New Years 09: The Second Wrap-Up

I can't believe 2009 is coming to a close. I also can't believe that the most ridiculous, wonderful, crazy, intense, life-altering year to date is ending with me sitting on a couch with the flu [me with the flu, not the couch], watching 'Up' on the big screen while writing, instead of being in Boston drinking champagne with mates. Yes, actually, I kind of can. It just seems so anti-climactic.

2009. I cannot wrap my head around everything that happened in my life, all in one year. So many humongous things, all in one year.

2010. Besides this being my graduation year, finally, my Resolution is just this: Make it as incredible, as humongous, as meaningful as 2009.

The whole year was incredible - I can't expect that an ending could ever match up. But I did cry the second it turned midnight. Say, what?

Anywho, it's time for the yearly photo wrap-up I've done every year since I was probably fourteenish. If only I had photos of the best little moments - Those really are the best. Probably something I learned this year.

So it is going to be long and obsessively-organised-me doesn't want a ridiculously long list of photos clogging the drain, so I gave the Year in Review its own blog. Weird, yeah, whatever. Frickin enjoy it.

2009: In Photos!

New Years 09: The First Wrap-Up

I always make these wonderfully long wrap-up entries at the end of each year. I don't care that they're both obsessive and slightly compulsive - I like things wrapped up, and I like a year of memories summarized. It helps my slippery mind remember the things that formed me.

Music is one of the easiest ways to do that because hearing a song from an 'era' in my life throws me right back there. Like smells do. So I picked the top songs from each month. Some of them have nothing to do lyrically with what was goin' on wif me at the time, others totally do. But all of them were listened to a ridiculous amount at the time and do that whole throw-backy thing to m'mind. So, cool!

It's like a 2009 Playlist, dontchaknow.

January

Turn Tail - The Young Knives

London Skies London Eyes - Little Man Tate

Sinners & Winners - The Holloways

So Lonely Was the Ballad - Jamie T

An End Has a Start - Editors

Dreaming of You - The Coral

February

Mr Brightside - The Killers

Invincible - Muse

Munich - Editors

Photosynthesis - Frank Turner

No Children - The Mountain Goats

March

We're Just Friends - Wilco

Human - The Killers

Going to Georgia - The Mountain Goats

I Shall Be Released - Bob Dylan

In the Aeroplane Over the Sea - Neutral Milk Hotel [it's gotta go somewhere...]

April

Young Pilgrims - The Shins

Wake Up - Arcade Fire

Shadow Stabbing - Cake

Lake Michigan - Rogue Wave

Underwater You & Me - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah

Gone For Good - The Shins

May

No More Running Away - Air Traffic

Dance Music - The Mountain Goats

The Wanting Comes in Waves - The Decemberists

White Winter Hymnal - Fleet Foxes

The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song - The Flaming Lips

Requiem For OMM2 - Of Montreal

June

Walking - The Dodos

Dimmer - Bishop Allen

When You Love Somebody - The Fruit Bats

Be Gentle With Me - The Boy Least Likely To

Rain - Bishop Allen

The General Specific - Band of Horses

July

Two Weeks - Grizzly Bear

Chicago - Sufjan Stevens

Mr Blue Sky - The Electric Light Orchestra

Own Your Own Home - Rogue Wave

Seaweed - The Fruit Bats

5 Years Time - Noah & the Whale

August

After Hours - We Are Scientists

Those to Come - The Shins

The Time of Times - Badly Drawn Boy

Maps - The Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Falling - Ben Kweller

Hang On - Dr Dog

September

Sawdust Man - Ben Kweller

Never Had Nobody Like You - M. Ward & Zooey Deschanel

Scenic World - Beirut

Furr - Blitzen Trapper

Die - Iron & Wine

The Giant of Illinois - Andrew Bird

October

Let It Be - The Beatles

I Wanna Hold Your Hand - The Beatles

Carry That Weight - The Beatles

I Was Meant for the Stage - The Decemberists

*Never, ever forget you, Mikey. When the night is cloudy, you're the light that shines on me. Stronger than a billion Source 4s.

November

Vampire - Pink Mountaintops

Dominos - The Big Pink

The Light of Love - Music Go Music

Say Please - Monsters of Folk

40 Day Dream - Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros

Smith Hill - Deer Tick

December

The Sound - Human Highway

Calpyso Gold - Princeton

Saddle Up - The Boy Least Likely To

For the Rest of Your Life - Drug Rug

Strictly Game - The Harlem Shakes

Fake Palindromes - Andrew Bird

So that's '09: The Playlist. Not too exciting if you weren't in my head, but it's Music & Memories. And that's that. If nothing else, they're great songs that go highly recommended.

two vital thoughts loosely involving mid 1900s

Evidently, and I guess there's no way to not be proud of this, I have something important in common with Jack Kerouac: "Kerouac tended to write constantly, carrying a notebook with him everywhere. Letters to friends and family members tended to be long and rambling, including great detail about his daily life and thoughts."

