if it were up to me

Seeing the Oscar nominations this year was extremely disappointing.  This year, more than ever, I feel like they really missed the mark.  There were so, so many good films about so many varying subjects, and I feel like these award shows always favor performances in biopics which are generally good, but not personally my favorite.  So, if it were up to me, these would be the winners of the major acting/film awards:


Best Actor (tied)

Michael Fassbender in Shame

Michael Shannon in Take Shelter

Best Actress

Tilda Swinton in We Need to Talk About Kevin

Best Supporting Actor

Christopher Plummer in Beginners

Best Supporting Actress

Octavia Spencer in The Help

Best Foreign Film

A Separation

Best Picture (tied)

The Tree of Life

Drive

home

Things are looking awfully pretty around here lately.  House feeling like home.

instagram life, lately

 

 

 

dinner at Rascal with friends; pretty birthday chandelier

lakers vs. pacers; morning babycakes

wild flowers as a centerpiece; bringing back side ponytails

out of control perfume addiction; daily drinking

movies i saw recently and liked

23 to do before 24

I got this idea from Elsie at A Beautiful Mess.  I did this list last year and crossed off every single goal except for one (a very pesky one indeed), so I thought I would do it again.  I turned 23 this past Saturday, so here is my 23 to do before 24:


1.  Go to Europe
2.  Document friends and family more (pictures, video, writing, etc.)
3.  Learn how to edit video in iMovie
4.  Take French III
5.  Move (to another apartment or far, far away eeep!)
6.  Cook recipes from Maman's (my grandmother) Persian cookbook
7.  Find a new job that I actually have passion for
8.  Stop being such a seclude
9.  Watch more old films
10.  Rekindle my love with music
11.  Foster and nurture only positive relationships
12.  Enjoy all the beauty California has to offer, by getting out doors more!
13.  Meditate at least once a week
14.  Learn to be more frugal in my personal spending
15.  Pay off one of my students loans
16.  Stay healthy (continue eating better and drinking 3L of water a day)
17.  Support organizations I love:  NPR, NYTimes, domestic violence shelters
18.  Continue writing in my journal, religiously
19.  Work on letting my guard down more
20.  Show gratitude and love to my family each and every day
21.  Join a book club
22.  Get organized (and stay that way!)
23.  Take a painting/drawing class

french actresses i adore

Melanie

Catherine

Marion

Jane

Clemence

new year

Sometimes it has seemed a little silly to me that people need the change of a date on the calendar to signify change, new beginnings and resolutions to come about.  However this year I think I became one of those people desperate for a new beginning.  2011, although I had hope for you, you were a bitch of a year.  By far, the worst year I have had in my 22 short years on this earth.  But I am optimistic for new beginnings, a better year and a big change ahead.  I raise my glass to 2012.