inspirations
There are certain things in life that just never cease to fascinate, engage, and inspire me...
i read {books}
top 5 all-time favorites
- 1. In Praise of Slowness: Challenging the Cult of Speed, by Carl Honore
- 2. For the Time Being, by Annie Dillard
- 3. Phaedo, by Plato
- 4. Why Art Matters, by Ray Carney
- 5. Peace is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life, by Thich Nhat Hanh
top 20 in education
- 1. There are No Shortcuts, by Rafe Esquith
- 2. Marva Collins' Way, by Marva Collins
- 3. Teacher & Child, by Haim Ginott
- 4. The Essential 55, by Ron Clark
- 5. The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything, by Ken Robinson
- 6. The Shame of the Nation: The Restoring of Apartheid Schooling in America, by Jonathan Kozol
- 7. My Personal Best: Life Lessons from an All-American Journey, by John Wooden
- 8. Teach Like a Champion, by Doug Lemov
- 9. Letters To My Teacher: Tributes to the People Who Have Made a Difference, by Barb Karg and Rick Sutherland
- 10. Teaching with Love & Logic, by Jim Fay and David Funk
- Teach Like Your Hair's on Fire, by Rafe Esquith
- Building Character in Schools: Practical Ways to Bring Moral Instruction to Life, by Kevin Ryan and Karen E. Bohlin
- Teaching as Leadership, by Teach for America and Steven Farr
- Reluctant Disciplinarian, by Gary Rubinstein
- Jocks and Burnouts: Social Categories and Identity in the High School, by Penelope Eckert
- College Knowledge: What It Really Takes for Students to Succeed and What We Can Do to Get Them Ready, by David T. Conley
- Comprehensive Classroom Management: Creating Communities of Support and Solving Problems, by Vera Jones & Louise Jones
top 10 classics, fiction, memoirs, essays
- 1. Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain
- 2. Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger
- 3. Civil Disobedience, essay by Henry David Thoreau
- 4. Angela's Ashes, by Frank McCourt
- 5. The Joy Luck Club, by Amy Tan
- 6. Siddhartha, by Herman Hesse
- 7. To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
- 8. Hamlet, by William Shakespeare
- 9. The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky
- 10. Walden, by Henry David Thoreau
top 5 short stories
- 1. The Lady with the Dog, by Anton Chekhov
- 2. A Good Man is Hard to Find, by Flannery O'Connor
- 3. Boys and Girls, by Alice Munro
- 4. Mother Tongue, by Amy Tan
- 5. Hills Like White Elephants, by Ernest Hemingway
top 5 in popular fiction
- 1. A Walk to Remember, by Nicholas Sparks
- 2. The Wedding, by Nicholas Sparks
- 3. The Notebook, by Nicholas Sparks
- 4. The Rescue, by Nicholas Sparks
- 5. Kiss the Girls, by James Patterson
top 20 in personal development
- 1. In Praise of Slowness: Challenging the Cult of Speed, by Carl Honore
- 2. Success Principles, by Jack Canfield
- 3. Dance While You Can, by Lance Wubbels
- 4. Peace is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life, by Thich Nhat Hanh
- 5. If Life is a Game, These are the Rules, by Cherie Carter-Scott
- 6. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, by Stephen R. Covey
- 7. A Short Guide to a Happy Life, by Anna Quindlen
- 8. The Leadership Challenge, by James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner
- 9. How to Win Friends and Influence People, by Dale Carnegie
- 10. Tao Te Ching, by Lao Tzu
- 11. Happier, by Tal Ben-Shahar
- 12. Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity, by David Allen
- 13. The Happiness Hypothesis, by Jonathan Haidt
- 14. Walden, by Henry David Thoreau
- 15. How to Stop Worrying and Start Living, by Dale Carnegie
- What Now?, by Ann Patchett
- Conversationally Speaking: Tested New Ways to Increase Your Personal and Social Effectiveness, by Alan Garner
