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Joan Crawford in Possessed (1931)

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Watching the Kids Play

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The shikara's prow touches the garden's hem.

Salman Rushdie in Midnight's Children

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Truman Capote spoke to us in front of the library. Microphones had been set up in the audience so students could ask him questions. The first question, from a kid with a distinctly Southern husky voice, was, "Are you a homosexual?" Capote paused, and then in his tinny fey voice said, "Is that a proposition?" Four hundred gay-hating white kids went insane laughing. I thought, Whatever that is, I want that.

Darrell Hammond, in 'God, If You're Not Up There, I'm F*cked'

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You haven't really lived until you've had karaoke night in a psychiatric hospital.

Darrell Hammond, in 'God, If You're Not Up There, I'm F*cked'

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Rescuers

I have to say that the one guy in the team who doesn't get enough recognition is the winchman. You've got the pilot, who's just unbelievable, and the frogman who is outright mad, and then there's the winchman who is the integral part of the whole situation. He's the eyes and ears of the chopper pilot. Things were obviously going well because after there were four of us on the chopper I heard the pilot say, 'These guys are good. Everything's going well. We're going to get them all.' I had a big surge of relief - it was a fantastic feeling.

Sailor from the yacht Business Post Naiad speaking about his rescue during the 1998 Sydney to Hobart race, taken from Rob Mundle's book Fatal Storm, International Marine/McGraw-Hill, 1999.

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(Firsthand) Observations on Aging

Amount of support I now require in a bra:  Massive

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Allison is a bit reluctant to touch God.

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Allison floats through the universe, admiring the view.

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Crazy Life

It's Saturday morning.  What's on my list?  Go upstairs and get some hangers for clothes in the dryer, move the towels out of the washer, stick in another load, walk the dog (she's yapping to go out), make coffee, vacuum, edit my daughter's college app essays, find photos of her for a yearbook ad, and print out the Christmas card mailing labels.  Ho, ho, ho!  It's Christmastime.  Oh, buy some songs on iTunes, work out?  That would feel good.  Clean off the kitchen table.  Run the dishwasher.  Update my Survivor blog before the finale on Sunday.

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Survivor: South Pacific • Episode 11

This episode doesn't take us any further in the game, but it shows more scenes from the season thus far.  Interesting to see my observations confirmed by the players.  Ozzy definitely sees himself as an outstanding survivor who can stand on his own.  He is not a leader, really, because he does not care about his team.  They get along because they are well fed, and most of the people on Savaii are laid back (except for Jim, Cochran, and Dawn).

Coach's team is more like a family, and they take care of each other, but as we've seen in other Survivor seasons, a huge no-no is to take too much of the common food.  Mikayla probably wasn't even aware she was taking too much sugar.  Maybe two heaping teaspoons of the stuff is her regular habit back Stateside.  You have to be able to get outside of yourself in Survivor, to perceive things the way others do, to have some sense of what is really going on, and that must be a great challenge when you are hungry and sleep-deprived.

Keith and Whitney illustrate this as they muse that no one knows they are close, when being close is what they have shown everyone.  They say this as they swing cozily together in a hammock!  Clue Less.  When Whitney got so mad that Keith was voted out, she should have smacked herself in the forehead and said, "Omigod, what was I thinking and how could we have been so stupid to hang together around everyone, and I really was pretty inconsiderate of Cochran." Duh. Duh. Duh.

Upolu's members were very concerned about loose cannon Brandon, and well aware of his youth and inability to handle pressure.  They don't seem to hate him, they know he's troubled and want to figure out the best way to handle it, although some of them think he should be dispensed with sooner rather than later.  Albert and Sophie can't agree on the right time to make a change-up.  That is always so tricky.  Sophie's concern is valid.  Make a big move too early, and you are doomed.  Coach manages the situation well, I think, and the longer the season goes the more I respect his play.  Maybe he is worthy.  If Coach and Ozzy make it to the end, who would win?  Would Coach get more votes?  Tough to say.

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Survivor: South Pacific • Episode 10

All of Te Tuna gets to observe at RI.  A tough challenge - and TWO will be out and on the jury.  Ozzy is calm and collected, and stays in the game.  Jim and Keith are now on the jury.  If Ozzy makes it to the end, he may win, although Coach's game has been good.  Cochran made a lot of enemies - bitter ones.

When we see Ozzy in paradise back at RI, you can still feel he leans to the arrogant side.  He is an incredibly good physical player, but I don't know if he is aware how he comes off.  It can hurt him.  When you play like that, you have to win always.  Every time.

The rice bowl challenge is an interesting one because it calls on a set of skills that doesn't favor brawn necessarily.  Sophie wins the necklace.  Dawn, Whitney and Cochran look glum.  Jeff announces there will be a twist at TC. 

Coach uses fear to keep Albert and Sophie in line.  The vote will be for either Dawn or Whitney.  Dawn and Whitney talk to Albert and try to convince him to vote out Edna or Sophie.  Albert thinks about it.  But why would you want to vote out Edna?  She has no power and wouldn't garner many votes for the million bucks.  Don't you want to take her with you??  Why not target Coach when you have the chance? Or is it because he may control the immunity idol?  But they could blindside him since he wouldn't think they'd do it now.  Get him out and it would be a whole new game.  If he goes to the end, you're in trouble.

Dawn gets voted out.

Now the Twist: another Immunity Challenge with vote to follow.  I love it - the Survivor Questions and the Answer Cube.

I can't believe somebody didn't know you have to drink a gallon of water a day!

Coach out on "heart of palm."

False on clams.  Sophie wins.  Yeah Whitney, that's for makin' fun of smarties.  Bye Bye Whit.

Now, if something doesn't switch up, Cochran will go home next, 'cuz we've never seen him win immunity.  Will Albert or Sophie make a move?