Yesterday morning I received a rather distasteful phone call, and rather than dwell on the circumstances surrounding that needlessly adversarial and rancorous situation, I have been trying to get outside myself. Here are some some of the works of art, or depending on you outlook, the pieces of entertainment I've been occupying my mind with:
* The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice. I am currently finishing up the third book, "Queen of the Damned". This series is, I believe, the absolute best modern depiction of vampires. As portrayed by Rice, the creatures of the night are sensuous and erotic, but in a way that transcends the simple carnal pleasures of humans. For Rice's vampires, the sum of all ecstasy is the taking of blood from their victims, or the giving of their own blood to create new blood-suckers. Also intriguing to me is the way the characters are not merely monstrous fiends, but deep-feeling lost souls, forever searching for companionship and meaning in their night-bound immortal lives.
* Drive, a film directed by Nicolas Winding Refn and starring Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan (who is entirely too cute). This is my kind of movie! Characters that manage to have a lot of depth, without cumbersome expository dialogue; scenes that don't beat you over the head with emotion and energy, yet still convey it; and lots of long, well-composed shots that are beautiful and speak volumes, even in their silence. Also, it is interesting to see Bryan Cranston in yet another varied and well-acted role. His acting career, fueled by his excellent performance in "Breaking Bad", just keeps getting better. Seriously, go check out "Drive" if you haven't seen it; it's available to watch instantly on NetFlix.
* I'm the Ocean, by Neil Young, from his album 'Mirrorball'. The title of this post comes from the lyrics of this song, which are meandering and a little disjointed...not really about anything specific or readily apparent. Still, there is something in this song, with its single repetitive chord progression and vocal melody, that speaks to the deep part of me.
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