Party poop

Since we lived in Michigan -- so going back at least seven years or so -- I have thrown a big party on Oscar night. This usually involves my Oscar Drinking Game (tm) which involves guessing who will win throughout the night before the ceremony begins. We then either drink for incorrect guesses oe earn points for correct guesses (which leads either to winning a prize, like a year's subscription to Premiere, or to much imbibement). There is also drinking involved for predetermined items, such as reference to topical issues throughout the broadcast, winners getting cut off by the orchestra, shots of Jack Nicholson's sunglasses, etc.

A good time is generally in order, although things can get rowdy. (Last year, Kat and I refused to give ground as to whether or not Charlize Theron should have called for a moment of silence for all the men Aileen Wuornos had killed. 'Talmost got ugly. Needless to say, I was two sheets to the wind by that point.) It's also the one time of the year I know I get to see Sherin, and last year I thought some guy had crashed the party in a big way until I realized that my Alpha Theta rush chair Ric -- who, the last time I had seen him years ago, sported his trademark very long hair -- had transformed in to clean-cut Dr. Softshell. (Likewise, he had not recognized me either, since I had very long hair. OK, granted, I was dressed like Jack Sparrow from PotC, but still. And no one calls him Dr. Softshell, but I'm trying to protect his identity from his students who might trawl the Internet since -- well, I'm not sure why.)

Since we now have a small child, I thought the hullabaloo of the evening would mean we'd have to cancel. I expressed this to Angela when she was still pregnant. "Nonsense," she replied. "Some kids stay up all night for New Year's and Santa Claus. Ours will stay up for the Oscars. It's a family thing." (This is why I love her.)

So I have been looking forward to this year's party. After all, we only throw two parties a year, basically (this and Peruvian Independence Day) and we tell everyone when we meet them: "Put on your calendar that we have a party for the Oscars every year!" This year, even Danny Boy, who has had some lame excuse every time for the last four years for missing the party, was thinking about coming since he'll be back in town.

And then.

While putting my syllabus together for the class on Stardom, I realized I needed to put the Oscars on the syllabus. (It's an assignment. No, really, it is.) I went to the Oscar website and looked up the date: Sunday, May March 5th. I put it on the syllabus... and then looked carefully.

That happens to be the one weekend this year that I will be at a conference. In Vancouver. Where I have to stay until Sunday afternoon. And from where my plane ticket-- already purchased, non-refundable -- has me coming back on Monday.

I will not be around for the Oscars this year.

Naturally, Angela said the she wasn't throwing the shebang without me. The irony of this is that the conference I'll be at is the Society for Cinema and Media Studies conference, so one would think that if there are any stragglers like me who are staying the extra day at the conference, we could find some bar to watch the ceremony at. Still, I'm a little bummed.

So for those of you who usually come to the Annual Event, know that there is no party this year. We'll be back next year. Sorry!

*boohoohoohoo* No really, I'm fine... *boohoohoo*