- The Peach Drop at Underground Atlanta, which I've attended once, is a crowded, uninvolving trip downtown. Still, the city needed to rip off someone's grand tradition in an attempt to give locals something to do. In 2001, I was in New York for New Year's, but I didn't go to Times Square because, to see the Ball drop, I would've had to stand behind a barricade for eight hours with 3,000 of my closest strangers. Last year around New Year's, I went barhopping in Virginia Highlands with some friends. This year, it looks like I'm going to a party.
- MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA, unseen by me thus far, is still playing in theaters, and, since no new movies are opening wide today, I may go see it in all its "broken English, pretty scenery" glory. I never read the book by Arthur Golden, even though I've owned it for years, but I've heard good things about it. To be fair, the cast of the movie is really good and really pretty, but none of the main cast is speaking their native language in the film, which seems like a real hindrance to me. We'd never make, say, Brad Pitt perform HAMLET in Portuguese. Director Rob Marshall was on "Charlie Rose" over the holidays, talking about the movie like it was some masterpiece. Critics, alas, have not done the same.
- THE PRODUCERS is also playing in theaters, though few of the reviews have been good. Unlike the storm it brewed on Broadway a couple years ago, Der Fuhrer is not causing much of a furor at the box office. The original movie is really funny, particularly "Springtime for Hitler." I'm not sure how the new movie's going to translate.
- Several critics have now published their Top 10 Films of 2005 list, and I'm finding my favorite is A.O. Scott's at The New York Times. My personal Ten Best list, not that anyone cares, is half written and should be posted here on the blog this weekend, if not sooner.
- I'm not going to make any New Year's Resolutions, for I don't think I've ever made one that stuck beyond a week. Granted, my mantra for the next six months is going to be "I'm fine with turning 30 ... I'm fine with turning 30 ...", so maybe I just have enough stress on 2006 already.
- I've been thinking over how I did this year, keeping score in some way. I lived with a boyfriend for a couple months. I introduced a guy to my parents for the first time ever. My brother got married and is gonna have a baby. My best friends had a daughter. I managed to extricate myself from a troublesome affair, only getting a little bit burned. I kept my jobs and my apartment. I was almost crushed at a Weezer concert. I saw Ben Folds in Savannah with Lupo. I made a couple new close friends. I got a paper accepted at academic conference. I ventured into a corn maze. I got my photo taken more than usual. I started reviewing puppet shows. The writing class I signed up for proved to be a rather good idea. I started watching VERONICA MARS instead of LOST. And I came up with the "Things to Do" lists for my blog. All in all, pretty good year. THIS WEEK'S QUESTION: What was 2005 like for you? What were your favorite parts? What parts of the year are you happier leaving behind?
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