Best of 2012

It's fun each year to keep a running tab of the books, movies, music, and theatre that I've enjoyed most each year. 

This year, though, I didn't read enough books or see enough movies or theatre. 

I guess I've been busy.

BOOKS

Committed by Elizabeth Gilbert

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling

Then Came You by Jennifer Weiner

Flat-Out Love by Jessica Park

The Day I Ate Whatever I Wanted by Elizabeth Berg

Wild by Cheryl Strayed

tiny beautiful things  by Cheryl Strayed

This is How You Lose Her by Junot Diaz

MOVIES

Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey

Moonrise Kingdom

The Dark Knight Rises

Take This Waltz

MUSIC

“A Girl, a Boy, and a Graveyard” by Jeremy Messersmith

Sweeter by Gavin DeGraw, especially “Not Over You”

Unbroken by Demi Lovato, especially “Fix a Heart”

Once Upon Another Time by Sara Bareilles, especially ”Bright Lights and Cityscapes”

Looking 4 Myself by Usher, especially ”Dive”  and “2^nd Round”

“Some Nights” by Fun.

Channel ORANGE by Frank Ocean, especially ”Bad Religion”

THEATER

One-Minute Play Festival at the Boston Playwrights Theatre

Sugar at ArtsEmerson

Café Variations at Emerson Stage

I cannot believe how fast 2012 has gone, and I'm glad the world didn't end, so I can keep on writing for you.

The new year will bring more adventures and misadventures from work, fun with friends and family, and my GIGANTIC 30th birthday celebration.

Watch out, 2013, I'm coming for you.

Happy new year, everyone!

Overheard on Vacation

What a whirlwind of a hilarious vacation week this has been. Full of Christmas gatherings, lots and lots of food, wine, and laughs.

Spending time with my cousins and their two boys, 6 years old and 20 months old, has been truly unforgettable and wonderful and I am so sorry my time with them is over.

Here are some of the highlights of the week, in quote form:

6-year-old, explaining to his little brother: Santa won't hurt you. Unless it's a homeless guy.

Me, to the 6-year-old, who had his hands down his pants: I'm just going to start calling you Penis Hands.
Him: I'm gonna start calling you Burpy.
Me: That's perfect!
*high five*
Him: Now you're Penis Hands.

6-year-old, while watching A Christmas Story, proving that his generation is conditioned to violence and chaos: Is the old man gonna steal the lamp? Is the lamp gonna explode? Did he get run over? Is fudge a bad word? Is she calling the police?

Me, to my cousin's stunning 88-year-old grandmother: You look like a movie star!
Her: Lassie?

Me: What rhymes with berry?
6-year-old: Perry!
Me: ...OK.
Him: No, like Katy Perry!
Me: OK!...What rhymes with orange?!
Everyone: That's so mean!
Him: ...Nothing.

6-year-old, on seeing a Rolling Stones logo on the side of a truck: Look! A kissing truck!

Overheard at Work, vol. LXI

Two special events down, one to go.

Last week, my colleague, some of our teens, and I presented at a mid-point convening for our art-social justice program. Tonight, ten musical acts performed for the entire club, and I am so proud and relieved and thrilled and moved at how it went, I could cry.

Wednesday is our annual Holiday Party, including the debut of my play program's show, "Fractured Fairy Tales." I will be happy to get through the next few days of work and be on vacation for an unprecedented 12 days at the end of this year.

My supervisor, while discussing banana milk: I thought they milked bananas. *insert vulgar gesture here*

12-year-old boy: Ladies are really impatient these days!
12-year-old girl: You just noticed that?

Same 12-year-old boy: My shoulder cost like $800. I'm a robot.

And, while showing me his video games magazine, and a picture of the Revolutionary War: This was the old times, with George Bush.

8-year-old girl, summarizing the book she had just read: The cat in the hat. He holds too much stuff!

Overheard at Work, vol. LX

We're getting down to the end of the season at work, which means in the next 2 1/2 weeks, I have three special events to either prep kids for, host, or run myself.

But then I have a 12-day vacation, so I CANNOT COMPLAIN!

Colleague: This guy is Captain of the Los Angeles Flakers!

Teen girl: Those boys couldn't figure out how to pop my hood.
Colleague: That's dirty.

Lateral lisp kid, after completing his homework: I go psycho. And I love going psycho. It's a living for me.

Teen boy, to a colleague who had his arm around me: Stop hooking on my shorty, yo.
Me, to colleague: Was he speaking English?

Colleague, during a staff meeting: I want to be drunk.

11-year-old girl: If I have a daughter, I want her to be born in Fiji. Either Fiji or Ohio.

Later, she said: Middle school is so hard. You can never tell when a boy likes you.
(I told her it doesn't really get easier after middle school...)

14-year-old girl, about another 14-year-old girl: She had her first boyfriend when she was like 1!