"It's been a long December and there's reason to believe that maybe this year will be better than the last." ~counting crows

*This post has been edited (twice) because I'm a forgetful idiot.*

I know I recently used that opening quote, but it's only appropriate so often and I feel like I should make use of it while I can.

Okay, it is time for my favorite albums of the year. I'm not saying the best albums of the year because it's completely subjective; these are just the albums that impressed me. Those 'Best Of' lists published by different organizations usually bug me because they're missing some of my favorites, but my list is probably missing someone else's favorites. (I'll probably get called out for not having TV on the Radio on my list, but I just couldn't get into their album. And I've seen them live and that didn't really make me a fan, either.)
I couldn't narrow it down to 5 albums this year, so I listed 10 11 12 (crap...I had 10 but I forgot one two and can't decide which to remove now, so my list has 11 12). They are in a vague order but I don't feel comfortable numbering them. The first three are my three favorites and the rest are somewhere close to the correct descending order (depending on my mood). So without further ado, here you go (click on the album cover to go to it's page on amazon.com):

Claire's 10 11 12 Favorite Albums of 2008
1. Frightened Rabbit - Midnight Organ Fight
2. The Hold Steady - Stay Positive
3. Counting Crows - Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings
Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
R.E.M. - Accelerate
Death Cab for Cutie - Narrow Stairs
Ray LaMontagne - Gossip in the Grain
Coldplay - Viva La Vida
Kings of Leon - Only By the Night
The Killers - Day & Age
She & Him - Volume 1
(You can't really blame me for leaving out She & Him the first time because it was released in March, which was a long time ago.)
Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
(This one was released in January, so I think it's even more excusable that I forgot it.)

"We are the theatre, they are the people—dressed up to be seated, lookin’ upwards and dreamin’. We’re the projectors, we’re hosting the screening. We’re dust in the spotlights, we’re just kinda floating." ~the hold steady

I love doing nothing. I finished two books yesterday. That's all I did. It was wonderful. I read The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, which won the Pulitzer Prize last year, and I absolutely loved it. I cried, even though I knew how it would end. It's such a detailed portrait of a family whom I felt like I knew after reading it. There was a lot of Spanish in the book and I understood some of it (I was proud of how much I understood). It's about a Dominican family, so I felt like I could relate because I recognized pieces of my students' lives in it (my students are Dominican). I highly, highly recommend it.

I also read The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie (he is such a talented writer). It was funny and heartbreaking and a really quick read. It won the National Book Award. I laughed aloud often and didn't want it to end but didn't want to put it down at the same time. It's his first book for young adults and I hope he writes more, because some eighth graders at my school read this and loved it (and kids at my school don't like to read).

Hm, apparently yesterday was my day for reading award-winning books with really long titles.

I'm leaving you with this video just because I'm in the mood. Chess is my favorite musical (and I am familiar with a loooot of musicals). I collect Chess recordings, and I have a lot (when I narrow my iTunes music library to "Chess," I have over 400 songs, from various sources: the Danish cast, the Swedish cast, different London casts, different American casts...). Anyway, this is a good recording of Judy Kuhn as Florence singing "Nobody's Side." Judy Kuhn is awesome, even though I'm still not sure whether I prefer her or Julia Murney as Florence.


Something to look forward to: I'll post my list of the year's best albums tomorrow. I've been thinking about it.

"I want to roll around like a kid in the snow. I want to re-learn what I already know. Just let me take flight, dressed in red, through the night, on a great big sled. I want to wish you merry Christmas, Ho Ho Ho." the killers

Merry Christmas!

My arrival yesterday went okay. My mom and I seem fine now, after some arguing and lots of crying. Last night my mom, brother, and I went to the 11:00pm church service. My mom played in the bell choir and my brother read a passage. I got to see lots of church friends whom I haven't seen in a long time, and it felt good to be there and spend time with them. My family and a few other families with kids around the ages of my brother and me are pretty close, so it felt like a big family reunion because we were all there. It was extra special because after the service, as we walked out of the church at 12:30am on Christmas morning, my friend's boyfriend stopped on the church steps and proposed to her. We (all the families) were gathered around, her family members had cameras out (they knew), and it was an incredibly sweet moment. She said yes, of course. I've known her since we were both really little and I'm so happy for her. My mom knew he was going to propose for at least a week and she managed to keep it a secret, which is impressive for her. My friend Alex and I stood together, happy for the friend we've had for many, many years, and also very aware of the fact that we're grown up now. Neither of us is anywhere near ready to settle down, but those around us are; another church friend who is our age (well, a year older than I am), is pregnant right now. It's very weird to think about.

My family and I had a wonderful Christmas morning. we sat around eating homemade cinnamon buns and opening presents. The best gift I received was tickets to see Guys and Dolls on Broadway (starring Lauren Graham, my favorite actress). I also got a great new digital camera. I'm looking forward to seeing my aunt, uncle, and cousins who are coming from NYC for Christmas dinner with us. The family of the girl who got engaged last night is joining us for dessert, so we'll have a nice gathering. I have a lot to be thankful for.

My family this morning (I think we might also be using this as our Christmas photo; we're a little behind schedule with that):

"Strung out like some Christmas lights out there in the Chelsea night. Strung out like some Christmas lights out there in the Chelsea night. Strung out like some Christmas lights out there in the Chelsea night. Strung out like some Christmas lights out there in the Chelsea night." ~ryan adams

I don't have much to say. I'm glad today was the last day of school for awhile because it's been crazy lately. I'm heading home to NJ tomorrow (Christmas Eve). I'm not looking forward to Christmas as much as I usually do. I've been in a funk lately. My mom and I haven't really been talking. I don't want to have to deal with her. Maybe we'll be fine, I don't know. I'm afraid it's going to be weird. It'll be a really hard Christmas without Josie. I'm afraid I'll start crying when I don't see her stocking hanging over the mantle, where it's been the past 15 Christmases. It will be our last Christmas in this house where I grew up (my parents are moving to Colorado), and that also makes me sad. One nice thing is that I'll get to see my brother. He spent the semester abroad in Scotland so I haven't seen him in a long time. Still, right now I don't know how I'll get through more than a week at home.

Some pictures I've taken recently:

A (freezing) wintery New York evening near my apartment (I love the lights that decorate Columbus Ave):

The tree at Rockefeller Center:

The view from my classroom window today (yes, it is in Manhattan; we're in Washington Heights across from a park):

It's going to rain tomorrow and wash away all the snow.

"It's been a long December and there's reason to believe that maybe this year will be better than the last." ~counting crows

I suppose it's a little early for this, but I'll post it now anyway and amend it later if necessary. It's time for my list of the best films of 2008. Obviously I can only list movies that I've seen. The one movie I still want to see that might make my list is Revolutionary Road. But here's my current list (along with their trailers):

1. Slumdog Millionaire

2. The Wrestler

3. Frost/Nixon

4. Milk

5. Doubt


Maybe later I'll go back and add commentary about each film, but I think I've written something about all of them already. I highly recommend each one, but it was incredibly easy to choose a favorite. Seriously, go see Slumdog Millionaire if you haven't already.

On an unrelated note, snow hit the city today. Lots of snow. It started during school, and by the end of the day only half of my class remained because their parents came throughout the day to pick them up due to the storm. It looked beautiful, but I really don't like snow. I hate trudging through it and I hate when it turns to slush and fills the streets and sidewalks.

