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March 28, 2003
Drunk at the Drake
Yes, we all went to the "chicago webloggers drunk at the drake" extravaganza. (yes, that's a permalink). If this wasn't the largest gathering so far, it certainly was the most fun I've had at a weblogging meetup! Naz <the birthday boy!>, Andrew, and Paul managed to summarize, take the roll, and even post a few pictures <I'm waiting to see more from the rest of y'all, as mine <as usual> didn't turn out...
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March 24, 2003
Oscar Coverage
The most interesting 'coverage' of the oscars I've read, so far.
one question:
"Adrian Brody and Steve Martin are straight?"
Posted by Heather at 12:00 AM | TrackBack
Dating a waiter (er, captain) sucks sometimes
I didn't realize that dating a person in the service industry (however ritzy the service) would mean that on a day like today, when it's a balmy and beautiful 70 degrees outside in the evening, I'd be home, alone, doing laundry rather than taking a long walk in the city laughing hysterically and pretending we've not a care in the world. That I'd have to wait 'til 1 in the morning to share how happy I am that Roman Polanski, Adrian Brody, Spirited Away, and Chicago won Oscars.
but then again, I can't really complain. When I gain employment, I'm pretty sure it'll be a day job, and he'll be complaining about how his ladyfriend is too sleepy to answer the phone when he gets home at 1. and then I'll buy him something and he'll be happy again.
at least, that's how I'm hoping it'll play out. perhaps I'll have to call him 'sweetie-darling' before he's fully placated...
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March 23, 2003
Giving Thanks to an In Joke
Thank you, Mary Stuart Masterson. Thank you.
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March 22, 2003
Reading, Flattery, and Film-going
I've had an impossibly media-free week - the only war-mention being the text message on my phone from jocelyn on wednesday night, I've not been in front of my computer or a television set until just now. Naz mentioned there was some sort of mega-protest in Chicago sometime in the past few days, I've not found the time to sit down and read all the warblogging/protestpublishing going on, but I think I'll just skip it and continue pursuing my own personal war against unemployment. Perhaps I'll get that riveting job I've had my eye on for the last few years...
Speaking of Naz, he's been such a bad influence on me these past few weeks, what with the fingersmithing and the book-buying....I'm thoroughly enjoyingThe Slate Diaries while feeling twinges of guilt for the sake glass...I'm happy about the book recommendation, however - being a dedicated reader of personal publishings, I like the handy book-format of celebrity week-long blogs. It certainly came in handy when I was stuck underground yesterday for an hour while waiting for the blue line - I shuffled between that, The Sexual Life of Catherine M, a peachpit dhtml how-to, That's True of Everybody, and Hello to the Cannibals. What with those and Rebel without a Crew I'm wishing I had a cheque for every book I read this week - I'd be able to afford my move back into the city....
and I wish I had more to say about Bend It Like Beckham other than the secondary female soccer-playing lead was so amazingly gorgeous, it hurt to look at her perfect bony self. she reminded me of j3s, actually....
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March 15, 2003
Dreaming of Summerland
I seem to have forgotten to write about Summerland, as I promised. <sorry Jake and Jocelyn!>
I finished it ages ago, and was just thinking about Chabon and his movies <has anyone heard anything more about how he's adapting Kavelier and Klay for the big screen?> and was wondering if it would make a good film....
Summerland has an "American Gods" meets "Spy Kids" with bit of "Field of Dreams' thrown in for the baseball stuff. I hate sports, don't understand how playing a game could make kids better people....but I still liked this book. Incorporating fairies and sasquatch, giants and elves, tying our known world with a fantasy world through a creative tree analogy <that belongs to a native american mythology that I haven't yet read> and dipping into the lives of several very interesting kids who fight to keep the paths open between reality and fantasy. I've said before that I love Chabon's work. I'm happy to say that his work is a consistent pleasure to read, while his stories are varied and unpredictable.
oh yes, I simply must mention the much-blogged-about chicago webbloggers event <thanks again to Andrew, for posting pics and taking roll> Jess has cool pictures of the event, too <including the racy skirt Ms. Alicia was sporting>...I love how the event got everyone's creative community-building juices flowing! I agree with cinnamon, btw, personal publishing <or should i say, PURSE-onal publishing> is the better word for what we all do with moveable type.
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March 10, 2003
The cutest skeleton in the world
this is the cutest, coolest skeleton I've ever seen. And I've seen a lot of skeletons. I simply MUST visit the Mutter museum.
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March 09, 2003
Webcam Madness
trying to get the webcam up and running. it's not hard, it's just time consuming - server connection keeps fudging...
at least the photos aren't bad:
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March 08, 2003
Movie Reviewers are Smarter than You.
In my recent past, I previewed, summarizes, and reviewed movies for a living. I'd get a big stack of tapes, or press kits, or assignments, and I'd sit down with these stacks and write about movies. Sure, I had opinions about what I saw. Hell, sometimes, I didn't see the movies, rather, had to come up with an idea of the film from the press kit and from other research I did <surfing the web, sometimes, or calling my friends on the coasts and asking if they or anyone they know saw the film, or knew producers or something...I swear, my people know more producers than you'd expect>. I'd write as unbiased a summary as I could, then write a bit of an opinion piece, then I'd write a bit in which I compared it to other films in the same genre. or I'd do the whole "it's Jaws meets The Hours" pitch.
I used to be really really interested in reading what other previewers/summarizers/reviewers had to say, sometimes to avoid repeating adjectives already used in other reviews, sometimes just for fun.
I did this for a living. but I never once mistook my experience as a viewer/writer as a qualification to act like an elitist fuck.
Reading reviews of 'independent' and 'foreign' film in national and local newspapers has been pissing me off. I've been reading so many columns in which the writer assumes that all moviegoers are too stupid to understand movies that don't have a voice over to explain the subtext.
The visual communication style has been around since before we all were born, we were brought up with sitcoms and movies and commercials and plays, just like everyone else, but for some reason, reviewers think the movie-going public isn't going to understand the films they're reviewing, because they're so accustomed to one type of communication style and can't adapt to new ways of seeing. Honestly. Just watch the movie, observe what's going on, or not going on, and tell us what you think, but get over your damn self - we're smarter than you assume.
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March 06, 2003
Handspring Rocks.
okay, can I just say that Handspring rocks? no, seriously. I had a scratched, chipped, and non-functioning unit just two days ago, and for the low, low price of 20 minutes on the phone, I now have a brand spankin' new visor edge and a box to send the old one back! huzzah!
double huzzah for being reminded that I can make killer salad dressings.
and that bagels with goat cheese and red raspberry jam are the most amazing breakfast ever.
and yes, I'm still having breakfast at 2:30 in the afternoon. jealous?
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March 03, 2003
Forgotten Mirror Project
While looking through my stats today, I noticed a bunch of people coming from the mirror project - there's a pic in the subject gallery that I totally forgot about - until now. I just passed that wig shoppe the other day, too. While you're there, check out Chicago Webloggers in the Chicago exhibit, too. You'll be glad you did.
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