1. Finish notes on all Hitchcock films (3-4 per month)
I completed notes on six films this month:
The Lady Vanishes
Spellbound
Rope
Saboteur
Notorious
Mr. and Mrs. Smith
I had already seen three of the six. So out of the three I had not seen, I'd have to say that The Lady Vanishes was my favorite. Michael Redgrave was so attractive and hilarious. Plus nearly the entire film takes place on a train and I love the Hitch films that are confined to one space. What I found the most interesting was how eerily similar this film is to Flightplan with Jodie Foster. Apparently Flightplan was filmed from an original screenplay but to me it was a total ripoff of Hitch. Yes, there is such a thing as coincidence but the whole writing on the window thing is TOO much of a coincidence. Ohhhh silly people trying to pawn off Alfred Hitchcock's genius as their own. Will they ever learn?
7. Give up alcohol for Lent
I completed 24 days in the month of February, and while it certainly has posed its share of challenges, so far I am totally and utterly grateful for the experience and what it has taught me.
8. Read 12 books (for the year)
Finished Darkness, Take My Hand by Dennis Lehane...
...and Faith of my Fathers by John McCain
13. Eat at one new restaurant every month
Katie and I had dinner at Buckley’s and the whole fam had dinner at Metro Bar & Cafe inside Hotel Metro. And even though I have eaten at both these places before, I must give shout outs to the dessert I had at The Knick with Katie and the killer brunch we had at Cafe Hollander.
15. Donate $5 to 1-3 charities of your choosing every month
Because I'm unemployed, I'm trying to save money every month. But I definitely don't want to skimp on what I promised. So once I get a job, I will donate an additional $15 for every month I did not donate during unemployment. Here are some new charities I would like to help in the future:
Teen Challenge - Southern California (a drug and alcohol treatment facility for teenagers)
Tourette Syndrome Association
Animal Welfare Institute
World Food Programme
21. Watch at least one documentary every month
This month I watched Sicko and Why We Fight. Both were very interesting although one was clearly more sensational than the other. More than simply arouse me emotionally, the films prompted me to care about their issues and more importantly search for my own answers. And this is precisely why I added this task to my 25/25 list. As depressing and scary as a lot of these realities are and as much as we want to ignore them, I think it's so important to be well-informed and to do whatever we can as individuals to seek the truth and act accordingly.
Well I feel like I got a lot done this month and I thoroughly enjoyed reflecting back on all of it. I can't wait to see what March brings!
