Glitteratti know how to sundance

I decided to volunteer for the Sundance Film Festival during the first week. Since most jobs required an 8hr. shift committment 4 days a week, and I (as you may recall) have a full time job already - I went with one that only asked for 4 hours shifts. Why only four hours ? Because you work outside. Let me emphasize that Sundance is held in the mountain ski town 20 mins. away from my home, meaning it's cold outside. It's cold outside everyday.

On my first day directing people to the correct shuttle bus to get from our theatre to one of the theatres, hotels, restaurants, parties, parking lots and resorts in town, famous people sightings seemed low. Well, everybody kind of looks famous in quirky coats, footwear completely inadequate for 3 feet of snow and gucci/dior/D&G sunglasses (sunglasses being key). I might have seen the actress that played the Cameron-diaz-ish character in Lost in Translation. None the less, day one was fun as a volunteer, but fruitless as a festival goer.

I just completed Day 2 of volunteering. While the truly famous are carried around by private drivers and cars (not the shuttle system where I work) they do have to walk down mainstreet like the rest of us. While not volunteering, I saw with certainty, Toni Collette, Joe Pantaleon (sp?) and Dave Mathwes. Wow, I have had a really long day if I'm having a hard time spelling that one. From 7am - 10pm I was "sundancing" - and just couldn't muster the energy to try and waitlist the Beastie Boys documentary tonight. I did however, have the chance to see Imogen Heap perform, and hoped to see Rufus Wainwright (whom I ran into the day before inside a theatre, guitar and all) but had to leave before he performed. My only goal now, is to actually see a film - then I'll truly be at Sundance. oh yeah, and to finish up some deadlines at work - but where's the glamour in that ?

SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL

All Wrapped Up

Like an accident, where you can't quite see it all, but you know exactly what happened. A slow blur, I have holly jollyed, peaced, and rung all the way past Christmas into the New Year. I don't think I realized getting the week off from work (fringe benefit of the job) between Christmas and New Years' would add up to this many days and yet such a miniscule product.

It seems the holidays and I have fought it out, battle for battle. Surprisingly good Christmas Eve with Dad's family, even perfect gifts, followed by a car accident more expensive than all of the Eve's and Day's gifts combined would cost. Me backing a friends' car into my brothers. Fixing that mistake sucked some of my productive time during this ten day break.

Fortunately the new laptop I had ordered on the third of December had decided not to make an appearance before or close after Christmas, so I was able to reorganize my room and help my brother in law with his dismally behind project house. Fortunately, my laptop arrived on the 27th. Conveniently enough, I had also received for Christmas a DVD collection of a series for which I am (and remain) a closet fan. Ironically, from the same friend whose car I managed to scrape. But DVDs, lots of family and little personal space work perfectly with new laptops. I have watched a season and a half. Fortunately, while I watch, my car mistake is being fixed (although I'm paying by the hour more than I make) and the primer I painted on the project house has long since dried waiting for the paint. I don't plan to return and put on the fresh paint. In fact, I plan to enjoy more quality time, such as this singular moment, with my laptop. Less with the hustle and bustle. Not to mention the fact that I received a new feather top for my bed for Christmas. As a result, I imagine all blogs I post in this setting will be as long as this one. Today I refused to help take down the Christmas decorations, as I had helped to put them up in three houses, I figured I had paid my dues.

I am glad to see the hustle bustle go. Grateful for the sense of renewal I feel and my renewed connection with what is meaningful to me (laptop finally not being the answer here). But while I'm at it, let me thank the millennium for wireless internet. My New Year's resolution: during next year's week off - take a vacation and make the 10 day break enjoyably unproductive.... and bring my laptop.