RandomCha

Brilliant, Frightening, Enraging

Awesome! I always did have a crush on him.

Neil Patrick Harris Comes Out

Last night I got to hang out with Brandon for the first time since he left LL, really. We caught The Queen at the Century, and it was superb. If Helen Mirren does not win Best Actress then something is seriously wrong–she was so dead on that she literally disappeared into the role. At no point did I feel I was watching a performance. In fact, everything about the whole movie was so well-crafted, so underplayed and straightforward. I was talking to Brandon about the fact that when Princess Di was killed, I really had no emotional reaction to it; so, watching the film last night I had a definiite detachment that made everything a lot more interesting. Simultaneously detached and fully engaged, an interesting tension. I think Frears’ direction was spot-on: he didn’t go over the top, beat us over the head; it was just “here’s the story and I trust it’s solid enough to present to you simply.” Why does restraint seem so difficult for contemporary filmmakers? Is it all the bells and whistles that technology has made available to us? Screw all that. A good story doesn’t necessary require all that, and a bad one isn’t disguised by them.

Then after the film we had dinner at a new Italian restaurant in the neighborhood. BYO (which I love). Very loud and boisterous, but somehow I didn’t mind. Great food too. Brandon got me all caught up on the latest theater gossip. 

Andy was having a Long Existential Moment last night, which I caught the tail end of. His assigment for me today is to complile a dossier for him entitled “What I’m Doing With My Life” and email it to him. Perhaps the NSA can help. I gave him a lengthy hug before leaving for work. Good coffee first thing in the morning makes the whole day better.

Please, spare an hour this weekend.

#1 Yesterday in the mail I got my first ever jury duty summons. I’m an alternate, which means I have to call the day before to see if I need to report. When? The Tuesday after Thanksgiving. Where? Skokie (!) The sweetness: I will receive full pay for any time spent on jury duty (in addition to the $17/day from the State of Illinois). Yippie!

#2 On December 2nd the Montrose brown line station closes. I’ll hafta get off at Irving Park and walk the six blocks to work. Add that to the 7/10 of a mile that I’m already walking to the Belmont station & that means a healthy amount of exercise each day.

I’d get so much work done if I didn’t have to go to work.

Yesterday when I talked with my Mom over the phone she told me that they’d gotten 18″ of snow up in Estes and that she’d already played a Christmas CD.

Tomorrow night I’m making homemade baked macaroni & cheese (4 different kinds of cheese) and hot cider and we’re watching a horror movie. I want to experience Halloween and Thanksgiving before Christmas, thank you very much.

(Although, I must be honest: I bought 2 Christmas CDs online over the weekend).

I was 12 when I saw Night of the Living Dead for the first time. It was on a local PBS station, started at 10 o’clock. I watched it alone on the TV in the playroom. After it was over, I was so freaked out that I couldn’t go up to bed. So I switched stations and they were showing The Fall of the Roman Empire. I watched the whole thing I was still so scared. That movie was four hours long with commercials.

Everyone. Now. Proceed at once to Monkeybacon and download all his music. It’s all free. And it’s all freakin’ awesome. Picture Mancini, Badalamenti, Barry Adamson and Air all smooshed together. Get it now.

Please! Come see the live debut of my friend Steven’s band Bird Ate My Donut!

Bird Ate My Donut
with Lurking Forms
October, 27 2006 at The Mutiny
first band at 9:30
2428 N Western, Chicago, IL 60647
Cost: Free

(Yes, they have a myspace page) …