Thursday, December 31, 2009

Best of 2009.

Of course it's a partial list, I know that!

Technology: What technology made my heart sing this year? I'm so glad you asked:

  • my new iMac, which is ineffable.
  • Mac Book Pro: it's better than bad, it's good!
  • Various software and freeware: Final Cut Express and Screenr, Spezify. Fun for everyone.

Live Music: My most memorable live shows included

  • Regina Spektor
  • The Pretenders
  • Benny Green (jazz)
Los Angeles: Part one of the Los Angeles Project took place, formally, this past October. Highlights included:

  • Mulholland Drive, the San Gabriel and Santa Monica mountains, Topanga Canyon
  • The fishermen: at Royal Palms beach on a choppy, brilliant Sunday; off the Hermosa Beach pier on a Saturday night
  • The Getty. Creamy and delicious.

The West: Most of our trips this year were in the west (the rest of the west, aside from California). Each of these trips was splendid in its very own way:

  • Wyoming: South Pass, sunny both ways, and the Clark's Fork of the Yellowstone and environs.
  • Montana: Bozeman and Red Lodge (or Red Cloud Lodge, as I like to call it)
  • Seattle, to visit the historian's daughter, partner, and new baby boy.
  • Idaho: of course. For all the reasons, and more.

Retreats: Leaving one's home, in order to retrench, renew, recuperate, refresh, which I/we did par excellence in

  • Idaho, all summer, practically. I hope we get to do it again.

Reading: This year, I read--aside from the never-ending pile of detective novels and police procedurals--and loved:

  • The City & the City, China Mieville
  • To the Lighthouse, V. Woolf
  • Gilead, Marilynne Robinson

Movies: I already named some of my favorite movies of the year in my annual premature list:

  • The Hurt Locker
  • Bright Star
  • Eternal Moments
  • Summer Hours
  • A Serious Man. To the above, I add
  • Fantastic Mr. Fox, which is fantastic.

Fashion: this year I am enjoying wearing

  • raw-edged ruffles, with a little
  • sparkle, preferably all in
  • gray.

Triumphs: things we conquered this year included

  • the mice (a provisional victory)
  • last semester (a definitive victory. I've recently decided this.)

Perhaps it goes without saying that the first eight months of 2009, during which I was on sabbatical or it was summer, were peerless: I wrote, I read, I made movies. I don't know if these months were, taken as a whole, the best of the best. But they were amazing. They were excellent.

Forecasts for 2010:

  • In 2010, I plan to take better care of myself.
  • I will make more music, and
  • I will make more video essays.
  • I will enjoy all my beloveds--family and friends--because they are my beloveds.
  • In 2010, I will write more poems, and
  • I will invite more people over.
Most of all, I want to remember 2009 as a year in which I loved and spent time with my family, loved and spent time with my friends, made many and varied verbal and visual artifacts, traveled, and cherished the lucky life I have. My life is full of blessings, and you, dear readers, are a part of that. Here's to you in the new year, happy, healthy, and full of sass. Bless.

4 comments:

  1. Looks like a great year. I love Benny Green, and am sad we missed him this time. We need to get back to those concerts!

    ReplyDelete
  2. A splendid list from a splendid friend. Cheers.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Am looking forward to everything you'll do (wearing ruffles and gray) in this brand new year. Much love.

    ReplyDelete
  4. My goals for 2010? To have Lisa B.'s 2009.

    ReplyDelete

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