the awesome/terrifying freedom

for like the first time in a month, i didn't go anywhere this weekend, which was refreshing.

the big news: sam and i have had 'the talk,' and we are now official boyfriends! it's soo frackin awesome i can't tell you.

speakin of frackin, this week saw the premiere of LOST (first 5 mins: brilliant, the rest: setup which had better pay off soon), and battlestar galactica, which was so good it was astonishing. this show is achieving the kind of political commentary that star trek was able to do in it's best episodes. it's current, it's about iraq, it's about the psychology of suicide bombing, it's about the problems of cultural occupation, it's about detention without due process, and so many other current issues.

i work in the tower of the old hollywood bank building on the corner of hollywood boulevard and highland street, which is the 7th avenue and broadway of los angeles. i learned this week that my office was once heidi fleiss'. keep your comments to yourself, please.

the basment of this building is creepy and amazing - giant abandoned vaults from when it was an operating bank - in 1929.













i want to make a movie down here.

oh! saw two films this weekend: shortbus and the queen.

shortbus was quite good, but i felt it fell "short" (haha, boo) of being a great movie because of some narrative holes. i think mitchell's goal of incorporating real sex into a story was extremely successful, however the narrative itself needed work. ebert often quotes siskel's standard for grading a film: 'would a documentary about making this film be more interesting than the film itself?' and i think in the case of shortbus, the answer is absolutely yes. i wanted to drop the story of the film, and learn more about the cast's real stories that gave rise to it.

the queen is a marvel of filmmaking in that it finds two hours of drama in the oddest thing: whether or not this old lady will give a speech. here's the entire movie:

tony blair: give the speech.
queen: no.

(pause)

tony blair: give the speech.
queen: no.

(pause)

tony blair: they hate you now.
queen: oh.
tony blair: give the speech.
queen: ok.

(pause)

queen: (the speech)

it really is as simple as that, but every scene is electrifying.

this week several new stars were added to the walk of fame outside my office. the process is interesting. the star outline is laid down and filled with the pink grout/cement mixture. i guess it's sanded down and polished after it dries, i didn't hang around to find out. when i realized i was watching the creation of amy grant's star, i quickly left.

when i was in vegas, i found an entry for the tackiest gift in the world competition. i've sent it to emily. once she gets it, i will post the horror.