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Two More Days...
Dec. 30th, 2007 01:14 pm...to go 'til 2008, almost an entire decade into the 21st century. It seems simultaneously utterly natural (oddly) and completely ridiculous, particularly after rewatching the $9.99 copy of Carpenter's Prince of Darkness--oh, and what an unashamed Bava nightmare/homage that remains!--which I got at BMV to replace Steve's initial weird choice of present, an equally cheap copy of Reeker. The idea that 1997 was, at the time, far enough in the future that having a tachyon pulse message from that year filter back through people's dreams made a sort of loose sense...yeah, and wasn't Terminator's machine-devestated future supposedly in the 1990s, too? Good going, guys.;)
Anyhow. I've already received one invitation to a closed anthology, and now that I've completely fucked my clock by spending five very early morning hours sorting/recording the TP-113 reviews (while, at the same time, dubbing ten more CDs and printing out one raft of TP-133 handouts), then slept in 'til almost one, I guess it behooves me to make an attempt at wrap-up for 2007 and predictions/vows for 2008. 'Cause people really CARE, I'll bet (ha!).
Not a lot of fannish action in 2007, which makes me wonder if my time in that particular field of useless endeavor is finally through. All the fic impulses I've had tended to be towards bottle universes, not growing ones--for example, after seeing El Orfanato on Thursday, I've wanted to write a Five Pictures Tomas Hasn't Drawn-type of deal, though I doubt I will. (In case you're wondering, I loved it unashamedly, and didn't find the ending "sappy"...what, "sappy" like El Labyrinto del Fauno? 'Cause it's pretty much the same ending--if you want to think the worst, feel free, but even if you choose not to, it's not exactly happy. I'll also mention that parts of the film made me actually moan out loud with sorrow, though that may well just be the mother in me.) Stuff that both consumed my attention and colonized sections of my brain included Jekyll (BBC), Sweeney Todd (BBC) and Death Note, which introduced me to the structure of mangas like Cantarella, Parasyte, Bizenghast and Chevalier d'Eon; I liked Blood Ties, Mad Men, 30 Days of Night, the webcomics Rice Boy and Dinosaur Comics, plus almost all the same TV series I committed to last year, though both Prison Break and 24 dropped off a bit. Obviously, the wristers' strike didn't help. I enjoyed being able to catch up with the scripts for various films I wasn't able to see online, though--simplyscripts.com has become invaluable. And So You Think You Can Dance has become my talent competition-driven reality show crack of choice, though I'm sure I'll watch Idol(s) when they come back on. (I also got a kick out of TLC's tattoo shop shows, though I'd have to rate L.A. Ink highest in terms of sheer combined hotness and skill; Kat von D.'s a bit of a flake, but she's my definite non-actor Lesbian crush of last year.)
In terms of music, which you guys may or may not have been tracking from my commentary throughout the year, the discs which caught my fancy most were Feist's The Reminder, Nid de Pie/Crow's Nest by Claire Jenkins avec Band, NIN's Year Zero, Amy Winehouse's Back to Black, Damien Rice's 9 Songs, Nightwish's Dark Passion Play and Tarja's new solo album, My Winter Storm. Various songs also hit my radar, mainly due to Nigel and pals at SYTYCD, the fine metalhead folks at Supernatural, and Elizabeth Bear. My obsession with Jocelyn Pook and Joseph Arthur continues apace, leading to me rediscovering large sections of Our Shadow Will Remain, the unofficial soundtrack to Peter Petrelli's so-called life. All of it was useful, so thanks a bunch, people! I COULD do it without you, but it sure wouldn't be quite as fun.
In 2008, I plan to--
*Get a better job, before they shut me down.
*Finish Last Things.
*Finish The Mercy Seat.
*Shop Lilim.
*Hopefully see Exit Zero made.
*See the web-radio project get up off the ground.
*Write enough short stories to float another collection, and place said collection with an actual publisher who won't throw it in the ground.
*Get my website revised and updated past 2001.
*Clean out my trunk, and submit submit submit.
*Keep on writing poetry.
*Write consistently, finish fast (no more five-year lag in the middles of projects), revise viciously and get stuff the fuck out the door.
*Figure out ways to make my writing pay.
*WORK OUT EVERY DAY.
