The Vs. Studio Blog

“The quality of your questions determines the quality of your life.” -Tim Ferriss

“With a tear for the dark past, turn we then to the dazzling future, and, veiling our eyes, press forward. The long and weary winter of the race is ended. Its summer has begun. Humanity has burst the chrysalis. The heavens are before it.” -Edward Bellamy, Looking Backward

The best reason to look back is to look forward.

A great practice for this is to perform an annual review. I’ve come across several different versions and strategies. Here’s one from Sahil Bloom. Another one from Tim Ferriss. Another one from Shane Parrish. And one more from James Clear.

What these all have in common is questions. Asking yourself quality and meaningful questions about how successful you were at achieving your intentions and goals. Here are some good questions I culled from the sites:

What created or drained energy from my life?

What were my greatest hits and misses?

What am I most proud of?

What did I learn? (I’d edit this to “What blew my mind or radically changed my perspective?”)

What’s working well and why? What’s not and why not? What should I keep doing? What should I eliminate?

What did I not do because I was afraid?

What habit is consistently getting in my way? How can I change it?

The answers to these questions or any others you come up with, can shed light on what you want to accomplish in 2025.

Two more tips:

(1) Instead of waiting until the end of the year to do a review, why not do one every quarter or every month? You can also do a simpler weekly or even daily review.

(2) Continuously ask yourself the focusing question. Which is, “What’s the one thing I can do such that by doing it will render everything else easier or unnecessary?

Good luck reviewing 2024 and good luck moving forward in 2025!

I had a goal to read or see 100 plays this year. I fell a bit short at 70. Still, not bad.

If you want to read or see more plays in 2025, then I have two amazing resources for you! The first is our Vs. Tuesday Night Reading Series. We read a play every Tuesday night either on Zoom or live at Pacific Resident Theatre in Venice. (Started back in 2018 in the lobby of our old home space, we’ve now read over 250 plays). The second is Vs. Theatre Club. We gather as a group–on average, about once per month–to go see plays and support our local theatre community. Started in 2022, we’ve had over 30 club outings. If you’re interested in joining either or both groups, drop me a line and I’ll add you to the distro list. All are welcome!

I’ll start off with some of my favorite plays READ in 2024 (in alphabetical order and only including NEW plays that I hadn’t read prior):

A Case For The Existence Of God by Samuel Hunter (h/t to Pete for the recommend; grateful to AK and Sue for an amazing Vs. Tuesday Night read that has definitely stayed with me)

A Soldier’s Play by Charles Fuller (I had only seen the film, never read or seen the play; grateful to Will and Andy for bringing this one in for a Vs. Tuesday Night)

Aunt Jo by John Kolvenbach (LOVE this play, a future Vs. Tuesday Night reading is in the works!)

Grand Guignol (such a fun macabre live night @PRT; a Halloween celebration featuring all original works by Gareth Williams; h/t to Gareth for organizing the festivities; Jeffrey Johnson’s MC’s skills are second to none!)

Rathmine’s Road by Deidra Kinahan (h/t to Alex for the recommend)

Sam and Lizzie by Emily Kaczmarek (h/t to Jen C for the recommend; LOVE this play, a future Vs. reading is in the works!)

Something Clean by Selina Fillinger (h/t to Jen C)

The Fall To Earth by Joel Drake Johnson (h/t to Carolina for bringing this one in for a Vs. Tuesday Night)

When You Comin’ Back Red Ryder by Mark Medoff (the inaugural Vs. Live@PRT reading! thank you again to Dalia V and PRT for offering us space; h/t to Marla for bringing this one in; hadn’t read this play before and it really resonated)

Below are some of my favorite plays SEEN live in 2024 (in alphabetical order and almost all were Vs. Theatre Club nights!):

A Doll’s House Part 2 by Lucas Hnath (directed by Allen Barton at Beverly Hills Playhouse)

A Permanent Image by Samuel Hunter (directed by Andrew D. Weyman at Pacific Resident Theatre; this was actually the second time I’ve seen the play as it was done a while back at Rogue Machine; Dalia and the rest of the ensemble were spectacular and loved that it was the same cast as the original Vs. Tuesday Night reading!)

