Oscars and Kaplan, Louisiana

Final thoughts on the Oscars - I was thrilled about "Spotlight." My dear friend and cleaning lady Marisha is here, she's Polish Catholic, and she just told me she doesn't believe all the stories about abuse by priests. I told her to SEE THIS FILM. So glad that "The Revenant" didn't win. Glad about Brie Larsen - Oscar loves actresses who bravely do a role without makeup, and in any case, she was wonderful - about Leo who made a great speech, about most of it except the incessant harping about race.

I propose a revolutionary new hashtag and cause for next year - allowing women to be as comfortably dressed as men. Those poor actresses with their breasts hanging out - what's with that, every single dress with décolleté down to the navel? And of course the shoes, women tottering onto the stage, hanging for dear life onto the guy at their side... #letthemwalk. #letthembreathe. Any takers?

My friends Richard and Jean-Marc are in Louisiana. I asked them to go to the fair town of Kaplan, Louisiana, which I visited once. They didn't get there, but they sent this:

Jean-Marc talked to local people - in French, as there are many descendants of the Acadians, and he's one too - and was told the Kaplans were the only Jews in Kaplan, a town 99% Catholic. But apparently that was not a problem. Nice that somewhere, race and religion were not a problem, though I'd never imagined it would be in Louisiana.

And another note, from a writer who has done it before though not this time, about So True: Once again you have delivered a very moving experience of truth: well written and well told. The stories were all very moving including your first precious experience of the fear and joys of motherhood. I applaud the courage of the writers in expressing their truth and the craft of the teacher/editor who draws out the most important bits and guides the writers to produce the best versions of their story.

Thank you for the forum but especially for the enthusiasm and kindness which allow the writer to feel secure enough to share their most intimate thoughts and experiences.

So very well done!

Definitely - my Oscar.