Though I've never tried heroin and never plan on it, it seems many forms of art and our reaction to art, are comparable to what heroin junkies claim about the heroin high: that after that first hit, the game is all about reaching the high of that first time.

Over the past decade or so, I've really been trying to observe actors and their acting. I've done a little reading on acting styles and methods and this includes from culture to culture.

There are a few things American film making seem to focus on over and over again. For one thing, too many stories are the same stories told, but in just different ways.

Another issues is how much American film making focuses on the human face. Body language is the major form of communication and our film making tends to focus on the expressions of the face.

Take DeNiro for example, for most, there are just so many unique expressions a person can do in acting. And until I'm told otherwise, this is one reason why I think a lot of self-proclaimed actors shy away from giving interviews, especially visual ones: to do so gives away their subconscious "tells."

Also, it seems so much of DeNiro's acclaim comes from him being involved in stories that really hadn't been told before. In other words, he was present for roles that sort of took him along for the ride. So was he making the wave, or riding the wave?

Onto other artists....it seems to me, many of them early on are very, very willing to do the very hard work of creating something that blows us way, for example, Springsteen's first two highly eclectic albumbs, and that it is almost impossible to maintain this level for several reasons.

For one, they refine their craft and develop their own style. Hell, what person does not want to refine their work habits so they can turn out a quality product with less work? I saw this with my own father's art work.

But to me, we are all changing every day and sooner or later, the things that held us in the past age, lose their gloss and weather just like we do.

Still, thank goodness there are those out there that do keep plodding along...