Four Hours In Chicago

My roommate and I have a nice schedule set up, one where I always fall asleep early in the night, to be woken up when he returns at around 3 or four in the morning. And he's usually so out of it that I can do anything I want to over here, and it doesn't wake him up, which is wonderful, because I've been getting behind in my sousaphone practice lately. It's always kind of fun to be awake at this time of day, as the light starts to come up. It also allows me to take part of one of the oddest secrets I've seen since moving to Chicago - buildings love their fancy light displays, they make them noticeable and give them the chance to celebrate Greek Independence day, whenever that is. I say fine, and kudos. And the 311 S Wacker Drive building is a cool building (tallest in the world to not have a proper name attached to it, huh? Is that a fun fact or what?), cylindrical in shape, a nice compliment to the building block physique of it's neighbor the Sears Tower. In an attempt to make people in the surrounding buildings have an easier time getting to sleep, they shut off the lights at the top of the building at 10, though it doesn't really make a difference to me (I have a clear view of it from my room), in the total glow of the city. But every night at 4 a.m., it comes back on. Just, click. It stays on, and just fades into the daylight, so you can't really tell if it's still on or not. I stare at it during the day sometimes, never sure if it's on or not, if it's mocking me. Normal people don't have to deal with this, as far as they know, it turns on in the evening, goes off at 10. The fools, I think. The lucky, lucky fools.

It's Oscar weekend! Whoo! Or at least that's what all of the morning shows are trying to seem enthused about. I'm excited, but not in the same, freshly roasted coffee way they are. Mines more of a grinding feeling in my lower spine enthused. Which is the best type of enthusiasm, in my humble opinion. I've been thinking a lot about the best supporting actress category, a category known for it's supposed curse, for ruining the actresses who win it's careers (Where have you gone, Mercedes Ruehl, Mira Sorvino, Kim Basinger?). And even though highly acclaimed actresses have been winning it for the past few years, it seems to me that the curse is still kind of sticking around. Jennifer Connelly went into the production of 'The Hulk' with an oscar, and now this year her director and co-star are both attached to best picture nominees, while all she had was 'Dark Water'. Catherine Zeta Jones? Two sequels that no one really cared about, and it's a good thing 'The Terminal' was so God awful, otherwise people would have noticed she was terrible in it. Renee Zelwegger also made a terrible sequel, but to be fair, I haven't seen 'Cinderella Man', and if the release on that film had been handled differently, maybe she'd be nominated this year too. But still, she made 'Bridget Jones 2: The Edge of Reason', so for all practical reasons, she's dead to me. Dead I say. Cate Blanchett... well she had a kid, and hasn't done anything since winning the award, so who knows. I think she'll be alright though. I mean, come on, she was Cubby.

Why am I so bitter about the fact that arguably every Best Supporting Actress winner since Angelina Jolie won in 2000 has seen her career decline since winning their Oscar? Because I love every actress nominated for it this year, and damn it I don't want any of them to go away. It also makes it hard to pick who the winner will be. And my back really hurts. And its 6 o'clock in the morning and I'm awake. These are all things that add to my general bitterness. Oh, and life in general. Add that in there. I almost hope that Frances McDormand wins, because even if her career takes a slide, she's still married to the guy who gives her some of the best roles that she's ever had. But she won't, because no one saw 'North Country'. Everyone did see 'Brokeback Mountain', which gives Michelle Williams an advantage. Between 'Brokeback' and 'The Baxter', she absolutely floored me last year, and she almost ruined 'Brokeback' for me, since even though I was invested in the main love story in the film, I began to lose sympathy for the Ennis character because of the terrible way he treated her. All that mumble about 'not fixing' and 'standing it' doesn't include at least pretending to be nice to her? Mumblin' bastard. Though in talking with my friends, it's become clear that I was alone in these feelings, and that most of them find her 'funny looking'. To them I say, and by 'them' I mean you since you're most likely reading this, I'll see you in hell.

Amy Adams character in 'Junebug' is kind of like the Alma you're supposed to feel for, the sweet naive girl married to a confused, simple man. I guess that makes it an easier role to play, but I could also see it becoming really annoying and grating if it hadn't been done by someone as sweet and talented as Adams. And she apparently can do a sweet Ariel voice, so more power to her. The only problem I really had with the Oscar nomination this year was that 'The Constant Gardner' was so overlooked (I would gladly switch out 'Crash' and Haggis for 'Gardener' and Meirelles), since I think it was my favorite movie of last year, and a large part of that was due in part to Rachel Weisz, in a role where she simultaneously shed the disgrace of 'The Mummy' films and lived up to the potential she showed in 'About A Boy'. Weisz has the kind of awards momentum going into Sunday, but then there is also Catherine Keener, (I haven't seen Capote yet, I'm going today though) who is kind of the actor's actress, with the type of career people really admire. And apparently, according to the current issue of EW, Academy members really loved 'The 40 Year Old Virgin', so you can't rule her out either.

Does any of this matter? Apparently the US government is totally inept, the middle east is about to blow up, and Jessica Alba is suing Playboy for saying she is sexy. So, basically, the world is ending. But I'm stuck in a small apartment, and am far too lazy to do anything about it. So yeah, the Oscars matter. Because I'm bored.