I'm ever so excited about the upcoming opening of Cine, the downtown arthouse movie theater. I'm a movie lover, to be sure, but it's so hard to see movies of the foreign or indie persuasion here in Athens. The idea is completely wonderful: a bar/cafe/theater that shows a full bill of independent/foreign films most days of the week. When I heard about it, I was just like, FINALLY! Athens has needed something like this for way too long. On the board of the project is Nate Kohn, a journalism professor at Grady College (my alma mater) and director of the Cannes Film Festival study abroad program that I did in 2003. He's brilliant about film and runs two festivals himself: the Overlooked Fest in Chicago with Roger Ebert, and the Robert Osborne Classic Film Fest here in Athens. With people like Nate behind this project, I've got total confidence that it will be awesome. Check out the site for the theater here. From what I hear, it's due to open in March ... I can't wait.

Sometimes, I write 1,000 words and then I delete it all because it's way too self-indulgent. At least I recognize it. Wait, I think that last sentence was really self-indulgent.

The situation in Iraq is completely depressing. You want to know what's even more depressing? That I've let myself quit thinking about it, and so have thousands of other people. I hate the way I read news now: I'm a headline scanner. I don't have the heart to find out how many people died in "secretarian violence" today. I feel completely helpless and that's fed my apathy. I pass the people who stand by the Arch with their peace posters every Tuesday evening on my way home from work, and I wonder how they muster up the motivation to go out there every week. I wonder if they are actually just as apathetic as me, except they're tied to their routine of holding posters saying "Honk for peace" and can't bring themselves to do anything else, or don't know what that would be. I don't really feel like sending more troops over there is a good idea, but I don't think a quick withdrawal is either ... I just feel like our country totally fucked up. I think I've almost washed my hands of it, like "Well, I was vehemently opposed to this when it started and no one listened to me then, so I'm turning my back on it." What is the right thing to do, now, on a personal level? I guess I could start praying about it again. Maybe that's a start. Pray that the individuals in Iraq would be able to see a more peaceful path, somehow?

I just feel right now like I can't do this. This thinking about it. This letting it exist. I guess I have to. I guess that's really the start.

Photo of Julia, left, and me, right, by Lauren Puls. 

Still riding high (pun intended) from this weekend's show. If you missed it, I'm awfully sorry. 

What the hell is Victoria's Secret thinking when they make panties? Their bikini cut panties have, for years!, not fit anyone's ass. They are created with an extra pocket of fabric that sags right at the bottom of your butt, as if you need room for a prehensile tail or something. Or maybe they model them after diapers, so you have a little room to take a crap in your pants. I don't know. But it doesn't work. And the thongs are just as bad! They position this bulky seam right in the most delicate of areas so that all day you are walking around with a big knot right up in your cooter. Victoria's Secret is arguably the most recognizable name in women's underwear--you think they'd be able to get a pair of panties right. Okay, that's all I've got.

Photos from the wedding, taken by Steve Barnhart, are up on my Flickr account. View the set here. Not to brag, but they're about as awesome as it gets. Leaves me feeling like, who's Anna Kuperberg? (Sorry, Anna.)