by one point

Well, Sideways didn't win best picture, and because The Aviator didn't win either I lost my chance at winning the pool money at Tony's Oscar party this evening, by one miserable point, so that sucks. Not that I think that Scorsese's film is more deserving than Eastwood's, but I had the feeling it would win so I bet on it. And Jamie Foxx recycled his now household grandmother emotional blackmail, pauses, tears and sobs included. Like bad okra. And what's up with so much of Oprah tonight?!

Other than that, tonight's ceremony was very predictable but enjoyable. I had a good time this evening, I even felt bad for Annette Benning for not winning, again. I guess her prize has always been being the one that eventually married the elusive bachelor, because, if you really compare her love life and Hillary Swank's, well, Chad Lowe is no Warren Beatty, so Hillary does need to have those Oscars keep on coming.

It was great to see Amenábar win the Oscar for Mar Adentro; it makes me feel good and proud. But Antonio Banderas singing? Oy. Catalina Sandino Moreno looked c-l-a-s-s-y, to bad she didn't stand a chance this year. And that document on the kids from Calcutta that we saw last night won! That made me very happy.

Being the outsider at this party, it was cool to meet several nice and interesting people this evening, and all in all, I had a great time and was very glad I was there. And Finney (sp?), wow, what a lovable kid. It is always intriguing to see at events such like this one, how some people immediately build walls to either leave one out or as if by marking their territory and their seniority at that place. Makes me wonder what they're afraid of, or if they've read the script and I haven't, and they already know something that I am oblivious to, or perhaps still unsure of. Or maybe they know what really happened with Catherine Zeta-Jones...

I should have asked.

amazing race

My friend Tony and I had planned for today a movie marathon in preparation to the Oscars ceremony tomorrow. When he suggested it, I thought of how I tend to procrastinate and/or be so busy with work that I can't find the time to fit in so many movies in my schedule right before the night of the Oscars, and I thought of how this movie marathon would be a real race, hopping from one place to the other and so forth.

And it's funny how synchronicity is always playing tricks, but just right after planning this outing my friend Terry told me that she and her fiancé Matt were thinking of trying out for the TV show Amazing Race, the very same day, but in San Diego.

I don't know how it went for them, but my day was great. We had a late breakfast at this cool place on Sunset, and got to meet this really cool guy, Mike. Tony and I watched two movies only, but we did go from one theater to another and both times making it into the movies just in time, so it was kinda like a race (I know, I'm pushing it). We watched Mar Adentro, this Spanish movie nominated for best foreign film, and also Born Into Brothels, for best documentary. Both features were powerful, especially when it comes to personal matters and a certain aspect of the movie touches a nerve, like the first one did to me. It is about this quadriplegic man in Galicia who openly asked the government to legalize assisted suicide in Spain. To die with dignity, nothing easy in this society.

The doc was about these kids who are children of Calcuttan prostitutes, and about this female photographer who's lived among them while working on a photojournal, and who decided to try to offer these kids a dignified option to leave the brothels, this by using the magic of photography. All of them were very talented, especially a chubby guy whose name I can't remember.

It was also funny to realize that although no theme in our choice, both movies (and a third one that we couldn't make it to, Vera Drake) were about human dignity. Interesting coincidence.

It was also interesting to be back in Pas to watch those movies. I still know my way around that area, but it's great to see I know my way out too.

The Oscars are on tomorrow... what a treat!

nunca es para siempre

Well, it's been several days since my last entry, but here I am again.

I heard this morning on the news that it's rained so much in L.A. that we are close to setting an all-time record. I've seen images and heard horror stories about people who died when a rock or a mud slide fell on them, like this girl who was doing her homework and was plastered by this boulder that came out of nowhere. Really sad... Sad too was how stupid and pathetic I looked after a quick walk down to Blockbuster and getting surprised by this heavy rain yesterday. I was soaking wet.

Saw Finding Neverland, a really cute movie, but that's it. And it is so disturbing how they portrayed the guy who wrote Peter Pan like a sanitized version of Michael Jackson. But definitely, what I enjoyed the most in that movie, is the way that Kate Winslet says Neverland. Magical.

For a few days now, my phone line is crossed with my neighbor's, and the girl is freaked out as it is because every time she answers the phone I answer it too. To top it, she got herself in the middle of this conversation between my good friend Alfonso and I, two guys with hispanic accent. It was great how she almost shitted herself when Alfonso said that I knew we were neighbors! "And how do you know that?!", she said. I hate Verizon and their shitty service. And I hate T-Mobile even more because my cell simply never works when at home. There must be some kind of strange force around here that cancels the signal. If I were paranoid, I'd say that all my neighbors -old, retired and conservative neighbors- along with the cath choich almost kitty-corner have plotted against the short queer who wears glasses, hehe.

ox, osito

Fate showed me once again on 2/19 how fickle it can be, and took me back to my latest prime scene. And there I realized why it had taken me there in the first place.

