Among my many errands this past weekend was a trip to my favorite donut place. Unfortunately, the parking lot was full. Thankfully, there was a space available just outside the lot. In positioning myself within the spot (and free of the 'no parking from here to corner' sign) I run into a snow bank. Not literally run into it, but I was very close.

A little too close, because when I pulled into traffic (and, weirdly enough, not the side streets), my car started to vibrate, almost like it was going to break down. I drove along to my other locations and, thankfully, it didn't give me too much trouble. I've been keeping my eye on it the last few days in those rare moments where I needed to go someplace. An errand today (on an unseasonably warm day) seemed to be just the thing to get the engine light off of my dashboard. Still, I should get the car looked at. It's pretty close to oil change time, anyway.

Compare this to around this time last year, back when I was working 10-hour days from Sunday to Wednesday at my data entry job. On Fridays, I was called in to work overtime for eight hours. That day, I suppose there were enough people to handle the overage, so I was sent home. (I should point out that, not a few days earlier, as I was driving to work, some moron was stopped right in the middle of the road and if I didn't swerve around them at the last minute, we'd probably both be dead. Needless to say, that sudden swerve robbed my car of being in a perfect drivable state.)

Following a delicious breakfast from IHOP (RIP Country Omelette), I decided to take my car in to be checked out. The brakes were a bit iffy; I couldn't slam down on them. Somehow, I get near the repair shop (a good twenty minute drive from my workplace). It's just a turn down one street and another turn onto a different street.

Then, the unthinkable happens: my brakes give out! The light ahead is red. There's a car in front of me, but I need to stop. I turn onto the sidewalk in the hope of avoiding an accident. Thankfully, there were no cars behind me, so I'm able to make the first turn. The next street is ahead, so I make that next turn. Things are going fine, then...another red light! Is this a joke?! Again, I can't stop, but, to my relief, there are no cars passing ahead. The light changes and I get my car to the shop.

Even a year later, I reflect on how lucky I was. If there was someone on the sidewalk, if there had been cars passing in those moments when I couldn't avoid them...I shudder to think what could've been.

Even a year later, it's one of the scariest things I've ever experienced.

Surviving the Game (Stewart Copeland)

Homeless Mason (Ice-T) is hired on as a guide for a group of hunters (Rutger Hauer, Gary Busey, John C. McGinley, Charles S. Dutton, F. Murray Abraham, William McNamara), little realizing what kind of game they're after. Ridiculous but entertaining chase thriller, enlivened by a terrific cast and Ernest Dickerson's sharp direction.

Maybe it was Highlander 2 that led some projects to seek out Stewart Copeland, but his mix of jazzy beats and sampled orchestral grandeur makes for a fascinating addition to the film.

Surviving the Game

music by
Stewart Copeland

1. Main Titles 3.44
2. Fast Food 0.38
3. Busted 0.15
4. Mason Rants 0.40
5. Confidence 2.07
6. Goodbye, Hank 0.21
7. The Truck 0.27
8. "His name's Burns." 1.04
9. Plane Ride 3.12
10. "Here's to the turkeys." 0.26
11. The Hunt Begins 1.54
12. Run for Your Life 0.13
13. Breakfast Musings/Pursuit 3.49
14. Looking for Guns/Arson Around 4.32
15. Wolf Whisperer/Into the River 1.16
16. Smoke Break/Griffin Goes Alone 2.46
17. Tree Cigarettes 0.06
18. Mason vs. Griffin 4.21
19. Following Tracks 0.29
20. Setting a Trap 2.24
21. Crossing the Ravine 2.52
22. Rock Climb 1.37
23. Waiting 1.58
24. Mason vs. Wolf 1.22
25. Plane Trap 1.06
26. Mason Survives 1.28
27. Travel Plans 1.19
28. Final Fight 2.12
29. Game Over 1.07
30. End Credits 3.18

Well, the Oscar shortlists are out. If you really want to see them, just look for them. I've seen them and, for a number of reasons, I'm not that impressed.

Here are what my ballots would look like for the various categories:

Best Original Score

Terence Blanchard, Da 5 Bloods

Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, Mank

Alexandre Desplat, The Midnight Sky

Daniel Pemberton, The Trial of the Chicago 7

Bruno Coulais, Wolfwalkers*

Best Visual Effects

Birds of Prey

The Invisible Man*

Mulan

Tenet

Wonder Woman 1984*

Best Make-Up and Hairstyling

Bill and Ted Face the Music*

Birds of Prey

Mank

The nominees with asterisks were, inexplicably, not shortlisted. Seriously, how the fuck do you not nominate The Invisible Man for Visual Effects? Or Bill and Ted Face the Music for Make-Up? I just don't get this.

Oh, the shortlist for Original Song was also released, but I could give less of a shit about that category. Nothing interests me at all.

And here I thought the only way to claw out of the pit of debt was to sell a screenplay (though I should absolutely be working on that).

Apparently, the people at the top are so impressed with the quality of the work I've been doing that I'm being asked to a permanent position. Good news because Lord only knows - even if I'm vaccinated tomorrow - if I'll ever be up to going out for my job...unless, you know, screenplay.

The collected debt I owe to various businesses recently passed a certain threshold and, if I'm careful for the next few months, I can easily get everything paid off. 2021 is looking up. Weird to think that I can say that and mean it.