Despite all the talk of a certain self-righteous jack-ass being booed, the oscars had a few other moments that genuinely made me smile.

The first of the night was also the first award given, Spirited Away won best animated feature. This movie killed me. Although I think I am in the minority on this one, I liked it even more than Princess Mononoke.

Then Chris Cooper won supporting actor for Adaptation. Few people are as deserving as Cooper is. He first came to my attention in John Sayle's amazing movie Lone Star .

Finally, what can you say about Catherine Zeta-Jones looking super hot and very pregnant? I haven't seen Chicago, but, good god, did you see her in Traffic? Plus, she's from Wales.

"Half the harm that is done in this world is due to people who want to feel important. They don't mean to do harm-- but the harm does not interest them. Or they do not see it, or they justify it because they are absorbed in the endless struggle to think well of themselves."

-- T. S. ELiot

I just wrote a big ass long sxsw wrap up but it was lost when this shitty site didn't publish correctly. Fuck it. I met Slash, saw Juicifer, the Moutain Goats, Ted Leo, Franklin Bruno, Dead Meadow, Cat Power, Brian Jonestown Massacre, Black Eyed Snakes, Supergrass plus many more but these were some primo highlights.

So the whole sxsw thing starts today. Actually, at our house it seems to have started last week as we've guests staying with us who're working the film fest.

I say it every year, but its seems particularly true that this year there's a distinct lack of bands to go see. The ones that I do want to see are ones that hit Austin on tour pretty regularly so it kinda misses the point. I am, however, very much looking foward to seeing The Moutain Goats, whom I have never caught when they've come through town. Beyond that there isn't much that gets me very excited.

That's not to say that I don't plan on having a good time. There will be plenty to do, bands to see and tons of free beer to be imbibed. Who could turn it all down. I suspect that I might be running around town trying to hawk the wisdom teeth cd on label people. Nothing like feeling like a used car salesman to get a guy to drinking.

Well, the Denton show went off without a hitch. Many thanks to Kevin, Matt and Howard for taking the time to make "the wisdom teeth" into a band (however briefly it may have been).

I ended up staying up north for a couple of days hanging about with friends. Special thanks to Loren for housing us. Thursday was Loren's b-day so we had quite a night of drinking after the show. Its all rather blurry now. Friday evening we grilled kabobs on the front porch while working our way through a large case of old milwaukee. That, really, was the highlight of the trip.

Since I've been in such a jazz-dork mood, here's another link. www.johncoltrane.com is the offcial John Coltrane website and has tons of stuff on there.