I guess if you have a blog it's pretty much expected to list some sort of End Year post. Here's my attempt to follow that crowd and share some of my favorite stuff of '08.
Rock Song: Old Enough by The Raconteurs
I'm a late adopter of The Raconteurs, and I thank BXR for overplaying this song over the summer so I didn't miss it.
Pop Song: I'm Yours by Jason Mraz
Another on the overplayed list, this was our family sing-along song all summer. This is a full album pick up.
DVD and Movie Dispenser: Once and The Redbox
Once is a great movie with incredible music. I was tempted to watch it again as soon as I finished it the first time. I wanted to renew my piano lessons from 1986.
The Redbox is genius (especially the one within walking distance of my front door) and will make a fortune off me -- one dollar at a time.
Video Game: Mario Kart Wii
I've been playing video games for more than 20 years, and this one ranks toward the top for pure fun, especially multiplayer, and especially-er online multiplayer. I'm not very good (yet), but for the first time in a long time I actually want to play enough to get better. (Sorry Guitar Hero - I just couldn't muster up the effort to dislocate my pinky in Expert Mode.)
Book: The Four Hour Workweek by Tim Ferris
I tend to read/listen to a lot of books over the course of a year. And most years I don't read a book that changes the way I think. This guy did it by challenging conventional wisdom and doing it well. It's not a "do this" book, at least not for me. But it has a little something for everyone. A quote reference in the book is a good summation:
Website: Facebook
I check two websites every day: Gmail and Facebook. I now know much more about current friends of friends than I ever knew about people I went to school with for 12 years (check that -- now that I've "reconnected" I also know more than I ever wanted about my old friends from high school).
Tech toy: Moleskine
OK, I lied. I went anti-tech this year, trading in my PDA for some a pocket-sized notebook. It was a great trade. I always have it with me, and I don't have to memorize anything anymore -- it just goes in the Moleskine. It contains random sketches, grocery lists, and that million dollar idea that would have been lost by the bedside in 2007 (In the interest of full disclosure, I'm still waiting on that idea). Oh... and I don't check my e-mail every 22 seconds.
Trip: New Orleans
I had the opportunity to take a business trip to New Orleans last spring with Janelle. We had an incredible time eating seafood, drinking frozen something-or-others, and soaking in the environment. Highly recommended.
Musical Performance: David Cook on American Idol
At the risk of outing myself as an American Idol and Michael Jackson fan in the same sentence, my favorite live performance of the year was David Cook's Billie Jean. If you didn't see it, take two minutes to watch:
Favorite Person: Janelle Chandler, my rock-awesome wife
We've been married nearly 10 years (next June) and this one has been the best by far. We've had lower lows than most years, and higher highs as well. We've laughed, cried, traveled, sang loudly, defaced our otherwise perfect bodies with tattoos, and otherwise had a heck of a good year. I'm in love with that girl.
So there it is. What about you? What was your favorite song/movie/book/game/website/techtoy/trip/person of the year?
I'm a late adopter of The Raconteurs, and I thank BXR for overplaying this song over the summer so I didn't miss it.
Pop Song: I'm Yours by Jason Mraz
Another on the overplayed list, this was our family sing-along song all summer. This is a full album pick up.
DVD and Movie Dispenser: Once and The Redbox
Once is a great movie with incredible music. I was tempted to watch it again as soon as I finished it the first time. I wanted to renew my piano lessons from 1986.
The Redbox is genius (especially the one within walking distance of my front door) and will make a fortune off me -- one dollar at a time.
Video Game: Mario Kart Wii
I've been playing video games for more than 20 years, and this one ranks toward the top for pure fun, especially multiplayer, and especially-er online multiplayer. I'm not very good (yet), but for the first time in a long time I actually want to play enough to get better. (Sorry Guitar Hero - I just couldn't muster up the effort to dislocate my pinky in Expert Mode.)
Book: The Four Hour Workweek by Tim Ferris
I tend to read/listen to a lot of books over the course of a year. And most years I don't read a book that changes the way I think. This guy did it by challenging conventional wisdom and doing it well. It's not a "do this" book, at least not for me. But it has a little something for everyone. A quote reference in the book is a good summation:
Anyone who lives within their means suffers from a lack of imagination. -Oscar Wilde
Website: Facebook
I check two websites every day: Gmail and Facebook. I now know much more about current friends of friends than I ever knew about people I went to school with for 12 years (check that -- now that I've "reconnected" I also know more than I ever wanted about my old friends from high school).
Tech toy: Moleskine
OK, I lied. I went anti-tech this year, trading in my PDA for some a pocket-sized notebook. It was a great trade. I always have it with me, and I don't have to memorize anything anymore -- it just goes in the Moleskine. It contains random sketches, grocery lists, and that million dollar idea that would have been lost by the bedside in 2007 (In the interest of full disclosure, I'm still waiting on that idea). Oh... and I don't check my e-mail every 22 seconds.
