02/28/2011 archive

Feb 28 2011

Stone Cancer Pillar

“One more game?” I asked of my bff, who really needed to go make dinner by 5:30. Our happy hours are short and to the point.

Mike had just had another “wobbly” moment, I saw the stacked Tupperware waiting in the hallway to be put under the house when the deck access unfreezes swing wildly and had run to him.  It was the first time Jake saw it. It is as I describe it, like watching a marionette’s strings being randomly pulled, rather than a moment of dizziness. His legs twitch, he looks like he is misfiring on a brain-level.

I put Mike to bed, feeling ok, the maybe 15 or 16 second episode having passed.

“Nah, I have to go make my dinner,” she said.

“Its just,” I said, misting slightly. “playing yahtzee and having happy hour a couple times with you, or this,”  I said tapping the laptop, “doing the radio show, writing, those are the ONLY times I not-think about everything I have to think about. The rest of my day is all that. Nothing BUT that. Its the only time I can rest my worries for a minute, and be focused on something else.”

She brushed the dice away, and said, “I’m here for you. You have to talk about it. You never talk about it.” I think have have cried about this 3 times since last year in front of Linda since it began. Each time, copious alcohol was involved. I’ve got this. Its my burden. Its not yours, hers, or anyone else’s, and by gahd; the LAST thing I want to do is make my escape hatches part of the drama….

And she is where I go to NOT-THINK.

I was proven wrong.

Feb 28 2011

Stone Cancer Pillar

“One more game?” I asked of my bff, who really needed to go make dinner by 5:30. Our happy hours are short and to the point.

Mike had just had another “wobbly” moment, I saw the stacked Tupperware waiting in the hallway to be put under the house when the deck access unfreezes swing wildly and had run to him.  It was the first time Jake saw it. It is as I describe it, like watching a marionette’s strings being randomly pulled, rather than a moment of dizziness. His legs twitch, he looks like he is misfiring on a brain-level.

I put Mike to bed, feeling ok, the maybe 15 or 16 second episode having passed.

“Nah, I have to go make my dinner,” she said.

“Its just,” I said, misting slightly. “playing yahtzee and having happy hour a couple times with you, or this,”  I said tapping the laptop, “doing the radio show, writing, those are the ONLY times I not-think about everything I have to think about. The rest of my day is all that. Nothing BUT that. Its the only time I can rest my worries for a minute, and be focused on something else.”

She brushed the dice away, and said, “I’m here for you. You have to talk about it. You never talk about it.” I think have have cried about this 3 times since last year in front of Linda since it began. Each time, copious alcohol was involved. I’ve got this. Its my burden. Its not yours, hers, or anyone else’s, and by gahd; the LAST thing I want to do is make my escape hatches part of the drama….

And she is where I go to NOT-THINK.

I was proven wrong.

Feb 28 2011

Prime Time

I, of course, am going to be monitoring TheMomCat’s Oscar live blog, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t other choices available.

Amazing Race premier (I told you, I know a big fan).  Masterpiece Theater has Any Human Heart (also a premier).

Don’t you see the rest of the country looks upon New York like we’re left-wing, communist, Jewish, homosexual pornographers? I think of us that way sometimes and I live here.

What’s with all these awards? They’re always giving out awards. Best Fascist Dictator: Adolf Hitler.

Later-

I was thrown out of N.Y.U. my freshman year for cheating on my metaphysics final, you know. I looked within the soul of the boy sitting next to me.

My grammy never gave gifts. She was too busy getting raped by Cossacks.

Zap2it TV Listings, Yahoo TV Listings

Feb 28 2011

Live Blog: The Oscars

“And the winner is”. With those words there will be at least 5 people holding their collective breath, while a finely coiffed and swathed celebrity tears open a sealed envelop with the closely guarded secret. Welcome to the Live Blog of the 83rd Academy Awards from fabulous downtown Hollywood or, in my case, on the couch in the family room with my lap top, a pitcher of martinis and Parmesan popcorn, Oh, and lots of napkins.

I used to chuckle at the introduction of the tuxedoed men carrying the brief case with those envelops and the silly ritual of reading of the “Rules” on how the votes were cast and who voted on what. Do they even do that any more?

The first Oscars were presented on May 19. 1929 at the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood at a private brunch for 270 people. My how far they have come. Now it is the “hottest” ticket in town and the parties after for winners and losers are elaborate affairs that would keep food pantries in business for a year. I shouldn’t be too critical many of the industry’s actors, directors and producers do wonderful humanitarian work for causes that would be easily forgotten.

