a new pet peeve

This cheeses me off: I see an ad on a website for something I might like to buy, typically clothes or accessories. So I click the ad and see where it takes me.

The result is a merchant's webpage where I can't see anything for sale unless I sign up for an account. I know what that means -- they'll email bomb you with daily ads for their stuff. Even if you opt out of messages, they often still send them anyway. Worse, they'll share your email address with other merchants, some with the same corporate ownership, others not.

Soon you're getting a dozen emails a day from companies you've never heard of nor visited their webpage. Their ads also now appear in many of the other websites you visit, because they put tracking cookies on your browser. Finding these cookies to remove is often a bitch because they use a different domain name.

I circumvent this by using a throwaway email account only for this purpose. Occasionally I have to check it for a verification link. I open the box and see it's now receiving dozens of emails a day. I've provided that email address only four or five times, not forty-five times.

Apparently some retail web marketing gurus don't realize the different between selling to people and harassing them. Who wants to buy your shit when you vomit an endless stream of spam on them?

whoring for dollars

The New York Times ran an article last Thursday about an effort in Washington to ban online gambling nation wide. It's currently legal in three states and others are considering legalizing it. A proposed federal ban would make it illegal in all states.

The ban bill was introduced by a senator from a state with little casino business. He has received tens of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from an out-of-state casino operator opposed to online gambling. The casino owner will lose revenue if online gambling expands, so his lobbyist drafted the ban bill which the senator introduced.

This is a stunning example of legalized graft and bribery. Would the senator have introduced the bill if he received no donations from the casino owner? If you think the answer is yes, I have a bridge I'd like to sell you.

Call your senator today, ask to speak to him or her, and say you want a specific bill introduced. Don't hold your breath waiting for the senator to take your call. Now make a $100,000 contribution to his or her re-election campaign and try that call again.

The senator referenced in the Times article is up for re-election this year. I certainly hope his opponents in the primary and general election exuberantly publicize his shameless whoring for dollars. Of course, if one of them is elected, he or she will probably soon be sponsoring bills in exchange for big campaign contributions, too.

lady smythe's arrest

I noticed some of these, specifically everything on the rug. I was a bit distracted looking at the constable at first because I thought it was John Cleese and this was an older clip so I wasn't paying as much attention to the surroundings as I should have.

I'm always amused in mysteries when someone adamently says the crime happened at a particular time because of a broken or stopped clock or watch. Why doesn't anyone ever wonder if the killer manually turned them forward or back to fool people?

pregnant montage

My husband took a few naked photos of me when I was pregnant, but we've never shown them to anyone else. That was my decision, not his. I'll admit to being vain about this.

I don't think a woman's body looks bad or ugly when she's pregnant, but she doesn't look her best, either. I see pregnancy in this sort of situation like a medical condition. I don't think many people would want to share photos of their naked body with a fresh surgery incision or bad bruising. They wouldn't look their best, either.

I certainly want to be pregnant again in the future. We would like to have two more children. So hopefully I will be with child not too far down the road. But I see pregnancy as a transition to the new baby. It's all about the result, not the process for me. I just want the pregnancy to be over. If science found a way to speed up pregnancy to nine weeks and not nine months, I'd be ready to sign up for that.

I don't want to try to talk myself into thinking I'm beautiful when I'm eight months pregnant because I just don't feel that way. I had badly swollen, blotchy feet and lower legs the last time. That just looked nasty.

More power to women who want to celebrate their beauty during their pregnancy. If they feel good about it, good for them. I'm happy they're happy about it.

I happened on a photo set of a woman who recorded each week of her pregnancy with selfies that she called her "40 Weeks and a Mirror" series. It brought back memories of how I did not like the look of myself as the pregnancy progressed. The end result -- her baby -- is adorable, and that's the best of the bunch, in my opinion.

warning, I may bite

Just a heads up -- if you post anonymous comments to my posts that insult me, I might bite back. I may not have a lot of formal schooling, but I self-educate by reading widely and extensively on a whole variety of subjects, so I'm not just some dumb ex-stripper.