I guess it would be illogical to think I am the only person in history who that applies to. But seriously, it applies to me, in every sense, in every aspect of my life.

Also, I want to have friends who are just like the journalistic-guy-love of Gregory Peck and Eddie Albert in 'Roman Holiday.' Particularly with Peck's voice and Albert's beard. But really the whole shebang.

ppf

Yesterday

I had a fever, most of the day. I worked out anyway. And drank so much emergen-c. Flu? Possibly. I tend to ignore sickness. It's a waste of time. I also made my show reports from Machinal ten times prettier and discovered this website: Stage Management Humour. They're absolutely hilarious, and so many of them are things that would show up in my reports, especially this one: "DSM splashed hot tea in her face during the interval, and called the second half of the show with an ice pack on her face. " Story of my life.

Today

I fully intend to watch Amélie. It's probably one of my most-watched DVDs and it's not even in English. Although, also craving some Alan Partridge. Mostly, I'm proud of myself for taking a break from Miss Julie...and concentrating on preparing my materials for the stage management fellowship. If there ever comes a day where there's no work to do, I'll probably lose my mind, officially. The wind outside makes me feel like I'm back in Rhody, except it's not all coming in my window.

Tomorrow

Is the second to last day of 2009. Coming to terms with that. What an intense year. So amazing, and so horrible, and nothing inbetween: That year was made for me.

I should probably go on an adventure.

evey.

Christmas Eve to me, evidently, is sitting by the fire in an oversized flannel plaid shirt with the most perfect cup of freshly brewed Earl Grey, finishing up the transcribing of a full length play into a Word document after spending yet another ridiculous evening with the Czech side of the family [the large side, that is] back in Smalltown CT, having been beaten one too many times by three too many Nerf swords and having had just the perfect amount of Sam Adams with a side of mum's mac n cheese.

Happy Holidays. Cheers to Family.

artarama.

One way I knew this store was going to be awesome. Just knew it.

Something about art supply stores makes me giddy. First of all, there's something about their parking lots. Most art supply stores have, pretty much, that same kind of back-of-the-store-against-a-blank-wall little parking lot. The kind of parking lot that at first makes you question the decision to park, but then you convince yourself it's supposed to be Abstract.

Today I went to Jerry's Artarama in West Hartford. When I went there, especially with a name like Jerry's, I mean come on, I expected a cute little local place run by an old man. Touché, misleading titles.

Turns out, it's huge, mouthwatering walls of art-filled goodness. Also, it's a chain, and apparently there's one in Provvy. Blasphemy or not, I think it may be my new Utrecht.

Whatever, I got a new set of pastels. It's wonderful and I want to use them now. More importantly! Jerry's is life lessons, evidently. Guy at the register? Scrumptious McOogle-Eyes! Yes. Almost asked for his number. Didn't. Not a big deal, not even a small deal, though it seemed important at the moment.

What I realised when I got home is that it's absolutely silly that I've been getting said Googly Eyes over men as of late simply for awesome style and/or awesome beards. Does an adorable jumper or perfect amount of scruff yield a number request? Last month, I insisted upon heavy crushage simply because a guy I was workin' wif looked like he could be in the band Deer Tick. Not that he looked like anyone in the band Deer Tick. But he looked like he belonged there.

Summation: Crushes are so silly! And such a completely different world from actual Matchingness or Electricity [I refuse to use the word Chemistry, ever, because when I took that class in high school, I'm pretty sure I pity-passed]. Because I know for truesies that true love is hidden beneath Beards 'n Sweaters.

But despite the Silly, I am so excited about my new pastels! Pomegranate lemonade and prompt copy prettifying and pastels! An evening of P.

to work on.

"To gain your own voice, forget about having it heard. Become a saint of your own province and your own consciousness."
- Allen Ginsberg

the mood.

In the mood right now to:
watch short film 'Oscar & Jim' on repeat.
start an aquarium.
listen to Ravel's 'Boléro' on repeat.
stuff m'self on manicotti.miss friends, while fully knowing that if they were with me right now, i'd be full-on grumps.
newport creamery awful awful!
and lck grammarz.
[lick/lack/lock]

kristin aime #1

Rhyming within foreign languages. It's beautiful.

fishoes.

I think it's perfectly reasonable for people to voice the things that they want. It's often another glimpse into who you are, what your desires and goals are at the time. There's a line between the idea of I Deserve This and simple I Want This. And we're in a season where people are supported in reflecting on what it is they would probably buy for themselves if they came into extra cash beyond the Rents Bills Installments.

So, here's my list! If I could be my own personal Santa.
BIKE. I somehow do not own a bicycle of my own, though I do love me a good lope around the streets and the backwoods on a pair of wheels. I discovered [of course, at my favourite place to buy all things] the exact kind of bike I want, and one which you can configure to your likings, colour-wise. This is the bike I want, so hard.
CANON EOS DIGITAL REBEL T1i. I've just srsly delighted in the idea of an SLR for quite some time. I think it's reasonable of me to have a strong desire to manually focus my photos and just have them look overall...bitchin.

