Saturday, December 31, 2011

Day 365: What A Year.

That's my 2011 as expressed in Sleep No More totems. I didn't keep absolutely everything: there's a missing Hecate boat, a lot of missing Banquo torn cards, and my second nail. But that's all 16 entry cards, to which one more will be added tonight as I celebrate the end of this incredible year in the place that was very much the echo for all the transformations that took place.

This concludes my 365 Project! I am incredibly pleased with how it went. My photography and editing skills improved considerably, and I certainly achieved what I set out to do – I pushed myself to explore new places, but also to open my eyes to detail and wonder in the places I walk and work every day.

I hope 2012 brings as much change and challenge and joy as 2011 did.

Friday, December 30, 2011

Day 364: Big Mouth

The most interesting thing I saw on today's walk at lunch.

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Day 363: Not Long Now


Off-Topic: The Year of No Sleep

Last night I went back to Manderley, for drinks and music and friends, as I now do pretty often. I didn't see Sleep No More last night, but as I stood there in the crowded bar, it occurred to me that with sixteen shows under my belt and a seventeenth coming on Saturday, I've already spent at least 48 hours inside the McKittrick Hotel, just accounting for the performances. Add on the parties and afterparties and birthday parties and everything, and it's something on the order of four whole days of my life this year spent in that place, and I don't even work there (though sometimes I am mistaken for someone who does).

So, why?

I'm not going to do the horrible math on how much I spent at Sleep No More in 2011 because a. I still wouldn't be out of debt even if I hadn't and b. it was worth every last penny.

Sleep No More resonated with me for more than just aesthetic or literary-theoretical reasons, though by themselves those are powerful forces; it's also mostly just my good fortune that the show spoke to my personal tastes in such a serendipitous way. But what got me hooked was how transformative an experience it is.

When I pass through the maze into Manderley, I begin to dream. And like so many of us, in my dreams I am many things more than I believe I am when awake. I am calmer, cooler, more confident, more assertive, yes, sexier. And there is a very clear role to play; you are there to share in the feelings of these characters, to empathize with them, and make silent, ephemeral connection with them. That is the particularly addictive part: the moments of profound intimacy, however artificial, however a product of the actions of an alternate self within the bounds of a scripted theatrical experience, are so haunting and beautiful all at once.

What I liked best though was the sense that every time I went back, more and more of that dreamstate stayed with me in my waking; that dreaming this way over and over made it possible to fill in the blanks, and that better sense of me I knew from dreams, over time, simply became what I am by day.

So here's to Sleep, "great nourisher of life's feast," and here's to Sleep No More, and the wish to ever again be so fortunate as to find such an engrossing work of art to accompany the arcs of my life in the way this show has been a companion this year.

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Day 362: Winter, Finally

It turned cold and snowy just in time for the drive back to the city.

Just three days left in this project. Wow that went fast.

Monday, December 26, 2011

Day 360: This Used to be My Playground

I spent something like 9 straight years in this pool, learning to swim, learning to dive, learning flip turns, swimming in varsity and HHSC meets. Uncountable hours in this place. Very peculiar feeling to go back and swim in its filthy hot waters again.

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Day 359: Curiously Mild

It's very strange to travel to Western New York in December and not have snow. In fact, for it to be over 50 on Christmas Day is outright bizarre.

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Monday, December 19, 2011

Day 353: Depressed

Sorry, I couldn't make the photo funny.

I'm very frustrated with things right now.

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Day 351: Requisite Vertigo

Took this shot because I hadn't yet. And didn't do anything else today while I took stock of my broken finances and grieved.

2011 has been lovely but will also go down as the year of costly equipment failures (Time Capsule. iMac. My 18-55mm lens.)

Friday, December 16, 2011

Day 350: A Familiar Sight

Yes, long-term followers, I did this shot before. The commentary here is: why are there still leaves in the middle of December? Winter seems to be holding off for the solstice at the very least, this year.

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Day 349: Denver

No, I haven't visited Denver yet, but here it is as seen from the plane.

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Day 347: Stratosphere

Long day of travel with a late-evening arrival in Las Vegas (my first time there).

Monday, December 12, 2011

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Day 342: Yelle

Birthday part II was seeing Yelle for a second time. Obviously we were right down front. I got to hold Grand Marnier's hand.