So have you all placed your bets on the winner? if you haven’t you’re out of the loop, since the Oscars are the most gambled on non-sporting event in the US. Even Nate Silver has gotten in on the action with four tips to win your Oscar pool but the kicker this year that even Nate admits are throwing off the odds is that there are now 10 films in the Best Picture Category. Yes, dear hearts, 10, in case you hadn’t noticed. In 2009, the Academy decided to return to its roots. When the award for Best Picture was presented in 1934 and 1935 there were 12 nominees, and from 1935 to 1943 there were 10. So adjust your pools accordingly, there are more “fish in the pond”

Here’s some more answers to those questions about the award you never thought to ask:

  • Oldest best actor winner: Henry Fonda, 76, “On Golden Pond,” 1981

  • Youngest best actor winner: Adrien Brody, 29, “The Pianist,” 2002

  • Oldest best actress winner: Jessica Tandy, 81, “Driving Miss Daisy”

  • Youngest best actress winner: Marlee Matlin, 21, “Children of a Lesser God,” 1986

  • Oldest best supporting actor winner: George Burns, 80, “The Sunshine Boys,” 1975

  • Youngest best supporting actor winner: Timothy Hutton, 20, “Ordinary People,” 1980.

  • Oldest best supporting actress winner: Peggy Ashcroft, 77, “A Passage to India,” 1984

  • Youngest best supporting actress winner: Tatum O’Neal, 10, “Paper Moon,” 1973.

  • Biggest Oscar winners: “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King,” 2003, 11 awards (out of 11 nominations); “Ben-Hur,” 1959, 11 awards (out of 12 nominations); “Titanic,” 1997, 11 awards (out of 14 nominations).

  • Biggest Oscar losers: “The Turning Point,” 1977, 11 nominations, 0 awards; “The Color Purple,” 1985, 11 nominations, 0 awards; “Johnny Belinda,” 1948, 12 nominations, 1 award; “Becket,” 12 nominations, 1 award.

  • The youngest person to ever receive an Oscar: Shirley Temple, 5, in 1934 but it was “honorary”.

  • The oldest person to ever receive an Oscar: Jessica Tandy, 81, in 1989 for “Driving Miss Daisy”

  • The most Oscars for “Best Actress: Katherine Hepburn with four (1932, 1967, 1968 & 1981)

  • The most Oscars for “Best Actor”: This category is shared by seven men, Spencer Tracy, Gary Cooper, Marlon Brando, Jack Nicholson, Fredric March, Dustin Hoffman and Tom Hanks, whio each have two.

  • The actor with the most total Oscar nominations: Jack Nicholson with 12. Jack has three Oscars, 2 for “Best Actor” and one for “Best Supporting Actor”.

  • The actoress with the most total Oscar nominations: Meryl Streep with 16 nominations.

  • The person with the most Oscars: Walt Disney, who walked away with 26 Academy Awards over his lifetime. He had 64 total Oscar nominations.

  • The longest acceptance speech ever given at an Oscar ceremony: Greer Garson in 1942 for “Best Actress” in “Mrs. Miniver”. Most sources agree it was between 5 i/2 to 7 minutes.

  • The Oscar statuette weighs 6 3/4 pounds, and stands 13 1/2 inches high.

  • It was named by Margaret Herrick, the Academy librarian, who remarked in 1931, upon seeing the statuettes, “Why it looks like my Uncle Oscar!” Her uncle’s full name, by the way, was Oscar Pierce. No, it wasn’t Bette Davis.

    • Bored? You haven’t seen the production or heard the speeches yet.

    I will be your fashion and performance critic as we watch the parade down the red carpet and the main event. I can’t wait to see what get up Helena Bonham Carter wears. BTW, I always cry at the memorial tribute. Below the fold is the list and links for all the nominees. Bring on the show.

    Feb 28 2011

    Evening Edition

    Evening Edition is an Open Thread

    Now with 51 Top Stories.

    From Yahoo News Top Stories

    1 Anti-regime forces take west Libyan towns

    by Samer al-Atrush, AFP

    1 hr 56 mins ago

    BENGHAZI, Libya (AFP) – Forces opposed to Moamer Kadhafi took control of several western Libyan towns, an official said on Sunday as the strongman played down such reports after world leaders called on him to quit.

    Protest leaders meanwhile established a transitional “national council” in mainly eastern cities seized from the Kadhafi regime and called on the army to help them take the capital Tripoli.

    The chaos engulfing the oil-rich North African state of 6.3 million has fanned fears that Kadhafi’s hold on power could descend into civil war as the United Nations said nearly 100,000 people have streamed out of the country.

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