Boyhood reaction

"I wanted there to be more," Patricia Arquette's character says near the end of Boyhood. And after nearly three hours, to be honest, I would not have minded seeing more of this family's life. Richard Linklater filmed his characters over a period of twelve years to tell a rather ordinary story in a magnificent way, leaving the explosions and high drama out but keeping in the build up and wind downs of life's tensions. For the first, and possibly only time I will say that I wanted to see more of Ethan Hawke onscreen. Very good acting all around, and Arquette has some of her best onscreen work in her final scenes. You find yourself hoping the kids end up alright and wanting the parents to get something right and not screw up themselves or their kids. For the most part they do, but you see a lot of life's failures as well. "We're just winging it here," is Hawke's advice to his high school graduate son - and that one he gets right.

Pre Oscars

I am weak, watching the Oscars every year as if they really matter. Ultimately, it's an excuse to open up an inexpensive bottle of sparking wine, eat some cheese and be rude to the television. Like the nightly news, but with better dressed people onscreen. I've only seen a few of the movies and have a lot of speculation about who will win. If I get half right, it's been a success.

A couple of weeks back, while watching the Grammys, a few people from my old college radio station ended up gathering on Facebook and had a wonderfully snarky conversation. It was so much fun, we're doing it tonight.

Earlier today I went to a poetry reading that was supposed to be a youth slam. Not many people turned up so it turned into an abbreviated open mic. I enjoyed the people and the space. It's put on by a group I can't get to because I have my son when they meet. There's one seventeen year old kid who has incredible potential. Heck, she's amazing already. I read a new piece and think I did well with the fifteen or so people who attended.



Yesterday I went to the new Dunkin' Donuts at Broad and High that everyone has been dying to try. The donuts are ok, not bad really. The coffee I was not impressed with. It tastes burnt. I'm not a coffee person, but I know scorched when it's in my mouth. Next time, I'll get a bag of tea and some hot water - and sample a couple more donuts.

A very productive weekend, despite getting little writing or reading done. Managed to get more documents across the pond for my girlfriend's immigration process, saw my son in the pool and did a few other things I've been meaning to do but have not had the time. One did not quite pay off, the other may.