*Commit myself to making sure Cal gets the help he needs.
*See my friends more often.
*Rekindle things with Steve.
And yes, that last is down the bottom, but I don't mean it means less, for all of that. I just refuse to only define myself by those guys, this world, this net of relationships. I'm who I am. I won't be other. If that's selfish, fine: I'm myself. And content to be.
See you on the other side.
Anyhow. I've already received one invitation to a closed anthology, and now that I've completely fucked my clock by spending five very early morning hours sorting/recording the TP-113 reviews (while, at the same time, dubbing ten more CDs and printing out one raft of TP-133 handouts), then slept in 'til almost one, I guess it behooves me to make an attempt at wrap-up for 2007 and predictions/vows for 2008. 'Cause people really CARE, I'll bet (ha!).
Not a lot of fannish action in 2007, which makes me wonder if my time in that particular field of useless endeavor is finally through. All the fic impulses I've had tended to be towards bottle universes, not growing ones--for example, after seeing El Orfanato on Thursday, I've wanted to write a Five Pictures Tomas Hasn't Drawn-type of deal, though I doubt I will. (In case you're wondering, I loved it unashamedly, and didn't find the ending "sappy"...what, "sappy" like El Labyrinto del Fauno? 'Cause it's pretty much the same ending--if you want to think the worst, feel free, but even if you choose not to, it's not exactly happy. I'll also mention that parts of the film made me actually moan out loud with sorrow, though that may well just be the mother in me.) Stuff that both consumed my attention and colonized sections of my brain included Jekyll (BBC), Sweeney Todd (BBC) and Death Note, which introduced me to the structure of mangas like Cantarella, Parasyte, Bizenghast and Chevalier d'Eon; I liked Blood Ties, Mad Men, 30 Days of Night, the webcomics Rice Boy and Dinosaur Comics, plus almost all the same TV series I committed to last year, though both Prison Break and 24 dropped off a bit. Obviously, the wristers' strike didn't help. I enjoyed being able to catch up with the scripts for various films I wasn't able to see online, though--simplyscripts.com has become invaluable. And So You Think You Can Dance has become my talent competition-driven reality show crack of choice, though I'm sure I'll watch Idol(s) when they come back on. (I also got a kick out of TLC's tattoo shop shows, though I'd have to rate L.A. Ink highest in terms of sheer combined hotness and skill; Kat von D.'s a bit of a flake, but she's my definite non-actor Lesbian crush of last year.)
In terms of music, which you guys may or may not have been tracking from my commentary throughout the year, the discs which caught my fancy most were Feist's The Reminder, Nid de Pie/Crow's Nest by Claire Jenkins avec Band, NIN's Year Zero, Amy Winehouse's Back to Black, Damien Rice's 9 Songs, Nightwish's Dark Passion Play and Tarja's new solo album, My Winter Storm. Various songs also hit my radar, mainly due to Nigel and pals at SYTYCD, the fine metalhead folks at Supernatural, and Elizabeth Bear. My obsession with Jocelyn Pook and Joseph Arthur continues apace, leading to me rediscovering large sections of Our Shadow Will Remain, the unofficial soundtrack to Peter Petrelli's so-called life. All of it was useful, so thanks a bunch, people! I COULD do it without you, but it sure wouldn't be quite as fun.
In 2008, I plan to--
*Get a better job, before they shut me down.
*Finish Last Things.
*Finish The Mercy Seat.
*Shop Lilim.
*Hopefully see Exit Zero made.
*See the web-radio project get up off the ground.
*Write enough short stories to float another collection, and place said collection with an actual publisher who won't throw it in the ground.
*Get my website revised and updated past 2001.
*Clean out my trunk, and submit submit submit.
*Keep on writing poetry.
*Write consistently, finish fast (no more five-year lag in the middles of projects), revise viciously and get stuff the fuck out the door.
*Figure out ways to make my writing pay.
*WORK OUT EVERY DAY.
*Commit myself to making sure Cal gets the help he needs.
*See my friends more often.
*Rekindle things with Steve.
And yes, that last is down the bottom, but I don't mean it means less, for all of that. I just refuse to only define myself by those guys, this world, this net of relationships. I'm who I am. I won't be other. If that's selfish, fine: I'm myself. And content to be.
See you on the other side.
