There wasn't a line outside, so I figured the crowd would be pretty sparse during the screening, and I was correct. They did tell me there would be security checks when I walk in and, sure enough, they had guards with metal detector wands scanning people when they came in. (Why?)

They asked me if I had anything metal in my bag and I told them I had a camera. There was a little discussion and I was told I could not take it in. I had no problem with this and asked them if they would keep it for me, which they had done before. The lady usher gave me a snotty, "I'm not going to be responsible for it." I asked to talk to a house manager and then some guy next to us asked me about my camera and I explained that it was a little digital camera and I only bring it because sometimes there are Q&A's and I take pictures for my website. I showed him my press badge. He was very nice and told me there wouldn't be a Q&A, so if I promised to take no pictures, it wouldn't be a problem. I assured him I wouldn't take pictures and that was that. It was all very nice, easy and simple. That made me so happy. (I realized during all of this that I could have just went back out to the box office and asked Jett to watch it for me and the problem would have been solved.)

Jan was behind me in line, coming back from the concession stand and they scanned her with the wand and her head "beeped" but they realized it was just her metal barrettes. We made jokes about metal plates in our head and chuckled as we entered. Jan was getting her friend Quita (it's pronounced Quee-tah, I'm probably spelling it wrong) a soda. Quita is walking using a cane now. Last time I saw her, she was on crutches. I forgot to ask Jan about it later. I wonder what happened to her legs?

Jan and I started discussing "Mystic River" but we had to step away from Quita because she hadn't seen it yet. At one point, she looked over at us and said, "I can still hear you" and I felt bad because I know how it sucks to hear about a movie you want to see before you get a chance to see it. I hate that too. We tried to whisper a little more.

I went up to sit in the front, as I usually do, and Courtney Davis came up and sat next to me and said hello. We talked for a bit and I found out that, somehow, she was on her own. That the friendly and unbelievably hot Courtney would be alone is pretty amazing. She didn't want to sit as close to the screen as me, so we moved back a couple rows to watch the movie. We talked about some screenings and other chit-chat and then Phil Scanlon, the AFF Film Programmer, got up and introduced the film. When the AFF trailer was running, I almost turned to Courtney and said, "Oh, by the way, I'm a crier." but I didn't. I knew "In America" would have some teary moments and I wasn't wrong. I noticed Courtney sniffling at a few scenes too. I realized that although we know each other and have hung out a little, this was really the first time we really just chilled, in a way. It seemed different than screening movies for AFF or being at an AFF party. It even seemed different than when Courtney came and did an episode of Lube TV. It was really nice. I was so glad she came up to say hi to me. (I was wearing my T-shirt that said "Chicks Dig Me." It must have been fate, - hehe).

After the movie, Courtney went to the Driskill to see some shorts and Jan got in line for the next movie at the Paramount. Quita left. And I called Johnny Oh! and we set up a dinner date for Starseeds at midnight. Johnny just spent a ton of money doing some maintenance to his car, so we talked about my car situation some too.

They had let others go in and there was almost no one in line, so I went in and sat and talked to Jan for a while as it was about 15 minutes before "The Barbarian Invasions began." We talked about "In America" and I mentioned that I had teared up a little and she said she hadn't. I asked her if she was "a crier" and she told me she was sometimes but that "IN America" just hadn't hit her like that. I agreed that it was manipulative at times (they want you to cry) but that I had broke down and cried a bit anyway. I knew what she meant during "Invasions" though because although it was a bit sad and everyone around me was sniffling, I did cry one tear.

I told Jan that so far my favorite film of the fest that I had seen was "Pieces of April." Jan said she liked "Shattered Glass" best which began a discussion of Hayden Christensen's (lack of) talent. We also talked about (or, really, I talked about) "The Joe Schmo Show." I tell everyone I know about this TV show and no one I know has really seen it.

"Barbarians" was quickly introduced by Phil Scanlon again. After the film, a guy in the lobby with a clipboard asked me if I liked the film and I said it was "good." Then he asked me if there was a particular scene I liked, which was a question I was not prepared for, and I couldn't think of one. I still can't. It was a unique film but not a particularly great one or one filled with interesting moments.

I knew Johnny would be late for our date for dinner, so I went over to Cheapos and bought an American Analog Set CD and some music videos on VHS (for "The Lodger Showboat.") I went to Starseeds and met up with Johnny. We pretty much arrived at the same time. We went inside and Shaun, my favorite waiter, was there and waited on us. He was a sweet as always. John had brought some pictures from when he was a teenager (and didn't know he was gay yet) and he was HOT!

As we stood outside talking before we said our goodnights, we began talking about being kids (reminded of so much by Johnny's pictures) and that led us into talking about little stupid "dirty" songs we sang as kids. My favorite one is one that I had forgotten for over 20 years until I saw someone do it somewhere a few years ago. It's the one where you touch both your breasts, then your pubic area and then swing your hand back around to your butt and as you do you sing, "Milk, milk, lemonade, round the corner fudge is made." Isn't that stupid!

John sang me a couple from his childhood (a couple I'd never heard before) and we both remembered some that were quite racist. It's hard to imagine that we sang such immature and blatantly racist songs when we were young. I remembered that my mom would try to change the words so they would not be racists. For example, we said, "Eenie, meanie, miney, mo. Catch a pheeny phiney foe."

But the dirty ones were the best. How bout this one?

"Old MacDonald sitting on a fence. Beating his meat with a monkey wrench. Missed his meat and hit his balls. And pissed all over his overhauls."

I must be getting tired and loopey. Tomorrow is the last damn day of AFF. It's sad but with all my car trouble and work and everything, the festival has really taken its toll on me. I'm ready for it to be over.

Lodger 2003