I ushered at a show tonight, Prayer for My Enemy. It was not a fun trip getting there, but I enjoyed the show (and of course I can't complain because I saw it for free). The acting was particularly strong (the play stars the very talented Tony winner Victoria Clark and Tony nominee Jonathan Groff).
Tomorrow night I'm ushering at a play about which I'm particularly excited. It's The Cripple of Inishmaan, written by my favorite playwright (Martin McDonagh). I'll report back about it.

"Have you ever seen a one trick pony in the field so happy and free? If you've ever seen a one trick pony then you've seen me. Have you ever seen a one-legged dog making its way down the street? If you've ever seen a one-legged dog then you've seen me.
Then you've seen me, I come and stand at every door. Then you've seen me, I always leave with less than I had before. Then you've seen me, bet I can make you smile when the blood, it hits the floor. Tell me, friend, can you ask for anything more? Tell me can you ask for anything more?
Have you ever seen a scarecrow filled with nothing but dust and wheat? If you've ever seen that scarecrow then you've seen me. Have you ever seen a one-armed man punching at nothing but the breeze? If you've ever seen a one-armed man then you've seen me.
Then you've seen me, I come and stand at every door. Then you've seen me, I always leave with less than I had before. Then you've seen me, bet I can make you smile when the blood, it hits the floor. Tell me, friend, can you ask for anything more? Tell me can you ask for anything more?
These things that have comforted me, I drive away. This place that is my home I cannot stay. My only faith's in the broken bones and bruises I display.
Have you ever seen a one-legged man trying to dance his way free? If you've ever seen a one-legged man then you've seen me." ~bruce springsteen

In the last two days I went to three movies. I saw Doubt, Hotel for Dogs, and The Wrestler. Some quick thoughts:

I did enjoy Doubt, despite my reservations. I'm still digesting it so I can't really say much. I feel like Meryl Streep's character was inconsistent, but that may be John Patrick Shanley's fault (or Scott Rudin's). I didn't see the degrees of doubt in her that needed to be portrayed. In one article Meryl speaks about a scene that she wanted to have cut (a scene that wasn't in the play). She had "knock-down, drag-out fights" to have it cut. She says, "To me it destroys part of Sister Aloysius's doubt about what she has done. And that was hard for me." So maybe it wasn't her fault that I had problems with her character. At any rate, I liked the movie for the most part.

The Wrestler was fabulous. Mickey Rourke is getting so much buzz for his performance that you would think there's no way he can actually live up to the hype, but he does. I cannot say enough good things about him in this film. He really is Randy "the Ram" Robinson. I don't want to post spoilers or else I would write more, because I have so much to say, but I don't want to give anything away. Go see it, though; it's such a beautiful film. It doesn't matter if you don't like wrestling; it's really not about that, it's about a man struggling to find meaning in his life and looking for someone or something to hold on to. I'll post the trailer again just because it's so good. Bruce Springsteen's song "The Wrestler" also plays over the closing credits, and it breaks my heart every time I listen to it.

"Don't you ever ask them why, if they told you, you would cry. So just look at them, and sigh, and know they love you." ~crosby, stills, & nash

I'm sure the rest of this week will be crazy, and after I write something good about my students they always seem to go downhill, but I'm making this post anyway. I can come back and look at it later this week when things are really insane to remind myself why I do what I do. Some things about my job that make me happy:

1. I get a lot of hugs. I get tears and anger and bad words, but I also get hugs. This one girl is an absolute sweetheart, and she hugs me every morning when she enters the room. No matter what kind of mood I'm in, her beautiful smile and kind greeting cheers me up. Her smile really lights up the room. She calls me her "favorite teacher in the world" at least five times a day. For example, when I hand out notebooks, she'll say, "Thank you my favorite teacher in the world." And it's sincere. She's so incredibly wonderful. I love kids like that. I get hugs from other students as well. My former students come to visit me, and they always hug me (even the boys). I think I must be doing something right if I can get seventh grade boys who have put up with a year of my teaching to voluntarily approach me and give me a hug.

2. I have a boy who's usually a complete troublemaker. He doesn't do work, he talks and sings throughout my lessons, he causes disruptions, he's rude to me, and he basically makes my life impossible. But the kids all have moments where they surprise me, and this boy's moment was today. We're working on our unit project; I've explained it multiple times and we did the first part in class already. He's done nothing and hasn't paid attention at all. Today I sat down next to him while the rest of the class was working and explained the project to him. He started writing. At the end of the period he said to me, "This is actually really cool, Ms. B." That may sound like something really small, but it was a big breakthrough for him. He worked and he actually enjoyed it. I hope he keeps it up.

3. It's scary but kind of cool to think about what a large role I play in these kids' lives. One of my former students was visiting me the other day during my free period, and she said that her younger sister goes around the apartment saying my last name. She just repeats my last name over and over. Last year the toddler was learning to talk. She heard her older sister and her mom talking about school a lot, and my name must have been mentioned often, so she picked up on it. I know my students must talk about me at home. Hopefully they say nice things (I think most of them probably do).

4. Related to point #3: I was helping out during my students' social studies class, and the SS teacher was talking about the ten commandments. He said that one of them is "Honor thy father and mother" and reminded them that we are essentially their parents while they're at school, so they have to respect us. They all started calling us Mom and Dad. Sometimes they call me Mom by accident. They're around me so much that it seems natural. I like that.

So even though my job sometimes drives me crazy, it has its perks.

Random comment: What is up with this weather?! It's 65 degrees right now. In December. I've been walking around outside wearing short sleeves and no coat and I'm perfectly comfortable. It's lovely but ridiculous. It's supposed to snow tomorrow. I can't deal with these drastic changes!

"And the sky is full of dreams, but you don't know how to fly. I don't have a simple answer, but I know that I could answer something better. This feeling won't go. Wait for it." ~the killers

Tonight I went to the opening night of Shrek the Musical on Broadway. It wasn't a perfect piece of theatre, but it was a fun night out. I love opening night. There were a lot of celebs there; I saw Cameron Diaz, Ben Stiller & Christine Taylor, Joan Rivers, Cheyenne Jackson, and Bobby Cannavale (I encountered the last two in the lobby before the show and each one paused directly next to me to have a conversation with their guest; it was all I could do to stop myself from staring and drooling because they are both so incredibly gorgeous).

The cast consists of some of my favorite actors, people whom I've seen in many different shows and can't get enough of, and they didn't disappoint. Christopher Sieber, whose performance as Lord Farquad I was looking forward to the most, was hi-larious. I love him. Sutton Foster, for whose talent I have no words, was perfect as Fiona. She really is one of theater's true triple threats and I am convinced that there is nothing she can't do. Brian D'Arcy James gave a strong, nuanced performance as Shrek. Daniel Breaker was funny as Donkey. The acting was definitely the strongest aspect of the show. The book was weak in some parts, but overall I enjoyed the show (I think because I went into it not expecting too much).

"Saw Cinderella in a party dress, she was looking for a nightgown. I saw the devil wrapping up his hands, he's getting ready for the showdown. I saw the ending when they turned the page, I threw my money and I ran away.
Sent to the valley of the great divide, out where the dreams all hide. Out where the wind don't blow, out here the good girls die, and the sky moves slow. Out here the bird don't sing, out here the field don't blow, out here the bell don't ring, out here the bell don't ring, out here the good girls die.
Now, Cinderella, don't you go to sleep, it's such a bitter form of refuge. Why don't you know the kingdom's under siege, and everybody needs you? Is there still magic in the midnight sun, or did you leave it back in '61? In the cadence of a young man's eyes, out where the dreams all hide." ~the killers

I am really loving The Killers' new album. The above song ("A Dustland Fairytale") is one of my favorites.

