The Trans-Siberian Orchestra unabashedly personifies holiday spirit. For the past decade, its seasonal symphonic rock - a fluid union of epic storytelling and pyrotechnics - has diffused global cynicism with equal parts dare and dream.

Our back pages

Though I would swear in a court of law with my hand upon the Bible that it is simply impossible for 365 days (or 366, leap year and all) to have passed by already, the calendar indicates that it is the time of year for looking back over the past year’s literary journey. For some, these Year End/Best Of lists are likely an obligation that they feel they must do because everyone else is doing it. Not so for this blogger. For me this year-ending ritual is a literary love letter for another year

Continuing from Part 1, we look at how we might develop the important threads that will keep the season 2 storytelling of TTSCC tight.

As 2009 approaches, let us set aside the great puzzle of 2008 (“Where did the money go?”) and deal with a more pleasant question: “Why are we so crazy about the arts?”