You're perfectly willing to disagree in the comments. But if you turn condescending or patronizing or -- even worse -- wrap up the insult with some sexism, you might want to keep some Band-Aids handy. In short, ad hominem comments are not welcome (as should be the rule everywhere).

Someone recently posted an insult to my entry earlier this week about Putin. In a nutshell, the person derided me for musing on a subject he claimed I didn't know enough about, and then turned around and said something that revealed he didn't really know so much about the topic.

I'm reminded of the nasty emails I received a few months ago ridiculing me on my posts about Bitcoin. I was told in no uncertain words that I shouldn't write about that because I "didn't know what I was talking about."

And then the bottom fell out of the Bitcoin market. So who's the dummy now?

I certainly can't be alone in my opinions about Putin and Crimea. Hell, the G7 nations have been ripping into Putin for the last several days on this very topic. Are they all morons, too?

And the core of my post was an article I linked that proposed an interesting thesis about Putin, written by someone who's paid good money for her knowledge and research on the subject.

I remember the first time my husband saw me rip into somebody who was giving me a hard time. I didn't yell, I didn't scream, I didn't lose my temper. I just went for the throat in a quick kill. James said he practically got a hard on watching me.

As Joan Crawford says in Mommie Dearest: "Don't fuck with me fellas. This ain't my first time at the rodeo."

a rainy day in LA

When someone says "Los Angeles," you think of sun and surf, beach and bikinis, palm trees and endless summer. After all, the song says "it never rains in Southern California." It sounds like paradise.

If you've lived in LA, as I have, you know that's not true. (Indeed, the song lyrics continue, "But girl don't they warn ya. It pours, man it pours.")

Call me weird, but I liked rainy days in LA. Perhaps because weeping skies brought more men into the clubs where I danced, so my take from tips was bigger on inclement nights.

I saw this picture online a while ago (right-click to see it huge) and saved it in my "LA folder." I chanced on it again today and it brought back memories of the Hollywood Freeway snaking past Capitol Records on a rainy afternoon. For a few months before I moved to the Valley, I lived in Hollywood on Franklin near Cahuenga, somewhere near the bottom of this picture.

My husband and I keep talking about taking a trip back to the States, but for 101 reasons we can't yet set a date. The longer we have to wait, the more I ache to go back.

putin the putz

Ol' Pooty is certainly turning out to be a right bastard, to borrow a phrase from the husband.

In the past year or two he went from being a scary clownish thug and morphed straight into a homophobic despot supporting bloodthirsty tyrants like Assad while grabbing other countries' silverware and daring someone to give him a punch in the kisser.

I read this interesting article yesterday disputing the idea that Putin is acting out of strength but perhaps more out of desperation.

The Russian leader is being incautious because "people are more cautious when they have the upper hand and riskier when they don't." If this is true, the writer continues, Putin may be acting as he does because he "perceives Russia as losing power in the world, and is willing to take risks—like annexing Crimea, and perhaps even more of Ukraine—to recover what his nation once lost."

All said and done, a desperate narcissistic jackass is probably more risky than a contented narcissistic jackass. Either way, Putin is like a very disruptive neighbor who everyone knows will get worse before some kind of solution presents itself.

If I had to meet Putin at the negotiating table, I think I'd be tempted to tell him off for what he is and maybe smack him upside the head once or twice, or at least slap his cheek. Diplomats, however, must be steeped in decorum, politeness, and the ability to talk on many levels at once. I don't think I'm diplomatic material.

over the rainbow

The photos below are not technically "real." They're real photos of real objects, but the cars and some of the background are only 1/24th of actual size. Both the models and the photos are made by an artist named Michael Paul Smith.

No Photoshop is used. He photographs the models himself, sometimes using miniature backgrounds and other times real ones, or a combination of the two. He manipulates the exposure only to create an aged "period" look but does not "cut and paste" objects in the photo itself.

His webpage links to his many photographs and media coverage. If you can, take some time to check out all the things he's done.

