This shit's becoming an institution. Study up on the last three years of my life before moving on to Aught 6!
2005
2004
2003
Stuff that happened in 2006:
I'm opting for the bullet list, since I've been taking notes throughout the year. It's hard to convey how very much my life has changed in 2006, but the key words are: amazing new girlfriend and grad school. Here are just a few of the (mostly) high and (mercifully few) low points of the past year.
* became part of a writing group formed from my screenwriting class; continued to work on my script. I broke about 60 pages before getting distracted by the whole school thing.
* applied to motherfucking grad school!
* cultivated very important relationships with lovers and got myself some of the best friends in my life out of the process.
* took a trip to Asheville, North Carolina, with my family to see a stage production of Pippin directed by my neice, Halina (Read about a previous trip to Asheville here.) Took a few extra days out there to visit my dear friend Maggie and her husband and kids who moved to Chapel Hill a couple years ago.
* fell way the fuck in love with Astrid and asked her if she'd be my girlfriend while we were in the middle of drunken, passionate sex. She answered in the affirmative, though I remember her saying "Yes," and she remembers just nodding through teary eyes.
* been having the best sex of my life (see above)
*got accepted to motherfucking grad school!
* attended the weddings of two of my dearest friends, Lola and Ube.
* fell down a wooden staircase (at Ube's wedding, actually) and ended up with a thigh-bruise the size of my head.
* gave up my car and opted for the more pure, uncomplicated and less polluting (if a tad less convenient) non-motorist lifestyle. Viva la bicyclette!
* started motherfucking grad school!
* went to Astrid's high school reunion!! Met Ryan Brown, the most popular boy in school!
* met Astrid's family!!
* started another round of head-shrinkin' with a new therapist. This is a requirement of my grad program, but it's a well-timed foray back into this particular type of guided introspection. It's hard, but not nearly as excruciating as my last stint.
* discovered the joys of "drinking dreidel"
* rediscovered the joys of Tetris. The last time I was addicted to the game was, naturally, when I was a student twelve years ago and used it as a distraction from my reading. Old distractions die hard.
* when not playing Tetris, I've been reading about 200 pages a week for school.
* where previously I have identified as someone who gets into bands five to ten years after their heyday, this year I actually started listening to bands that, like, still exist. (Tip of the hat goes mainly to DJ for making me a shit-ton of excellent mixes, thus scoring the soundtrack to 2006. Thanks, man.)
* on a down note, my last remaining gradparent died at the end of the year. She was my dad's mother, in her late nineties, and had lived the last few years of her life in a nursing home in the Bronx. I bought a ticket for a red eye the day I heard the news and was able to make it to the funeral. I'm really glad I went, and was able to be there with my Aunt Melba and get to know my cousins and their kids a little bit. Rest in peace, Grandma.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
And now, the annual run down of the (pop) culture I consumed.
My tried-n-true ratings system has two components, which I will dutifully explain here and now:
1. The Star System - to convey my idea of the "objective merit" of a piece of work (i.e. if I were a professional critic, these are the ratings I'd give).
zero = utter trash, and not in a good way.
one * = a redeeming aspect or two, but otherwise, shite.
two ** = enjoyable, but deeply flawed or ordinary
three *** = solid, definitely worthwhile.
four **** = truly stellar—highly recommended.
five ***** = flawless
2. Ranked-order - In each section, I will order from top of the list to bottom, the top indicating the read, flick, or show I enjoyed the most and the bottom being the work of least interest in the category. This ranking system may or may not correlate with whatever "objective merit" the thing might have.
I will share a brief example of my brilliant two-pronged rating system for the following three movies:
Annie Hall *****
Grease 2 **
Blade Runner ****
Annie Hall was fantastic, one of my favorite films of all time. In this case, my tastes gibe with the cultural zeitgeist, since the film was critically acclaimed and won four Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay. Grease 2 also happens to be one of my all-time favorite flicks, and I'm under no illusion that it was a "good film."
But nine times outta ten, I'd pick Adrian Zmed and Lorna Luft shimmying down a bowling lane singing about how they're gonna "score tonight" over Blade Runner, the beautifully filmed and innovative sci-fi classic that, I agree with all film nerds, is a truly compelling movie.
So you understand the system, right? Good. Let's proceed. Oh, and there might be a spoiler or two, just so's ya know.
The Books (and other printed matter) I read:
This section does not include my reading material for school. Nor does it include online reads, sides of cereal boxes, or highway signage. You're a little bit disappointed, aren't you?
