And the Oscar goes to...

Last night's Academy Awards show was an unusually subdued affair, with little in the way of surprises in either the ceremony itself or in the awards that were handed out. Nonetheless, the whole show still managed to last over three and a half hours, prompting co-host Steve Martin to comment that the evening had gone on so long that Avatar was now set in the past.

I liked that line, but the Academy didn't seem to like Avatar, choosing instead to honour the Iraq war-themed Hurt Locker with the bulk of the awards in a move that didn't really surprise me. The big-grossing, audience-friendly films rarely pick up the gongs, and any movie that shows US servicemen in a positive light is always going to find favour with the Academy. That said, I'm sure James Cameron is more than consoled by being able to sleep on his bed of money every night.

The highlight of the night for me came right at the start though, when the wonderful Christoph Waltz was handed the best supporting actor Oscar for his role in Inglourious Basterds, an award that was (sort of) predicted on these very pages back in January. Steve Martin commented that Waltz's character was a Nazi obsessed with finding Jews, and then with open arms gestured towards the audience, proclaiming 'the mother lode.' Cue uncomfortable laughter and much uneasy squirming in seats. Glorious.

Oh, before I go, an Oscar tip for next year; Tina Fey to host. You read it here first.

Working from home

So, the first post of 2010 and the blog goes into its third calendar year of operation. Quite what the new year will bring is anyone's guess, but for the time being I'm enjoying an extra week at home. I have a further appointment with the dentist on Friday and I am not now due to fly back North until Monday, all of which is something akin to a late Christmas present (except the dentist part). I recently found out that my colleagues in Kangiqsujuaq got snowed/fogged in before Christmas, and some of them didn't get home until the 23rd; as a result the start of school has been put back a few days, so I won't be the only one returning to work a little later than planned.

Much of this week has seen me sorting out a variety of financial paperwork, the type of stuff that makes you wish you were an ostrich with a suitably deep bucket of sand nearby, but it has to be done and it's much easier for me to do it whilst I'm still in the south. Melanie went back to work on Monday so my house husbandry is also extending to washing, cleaning and cooking, the latter of which is currently inspired by Julie & Julia, a film which I was reticent to watch when Melanie rented it on Monday but that I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed. Speaking of movies, my other favourite of the holiday has been Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds, which must be as cinematically removed from Julie & Julia as Amy Winehouse is from sobriety; if Christoph Waltz doesn't get an Oscar nomination for his role as Colonel Hans Landa then there is simply no justice in this world.

For now though it's back to the finances, and an impending walk in the snow to the bank. Tim Hortons is inconveniently at the other end of town, but fortunately I feel in the mood for taking the scenic route today...