Goodbye and Hello like bookends fitting in eighteen months; a new cycle, a new chapter, yes, at the very same table. Wow, I found my way home. And in Spanish... muchas gracias... :)

Luna.

La primera vez,
pensé si vendrán de la luna
esos ojos con su luz
por mi cara oculta,
crecientes enfrente de mi.

Luna,
pálida y bonita vas caminando sola,
tu órbita infinita llega a mi corazón.

La segunda adiviné
que cambiaba mi vida
la fortuna que encontré
fue más de la merecida
creciente enfrente de mi.

Luna,
gravitando lenta como una pluma,
fue la primera huella en mi corazón.

Mis mares de dudas
se llenan de Luna,
distantes, menguantes, se van.

Luna,
pálida y bonita vas caminando sola,
tu órbita infinita cruza mi corazón.

Luna,
gravitando lenta como una pluma,
fue la primera huella en mi corazón.

-Nacho Mañó

ficus

Los Feliz is definitely a nice spot to hang out with all the different stuff they have to eat, drink or peruse, and depending on the company it can turn into a place to remember. That was the case for me, one of the nicest days ever, and this from an outing that involved Keanu Reeves. I know, I am really pushing it, but it is true.

It was an afternoon/evening that included coffee and more coffee, the premiere day of Constantine with Reeves, Mexican in Boyle Heights and lots of conversation. Very engaging conversation, matter of fact.

First, about the movie. It sucked big time, and there is no other way to even bother describing it. I didn't buy it when Keanu played a physician on Something's Gotta Give, and he simply cannot call himself an exorcist either. Bad stuff.

Dinner at El Tepeyac was incredibly good. This hole in the wall has great gooey quesadillas and a mistaken identity chile verde burrito that is also very tasty. And by mistaken identity I mean that it looked more like chile colorado because the sauce was more red than green. You know? it could have been green, but I guess that was out of the question this evening.

The long conversation projected me to a series of uncanny coincidences, many of those possibly considered paranormal by some people, including myself. There is definitely an incredible force out there interweaving existences, and I like it.

Driving back to the South Bay was unsettling at times on the 110, just south of the 105. I hadn't been out in such rain for a long while: at times it felt like heavy rain hitting Unai, other times like hail. The lightning were vicious too, so much that I can still hear them. I felt as we were hydroplaning so I decided to get off the freeway and continue on surface streets. It's reality check, and I am happy that I made it home safe after such a great day.

thirty eight

Today I got to talk or to hear from all the important people in my life, either by phone, or in person or e-mail. I have felt very fortunate today, thank you. :)

I went to see Million Dollar Baby, a beautifully done movie with a fantastic Hillary Swank. After watching her performance, I can honestly say that la Benning and her diva ways stand no chance once again. Did you see her accept her Golden Globe this year? Inanimate. I don't know what kind of Kool-Aid she drank before that, or even if she thanked Warren for the "pizza joint" or was it the "pizza, joint" as if in that order. I was perplexed and everything seemed fuzzy at that moment.

Anyway, Baby was worth watching this evening, and am glad that Hillary has showed once again that it takes more than a prostetic nose to be Oscar material.

Went to Mimis Cafe like every year. That onion soup is so delicious, and I got to finish my meal with tiramisu and espresso, the perfect ending. It's been a great evening.

synchronicity

This afternoon I thought of a CD that I hadn't listened to for months, maybe a year, so I decided to pull it out today right after I came back from work: it is called Kaleisdoscope World from Swing Out Sister. I really like it because of its retro sound, a clear influence of Bacharach. I have been listening to it this afternoon, and it's freaky that an old online bud happened to IM me saying that he was thinking of me and listening to the same CD at that very moment that he was sending the message (I gave him a copy of it almost four years ago). It's funny how life works sometimes and how some bondings can't be denied.

A couple of hours ago I had this fantastic fussili pasta with garlic chicken, spinach and red peppers, along with a Sam Adams. I just didn't feel like doing Atkins today...

sexy plexi

I was listening to the radio today, when this tune caught my ear and I had a hard time placing the song. I knew it had to be a cover because it sounded so familiar, but I wasn't quite sure. Then it hit me: Ocean Breathes Salty, from Modest Mouse, but played to Bluegrass music. Oy.

So, I went online, and it turns out to be a series of CDs, all hillbilly chic, paying tribute to the likes of AC/DC, Metallica, Led Zepellin, Jimmy Buffett, U2, the Stones, Counting Crows, Alanis Morissette, you name it, they do it. Jimmy Buffett???

