Summing Up 2007

1. What did you do in 2007 that you'd never done before? I had a one-night stand. Went to New Orleans.

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year? My New Years' resolution last year was to have a one-night stand. I am happy to report that I did it. Let me get philosophical for a moment: We put so much value on long-term relationships, and I certainly want one, but short term relationships can be fulfilling to. Having my first one-night stand was one of the best decisions I ever made. Not because it made me feel liberated or powerful—though it did make me feel those things—but because sex has the ability to be really fulfilling in and of itself. It doesn't always need true love to do that.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Yes. My dear friend Madison had a baby girl named Savannah Belle. One of my professors just adopted a baby, too.

4. Did anyone close to you die? An acquaintance of mine named Judy Arnold died a couple of weeks ago of a heart attack. I worked with Judy when we both worked for the Centre in Vancouver.

5. What countries did you visit? None. I stayed in Tallahassee most of the year.

6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007? A better car would be nice. But I'd actually rather have a better wardrobe. I kind of hate everything I own right now.

7. What dates from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? 8/25/07 My brother and his wife got married. The wedding was a total blast and the ceremony was beautiful.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? I am proud of a lot of stuff this year. I directed a show called The New Musical Project which my friend Gretchen produced. My thesis is on its way, by which I mean that I have some really strong and exciting ideas and I've started actually writing them down. I'm also really happy with a paper I just finished writing called "Othello and the Pornographic Imagination" and I got my Caroline, or Change paper accepted to a conference. I'm feeling pretty good.

9. What was your biggest failure? This year, I think I have been particularly impatient. I often lack the ability to sympathize with other people's difficulties. I am trying to be warmer and more understanding.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? I don't think so. It's been a healthy year. I've been doing a lot more yoga.

11. What was the best thing you bought? Vosges.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? My friend Jaime, who graduated from college this year. My friend Derek who constantly amazes me. My friend Marcos, who came out to Tallahassee to visit me! My roommate, who is really smart. Ron Paul.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Alberto Gonzalez, as usual. George W. Bush, as usual. Larry Craig.

14. Where did most of your money go? My mortgage. Grr.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Visiting California (all three times). Seeing my friends. The Oscar nominations (as usual). The Association for Theatre in Higher Education conference.

16. What song will always remind you of 2007? Sufjan Stevens' album "Come on Feel the Illinoise" (I know, I'm behind) and the song "Sailing" from A New Brain (also way behind).

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Happier
b) thinner or fatter? Fatter (ugh)
c) richer or poorer? Poorer

18. What do you wish you'd done more of? Drinking gin, directing, eating fabulous meals, cooking, watching movies (didn't get to do that enough this year), making out.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of? Sweating my ass off in Tallahassee, working on The Tamer Tamed, reading passages from Bernard Dukore, that shit puts me to sleep.

20. How will you be spending Christmas? With my family and many of my friends in California.

21. Did you fall in love in 2007? No sir, I did not.

22. How many one-night stands? This makes me smile. Two.

23. What was your favorite TV program? Planet Earth. It's the only show I watched, and I watched every episode. Genius.

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? I don't think so. I guess I have become slightly more generous this year. (I'm probably lying. I just can't think of anyone in particular.)

25. What was the best book you read? Elizabeth Grosz: Space, Time, and Perversion; Michel Foucalt: The History of Sexuality; Virginia Woolf: Mrs. Dalloway; J.K. Rowling: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows; David Edgar: Pentecost; Mark Ravenhill: Some Explicit Polaroids; plus I read six or so plays by the brilliant David Rudkin this year.

26. What was your greatest musical discovery? Sufjan Stevens. The Real Group. Kate Walsh. I've also spent the year becoming even more obsessed with Ryuichi Sakamoto, Philip Glass and Alexandre Desplat.

27. What did you want and get? The Sarasota boy. :-)

28. What did you want and not get? To direct more. An extra visit to California.

29. What was your favorite film of this year? So far No Country for Old Men, Sunshine, The Lives of Others, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, but I expect the list to change a little when I visit Los Angeles next week.

30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned 26. We didn't celebrate in Tallahassee, although Julie did buy me Godiva!

31.What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? I'm doing pretty well. Making money would make the whole thing feel like my work was useful, but I still feel like I am producing a lot of work.

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007? I'm a total mess. I never go shopping any more and my wardrobe is aging badly, I'm afraid.

33. What kept you sane? Jaime. Gin. The Fug Girls. The Coffee Pub.

34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Neil Patrick Harris, Adam Brody, James Mardsen, Emile Hirsch.

35. What political issue stirred you the most? American policy in Iraq. Torture policies in this country.

36. Who did you miss? My awesome friends in California. Ryan and Alison in Sarasota. My parents and my brother and sister.

37. Who was the best new person you met? Joe Fabal, Trent, Anne, Joel, Candace, Kevin, Greg, Michael Stablein Jr., John, David Ian Rabey. Lots of people this year.

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007: Don't be in such a hurry. You will get there; there's no need to make it go faster.

39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year: "I want a little sugar in my bowl"