2019 is done. 2020, let's see what you've got.
And now, as per the 16 year long tradition, I fill out a survey on livejournal. This gets no less weird as time goes on.
1. What did you do in 2019 that you'd never done before?
2018 was a crazy year. so 2019 was less so although by no means without it's big moments. I continued to work my various gigs, and managed to acheive some degree of balance for which I am very grateful. In Feburary, Amanda and I went to Barbados, which was a first for me and the first straight up vacation I had taken during what is normally reading week. That was quickly followed by a trip to Austin for the Improvised play festival with Fistful of Kicks.
Briana and I stepped down from our positions as Artistic Directors of Instant Theatre, which was a big, emotional and very nessecary move that put an end to two and a half years of working together on the company that we still work with and very much love.
Eric and my mom came to visit in April, which was the first time Eric came to visit after Barbara's passing. I hope we get many more visits as we all had a really good time together and even got in some late-season skiing.
Japanese Problem played on the Island, with Alyssa Hirose stepping into the role of Sam and Yoshie taking Nicole's role after she moved on from the project. That's all JP did in 2019 but we do have our fingers crossed for 2020! Speaking of all things Japanese, Amanda and I finally had our honeymoon and spent a wonderful three weeks exploring Japan together, which has long been on my bucket list.
Coming back from Japan, Amanda and I totally spaced out on tickets we had to see Shin Lim, which became a bit of theme in 2019- I missed several shows that I had purchased tickets for! Boo-urns. Granted, one was due to booking a commerical, so it wasn't all bad news, but I'd rather not miss out on more fun entertainment that I paid for!
Fistful did a second festival in 2019, going to play at the Stumptown Festival in Portland, which marked my first time going to the city. Much fun was had!
And then for the end of the year a bunch of performance stuff came up: I began rehearsals for Speaking in Tongues, which sadly fell apart although in retrospect I'm quite glad as my schedule ended up being incredibly tight even without it! David C Jones and I began putting together The Tragic Comedy of Macbeth, which basically devoured the last three months of the year, with tons of writing, rehearshing and performing, marking my first time performing at the Jericho Arts Centre and working with many members of the fantastic team: I hope we get to work together again soon! Well, Aidan Wright and I will be working together again soon, as I have two more co-op theatre productions coming in the new year, and both of us will be featured in Consensual at Performance Works. Very excited for it!
We'll wrap up the year with some family: My sister gave birth to her first child, Kiba, and Amanda and I went to Winnipeg to celebrate the holidays and meet our new nephew. It was my first time back in Winnipeg for the holidays since I moved to Vancouver, almost 10 years ago. Crazy.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
From last year:
"1. Write something. A play, a novella, whatever. It's been too long and you've been too lazy.
2. Get back into a class somewhere. You've got the money, so make the time and be a part of the community you came here to join.
3. Balance your teaching. This is another year of teaching a bit more than you'd like. Doing so will give you the nest egg to take more risks, so take them.
4. Get that flexibilty up. If not side splits, at least being able to comfortably touch toes while sitting down with no IT band pain.
5.Try... try not to have another bike stolen? It's not your fault, but you can't afford to pay for new bikes all the time."
So, how did I do?
I actually ended up writing something! The Tragic Comedy of Macbeth was a lot more work than I thought I was taking on to start, but I'm happy that it happened, and it sparked an idea that I'll be working on coming into 2020.
I didn't join any classes, although not for lack of trying. Schedule conflicts and frequent out-of-town dates prevented anything from happening, including the cancellation of an intensive that I was very excited for. Oh well, I give myself a half point for effort!
I quit my teaching gig this year, and thus far have been very happy for it. Maybe I could do with making more money, I guess we'll see how everything shakes out in the coming months with no-teaching and tons of theatre work!
I did start stretching again, but it took me quite a while to find the time for it. Let's hope I can keep it up.
No bikes stolen! That one is a pure win!
So, what's for next year?.
"1. Pursue writing your grant play and write a new play for the Vancouver Fringe. This should be a no-brainer!
