The Oscars, Larry McMurtry, and 300 pages

Yes, Ms. Strega took time from her book to watch the Oscars. I was very disappointed that Brokeback Mountain did not win Best Picture. I was happy that Philip Seymour Hoffman won for Capote, because his performance was really quite incredible. The fashions ran from the weird (Charlize Theron eclipsed by the Godzilla of bows) to lots of nice gowns in predominately muted and neutral colors. Prada (elder daughter) and I both agreed that Uma Thurman especially needed just a touch of color in her palette--she was champagne all over. Many of the actors and other performers looked refreshingly like they had started to eat again, 'cause a lot of them seemed to have gained some weight (JLO and Queen Latifah looked especially great, but also Jennifer Garner, who's keeping on some of that "baby weight" and Salma Hayek). It was wonderful to see Diana Ossana and Larry McMurtry pick up a screenwriting Oscar--the script for Brokeback Mountain has been around since 1997, and they originally bankrolled the project out of their own pockets after Diana Ossana saw Annie Proulx's story in The New Yorker. By the way, I am SO disappointed that when Diana Ossana mentioned that Annie Proulx was in the audience, the camera didn't show her! Speaking of writers who had late success in the profession, Annie Proulx didn't begin writing until she was well into her fifties. I loved Larry McMurtry's comments about the abiding magic of books.

Jon Stewart was, in my humble opinion, a middling Oscar host (one or two comments were funny, but he got a bit annoying--I was disappointed, because I do watch his show with my youngest son and even find something to laugh about when I do). In fact, I think I am starting to watch entirely too much television. Last night, I nearly started watching the show "Dirty Jobs," featuring the scintillating topic of "Hot-Tar Roofing," over working on my book.

So, I'm glad I retired to the office and hit the keyboard. The Strega's Story has passed its 300 page mark. It will probably be 375 pages or so when it is done. I have never written 300 pages of anything! Usually I berate myself emotionally for being a sloth, but here's some proof that I actually am working on this thing. So, I am getting to the finish line, writing now and spending a couple of hours editing every day (my editing practices are a little strange--I line-edit all the time and tinker, if nothing else). I'm moving my time up to trying very hard to pull at least 4 hours a day on the book, two hours editing and two hours writing. I was reading up on Larry McMurtry's writing habits and found that he plunks away on his Hermes typewriter unfailingly for two hours in the morning, but then goes and has an ordinary day, eating at local restaurants and working in his bookstore.

Off to the writing--I wish everyone a good day.