.some man's son.

I wouldn't mind if Bobby Jindal got a permanent case of laryngitis.
(I L-O-A-T-H-E him)

.she thinks she's.

I just saw a
fantastic
movie,
John and Mary

I love that feeling.
Like a warm blanket of
awesome
(only second to the Snugglie)

.she's having fun.

I'm really loving
Pete Souza
the White House photographer
(how do I get a job in that office, seriously)

Some really...odd photos
in his slideshows on the WH
official site.

Looking forward to
future shots
(the new ones have Mounties!).

.pepper.

I guess you could call it a tradition, so....here's my "annual" Oscar post. For last year's see here. My thoughts and such because I love the movies and I love the Oscars even though I know it's silly. It's my Super Bowl.

Generally, I didn't think this years films were as good as last years. A large group of them I haven't seen because I really didn't feel the need to shell out $12 for them. Also, last year brought us There Will Be Blood which blew me out of the water. It also had Persepolis, La Vie en Rose, and Ratatouille - all great. That's just a general warning, so here it goes (as I try to capture last year's awesome).

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BEST FILM:

First, I really, really, really don't feel like sitting through The Reader - it seems sappy, silly and the reason it's nominated is a testament to the power of Harvey Weinstein. Seriously, that man makes the Devil cry. Milk was a typical bio-pic which apparently equals Oscar gold nowadays but Sean Penn is obviously one hell of an actor. Frost/Nixon was actually one of my favorite films this year. It was based on the play that I was too poor to see when it was running on Broadway and I just thought it was the most sophisticated, adult films I've seen in a long time. It was subtle and just grabbed you but more on that later. But my pick is (duh) Slumdog Millionaire. This is a no-brainer. But I'm going to be honest and admit that I was slightly disappointed in it; I mean, I loved it but I didn't think it necessarily live up to it's hype. My love for Dev Patel (from the best television show ever, Skins) has only grown.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BEST ACTOR:

Let's get this straight, Brad Pitt is fine actor but he will never win an Oscar. This I predict and this will be true. End of story. As I mentioned before, Sean Penn is fantastic in Milk and I have to disagree with the popular consensus and say that he didn't overshadow the other cast members; it was a great ensemble. I super love that Richard Jenkins was nominated because he is adorable and I wouldn't be surprised if he was the upset tomorrow night - it would be something but it would also be highly unlikely. I guess Mickey Rourke already has his speech typed up and ready to go with the right moments to cry about his dog and flip off Darren Aronofsky. I was not aware he was a well respected actor before his boxing career - I just assumed he was always nuts and nothing more. You learn something new everyday! I also can't wait to see his outfit.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:

Hey everyone, I love Robert Downey Jr. too but that was not an Oscar worthy performance. It was funny and he was great and he's a great actor and he has a great "from the gutter" story but it just wasn't that good. I didn't even think Chaplin was good enough for a nod in 1993 (Stephen Rae was robbed!). Michael Sheen or Sam Rockwell from Frost/Nixon should be in that slot and we all know it. Anywho, we all know that Heath Ledger will get this award (we've all know since before the movie came out) and we'll all cry and it'll become a part of us. Even if he was still alive he would be getting the award mostly because it's the "sorry, you up against Philip Seymout Hoffman last time" in 2005. Oh man, I just remembered it was Heath Ledger, Hoffman and David Strathairn for Good Night and Good Luck - damn, they should have all gotten it - those are three great performances (and there you go, a fantastic RDJ role as well!). But I really would love it if they gave it to Josh Brolin. He was perfection in Milk; absolutely great and completely overlooked this award season. He was amazing in No Country for Old Men and I really hope he continues to churn out gems (no, I didn't see W. - no comment).

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BEST ACTRESS:

This bores me. Give it to Meryl Streep. I've been reading in every interview with Kate Winslet for last five months about how much she fucking wants an Oscar. Maybe just give it to her to shut her up (and I used to love her so much). And fuck Angelina Jolie - crying and throwing plates against walls does not count as acting.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:

This bores me too. Wow, the actresses sucked this year. I'm going for Penélope Cruz because we all want to see her accept the award from real life beau Javier Bardem - hot. She is a great actress (don't believe me? I'll lend you Volver and All About my Mother) and on a shallow note, I would consider selling my soul to look like her.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BEST SCREENPLAY:

Oh man, I'm tired. I'll update this tomorrow. After Donut Planet.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BEST FORGEIN FILM/DOCUMENTARY:

See above.

.a human being.

UPDATE: These people are awesome!
As most of you know, I'm looking after my aunt's dog which means a ton of time wandering up and down the streets near New York University with a dog that has to pee on everything. The big news here is how a group of NYU students have barricaded themselves in the Kimmel Center (some sort of dinning hall) and have now created protests all over the area. Okay, so a group of students decided on Wednesday to block themselves in a high traffic NYU area to make demands. Simple. Okay, well, lets see a list of those demands. I look down at the first item on the list and it is:

1. Amnesty for all parties involved.

Wow. Okay. Way to really show them. I don't even know what you stand for and you want a full pardon. I now expect it to be something like, “Kill everyone who looks at me funny”.


