chase the light

Way back on December 6th, 2006 Christian Cunningham wrote: “So my prediction? Happy Feet will be taking home the Oscar for best animated picture this year. You heard it here first. Ben made it a beautifully lit film, and if it doesn’t? I’m going over to the Academy building and throw eggs at it. You heard that here first too.”

What did I tell you? You were all, “No way ‘Cars’ is going to win!”, and I was all “What do you know? Fool!” and stopped being your friend. I was so confident I didn’t even go buy the eggs.

Ok, so wow, been awhile for a post. Where do I begin? I’ve almost forgotten some of the things that have gone on and how to do this. That’s why I hate letting things get behind. I’ll explain the above photo in a minute. So let’s see. At the end of the day last Tuesday I got an email from friend Diane about going to see the show “Wicked” at the Pantages. Ya see she works at a little magazine called “Variety” and gets all sorts of perks like, oh I don’t know, red carpet premieres, opening night at big Broadway musicals along with catered after parties, etc. The way I benefit is her husband, and also former work friend Greg, doesn’t always want to go or it’s just too far. I live across the street and can be there in minutes so I occasionally benefit just by proximity!

Wicked was quite good. It is a big cheeseball Broadway musical but it’s hard not to like it. The music was weak, but the stages, costumes, and story were phenomenal. Reason alone to go see it. Very tricky the way they did the story. The back story of the witches from The Wizard of Oz. Well done. Of course, not that we needed to know the back story of the witches from The Wizard of Oz. But still… very well done. And the monkeys!! Why is the idea of flying monkeys so freaky? Since it was opening night a lot of stars were there. So, let’s go down the list (google it yourself, I’m lazy), sitting next to me was Eve Ensler, and then Rosario Dawson. In front of me was Tony Shaloub, he from the shows Wings and Monk, next to him was his wife Brooke Adams, and next to them was Patricia Heaton (boo, she and her nutty political commercials can go away), across the theater was Sean Astin, and then there were a couple of others called Halle Berry and Salma Hayak. Not sure who they are but not everybody can be a-list stars. How’s that for some name droppin’?

After the show ended we drove over to Hollywood & Highland for the after party. Had a few things to eat and more than a few desserts. Not good to eat that at 1 in the morning but, ya know. Since you usually don’t know anyone so you just stand around with a plate of food and your drink and act like you’re supposed to be there. Pulled it off, I think. The Fruit Loop treats were particularly good. Like Rice Krispy Treats but made with Fruit Loops.

Then on Friday work handed out bottles of Champagne for the Oscars. Imageworks has two chances this year, Superman for best visual effects and Monster House for best animated film. Neither will win. Ha! Just the way it is folks. Friday for lunch Bau and I rode down to the beach and I once again got a flat tire on my stupid #$%&@! bike! That’s it, it’s new bike time. I think there’s too much glass or something on the path we take, need bigger badder wheels and knobbier tires. Got the tube swapped out and then ate at Rubios with some fish tacos and burritos. The order taker was a liitle clueless as my name became Crist and amazingly Bau’s somehow became “Bowl”. Yes they were actually saying that over the microphone… “Bowl?” “Bowl? Your order is ready?” “Bowl?” Ha ha. Sure enough our strange new names were on the receipts.

Ok, and then what? I guess that’s it. The family slides have finally arrived and today I showed my dad how to use my scanner and now the monumental task of scanning in the 400 or so slides has begun. Fortunately I don’t have to do it. He went home with the scanner and I fully expect a call tonight wondering why it doesn’t work now that he has it home. So anyway with a few test runs I scanned in these two images. The above photo from 1968 with me on the end and my sister in the green shirt being stupid. My first reaction was that apparantly I wasn’t invited to join the little lineup and hold hands for the photo. Just standing back there in my button down shirt and diapers on the sidewalk. That’s a look that’ll always be timeless. What a loser. The photo to the side is me rockin’ a red cowboy hat and riding some feral horse that a random guy brought through the neighborhood to exploit. I doubt you can even do that anymore. How great is that VW van in the background? It’s like we’re munchkin Dead Heads on our way up to see Jefferson Airplane, The Grateful Dead and Canned Heat at The Winterland in San Francisco.

There will be a rather large gallery of these goodies at some point. So beware of a large dose of the blond haired cowboy kid making an appearance sometime soon. Insert a whip crack and the song Rawhide wherever you see fit.