Post #499: An Unofficial End to the Project

This is me, days before starting my project.

Early one morning, while visiting my family for the weekend, my dad found me at the kitchen table, typing up the day’s review over coffee.  When he realized I wasn’t just checking facebook, (he loves to annoy my mom while she’s playing Farmville), he asked about my blog.  You know, the basics that non-techie middle-aged people know: how often do I write for it, how many people read it, what kind of movies is it about again?  After I explained it all to him, showed him some comments and how many hits the blog gets, I could tell he was more impressed than he had planned to be.  It meant the world to me when he said, “Well, keep it up.  Maybe someone will notice all the work you put into this.”  

For the past year, my family and friends have been in confusion, wonder and awe at the time and effort I’ve devoted to this cinematic quest: watch and write a review for every film ever nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars.  Their support has ranged from approval and discussing certain posts to simply asking if I was sick of movies yet.  Within the first months, the word ‘blog’  became synonymous with ‘what Alyson is doing,’ between some of my family members.  While they occasionally asked if I was looking for work (I was always keeping an eye out for a decent job, even had a few interviews), never did anyone offer anything but encouragement for my project.

Very thankful that my project didn't end this way.

And now, I’m at the unofficial end.  I call it that because I have successfully gone through all 83 years of Oscar history, watched and reviewed all the films I was able to find.  I plan to come back and review the few missing films as I find them, and perhaps write about some more cinematic gems.  I can’t simply shelve this blog away and admire it from afar, where’s the fun in that?

Being dedicated to a project like this requires sacrifices, stamina and flexibility.  I started this crazy thing partially because I had given up hope on finding a “real job” in our old town in Illinois, so I would not advise anyone to quit their day job to do this.  Watching at least one movie a day may sound like an easy thing, but if you’re a restless soul who likes to be active, like me, it takes some planning and will power, especially after a few weeks.  My husband and I actually scheduled a Valentines Day dinner during the intermission of Ben Hur.  And if I knew we had travels planned, I stocked up on movies to write about on the road.  The fact that this blog has survived impromptu travels, my increasingly involved lifestyle and a 500 mile move, still amazes me.

Watching is the easy part, writing is what this blog is made of.  There have been films that instantly inspired me, sending words flying from my fingertips with ease.  Others left me floundering for anything of even the slightest importance to say.  This blog has been like running a marathon. I have endured many pains and exhausted muscles that may have slowed me down temporarily, but in the end I’ve crossed the finish line.  Is there a type of sports drink to replenish your brain?  That would taste like victory about now.

So with this unofficial end, I’d like to say thanks to all my readers, family and friends who showed nothing but support.  Thank you.  And now I’d like to get away from my couch and go hiking for a while.  I can’t think of a better way to celebrate a such a long goal finally accomplished.   Thank you.