South By So What?

Howdy, folks, from Austin, TX!

It's the kickoff night of the SXSW Music Festival (the film part's been going on since Friday, and the tech part before that). Downtown was a big fucking mess today, everybody's got a badge and hip eyewear, we had our one and only big rainstorm of the year - all the trappings of SXSW are firmly in place.

Me? Watching Lost and holding varying members of our ever-growing menagerie on my lap, while my Badge Scum husband gallivants around town with Noxious and his scurvy crew. (He rode the bus, too, so you KNOW he'll come home hammered.)

Oh, I'm not bitter; not much, anyway. My mom is just not able to come down for a week anymore to watch my kids, now that my dad has gotten so frail. Plus, though she can still do it, how much longer is it OK for her to be driving 12 hours by herself? And, most of our friends who would be likely or willing babysitters are either themselves doing South By or have other plans for spring break. Plus, we have no money for $150 wristbands and $60 film passes and restaurants and beer (just puppies!), I'm trying not to weigh a million pounds...there's good reasons to not go.

Eh, I am a bit jealous, maybe just of the freedom to go out and party totally unencumbered. Though, if it has to be only one of us, The Man is much more comfortable going out by himself to see music and shows than I am. I like to have a date of some sort with me when I go out places, you know?

I may check out Mojo's Mayhem at the Continental Club this year - that's his Saturday morning breakfast show with free pancakes - while The Man takes kid duty, finally. Then, I'll probably mosey on over to the kid show at Auditorium Shores with all the other moms who have been inside too long this week. (Brilliantly, I suggested a trip to Zilker Park tomorrow - as I just so brilliantly suggested a trip to the Children's Museum t0day - so I'll definitely be experiencing the downtown clusterfuckage, just without the fun.)

Truly, though, I'm missing the film part way more than the music part. It's tons of fun to go see all those movies back to back, particularly the docs. I've seen some absolutely fantastic docs since I started attending this, and it's too bad that I have to miss most of those. (It's a remote possibility I may go out to see one; we'll see about the sitterage.)

Ah, well. At least Lost is really great again. Lost, you fickle bitch, you make me think you have just veered off into wack territory for good, and then you come back with some sublime fucking episodes. Damn you.

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How fun is it to watch Alberto Gonzales twist in the wind? Seriously, is that just the best time ever? Even better than Scooter Libby. When, when, when are the REAL heads gonna roll for this administration?
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Emmylou (EmmyLou? I'm not sure of the capitalization rule) is doing well. She appears to recognize that we will feed her and coo over her as soon as her eyes open. And, she's already angling for a spot on the foot of the bed.

I forgot to mention that she's approximately the size of a very large guinea pig. It's like having a tiny simulation of a real dog. (Come to think of it, that is exactly what she is.)
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Interesting anecdote from driving my kiddos home from the puppy incident the other day...I was sitting at the light at Airport and Koenig, and there was a panhandler guy standing out in the center. He had a sign that said "Smile," and he gave everyone a thumb-up. He appeared to have all or most of his marbles, and that is appropriate to the last part of this story. As I drove past, I gave him a smile and a wave, and he yells to my kids in the backseat "Hey! You got a hot mom!"

I'm all...erm, thanks, panhandling guy! I'd have given him a dollar for that if I hadn't been driving off. Maybe I should drive by there again.

Hey, a compliment is a compliment. I came home in a much better mood than I had been in before.
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And you? How are you all spending your spring break, if you are lucky enough to be able to have one?