My 32nd birthday was flawless. It was a real celebration of all the things that have changed this year. If 2009 was a year of strife, and 2010 the year of revolution, then I guess I'd summarize 2011 as a year of rebirth.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Day 340: In Need of Rest

So, very early in the project when I was having one of those panic attack days and had no idea what photo to take, I took one of myself napping. But I wasn't wild about how it turned out. So, tonight, not so much in a panic as just not happy with the other shots I had for the day, I tried again. Much better this time.

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Day 338: Bauble

Put my tree up today. Have barely done anything else. Anxious about tomorrow.

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Day 337: Blinding

Having a nice, relaxing New York Saturday. Well except for the misguided part where I went down to South Street Seaport hoping to find a star for my Christmas Tree. Still no luck.

Friday, December 2, 2011

Day 336: Rockefeller Plaza

Went to Rockefeller Plaza to brave the tourist crowds and get tree photos. Thanks to Sleep No More I can outmaneuver these crowds no sweat. Don't be surprised if I take pictures of Christmas lights for basically every day of December. They're kind of my favorite thing on earth.

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Day 335: Ordnung

It's kind of hilarious that this of all things is the photo for today. Today was more emotional roller coaster than I generally care to ever have. Today was a really difficult swim. Today was Part II of the roachocaust and I executed probably 12 of the things while cleaning out... my Christmas Tree. Sigh. I have some nice new urban living neuroses now like inspecting anything I have in storage every month to make sure nothing has set up a home in the box.

Thank christ for Sleep No More 15, reservation for late Saturday night. I feel like I'm going to explode.

And holy crap, this is the start of the last month of the year. The last month of this amazing project. Agh. So much has happened, this has truly been the most intense and most remarkable year of my life so far, and on top of that I have the most detailed account of it. Deep breath.

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Day 333: Bane

As I trudged home in the rain tonight I said to myself, hey, take out the camera, put it in manual and shoot blindly as you walk down the street, and whatever you get out of that, that's the photo for today. So I tried to shoot through the umbrella and came up with this image, which I actually like a lot.

Monday, November 28, 2011

Day 332: Maintenance

Spent much of the evening getting working software back onto the old iMac.

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Friday, November 25, 2011

Day 329: Glorious

A basically flawless day descended, so we walked all over town.

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Day 326: Workgiving

Had a Thanksgiving conflagration (meal) at work today so of course I had to photograph it. At least I got one nice "artsy" shot (since I'm so artsy).

Monday, November 21, 2011

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Day 324: Dusty

Reconditioning my folks' 2002-vintage G4 iMac. Lots of dust built up inside. I replaced the battery, though I don't think the boot problem has anything to do with that, and rather that the most recent OS installed isn't a supported one. Not sure what I'll do with it yet since the power draw is awfully high and it has a bit of whine, but it's in lovely shape otherwise. Going to see about getting OS 9 running on it for old times' sake.

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Day 323: What's Left Behind

Over the past year I think we've established pretty well that I fucking love sunsets.

Friday, November 18, 2011

Day 322: Down Below

John Jay College is full of charming locations such as this one.

Also, I am officially allergic to that pool. I'm not going to bother usurping workout slots there anymore since my lungs seize up and take 24 hours to reopen. It's more than just a little frustrating. Guess it's time to get a swim cap and learn to love Baruch or something.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Day 321: Squeezed In

Tight quarters on NJTransit coming home from a Lykke Li concert.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Day 320: Your Heart is the Coldest Continent

I had this strange sense today that I looked different. Also, I realized it had been a few months since I did a self-portrait. Yeah, it's not a very imaginative one, but for once, I'm okay with the state that it seems to have captured me in.

I'm almost inexplicably sad today (but really, I know what this is about).

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Monday, November 14, 2011

Day 318: An Errand

Tonight, Sleep No More was featured on Gossip Girl, so there was a nerdfest to collectively mourn the possibility that SNM may be jumping the shark. But, probably not.

Best part for me was getting to run a little errand for Hecate.

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Day 317: Burlesque

Avian Rush and Debra Delorean of Rhinestone Gorilla Burlesque. Note to self: do not burlesque on an empty stomach, the drunkenness becomes severe.