He must have the patience of the proverbial saint to be able to spend so much time making his models and photos look absolutely perfect.

cover girl

Congratulations to Kim Kardashian, who's slagged her way to the top and has landed a Vogue cover in a wedding dress with what's-his-name. Her publicist must be glowing. Who says you can't be too shameless?

Of all the beautiful women with talent, it's a shame the magazine felt a need to feature an unattractive woman with no talent, other than how to be a professional attention whore.

I must admit I had no idea who the woman is in the spoof below. I used Google image search and learned the answer -- she's the mother on the Here Comes Honey Boo Boo program, which I've had the probable good fortune of never seeing. Apparently she doesn't have as good a publicist, even though her shamelessness sounds like it could possibly eclipse Kardashian's.

iranian women

I happened on this article about people quietly rebelling against all sorts of petty laws in Iran. It's refreshing that humans everywhere always try to rise above their petty despots.

I was struck by the beauty of the two women facing the camera in the picture below. (You can see better by right-clicking the image.) How sad for them they live in a society that hides them.

In another country, they could be successful models. They have such an exotic and mysterious look. I always wanted to look exotic and mysterious but had to settle for compliments like "cute" and "adorable."

The problem with cute and adorable is the shelf life is not nearly as long as exotic and mysterious. If you don't believe me compare Sissy Spacek with Sophia Loren.

The other thing about this picture, which the article does not mention, is why they are kissing. Are they just friends or more? If it's the latter, then it's doubly dangerous for them in Iran.

When I see pictures like this, I worry that some fascistic secret police types will harass the photo subjects. In Iran, that would be the dreaded Republican Guard. A free press should never put people in danger. I hope they're safe.

bad uncle

I have an uncle who is even more of a black sheep of the family than I am. He's also the son of my favorite grandparent, my late granddad who I mention here often. Uncle is a rascal like my grandfather but a much naughtier rascal.

When I was about six or seven, my parents cut off all contact with him completely for reasons I have never understood. That made me sad because I really liked my uncle.

Unbeknownst to them, I used to see him on occasion after that because he lived near my grandfather, whom I stayed with for weeks on end in summers. I also saw his children, my cousins, which my parents didn't know about either.

After I pretty much severed contact with my parents, I got back in touch with my uncle, and he welcomed me into the "dark fold" of the family, as he called it. He sometimes calls me "Bad Niece" and I call him "Bad Uncle."

He has a Twitter feed for certain family members and friends that I often find amusing. He'll say the most outrageous things sometimes about current events.

Yesterday he Tweeted this after the news broke that Fred Phelps had died, former head of the very controversial Westboro Baptist Church, the ones who carried "God Hates Fags" signs at military funerals.

Bad Uncle tweeted: "Reverend Phelps finally has a chance to meet God. I wish I could see the look on his face when he discovers She's a big Black lesbian."

Often Bad Uncle is so bad he's good.

spit first

Two pictures for your inspection here. The first shows a woman having her anus tattooed. The second shows the final results, with the phrase "spit first" inked onto her pooper.

The tattoo artist does not look thrilled to be doing this. But a paycheck is a paycheck.

I have to imagine this was pretty painful to receive. And all that torture for something she'll never see. Unless she likes admiring her own bunghole with a mirror, but then the type would be backwards.

Opinions are like assholes -- everyone has to have one, but not everyone has one that's tattooed.

free birth control does not make you slutty

Medical News Today, a publication for general readers, is reporting about a recent study which found that women are not more promiscuous because they receive free birth control.

The study also found that women who receive free birth control become pregnant or have an abortion less often than those without free birth control. (No surprise there.) Also, women who receive free birth control have sex more frequently (good for them, but no surprise there, either).

Of course, this research is not likely to quiet those contemporary puritans wailing about free birth control. But they certainly can't be doing so for reasons of economy. If you prevent childbirth by giving birth control to lower income people, they're less likely to have children who will cost the public sector much more.

