Random Thoughts While SInus Congestion Keeps Me Up @ 2:30 in the Morning.
This is the second cold I've had since late December and it sucks. Susan had a cold last week and I'm sure I picked it up.
For my money the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra is the best and classiest entertainment in town. We went last Sunday to see the final day of their "Mostly Mozart" festival and it was brilliant. Their chief conductor, Guillermo Figueroa gave background for each piece as Mozart in full costume. I also love their cheif venue, the Roy Disney theatre at the Hispanic Cultural Center. I'm taking Susan to their pops program featuring "The Three Divas" next Saturday. Should be fantastic.
James Frey is a jerk, yes, but the bigger jerks are his publishers and agent for selling his book as a memoir.
One of my favorite people on the planet, Howard Bryan, has a new book out, ALBUQUERQUE REMEMBERED from UNM Press. Buy it at my store now, damn it.
Susan and I will not be watching the Super Bowl tomorrow. Instead, we will be recreating what we did last year at this time, which was going to a movie, Borders and Azuma for sushi. Last year we saw MILLION DOLLAR BABY this year, we might see MRS. HENDERSON PRESENTS, THE WORLD'S FASTEST INDIAN, CAPOTE or something else.
If you haven't seen the movie CRASH, rent it now. It is by far the best film of last year, and my pick for the Best picture Oscar. Other favorites from last year were WALLACE AND GROMIT: THE CURSE OF THE WERERABBIT, THE MARCH OF THE PENGUINS, MILLIONS, THE CONSTANT GARDENER, KUNG FU HUSTLE, and THE 40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN.
The next time Gorilla Tango Improv Theatre hosts CInema Loca, which will be on February 17th, please go! It is a wonderfully entertaining evening in which a surprise old movie is shown with its original soundtrack wiped out, and new soundtrack ad libed on the spot by a team of improvisers. Last month's film was "The Beatnicks" which was renamed "FRENCH FEELS WARM INSIDE." Don't miss it, you.
I'm getting groogy, maybe I'll try going back to sleep now.

New Year's Resolutions. How About a Revolution? Okay, I know January is more than half over now, and most of you have already broke most of the resolutions you made for the new year. I'm just getting around to making mine.
Here they go:
Follow my bliss.
Only do those things that make you happy.
Don't continue to do something you hate or don't enjoy out of obligation or guilt.
Serve God and the world better by paying closer attention to my own needs and desires.
Write SOMETHING every day, whether it is a blog entry or a book chapter or a dirty limerick on a napkin.
Complete my first novel this year.
Find an agent.
Get published.
Experience JOY everyday in some form.
Count my blessings everyday.
Give love back to my friends and the world everyday in some way.
Take more time to enjoy nature.
Walk the dogs more.
Travel more.
Read more.
Watch less television.
Appreciate the people in my life more.
Continue pursuing performing onstage in some way, either through acting or improv comedy.
Improve the way I run my business.
Find humor in everything, laugh more.
Continue to grow in personal relationships.
Meditate more.
Listen to more music, both in quantity and variety.

Okay, I'll check back on these in a couple months, and let you know how I'm doing.

Write Like The Wind! Okay, I've left this thing go for far too long. Now is the time to get back at it. Why haven't I posted anything? Too much stuff going on. "What might that be?" you ask. I'm going to answer that question by listing major exciting events in my life over the last twelve months. While they are not necessarily in order of coolness, they kinda are. Here goes:
Met and feel in love with the most wonderful woman in the world.(Feb.)
Said woman moved in with me (Nov.)
Getting it on a regular basis.
Flew to Detroit to her son's wedding. Met her mom and her three grown kids. (July)
Her three kids and their three dogs visited us for Christmas. Best holiday ever. (Dec.)
Went camping in the Jemez. (June)
Rented a cabin by Heron Lake and El Vado lake near Chama.(Aug)
Went to the Tony Hillerman Mystery Writer's Conference. Met Tony and a bunch of other cool people and got inspired to write a mystery.( Nov.)
Participated in National Novel Writing Month. Wrote a 50,000 word first draft in 30 days. (Nov.)
Took two great novel writing classes, both through UNM continuing education. (Nov. and Dec.)
Joined the Southwest Writers Group. (Dec.)
Passed auditions at Gorilla Tango Improv Theatre and made it onto the Student Team (Apr.)
Completed a year of improv training at Gorilla Tango. (Aug.)
Started performing improv weekly at Gorilla Tango with the troupe "The six Nipple Trio." (Oct.)
Joined the American Booksellers Association. (Nov.)
Went to Ten Thousand Waves in Santa Fe. (Apr.)
Took a week vacation in Tucson with my Dad. (Jan.)
Hosted two booksignings at my shop, with Pari Noskin Taichert ("The Belen Hitch") and Andy Sandersier ("Wines of New Mexico"). (Oct.)
I went to the New Mexico Symphony twice. (May and Dec.)
Went to the Balloon Fiesta. (Oct.)
Went to the State Fair. (Sept.)
Took a "Intuitive Cooking" class. (Nov.)
Went to the Bio Park concert series several times. (Jun. - Aug.)
Started cooking at home more.
Stopped hosting Unity Singles events and ramrodding the singles group. (Apr.)
Let go of responsibilities and tasks that I stopped feeling joy in doing.


It was a really wonderful year overall: full of love, adventure, excitement, and change. Not all of it was easy, and there were some struggles and tears along the way. There were some medical issues cropping up, and business was poor. Also, there were some issues dealing with the radical changes. But, hey, that's life. As the old saying goes, "The soul would have no rainbows if the eyes had no tears."