The stuff I've collected over the years in my little box/bureau drawer/keepsake chest marks every step of my way.

My mom's mom, Memere as her grandchildren call her, is a faithfully devoted Catholic.  She's visited the early lands of our ancestors three individual times over the past decade and loves it more and more with each visit.  Upon the return one of her three visits, she gave me the gift of a small wooden case with a star and "BETHLEHEM" written upon it.  Inside this small hexagon-shaped box, trinkets of my most pleasurable pastime squish together to fit in their small living space.

What diversion is guilty of being my biggest distraction problem?  The cinema.

I need movies as much as the next person requires food to eat and water to drink.  They're my guilty pleasure.  My escape.  My safe haven.  There is not just one quality this form of entertainment posseses that attracts me, but many different attributes.

-The ride to the theater.  Whether it being occupied with the conversation of another (others), or it being a solo retreat with time to think. (Yeah, I'm not like most, I do go to movies alone.)
-The theater itself.  Each one never being of the same exact character.
-Occasionally the theater's snacks that cost more than the actual ticket itself.
-In Bangor: the man that greets passersby at the entrance with entertaining voices.
-The top row of the stadium fixed in the center. No one is behind me to kick my seat and I'm perfectly positioned to view the whole screen.
-The loud audio that is easily heard.
-People around you enjoying what you're enjoying. Or despising what you're despising.
-The art of the actual movie.  How much careful detail has been put in each scene to capture an audiences attention and gratitude.
-The ideas behind that movie made.  The secret foreshadowing that allows me to annoy only those closest to me of what I think is to come next, and the satisfaction when it happens.
-The escape from every-day living and events.  Other lands to be drawn to, other people to be surrounded by, a whole other life to live.

Going to the cinema affects me more positively than negatively.  But, life just isn't perfect and these ticket stubs bring back ALL memories.  Not just the amazing ones.  I am reminded of how much money I have spent over the past years on this one pastime alone and it makes me wonder if I had saved $8.00 or so a week, would I have made it to Europe by now?  Could I have gotten a better grade on that homework assignment by skipping the movie instead?  Would I feel better if I had never gone on that date with him?

Then we also get the movies that actually weren't worth watching in the first place.  A movie is a movie and I tend to always say yes to one, but in VERY rare occasions I wish I hadn't gone.  Some of these movies that I have stubs for are: The Devil Inside, Thereafter, Bad Teacher , and Date Night.

My favorite movies are those that make me feel like there is nothing around.  Ones in which I don't check my watch or clock on the phone.  Ones where I feel totally immersed in whatever captivating experience the actors/actresses are experiencing.  Such as: Across The Universe (went six times), To Save A Life, Silver Linings Playbook, Avatar, Brave, Immortals, Footloose, The Artist, Argo, This Means War, The Reader and so many more.

I wouldn't call movies just another pastime actually, for me I'd say they are act of daily living.