While they may make noises about money being "wasted" and so forth, opponents of such plans are more likely outraged at the sex element. The poorer people will be having sex! Enjoying sex! Wanting more sex! That is an outrage! People should be thinking about earning more money and working longer hours, not sex sex sex sex sex! Dirty filthy sex!

the middle of nowhere

I really enjoyed this short film about Lake Eyre, located in an uninhabited part of the desert in the state of South Australia. I have never been there, but my husband has.

I would love to visit this place of desolate beauty. I don't know if that would be a good idea with a small child. He needs more interactive locations, otherwise he's bored out of his mind.

naked and afraid

We don't have cable or dish, so I'm often late to learn about some of the newest non-broadcast shows. I read recently about a so-called American "reality" program on Discovery, which also runs here in Australia, called Naked and Afraid.

The premise is simple: an attractive young female survivalist is paired with an attractive young male survivalist whom she's never met before. They're sent naked into the wilderness for twenty-one days and must survive on their wits and skills. The producers and crew will not intervene except in life-threatening situations.

The show sounds interesting and certainly better than that stupid Survivor. But the big disappointment with Naked and Afraid is that they don't actually show the people naked, except for butt shots. When frontal nudity would be revealed, it's pixelated so they appear to have no reproductive organs whatsoever. They're as neutered as a genital-less Barbie and Ken.

To me this is like promoting a cooking show called Heavenly Delicious Deserts but never actually showing any food. Naked people running around in the wilderness, fending off bugs, reptiles, leeches, whatever -- you want to see what that does to their naughty bits.

Of course, this obscuring is done in the name of protecting children. Anyone who believes a ten-year-old child has never seen nude adults must be living in the remote Yukon. Kids know what naked people look like. So as long as the Naked and Afraid survivalists aren't randy and rutting like crazed rabbits, why not show everything? Cable is not bound by nudity restrictions like broadcast TV.

Any sheltered child who plays with her Barbies and watches Naked and Afraid is more likely to end up Clueless and Confused. Hmm, Barbie has no lady parts, and neither does that woman on the survival show. Same for Ken; same for the guy on TV. Why do I have them?

Of course, I'm wondering how many of these thrown-together naked wilderness couples end up screwing. Considering at least one of them was discovered with a porn past, I'm guessing the chances are high.

nazi noir

I recently read March Violets, by Philip Kerr, and am currently reading Zoo Station, by David Downing. Both are well written crime thrillers set in 1930s Germany during the Nazi era. It's the first time I've read either of these British novelists. I quite enjoyed Kerr, and I enjoy Downing even more.

This left me wondering if there's something unsavory about enjoying something depicting horrible people doing horrible things to innocent people. If your neighbor was being hauled away to an internment camp because of his race or religion, it would be the height of appalling behavior to set up lawn chairs to enjoy the show and film it to share with friends later.

But are we doing the same if we enjoy a novel about terrible times? I'm not liking Zoo Station because of the nasty stuff; it heightens the jeopardy and suspense involving the main character, a man who long ago compromised his principles but suddenly finds himself unexpectedly taking the moral and very dangerous high road.

I guess a big difference exists between enjoying great characters set in a terrible world and enjoying something for the sheer misery depicted. If one did the latter, that would be outright sadism. The former, however, almost forces the reader into asking, "what would I do in this situation?"

For that reason I imagine enjoying a well written book about bad times is not, ultimately, a bad thing.

eighteen years of regret

Some anonymous guy posted a photo series showing his new tattoo being applied all over his back. He wanted his old tatt hidden.

"Got a tattoo when I was nineteen, quickly regretted it," he writes. He then goes on to describe how he feels after his new tattoo: "after eighteen years of regret I can finally take my shirt off in public."

That left me wondering how many people regret their tattoos and how quickly. My husband has several on his biceps and back that he had done about twenty years ago, when he was "young and stupid," to use his words.

He doesn't really want to get new ones to hide them. He prefers just to let them fade with the sun.

I'm not in love with what Mr. Years of Regret had done -- it seems way too busy to me -- but it is a big improvement over his old one, which looked like it had been done in prison.

