Jews and Children

I might have made a boo boo last night. A friend, Miss B. we call her, brought her realatively new beau to the party. It came down to one of the documentary categories, and I started chanting, "Jews and children." After repeating that about three times, I hit me, there is a Jewish man in the house who hasn't been around long enough to understand!

I say Jews and children always win the documentary categories for one reason. No matter how many films are made about the Holocaust, it will never cease to be the most shocking and horrifying period in our history. You just can't help but wonder how man could be so horribly cruel to fellow men. It is beyond the hate of Muslim extremists and the USA. It is beyond the hate of Israelis and Palistinians. It is beyond belief.

The same goes for children. Children in general are cute. So you either have cute children living sad, horrible lives or you have cute children living cute, adorable lives. Whether they make you cry or make you laugh, the kids win! Unless they are up against Jews. Jews always win. Especially Jewish children. Cute just can't beat the shame one feels as a human being when one is reminded of that period in history.

So, when I say "Jews and children", I mean these stories are unbeatable. And I was right. I voted for The Children's March. Looking back at the list, I see that another film dealt with homeless children on the Moscow subway (cute children living horrible lives). But March is about children in this country, specifically the South during the civil rights movement. Our own shocking history wins every time too.

Unless there are Jews.

Surprise ... Surpirse .. No surprise

First of all, I am so happy that Cate Blanchette won! Yippie! I thought she should win and she did!

Best director was probably the biggest surprise. Every one kept saying Scrosese, its his turn. I don't think it should be about turns. People don't make good movies by turn. Comparing Aviator and Baby, Baby was defintely the better directed film.

When it came down to it, I put Baby down for picture too, for the reasons I think a picture should win. Even though I don't think it had all the best individual pieces, it did have the best whole.

Jamie Foxx's and Hilary Swank's wins were boring, but Foxx did give a real moving speech.

And Freeman did edge out Owen. Interesting!

It's ... A ... Wonderful evening for Oscar! Oscar, Oscar! Who will win?

Best Picture
This race is pretty much up for grabs.

My pick is Finding Neverland. If you have not seen this film, I suggest you drop what your doing, hock whatever you need to if you need a baby sitter and go see it.

Sideways has a good shot as its leading actor apparantly got edged out of nominations by Eastwood and it is the surprise of the season.

The Aviator - Grand, sweeping, period epic about Hollywood legend.
Ray - Ray Charles' death has caused a semitmentl sweep of most minds.
Million Dollar Baby - Gritty, "real" tragedy.

The voters like all that. Who knows.

Best Actor
This is a three way race between Johnny Depp in Finding Neverland (SEE IT!), Leonardo DiCaprio in The Aviator and Jamie Foxx in Ray.

Foxx is the favorite. The whole Ray Charles thing really applies here and he has won most, if not all of the other awards.

DiCaprio won the Golden Globe for drama. Foxx was in the musical/comedy category. Leo really grew up with this film. His protrayal of Howard Hughes might give him the gold.

My pick is Depp. He is nominated for the second year in a row. Last year it was for Jack Sparrow, a comic lead in a summer action comedy. The academy doesn't usually reward that, but following it up with J.M. Barrie might do the trick. Barrie is the type of role that gets rewarded. Depp's portrayl ran the gamut from heart breaking to joy and wonder.

Best Actress
This is a two horse race. Annette Bening and Hilary Swank.

The pundits say Swank for Million Dollar Baby, but I hope not. She has already won for playing a tough gritty role with a tragic story. Boys Don't Cry. Then, she beat out Annette Bening's turn in American Beauty.

Being Julia was a wonder. Bening plays a woman her age with great abandon and no apologies for her age either. Who could forget "I feel twice my age which makes me 90!" And then there are responses like Jeremy Irons. As Bening rants about being a horrible bitch, Irons takes her hand tenderly and says, "Never the less." Please be Annette Bening!

Best Supporting Actor
Who knows!? Church could win for being Giamotti's partner in Sideways. Foxx could win for Colateral as a nod to his Ray work while giving that award to another. Freeman could win for Million Dollar Baby because he was wonderfully understated and he is a multi-nom that has never won.

My bets are on Clive Owen. He has been winning so far, and Larry in Closer is the kind of ranging dramatic role that gets noticed. Don't be surprised if Morgan Freeman slips past though.

Best Supporting Actress
I have heard the least buzz and seen the least films in this category.

Natalie Portman seems to be the front runner, and I hear she is wonderful in Closer.

