I’m Out Of Shawshank! – OR – Walking In A @#%*ing Winter Wonderland

(soundtrack)

Numb – U2

First things first, Oscar nominations were released today and Lost In Translation has been nominated for Best Director, Writing, Picture (!) and of course, BEST ACTOR BILL MURRAY!!! I doubt that he’ll win, but I think it’s great the the Academy chose to honour a guy who has always been one of the greatest entertainers, but just doesn’t do Oscar-type films.

Also of note:

* No best picture nod for Cold Mountain. I didn’t see it or anything, but is just seemed like one of those films, you know?

* No best actor nod for Tom Cruise (thank God!), but guess who did get nominated? Ken Watanabe! Boo-yeah!

* Worthy first-timers: Johnny Depp for Pirates and Tim Robbins for Mystic River who’s previous nomination came for directing Dead Man Walking. I love Tim Robbins! Also, young Keisha Castle-Hughes got nominated for Whale Rider. I saw this flick and I can tell you that this is a great performance. And no, I have no penis.

* Why none of the actors in The Lord Of The Rings trilogy get any respect escapes me. Seriously, Viggo Mortensen can act circles around Alec Baldwin or Djimon Hounsou. Can we just give the cast a special ensemble award?

* Enough of this best animated film bullshit. Finding Nemo should have been nominated for best picture and that’s that.

* Worst omission: How could School Of Rock not get nominated for best song?!?

Ok, I’m done.

Secondly, it’s cold and snowy outside. I hates it.

Thirdly, realizing that I’m not attracted to Natasha in that way was the best thing that could ever happen to me. I feel liberated. For one thing, I’m completely comfortable with our friendship now that there’s no mixed signals and I know that I don’t have to try to woo her or anything. As a bonus, I’m free to try and sew my oats wherever I want now. I can ogle and stalk guilt-free! Hooray for me, hooray for me!

But back to Natasha. Here’s what happened today. So the weather today wasn’t good (see: above title). My psych class got cancelled. That’s usually when I see Natasha and afterwards we go to her room to hang out. So I’m sitting in University College looking out at the wall of white that has engulfed the city (does that metaphor make sense?). I’ve got a decision to make: Do I go home early and relax for the rest of the day, away from the white hell that lies outside? Or do I make the trek to Natasha’s res and try to find her, not even sure if she’s in (though logically, where else could she be). Of course, I chose the latter.

It wasn’t even that bad. Sure it was wet and gross, but it wasn’t too cold. And the trip reminded me of one of the best parts of university life. The scenery. On the way to her building, there’s this length of stairs surrounded by trees and when I stopped to look around (read: catch my breath), I realized how pretty the world looks in white. And no, I have no penis.

Eventually I made it to her room (again by following in someone who lived there) and she gave me that look…you know the one. That look of surprise and happiness that someone would go out of there way to come see you. The look of a good friend. I brought a mix CD of the best songs of 2003 for her to make up for the fact that I accidentily deleted her entire crappy mp3 collection last week. We sat and listened and she gave me a hard time, but sometime during my visit I felt something that I’d never felt while around Natasha.

Comfortable.

I’m out for now. Stay warm my animal friends.