Gran sent me this article from Newsweek ("I Am Not a Babysitter"). It's a great piece on what we teachers put up with and the misconceptions about our profession. It's sad but true that teachers in America don't usually receive the respect they deserve. And it's frustrating.

I went to see the Broadway production of Pal Joey last night. Nicole got us comps, and we ended up with fabulous seats (front row center mezz). Martha Plimpton stole the show. She's fabulous. She was cast in Matthew Perry's new Showtime show, and I don't want Broadway/NYC to lose her, because she's most definitely one of the best (and hardest working) stage actresses working today. Anyway, Pal Joey was fine. Nothing special, but not awful. Christian Hoff was recently replaced by his understudy, Matthew Risch, and although Risch gives his all, I think the role needs more charisma. Stockard Channing's acting is solid in the show. I was glad I got to see it.

I've been trying to get my Christmas shopping done (I'm nearly finished), but I'm an awful shopper. I always end up buying things for myself.

Tomorrow I'm going to my aunt and uncle's apartment in Chelsea to help make/decorate Christmas cookies. I'm excited. My cousin D.J. is a freshman at Princeton and I think he'll be home, and Bess will be there, and I always love spending time with my cousins.

This coming week should be a busy one. On Tuesday I'm going to a screening of The Wrestler (I cannot wait) and next weekend I'm ushering at Prayer for My Enemy and The Cripple of Inishmaan (written by my favorite playwright, Martin McDonagh); they're two plays that I am dying to see. I'll report back. I hope I get through the school week, because the kiddles are getting crazy (even moreso than usual).

"Our bodies get bigger but our hearts get torn up." ~the arcade fire

Things aren't going so well right now. This has been a bad year for my family, and Thursday was a particularly horrible day (although I didn't hear about any of it until Friday). On Thursday my parents put my dog to sleep. I spent two days crying, and now I'm breaking down in spurts. I can't put into words how devastated I am. She's been my dog for 15 years. I loved her more than I can express. Also on Thursday, my grandpa had a stroke. This has been an awful year for both of my grandfathers. My Grandad had his leg amputated, broke his pelvis, and injured his shoulder. My Grandpa has been in the hospital for most of the year after breaking his hip. He's had pneumonia countless times and on Thursday he had a stroke. Neither one of them is in good shape at all. To add on to all this bad stuff, my Aunt Dot and my Uncle Henry (my great aunt and great uncle, from different sides of my family) both died last week. Like I said, it's been a really, really crappy year for my family. I don't know how much more I can take.

I went to a new church this morning. The people there were so welcoming and friendly. It's a very small church, which is nice. I'll probably go back there.

"All of the lights on Broadway come down and I see the flame that sits all around my dream. I watch the lights that shine down on Broadway, I watch the snowflakes tumbling down on me. I guess it's gonna be Christmas. I don't want to go home." ~counting crows

"Sometimes it snows in April, sometimes the skies are grey. Sometimes it all looks so familiar to me, sometimes it's just so fuckin' strange. Can't you hear me? 'Cause I'm screaming. Didn't I go outside yesterday? Don't wake me, please don't wake me, 'cause I was dreaming, and I might just stay inside again today. I don't go out much these days. Yes, sometimes I stay inside all day." ~counting crows

"I'm too old for Playboy, too young too die." ~the bacon brothers

I went to Winter's Eve at Lincoln Square tonight, which was an event with lots of very tasty, cheap food from nice restaurants (all food items under $4) sold at tents lined up on the sidewalks around Lincoln Square and music and a tree lighting. It was incredibly crowded, which was the main downside to the evening. The Bacon Brothers performed, and I managed to get a spot in the front row. I know Kevin Bacon is old, but he is incredibly gorgeous in person. And he can dance. I got a Footloose flashback. I took a video but can't upload it onto my mac, so that will have to wait. But here are a couple of pictures that I took:




Some snow flurries started to come down right before the concert started, but luckily they didn't last. It was a fun evening.

"My sign is vital, my hands are cold, and I'm on knees, looking for the answer: are we human, or are we dancer?" ~the killers

I absolutely loved The Killers' first three albums. Yes, I loved Sam's Town, even though it mostly got panned by the critics. I really think that was largely because Brandon Flowers' ego got the best of him and he claimed it was "one of the best albums in the past twenty years" and "the album that keeps rock 'n' roll afloat" before it was released. That pissed off some people. Anyway, their newest album, Day & Age, was released last week, and it seems to have garnered a much warmer reception than their sophomore effort. I'm glad. They really are a talented band. I saw them live a few years ago (touring Hot Fuss) and would love to see them again in concert to see how they've matured. Here's a photo I took of Mr. Flowers singing Mr. Brightside ("and my stomach is sick..."):

Thanksgiving was wonderful. I didn't want this weekend to end. There were only 31 of us at Thanksgiving dinner, fewer people than usual. I missed my grandparents.
Here we all are:
We only did one take, so I think it was pretty impressive that it actually worked (even though some people are hidden).
My aunt, uncle, and cousins from Maine (Katie, Hannah, and Sarah) stayed with us for a few days. It was good to spend time with them, especially because we don't get to see them very often. Sarah, the youngest, is in sixth grade; I wish my students were more like her. She's a sweetheart and she loves reading. Of course I do like my students, but they're not the easiest crowd to teach. I don't want to go back to school tomorrow.

"You spent the first five years trying to get with the plan and the next five years trying to be with your friends again. You're talking 45 turns just as fast as you can, yeah, I know it gets tired, but it's better when we pretend..." ~lcd soundsystem

I absolutely love that song and I listened to it today for the first time in a really long time. I listened to it 6 times in a row I was so happy to hear it again. I love rediscovering songs.

Last night I went to a screening of the movie Milk. It opens on Wednesday and I highly recommend seeing it. Sean Pean gave a great, touching performance. I cried. James Franco was appealing as always, and Alison Pill...I was too distracted by her curly hair to be able to judge her performance. :D No, she was good (I'm a big fan of hers, I saw her band last week).
This year's best actor race has some strong contenders. Now that I've seen Milk and Frost/Nixon (I saw that one a year ago, sitting very close to Ron Howard), I can say that I expect Sean Penn and Frank Langella to be nominated for the best actor Oscar. I haven't seen The Wrestler yet, but I believe Mickey Rourke will win for that. I've heard amazing things about it and will go the weekend it opens (I haven't seen any info about free screenings of it). The trailer alone blew me away. A song that Bruce Springsteen wrote for the film called "The Wrestler" plays in the background and is just heartbreaking.

I cannot wait for Thanksgiving. I love Thanksgiving. Every year, me and about 40 of my family members congregate in my aunt and uncle's apartment. Last year they moved into a spacious apartment in Chelsea that easily accommodates everyone (before, when they lived on the UES, it had been a little difficult for all of us to squeeze in comfortably). I get to see all of my cousins and aunts and uncles whom I love spending time with. There is bad news this year, though. My grandfather, who was so incredibly excited for Thanksgiving, broke his pelvis over the weekend; that means he and my grandmother will be stuck in South Carolina. He's very depressed that he's missing it and so am I. I love my grandparents so much and haven't seen them lately, so I'm upset that I won't get to spend this holiday with them. Hopefully they'll come up for Christmas. He had his leg amputated over the summer and I guess it's been a difficult recovery. This is just another setback that I hope he'll get over soon.