I wouldn't mind seeing Cate Blanchett win though. She was spot on in The Aviator as Kate Hepburn. A real portrayl. Not once did you feel like it was a caricature or put on. Go Cate!

We shall see tomorrow!

And he'll have fun, fun, fun til his Daddy takes the T-bird away!

So, the big auto decision was made today. After a brief discussion with the insurance agent to see if there was anything they were holding out on me, I decided to keep the car and take the $1000.00 offer.

What I am not doing is A) spending one more dime on Bartholomew, my Saturn and B) not buying a new car until July.

My inspection runs out in July. I would bet Bartholomew would not pass. For one, neither horn button works now. My license fee runs out in August. I don't want to pay that only to lose the benefit in the fall. He has served me well for almost 11 years. But with the bad trunk, no horn and no A/C, retirement is over due.

I know Sept. would be the best time to buy, but I will just weasel a fall deal out of them in July. By then I can pay down some bills to where I can comfortably manage them with my salary and start paying and banking for car payments with my creative earnings.

One thing I also won't be doing again is visiting Demo's automotive in the Village. There body shop guy was a total jerk to me. He either didn't listen to a thing I said about the options I was trying to figure out, or he just couldn't be bothered with me.

I felt funny about going to my Dad's shop after he had called in and did an advance recon for me. I already agreed the night before to go into them before making my mind up. The Demo's people probably saw me as a "rich kid" being bailed out by dear old dad. What they don't know is that when it comes to dad, ole Drewster's bails himself out, no matter how deep the water is in his apartment or his trunk.

Beware of Greeks who don't shake hands

I don't know how long these articles live on MSN, but this was great one on Starbuck's and its success.

Starbucks' genius blends community, caffeine

On a realted note, I hear Donald Trump does not shake hands. They say it is a grem thing. Maydbe he's carrying a blade.

Now that would make Trump cool!

What does that have to do with the success of a coffee corporation? Read the article and then get your nails done.

Please release me, let me go!

You know how when they made Scream, they gave us the rules of slasher filcks. Don't drink or have sex, don't say you will be right back, don't yadda yadda yadda.

Well, there should be a list of rules on how to survive a terroist threat over a 24 hour period.

Rule #1, never, NEVER leave CTU. When you get there, stay put. Handcuff yourself to a railing, tie yourself to a chair. Do what ever you have to do, but don't leave. Oh, and just in case, don't leave the main statistical area just in case there is a mole that will kill you when you stumble upon them doing secret bad things.

Rule #2, if you ignore rule #1 and do leave CTU, don't on any account be Jack Bauer's girlfriend, daughter or wife. In fact, it would be best if you make sure Jack hates your guts. That is the best way to ensure your survival.

In case you are reading this, on the verge of cursing my name because you are behind, I won't say any more than that.

You must have been a beautiful baby!

So, I just saw Million Dollar Baby. Good movie, but is Hillary Swank really going to win for that?

Don't get me wrong, she was good in the role, but the oscar? I don't think so. Annette Benning SO deserves it. Being Julia was one of the most delightful films of the year. Maybe only second to Finding Neverland.

Speaking of, Kate Winslet didn't get nominated for that film and she should have. She deserves the oscar before Swank for these performances.

But still, I suppose Swank will win. Whenever an actress plays a role that requires her to get a little dirty, a little gritty and cry out of pure misery, they usually win.

Charlize Theron proved she could really act behind that beautiful face of hers, but I didn't think she should have won either for Monster. I found the role lacked depth. It required lots that we hadn't seen from her before, but the character didn't seem to grow or change. Diane Keaton deserved to win last year. Something's Gotta Give was wonderful because of her. (Certainly not Jack Nicholson!)

Job and job

Funny, I just noticed I used job and Job in consecutive posts. THAT must be confusing!

Can you imagine if you were Job looking for a job?

After all, tomorrow is another day!

Well, I certainly have a brighter outlook today. I see solutions where yesterday I wallowed in the depths of despair.

I can actually see a plan where buying a new car might actually be realistic. I have some financing options to look into, but as long as I can continue to get acting and design work, then it is possible. Otherwise, I walk, bike or bus it.

What I really am hoping for now is that it doesn't rain over the next few days. At least not when I am out and about. It should only rain at night when I am home in bed. Like in Camelot!

What next?

So, I got the unofficial word today. The cost of repairing the damage to my trunk will exceed the total value of my car.

My car has been totalled!!!!

I will get official numbers on Monday, but they can either give me some piddling amount and I keep my car and look into getting it repaired, or they can take my car and give me a slightly less piddling amount.

