One way of looking at it.

Verdict on Ellen's monologue? Awesome. Best joke ever: America voted for Al Gore...

Oscar winners predictions final tally: 16/22*

[It might have been a good idea to go see some of these films, I guess. --ed.]

* But that's including my better half's predictions. My score was not so impressive: 10/22. But at least I wore a unanimously fabulous dress.

1. Contrary to the divine Miss Movie Empress, I think Cameron Diaz looks stunning. poolsnark agrees with me.
2. Jodie!
3. The Barbara Walters special has to be the most insipid hour on television.

And finally, the real Oscars poll:



ETA: does that count as dancing?

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While I have been spending rather a lot of my time reading materials for work, I have been slowly making my way through a "fun" book, namely A Perfect Red: Empire, Espionage, and the Quest for the Color of Desire. So far, it's been pretty enjoyable. It traces the history of the color red, as seen in cloth and other dyed items, touching on the economics and politics of the conquest of Mexico in the 16th century (I am only up to about p. 75). I don't find it to be a compelling read, but I do find it to be informative and to be an intriguing mix of subjects about which I know a fair amount (e.g. espionage) and those for which I have next to no knowledge (e.g. the economics and politics of the Renaissance).

I'm still plugging away at less accessible works, but more on those later.

Here's a question: of all the Best Picture nominees for the Oscars, I've only thus far seen The Queen. Assuming that they're all in theatres and/or on dvd, which one should I see next? (Incidentally, if you get a chance, go see Keeping Mum. It's hilarious and dark in all the right ways.)

This is a sample post to show how the row that contains the subject and the timestamp extends into the right hand column. Non-support people, please ignore.

Did a bit of cleaning up of the f-list. Mostly, I removed the journals of dormant LJs and/or those where the relationship was no longer reciprocal. If I've removed anyone else accidentally, let me know, and I'll add you back.

Happy Birthday, bossieboots!!

Your friendship is one of the great highlights of my life. I wish you all the best, of everything, for the year ahead.

Just a wee little public service announcement:

Happy Birthday nm973! Hope you've had a terrific, self-indulgent day! May the year ahead bring you some quality television for a change, not to mention much happiness and other goodness.

Happy Birthday ilgattopardo!! Hope the year ahead brings much goodness, and successful transitions to culture-laden, happy places!

Ahem.

There has been some chatter about the Olympics of late. I realize that many of you are not particularly interested in the winter olympics, to whom I say this: *pffftttth*. I am the world's biggest loser when it comes to international athletic competitions, being the complete dilettante who suddenly knows just enough to get by about speedskating, aerial skiing, skeleton etc. I'll be weeping stupidly with each soaring victory or tragic loss. But I know me some curling, that sport of Those Who Are Confined to Winter Sports Greatness. We've even got tickets for the national women's curling championships - I'm psyched. GO AHEAD and LAUGH! I don't care, and laughing is good for you anyway.

Anyway, the Winter Olympics is good for Canadians because it's one area in which we can justifiably feel proud and not in any way second rate. And hey, Vancouver 2010, baby!

As I think I mentioned earlier, I've been reading Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell and until recently, I was not feeling particularly enamored of this novel. However, now that Mr Norrell has become a teensy bit unlikable, the book is really growing on me and it's all I can do to keep myself from reading it instead of doing the work that desperately needs doing. It's annual review time, and I've got to make it look like I've been productive this year. Heh.