when your neighbor humiliates you?"

NEVERTHELESS, new situations typically make me aware of strongly held opinions that I didn't even know I had. And I am here now to share a couple of them with you.

1. Women, the ONLY place where it is appropriate to wear shorts that do not cover ALL of your butt cheeks is at your home, the swimming pool, the beach, the lake, a hot tub, and the like... NOT at THE GYM on a treadmill, NOT at STARBUCKS. Trust me, it is NOT attractive, nor would it be even if you did have a perfect rump. So do yourself a favor and roll down those cotton SOFFE® shorts about 3 or 4 times.

2. If you are at the movie to see a chick flick, then ALL of the previews should be advertising chick-flicky-type movies, NOT CREEPY HORROR FILMS!

Last night while waiting for a chick-flick to start, two previews featuring extremely creepy horror/suspense type films were played. They were so creepy that I had to close my eyes and my ears and wait for them to be over at which point I exclaimed rather loudly to Matt (in a full theatre), "What the heck is wrong with these PSYCHOTIC people in our country?"

Dear movie people, I paid for a chick flick. The next movie I pay for will probably be a chick flick or something of the sort... unless I am a movie snob or a movie fanatic at which point I already know about the psycho horror films you are advertising. Please stick to showing previews in the same general genre as the movie I paid to watch.

Well that was fun. You're welcome. Perhaps this will have to become a series.