The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton ***** An as yet unmarried 29 year old woman in turn-of-the-century New York, Lily Bart is driven to create a compelling future for herself. But her ambivalence to grasp at either love or the comforts of the Good Life lead to her descent from the apex of New York's upper crust society. Written in 1905, Wharton's beautifully crafted story remains uncannily comtemporary. It might actually be the best novel I've ever read.
Fun Home by Alison Bechdel ****
Illustrated autobiography about "Dykes to Watch Out For" comic artist Alison Bechdel's life and her relationship with her very troubled father. This graphic work of nonfiction was poignant, hilarious, disturbing, and strikingly detailed both in its visual artwork and written content. Highest recommendations!
Stranger Things Happen by Kelly Link **** Kelly Link's words are amazingly evocative and her phrasing packed with meaning. Stranger Things Happen, a book of surreal fairy tales, ghost stories, and characters immersed in any manner of otherworldliness is her first short story anthology. Can't wait to read her more recent collection, Magic For Beginners. Astrid says it's outta sight.
Dibs: In Search of Self by Virginia M. Axline *** A moving and fascinating account of a year's worth of non-directed play therapy sessions with a very disturbed child. This book is completely accessible to lay people (almost too easy to read), and I read it during the summer before I started the psych program.
Strangers in Paradise, Volumes One and Two by Terry Moore ***
Yet another comic series I'm getting hooked on, thanks to Astrid. A very satistying strip about two women, best friends, one in unrequited love with the other, and with a very dark past. The only major flaw I find is author Terry Moore's consistent use of very tired clichés in his dialogue. I imagine this is meant to mimick old school comics and pulp novels, because his gifts as a storyteller seem above it. Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs by Chuck Klosterman **+ This self-described "low culture manifesto" provided me many moments of nerdy Gen-X bliss, particularly while reading the chapter entitled "Sulking with Lisa Loeb on the Ice Planet Hoth." Klosterman and I are exactly the same age, both born in 1972, and so share an inquantifiable number of pop culture references. But I'm not impressed with his self-important reading of meaning in pop culture, divorced as it is from the real political economy. And, actually, I'm not down with his take on women, either. I don't fault him for certain aspects of the personal experiences he shared, even the anecdote about burning the exact same CD for two women he was dating at the same time. While this may ruffle a few feminist feathers out there, I find that kind of honest self-exposure to be authentic and admirable, even. But when he referred to Cameron Diaz (in relation to Penelope Cruz, in the movie Vanilla Sky) as a "repulsive hoebag" I wasn't amused. Ultimately, he's a guy writer writing for guys.
Dykes and Other Carbon-Based Life Forms to Watch Out For by Alison Bechdel **** The 10th book in the DTWOF comic series. Basically, Bechdel is one of the key historians (dare I say "herstorians"...um, actually no, I won't dare) of contemporary lesbo life in America.
Freud for Beginners by Richard Appignanesi and Oscar Zarate **** A really fantastic illustrated history of Sigmund Freud, the granddaddy of modern psychoanalysis.
Godspeed by Lynn Breedlove *** Every dyke in San Francisco has read this novel, so I felt it my mission to keep up with the Lesbo-Joneses.
I've seen Lynnee perform with Tribe 8 and I've seen hir read at spoken word events and, while s/he's hilarious, obnoxious, and a powerful performer, I didn't expect to be impressed with hir prose. The novel was fast-moving, emotionally resonant, and overall, better than I'd anticipated.
The Loss that is Forever: The Lifelong Impact of the Early Death of a Mother or Father by Maxine Harris, Ph.D. ** Being that my grief about my dead dad figures large in my life, and that I'm now pursuing a new career in psychotherapy, the timing was right for me to pick up a book about this big subject (just the title brought tears to my eyes in the bookstore). While I was moved by many of the anecdotes with the over 60 people interviewed by the author for this book, I found Harris's writing to be simplistic and unengaging. While she used her subjects' stories to illustrate useful psychological frameworks for understanding grief, her language remained flat, and the book is poorly edited. This would be a phenomenal subject for a documentary, in which these survivors of catastrophic grief could speak for themselves.
Some of the Parts by T Cooper ** An engaging, gender-bendy story about unconventional relationships in a loosely configured family unit, taking place in New York and Providence. I liked the characters a lot, but the writing, when I compared it to Kelly Link's first collection of stories (see above) felt pretty anemic to me. Sentences were just sentences. They weren't departures into the emotional worlds of the characters.
(A tip o' the hat to Astrid, who recommended or physically gave me about half the stuff I read this year. Thanks, dollface!)
