You wore no shoes and slept like a leopard

This is a long post. Be sure not to miss my far-underrated celebrity list, two posts below.

I like the way the breeze feels today.

I want to go for a walk. I should just walk. I could go outside and do it.

It's a nice day, a nice breeze.

But I have a lot to write.

This is a long post.

I wrote the following paragraph in 2002, as part of a short story. It's one of my favorite paragraphs. Here it is, out of context:

And so the word “vaginal” hung over Thanksgiving like a storm cloud full moon and whom did everyone look at? Jack, to see if he’s maybe a little embarrassed, to find out if he’s planning to answer the goddamn question? No. The sister-in-law to see exactly what kind of crazy person invokes vaginal yeast at Thanksgiving dinner, with children present? No. Everyone looks at me.

I'm listening to Bonnie "Prince" Billy because the Timberwolves fired their coach. You lose 4 games in a row (the last 3 to very good teams) and I guess that's what happens. But what if they fired their General Manager Kevin McHale? Hmm. Wow. (just keep pressing "click here"... memories.)

I wrote the following paragraph in 2000 about something that happened in 1996 and someone I knew in 1982. Life is timeless. Again, this is part of a longer, more difficult-to-sustain short story:

One night, months later, when it required less effort to ignore what we were dreading anyway, I saw you in a restaurant. You were walking to the ladies’ room and your high shoulders belied the misapprehension I could see in your eyes, for you saw me first. You were holding a small, unlabeled tube in your right hand. I do not know what it held but there were theories from my table mates. But you and I were young, barely people yet, so what could it matter?

Why the fragments? I didn't have a blog in 2002 or 2000. I want to give you pieces of me from back then.

My new #2 song from 2006 is Big Friday by Bonnie "Prince" Billy (yes that's him on the left. no it's not me!)

Why do I love this song? Words like these:

You had light in your hands and your eyes closed
You had movement out of my sight
You wore no shoes and ate like a leopard
And slept with your legs apart every night

They keep asking me to do things. And I keep doing them. I guess that's why they call it a job. Must be why they pay me.

I have no real strong opinions about this morning's Oscar nominations. I have some moderate ones, however:

• Will Ferrell deserves some sort of "achievement" award for Stranger Than Talledaga Nights: the Legend Fiction of Ricky Bobby.
• Babel (which I haven't seen) doesn't deserve 8 nominations.
• Dreamgirls (which I have seen) deserves a Best Picture nomination (based on the fact that "big" movies are the type that get Best Picture nominations.. and that was a good big movie.)
• Children Of Men deserves more recognition.
• Judi Dench needs to step aside and make room for Maggie Gyllenhall. Or Marisa Tomei. Or Mary Tyler Moore. Or even Ed Asner
  
• TV is better than film.

I like the road between Los Angeles and San Francisco. I like the 5. I like the 101. I like it all.