Slate's Oscar review was way better than Salon's (Cintra's gotten too bitter for the gig. Talk about joyless).
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Meanwhile, I needed to look away from last night's production of Crash's "In the Deep." If you haven't blocked out the performance, you'll remember that Kathleen "Bird" York streamed her treacle forth while, upstage, interpretive dancers made like they were escaping from the flames of a car wreck. But the dancers moved very slowly, so it seemed that they were practicing tai chi or, in a more wishful moment, that they were zombies intent upon attacking York and devouring her brain.
While I had no such luck, the Three 6 Mafia did execute some successful mind-eating. For plain energy, engaging incongruity, and funk-psychedelic dissonance, their performance of "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp"—the hook of which will be getting half-consciously whistled around the world this week—was topped only by their acceptance of the best original song award, a spectacle raucous beyond comprehension. I'm only positive that they thanked God and said what's up to George Clooney.
Clooney's wry spirit seemed to preside over the evening. He worked reliably as a punchline for both Stewart and best documentary short co-winner Corinne Marrinan ("I'd like to thank the academy for seating me next to George Clooney at the nominee's luncheon"), and his tauntingly lefty acceptance speech ("I'm proud to be out of touch") earned the one smattering of applause to break out at the Oscar party I attended.
Origami contest finalists (from MIT):
[link]
Oh, dear...
[link]
I actually really like the Shakespeare one and the Dracula one.
Yin/Yang... My coffee maker died 1/4 of the way through brewing a pot but I unexpectedly got today off work.
I've skipped all the Oscar fashion commentary and I'm much happier for it. I really prefer when the awards show is about appreciating and acknowledging the work that goes into creating the movies. (Just stating my opinion, not reacting to anything because as I said, I skipped.) I'm glad they didn't try to continue the stupid idea of presenting the "minor" awards in the aisle. That sucked last year. I really liked the sense of looking at moviemaking history in the montages (although I thought their definition of "epic" was a little loose). The props cracked me up (penguins and bow ties)! My personal surprise of the night... I've worked with one of the winners (Eric Simonson [link] ). I've also worked with Itzhak Perlman, but I wasn't so surprised to see him there.
And from a day or two ago... my checks are Wizard of Oz.
OK, my boss "helpfully" gave me a couple excel tips. Which I've known forever, I just don't find the need organize that way with these numbers, especially not on a spreadsheet that is in development (as in, I'm still experimenting with different calculations. And god forbid, I produce for general consumption a chart with peptobismol pink as this one has.)
I really really really want to say "I know that. I chose not to use that deliberately."
I'm restraining myself, but let me know if you'd like me to charge in and say "WTF? Seriously, WTF?"
No, it's fine. I don't need a kerfuffle today.
I may have to go home early, though, so I can die in my own bed.
Big Dog. No, not that one. My valley hasn't been this uncanny EVER. Watch the video (28MB WMV).
I am still catching up on DVRd tv. At the moment it is TAR.
Big Dog. No, not that one. My valley hasn't been this uncanny EVER.
I watched that the other day. Free-key. I got the strong sense while watching that there were two pairs of disembodied human legs on the thing. My brain almost finds it easier to pretend it's a special effect than something real.
eta: The freakiest is when the guy kicks it and it catches itself so it won't fall over....
