"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.