- Pep: The Seven P's to Positively Enhance Performance, by Rich Ruffalo
- The Happiness Project, by Gretchen Rubin
top 20 in filmmaking
- 1. Why Art Matters, "For Artists Only--The Independent Vision" article collection, by Ray Carney
- 2. Directing Actors, by Judith Weston
- 3. Moviemakers' Master Class: Private Lessons from the World's Foremost Directors, by Laurent Tirard
- 4. Digital Video Production Cookbook, by Chris Kenworthy
- 5. On Film Editing, by Edward Dmytryk
- 6. $30 Film School, by Michael W. Dean
- 7. The Five C's of Cinematography, by Joseph V. Mascelli
- 8. Video Shooter, by Barry Braverman
- 9. In the Blink of an Eye, by Walter Murch
- 10. Film Directing Fundamentals, by Nicholas Proferes
- 11. Avid Editing, by Sam Kauffmann
- 12. Cut by Cut: Editing Your Film or Video, by Gael Chandler
top 10 in film studies
- 1. Understanding Movies, by Giannetti
- 2. Dogme Uncut: Lars von Trier, Thomas Vinterberg, and the Gang That Took on Hollywood, by Jack Stevenson
- 3. Trier on von Trier, by Stif Bjorkman and Neil Smith
- 4. Hard Core: Power, Pleasure, and the "Frenzy of the Visible", by Linda Williams
- 5. The Cinema of Krzysztof Kieslowski: Variations on Destiny and Chance, by Marek Haltof
- 6. Lars von Trier: Interviews, by Jan Lumholdt
- 7. The Films of John Cassavetes: Pragmatism, Modernism, and the Movies, by Ray Carney
top 5 in screenwriting/playwriting
- 1. The Screenwriter's Bible, 3rd edition, by David Trottier
- 2. Screenplay: Writing the Picture, by Robin U. Russin and William M. Downs
- 3. Writing Short Films: Structure and Content for Screenwriters, by Linda J. Cowgill
- 4. Aristotle's Poetics for Screenwriter, by Michael Tierno
- 5. Poetics, by Aristotle
top 5 in theater/acting
- 1. An Actor Prepares, by Konstantin Stanislavsky
- 2. Audition, by Michael Shurtleff
- 3. The Perfect Monologue, by Ginger Howard Friedman
top 10 in writing
- 1. Why Art Matters, by Ray Carney
- 2. On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, by Stephen King
- 3. Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life, by Anne Lamott
- 4. The Elements of Style, by William Strunk Jr.
- 5. Poetic Meter and Poetic Form, by Paul Fussell
- 6. The Writing Life, by Annie Dillard
- 7. Writing in the Works, by Susan Blau and Kathryn Burak
- 8. Style, 7th edition, by Joseph M. Williams
top 10 in psychology and counseling
- 1. On Death and Dying, by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
- 2. Mindfulness, by Ellen Langer
- 3. Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, by Robert B. Cialdini
- 4. Counseling: A Comprehensive Profession, by Samuel T. Gladding
- 5. The Psychology Major, by R. Eric Landrum and Stephen F. Davis
- (still reading) Are You Really Listening?: Keys to Successful Communication, by Paul J. Donoghue and Mary E. Siegel
- (still reading) Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls, by Mary Pipher
top 10 in relationship counseling
- 1. Marry Him: The Case for Settling for Mr. Good Enough, by Lori Gottlieb
- 2. Relationship Rescue: A Seven-Step Strategy for Reconnecting with Your Partner, by Phillip C. McGraw
- 3. For Men Only & For Women Only, by Shaunti Feldhahn and Jeff Feldhahn
- 4. Why Him? Why Her?: Finding Real Love by Understanding Your Personality Type, by Helen Fisher
- 5. Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus, by John Gray
- 6. Love & Respect: The Love She Most Desires; The Respect He Desperately Needs, by Emerson Eggerichs
top 5 in philosophy
- 1. Phaedo, by Plato
- 2. Leviathan (parts of), by Thomas Hobbes
- 3. Dialogue on Good, Evil, and the Existence of God, by John Perry
- 4. Utilitarianism (parts of), by John Stuart Mill
- 5. Crito, by Plato
top 10 in history and politics
- 1. The Concept of the Political, by Carl Schmitt