But it goes on to demand that NYU releases their financial records and how they spend money. That makes sense. If I paid $50k a year I'd want to know how my money was being spent (actually, I paid $42k a year – wow, that is so much money). Totally understandable. They also demand that there is a freeze on tuition. That makes sense too. NYU (as well as every other private and public college in this country) has made it increasingly financially difficult to attend. But there is the fact that over 10,000 NYU students receive financial aid which covered an average of 65% of their costs. And considering that also the average NYU students leaves with $33k in student debt which isn't so bad when you spend $200k for a general 4 year education (these are all rounded numbers and considering the average student, with average costs of living with no extended study).

Moving on. They also want to...
4. Allow student workers (including T.A.’s) to collectively bargain.
5. A fair labor contract for all NYU employees at home and abroad.
...which is understandable. People have been protesting to unionize for well over a century. This makes sense. Really. No sarcasm. Cross my heart.

They also want the general public to have access to the Bobst Library. Again, this makes sense. That's very nice of them. Thank you. I don’t know what’s so great about this library but since I eat books like cupcakes any additional access to them is welcomed.

But then it turns to batshit crazy:
6. A Socially Responsible Finance Committee that will immediately investigate war profiteers and the lifting of the Coke ban.
First off, what do those two things have to do with each other. Did I miss something!?! You don't want your school war profiteering but you really, really, really want your Coke back. Like Coca Cola. Like, the biggest company in the world. Is this a joke? Is this some meta crap I don't get? I was taking this all seriously until I saw this. It's a joke, right? Haha. I get it. Wait, no, I don't.

7. Annual scholarships be provided for thirteen Palestinian students.
Why only 13? Why not 11 students from Sudan and 83 to Bosnian? Giving scholarships to only Palestinian students to taking a clearly political view which alienates a large chunk of the population (hello, New York = hella big Jewish population) and threatens future endowments. This is just hurtful for NYU to do - why don't you just ask for more scholarships for students in war-torn countries? I would be game for that. If I was in the NYU administration I would definitely agree to more scholarships those in war-torn nations. Screw all those European and Korean kids who keep coming over here.

8. That the university donates all excess supplies and materials in an effort to rebuild the University of Gaza.
Why select just one institution? I want to know if these students would be willing to send over excess food and clothing from their dorm rooms for these people as well. How about that CB2 lamp or that new Ikea couch? How about taking that money you spend on beer and pot each week and putting into a fund for those kids? I was walking behind two NYU students as they complained about going somewhere because they’d be too high. I wish I was joking. I’m planning on submitting it to Overheard in New York.

I really think this is all a result of too many kids buying too many keffiyehs for $5 at St. Mark's Place.

The best part now is that the Take Back NYU group has turned down requests to speak to the university. Brilliant. This just shows that students are now enamored with their own press coverage and the fact that the hundreds of people joining them have nothing to do with NYU. Hell, there are naked feminists joining them, because nothing says lower tuition and respect me like naked college chicks.

This is a joke. This is all anyone in the Washington Square Park area is talking about. The vegan food demands, the barricades, etc. Student protest can be wonderful. It can actually get things done and get young people involved with the policies that effect their lives. But when you start looking more and more like a spoiled rich brat who will spend $3500 a month for a studio in Williamsburg the more the general public will turn on you and less likely that any of those demands will be met. These seem like the kind of people I don’t want to know. I hope they kick them all out of the school. Fucking idiots. Have to turn a good thing bad every time….

.she wants to be.

Certain things,
I love
and hate.

Fashion week.
Skinny
stupid
foreign
models wandering around
Bryant Park
lost
confused
hungry...

...and going the wrong direction
thanks to me.

.scene.

What?
Now that we all
know
where the syrup smell is
coming from,
no one talks about it
anymore?

Typical.

.she wants another.

Another video; this time it's from Improv Everywhere and it isn't the most clever act they've done or the funniest but I think it's moments like these that make life in New York magical and special. Think about it, wouldn't this make your morning (even though I did enjoy my Baltimore throw-back by sitting next to two heroin addicts on the train)...

.so mean.

I laughed so hard and out loud at this because I too am sick of that same old New York Times commercial:

.Rona's treated him.

Here are some tidbits of awesome:
(they're mostly links people!)

• A poor intern over at the Times (well, probably an intern) had the task of scanning all there old papers and their work has paid off in the culmination of the documentation of the trials of Oscar Wilde. You can click and see the original publications from the time. And I was going to end this point with a classic Wilde quote, but there are just too many to pick from.
• And I've only seen two of these movies. But I do count one of them as one of my favorite movies of all time (a list that may be in the hundreds). Guess which one.
• I might have knocked down my rent. Thanks recession!
  
• In this weeks New York Magazine the women they found on the street for their Look Book said this: "They say about New York, if you see something strange, you should report it. Well, my feeling is, if you see something normal, you should report it." Amen sister but this New York Times editor might feel differently.
• I want to know this person.
• Accidentally throwing out her Netflicks, Kate admitted her guilt and will have to shell out $20 to "replace" The Naked City - a movie she didn't even get to see.
  
• I also think I would be friends with Chuck Todd, we would drink beer and play poker or something.
• The people who put this together are AMAZING! (I enjoyed spotting the people on a park bench pretty much oblivious to what's going on)
• Greg showed me this - it makes me happy when I am sad.
• Eleni showed me this - adding to my Rahm-love, she emphasized the line "That's right. The only guy in a suit jacket is the one most likely to go tell you to go fuck yourself. That's Washington for you." That's why you're the best Eleni.
• And lastly, this is for my mom.