Yesterday afternoon I snuck out with David (who takes Tuesday off) to see "The Duchess." What a sumptuous, romantic movie of a sumptuous, romantic life. See it and be transported back the the 18th century.
I particularly like when art tweaks our perception of history. They had some scandals going on in the department of domestic living arrangements against which many modern situations pale in comparison. All behind a veneer of propriety and politesse that makes the contrast between perception and reality all the more cinematic.
Denys left a comment on yesterday's entry questioning why I didn't run for office. Little does he know that had I been born straight, I would have probably done that for a career, but in the late 70s, when I would have formulated such plans, the gay issue was the glass ceiling I knew I would have bumped against, and I was only interested in a political career that could potentionally take me all the way, baby.
These days, of course, the situation has changed--up to a point. But though I am political, I am supremely impolitic. Today, for example, I am volunteering at the "No-on-8" offices (to preserve our right to marry), because I don't have to be on the phone. But I won't sign up for Obama phonebanks, because I have zero patience for anyone who has yet to make up their mind. I don't think I would be doing much service to the campaign by ending phone calls with "Well then you're an asshole and you get what you deserve!"
This morning, for example, on NPR I heard a report from Western Pennsylvania discussing how many hunters are voting for McCain just because Palin hunts. These people call themselves "patriots?" They're willing to throw the country to the dogs because the "liberal elite" wants to ban AK-47's, and they hear that as "we hate hunters?" What consummate idiots. I cannot restrain my contempt. ( Thanks to Brendan for sending me this article on how McCain volunteers are writing fake letters to the Editor, even posing as mothers of Iraqi vets.)
Apart from boomeranging from joy to despair on a daily basis in the political department, in the realm of the personal, things are quite on the plus side. I'm ecstatic about my mother's move, which is take shape rapidly, and I'm at page 84 of the script rewrite. And how bad could things be with Cloris Leachman on Dancing With the Stars?
MCO 2008
Okay, you probably should stay away from the Obama phone banks.
You are so helpful. You go to see movies that I'm considering viewing, tell me if it's good or not, and then I go to see the ones that get your stamp of approval. Checking out The Duchess this weekend. Btw, are you familiar with Robert Browning's poem, My Last Duchess? The film title made me think of the poem. It's one of my favorites.
It's government's loss; you are the type of person that should be elected to office. You truly understand the concept of serving the people.