New Year

Hey there, blog world!

Didn't totally mean to drop off the face of the planet there.  December was a joyful mess of staying on top of things work wise, holiday wise and social times wise.  January has just been a plain ol mess of illness and car issues. I've had a lot of time to spend in front of my computer but most of it has been spent watching or listening to something while my body fought off that nasty sort of cold that only exists this time of year.  I've become the consummate consumer with little to show of the producer side of me.  With monthly subscriptions to Netflix, Hulu and eMusic and a decent portion of my paycheck dedicated to iTunes and B&N's NOOK store I feel more than confident that I'm doing my part in keeping the entertainment industry alive and over paid.

I've often thought that the best use for this blog would be that of a dumping ground for my thoughts on music, TV, movies and books.  But there's that defiant part of me that doesn't want to waste my words on the works of other.  I want to create and be known for my creations not just the pretty words I put to others blood, sweat and tears.  I had a day off today and after taking care of a dozen mind numbing errands I treated myself to an afternoon at Starbucks with my laptop and my Soy Mocha (no whip). The plan was to get on to the screen a story that's been trying to develop in my head for going on a year now.  I know the characters, the setting and how it all begins but as I sat there staring at my blank work document everything else going around me became easier to look at.  There was the elderly couple doing a crossword puzzle together and breaking and warming my heart with how well they fit together, the two women in the corner with a quilt between them and a heated discussion that seemed to be about quilting or knitting and the group of high school kids with their Frappuccinos and conversation about who knows what.  Everything I wanted to write seemed not worth writing about so I ended up listening to the new Decemberists album instead. (It's great by the way.)

So maybe I will talk about other people for awhile because frankly the amount of good books I've read, good movies I've seen, amazing albums I've listened to and TV shows I've lost whole days to watching lately is staggering. Nothing in life is as important to me as art whether it be consuming it, producing it or both. It's been the focus of most of my life so to not make it the focus of my blog seems disingenuous and pointless especially when the best part of stumbling across something you love is getting everyone around you to love it too.