THE HOLGA 35mm. I really really want this camera. It's a completely different look than you can get with any other camera. Really really really. I want the world to look like this camera makes it. And who doesn't miss dropping a roll of film off at good old CVS?

SHOTGUN MIC. My video camera desperately needs one of these guys if it wants to survive in my frustrated little hands any longer. I shall no longer tolerate hearing the itchy sound of tape turning throughout every single frame of my films. I am about seven years overdue for a shotgun mic in my possession.
...What a surprise, Urban clothing.
COAT. I only have one really warm one [weird] and I love this one. And those rainboots! I desperately want those as well. And that desolate wintery beach!
Long cardis Long cardis Long cardis! I basically live in them. I love the marled red, and I've wanted a thick yellow one since I found one in TopShop over a year ago and came so close to purchasing. Ah, the cardi that got away.
STEPHEN FRY NOVELS. I've read two or three now and they're pretty much my favourite things to read outside of Dylan Thomas or Samuel Beckett poetry. I want to read The Liar next because I haven't yet.
MONKEES DVDs. Ahh, the Monkees. Has been one of my top five favourite television shows since I was approx eight years old? It's on DVD now. But extremely expensive. Alas. Believe it or not, the price has gone down over the past couple years. But I want every season ever. VHS doesn't count as existence any longer! [I have every episode in that format, yipes.]

Anywho! That's my Materialism of the Day for ya. Hope you enjoyed that trip down Gulp Money Lane. The next entry will have to be very deep and thought-provoking to make up for it.

not tom hanks.

I miss the way I felt small then. I'm happy now, big and bristling with energy and ideas, but I was happy then, too. And small as can be.

...

addtnl: I'm British, I know how to queue. reasons i adore hitchiker's guide, especially at 2am when even my teeth have started to feel tired.

finalfinalfinally!

Learned how to actually use Final Draft! Such a simple, yet ferociously useful programme. Gotta love those magic hands. This script will be donezo in no time, YES. And since I've found I had no time to shoot it in time, it's now set in Cardiff, Wales rather than Providence, Rhode Island. Much better, I daresay.

Throw in a hot cuppa Earl Grey and the fact that this is the final bit of finals and we're heading into the final stretch:

FINALLY. A good feeling.

a successful weekend.

defined as: Seeing Punchdrunk Theatre Co's 'See No More' in an abandoned school in Boston [tonight, oh yes.]

+ mistaking one's whiskey bottle for a bottle of Titebond at least five times [Saturday night, very summed up.]

more on these statements later. now, back to work in the life of a migrainiac.

modelmakin' fever.

Sitting here, smelling mouth-wateringly of Dove cucumber & green tea scent [which I used ferociously toward the end of summer '08 and all of that autumn in London], drinking the last of the orange Lucozade one of my pals picked up for me in her return from that very city, and watching the good ol' Dock-tuhh on a break from building a model of the Globe Theatre for Theatre History class. I should really start tagging these pathetic-paragraphs as "Egads, Missin' England."

Turns out, there's such thing as too much gorilla glue. Seriously, this model and I are enjoying each other quite a bit. Problem is, if I didn't also have to write a paper, a screenplay, and study for two exams all for Monday when I've also got a party and a show to see up in Boston...Well, 'nuff said.

Lawdy, my kingdom for some thumbtacks!

first taste of sushi.

finally. hate seafood so i tried veg.

still nauseous just thinking about it. grossgrossgross.

but glad i finally tried it. taste, in every sense, is such a bizarre thing.

the first snow.

happened here yesterday night. Mentionable.

'The First Snowflake' by The Boy Least Likely To is just about as Raffilicious as his others, but, hey, I like it. It put me to sleep in that warm way that cuddling does. I woke up with an unopened bottle of Pepto Bismol under my leg. The things we can be least proud of are the things that are sometimes the most worth mentioning.

Who knew Utrecht closes at 5pm on Sundays? Not this guy.

What a lovely-weird Self Day.

And that first little snowflake is still special to me..

some separate slushy statements.

Finding a way to walk in slush without falling, while still maintaining some oomph in your stylin' ego is rough, but also takes your mind off the cold pricking your face.

Dealing with people lately has also been rough, and I'm not sure if it's making the act of displaying the human condition easier or harder.

The sound of the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Trepak on the tele makes me so sad, to put it simply. Missing Nutcrackers and mansions and the people in them. But not the dust or the eight foot tall Christmas trees.

Dance inspires me, so much.

Road trip is happening in January because I've been seriously considering what it is that I need right now that is also possible for me to have at the moment and I decided that something is definitely Adventure. I need it to thrive. I'm thinking Canada. I've been to England, to Wales, to Austria, but I've never been to Canada.

Other than all of that, I guess just

Quiet desire is/was probably so much better than near-regret.

i truly believe

that Everything Beautiful and Good in this world died with him. He left behind a place run by Evil, Lies, and Manipulation. This may sound melodramatic but

All that's left is Desperation.