I don't know what to do with all this. I don't have time to deal with replacing my car. Hell, I don't know HOW I can replace my car.

My change banks are pretty full, so I am taking them into the Coinstar and buying lottery tickets. Maybe I can win a million bucks and then buy any car I damn well please, pay all my debts and even get a better computer for my home.

Shoot, maybe I can get a home that will allow pets and bird feeders!

Oh, and I found that Far Side. Notice the resemblence to me and the guy under the piano.

Just call me Job

Do you remember that Far Side cartoon, God at his Computer? God is sitting at his computer. On the screen is a man walking under a grand piano suspended above him. God's finger is pearched over the smite button waiting for the grand moment.

I feel like the guy with the piano over his head! Last week, my lap top was stolen. Today, I get rear ended. Fortunately it was in Rice village and traffic wasn't moving in such a manner that anyone was hurt or that obvious serious damage was done to my car.

But, still, give me a break! All I can say is one good thing happened to me today. I get another chance to audition for ADV for a director whom I gave a bad audition too. It better be a series and I better get the part. That is all I have to say. Otherwise, I see bankruptcy on the horizon, yes sir!

ARGH!

Do you need a job?

One of the big news stories on the national news this AM was a shooting rampage that someone went on in a Best Buy.

They guy for ABC that was covering the story was standing outside the store early this morning. Over is right shoulder you could clearly see the Best Buy sign. Over his left shoulder you could very clearly see the banner announcing that Best Buy was "Now Hiring!".

Um ... were the producers not paying attention to this. Yes, sure, the Best Buy has probably been hiring for a few weeks, but to the juxtaposition of that sign with a rampage in the store seems a little obvious, don't you think?

Hiring? Of course they are ...

Mother F***ing Son of a B****!!!!

So, one of Houston's fine upstanding citizens walked into the theater today, took advantage of an unsecure, unguarded lobby, and walked off with my f***ing laptop!!

He just unplugged it from the network, unplugged the power and walked out with it. I can't believe it. What a gutsy mother f****er. I mean, as he was loitering in the lobby up to no good, our stage manger walked though. Unfortunately, we were expecting some community service help to show for the work that was being done in the back office.

"Are you community service?", she asked.
"Yeah!", he answered.
"They're in the back" she said and she continued on her way out the door to the dumpster with the load she had. That left him with the smallest of windows to take off with it.

Having to buy another laptop doesn't bother me too much. Hell, thanks to Tropical Storm Allison, I will be in debt for the rest of my life, what's another 12 hundred.

No, it is all the work that I had on the hard drive. Work that I should have been backing up weekly, but have been too busy and distracted to remember to do.

F****ing corn rowed bastard! I am so angry, I can't even describe it. It's just bull s**t. It is going to take me the rest of the season to recreate some of the work I had done. Ideas that I had about theater growth.

I hate that mother f***ing son of a b**** and I hope something really really horrible happens to him before he pawns my lap top, and then I hope he is caught and goes to jail, and then I hope something even more horrible happens to him there.

F***er!!!!!

The Amazing Race

Do you watch the Amazing Race? I do! I am a huge fan since season one. It is like the best reality show ever!!

So, Freddy and Kendra, the vapid models win the race. Kris and Jon, the most beautiful couple in the entire world. And when I saw beautiful I mean like real person beautiful with perfectly formed bodies and personalities to math, come in second. Ah! They so deserved to win. They were literally minutes behind. If it hadn't been for a train, the might have even had a chance to catch the winning team.

As usuall the editors of the show really knew how to put together a high paced, frenzied finale.

The best thing though? They already have a new one in the can and it premieres in three weeks!

YIPPIEEEE!!!!!!!!!

I suck at this!

Well, I hope you haven't been coming here for scintilating updates on my life. I can't seem to have a thought in my head when I am at a computer. Now, when I am driving around between theaters all day, I have plenty to rant and rave on.

Ah well, I guess I can't keep up with the youth of today.

I auditioned for my theater's next play, but it doesn't look I got cast. In reality, this is a good thing. I auditioned only because of the silly stupid actor thing called, "If I don't audition all the time they will forget me!". The show butted up against Super Fudge. I do a LOT in Super Fudge. I start the show and don't leave the stage for 50 mintues. So it is best that I get that show learned and open with out overlapping with another show.

Now, when Super Fudge is open, it will over lap with the last show on the MainStage will start rehearsal. If I am going to do two shows at once, that seems like a better situation.

I am just looking forward to the end of the season. I am actually thinking of taking a two week vacation to visit NYC and family up north. I am tired!