When all is said and done, I wonder if he would rather not have any tattoo at all. But when you have one that you hate, your only choice really is to hide it with another one.

And hope with time you don't hate the second one even more.

creating an artificial hell

Aeon magazine has an interesting new article exploring whether in the future, when technological advances will enable people to live centuries and even millennia, would forcing a criminal to serve a sentence of many hundred years be ethical?

Personally, I think it's a horrible idea. Imprisonment is a necessary evil. Some people must be kept away from society for society's safety. Some of those imprisoned can be rehabilitated so they will not commit crimes again. Others can be conditioned by the punishment of prison and not want to return.

But I think it's a terrible idea that society should use imprisonment as a way to "get back" at criminals. While some people like the idea of vengeance, I don't think that's a worthy social goal.

So forcing a criminal to live longer than he or she wants is just perversely inhumane. It certainly sounds like "cruel and unusual punishment" to me. Yes, I know some criminals commit horrendous crimes, but forcing that perpetrator to suffer is not justice nor does it achieve any positive social goal, not to mention the cost.

The flip side of this is that the unavailability of life-extension technologies in prison could be an incentive to stay out of trouble. If you know you'll not be able to enjoy centuries of freedom, then that makes it all the more unattractive to commit a crime.

So no life extension blintzes for you bad boys who break the law. But is that, in turn, also cruel and unusual punishment? Yes, if it's not a crime with a life imprisonment sentence. But if you're a killer, I wouldn't say so.

johnny carson's sex tape

Johnny Carson was before my time, but I know who he was. Like nearly everyone, I've seen clips on YouTube from when he hosted The Tonight Show.

I was surprised to hear that a sex tape featuring him and one of his wives, made in the 1970s, is being shopped to private collectors. He seemed so "square" and conventional to me, like a mischievous uncle who is really a conventional upper-middle-class businessman.

I guess that goes to show you that public facades can be deceptive, and the real person may actual be a sexual animal who's a completely different creature in the bedroom. I'm reminded of an official in the Reagan White House who was later revealed to be a sexual submissive and who loved to be beaten black and blue by dominatrices.

The other interesting reveal about the purported sex tape is that Carson is said to be porn star huge -- about ten inches long. That gives a whole new perspective to "here's Johnny!"

this made me laugh a lot

For whatever reason, this made me laugh for a good five minutes when I first saw it. The dog is an unwitting participant, but it can hardly be considered abusive, given the food he's getting. It looks like oatmeal or ice cream maybe.

I think the pooch is a Rottweiler. My grandfather had one, and they're the sweetest dogs ever.

My son found this fascinating. I guess because he's still trying to master silverware while the dog looks like he's handling the spoon with such ease.

deport justin bieber

In the event you are one of the few people over twenty-one who does not already loathe Justin Bieber, a few outtakes from a deposition he gave recently in a lawsuit might change your mind (he's the one being sued).

The footage underscores that he's an obnoxious, arrogant brat, high on his massively inflated ego, his sense of entitlement, and his absurd self-importance. He's just begging the karma gods to smack his ass in some humiliating way so he'll learn what it's like to eat humble pie.

In somewhat related news, the "Deport Justin Bieber" petition at the White House website is allegedly the most signed one in presidential history. Because it far surpassed the number required for action, the President's office must now respond.

schrodinger's pussy

I was reading something recently that referenced the Schrödinger's cat theorem. I've encountered this before and have always had some difficulty falling in line with its suppositions.

The theory is roughly this: if a cat is placed inside a closed box you can't see inside, with some poison that may or may not kill it, then the cat is both alive and dead as long as you don't look in the box. (Wikipedia goes into much greater detail if you want to read more.)

Basically, by keeping the cat in the box, an either/or situation is changed into an "and" situation. This is used as a starting point to explore quantum mechanics issues, parallel worlds, and more.

I understand the idea of parallel worlds in relation to time travel. But I just don't buy this "the cat is both alive and dead" stuff.