Films in the Theater:
2006 was kinda lacklustre at the movies, I think. I didn't have time to see as many films as I'd have liked, though, so my list ain't exhaustive by far. I'm gonna try to be concise and stick to two or three line reviews here:
Little Miss Sunshine **** One of the most genuinely funny movies I've seen in forever. In particular, an outstanding performance by Steve Carell and a plot that devolves downward and again into blissful comedic chaos.
Children of Men **** The last movie I saw in the theater in '06. A truly intelligent and provocative dystopian vision of the near-future—surprising fare from Hollywood.
Broken Flowers **** I loved this meandering, muted film by Jim Jarmusch. Bill Murray is great, as usual, and the supporting actors are brilliantly cast. Don't see it if you can't deal with a slow pace and a story that doesn't really "go anywhere." (I really liked that about it.)
Brick **** Inventive, fast-moving, and clever spin on the hard-boiled detetive genre, told from the point of view and millieu of suburban high school kids.
Nine to Five **** - revival at the Castro. One of the funniest social satires ever, and totally holds up more than 25 years after its debut. Fantastic performances by Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, Dolly Parton, and of course Dabney Coleman as everybody's favorite "sexist egotistical lying hypocritical bigot."
Xanadu *** and Roller Boogie ** - double feature at the Castro. I hope I don't need to explain to you the campy brilliance of Xanadu...maybe you should just watch a bit for yourself. I can't say that 1979's Roller Boogie is as timeless a film, but it's a pretty amazing period piece, and, hell, you get to watch Linda Blair's whole body spin around in this one! (Sorry, couldn't resist.)
Sing-A-Long-Grease **** - again, a revival at the Castro. I found the hosts of the feature to be a bit overbearing - they actually had the nerve to tell me when to throw my pink slip in the air, and how to react when Rizzo came on screen! But seeing the film on the big screen and singing how Greased Lightnin' "makes the chicks cream" at the top of my lungs - priceless.
Scoop *** Woody Allen's second film featuring his fantasy leading lady of the Aughts, Scarlett Johansson. I found it to be a solid Woody flick, except that his portrayal of a (what else but) neurotic magician this time 'round was enough to inure me to that bit of his for all time forward.
Pirates of the Caribbean II – Dead Man's Chest *** - very fun, glad I saw it on the big screen. I found the plot twist at the end to be a verbatim repetition of format from the first movie, but other than that, totally entertaining.
I couldn't stop picturing Davy Jones every time Davy Jones was onscreen though.
A Closer Walk *** - a documentary about the global impact of HIV/AIDS, narrated by Will Smith and Glenn Glose. I felt the narration to be heavy-handed, but the global devastation of AIDS pretty much needs to be pounded into our heads, so, yeah.
Why We Fight ** - I found this documentary unremarkable, probably because I'm already very fluent with the subject matter. The interviews and footage were compelling, and I would recommend seeing it if you are unfamiliar with the economic politics of the weapons industry and its influence on the foreign policy of the United States.
The Fountain ** - Darren Aronofsky movie with Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz. See the mixed reviews at Rotten Tomatoes for a good sampling of opinions. Other than the visual artistry of the movie, the flick sucked. Instead of listening to the sappy, redundant storyline, I wish I could've just muted it and put on Dark Side of the Moon.
Toward the end of the movie, when the protagonist assumes the lotus position as he is about to unite in cosmic love with a supernova, I couldn't muffle my laughter anymore. The woman in the seat in front of me turned around and told me to "Stop it!" I apologized, and explained that laughter was my authentic response to the movie. She didn't appreciate this.On DVD/Video:
TV Shows:
Six Feet Under, Season 5 (the final season) ***** The finale fucking floored me.
Friends, Season 10 (also the final season) *** On the whole, the last three seasons weren't as good as the first seven. I think the shark jump was approximately the birth of Emma. Whadduya think?
Don't blame it on Chandler and Monica's new twins. Emma already ruined the show two seasons ago!The L Word (finished Season 2, and watched the complete Season 3) *** The drama picked up with characters dying, babies being kidnapped--and despite the schmaltzy writing in a few of the episodes, the cliff hanger season finale was a doosey. Disappointment of the season: Max, the only transgendered character on the show, is a complete asshole, and the actress playing him is unconvincing whether male-identified or no.
