AUSTIN, Texas, October 23, 2005 — FFP committed to a charity event this evening. I opted out since the festival was going on. So he came down with me and we went to seminars on budget film making and inspiration.

After the second panel, FFP and I walked over to Sixth and I met SuRu. She would be my companion for the evening. FFP headed home to see about the dog and get ready for his event. [Ed. note: He reported that the site of this event, some very rich person's home, was the most amazing place he'd been in for a while. People whose homes amaze me made similar reports.]

SuRu and I had brunch at 1886 in the Driskill. Service was bizarre starting with the hostess. I didn't think my eggs benedict Austin-style was that great. It was also not the eggs benedict I ordered.

SuRu and I talked about our 'in our heads but not on paper' creative projects. It was fun. I really liked what she was talking about doing and she gave me some interesting perspective on what I was talking about for a screenplay. (Or maybe it's a novel.)

We had time before the first movie we planned to see so we went to AMOA and saw their show which exhibits new artistic voices in Austin. There was some weird and fragile art here but we had a good time.

We saw Mrs. Henderson Presents at the Paramount. SuRu bought us drinks so we'd be festive. The movie is a period piece about WWII London during the Blitz. It's a bit sappy but since I love the era and enjoy tasteful views of the nude human body. [Ed. I'm telling you, don't type that word!] Yeah, I know but it's not my fault. I saw the movie. The movie's tagline, according to IMDB, is "Nudity - Variety - High Society." Really, the movie is very tasteful. It's hard not to like it. But in spite of the tough time it represents, it remains fluffy.

We stopped into Roaring Fork in the Stephen F. and had a snack and a glass of wine before taking in a second movie, Two Harbors, at the Hideout. This couldn't have been a more different movie than the first one. The sparse, low budget, black and white exploration 'based on a true story' was quirkly and unbelievable (true story or not). No big bold period production, cheapness was worn like a badge of honor on this one. I liked several things about it. I liked the camera panning the antique mall and choosing where to linger. And I liked the acting (of the two main characters anyway) which I think almost redeemed the slightness of the concept and the cheesiness of the props. This movie was set in a cold dismal area of Minnesota or something. And when we excited, sans jackets as the earlier day had been pleasant, a cold wind ripped through us as we made our way to the car.

We saw the gal FFP and I met early at the Hideout. She said that there was a period each day when you had no place to secure your stuff at the hostel. We'd told her she could stay here for a few days. She said she might take us up on it.

At home I snacked on chips and cheese I didn't need while watching TV I had no business watching. I noticed on the family calendar that I had tennis at 9:30. Hmm...and it's an actual match I agreed to substitute for.