I have to fly up to the Napa Valley Film Festival today. Notice the use of “I have to fly” as opposed to “I’m flying,” which implies duress. Why am I going? One, because I enjoy spending money on Burbank-to-Oakland air fare, cat care fees, parking fees, a three-day car rental, a tank of gas, random meals and odd incidentals. Two, because I’ll almost certainly have a pleasant time (great food, fresh air, nice people, bountiful scenery). Three, because I’m a full-on admirer of Mike Binder and Kevin Costner‘s Black and White, which is getting the NVFF champagne treatment this evening.

4 pm update: I’ve regretfully bailed on the whole thing. Profuse apologies to all concerned. I kept missing flights and forgetting to do certain things and then it all collapsed into a heap when I got to Burbank Airport and realized I’d left my temporary driver’s license at home, which of course meant no car rental. At that moment I just imperceptibly slumped. On top of which Awards Daily‘s Sasha Stone cancelled also.