Dammit Steve

I need help.

Halloween is approaching, and I don't have a costume.

Here's the problem: I like the obscure douchebag hipster Wes Anderson character costumes, but I work at an elementary school, so I usually have to go with something a bit more identifiable. My first year as a teacher I had a kick-ass Groucho costume, and I've also done Speed Racer, Ben Franklin, and Indiana Jones. Nothing too special there. One year I was Hamlet, but again, they didn't really get it.

Last year I was a bear (that's our school mascot), three years ago I was Steve Zissou. "Oh, so he likes pretentious movies" was the response.

I have a Buster Bluth costume, from a recent Arrested Development party, and of course I have an entire floor of a house devoted to costumes, so I'll figure out something. But I always put off my Halloween costume choice until the last minute, because I keep thinking I'm going to come up with the Best Costume Ever. I came close, once.

It was 1993. I was in college, and worked at a movie theatre. I had to work Halloween night, and it was also the same night we were premiering Gettysburg. So I rented a Civil War soldier's uniform and went as General Admission.

I'll try and dig out a picture and scan it in sometime. Right now it's late and I need sleep. I will undoubtedly be up late putting together a costume.

The Life of Brian

THE LIFE OF BRIAN

(AN UPDATE)

A week or so ago I was in the city and got the chance to see The Darjeeling Limited, followed by a Q & A with Wes Anderson and Jason Schwartzman afterwards.

Got a chance to meet up with The Griffin after a long separation, and that was probably the highlight of the night. Yeah, I loves me some Anderson films, and I enjoyed Darjeeling immensely, but I've known Joe for a long time, and it was really great to spend a few hours with him, catching up.

He was part of my acting company for a long time, and helped define what Limelight was to be when we were first starting out. Not many guys get to play John Proctor, Professor Bhaer, Thorin Oakenshield, Michael Corleone, and Lysander from A Midsummer Night's Dream by the time they're 15 years old.

Joe's back living in Illinois after a couple of years in Ohio. He's living in the city and going to film school, and I'm pretty much in high-jealousy mode for his lifestyle. Perhaps I shall live through him vicariously.

Meanwhile, all is quiet on the western suburban front. I work, trying to stop my students from growing up to be assholes. It seems like that's my mission these days: to make sure at least a few kids don't grow up to be ignorant Americans.

If that offends a few people, I don't mind. There is something seriously wrong with the way things have gone 'round here, and I genuinely fear for the future of this nation.

Aside from my alarmist fears, I'm enjoying my new surroundings. We have the dedication ceremony this weekend for the new school, and I even get to make a short speech. Tabula rasa seems to be the overriding theme of my brief remarks.

I've thought about signing up for NaNoWriMo, and just writing a play in a month instead of a novel. But then I realized that I have to direct a play, do report cards, conduct parent-teacher conferences, and celebrate Thanksgiving during November.

The play is going well, though, at least in my head. I tend to pull over to the side of the road a lot lately, as ideas pop into my head. Because I am old, and have much to ponder in this life of mine, I have to write everything down now, lest I forget it.


So while things are fine here in Brian-land, I desperately need some kind of getaway. A week or so where I can clear my head and just do some proper writing. And since my free time is so limited, I've thought about using some of my holiday time to travel somewhere. Find a quiet place, bring the laptop, a decent bottle of whiskey (shout-out to Donal there), maybe a pack of smokes for the hell of it, and nothing else.

Anyone got a quiet cabin in the woods for rent?

Team Zissou

I promise to not dress up as any character from a Wes Anderson film this year.

More on the actual Wes Anderson and his new film later. I only have time for quick, self-deprecating posts right now. Or Elimare-deprecating posts.

Kristine in L.A. or the Magnificent House Theatre?

Well, I've had quite the little day.

After several weeks of waking up way too damn early (because my head seems to want to wake up around 5 and just stew about the day), I slept blissfully late into the day. The house was cold, due to autumn finally arriving, and I slipped on a pair of woolen socks, put on my bathrobe, made a pot of coffee, and dug out something decent to read. (The Rebels of Ireland, finally.)

After a quick breakfast of egg and muffin (the English variety), I packed a bag and headed to my nearby sanctuary of trees and trails, and wandered for a while, letting ideas flow through my head, and occasionally stopping to write down the occasional brilliant idea for The Play.

All the while I pondered two possibilities: shall I head out to Los Angeles to hang out with the divine Kristine, on extended sabbatical from The Philippines? We have an eerily similar sense of taste, and could probably hang out for hours talking about Jeff Tweedy and Neil Gaiman. Perhaps at The Viper Room. It is Los Angeles, after all.

I wonder what Tony's doing?

My other possibility was attending a special screening of The Darjeeling Limited, where I'd get the chance to Q&A Wes Anderson and Jason Schwartzman. I knew I sill read that damn AintitCoolNews for a reason.



I won two tickets for the screening, by the way. Anyone want to go?

After searching ticket prices for CHI to LAX, I realized that I already had tickets for closing night of The Magnificents that weekend, which is kind of a big deal. Last House show at The Viaduct, you know.

So now I'm kind of fucked. For once in my life I have too much going on.

Perhaps I could go the previous weekend. It would involve blowing off two events, though: the dedication ceremony for my newly-built school, and my mother's birthday.

More on all of these events as they happen.

Oh, by the way: the Duders, Eric and Erica, had a beautiful baby girl last week. Life is wonderful.

Darjeeling Trailer

The Darjeeling Limited: trailer now online

Awesome. Awesome. Awesome.