I. Favorite BookThe Trouble with Diversity by Walter Benn Michaels (that's Walter on the right). A highly readable, provocative thesis by the head of the UIC English department, one of the smartest folks I’ve come across in journey through academia. According to Michaels, multiculturalism is for the birds; it’s economic justice we should be concerned about.
Author! Author! By David Lodge. I got to know David Lodge through his Morris Zapp books (Zapp is a character based on Professor Stanley Fish, whom I took a class with at UIC). His novel Nice Work made it to my Top 40 at 40 list. This one is an imaginative tour of the mind of Henry James centering on the most humiliating moment in the life of the acclaimed author.
II. Memorable Arts Events—Theater, Art Exhibits, Museums, Concerts
In February, we trudged through snow to take Emilio to see a lively performance by Alex and the Kaleidoscope Band at the Bubbles Academy. On Mari’s last day of school, we took the train to Ravinia to hear the Doobie Brothers. The Doobie event was difficult to enjoy on account of the size of the crowd. Emilio enjoyed the train ride, though. Ten days later we returned to Ravinia to hear the Indigo Girls. We bought lawn seats that were out of viewing distance of the band, but near the end of the evening, Emi and I staked out a spot at the side of the stage and a friendly ticket holder later let us have her seats. Brandi Carlile performed with them and did a good job. That's Brandi on the far left in the video above.
Throughout the summer and fall, Emi and Emily, his babysitter, made almost daily visits to the climate-controlled Children’s Museum of Immigration at the Swedish-American museum on Clark Street (that's not Emily and Emi on the left in the photo at left). When I played the role of his escort, everybody knew him and was happy to see him.
Over the course of the summer, I attended two performances of Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind at the Neo-Futurarium, once with Gimena and once with Lisa and Brian. In December, Jaime and Maria Rosa’s visit gave Mari and I an opportunity to go see (and participate in) Mr. Fluxus, a main stage production conceived and directed by Neo-Futurist founder Greg Allen. The highlight of that event, chronicled elsewhere, was the Warheads we brought home with us to share with Jaime and Maria Rosa.
III. Favorite Celebs
A. Male. Jack Black. I didn’t want to see Nacho Libre in a movie theater because I suspected that it, like most comedies I see on big screen, would disappoint. I didn’t see Holiday in a movie theater because the reviews for the romantic comedy were mediocre and I’m not a Cameron Diaz fan. I think I made the right call on both counts, but I recently caught both flicks on the homescreen, where expectations are lowered exponentially, and enjoyed Mr. Black’s work in both. Runner-up: Will Ferrell. Talladega Nights is another comedy I chose to catch on the homescreen. Loved it.
In February, we trudged through snow to take Emilio to see a lively performance by Alex and the Kaleidoscope Band at the Bubbles Academy. On Mari’s last day of school, we took the train to Ravinia to hear the Doobie Brothers. The Doobie event was difficult to enjoy on account of the size of the crowd. Emilio enjoyed the train ride, though. Ten days later we returned to Ravinia to hear the Indigo Girls. We bought lawn seats that were out of viewing distance of the band, but near the end of the evening, Emi and I staked out a spot at the side of the stage and a friendly ticket holder later let us have her seats. Brandi Carlile performed with them and did a good job. That's Brandi on the far left in the video above.
Throughout the summer and fall, Emi and Emily, his babysitter, made almost daily visits to the climate-controlled Children’s Museum of Immigration at the Swedish-American museum on Clark Street (that's not Emily and Emi on the left in the photo at left). When I played the role of his escort, everybody knew him and was happy to see him.Over the course of the summer, I attended two performances of Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind at the Neo-Futurarium, once with Gimena and once with Lisa and Brian. In December, Jaime and Maria Rosa’s visit gave Mari and I an opportunity to go see (and participate in) Mr. Fluxus, a main stage production conceived and directed by Neo-Futurist founder Greg Allen. The highlight of that event, chronicled elsewhere, was the Warheads we brought home with us to share with Jaime and Maria Rosa.
III. Favorite CelebsA. Male. Jack Black. I didn’t want to see Nacho Libre in a movie theater because I suspected that it, like most comedies I see on big screen, would disappoint. I didn’t see Holiday in a movie theater because the reviews for the romantic comedy were mediocre and I’m not a Cameron Diaz fan. I think I made the right call on both counts, but I recently caught both flicks on the homescreen, where expectations are lowered exponentially, and enjoyed Mr. Black’s work in both. Runner-up: Will Ferrell. Talladega Nights is another comedy I chose to catch on the homescreen. Loved it.