The truth is you don't know. The universe doesn't revolve around your knowledge or lack thereof, so whether you know or not is irrelevant to the cat's condition. Not knowing whether or not it's alive doesn't mean it can be both things at once. It's either one or the other but you don't have enough information to determine its status.

If your friend is due to arrive on the red eye from New York, but you don't know whether or not he made the flight because your mobile battery is dead, he isn't both on the plane and not on the plane. He's one or the other. Same with the cat.

bibi's finger

The camera does not lie. But occasionally it can be a prankster.

Do I need to explain who these people are? Without knowing that, someone might miss the humor.

The woman on the left is Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany. The guy on the right is Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel.

The ghostly presence with the mustache needs no introduction.

leaving the nest

I've written here before about how I left home at sixteen after receiving a legal emancipation from my parents. My earnings were rather meager until I turned eighteen, when they increased because I started erotic dancing.

In the two years between sixteen and eighteen in a tiny sublet bedroom with a view of nothing and dinners of ramen or oatmeal, I managed to make ends meet and actually saved a portion of nearly every paycheck (I was a waitress full-time and also had a part-time job doing telephone surveys). I never once asked my parents for money nor any other relatives (although my grandfather did give me money, unsolicited, for my birthday and Christmas, bless him).

So I was interested to read this article about an eighteen-year-old who left home and then sued her parents to pay for living expenses and private school tuition. Her litigation is still in progress but not faring well. She says they were abusive (presumably psychologically), while they say she was unruly and didn't follow their rules.

My personal reaction to this is: you can't have your cake and eat it, too. You either live with your parents and deal with it while they foot the bill, or you go out on your own and take care of yourself all by yourself. I don't think any legal adult in this sort of situation has a right to an allowance.

So put on your big-girl pants and get a job, sweetie. Welcome to adulthood, where there are no do-overs in real life.

naked on the tracks

This has become the biggest cliche in nude photography -- a naked woman posing on an abandoned railroad track. We know it's not dangerous because the track hasn't been used in decades. So what's the point?

Yes it was once different and interesting. But it's as cliche now as celebrities doing the "thumbs up" in candid shots.

Technically, the photo below is well done. She's well framed and properly lit.

But good photography is about a lot more than just technical perfection. It's not that hard to learn how to light a shot, and framing is just good instinct. Creativity, however, is another matter.

A skilled photographer will find a way to make a photo that is creative and distinct, not like something we've seen many times before. Creative talent is more than just technical perfection. Many photographers have the latter but not so many have the former.

what if computers could write novels?

The Utne Reader had an interesting albeit somewhat verbose article about computers of the future with so-called "artificial intelligence" (AI) and whether they might be able to write fiction.

Color me highly skeptical. Artificial intelligence is exactly that -- artificial. Unlike today's computers, which essentially just process binary code at a very high speed, AI would emulate human thinking. Rather than just process raw data, the computers of tomorrow would be able to duplicate a human's logically thinking.

But AI is still just a mimicking process. It's copying human capability. But it's not human and can never be. A computer will never be able to fall in love or feel joy or feel any emotion for that matter. It may mimic human behavior, but it can never go beyond that.

Writing requires creative essence and real emotion. It's inseparable from what makes humans sentient. A computer cannot create true fiction, which is an extension of individualism and human emotion, and will never be able to. Just like it won't be able to paint a masterpiece or compose a brilliant piece of music.

It just ain't gonna happen.

land yachts

The New York Times had a photo feature the other day about a man in Philadelphia who lovingly restored a 1960 Lincoln Continental. The paper called it "ugly," but I think that's unfair. You can't look at a 1960 car with 2014 eyes. You have to consider the vehicle in the context of its era.

My grandfather had a 1959 Buick convertible that he had bought new and babied all his life. It was jet black with a red leather interior. It was always garaged, driven only in nice weather, and never dirty. It was his pride and joy. His Buick looked just like this one being sold by a vintage auto dealer, although I doubt that's actually his car.