Trip: New Orleans
I had the opportunity to take a business trip to New Orleans last spring with Janelle. We had an incredible time eating seafood, drinking frozen something-or-others, and soaking in the environment. Highly recommended.
Musical Performance: David Cook on American Idol
At the risk of outing myself as an American Idol and Michael Jackson fan in the same sentence, my favorite live performance of the year was David Cook's Billie Jean. If you didn't see it, take two minutes to watch:
Favorite Person: Janelle Chandler, my rock-awesome wife
We've been married nearly 10 years (next June) and this one has been the best by far. We've had lower lows than most years, and higher highs as well. We've laughed, cried, traveled, sang loudly, defaced our otherwise perfect bodies with tattoos, and otherwise had a heck of a good year. I'm in love with that girl.
So there it is. What about you? What was your favorite song/movie/book/game/website/techtoy/trip/person of the year?
7 comments:
Great post Brian! I'll have to think more about all my favs. Off the top of my head, though, I can safely say my favorite new friends were the Chandlers. :)
I won't remember the sections to comment on, but here is my best attempt:
1) Music--it was a good year. I love the Killers release Human, but then they could probably release an album of banging garbage cans together and I would like it.
2) Vacation--really two here(1) NYC with the family. I really loved it. (2) New Orleans. Laurie and I went without Sophia for two days and loved it. It was our 3rd time there though, but it was a blast as always. I love that City.
3) Technology--online streaming video. Not really new, but it allows me to attend NYU via right here in CoMo.
4) Movies--I'm really bad about this because I like so many different ones. I really liked The Dark Knight as well as the Bond flick, but I have to say Once was my favorite. Although, while not a new release, I did enjoy OkieNoodling--about hand fishing or "noodling" in Oklahoma. It was awesome.
5. Books--I don't think I know what these are. I did not read one book from front to back in 2008. I am rectifying that in 2009 as one of my resolutions is to read a book (in excess of 200 pages) by 2/28/2009.
6. Favorite Person--LJ, she puts up with me so what's not to love about that.
7. Favorite Unusual Experience--going to get tats with the Chandlers.
Nice list. I'm a Killers fan.
Also have an affinity for garbage can banging (STOMP is my percussion ensemble of choice).
My favorite rock song of Oh-8 was "Sex on Fire" by Kings of Leon.
With pop songs, I am very much about the latest one. If the song endures more than a few weeks in my list then it's not pop. My list for the year are songs like "Lollipop" by Lil Wayne, "Disturbia" by Rihanna (or "Your Scurvy Love" as the boys and I sing it), "Bubbly" by Colby Caillat (did you know she was rejected in tryouts by American Idol?), "Love Lockdown" by Kanye ... you get the idea.
My favorite movie released in 2008 was "The Dark Knight." I was concerned before I saw it that the hype of Heath Ledger's performance would raise my expectations too high, but he was phenomenal. The layers caught in the scene with him hanging out the cop car window feeling the wind on his face was impressive film. Despite the blockbuster nature of the movie, it also slipped in some really good political commentary on terrorism.
My favorite DVD released in 2008 was "Le Scaphandre et le Papillon." Of course, I loved "Once" too. On a similar note, and quite different than something like the masterpiece of "The Diving Bell," I loved "Mamma Mia!" Yes, you read that correctly.
Red Box is genius, agreed. But Netflix is still king for me.
I could live without it, but since it was the only video game I played this entire year, my favorite video game was "Rock Band."
My favorite book I read this year was "A Thousand Splendid Suns." I'm way behind on my books this year though.
I'm considering Facebook. For 2008, my favorite website was Pandora.com. Music heaven.
Tech toy: Samsung Instinct. I've had it for about 6 months and love it more every week as I get better at leveraging its potential.
Musical performance: Kings of Leon on SNL.
My favorite person? Truth is it's myself. Other than me, mine was Casey, of course. But my favorite time with her this year was our 2 glorious days together (alone!) right here in Columbia.
Thanks for sharing and for asking!
A quick comment not that anyone cares, but I have already achieved my 2009 goal of reading a book in excess of 200 pages before the end of february and it isn't even 2009 yet.
So I guess 2009 is a waiting game for me. Waiting for 2010 to come around so I can read another book.
Also, my favorite tech toy was DVD's Instinct because it has allowed me numerous opportunities to poke fun at that guy I'm glad I get to call my brother in law and friend (tear).
Hey, MY favorite new friends of 2008 are the Chandlers TOO! How can that be? Are they playing us?
And, I have to say, my favorite person of 2008 is JESUS. Hmphhf.
1)Wow, feeling the love for new friends of the year.
2)Yes, we're playing you (and actively working to become someone's "best new friends of 2009.")
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