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Stories & SNippets : 2008

…and observations, journals, & musings on music, film, books, art, and pretty things. and life in general.

January 2008

January 10

Listening to Ravel.

(Re)reading Mere Christianity.

January 15

Watching Jeopardy and Without a Trace. Listening to Belle & Sebastian, Mates of State, Sound of Music soundtrack. Working on Lund book and Willow Lakes.

Also: Becca and I return to doing crosswords. I study Nietzsche.

January 17

She perches on the counter, yellow tracksuit, vinyl bib, face smearing with food and a quizzical open-mouthed expression as Becca cheerfully feeds her slop off our single Superman spoon. Becca converses and carries on with her with a big smile. Our daughter refuses to respond with much beyond stoic acceptance of what is being shoveled in her mouth gently. But she keeps lolling it around with her tongue, occasionally spreading onto cheeks and nose and fingers, and appears somewhat content, if not giddy. May she have a lifelong love of and healthy relationship with good food. And with her mum.

January 24

Listening to Eric Satie, the Rapture, and Diana Krall. Conversing about Hillary versus Obama.

January 27

Watching Unbreakable with Becca and Jeremy. Still one of my favorite films ever. “Do you ever feel like you’re not doing what you’re supposed to be doing?” - Mr. Glass

February 2008

March 2008

March 21

Reading Blueprint, Dwell, and ReadyMade magazines. Listening to Jack Johnson, BOAT, Bishop Allen, and NPR

March 30 Sunday

Listening to James Blunt, Andreas Bocelli, Peter, Paul & Mary

April 2008

April 13

Listening to Fatboy Slim’s Rockefeller Skank

May 2008

June 2008

July 2008

July 14

There is napping on the part of one of us, and have to say, even though she’s not a little kid anymore, at a year old she’s still kind of cute sleeping. Also, she hangs out with her mum practicing the newfound skill of walking - with a little help from a friend - and styling sunglasses. She appears simultaneously nonplussed and extremely proud of herself. More for the sunglasses than the walking, I think.

July 31, almost 2am

Another long, late night. Working on a short commissioned piece by a couple for their wedding. Lengthy day with our daughter, in conjunction. Afternoon in Portland. Family treat at Coldstone on the way back, a $5.40 coffee concoction. She watched us lick and ate her pea crisps.

What a mimic: “Quick! Quick! I need a kiss! Now!” (I say, and she does). Love it.

August 2008

August 13 Wednesday

On a shoot for a hybrid book-web-video hybrid series in Sumter, Oregon. Watched Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead with a fellow crew member in his RV after filming. Sydney Lumet : that saturation-drenched, orange-ish visual indicative of so many ‘70s auteurs.

August 27, 11.39pm

I am moving VLM HQ downtown. To a shared space. To happen imminently. Exciting.
Kevin Duckworth died yesterday at 44 years old and 500 lbs. Really sad.

“What do you think I need to do…go to Safeway and shoot elk?”
-a very, very tired, grumpy, silly, still-vegetarian, animal-saving Becca, making no sense.

Jonny is back. Or “Anyung,” as our daughter calls him.

She is: walking all over, covering her mouth when she coughs, mimicking like a maniac, lounging on her dual animal couches, helping me collage and paint.

September 2008

September 15, anni #6

Becca’s first day at her new employment. Stock market is way down. Merrill-Lynch is getting eaten up by Bank of America.

September 21

Watching Curb Your Enthusiasm, season 5 with Becca and Jeremy

September 23

Getting ready to watch Curb Your Enthusiasm season 5. With Jeremy and Becca. Sickos, besides smiling, hyper cheerful Becca. Our daughter wanted us all in our bed tonight, when we were getting her to sleep.

September 26

Watching Numbers on DVD.

September 29, 10pm

Downstairs, preparing to watch Numbers. Was so tired today. Worked on the deck all day yesterday with Dad. What a guy. What an incredible, gifted, generous, great guy.

October 2008

October 06, 12.09am

My brother J——- took his LSAT today. Didn’t feel good about it. He also ran into an ex’s “spiritual mentor.” This person told him: “You need to let her know you’re in town.” Sometimes, the state of humanity in this intermingled, interwoven, intratangled web of connections…sometimes.

November 2008

November 15

Listening to Blackalicious and Bishop Allen

December 2008

——

Essential Films of 2008

Favorites

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Iron Man
Slumdog Millionaire
WALL-E

Honorable mention

Australia
Burn After Reading
Quantum of Solace (Daniel Craig’s 2nd go-round as 007)
The Wrestler

All ages

WALL-E

Guilty pleasures

Role Models
Seven Pounds

Holiday

this

Want to see

A Christmas Tale (Deneuve)
The Class (teacher and underprivileged youth)
Doubt
The Escapist (Brit prison escape thriller)
Happy-Go-Lucky
The Hurt Locker
In Bruges
Let the Right One In (Swedish vampire fable)
The Reader
Revolutionary Road
Sunshine Cleaning
Snow Angels (David Gordon Green)
Swing Vote (Kevin Costner)
The Wackness (Ben Kingsley)
Waltz with Bashir (animated documentary)
Wolf Creek (Australian backpacking thriller)