He was a country doctor and made many house calls in it, so the car was widely known in his community. My grandmother hated it, refused to be seen in it let alone drive it, and called it all sorts of pejorative names, like "your grandfather's ridiculous car" and "that hideous waste of money."

He ultimately got the last laugh, however, although it wasn't until after he died. His car was sold at a collector's auction at far more than he had paid for it new.

oscar aftermath

All but one of my Oscar predictions turned out to be correct. I missed best original screenplay.

I don't think I can claim to be some great prognosticator, however. As I wrote before, I thought this was a very predictable year. I also found the telecast to be rather dull. I didn't see all of it, but what I did see failed to wow me.

I still find it surreal to deal with the time difference between the US and Australia. When the Oscar show starts live, it's one in the afternoon here.

I thought the most tasteless bit of Oscar coverage was this one: "Angelina Jolie's Dress Fearlessly Bares Reconstructed Breasts." The headline makes it sound like she was practically topless. In reality, the dress was gorgeous and tasteful -- she looked fantastic. Brad Pitt actually looked presentable, too, and not like the homeless bum he's resembled lately.

goodbye moviephone

The longer I'm away from the United States, things I once knew as being part of "home" are vanishing. I was saddened to learn that Moviefone is in the process of disappearing.

With the popularity of smart phones, it's no surprise that it's happening, but that cheery, snappy voice was somewhat addicting. The service was so popular that it became the subject of humor on "Seinfeld."

my 2,000th post

I realized the other day that today, March 2, would mark my 2,000th post here on my blog. You can't see it in the public area, but on the control screen that I can see as the blog owner, it shows me my past post count plus any that are queued for future use.

I've changed a lot and a lot has changed in my life since I started this, so it has evolved from something like a public diary into more of a random collection of thoughts and musings expressed in print. I don't know of how much continuing interest it is to many other people -- although I have some loyal readers (thank you!) -- but it's important to me for continuity's sake.

One of my failings in the past was to avoid commitments, whether they be relationships with others or personal projects. Since I started this blog, however, I have gradually evolved away from that behavior in many important ways. Marriage and motherhood has been a great catalyst for that change. But I like that this blog also keeps me focused on a long-term goal.

So I'll keep typing away, no matter who reads. I'm looking forward to the 2,500th post, the 3,000th post, and more. Thanks to you also who wander through to share some time and comment on occasion.

oscar predictions

I've read several media pieces where the writer claimed this was a wide-open year for the Academy Awards. Well I don't agree. I think many of the major categories are pretty close to a sure thing, so here are my predictions. We'll see in a few days if I'm full of beans.

12 Years a Slave will win best picture. The most nominated film usually receives the award. Also, it's a big historical issue picture, another best picture magnet.

Alfonso Cuarón will win best director. The Academy tends to give this to the director of the movie perceived as the runner up contender for best picture.

Matthew McConaughey will win best actor. Male actors who transform themselves to play debilitated characters in issue movies are catnip for Academy voters. It's the Tom Hanks/Daniel Day Lewis rule.

Cate Blanchett will win best actress. The Academy is drawn to actresses who play troubled characters on the verge of a meltdown and make that character their own. It's the Meryl Streep rule.

Jared Leto will win best supporting actor. The Academy tends to favor actors in this category who never quite became leads but nonetheless have an impressive body of work before this stellar career-making role came along. It's the Cuba Gooding rule.

Lupita Nyong’o will win best supporting actress. The Academy often saves this award for a relative newcomer to mainstream Hollywood filmmaking. It's the Anna Paquin rule.

12 Years a Slave will win best adapted screenplay. It's often a consolation prize for big issue movies that win best picture but not many other major categories.

American Hustle will win best original screenplay. It's the sort of loud, showy story that appeals to older Academy voters, who are the largest voting block.

I also predict that when Blanchett wins, she'll say something particularly supportive and heartfelt about Woody Allen, which will set off a Mia Farrow-fueled media firestorm in the following week.

So time will tell if I'm a genius or a fool.