2010

Most exciting things that happened this year:

-Got my photo taken to be considered for the Coen Brothers' "True Grit" (they were seeing me for the part of the dead father in the coffin)

-Got a cool role in "A Schizophrenic Love Story," a local movie (and thereby met my goal of being in a movie in 2010)

Most devastating thing that happened this year:

-Got ousted from "A Schizophrenic Love Story" and didn't even get notified about it, which crushed my soul for several days

Biggest challenge of the year:

-Directing "Much Ado About Nothing" (oy vey!)

Biggest reward of the year:

-Playing Estragon in "Waiting for Godot"

-Seeing my relationship with David develop and deepen

Favorite trip of the year:

-Visiting Beth in Portland

Favorite houseguests of the year:

-ET

-Dave Schmader

-Marc & Margaret

Best book of the year:

-Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer, which has changed the way I look at food, and to some extent, life

Best music of the year:

-Well, I gave a list in my last post, but I think the record I love the best is still Joanna Newsom's "Have One On Me," because there is really and truly nothing else like it

What am I looking forward to in 2011?

-Writing more consistently and submitting my writing to publications, fearlessly

-Acting in "Hedda Gabler"

-Figuring out what I want to do in regards to "a job" (to teach or not to teach?)

-Meditating and yoga

-Being in a movie

-Seeing Barack Obama come out of his bipartisan funk and kick some ass

Merry Xmas

My Top Ten 2010 Albums:

Joanna Newsom: Have One On Me

Hot Chip: One Life Stand

Broken Bells: Broken Bells

Devo: Something for Everybody

Love Is All: Two Thousand and Ten Injuries

LCD Soundsystem: This is Happening

Arcade Fire: The Suburbs

Bjork + Dirty Projectors: Mount Wittenberg Orca

Cee Lo Green: The Lady Killer

M.I.A.: /\/\/\Y/\

Horrifying

We just saw Darren Aronofsky's new movie, BLACK SWAN.

I am fascinated by the new imagination behind horror films, as evidenced in this movie as well as Lars Von Trier's ANTICHRIST. It is not about serial killers or going into haunted houses anymore, at least not in a literal sense. It is about personal psychological tension and the horrifying beast that emerges from within normal, aspiring, sorrowful people. It is so much more beautiful, so much realer, and therefore scarier than all those slasher flicks. Can't wait to see more exploration of this newly-opened area of film.

Cat Foot

Last night in bed my cat sat on my right foot and hunkered down as if she were willing eggs to hatch. I got a great feeling of coziness and imagined that she was infusing me with her grace and patience through my right foot. Then I imagined it could be my blog post for today.