I'll leave you with the trailer for The Wrestler.

"She had four white stallions coming up around the bend, four strong angels at her command to send. Four more seasons, for all that's broken to mend. I got four good reasons why I can't go back there again." ~patrick winningham

Oh my goodness, do I have stuff to write about. Here are some random, recent happenings. There are lots of random, recent happenings, but I don't have time to write about all of them so I'll just select what's currently on my mind.

1. I moved. And I plan on living here for the rest of my life because it was such an awful process. Nothing really major went wrong, but it was just so exhausting. I basically didn't eat for two days because I didn't have time. My mom and I went to Ikea last Tuesday and bought some stuff, and that day my aunt came over to my new apartment and helped us clean. On Saturday we moved in a bunch of stuff from my parent's house and then made a couple of trips from my old apartment. We spent about 14 hours total that day. On Sunday I unpacked stuff (which took a long time). I'm settled in now, though, and I love my new apartment. It's a studio a block away from Central Park. I just think that's fabulous. I love Central Park, and I especially can't wait for summer because it'll be so easy to hang out there and get to their concerts easily. And I'm excited about living alone. I've never really lived alone before. I've never had my own bathroom! It's the little things.
Here's a snapshot of my new apartment:

2. I went ice skating a while ago, and I don't think I wrote about it yet, but it was fun! I went with my friends Christin and Allison (who was visiting from Richmond). We went to Bryant Park. It was such a warm day that we didn't even wear coats; I was actually afraid that the ice would melt. We went at 8am, when it opened, so it wasn't that crowded. At Bryant Park you don't have to pay to use the ice, which is great. We did pay to rent skates. I had such a good time. We skated for over three hours, so I think we were all sore the next day, but it was so worth it. I haven't been ice skating since college, and now I want to go more often. I picked it up again pretty quickly.



3. My parents and I saw Billy Elliot on Broadway. I cannot say enough good things about it. It is absolutely fantastic. Really, go see it if you can. I see a loooot of shows and this is one of the best musicals I've seen in a while. Three actors rotate playing Billy and we got to see David Alvarez, whom I was hoping to see. I loved him. His dancing, singing, and acting were all superb. He made me cry (more than once). Here's the NYTimes review (Brantley reviewed David and called him "excellent"; the review is a very good read).

4. Last night Nic and I went to see a band called Erin Hill and her Psychadellic Harp with the Space Rats. It's quite an unusual name, for an unusual band. Erin Hill has a beautiful voice. She's a charming, quirky girl with a love of science fiction and space. Nic and I went because Alison Pill is in the band. I think she's one of the greatest stage actresses of our generation and I didn't know she could sing, so I was curious to hear her. She sang back-up and was pretty quiet most of the time, but she did have a nice voice. They played at a tiny bar in the East Village. There was no cover, so it was a great deal and I was glad we went.

5. I know there was something else, but my mind just blanked. Oh well. Maybe later I'll think of it. This week is insanely busy. Ugh. I can't wait until Thanksgiving.

"Sometimes I think sitting on trains, every stop I get to I'm clocking that game. Everyone's a winner now we're making that fame, bonafide hustler making my name." ~m.i.a.

This is a quick post to tell you all to go see the movie Slumdog Millionaire as soon as you possibly can. I saw a screening tonight and fell in love with it. It's probably my favorite movie of the year so far (and I see a lot of movies). It's about a teenager who is on India's version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire, and it shows him reflecting on his life before the final night. It's at 100% on rottentomatoes right now, so obviously I'm not the only person completely impressed with it. Here are some highlights from reviews that they've posted (they're much more convincing than I am):

"The movie event of the season and strong Oscar contender, this is Danny Boyle's most exuberant and exciting work since Trainspotting, benefiting immensely from the unique physical and cultural milieu."

"Boyle's most ambitious film to date is also his greatest. Simply put, Slumdog Millionaire in one of the best -- if not the best -- films of 2008, as teeming with life as the slums it depicts."

"There's never been anything like this densely detailed phantasmagoria -- groundbreaking in substance, damned near earth-shaking in style."

"Brutal and beautiful, tragic and joyful, it's one of the year's best movies, a must-see!"

"A phantasmagorical movie directed by Danny Boyle filled with dazzling and varied sights of India, characters we can identify with and cheer for, and a jubilant message about destiny and love."

"Virtually the textbook definition of a crowd-pleaser..."

Seriously, go see it whenever it's released near you (limited release November 12th, hopefully expanding soon after that). You won't regret it. It's just such a beautiful, moving film; I cannot say enough good things about it.

Trailer:

"So how could your hair have the nerve to dance around like that, blowing? And how could the air have the nerve to blow your hair around like that?" ~the national

Oh my goodness, I am so excited. Lauren Graham, my favorite actress in the world, is joining the upcoming Broadway cast of Guys & Dolls. I lined up at 3:00am to see her most recent Conan O'Brien taping; I'm a huuuuge fan. It's not one of my absolute favorite musicals, but getting to see Lauren Graham live on stage (on a Broadway stage!) is thrilling beyond words. I'm definitely going to see it multiple times. I can't wait until March. Seriously, you can't imagine how over the moon I am right now.

I've been busy lately; there's too much stuff to write about. I've seen a few plays in the past week. Here are some quick, not very well thought-out reactions (I'm tired):

I saw the Broadway production of All My Sons (link to NYTimes review), starring Katie Holmes, John Lithgow, two-time Oscar winner Dianne Wiest, and Patrick Wilson. I enjoy all of those actors and thought they were wonderful (even Ms. Holmes, despite her lack of stage experience and shaky start at the beginning of the play). It's such a depressing, emotional play (although I guess that's to be expected considering it's by Arthur Miller), but it was well done.

I also saw the off-Broadway production of Farragut North, starring John Gallagher, Jr. (Tony winner for Spring Awakening), Chris Noth (Mr. Big from Sex and the City), and Olivia Thirlby (Ellen Page's best friend in Juno). I can see it transferring to Broadway; I thought it was great. The characters aren't very likable at all, but the actors still make you feel for them and engage you in the action. It's relevant and thought-provoking. And you can't go wrong with a $10 student ticket, especially in a tiny, intimate theatre where all the seats are good ones.

I also saw Sleepwalk with Me. It's a one-man off-Broadway show written by and starring Mike Birbiglia. Mike, if your google alerts happened to alert you to this post, I think you are suave and svelte. Mr. Birbiglia is very funny, and his humor seems to come effortlessly. At times he reminded me of Jimmy Kimmel; I'm not sure why, and I'm probably the only one who's made that observation. Anyway, it was a night of good, clean hilarity.

What else did I want to talk about? I guess that's it for now; this will be a theatre post. I'll save my real-life drama for later. Ooh, one more thing! I went to see the Pulitzer Prize-winning author Frank McCourt speak tonight. He's brilliant. He taught in New York City public schools for 30 years, and after only a little over one year as a NYC public school teacher I know how impressive that is. His book Teacher Man is a must-read for teachers everywhere (and for anyone who's been a student, I suppose; actually, everyone can appreciate it). When I first read it I could not stop laughing aloud hysterically. Tonight he read some of my favorite part of the book (the sandwich incident in the first chapter) and spoke about the experience of being a teenager as well as his journey to becoming a teacher. I greatly admire him and value his thoughts, so I was grateful to hear him speak.

