Back in San Jose

For the first time in many years, I find myself sleeping within the boundaries of the City of San Jose.

In the words of The Old Man from A Christmas Story:

<narrator voice="Darren McGavin">
  O Ralphie, what has brought you to this low, low state?  Tell us, son.
</narrator>

Instead of being felled by the eyesight-stealing Lifebouy, it is the demon of home-un-havingness. Home-un-havingness is different than being homeless on account of home-un-havingness in not a political issue where Homelessness is. I am clearly not the latter.

The flight back yesterday was, well, long but uneventful - save the movie realm.

The highlight was watching Jim Sheridan’s new film In America.

This is definitely the best movie I have seen all year. It is a rich is a beautiful, luminescent, endearing, and affirming film. The two young girls who narrate the story are great actresses - despite their ages being in the single digits. I honestly believe that the request for parts they they or their agent responded to said “Angelic Irish Children”.

It’s hard to believe that there is still anything to add to the “Immigrant to America” genre but Sheridan, through the two young girls that are the chief protagonists, really helps us remember that there is still something magical about the promise of New York City and of America itself.

It would be great if our political leaders could elicit these same feelings.

But that’s not the purpose of this post and I won’t let the taint of political consideration sully my accolade for this film.

The lowlight would be The Fightin’ Temptations:

I didn’t bother plugging the headphones for this weak-ass drivel. There is already a lot of discussion and questioning about Cuba Gooding Junior’s schizophrenic career choices (Men of Honor, Snow Dogs, Jerry Maguire, Boys in the Hood, huh?). I sat reading Pity the Nation to look up and catch certain key scenes:

Uh, huh, his cell phone went off in the church - and he’s taking the call! How painfully fish-out-of water, Cuba!

Uh, oh, Bootylicious is giving him a weird look, I bet that he’s going to win her over when he chooses integrity over financial gain!

After returning to SF about 9am, I visited the storage locker and got some of my key belongings out. I headed down the peninsula and after a brief visit to the Palo Alto Apple Store (new Power Adapter, $79.00, for this too there is MasterCard), and then I visited my office to retrieve some junk before checking in to the extended stay.

I slept till about 11 as I tried to get re-calibrated to the West Coast time. I was lucky to catch Monster Garage and Monster House. All these re-do shows have really got me jonesing to get a space for myself that I can start decorating, editing, building in…why the rush of the nesting instinct? No idea. Is this a different type of system of which to learn the programming?

I made my first meal a Chili’s. It’s hard to believe that was the first meal to welcome me back. I’m sorry to be so uninspiring.

Upon my return, I caught Margaret Cho’s second comedy show: “The Notorious C.H.O”. I’ve always thought she was way overhyped and her whole I’m a gay icon / magnate / guru / blah blah blah is a sure way to short circuit my belief in the integrity of the performer. I surely know how to admit being wrong and I have to say that this show was pretty funny provided you don’t let your shock at the topics of choice weird you out (may be the sangfroid of my region speaking here). I mean any act that works in topics like (font is colored black, so highlight over what you can’t see, warning to those of sensitive Victorian taste):fisting, S&M, sex clubs, zipper masks, wet naps, ball gags, etc.

All that aside, I was pleasantly surprised. After that I caught the new show on Showtime centred around, surprise surprise, gay people: “The L World”.

Showtime: When we run out of ideas, we get a bunch of gay people and ride controversy. Sigh.

Anyway, the actresses on this show were really good: Mia Kirshner, Jennifer Beals…very stories and interesting characters. I wish people would play that angle up instead of “Oooh Lesbians”. I’ll just say that it’s a pretty good show.

Why is network TV in such a toilet (save Law and Order)?

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