I am the architect and author of my life. Following my bliss is a rule. There are no dependents with two legs or four, just me. There are no barriers to my desires. Building a life I enjoy isn’t all planning, I must act on it. Bliss in action is flying to New York for a few hours to watch Ryan Coogler’s Sinners in 70mm.
The idea seemed a bit extreme during the original theatrical run. Quite indulgent, which I don’t have a problem with. I bought the ticket, rescheduled an appointment, skipped a committee meeting, and found a flight. Less than $110, that’s a sign to carry myself to New York. I offered a couple sacrifices to the deities of bliss. Waking up at 2:30 a.m. was still not enough to leave exactly on time.
I did my make up for the first time since September. I need to replace everything. An expense I don’t want to face. I also couldn’t decide on which jeans to wear. Decided to follow my first mind and luckily, I put that pair on first. The rush to get downstairs and have a little altar time is how I realized an hour into driving to the airport that my AirPods were still charging at home.
A whim trip requires frugality, Basic Economy. That doesn’t mean don’t go, it means don’t overextend. Declined pre-purchasing seats and landed my preferred window arrangement outbound and inbound. Appearing unavailable to chat isn’t the main reason I need my AirPods on planes. My ears clog, they haven’t popped in years, and I don’t wish to repeat it. I slept most of the hour-long flight so I didn’t notice the lack of music, unprotected ear canals, and weary back of ears from forgetting the ear saver for my mask.
Flawless delivery on the way to breakfast, AirTrain to the Long Island Railroad (LIRR). First time ever! These things excite me. I’d heard the acronym with no idea what it meant until I planned my route while taking a bath the week prior. LIRR to the 2 train. I tried to reload my MetroCard in vain. February was my last purchase, after I forgot my existing card at home. Alas, I must give in and use OMNY. I’ve ignored it on several visits as some new-fangled thing I don’t need. Inner curmudgeon activated.
I feel quite accomplished walking around the New York City streets. Google Maps gives generally great directions with an ever-infuriating map that isn’t programmed to always point in the direction you’re facing. One about face and I headed off to Old John’s Luncheonette. Close to the theater and offering my kind of breakfast.
Cozy, single booth. A family visiting from what sounded like the United Kingdom to my left. Appears they’d become regulars during their visit. Ordered the breakfast sandwich off the tie breaking recommendation of my server. She said the biscuit was the difference and that was enough for me. Excellent choice, thank you kindly. Next time I’ll see if I can swap the bacon for sausage, making a good meal even better.
Post biscuit, a short walk to the theater. Emerged on the third floor into immense sunshine and wound around to the IMAX theater entrance. A three story, mural covered movie theater makes the entire experience even more fun and magical. No need for snacks having patronized Old John’s. I did purchase a bottle of water after forgetting to fill mine at BOTH airports. Quite annoying given that I brought my designated movie theater bottle. Did I finish the new one? Yes. Did I remember to fill up the traveling bottle back at JFK? No.
Found my seat and settled in. My row didn’t require neck craning to view the massive screen. The seat I thought was mine was not. Luckily the purchaser was extremely pleasant. After I moved over one, we chatted about Sinners. My theater seatmate and I agree that Sinners deserves every statuette in the possession of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. We also both enjoyed Ryan’s aspect ratio video with Kodak.
I told him I didn’t mind him being on his phone during the trailers after he asked. Thankfully he didn’t mind when the flash on my phone went off as I tried to snag a photo of the title card. I immediately slammed my phone into my hand, no one scoffed or made angry noises so maybe no one noticed or cared. I was still highly embarrassed. Not embarrassed enough to try again at the end and succeed sans flash.
I made the trip to see a beautiful, perfect film as the creative team intended. As Ryan Coogler intended. It is meant to be seen in a theater. Do I enjoy it at home? Yes. Was I tempted to stay and watch it in 70mm again? Absolutely. The switch in aspect ratio comes at every pivotal moment. I knew I would feel like I was in the film, and I loved that feeling realized. Wide open sky and expansive landscapes, the ancestors descending upon Club Juke, Smoke taking out the entire Clarksdale chapter of the Klan.
THIS IS WHY I CAME TO NEW YORK, AMC 13 LINCOLN SQUARE. I was deliriously exhilarated the moment I bought my ticket. Giggling to myself because who flies to watch a movie. Me, I do. I do it because my favorite director is gifted and grounded. I didn’t think I would watch Sinners more than once, I don’t do horror, I don’t like being afraid. This made 8 trips to the theater in 4 states. This evidence to my mind that my life is meant to be fun. Enjoying myself and taking every opportunity to have an experience I desire.
Tight timing meant right after Sammie finished “This Little Light of Mine” I had to go straight back to JFK. No time for lunch, what a pity. Meals are the best part of New York. I have 50 or so saved in Google Maps. I had to make my flight and get home to rest before pre competition Open Gyms the following day.
This is where a self-fulfilling prophecy unfolded. I like to joke that I always enter the subway incorrectly at least once every trip. I do my best resident impression, which is thrown off by the pre-trip declaration. Walked into the right one, didn’t see the sign I expected over the gate, back up and across the street into another entrance, paid to get in, realized it’s wrong. Went back across the street, paid, saw the sign I needed and walked to my platform.
A tinge of anxiety crept up concerning getting back to JFK in time. At least I’d corrected my Known Traveler Number. Side bar: on my first Jet Blue reservation I used the number on my Global Entry card instead of the number that only lives online. No Precheck in the morning, Clear saved the day. Added the correct number at the gate, checked in for my return flight on my outbound flight, Precheck secured.
At Penn Station the anxiousness revved up when I saw no route names on the track platform signs. Also, a different side of Penn Station from the morning commute. Bought a ticket to Huntington, that felt wrong. Bought a ticket on another line. Still wrong, what is the fastest? Ronkonkoma, going to JFK, leaving in 12 minutes, perfect. I donated $23 to the LIRR but at least I hadn’t purchased a ticket for the line NOT stopping at JFK. Another notch on the anxiety dial, I feared accidentally purchasing that ticket.
Thankfully the AirTrain goes one way. The Precheck line averaged 5 minutes and we ended up boarding late. Guess, I could have taken the later train. I much preferred sitting at the gate and waiting stress free. Still AirPod-less inflight, I watched half of The Materialists with captions. I finished the rest on my flight the following headed home for competition. More on that later.
I chatted with my seat mate while we sat at the gate waiting to deplane. She was returning home with her husband from a Canadian cruise. She asked if I was in the city for the weekend? No, just for the day to do something I wanted, I’m glad I did it. Her reply, I’m glad you did it too. I appreciated that. How nice, guess it wasn’t that absurd after all. But I already knew that.
Following Bliss on ‘Sinners’ Saturday
