Apologies for the extended wait. My start to 2025 has been occupied with traveling across the country, moving into LA, evacuating fires, and now attending Sundance.
2024 was a wild and at times overwhelming year, and yet so exciting and life-changing. Graduating college, getting an incredible job, and having a new dog has been so rewarding and so much work, but work I love doing.
Given the political circumstances, it feels selfish at times to be excited for my own future, when so many others’ feel limited and hopeless. I don’t know what to say about where we’re all headed, but I hope we can try to find motivation to keep our heads up. I think being so creative and exploratory this past year has helped me a lot. It’s not necessarily a solution (or even a distraction), but maybe somehow art can help you too (whether creating or consuming).
This year, I’d like to add two fundraisers to my bio for readers to contribute to. One for the many many families whose homes have been destroyed by the fires in Los Angeles, and another one for children still being displaced and abandoned in Gaza. I hoped that by this point this latter issue would have come to some resolve. Unfortunately we do not live in that world.
Donate what you can and thank you so much for reading. As always, thank you to my incredibly beautiful and immensely talented partner in crime, @gracee.malone . None of this journey could ever be as exciting without you.
Now go listen!
Cannot believe this is real.
Somebody Cares, a short film I production coordinated during my time out in LA earlier this year that got me my amazing job @6degreesfilms , has officially been selected to play at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival.
Truly mind-blown right now. So thankful to everyone who helped make this happen (see below), along with everyone who granted me the opportunities that led to this (especially Julien Lasseur, Kevin, and Francesca Chinoy at Freestyle Picture Company).
Hope to catch you all at THE DANCE!!
Director - @lasseur
Writer - Brian Groh @missouribrian
“Barry” - Shawn Parsons @alabamashawn
“Vince” - Cjon Saulsberry @bigcjon
“Margo” - Kristin Hansen
Voice of “Siri” - Kaitlin Moose
Production Company - @6degreesfilms
Executive Producer - Patrick Koitzsch @patrickkoitzsch
Director of Photography - Kyle Smolic @kasmolic
Editor - Chancler Haynes @chancler
Producer - Megan Short @meganshorttt
VFX / Co Producer - Jamie Thalman @jamiethalman
Production Coordinator - yours truly
1st AC - Ethan Chu @ethanlchu
2nd AC - Sarah Jacobs @sarahsmolic
Camera Operator - Garet Jatsek @steadi.g
Gaffer - Ben Trevey @bentrevey
Sound Mixer - Ethan Lee @sound_guy_ethan
Sound Design & Re-Recording Mix - Adrian Arteaga @drunken_swami
Stylist/Special Effects - Pedro Rios @riosstudio
Colorist - Connor Bailey @connorjbailey@housepost
Color Producer - Gina Martin
Finishing - Simple DCP
Original Song “Freedom” written and composed by Nick Harding and Chris Harding, Performed by Taylor Watson @taylorwatson
Song “She’s Going To A Better Place” by Cancion Franklin
Title design - Luisa Koitzsch @luisakoych
Poster - Dean Rosen @drozen2.0@sundanceorg
Oh deary. Miller’s 18.
We’ve tried keeping her locked in the basement all these years, but now she is out and rampant. This only gives us two outcomes: (1 the world is about to set ablaze, or (2 divine intervention shall come and save us all. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what this next year holds. If you didn’t already know, Miller has recently vanquished the city of Louisville and graduated from Frances Parker High School, where she will continue her world domination at the University of Arizona. Let us share a prayer for Tucson.
So proud of you and excited to hear all about these next four years. You’re seriously going to run that school, and they absolutely don’t know what’s coming.
Love you and happy birthday,
Oliver
Happy 22nd Birthday!!
Oh wow oh wow oh wow!
This past year, Grace Malone sang along with James Murphy and LCD Soundsystem, traveled across Spain for two months, toured her friends back through Merida, Mexico, and… GRADUATED COLLEGE!! With not one, but TWO majors! A tremendous effort absolutely conquered. Grace, you should be so proud of yourself. You took being 21 to the next level, the world is unprepared for 22.
