While being interviewed recently by Reggie McDaniel on his popular Denver KOA radio show, I was asked how a person could tell if he/she were a movie addict. Fortunately, I had developed a “Checklist for Movie Addiction” to include in my book, Confessions of a Movie Addict, and was able to respond with some authority. Because Reggie and his crew agreed this was such a valuable public service, I decided to share the full checklist with ReelTalk visitors.

So, get out your pencil and paper and answer the following questions (you know you want to):

1. When you haven’t seen a movie for over a week do your eyes twitch and your hands shake?

2. Do you have periods of “blackouts” when all you can remember is what happened in the last movie you saw?

3. Do you avoid anyone who doesn’t like movies?

4. If you can’t buy a ticket to a movie, do you try to talk someone into buying one for you?

5. Do you get defensive when someone accuses you of seeing too many movies?

6. Do you sometimes find globs of old ticket stubs stuck together with Mason Dots at the bottom of your purse or pockets?

7. Have you ever taken money from a child’s piggy bank to pay for admission to the movies?

8. Do you frequently tell co-workers you have an important meeting to attend – but go to a matinee instead?

9. Have you actually paid money to see an Adam Sandler film?

10. Would you rather eat stale movie popcorn for lunch than a juicy hamburger?      

11. Is your conversation filled with comments like “Show me the money,” “May the Force be with you,” and “You can’t handle the truth”?

If you answered “Yes” to over half the questions above, you’re probably a movie addict. Welcome to the club.

Is there any treatment or cure for this addiction? According to Reggie McDaniel, who admits he’s a movie addict like me, the only thing to do is “go to another matinee” as soon as possible.

Confessions of a Movie Addict (Hats Off Books), a life story with everything but the movie stuff edited out, is available from Amazon.com, Barnes&Noble.com, Wheatmark.com and by special order from your favorite local bookstore.

(Special thanks to the Taos Talking Picture Festival for the eye-catching poster of a drive-in movie.)