Today’s Writing 101 topic was to critique something that you’re passionate about, and since I’m passionate about my ’90s nostalgia (and since Bubbles wanted to watch it last night), I decided to review one of my favorite childhood movies, The Mighty Ducks.  All three movies in this series are fantastic; I’ve watched the first two (because we didn’t have the third one) so many times that I have them memorized.

And now, without further ado, here are ten things I’ve learned from watching The Mighty Ducks:

1. Sometimes the gentle approach is the best.  Soft hands – concentration, not strength.

2. It’s never too late to try again.  If Coach Bombay can try out for the minors at the end of the movie, then you can do anything you want.

3. A simple fraction can make a world of difference.  A quarter of an inch to the left and little Gordon’s puck would have gone in…but a quarter of an inch the other way and it would have missed completely.  It’s all about perspective.

4. Don’t quack at the principal, unless you enjoy detention.  It’s also probably not a good idea to quack at your boss. 😉

5. There are more important things in life than work, and it’s important to stand up for those things.  After all, you’ve got to stand for something or you’ll fall for anything.

6. New things are often scary, but with the right tools – and enough pads, new things can be a whole lot of fun.

7. Winning – and by extension, winning big – isn’t everything.  Sure, it’s great to win sometimes, but you can’t win all the time.  It’s how you handle your losses that truly defines who you are.  Character is not forged in calm seas, but in class three kill storms.

8. Communication is important; do it well.  Whether you’re passing a puck to a teammate or maintaining a relationship, good communication is vital.

9. Even our heroes are human, and humans make mistakes.  Forgive mistakes, forgive slights and betrayals, but never forget.  Learn from your own mistakes, but also from the mistakes of others.

10. “Ducks fly together.  Just when you think they’re about to break apart, ducks fly together.  And when the wind blows hard and the sky is black, ducks fly together.  And when the roosters are crowin’ and the cows are spinnin’ circles in the pasture, ducks fly together.  And when everyone says it can’t be done, ducks fly together.”  Just replace “ducks” with “friends” and “fly” with “stick” – friends stick together.  Don’t give up just because something gets hard.  See it through to the end, with a little help from your friends.

All right, all right, so number ten actually comes from D2: The Mighty Ducks, but it was a pretty fantastic movie, too. What about you – what’s your favorite movie?  What did it teach you?

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