- 2. A Stranger to Myself: The Inhumanity of War, by Willy Peter Reese
- 3. Winston Churchill, by James C. Humes
- 4. Dude, Where's My Country?, by Michael Moore
- 5. Hiroshima, by John Hersey
- 6. The Way of the World, by David Fromkin
- 7. Farewell to Manzanar, by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston and James D. Houston
- 8. What If?: The World's Foremost Military Historians Imagine What Might Have Been, edited by Robert Cowley
- 9. A World Destroyed: Hiroshima and Its Legacies, by Martin Sherwin
top 5 in anthropology
- 1. Western Attitudes Toward Death, by Philippe Aries
- 2. Death and Afterlife: Perspectives of World Religions, by Hiroshi Obayashi
- 3. Guests of the Sheik: An Ethnography of an Iraqi Village, by Elizabeth Warnock Fernea
- 4. Khmer American, by Nancy J. Smith-Hefner
top 10 in gender, sex, sexuality, and women's studies
- 1. Hooking Up: Sex, Dating, and Relationships on Campus, by Kathleen Bogle
- 2. Various articles, by Carol Gilligan
- 3. Various articles, by Michael Kimmel
- 4. Can't Buy My Love, by Jean Kilbourne
- 5. Why is Sex Fun?: The Evolution of Human Sexuality, by Jared Diamond
- 6. Hard Core: Power, Pleasure, and the "Frenzy of the Visible", by Linda Williams
- (Currently reading) Forbidden Fruit: Sex & Religion in the Lives of American Teenagers, by Mark D. Regnerus
top 10 in business
- 1. The Leadership Challenge, by James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner
- 2. Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable, by Seth Godin
- 3. What Color is Your Parachute? (2009 edition), by Richard N. Bolles
- 4. Resume Magic, Cover Letter Magic, and Interview Magic series, by Susan Britton Whitcomb
- 5. Strengths Finder 2.0, by Tom Rath
- 6. Work in the 21st Century: An Introduction to Industrial and Organizational Psychology, by Frank J. Landry and Jeffrey M. Conte
- 7. Negotiate to Win: The 21 Rules for Successful Negotiation, by Jim Thomas
- 8. Career Renegade: How to Make a Great Living Doing What You Love, by Jonathan Fields
- 9. How to Get Rich, by Donald Trump
top 5 miscellaneous non-fiction
- 1. For the Time Being, by Annie Dillard
- 2. The Post Secret series (parts of), by Frank Warren
- 3. Ask Marilyn: the 1986-1992 Collection, by Marilyn vos Savant
- 4. Amazing Real Life Coincidences, by Douglas Colligan
i watch {movies}
top 10 favorites (in no order)
- Lilja 4-Ever / Lilya 4-Ever
- Fucking Amal / Show Me Love
- Tillsammans / Together
- Before Sunrise
- Before Sunset
- American Beauty
- Red (directed by Kieslowski)
- Conversations with Other Women
- Ikiru
- Little Manhattan
other favorites
- In America
- The Professional / Leon
- Life is Beautiful
- School of Rock
- The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio
- A Perfect World
- Annie Hall
- The Station Agent
- Closer
- Moulin Rouge
- One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
- I Am Sam
- Amelie
- Beauty and the Beast
- The Kid (directed by Chaplin)
- Dead Poets Society
- City of God
- Big Fish
- Garden State
- Se7en
- Bang Bang You're Dead
- Forrest Gump
- Gladiator
- Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
- My Neighbor Totoro
- Cruel Intentions
- Chinaman
- Oh, My Sister / Fat Girl
- Betty Blue
- The Piano Teacher
- Unmade Beds
- Brothers
- Tokyo Story
- Tokyo Twilight
- 500 Days of Summer
- Love Me if You Dare
i attend {theater}
top 20 musicals
- 1. Beauty and the Beast, Broadway
- 2. The Wedding Singer, Broadway
- 3. Hairspray, Broadway tour in Boston
- 4. Cats, Broadway tour in Boston
- 5. Wicked, Broadway tour in Boston
- 6. Mamma Mia!, Broadway
- 7. Urinetown, Lyric Stage Company in Boston
- 8. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Boston
- 9. Little Women, Broadway tour in Boston
- 10. The Light in the Piazza, Broadway, special TV broadcast