2. Take a class. Actually.
3. Get down to 170 and always work out at least twice a week.
4. Flexibility! Touch your toes with no pain again, man!
5. Finish Disco Elysium. You love it, so do it!"
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Not only my sister, but my friend Melissa managed to surprise Amanda and I with her beautiful child Elizabeth. Good one, Mel!
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No funerals this year, and that was very welcome.
5. What countries did you visit?
Not as many planes as last year, but still quite a lot: Canada, USA, Barbados and Japan. Visiting Austin and Portland in the US were great, very fun cities in a country that can feel a bit scary sometimes to lefty outsiders.
6. What would you like to have in 2020 that you lacked in 2019?
More paying acting work! I won't say that I *lacked* that in 2019- I booked a bunch of commericals and a bunch of work that is taking me half way into 2020, but I am also hoping that I'll have more work with the major companies, whom I kind of missed out on auditioning for due to the honeymoon. Wouldn't trade that obviously, but I'd also like to get more traction and really be in the community here in Vancouver.
7. What date from 2019 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
No big dates that I can think of.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Probably quitting my teaching gig to have that time fill with acting work? It's been a long time coming but I think I've earned it.
9. What was your biggest failure?
I'll touch on this more, but I feel like I could have set up the new team at Instant better, and I definitely wish that things had been managed so that we wern't so exhausted emotionally and creatively towards the end.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nothing to complain about!
11. What was the best thing you bought?
We bought a chest freezer and it has helped a lot with meal prep as Amanda moves into full time student life.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
Amananda aced all her courses in her first year of University. Good job babe!
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Finding out that the GM of Instant stole money from us was a massive blow, both to the viability of the company and to the trust that the company was built around. That fucking sucked.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Honestly, a lot of it went to paying last years taxes. I'm getting better on my freelance financials, but by no means am I great at it yet!
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Going to Japan!
16. What song will always remind you of 2019?
I don't know: I guess Bad Guy by Billie Eilish?
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? About the same.
ii. thinner or fatter? Fatter, as was pointed out by a precoious child. Ouch!
iii. richer or poorer? About the same, which I'll take!
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Working out. It was kind of a lazy/busy year.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Stressing, although the stress was well earned.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
We spent Chirstmas at my parent's in Winnipeg, eating far too much food surrounded by family.
21. How will you be spending New Years?
We went for a fancy dinner at Chambar and then hung out and Ryan and Charlie's place, playing Just Dance 2020 much to the enjoyment, I'm sure, of the downstairs neighbours.
22. Did you fall in love in 2019?
Still in it!
23. How many one-night stands?
Nope.
24. What was your favorite TV program?
Ooh, lots of good TV this year. Watchmen was amazing.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
See above!
26. What was the best book you read?
I'm not sure there's one book that stands out, although I did finally finish Shantaram and A Confederacy of Dunces.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
No big music or podcasts this year: I did spend a while listening to a lot of Billie Eilish. Lizzo?
28. What did you want and get?
More work. An interview for a housing co-op!
29. What did you want and not get?
Placement in the housing co-op. :(
30. What was your favourite film of this year?
Parasite was amazing. I also liked Knives Out a lot.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was in Barbados! It was a lovely time with much rum punch drank.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Booking a few close-call shows.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2019
Dreaming of another trip to Vietnam where I get tons of tailored shirts made.
34. What kept you sane?
Amanda. Poot. Vidja Games. An amazing cast of family and friends. For another year running!
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Park So-Dam was an adorable sociopath in Parasite, does that count?
36. What political issue stirred you the most?'
PR, again.
37. Who did you miss?
I wish I had been able to see more folks in Winnipeg, but hopefully next year as I'll be trying to get out more.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Wow, my answer from last year has not aged well at ALL. Probably someone from Macbeth: Ali Froggatt and Aidan Wright are both absolute darlings.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2019
Sometimes you need to move on.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
The hits just keep coming.
2020. USA, a lot of this year is on you guys, so please hold up your end.