Films:
The Squid and the Whale **** - uncomfortable, subtle, brilliant. A sixteen year-old boy (Jesse Eisenberg tries on different identities, including that of his asshole intellectual snob father (Jeff Daniels in a superb performance) while coping with his parents' divorce. Set in Park Slope in the 1980's and also stars the reliably nuanced Laura Linney. [P.S. I think Eisenberg would be amazing in the title role if there's ever a biopic made about Nick Drake]
The Conformist ***** (tentative rating) one of the best films I've ever seen, although the jury's still out because I kept dozing off while watching it (renting an Italian DVD with subtitles is not a good idea when one is jet-lagged).
Junebug **** Hilarious, realistic glimpse into the bowels of a Southern family as their metrosexual golden boy, the eldest of two sons, returns home with his girlfriend, a city-slicker art dealer intent on discovering the next Picasso in the backwoods.
Amy Adams as Ashley Johnsten in Junebug
Thumbsucker *** a 17 year old kid still sucks his thumb. Drama and comedy ensue.
The Tibetan Book of the Dead: A Way of Life and The Great Liberation *** Fascinating made-for-Canadian-TV documentary about the Tibetan Buddhist rituals for the dead and dying. Though the imagery of family members in prayer around their dead loved ones was moving and shocking to my Western eyes, the slow pace and Leonard Cohen's low drawling narration almost put me to sleep at times.
Match Point ** I liked it more than I thought I would, but it's not one of Woody's best.
Pirates of the Caribbean – The Curse of the Black Pearl *** Fun for the whole family.
24 Hours on Craigslist** we were long overdue to get a documentary about Craigslist, the beloved online community where you can find a new apartment, a new job, a new lover, and a new couch. Unfortunately, this one is pretty crappy.
Star Trek – The Movie** Despite (or, really, because of) its hokiness, I enjoyed this fantastically bad first installment of the Star Trek film franchise, part of a Star Trek-a-thon Astrid and I have been partaking in with our pals, Calisto and Dave.
The Lost Weekend ***
The Oscar-winner for Best Picture in 1946, I found this film technically good but tiresome to watch. I kept wanting there to be more of a premise for Don Birnam's draw to the bottle, other than his failure as a writer. One of the booziest movies ever made, DJ and I quite enjoyed drinking our Manhattans while we watched Don devolve into a drunken torpor. Pippin ** I watched this in preparation for seeing Halina's play in North Carolina. All I have to say is Ben Vereen = good, William Katt = baaaaaadddd.
Friends with Money ** A few keepable moments and a compelling cast, but overall, kinda boring, honestly. DJ put it well when he said that the parts didn't add up to much.
Evil Dead II ** Would probably have enjoyed this one more if Dax hadn't been snoring in my lap the entire time I was watching it (it had been her request, after all!)
Art School Confidential * This review captures my feeling about this infantile, sexist romp. I loved Ghost World, but this flick has permanently turned me off Daniel Clowes and Terry Zwigoff.
Lonesome Jim ** I was excited to see this little indy film directed by Steve Buscemi, but alas, almost totally unremarkable. In honor of the milquetoasty, unlikeable and untrustworthy main character, played by Casey Affleck, Astrid has dubbed this film with the perfect alternative title, "Feckless Jim."
Julie Johnson
I give it Zero Stars, can you believe, with a cast including Lily Taylor, Courtney Love and my dear, departed Spalding Gray?—all of 'em, wasted, on one of the worst scripts that's ever been produced. For reals.On the Rerun:
Hairspray
Star Trek II – The Wrath of Khan
About a Boy
Star Trek III – The Search for Spock
Live Music:
Pinback at Bimbo’s, San Francisco **** Fantastic live show.
Jonathan Richman at The Make Out Room, San Francisco **** As usual, Jonathan delights.
The Starlight Mints ****, Dios Malos ***, and The Octopus Project ** at the Bottom of the Hill, San Francisco
Aimee Mann *** and Seu Jorge *** at Stern Grove, San Francisco. I've seen Aimee Mann live a few times and this open-air venue wasn't the best way to see her. Seu Jorge was really great, though I'm not very familiar with his music.
Replicator – The Hemlock Tavern, San Francisco *** Loud fucking left-wing nerd-noise rock.
The Matinées ***, Warren Teagarden **, and The Slow Poisoner*** at the Edinburgh Castle, San Francisco
The Mekons, acoustic set at The Hardly-Strictly Blugrass Festival, Golden Gate Park ** I prefer this legendary and sorely underrated first-wave British punk band plugged in, myself.
Live Performances:
Orbit **** – The Erika Shuch Performance Project at Intersection for the Arts, San Francisco
Pippin **** stage production at Warren Wilson College in Asheville, North Carolina
Kathy Griffin *** at The Warfield, San Francisco.
Fin