- 11. Hair, Boston University On-Broadway
- 12. Grey Gardens, Lyric Stage Company in Boston
- 13. Aladdin, Wheelock Family Theatre
- 13. Man of La Mancha, Lyric Stage Company in Boston
top 10 plays and stage shows
- 1. My Name is Asher Lev, Lyric Stage Company of Boston
- 2. Bug (written by Tracy Letts), directed by David Gram, Boston University College of Fine Arts
- 3. David Copperfield: An Intimate Evening of Grand Illusion, tour in Boston
- 4. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, Boston University College of Fine Arts
- 5. Lizzie Stranton, Boston University College of Fine Arts
- 6. Waiting for Godot, directed by David Gram, Boston University College of Fine Arts
- 7. Shear Madness: The Comedy Whodunit, Boston
- 8. Broke-ology, Lyric Stage Company of Boston
- 9. The Year of Magical Thinking, Lyric Stage Company in Boston
- 10. Tartuffe, directed by David Gram, Boston University College of Fine Arts
i listen to {music}
top 10 songs
- 1. If We Hold on Together, Diana Ross
- 2. I Believe, Blessid Union of Souls
- 3. Something There (from Beauty and the Beast), Paige O'Hara, Robby Benson, others
- 3. Beauty and the Beast, Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson
- 4. I Wanna Know, Joe
- 5. Dance with My Father, Luther Vandross
- 6. This I Promise You, N'Sync
- 7. For Good, Kristin Chenoweth
- 7. Thank God I Found You, Mariah Carey
- 8. God Bless the USA, Lee Greenwood
- 9. The World's Greatest, R. Kelly
- 10. Who Will I Run To, Kiley Dean
other favorites
- We are the World, Michael Jackson and others
- Dreaming, Selena
- Because You Loved Me, Celine Dion
- You My Only One, Tank
- I Knew I Loved You, Savage Garden
- You Raise Me Up, Josh Groban
- The Extra Mile, Laura Pausini
- Where is the Love?, Black Eyed Peas
- Anything For You, Gloria Estefan
- On the Wings of Love, Clay Aiken
- And So It Goes, Billy Joel
- I Dreamed a Dream, Susan Boyle
- Everything I Do, Brandy
- Same Old Lang Syne, Dan Fogelberg
- If You're Not the One, Daniel Beddingfield
- I Love You Always Forever, Donna Lewis
- At the Beginning, Donna Lewis and Richard Marx
- There You'll Be, Faith Hill
- From This Moment, Faith Hill
- The Dance, Garth Brooks
- I Can Love You Like That, John Michael Montgomery
- How Can I Live Without You, Leann Rimes
- Hero, Mariah Carey
- All I Want for Christmas, Mariah Carey
- When You Believe, Mariah Carey
- Right Here Waiting for You, Richard Marx
- Angel, Robbie Williams
- Have I Told You Lately That I Love You, Rod Stewart
- You're in My Heart, Rod Stewart
- You're Still the One, Shania Twain
- Never Knew Love Like This Before, Stephanie Mills
- Babe I Love You, Styx
- Save the Best for Last (got the joke?), Vanessa Williams
i remember {quotes}
top 9 i live by
- 9. "Of all forms of caution, caution in love is perhaps the most fatal to true happiness." - Bertrand Russell
- 8. "Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier." - Mother Teresa
- 7. "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." - Mark Twain
- 6. "Look at everything as though you were seeing it either for the first or last time." - Betty Smith
- 5. "It is better to live your own destiny imperfectly than to live an imitation of somebody else's life with perfection." - Lord Krishna, in The Bhagavad Gita
- 4. "Despite everything, I believe that people are really good at heart." - Anne Frank
- 3. "What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world remains and is immortal." - Albert Pine
- 2. "At the end of your life, you will never regret not having passed one more test, not winning one more verdict or not closing one more deal. You will regret time not spent with a husband, a friend, a child, or a parent." - Barbara Bush
- 1. "What you give is what you get." - English proverb