The Numbers For 2011

For the first year of my life I left the state 0 times.

I took 0 vacation days.

I did around 150 shows.

I had 4 court appearances.

I rode my motorcycle everyday for 3 months.

I worked at Groupon for 11 months.

Salute Jive had 10 shows.

The Album had 9 shows.

Rick had 33 shows.

I watched 1 sunrise.

I got my bicycle repaired 3 times.

I watched 5 different BBC television series.

I had roughly 170 days of sobriety.

I watched 50 movies in the theater. Half of which I would watch again.

I made approximately 10 new friends.

I tried 1 cuisine I had never tried before.

I lost my temper 3 times.

I coached 6 rehearsals.

I went to 2 plays.

I went to 1 concert.

I flew in 0 planes.

I attended 0 weddings.

I attended 0 funerals.

I went to 1 graduation.

I fell in love, once.

Steve's Guide To Roommates

1. Cleanliness- Your living space should be as clean as the neatest person would like it to be. It doesn't take much energy if everyone knows what is preferred and pitches in.

2. Bills- One person should handle the bills. The other person or persons should make sure to pay their share within a week following the bills being sent.

3. Shower Time- Remember to coordinate schedules if everyone gets up around the same time.

4. Significant Others- They have free reign of course but within reason. Your significant other is still a guest and your roommate probably wants to see you alone periodically. If you're spending every day and/or evening with your significant other, after a certain point, you should probably move in together.

5. Borrowing- I firmly believe in 'what's mine is yours'. Food, movies, books, condoms what have you. That may not work for everyone but it eliminates the stupidest roommate argument. "Did you eat my leftover ________?" There's no reason to get upset about your left over kookaburra wings.

6. Talk- If you're friends with your roommates don't forget to hang out with them. If you don't like or are indifferent to your roommates make sure to check in with them now and again. You don't want to wake up one day and feel like your living with a stranger.

7. Toilet Paper- If you notice you're low buy some. There's nothing worse than a family member coming over and using the restroom when there's no toilet paper.

'A Dangerous Method' A Review

'A Dangerous Method' is a film about the early application of psychoanalysis by Carl Jung. The film follows Jung(Fassbender) through his early professional days treating Sabina Spielrine(Knightly). As Jung progresses with his treatment he befriends Freud(Viggo) and develops a relationship with Sabina.

There is no plot to speak of, simply these characters living in and around each other. But it doesn't require the structure of a plot to be entertaining or interesting. The best scenes in the film are between Jung and Freud discussing the different methods and application of what is becoming 'modern' psychology. There are also a couple scenes where they analyze each others dreams, which don't add anything but feel authentic giving the characters another dimension.

The sexual relationship between Jung and Sabina could have been the main focus of the movie but its just a subplot. The focus of the movie is: who were these men? how did psychology begin? Two interesting questions which they explore but don't fully answer.

The acting was great, other then Knightly laying it on a bit thick at the beginning, and the story engaging but not overwhelming.

See It.

The Elusive Brian Damage

How to 'Ace the ACT' with the worlds only test-prep magician- Brian Damage!

Wilting Winter

Cold slips gently
over the shoulders of a city.
Wheels slowly turn,
tempers quicken,
and sneers pull at cheeks.

Puddles of water freeze and thaw
and crack
------------------------the concrete.

Flowers limp and brown and bow low,
we layer and hunch and hurry,
and prepare for the inevitable snow.

You can't escape the cold.

Ace The ACT

Andel and I taking a standardized test from a Rick show.

Recently Rick has been going really well. I've been having a lot of fun and I'm proud of the work we've been doing. Come see us next Thursday at iO.

Happy Holidays!

'The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo' A Review

(This poster is ridiculous)

I've read the Steig Larrson trilogy as well as watched the original Swedish films. As with any adaptations previous encounters with the story shape how you view the film. The original novel is sweeping and interesting and attacks some pretty dangerous themes. It also address misogyny more directly than most American fiction.

The Swedish film was a pared down version of the novel and the American adaptation is even more so. The most compelling thing about the story is Lisbeth Salander the title character. Damaged, intelligent, independent, and violent. This film lacks a clear picture of Lisbeth and we only get a short glimpse of the gradual friendship developing between Blomquist and Lisbeth.

When I left the theater I overheard many people saying things like "that was weird" or "I don't get it." I don't know if I liked the movie. At this point I know the story so well I don't notice omissions and automatically fill in the gaps. I imagine this American version wouldn't make a lot of sense to the average viewer. I imagine it would be confusing because the theme of violence against women was there but jumbled and rearranged and slightly dimmer than in the novel. Danial Craig was too confident as Blomquist, Rooney Mara too distant as Lisbeth.

In the original Swedish the title of the book is "Men Who Hate Women" which I think makes a much stronger statement and attempts to make a much more emphatic point than the Americanized American version ever attempts.

Did I like this movie? Would you?

I Don't Know.