Ok, so maybe I get a little drool-y whenever I pass the coffee table and see the Entertainment Weekly cover photo of Ryan Reynolds’ abs, but, in general, the men on my crush list find themselves there as a result of their erudition, feats of valor, and support of women’s rights (hey – it’s my crush list, not my reality list). Imagine my delight then, when I discovered Hottest Heads of State, a blog devoted to ranking the world’s, yes, Heads of State according to their, yes, Hotness! How Barack (15) falls behind Chile’s Michelle Bachelet (11) is beyond me, but clearly the site’s founders are geniuses, so they must have good reason.

We’ve never seen his abs and we still can’t pronounce his last name, but that doesn’t stop Sarah and I from constantly referring to Chris Guillebeau and his work at The Art of Non-Conformity when we discuss growing our business. Chris is dedicated to helping others live their professional lives on their own terms. Check out his ebooks on maximizing frequent flier miles, making money through your art, and using social media productively. His ‘manifesto’ 279 Days to Overnight Success details his process of building his business and has loads of lessons for those trying putting out their own shingles (acting career, anyone?). Unlike most members of the blogosphere, who guard their monetization strategies like they’re state secrets, in 279 Days Chris details how he manages to make ends meet through his new media hustle.

I discovered the work of another non-conformist, Mike Daisey, when his stellar one-man show How Theater Failed America visited the Kirk Douglas Theater last spring. About HTFA, Variety says, “Blending political anger with striking personal stories, this piece should reach anyone who believes in live performance.” Mr. Daisey also wrote and starred in 21 Dog Years, a monologue about his days of drudgery at Amazon.com, and he just performed his latest show, The Last Cargo Cult, at The Public Theater. Check his site for his touring schedule. Here’s a clip of How Theater Failed America:

And while you’re looking at great theater on youtube, check out Anna Deavere Smith’s newest work Let Me Down Easy…

If you’re out east this winter, stop by Brooklyn’s Union Docs for art exhibitions and screenings of hard-to-find documentaries. Its site also features short videos on off-the-beaten path arts topics and artist interviews. When I want to discover new voices in independent film I stop by Hammer to Nail and Filmmaker Magazine’s blog. Via the uber-useful Very Short List (a curatorial site that sends you a daily update on what’s great in wild world of the web), I discovered Letters of Note and these greats from Hunter S. Thompson and J.D. Salinger on their adventures in the film trade.

Yes, Gwyneth Paltrow can act, but can she blog? Well, I don’t know, she still hasn’t turned in that Minerva guest piece she promised on awards trophy storage solutions. But if you want some great recipes and need help planning your next trip to Marrakesh, check out GOOP for a little star style. The real reason to plow through a couple of GOOP archives, however, is so that you can appreciate this mascara-running-down-my-face funny Vanity Fair parody of it.

For more practical insight into the acting life, check out this NY Times article on the pre-Up in the Air Vera Farmiga. It’s a thrilling look into an unconventional career and an up-and-coming actor’s decision-making process. We reviewed the Everything Acting Podcast in this post, and Roz and Darby continue to kick it in their great guest interviews. But of late, both have been traveling through some tough times in their (very accomplished) professional lives and have been opening up more than ever in their pre-interview check-ins. Their candor in sharing their thoughts, regrets and hopes is a gift to actors at any career stage. The Billy Hopkins (casting director of Precious) episode is a must-listen.

We hope you’re enjoying a great holiday season. As we take a little time out from the LA Actor Hustle to spend time with friends and family and take stock of the year, let’s remember those stationed far away. It’s not too late to send a holiday note to our troops via Let’s Say Thanks. Log on to Let’s Say Thanks, write a message, and Xerox and Give 2 the Troops will send a greeting card to our service men and women stationed overseas.

So that’s a round-up of where you’re likely to find me when I should be working on my next article for Minerva. Now turn off your computer and go talk to your brother/sister/yule log like a normal person.

See you next year!

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