I can't help loving (read: admiring and exploiting the quirks of) that man of mine...he had me at "Yassou". 

My husband is Greek, I mean really Greek - first generation American, Greek speaking, olive skinned, Pythagorean-theorem referencing, komboloi carrying, Greek.

So when the movie 300 came out, all I heard was "We have to go see that. Get a babysitter and go see it. Seriously." Never happened. Three kids, sports, playdates, crazy-busy lives...we just don't get to the movies much.

However, on our anniversary this year we escaped. We stayed overnight at the Hyatt Regency, and they have movies you can order before they're even released on DVD. How fabulous! I didn't know this - when we go on vacation and check into the room, the first thing I do is hop in the bath, open the mini-bottle of shower gel for bubbles, and read the room service menu. Priorities.

I was in said bath trying to find out how late I could order roasted chicken and garlic mash when my husband, Pete, yells from the other room "300! SAM! I'm going to order 300! Okay? Okay? I'm ordering it now. Honey! You're gonna watch it with me, right?" Well, it's not like he's offering a gigantic wooden horse or anything...sure, I can watch a movie while I eat room service.

My husband watching 300 recalled all the stories of King Leonidas, the Spartans, Arcadians and the Athenians told to him by his father when he was a child. My youngest brother-in-law is named Leonidas. "I've seen the statue of King Leonidas in Greece, you know.  The guy they chose to play him looks just like Leonidas." Boy, that's refreshing. Those integrity-obsessed people in Hollywood must have invented a secret time machine to maneuever the worm holes of time and sent sketch artists to capture Leo's profile. No detail too small for film-making.

And since 300 was released on DVD at the end of July, my home has become Leonidas-possessed. When I say something that displeases my husband ("Babe, can you take out the trash?"), he responds to me assertively (warrior like) and articulately (wordier than "The Republic"), trying so hard to remember some Homer from college, but failing, and settling for the dramatic quote from King Leonidas..."This is SPARTA!". No, it's SUBURBIA, honey. And grab those plastic bottles for the recycling on your way out to the trash bin.

My husband won't let me catch ten minutes of CSI when our kids are in the room, or even allow the kids to watch Jack McCoy rant on Law & Order because they're "too young for such sensitive material." However, he's let them repeatedly view the (inaccurate here and there) cinematic history lesson that is 300 as I carry on with my queenly household duties. Is my husband giving preferential treatment to movies about Greeks? Truly, it's alright with me. I watched Clash of the Titans at their age-Medusa scared me a little, but I discovered a love of history and storytelling woven with truth. Besides, I so am grateful to have a break from the Disney Channel.

I'm okay with this 300 obsession. My husband really takes this movie seriously, and apparently, he's not the only one. My Greek husband and our three little Greeks watch 300 like the people are ... real.  Well, they are real. What's more, everyone in my house (except Welsh/Enlglish/Russian/French me, of course) is descended from them - but everyone drawing a free breath owes Leo a debt of gratitude (and I'd like to personally thank Gerard Butler for his breath-taking depiction and commanding performance...heavens).

This is not exactly Sparta. We get things like room service and date nights of freedom, and I get my Greek King all to myself. But history shows that even suburbia needs a King Leonidas now and then.

In which case, thanks to DVDs and repeat play, we'd know what to say..."SUBURBIANS, PREPARE FOR GLORY!"