Oscar nominations

Well, some surprises.

Best Actress: First off Keisha Castle-Hughes got a Best Actress nod for Whale Rider--even though her studio campaigned for a supporting nod. The Academy got it right, it's an incredible performance in a lovely film. Kia ora! And Samantha Morton for In America twas a lovely surprise. Who's missing? Nicole Kidman for Cold Mountain perhaps but certainly Scarlett Johansson for Lost in Translation.

Best Actor: Not too unexpected. Jude Law's nomination for Cold Mountain is a minor surprise. At Russell Crowe's expense methinks.

Supporting Actor: Some surprises here. Djimon Hounsou for In America and Benicio del Toro for 21 grams. The rest were no surprise, and I think it's Tim Robbins' in a walk (for Mystic River. Missing: Sean Astin for LOTR ROTK. Wah

Supporting Actress: Once again, perhaps the most interesting category. 2 previous winners (Marcia Gay Harden and Holly Hunter) and an Oscar favourite (Renée Zellwegger, who's not ever won). I'm seeing Zellwegger in a walk. Missing: Marie Josée Croze, The Barbarian Invasions

But best of all, The Barbarian Invasions got 2 nominations--best foreign language film and best original screenplay, both for Denis Arcand. Canada's been nominated twice before for best foreign language film--and Arcand directed both of those (Le Déclin de l'empire Americain et Jésus de Montréal). 3 time the charm?

I blame roybear!

Well, not really.

My iPod is a diePod: after several months of clicky clicky, it's no longer tempermental. It's fooked.

Happily Apple has authorized its servicing; it's a 30GB model, perchance they'll swap it for a new 40GB? If not, this size kween will be almost just as happy . . . so long as it works.

Surfing AUS

Well I had an interview scheduled this morning for 10h00, but got an SMS “Sorry but am in hospital, will call you to reschedule.” No apologies needed; poor guy, hope he’s better soon.

It was sunny, I was restless, I needed exercise, so I dug out the shortie fins and headed off to Bondi Beach.

Bondi is one of those quintessential Aussie beaches. Miles of white sand. Miles of attractive, blondish people. Lovely big rollers coming in, with dots of surfers, boogie boarders, and swimmers bobbing about. Bright sunshine and turquoise water. And, it turns out, free parking for motorcycles and scooters right on the beach--woo hoo! Bondi also features, over-priced food and shopping, too many Merkun fast food outlets to maintain local ambiance (burp!), and is dominated by the surfies, those Aussie guys and gals who never wear shoes, probably only wash in the ocean (but remain clean), tanned, relaxed, very fit, and apparently never say no to a beer. Or toke, Or hit of E. So I’ve heard. But pretty mellow, at least in the daytime.

Once down on the sand (surprisingly not too hot), I found a spot near a well-behaved family. Being on my own, I’ve learned that putting my stuff near a Watchful Mum makes it less likely someone will abscond (or mess) with it The valuables were locked in the bike, but I had the keys and my mobile. And my clothes were in the bag--could I have driven 12km on the scooter in just a black speedo? Probablement, but I wasn’t keen on the idea. But I undress, I mean, digress . . .

I’d lathered up with SPF 8 as much as I could with my wee little arms. I asked a gorgeous young woman to get the last bits, which she did happily, then I planted my arse and chilled for a bit. My first visit in the water was good, but the waves were smallish (<1m). I spent about 30 minutes in, then loafed another 30. Then the big waves started coming in, so I re-grabbed my fins and spent the next 30-40 minutes riding 1.5-2m crashers--Bondi's beach is relatively shallow and wide, so a good wave will break 20m or so from the shoreline, allowing for a nice ride (most waves break 5m or so off the shoreline).

The fins help--a lot. Bodysurfing requires good timing and strong impulse swimming: position one's self just above the break point, swim furiously, get on the crest or break, and kick furiously, with arms at your sides. On the right beach, with the right waves, bodysurfers can travel as far and do some of the tricks that surfboarders can, albeit more slowly. I got in a dozen really good rides today, and brought myself back onshore tired and happy. And briny, mmmm briny . . .

Off the beach, a quick rinse at the outdoor showers, then time to head home (with a stop in DarlingItHurts to see Scott.

My goal is to do this 2-3 times a week, most likely after work at Bondi or Coogee. Fingers crossed.

can I just say

again how pumped I am that Keisha Castle-Hughes got a Best Actress nomination for Whale Rider?

Yaaaaaaay!