Crevasse by Tom Jacobson (directed by Matthew McCray at Victory Theater Center; Ann Noble and Leo Marks both give tour de force performances)

Dido Of Idaho by Abby Rosebrock (directed by Abigail Deser at Echo Theater)

Ghost Waltz by Oliver Mayer (directed by Alberto Barboza at LATC)

Here Comes The Night by Lisa Kenner Grissom (directed by Hailey McAfee at the Zephyr Theatre; love that this was a prior Vs. Tuesday Night reading and that the production had the same two dynamite actors from the reading)

Hollywood Fringe (I saw several fringe shows this year, all featuring Vs. Tuesday Night artists and all awesome! I love that some of these shows originated from prior Tuesday Night readings)

I, Daniel Blake adapted for the stage by Ken Loach (directed by Simon Levy at the Fountain Theatre; JD Cullum was riveting as Daniel Blake and headlined a terrific ensemble)

If I Needed Someone by Neil LaBute (directed by Frederique Michel at City Garage Theatre)

Iphigenia In Splott by Gary Owen (directed by Rosie Glen-Lambert at the Broadwater Black Box Theatre; Hailey McAfee, who also directed Here Comes The Night, was the actor in this one-person show and she was fantastic; I wrote this blog post about it)

Iron Skirt Stories Salon (directed by Andrew Hawkes at RD Studios; I’ve seen every single Iron Skirt show and they’re always amazing; Amy and Sasha do an incredible job sourcing and producing an all-star lineup of all-female storytellers)

The Brother’s Size by Tarell Alvin McCraney (directed by Bijan Sheibani at the Geffen Playhouse; this was actually the second time I’ve seen this play as I saw it many years back at the Fountain Theatre; a great inaugural production for the Geffen’s new AD who is also the playwright; I wrote this blog post about it; two other great shows I saw at the Geffen in 2024 were Fat Ham and Waiting For Godot; a terrific season and look forward to upcoming shows!)

The Civil Twilight by Shem Bitterman (directed by Ann Hearn Tobolowsky at the Boroadwater Studio; Andrew Elvis Miller and Taylor Gilbert were a dynamite duo; the show has extended yet again through January 26th)

Three Witches by Michael Perlmutter (directed by Ann Noble at Moving Arts; another prior Vs. Tuesday Night reading that made its way into full production; I especially love that the night I saw it, the theatre was almost entirely comprised of Vs. artists and allies; such a fun Vs. Theatre Club night!)

Vanya by Anton Chekhov, adapted by Simon Stephens (directed by Sam Yates; this one person adaptation of Chekhov’s masterpiece, Uncle Vanya, was one of the best pieces of theatre I’ve ever seen in my life…and I saw it on the big screen at the UCLA as part of their National Theatre Live programming; Andrew Scott was as good as it gets, an acting clinic; I wrote this blog post about it; loved it so much that I plan to make it the inaugural Vs. Films screening; coming soon in 2025!)

Well, that’s a wrap for 2024. It was a great year for live theatre, and I’m really excited for 2025.

Happy New Year! May it bring you continued community, much love, good health and creative fulfillment.

P.S. – Thank you again for reading this blog. I am very grateful for all of you!

So I fell woefully short of my goal to read 24 books this year. I read 13. That’s the second year in a row I didn’t make goal, so I’ll scale back my 2025 goal to 18.

The good news is that almost every book I read this year was terrific. Quality over quantity, right? Here’s my top 8 (in alphabetical order):

A Swim In The Pond In The Rain: In Which Four Russians Give a Master Class on Writing, Reading, and Life by George Saunders – one of the best books on writing ever (h/t to Ron for recommending); Saunders literally gives a masterclass; I’ve quoted it extensively in this blog and plan to re-read; the stories alone are worth the price; (Saunders also has a great Substack called “Story Club” which you can check out here)

Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life by William Finnegan – winner of the Pulitzer Prize; not just an incredible surfing memoir, but also the story of a remarkable life

Mike Nichols: A Life by Mark Harris – a phenomenal read about the director of my all-time favorite film, THE GRADUATE and a fellow alum from my alma mater; has been on my shelf for a while and so glad I finally got around to reading this year (h/t to my wife Amy for a great Christmas present!)

