Internet, I totally need your help over something kind of ridiculous

This morning humascot97 alerted me to this: http://www.paleycenter.org/2010-fall-a-master-class-with-baz-luhrmann

OHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGOD.

So I finally got off my ass and joined the Paley Center. Tickets are, of course, already gone (I did snag one for the closed-circuit viewing room, but bleh).

If you know someone who has one and suddenly can't go, or would be willing to sell theirs for a premium, for the love of god, put us in touch.

You don't understand. No matter how much I talk about the completely wacky misadventures I've had with everything from Romeo and Juliet to Sydney to matters of commerce generally considered inappropriate, you do not understand, and I would really, really like to be at this thing in the proper room and all.

I don't know that there's another artist who has had as significant an impact on my life (says the person who is wearing her NIDA t-shirt for the first time in years because she's behind on the laundry).

Seriously, going to Sydney to study at NIDA was the most ridiculous, and possibly stupidest, thing I've ever done. But it changed my life, although I don't always know how to tell you in what manner. But someone from LJ said to me, in the first few days I was there and writing about it here, that I truly was a magician, for choosing to go and making it happen. It's still one of the things I think of when I don't believe in me. And when I get bogged down in other shit and am angry at myself for not making or doing enough or sleeping too much or worrying about ego over art or my miserable ambitions and seemingly eternal sense of pothos, I ask myself over and over again, if I'm living up to the work I did in Sydney. I don't know the answer a lot of the time; I always worry that I'm failing. That trip helped me set the bar really fucking high, and sometimes that's poisonous, but, well, it's also worked for me and ultimately, I hope, for the stuff I make.

sundries

Well, that's what we call a very exciting morning. Still freaking out. Thank god it's not during my five weeks in Europe, that would blow so hard.

Patty approaches the comps finish line. There will be much sleeping when she crosses it. I, however, have had at least one benefit from the matter, in that her research came upon a VERY useful quote for my work last night about burials and how they are about enacting and negotiating social relationships. So hey!

I currently possess an awesome secret plan for if Patty and I can manage to runaway to Amsterdam for a weekend while we're both in Europe this fall. Fingers crossed.

Okay, the Qu'ran burning may or may not be called off and Trump has offered to buy the building where the community center wants to build to stop it, but the owner of the building isn't taking the offer seriously (go you!) and right now the center is still on for that location.

People who don't suck: The Massachusetts Bible Society which will be donating two Qu'rans for each one burnt by the extremists in Florida to community centers, prisons, hospitals, shelters -- basically anywhere there may be Muslims without access to their holy text. via pecunium.

The memorial murals of 9/11. (Note: I do post 9/11 things every year, just as a warning for those who might find it triggery. There will be more tomorrow.)

The story of a Muslim woman, widowed by 9/11.

In other news, yesterday also saw DADT declared unconstitutional by a federal judge in CA, thanks to a lawsuit filed by the Log Cabin Republicans (I don't get their road, but it's a hard one to walk in the face of the current state of their party, so credit where credit is due). What happens next and how Obama's justice department will handle this is not only a big question, but a matter of potentially fascinating and heartbreaking political chess.

How effective will this past year's census be in counting gay couples?

Oh hey, an LJ friend has a rhyming picture book for kids out about a kid with two moms.

There is now a petition to tell Google "lesbian" and "bisexual" are not offensive search terms. Of course, the problem is broader than that, as someone discovered/pointed out that if you search on many words related to race and ethnicity (i.e., "Latina") you also get the same results again because of buckets of fetishizing porn.

pgdudda has more on the Roma expulsions in the EU and why they are a problem and making things worse. Small words. Super clear. Check it out.

The passive-agressive missives of NYC. I love this, considering we have had everything from pianos and mattresses to dog shit and tangerines left in the public halls of our building. Also, dear downstairs guy: if you ever saw the legs off a metal stool in the hallway after 10pm again, I am calling the cops on you, even if you are "almost done" (also, Patty will kick your ass).

And, to go back to my OH MY GOD moment of the morning, today requires obligatory musical theater news. Have some: Spiderman!

Finally, from the entire Internet: 100 British cats let loose in an Ikea turns out to be charming beyond words. The finished ad is amazing both as film and advertising. Thanks to airspaniel for the ad link.