"So you can burn me, cause we'll all be the same, the same way. Dirt in someone's eyes cried down the drain. I believe in a house in the clouds, and God's got his dead friends 'round. He's painted all the walls red, to remind them they're all dead." ~frightened rabbit

You might not have heard of Frightened Rabbit, but there's a good chance you've heard their music. Their song "Good Arms vs. Bad Arms" was on Grey's Anatomy last season and on One Tree Hill last week, and their song "The Twist" was on Chuck a couple of weeks ago. I have a feeling their popularity will increase significantly in the future. They are brilliant. I've been listening to their most recent album, The Midnight Organ Fight, nonstop for weeks. It's been hailed as one of the best albums of the year, and right now it is my favorite album of 2008. I went to see their concert last night at the Williamsburg Hall of Music and it blew me away. They're even better live than they are on their records.

I arrived very early because I wasn't sure when people would start lining up (it was GA), so I was the first person there. When I was finally allowed into the venue I claimed a spot directly in front of the stage, dead center. I was able to lean on the stage. A cool group of Frightened Rabbit fans eventually joined me up front and we chatted a little before the concert started. The Swims were the opening band, and they were pretty good. The concert was co-headlined by Frightened Rabbit and The Spinto Band, and Frightened Rabbit went on after The Swims (The Spinto Band got to close the show). Frightened Rabbit played nine songs. They played most of my favorites (The Twist, Keep Yourself Warm, Head Rolls Off); I wish they had played Backwards Walk and Poke, but overall I was happy with the setlist (when you have less than an hour onstage, something's gotta go). They had so much energy; they were all dripping with sweat by the second song. The group of fans next to me were so involved, so I didn't feel uncomfortable letting loose as well. We screamed along to all of the songs, we danced, we cheered...it wore me out, but it was fulfilling. I think the band drew from and appreciated our energy; they made eye contact and they said that it was "one of the best nights ever." It really was thrilling.

I recorded the show but it's not great because I was so close to the stage; I had to use a low recording level because I was too close to the drums, so the vocals aren't as clear and as loud as I'd like them to be. Here is a link to download the mp3 version of my recording. If you haven't listened to the album I highly recommend getting that first. And please excuse my awful singing. Also, please don't trade or sell this recording. If you want the .wav files let me know.

"I told you to be patient, I told you to be fine. I told you to be balanced, I told you to be kind." ~bon iver

I love that song. How fabulous is that line, "I told you to be fine"? I just think it's brilliant. I told you to be fine. Of course telling someone to be fine is just about as useful as telling someone to win the lottery.

I'm already thinking about my list of the best albums of the year and it's only October. Right now I'm focused on 6 that should at least make the top ten. They are:

Frightened Rabbit - The Midnight Organ Fight
Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
Ray LaMontagne - Gossip in the Grain
R.E.M. - Accelerate
Death Cab for Cutie - Narrow Stairs
Counting Crows - Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings

Go check them out if you haven't heard them already.

I have a lot going through my mind right now, but I can't write about it. I started to write this entry because I felt like I had so much to say, and now I realize I don't want to say it. Maybe later. I'll just leave this as a music post. I just wonder, does it ever get easier? Life, I mean. I keep reminding myself that I am incredibly lucky and fortunate, because I am, and I realize that I'm selfish for wanting more. And yet. I'm telling myself to be fine. We'll see how that goes.

"Well this is how we do things now, yeah this is how the modern stay scared. So I cut out all the good stuff, yeah I cut off my foot to spite my leg..." ~frightened rabbit

I went to the taping of Daniel Radcliffe's Inside the Actor's Studio interview on Monday. It was about three-and-a-half hours long. After listening to him talk for three-and-a-half hours (and after seeing him onstage naked for a prolonged period of time in Equus), I feel like I know Mr. Radcliffe. And he seems like a great guy. He's very humble, and he's also very funny. His Harry Potter fame hasn't gone to his head. He's very appreciative of that role and yet is already moving beyond it; he can do so much more than Harry Potter. I enjoyed listening to him and learning more about him. The interview will obviously be drastically edited for TV, so I'm glad I was able to be there for the taping and got to see the entire thing (even though I was fidgety and starving and exhausted by the end of it).

My favorite moment (what Daniel described as the stupidest thing he's ever said): At the end there was a Q&A session with the audience. After one audience member asked what roles he might like to play in the future, another audience member suggested that his diminutive stature makes him perfect for playing Napoleon. Daniel then told a funny Napoleon story. During a late night shoot, around 1:00am, Daniel wrapped something around himself to stay warm. He was cold and tired and apparently out of it. His dresser told him that he looked like Napoleon. Daniel asked, "Do you know what Napoleon's first name was?" His dresser paused and gave him a strange look before replying, "Napoleon." Daniel's (completely serious) response was, "So his name was Napoleon Napoleon? That's odd." I guess it doesn't seem so funny in print, but the way he told it was great. He's a very charismatic guy.

Tonight I'm going to see Speed the Plow on Broadway (Nicole got comps). I'm so excited. I like Jeremy Piven (although I'm not sure he deserves the multiple Emmy and Golden Globe awards that have been heaped upon him from Entourage; it's getting a bit ridiculous that he wins every year). I've heard good things about the play. I'll report back.

Teaching is going well (of course now that I've said that I'm sure it will blow up in my face). Of course I have to deal with behavior problems every day, but I guess I'm more used to it. For the first time, I feel like I might actually be a good teacher someday. Not yet, because I know I have so much left to learn, but someday I think I could be good at this. I think I'm off to a much better start than I was last year; it's wonderful to have some experience under my belt, and I know the kids can sense it. Some of them are so sweet. And they're all great when you're working with them 1:1. I've grown accustomed to the fact that they are nice kids, they just don't understand how to behave in school and it is impossible to change some of their behavior. I have to work with what I've got. My students' math teacher is not doing so great, though. The kids are tearing her apart. It's not good, and it'll be really bad if that behavior spills over into my classroom. We'll see what happens.

"Wiseblood knows how to walk the way the wind blows. Wiseblood hears grace whisper right behind." ~kurt stevenson & chris boesel

I don't know what's wrong with me. I've just been in a sort of rut lately. I'm not sure why. I'm not depressed or sad, just moody. I'm reading Nicole Krauss' The History of Love and something in every chapter brings tears to my eyes. I'm not sure if it's because the book is so heartbreaking or the book's sadness is enhanced by my own mood. Anyway, it's a beautiful novel. It's one of those that I don't want to finish reading because I want it to go on forever.

I've been going through the entire series of Six Feet Under. The season 3 finale made me cry. It made me think about Heaven. I thought Claire's vision of the afterlife was interesting; it was a huge carnival filling the cemetery. She asked her (dead) dad if it was a special occasion, and he told her that it's like that every day. Seeing Claire see (or imagine, I guess, because her dad told her it was her own vision) Lisa taking care of her (Claire's) unborn baby was what brought on the waterworks. It must have been comforting for her to know that he's being taken care of, although I'm sure it was devastating at the same time to know that she won't get to see him grow up. And then Lisa asked Claire to take care of her own baby, Mya, who is still alive. The entire episode got to me, but that moment was the most touching. The worlds of the living and the dead collided for a minute or so, and the characters remain connected to each other through their children (Lisa with Claire's son in the afterlife, Claire with Lisa's daughter in the world of the living). It's probably not enough for either of them, but it's something. It made me think about death and it made me think about the fact that I will never understand death, because I can't imagine death as a better place if you're separated from the people you love the most. It's beyond my understanding, but I guess that's the way it's supposed to be.

