Quote of the day by David Byrne

A "livable city" means vastly different things for many people. In Hong Kong it might mean that your family is in a comfortable apartment while you play in the exciting mercantile world in a glass tower overlooking the harbor. In Dallas livability might mean that you live near an expressway that isn't jammed up, at least not all the time, and your car runs most days. For some it might mean super fast Wi-Fi, the possibility of lucky and lucrative business opportunities and plenty of strip clubs. If that's what rocks your boat then try Houston, though to me that city, oil money made physically manifest, is my worst nightmare.

from http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203440104574403293064136098.html

I love you, man.

This movie was okay. But it could have been awesome. How so? A simple plot twist at the end. As Jason Segel pulls up on his scooter to attend Paul Rudd's wedding, he should have objected. And then he should have looked tenderly at Paul and said, "Seriously. I love you, man." Then they should have embraced and gotten married instead. Forget that Rashida Jones! Now THAT would have been amazing. But the studio and homophobic American masses would have never gone for that. Hence, my continued admiration for Mike White, whose film Chuck and Buck is incredible.

Nevertheless, Jason Segel, I think you're pretty cute and I think we would have a wonderful time walking your puggle and being goofy together. Paul Rudd, your sense of humor gets a little too smug with each passing film. You're not that cute, and you're not that funny. Plus, I met you at SXSW and you were kind of a dick.

I just wanted to enter the Mad Men Casting Call...

Well, don't wait until the last day to enter an extremely popular contest. This is heartbreaking. The AMC server is down. I took a bazillion photos (vanity project, yes, I know) and now I can't enter. Because the server is down. The server has been down for 10 hours. Will they accept late entries? Will I get to play Joan Holloway's sister? I guess not...here's one I was going to submit.

Sob. Seriously. This might have ruined my whole week.

A Visit to the Oak Lawn Library

Blog, I'm sorry that I've neglected you. I've moved to a new gay-borhood, and haven't had the means to set up/steal WiFi. Shocking, I know. Nonetheless, felt the need to discuss books I am currently reading:

Towelhead by Alicia Erian
I had no idea what to expect. I saw the film preview and thought, Ummm don't really care. Love Aaron Eckhart, but don't really care. But I started reading it and couldn't put it down. The author did an amazing job capturing the voice of a thirteen-year-old girl--naive but quite intelligent. An uncomfortable coming-of-age novel.

Oh The Glory of it All by Sean Wilsey
I could NOT put this book down. Self-indulgent, highly detailed, full of delicious tidbits about San Francisco society and how effed up wealthy people can be...I loved it! I kind of wish I had been sent to the same "behavioral correcting" school in Italy, too. Not fair.

Watched a montage of Busby Berkeley's dance routines from his 1930s films. Every time I watch this man's work I am blown away. Even by today's standards they are breathtaking, let alone the fact that he did them as film was still a new medium. Talkie films had only come out ten years ago! Buzz is one of my idols. I would kill to be one of the girls he zooms in on, flashing my pearly whites as I come out of the water in a gold lamé bathing suit. Ah, truly the epitome of Hollywood's Golden Age.

Bicycle porn.

Finally settled down and watched Breaking Away. I thought it was beautifully shot. Loved the music, the seventies clothes and cars and girls and college campus. Women back then just seem more beautiful. Everyone is tan and toned and has fabulous wavy hair and sparkling white teeth.

Again, Dennis Quaid in his prime. That man can rock cut-off denim shorts in a quarry like none another. I take my hat off to you, sir. The bike shots, especially in motion, were fantastic. I love that whirring sound they make. Bonus points for recognizing Jackie Earl Haley as a young, freakishly short young men in the film. I'll always think of him as the creepy child molester in Little Children. He totally should have the Oscar. Love my comeback stories.

interesting fact from imdb.com: The production team decided to call the Bloomington townies "cutters" because they felt the actual local nickname ("stoners" or "stonies") would draw a parallel to drug references for viewers who were not raised in the area.

estate sales and missed connections

from dallas craigslist, this made me smile:

Estate Sale, Cute Red Head - m4w - 24 (East Dallas)

I've never done the whole missed connection thing on here before, but decided to give it a shot after seeing you yesterday at an estate sale off Richmond. It was in the early morning around 7:45 or 8 and you were the cute head I spotted- you had a really cool '50s look and since you were at an estate sale, I clearly figured you're into nostalgia, which is rare to find in a girl. I talked a little with you when I first saw you, and then I saw you again in the line behind me (I had a book shelf and an old Philco radio)- I wanted to say something more but honestly couldn't think of anything. However I'd love the chance to meet up again, so if you see this, don't hesitate to drop me a line!

Was Dennis Quaid on coke when he made The Big Easy?

Just wondering. He's just so durn skinny in this movie. But you gets to see his bum! Yes, he looks amazingly muscular...but just a leeeetle strung out. Dennis! Why you gotta be like that? Still, I love when every actor in a movie commits to a local dialect. It's a funny/awkward/strained/valiant effort. So Dennis, I applaud your effort to sound Cajun. It's difficult, but you even came off as sexy doing it. It helped that you had your shirt off a lot.

I don't know about the cult classic part, but I enjoyed the music and Ellen Barkin's horrible, horrible outfits. I guess when your legs are that good, you can really do anything.