I am so proud of you and can’t wait to live the post-college adult life along your side. I’m so excited to see what amazing things you do next.
I love you. Happy Birthday,
Oliver
LA post #4: viva Palestina
I spoke to God in my dreams last night
She said I’d go to heaven if my teeth was white
Medicare, Medicare, Medicare
No need for these naysayers
And the crocodile feels
And the crocodile know
And the crocodile kills
Footnote:
As much as I’ve had a blast in California and am more than happy that I made the decision to come here, I do want to express my disappointment towards what occurred on DePaul’s Lincoln Park Quad last month. I’ve recently thought a lot about my college experience as it nears its end, and I can affirm that, overall, I’m really glad I chose this school. I have my issues with certain aspects, as does everyone, but I truly don’t think I would have enjoyed any other school or city quite like DePaul and Chicago, which is why I’m so angry and disappointed by the CPD’s enforcement against students at the command of the heads of school. I really thought this was an environment that trusted and supported its students, and clearly that isn’t fully the case. It’s such a betrayal and I hope the school can learn from this and do much, much better in the future.
All that being said, the amount of students who, whether part of the encampment or not, showed their disdain and anger at the school and CPD for making this decision does give me some hope about the future not just of DePaul, but of Chicago and, hopefully, our country. It’s clear those who do not tolerate such tyranny are more than just my immediate compatriots, but a much larger portion of our generation than I assumed. There of course is the issue of being taken seriously and listened to by those who actually have the means to do something, but, I have to admit, the backlash of students against the raid gave me some optimism about our position. We learned to mature in the face of a fascist, embraced adulthood during a pandemic, and are now being told by every generation above us that we are responsible for cleaning the mess they made. There’s a lot to doubt, but I truly believe we have the mind-set and strength to do something about it. Maybe it’s not DePaul I love as much as those who attended it with me, so thank you for giving me some hope.
LA Post #3: the hills
“It is in this tropism toward survival that Hollywood sometimes presents the appearance of the last extant stable society.” - Joan Didion
LA Post #2: songs 36-69
And now it’s 55 years later
We’ve had the romance of the century
After all these years wrestling gators
I still feel like crying when I think of what you said to me
Papa was a rodeo, Mama was a rock and roll band
I could play guitar and rope a steer before I learned to stand
Home was anywhere with diesel gas, love was a trucker’s hand
Never stuck around long enough for a one night stand
Before you kiss me, you should know
Papa was a rodeo
We’re doing things a little differently this round. It was recommended to me by a few confidants that I create more of a break down of what I’ve listened to into more specific and digestible categories rather than one long list. So what I’ve come up with and present to you are several, shortened lists of records that really spoke to me this year and that I think you should check out too. This includes my favorite albums of 2023, favorite first-listens, re-listened re-evaluations, a “favorite tracks” list, and a write-up on both an album that really spoke to me and a song I couldn’t stop listening to.
I had a lot of fun putting this list together throughout the year and am pretty happy with what I found. Of course, there’s so much I still need to check out or give another chance, so any recommendations or thoughts are always more than welcome.
Also, not that this has anything to do with music, but if a good amount of you are taking the time to read through this I thought I’d add a link for the Palestinian Children Relief Fund if you would like to check that out too. If you’d like to donate, link’s in bio, if not, just keep moving along.
Hope you all had a lovely 2023, thanks for everything.
So thankful and proud of my favorite person. Sometimes you just gotta stand by and let the princess be beautiful. Love you so much gorgeous, see you again soon
Happy 6 Years!! Whatwhatwhatwhatwhaaaat?!?! How is this happening?!!!! I feel like I only saw you for the first time just a few months ago and now it’s been 6 YEARS?!?? I have been at my most centered, happiest, and best self from the moment I locked eyes on you, and I cannot thank you enough for everything you’ve brought into my life. These past years have flown by and I can’t wait for six more. I love you more than words can describe and I would do anything to bring joy into your world. Thank you for everything, my huckleberry friend.
