ANYTHING ELSE, AND THAT. - by Chidera Odom

I almost ate pasta au dè soggiére today. Do you even have to ask?That is Chidera’s whimsical way of saying “soggy pasta.”  I blame myself completely. I was busy on a movie while cooking pasta on high heat. Genius! I was so giddy, that I was perched on my bed, half-squatting, absorbed in the romantic tension unfolding on screen. My attention divided, I was cooking one moment and swooning over a charming male lead the next, trying to be conspicuous, yet failing, because his bulk alone was a mountain.Then came the mental alarm: "Ding ding! Your pasta's now soggy!"  Do you know what is worse than eating soggy pasta?  Oh, yes—eating cold soggy pasta! Oh well, I jumped out of my bed after hitting pause and rushed to pour out the spaghetti. All the while I was chanting- "Today is the day I eat soggy pasta ooo...".In my head, I recalled Allen’s words about how many people struggle to make good pasta. I’d confidently joked that mine didn’t suck, unaware I was about to break my own record for culinary disaster. I finally finished cooking, only to rush back to the film and realize—I’d forgotten to boil my eggs.The errors kept piling up-and-over. In the end, I settled for naked jollof spaghetti—not exactly a culinary triumph.<img src="/media/inline_insight_image/water mirror.jpeg" alt="">Now, you might wonder why all this fuss over a movie. You know those films in which a character feels like a mirror reflecting back your own life, or that of your friends? This was one of those. I found myself grinning like a fool—more times than I care to admit. At one point, it felt borderline creepy.Some of the actors rubbed me the wrong way. There was this guy—not a cheat, not a woman-beater—but a gambling addict who was perpetually losing and stealing from his partner to fund his vice. She scolded him, cried, but still kissed him like he was her world. Maybe he was, but it was so frustrating. The portrayal of girlhood pulled me in. I saw myself and my close friends: sharing deep conversations, exploring beautiful places, and embodying strength. It would be a dream to regularly meet up for wine and laughs, to share life’s ups and downs. To have that supportive presence to lean on when times are tough—friends who would stand with me against the challenges life throws our way. People that will always encourage you, always hold the fort for you while you're fighting the world from the depths of despair. Girls who can stand back-to-back with you and face foes on every side. They would hold my shoes while I dance to frivolous beats and pre-order me gifts in anticipation of my good fortune.<img src="/media/inline_insight_image/sweet innocence.jpeg" style="background-color: transparent;" alt=""> Those are the kind of friends I have, and they are the only kind of friends worth having.I hope I can also be that for them. A pillar, solid ground, the one firm place they can always rely on.There’s more to say about the movie, but here’s the takeaway: Some films teach us valuable lessons, some inspire, and others can profoundly shift our mood or outlook on life. What about you? Is there a movie that left a lasting impact on you?

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