Sonny Boy: A Memoir by Al Pacino – another phenomenal memoir, this one an autobiography about one of the greatest actors ever; so many inspiring nuggets in here about love of the work and perseverance; a must read for any actor (h/t to Robert D. for recommending)

Something Happened by Joseph Heller – Heller’s highly satirical and controversial follow up novel to his stunning debut, Catch 22; largely overlooked when it first came out, but it shouldn’t have been; the prose is dazzling and Heller gives a clinic in voice; a good one to pair with the show MAD MEN and the film The Apartment; (h/t to Ron for recommending)

The Creative Act: A Way Of Being by Rick Rubin – I’ve quoted extensively in the blog and re-read chapters all the time; a must read for any artist (also check out Rubin’s great podcast Tetragrammaton)

The Inner Game of Tennis: The Classic Guide to the Mental Side of Peak Performance by Tim Gallwey – don’t let the title fool you, it’s about so much more than tennis; I read it twice this year; a must read for anyone (h/t top Robert D. for recommending)

The Way Of Baseball: Finding Stillness at 95 mph by Shawn Green – like a Tao of Baseball and overall Zen approach to life; chop wood, carry water, hit home runs; a great overall read

P.S. – I’m halfway through the novel What Makes Sammy Run by Budd Schulberg (he also wrote the screenplay for ON THE WATERFRONT). Great so far! I suspect it might make my 2025 list.

Like films, my goal was to listen to 100 albums in 2024. I listened to 112. My rule is that I have to listen to the entire album at least two times straight through. And I try to make listening to the album my sole focus. Not just background music.

Inevitably, many of the albums I listened to are old favorites (Nirvana, Bob Marley, Radiohead and Pearl Jam come to mind) so I excluded those from the list. Below are only new discoveries, albums I loved and listened to way more than twice. Without further adieu, here’s my baker’s dozen (in alphabetical order):

Gayngs – Relayted

George Harrison & Friends – The Concert For Bangladesh

Guster – Ganging Up On The Sun

Jessica Pratt – Jessica Pratt

Jose Gonzales – Vestiges and Claws

Laura Marling – “I Speak Because I Can”

Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs –Under The Covers Vol. 1 (2 and 3)

Mountain Man – Made The Harbor

Mt. Joy – Live At The Salt Shed

Nick Lowe – Untouched Takeaway

Pete Yorn – The Hard Way

Placebo – Never Let Me Go (h/t to my friend The Chief, for this one)

The B-52’s – The B -52’s

P.S. – This “Album Of The Year” compilation site kicks ass.

P.P.S. – Send me your picks. I wanna listen!

“In my whole life I’ve never been good at something I wasn’t very interested in. It just doesn’t work. There’s no substitute for strong interest.”
— Charlie Munger

“Mastery is the best goal because the rich can’t buy it, the impatient can’t rush it, the privileged can’t inherit it, and nobody can steal it. You can only earn it through hard work. Mastery is the ultimate status.” -Derek Sivers

“You’ve got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. ‘-Steve Jobs

Love is the fuel of excellence. There is no other fuel. There is no other way to mastery.

If you don’t love the thing, you won’t put in the necessary work over a long enough period of time to be excellent at that thing.

If you haven’t found that love, then you have two options:

1. Stop the pursuit of excellence. Settle.
2. Keep looking. Don’t settle until you’ve found that love.

Per my meaningful consumption practice, I try to log all the films, plays, albums, and books I consume in a year. It only takes a few minutes each day and doing so provides a nice look back at the end of the year.

In 2024, I saw 128 films (my goal was 100). I prefer films to tv, though I’ll watch a limited series if someone recommends (Ripley was really good). Some of the films listed below I’ve seen prior, but one of the great things about having two teenage sons is you get to introduce films you love to them. When it’s their first time viewing, it’s like your first time all over again (The Graduate, Before Sunrise, and Can’t Buy Me Love all come to mind. Yes, I’m a romantic at heart.) Shout out to American Cinematheque for providing an opportunity to see great, classic films on the big screen.

Okay, without further adieu, below is my baker’s dozen list (in alphabetical order)…

Act Of Violence directed by Fred Zinneman – shout to Eddie Muller and TCM for programming this film noir gem; check out the impressive diversity of Zinneman’s filmography

Apocalypse Now Redux directed by Francis Ford Coppola – had only seen the original, never this longer version; was a great opportunity to introduce the film to my younger son, Truman; a powerful and mesmerizing viewing experience for both of us

Conclave directed by Edward Berger – saw it in the theatre; an ensemble of phenomenal acting and gripping storytelling

Den Of Thieves directed by Christian Gudecast – while it may not be Heat, I love that it wants to be; an awesome bank heist movie that me and my older son, Callum loved; put this on a double bill with Shot Caller

His Three Daughters by Azazel Jacobs – great acting and a perfect ending; I love that the director cared so much to shoot it in 35mm film

Janet Planet directed by Annie Baker – saw this in the theatre with a live Q&A with the director and cast. Julianne Nicholson gives a master class in simplicity

La Dolce Vita directed by Federico Fellini – always wanted to see this masterpiece and it delivered; I definitely plan to own it and watch repeatedly

On The Waterfront directed by Elia Kazan – one my all-time favorite films; I’ve seen it countless times and own the 4k; Brando gives, in my opinion, the greatest male performance ever on screen; this was my first time seeing on the big screen however (thank you American Cinematheque); took Truman and he loved it; I wrote this blog post about the experience.