I guess that's all, now that I've thoroughly confused my imaginary readers.

"You twist and whisper the wrong name. I don’t care, nor do my ears. Twist yourself around me; I need company, I need human heat.” ~frightened rabbit

That beautiful song is on the season 2 premiere of Chuck. Which went up on Hulu today. And is absolutely fabulous. The whole episode is amazing, but it especially reminded me of how much I love Casey. He's so tough on the outside, but deep down he's a marshmallow (to steal a Veronica Mars line). His character is fascinating, and Adam Baldwin is brilliant in the role. He can do so much with a simple grunt.

I <3 Gina Gershon. She is hilarious. Check out this video:

See more Gina Gershon videos at Funny or Die

She is currently starring on Broadway in Boeing Boeing, in which she gives a great performance. October 2nd is her last day (as well as Kathryn Hahn's) and I really want to see it again before she leaves, even though I've already seen it twice.

I know I haven't written in a long time; I am just so insanely busy that it's impossible to find the time. And my internet is screwed up. Right now I'm posting from CCNY's library. I know this sounds funny, especially because I didn't usually enjoy going to the library at UR, but I love being back in a college library. It's just so...peaceful. This library is huge and I'm in a tiny study room up on the fourth floor.

I saw a couple of Broadway shows last week. I saw 13 and To Be Or Not To Be.
13 was...interesting. The cast and band consist entirely of teenagers. It's a musical about 13 13-year-olds. I think there are some very talented, hard-working kids up on stage, but the show needs work. I was uncomfortable about some of the subject matter (I don't think terminal illness should be treated flippantly), and I think some of the dialogue is unrealistic for 13-year-olds. The act one finale and the curtain call need to be fixed. It was a free night of theatre, though, so I was glad to see it. I looove Jason Robert Brown (he's the composer of The Last Five Years and Parade), and I did enjoy his score for this show very much.
To Be Or Not To Be was more enjoyable. It's a very funny play about a company of actors living in Poland during WWII. I like how it walks the line between comedy and drama, and the acting was fabulous. I went with my Theatre for Youth class, and beforehand we had a preshow workshop with MTC's Director of Education that was very interesting.
The Broadway Flea Market was this past weekend, which is one of my favorite days of the year. I won tickets to Hairspray and traded them for tickets to The Seagull, so I'm seeing that tomorrow and I can't wait. Kristin Scott Thomas and Peter Sarsgaard are fabulous actors so I can't wait to see them live on stage.

I should write about school, and I have other random fun stuff to write about, but I'm just too tired and pressed for time. Maybe later.

"At least you're not alone, your friends are there too. They're singing, "Happy Birthday"..." ~jonathan larson (tick tick boom)

Today wasn't a bad birthday at all, although it was uneventful. I did have my one requisite crying spurt (I always seem to go through one of those on my birthday; this year it was because of a little thing that probably shouldn't have affected me so much). I had school and then had to go to a 3-hour class, and I have to teach tomorrow, so I didn't really get to celebrate. I'm going out to dinner with my parents, aunt, uncle, and cousin tomorrow night and I'm looking forward to that. I really appreciated all the birthday wishes people sent me; it's such a fabulous feeling to know that people care about me. My friend Karen gave me two big birthday hugs today. Because one just wasn't enough. That made me really happy. I like receiving hugs, even though I'm not very good at giving them.
My kids were very nice to me at school today, and they enthusiastically wished me a happy birthday. One table made me a beautiful birthday card that said the following:

"Dear Ms. B.,
Roses are red, violets are blue, happy birthday to a specil person like u. Happy bday. Your 1 year older and your still look 14 or 15! But Laura thinks you look 28. Well we hope you enjoy your bday. We (heart) you."

How sweet is that?? (Well, besides the part about me looking 28.) And only on the third day of school. I love my kids. Cards like that are the reason I'm a teacher.

"Make a circle in the sand, make a halo with your hand, I'll make a place for you to land. The bus is running, it's time to leave. This summer's gone, and so are we. So come on baby, let's go shut it down..." ~counting crows

Tomorrow is the first day of school. I'm excited to meet my new kids. I'll probably have what is right now my only class (that's a big problem that I won't go into now) for most of the day, which means I need a lot of activities to keep them busy. For some reason, despite the fact that I haven't done much planning yet, I'm not that nervous. On the first day they're usually shy and quiet because they're nervous, so tomorrow I probably won't have to worry about behavior management too much. I just need to make sure I lay down the ground rules and expectations that will influence the rest of the school year.

Last year my birthday was the first day of school, and I remember going back to my apartment after school and planning like crazy because I used all of the plans I had already made on the first day. Here's my blog entry from my last birthday. It's interesting to go back and read it and see what I was thinking as I began my teaching career. I guess I'm slightly more jaded this year, but I'm still optimistic. I'm more aware of how challenging it will be but I'm up to the challenge.

Yesterday I went to see the Broadway musical [title of show]. I had some misgivings going into it (should they really be allowed to charge that much for a show with such a low production cost?), but I did enjoy it. I won the lottery for a cheap front row seat (which afforded me a perfect view); I wouldn't have seen it otherwise. It's a show for theatre-lovers, which is exactly what I am. Here's my favorite song from the show, A Way Back to Then. I saw Alice Ripley perform this song on Friday night and fell in love with it then. Heidi has a wonderful voice:

Towards the end of the show, Susan (one of the four actors) actually pointed at me, grinned at me, and sang directly to me. That made my day; it is so incredibly cool to connect with an actor onstage.

"He was talking about the theater," said Maladict.
"What's that?"
"An Abomination Unto Nuggan, or course," said the vampire. "It'd take too long to explain, dear child. People pretending to be other people to tell a story in a huge room where the world is a different place. Other people sitting and watching them and eating chocolate. Very, very abominable."
"I would like to eat chocolates in a great big room where the world is a different place," mumbled Lofty sadly.

That's from Terry Pratchett's Monstrous Regiment, which I finished reading last week. I love that excerpt. I love that last line about theater. "I would like to eat chocolates in a great big room where the world is a different place." That's exactly how I feel. I've tried to squeeze in a lot of reading recently while I still have the time. I read a good deal of Terry Pratchett this summer because I love him. I'm also really into Richard Russo right now. I finished the Pulitzer Prize-winning Empire Falls (fabulous) and am now reading Straight Man (which is hilarious).

