According to BBC news, Jessica Chastain was in Kyiv over the
weekend, meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky
and visiting a children's hospital. This is more than most heads-
of-state and European royalties have done. (Of course, technically
she is an Italian Countess herself!) I always thought that Chastain
has the intellect, temperament, and empathy to be a great U.S.
President some day. Now we know that for a fact ...

I was reading Hal Hartley's first novel _Our Lady of the Highway_
during a gruesome 12 hour "flight" back from the East Coast. It
is surprisingly good and entertaining, truthful and funny. Reading
it you can picture it like scenes from a movie. The convent setting
reminds me of _Amateur_, of course, but the whole book is really
a throwback to the Hartley of the 1990s (in a good way). Highly,
highly recommended!

When I started watching movies in the late 80s and 90s I never
thought I would have a chance to interact with my heroes online
or otherwise. Now I have had a refunded check from Hartley
(from his cancelled film, hope it will be restarted); an email
exchange with Christopher Munch; and an autograph from the
flame-haired oracle herself (although I didn't know she existed
in the 90s, of course). All in all, a charmed life!

You hear it here first. Jessica Chastain for President, 2028.