B. Female. Tina Fey and Kelly MacDonald. I’m digging 30 Rock. Haven't seen much of Kelly this year, but I look forward to checking her out in No Country for Old Men.IV. A Year on the Tube.
Best Use of Netflix
Michael Apted’s Up series.
My DVR Regulars (In No Particular Order)
1. 30 Rock (NBC). Great platform for SNL All-Star Host Alec Baldwin, who has a great relationship with Ms. Fey. Tracy Morgan isn’t as good as I hoped he’d be. Jane Krakowski, though, has been a pleasant surprise.
2. The Sopranos: Part Two of Season Six—the Final Season (HBO). Didn’t care for the famous cut-to-black ending in the season finale, but this was a performance for the ages by James Gandolfini and I never missed an episode.
3. Meet the Press (NBC). I record this one, but I take it like a pill. Tim Russert makes me queasy sometimes.
4. This Week (ABC). I think George Stephanopolous does a good job.
5. The Daily Show (Comedy Central). I’m boycotting this one during the Writers Guild Strike. Sorry to see that John has allowed the show to go on.6. Ebert and Roeper Show (ABC) It has been a year without Roger. Texan Robert Wilonsky (who writes for the Dallas Observer, apparently) has been my favorite fill-in.
6. Saturday Night Live (NBC). Loved Peyton Manning's performance as the captain of a high school basketball team given a half-time pep talk by dancing Will Forte.
7. The Flight of the Conchords (HBO). Debut of the Year. Always good. Brett's "I dance when I'm mad" moment (see below) was one the season's best.
9. Rome (HBO). Fun. Not great. Loved all the actors, though.
9. Rome (HBO). Fun. Not great. Loved all the actors, though.
10. I guess this was the year I started watching Countdown with Keith Olberman. Some of Olberman’s special commentary moments have been stunningly acid. I’ve loved them. I also dig the Worst Person in the World feature and the incessant hammering of Bill O’Reilly. The show doesn’t always live up to its promise, though. Don’t care for the fluffy, “Keeping Tabs” section at the end, which features gossip wits like Michael Musto of the Village Voice.
11. I record and watch Hardball with Chris Matthews and also watch the Chris Matthews show on Sundays. I’m no Chris Matthews fan, but it’s the kind of TV wallpaper I like to put up when I’m occupied with other things.12. The show I most look forward to watching, though, is The Office. I really dug the one-hour specials that started the season.
V. A Year in Tune.
As best I remember (I have no records of this), I bought 2 CDs this year:
1. The Best of Sade and
2. The Best of Roberta Flack. I picked up both of these in the month before my 40th birthday in an attempt to fill in some of the blanks in my music collection. Both had some candidates for my 40 Tunes at 40 list (I haven’t finished that list yet).
Once again, most of the new tunes that found their way into my brain came to me from the soundtracks that loop through the “offices” where I work on my diss.
2. The Best of Roberta Flack. I picked up both of these in the month before my 40th birthday in an attempt to fill in some of the blanks in my music collection. Both had some candidates for my 40 Tunes at 40 list (I haven’t finished that list yet).
Once again, most of the new tunes that found their way into my brain came to me from the soundtracks that loop through the “offices” where I work on my diss.Here are a few of the memorables that ended up sticking to the walls in that fashion this year:
1. Aretha Franklin sings “Eleanor Rigby.”
2. Etta James sings “Sunday Kind of Love" (1961).
3. Joss Stone sings “Dirty Man" (2003).
4. Ray LaMontagen sings “You Can Bring Me Flowers” (2006). I got this one and the next from one of the all-music channels on our TV (Adult Contemporary).
5. The Nightwatchman sings “The Road I Must Travel” (2007).
6. Imogen Heap sings “Goodnight and Go” (2005). That's Imogen in the photo at left.
7. Grace and the Nocturnals sing “Nothing but the Water Part II.” This one was recommended by Lisa.
8. The Black Crowes sing “Back Door Santa.”
1. Aretha Franklin sings “Eleanor Rigby.”
2. Etta James sings “Sunday Kind of Love" (1961).
3. Joss Stone sings “Dirty Man" (2003).
4. Ray LaMontagen sings “You Can Bring Me Flowers” (2006). I got this one and the next from one of the all-music channels on our TV (Adult Contemporary).
5. The Nightwatchman sings “The Road I Must Travel” (2007).
6. Imogen Heap sings “Goodnight and Go” (2005). That's Imogen in the photo at left.
7. Grace and the Nocturnals sing “Nothing but the Water Part II.” This one was recommended by Lisa.
8. The Black Crowes sing “Back Door Santa.”
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