I can't remember the last time I wrote or what I wrote about. But I haven't written about the beach yet. Last Friday my parents and I drove down to Rehoboth Beach. We stayed there until Tuesday (yesterday). It was nice to spend some time with them. It was nice to eat out every night (even though I'm sure I gained weight). It was nice to have nothing to worry about. It was nice to swim in the ocean. Well, most of the time. On Monday the waves were really, really strong. I got pulled under more than a few times in a very short period of time and got roughed around. I kept trying to make my way out of the ocean and kept getting pulled back under. My mom and I banged our heads together (hard) underwater. I lost my goggles and my mom miraculously found them in the ocean. I scraped the whole back side of one of my thighs on the bottom of the ocean floor; it ended up dripping blood all the way up to the bathroom where I washed it off and stuck some paper towels on it as a temporary bandage. But other than that one bad stretch, I loved the beach.
We also went for a disastrous bike ride that I would rather forget. We rode our bikes to a national park and rode around in there, but it took us a lot longer than we expected to bike there so we decided to try taking a shortcut back. Very bad idea. The "shortcut" was a trail in the national park that led out of the park and back towards town. Except the trail was pure sand. Deep dunes of sand. We couldn't bike, so we walked our bikes, pushing them through the sand. I think it took us about an hour to go one mile. And there were swarms of bugs around us the entire time. It was ridiculous. I was miserable.
Every night at the bandstand there was free live music, which I loved. The bands we saw were great. On Saturday it was The Diamonds, who are a famous group from the 1950's, and they were so much fun. I also enjoyed Jamie McLean, who played the first night we were there, and The Bridge.

Now I'm back in NYC and am being forced back into the real world. Tonight was my first grad school class of the semester. Tomorrow I have another class, and I also go back to my job as a teacher. Teachers start work tomorrow. I'm not looking forward to it. The kids start next Tuesday. My summer wasn't long enough; I hardly had any time off (I took classes the entire time) and it flew by. I have to start waking up insanely early and I'm not ready for it.

"I ran to the window, as fast as could be. I thought you were somebody else, I thought you were me." ~robert palmer

My trend of running into celebrities in the bathroom continues. I went to the Mets/Braves game tonight and ran into Abigail Breslin (Little Miss Sunshine herself) in the bathroom (she seemed very nice). That means this summer, in just 3 months, I've encountered Frances McDormand, Ashley Olsen, and Abigail Breslin in line for the loo. I wonder who will be next.

Unfortunately the Braves, who were winning almost the entire game, fell apart in the bottom of the 8th and lost. But Chipper had a good game and I was just glad to see him play at all (he was out the last time I saw the Mets play the Braves), so I wasn't too disappointed.

There was something I wanted to write about, but now I forget what it was. I'm sure I'll remember later.

"Sometimes I feel sitting on trains, every stop I get to I'm clocking that game. Everyone's a winner now we're making the fame, bona fide hustler making my name." ~m.i.a.

Yes, those lyrics are from "that song from the Pineapple Express trailer." I'm glad it's becoming popular because of that trailer, because it's a really good song. Ironically it's not even in the actual movie. Which is hilarious, by the way. I freakin' love James Franco, and he's just so...cool in this film. He has the most gorgeous smile, and I love his long hair. I'm a big fan of Freaks and Geeks, so it was great to see two Freaks and Geeks alums (Seth Rogen and James Franco) reunite. That show did not get the support it deserved.
Pineapple Express trailer:


I saw Hair at Shakespeare in the Park on Friday. I got in line at 6:15am (they gave out tickets at 1:00pm). The seven hours in line went by surprisingly quickly (I read a good chunk of Empire Falls). I went back to my apartment and tried to sleep a little before the show. Of course I turned on the news at 5pm that day just in time to see them issue a tornado warning and a flash flood warning for Manhattan. It rained all evening and the show was supposed to start at 8:00pm, but they kept us outside until 8:50pm. It finally stopped raining at 8:50 and they let us in and started the show at 9:00pm. It had been canceled the night before, so I was really glad they held out and waited for the rain to stop on the night I saw it. I thought it was a great production. Jonathan Groff's last night in it was Saturday (the day after I saw it), so I had wanted to catch it while he was still in it and was glad that I did because I thought he did a good job. The highlight for me was Allison Case's "Frank Mills;" it was really sweet (I love that song). James Rado has been revising the script ever since it was first produced, and it seems to be a more complex, serious, layered piece. Ben Brantley actually gave it a rave in the NYTimes, which is unusual for him.

I can't believe I have to go back to work so soon. I know I'm spoiled in that I had about two months off (not many jobs give you that luxury), but the time flew by. I'm not ready for summer to end. I'll try to make the most of the week-and-a-half I have left.

"As far as I can tell I'm nothing like a princess, but today I find myself curling up behind the house. There's nothing in the air today, now I know I'm not so important. Take these girly arms and ever keep me, take these girly arms and ever keep me." ~the national

I uploaded my videos of The National from Central Park Summerstage for any fans who are interested.

The Geese of Beverly Road:


All the Wine:


Apartment Story:


Karen:


About Today:

"Hey, love, we'll get away with it. We'll run like we're awesome, totally genius. Hey, love, we'll get away with it. We'll run like we're awesome. We're the heirs to the glimmering world, we're the heirs to the glimmering world, we're the heirs to the glimmering world, we're the heirs to the glimmering world.
Oh, come, come be my waitress and serve me tonight. Serve me the sky tonight. Oh, come, come be my waitress and serve me tonight. Serve me the sky with a big slice of lemon. We're the heirs to the glimmering world, we're the heirs to the glimmering world, we're the heirs to the glimmering world, we're the heirs to the glimmering world." ~the national

Random note: I love Anderson Cooper. Seriously. He's amazing. If he weren't gay I would marry him (I know, I know, as if his sexual orientation is the only thing keeping us apart).

I went to my friend's wedding in Annapolis this weekend. Two of my friends and I drove down on Friday, stayed with my aunt and uncle (who live in Annapolis) on Friday night, and went to the wedding on Saturday. I had a great time. I love Annapolis; it's such a beautiful town. We had perfect weather while we were there. I loved seeing my aunt and uncle. My Uncle Ed took us out on his boat for a quick ride; it's a gorgeous, large, sailboat. The wedding on Saturday was lovely. Maybe I'll write more about it later (and post pictures). I'm tired now, and I'm distracted because I'm watching the Olympics right now (women's gymnastics).

"Everyone I know is acting weird or way too cool. They hang out by the pool. So I just read a lot and ride my bike around the school." ~aimee mann

I saw Aimee Mann perform last Thursday at Barnes & Noble. I love her. One of the four books I'm currently reading is Nick Hornby's Songbook. (By the way, if you haven't read any of his novels, go do so now. A Long Way Down is my favorite.) Anyway, Songbook is a nonfiction book about 31 of his favorite songs (I think there are 31). He writes about Aimee Mann, and he says the following about the lyrics I quoted above: "These few words do the job of perhaps as many as seven hundred recently published semi-autobiographical but deeply sensitive first novels." I love that observation.
I went to see her at a cool Barnes & Noble event. She performed a few songs, and the writer Joseph O'Neill read from his book Netherland. There was a moderator who spoke to both of them. Joseph O'Neill is on the longlist for the Man Booker Prize this year and is the favorite to win. A video of the event is online here if you're interested. Here's a photo I took (obviously Aimee is performing and Joseph O'Neill is sitting on the far left):
I need to write about The National concert that I went to last night but I don't know if I'm ready for that. So I'll write snippets now. I got in line around 11:45am and was the first one there. They let us in the venue at 5:30pm, the concert started at 6:30pm, there were two opening acts, and The National went on at 8:30pm. It was a long day in the hot, hot, sun, so I was completely drained by the time I got back to my apartment. I'm still drained. But it was sooooo worth it. Because I was the first one there and it was GA, I got the best spot; dead center, front row, right in front of Matt. It was amazing. They played some of the songs that I was dying to hear but wasn't counting on (The Geese of Beverly Road, Karen, Green Gloves, About Today, All the Wine). I recorded it and my recording came out really well, aside from the presence of an annoying screamer standing behind me. I also took pictures (although they didn't come out great) and videos. I can't upload videos until Thursday but will add them to by youtube account then. Here are a couple of pictures:
This is Matt during Mr. November. He came into the crowd; it was phenomenal.