The China Syndrome directed by James Bridges – saw it twice this year; great acting including Jack Lemmon in a supporting role (speaking of Jack, I saw Save The Tiger again (he’s so good in it); introduced Callum to Glengarry Glen Ross (another personal fave; he loved it) and watched Missing for the first time.)

The Hunchback Of Notre Dame directed by William Dieterle – Charles Laughton is incredible as Quasimodo

The Last Stop In Yuma County directed by Francis Galluppi – saw a screening including a Q&A with the director and cast; a fun indie gem and true labor of love; wrote about it in this blog post

The Monk and The Gun directed by Pawo Choyning Dorji – saw it in the theatre; such a cool and imaginative premise and story

They Drive By Night directed by Raoul Walsh – great film noir; Bogey, George Raft and Ida Lupino don’t disappoint

To Kill A Tiger directed by Nisha Pahuja – a moving documentary that stayed with me; saw it in the theatre

Okay, that’s my list. I’d love to hear some your 2024 favorites. Send ’em my way!

“The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.” -Joseph Campbell

“If you’re not feeling those butterflies, you’re not taking a big enough risk.” -Ray Manzarek

“Fear causes hesitation, and hesitation will cause your worst fears to come true…If you want the ultimate, you’ve got to be willing to pay the ultimate price.” -Bodhi (played by Patrick Swayze) in the film Point Break

How alive you feel is directly correlated to how big a risk you take.

To feel alive, you don’t have to be Johnny Utah and jump out of a plane.

You do need to face your fears though and take a chance.

Remember…no risk, no art.

“Make before you manage.” -Tim Ferriss

“Make movies. Not meetings.” -Mark Duplass

“I like to find (a) simple solutions (b) to overlooked problems (c) that actually need to be solved, and (d) deliver them as informally as possible, (e) starting with a very crude version 1, then (f) iterating rapidly.” -Paul Graham

“Remember that whatever discipline you are in, whether you are a musician or a photographer, a fine artist or a cartoonist, a writer, a dancer, a designer, whatever you do you have one thing that’s unique. You have the ability to make art.

And for me, and for so many of the people I have known, that’s been a lifesaver. The ultimate lifesaver. It gets you through good times and it gets you through the other ones.

Life is sometimes hard. Things go wrong, in life and in love and in business and in friendship and in health and in all the other ways that life can go wrong. And when things get tough, this is what you should do.

Make good art.

I’m serious. Husband runs off with a politician? Make good art. Leg crushed and then eaten by mutated boa constrictor? Make good art. IRS on your trail? Make good art. Cat exploded? Make good art. Somebody on the Internet thinks what you do is stupid or evil or it’s all been done before? Make good art. Probably things will work out somehow, and eventually time will take the sting away, but that doesn’t matter. Do what only you do best. Make good art.” -excerpt from Neil Gaiman’s 2012 commencement speech at The University of the Arts.

A 2025 Artist Resolution (and every year resolution):

More making.

Less spectating.

P.S. – The full Neil Gaiman speech here and read the transcript here. Highly recommend.

“After a while I went out and left the hospital and walked back to the hotel in the rain.” -last sentence of A Farewell To Arms by Ernest Hemingway

“I lingered round them, under that benign sky; watched the moths fluttering among the heath, and hare-bells; listened to the soft wind breathing through the grass; and wondered how any one could ever imagine unquiet slumbers for the sleepers in that quiet earth.” -last sentence of Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

“Where I am, I don’t know, I’ll never know, in the silence you don’t know, you must go on, I can’t go on, I’ll go on.” -last sentence of The Unnamable by Samuel Beckett

So maybe you’re Act One was just okay.

And Act Two was a disaster.

But hey, you still got time, you can give a dazzling Act Three.

Great teams, athletes and artists all share this in common:

They know how to finish strong.

Run what’s left of the race.

Go all out.

Give it everything you got.

Finish strong.

P.S. – Talk about a closing kick.

Loyalty is an admirable virtue. It simply means showing up and doing what you said you were going to do.

Perhaps you pride yourself on your loyalty. You always come through for your family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, etc…

But are you loyal to yourself? Do you keep your own promises?

If not, why not?

P.S. – “The world’s worst boss.” One of my all time favorite Seth posts.