Feeling Sexy Plexi, but at the same time melancholic of those good ole family values? Take a listen to the one on Jack Johnson! Thinking of improving that Minnie Pearl drag of yours? Double your pleasure with Rodeo Clowns!

O brother, were art thou..?

xf

Today is Valentine's Day and a simple trip to the grocery store was a triumph at the end. The place was jammed-packed with a bunch of straight guys buying flowers and candy at the very last minute. I, on the other hand, bought whisky. :)

I was just reading that Chris Carter will start filming XF2 -the next X-Files movie- with both Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny, so I felt in the mood to listen to the soundtrack for the first movie. It has such a great song from Foo Fighters, Walking After You, that funny thing I happened to listen to this morning when on hold with a client. The thing was, that this version on the phone was Muzak. It was then, when I realized that one's getting old when Foo Fighters or STP or Depeche Mode are suitable for relaxing elevator/hold music. Wanna know something? The Muzak version was really good.

I went to get a haircut, and this happens to me always, Terry the stylist keeps on calling me Francesco. Every three weeks or so it feels like I am in Milan at least for a nanosecond until I distinguish her cool Minnesotan accent. And she is so nice, I just can't correct her, so I just sit back and enjoy the moment.

addendum

Today I watched three films that I had gotten from Netflix several days ago, and hadn't watched because of how crazy-busy it's been at work and all I wanted to do was to unwind when getting home in the evening.

All of them happened to be in French -there was no theme when I put them in my queue.

The first one was Love Me If You Dare, otherwise known as Watch Me If You Dare. Or Keep On Watching Me If You Dare. I dared, and for that I regret.

The second one was Seducing Doctor Lewis, a French-Canadian movie, that really won me over. It is very quirky, and quirky is always great to me. And it was even funnier because their dialect is so different, nothing like the one from Paris.

The third one, I had already seen at the Playhouse about five or six months ago: Intimate Strangers, and I watched it again because it was my favorite movie last year. My favorite moment is two frames before the ending credits, when the male actor gives one of the most heartfelt performances that I have ever seen. No words, just emotions. Wow...

I hear that Ray Charles' last album is winning all the Grammys tonight... except for the one that Britney Spears won. Yes, it's kinda like when the dead come back to vote.

One last thing: my sister was telling me about these odd Wisconsin quarters, the collectible ones. Look at those that you get back in your change, they could be worth hundreds of dollars and a washer and dryer so you don't have to go to the laundromat. Now, that would be nice...

day one

Well, I never imagined myself writing a blog, but for some odd reason it made sense this morning when I woke up. It's been one of those rare occasions when I've been able to sleep in and I guess that I realized that I could actually say a few things every now and then. Or maybe just share a few things every now and then. Remember Cliff from Cheers and his stand-up routine of naming something and then him asking "What's up with that?". Oh well, it's not intended to be that annoying, but we'll see how this develops.

Words have never been an easy thing for me, so the mere fact that I have decided to do this made me name this page el verbo encarnado, whis is the incarnate word in English. You felt offended by the use of that term? Tough. It's working just fine already.

I am listening to Dead Can Dance's Into The Labyrinth, and the evening is crisp. My room faces a hallway in a condo complex, and a lot of my neighbors keep passing by wearing their flip-flops, when it says it's currently 59 degrees. I simply cannot get it: they flip and they flop and it's not only annoying but moronic in Winter.

Oh, don't think that 'cause of my harsh comments I'm some kind of tyrane: I do love gingerbread. I went to Whole Foods to check out the merchandise, when I noticed their lovely baked goods, and there it was. I just had to get it... and so I did. I haven't eaten it yet, as I plan to have a date with it this evening. I definitely love gingerbread.

I have one message online: this guy from the Valley, just like Samantha Jones called it. He seems flaky. I am having a mug of decaf while listening to KCRW now and they're talking about Condoleeza Rice. I am so grateful for decaf, as I swear her name would have just made me gasp.

This lady is saying on the radio, "I am a human soup", talking about a melting pot and the community and I can't help thinking about a big Campbell's soup can with curvy legs frolicking, just like they used to show them on TV years ago. I amuse myself easily sometimes, and soup puts me just there.

Okay, this is enough for now. That gingerbread loaf keeps calling me, just when NPR News is talking about gene therapy and how scientists are giving guinea pigs their hearing back using it. It is disturbing to think of what made them lose their hearing in the first place. "Re-storing hearing is remarkable", the guy on radio says. And I say it is high time for gingerbread. Ta-ta...

PS- Thanks to my online bud Doug... I had pizza, beers and good music last night. It helped! :)