"We’ll be their pet, we’ll wear their collar, into the flame and off to the movies. The thrilling of Claire, for the thrilling of Claire, the thrilling of Claire, for the thrilling of Claire. We’ll be their pet, we’ll wear their collar, into the flame and off to the movies. The thrilling of Claire, for the thrilling of Claire, into the flame and off to the movies. The thrilling of Claire, for the thrilling of Claire." ~the national

I was already obsessed with The National before I learned that they had a b-side with my name in the title, and that discovery certainly didn't lessen my opinion of them. I love them. A lot. I'm seeing them (for the fifth time) at Central Park on Monday. I plan on getting in line insanely early so that I can be in the front row. I cannot wait. I can't stop thinking about it. I need to calm down about it, though. I keep thinking of all the songs I really want them to play (Wasp Nest, Lucky You, Karen, About Today, the Cherry Tree, All the Wine) and I know I'll be lucky if they play just one of those. I wish they varied their setlists a little more.

Yesterday I went to see the play Some Americans Abroad. It wasn't fabulous, but I adore Tom Cavanagh (he played Ed Stevens on the tv show Ed, which I watched religiously) and he gave a great performance in the play. He's such an incredibly nice person in real life (I talked to him after seeing him in Urinetown and he was so sweet).

Today in acting class I performed a scene from Say Goodnight, Gracie with a partner. It was so much fun. I played Steve, who's a comedian, and being him was exhilarating. I got to be funny and loud and impersonate Groucho and I wanted it to keep going after our scene ended. I don't like when we improv scenes that much, but when I have a script to work with I like being onstage.

"Girl, put your records on, tell me your favorite song. You go ahead, let your hair down. Sapphire and faded jeans, I hope you get your dreams, just go ahead, let your hair down. You're gonna find yourself somewhere, somehow." ~corinne bailey rae

I love summer. Teachers are so lucky to have the summer off; I keep having to remind myself that people with normal jobs are still working. I'm not completely free because I'm taking classes, but I definitely have more time than most people to do what I want. I've seen a lot of movies lately (five movies in five days). My apartment isn't air conditioned, so it's nice to sit inside a theater and cool off. The last three screenings I went to were Stepbrothers (not fabulous, but still funny, and Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly were at the screening and were very funny introducing the movie), Brideshead Revisited (very, very good; Emma Thompson and Matthew Goode particularly shone), and American Teen (a surprisingly touching documentary).

My acting class is going well, although I still don't feel like I'm cut out for acting. It's nerve-wracking, especially when you have to improvise. I'm much more comfortable memorizing lines and then getting onstage (even though that still makes me nervous). I can see why acting is a draw for some people, though. In my first class this summer, while my group was performing a scene, I made people in the audience (my classmates) laugh. I particularly remember one guy's laugh; it sounded so deep and sincere and spontaneous, and it thrilled me that I could make someone laugh like that. That was a great feeling. So I get it. It's just not easy for me. But I'm trying. If I were an undergrad taking this course, I think I would be much more nervous.

Both of my grandfathers have been in the hospital for months (this has been an awful year for both of them), but they both seem to be doing better now, which relieves me a little bit (although I'm still worried about both of them). My Grandad recently had his leg amputated, and he just got moved to a rehab center. His roommate is a young African American man who is recovering from a gang-related shooting. Everyone who knows my Grandad finds that pairing the most hilarious thing ever. My mom couldn't stop laughing as she tried to tell me. It has the potential for comedy gold. It's a sitcom in the making. I love my Grandad to death (he's honestly one of my favorite people in the world, and quite possibly the funniest person I've ever met), but he has his faults. He's very critical and outspoken; he'll say what he's thinking and is not afraid of insulting anyone. He's also racist. He's an old, stubborn, Southern white man who is set in his ways. It sounds like he's dealing with his new roommate pretty well, though. So maybe this will help change his mindset. But I'd love to be a fly on their wall.

"Actors are basically drag queens. People will tell you they act because they want to heal mankind or, you know, explore the nature of the human psyche. Yes, maybe. But basically we just want to put on a frock and dance." ~colin firth

I'm not opening with a song quote today, just a quote. Because I like it. I adore Colin Firth. And I love that he's not afraid to embrace his inner drag queen! He was hilarious in Mamma Mia!; I wish he had been given more to do. It was a fun movie. I love the entire cast. Amanda Seyfried is wonderful (I'm a huge fan of hers because of Veronica Mars), Meryl Streep is Meryl Streep ('nuff said), Pierce Brosnan's singing is ridiculous and yet he still just goes for it...they all just seemed like they were having such a good time.
I've seen a few movies in the past week or so, and I'm going to three advanced screenings this week (Brideshead Revisited, Step Brothers, and The Rocker), so I'll try to report back on those. I want to soak in as much air conditioning as possible (my apartment has no AC and feels like an oven). The Dark Knight was very well done. Heath Ledger stole the film. The Wackness was also pretty good; I love that Ben Kingsley is willing to play such a diverse characters.

My last class went well. On Saturday we went to perform at the senior citizen's center, and it was a success (I remembered my lines). The seniors seemed to really appreciate our work, which made me feel good. The man to whom I had spoken when we went there to collect stories brought me a bouquet of roses, which was incredibly sweet. I can't remember the last time someone gave me flowers. My instructor said something like, "Petal got flowers!" Did I mention that I adore him?

Today was my first acting class. I'm used to being the youngest person in my grad school classes (I'm the baby), but this is an undergrad class so I'm the oldest. It's an interesting shift. Class ends at noon, which gives me the rest of the day to do whatever, which I love. Today I met my dad for lunch; it was good to see him.

"Moon River, wider than a mile, I'm crossing you in style some day. Oh, dream maker, you heart breaker, wherever you're going I'm going your way." ~johnny mercer

I realized that I haven't written about either of my summer courses yet. The first one was last week, and the second one is this week (it ends tomorrow). Each course is three credits, which is what you normally get for a course spread out over a whole semester (16 weeks). Cramming all the material into one week is intense (to say the least). Each course is six days in a row, eight hours a day. It's exhausting. Our course this week has been incredibly interesting, though. It's called 'Making Meaning Through Community Drama,' and the instructor is an adorable old British man. His book was one of the required readings for my Drama in Education class last semester. He's absolutely brilliant, but he's also incredibly hilarious and kind and wonderful. On Monday we went to speak to senior citizens in a community center, and we spent the rest of the week devising a theatre piece to present to them based on the stories that they told us. Tomorrow we're performing it at the Center. The process has been so fascinating; it's such a cool feeling to know that we used their stories to create an actual piece of theatre. We're singing some beautiful songs in the piece (Moon River, Earth Angel, and more), and that's why Moon River is in my head right now. I'm opening the show with a monologue, which I'm pretty nervous about. There are tons of great actors in the class, and somehow I (the person with no experience being onstage) end up opening the show. I expressed my concern to the instructor and he was so sweet; he called me 'petal' and told me not to worry, that I'd be lovely. We'll see how it goes.

Here's one of my favorite SatC scenes, featuring Moon River: