Friday, December 26, 2008

A story. And a list.

So I'll start with a story. This was my first Christmas with my Wifey. Everything went off without a hitch. We saw relatives. No one fought. It really was a great Christmas. Until it was over. See, I had to be to work at midnight on the 26th (hey, that's where I am...wow). We left her parents' place (Farmington) about 6 and ventured northward, knowing we would run into a storm.

Boy did we run into a storm...

It was bad enough we didn't even bother with Sardine Canyon. We "knew" it would be closed. We both grew up traversing it, we know how this game works.

Or so we thought.

We got off the exit in Tremonton to come that way. A few miles down that highway there was a cop car, lights-a-flashin', in the middle of the road informing us that the highway was closed. So many people had come that way avoiding the canyon that they had to close the road. Sardine was open the WHOLE TIME.

I was annoyed.

So we started the trek back to Brigham City to brave the canyon. We stopped at a Flying-J to get some snacks. Yummy! Then we entered the canyon. At the mouth was a sign warning that 4x4/chains were required. Good. I drive a 2-wheel-drive Kia. With no chains. Well I didn't have much choice at this point.

To sum up, the drive which normally takes about one hour and ten-fifteen minutes took us four hours and fifty minutes. I was majorly annoyed. I did not get a nap before coming in to work. I should have been home just after seven. Plenty of time for sleepings.

Nope.

---

Part 2

thePatrick posted a list of his top albums for the year. Good choices, sir. I would do one as well, but I really didn't get that much new music this year. Sad...

Instead, I'll regale you with what I listened to in chunks during different periods throughout the year.

Sweeney Todd: The Motion Picture Soundtrack
This one was actually a rollover from the end of 2007. I found 'Epiphany' to be especially lovely while other cars were exhibiting copious amounts of jackassery on the road.








Get Set Go Presents: Sunshine, Joy, And Happiness: A Tragic Tale Of Death, Despair, And Other Silly Nonsense
Released midway through January, this lovely album took over my CD player/iPod for quite a while. I'd been anticipating it for nearly a year and couldn't put it down. Even now when I really start listening to it, do so exclusively for about a week at a time. 'Cannibalism Is The Cure' tops the list dominantly, with the entire rest of the album in a tie for second place...it's all so good!




The Photo Atlas: (all their stuff that I have...)
These guys were sort of a bad luck band for thePatrick and I. Several times attempting to see them ended is sadness. One included a completely pointless trip to PROVO! How much worse can it get, right? Well, Warped Tour '07 apparently ended the curse and we've seen them a few times since. I listened to them for quite a while during the last bit of February in preparation for their March 1st show in Sandy. I bought their singer's amp. It's lovely. I play it loud. Just like they'd want it. (Seriously, they're one of the loudest live shows I've ever seen...maybe it's cause I'm always front and center...?)


Most of summer, I mixed it up pretty good...and then...

Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog
I'm a fan of Neil Patrick Harris. Really. So when I heard about this mini-musical, I was fairly excited. Then when I heard it involved several people who were involved with Buffy The Vampire Slayer, my interest waned. Chad convinced me to watch the first part and I was hooked. I love it. I learned most of the songs (many forgotten by now, unfortunately). It's funny Watch it. F'realz.






Reggie And The Full Effect: Last Stop: Crappy Town
Admittedly, Crappy Town was only one of the five Reggie albums listened to repeatedly toward the end of my summer. It was however, the most recent release from musical genius (really, he's got a degree in composition) James Dewees (formerly of The Get Up Kids and Coalesce). In preparation for the "farewell" concert I listened to this religiously. J Train became a quick favorite. They even made a video for it. It's funny. Go here. Now.




The Faint: (everything I have from them)
thePatrick talked me into going to see these guys with him. I didn't really know them, so I figured I'd better educate myself. Seriously some of the coolest sounds I've ever heard. If you've never listened to them, you're missing out. I don't even know how to describe it. Cap it with the singer dressing like Dr. Horrible at the concert and I was walking (or longboarding) around campus more often than not with them cuddling with my eardrums.




Ben Folds: Way To Normal
Now, at first I was annoyed because I'm a bit of a grammar Nazi. I thought it was supposed to be 'Way Too Normal'. But upon listening to the track 'Effington', I realized that it is referring to the direction one must travel in order to reach Normal, Illinois. 'You Don't Know Me', 'Hiroshima', and 'Free Coffee' also make me quite happy. (Psst, 'Free Coffee', performed live, is one of the coolest things I've ever seen!)





I should probably also give honorable mention to:
The Matches: A Band In Hope
Mindless Self Indulgence: If
Erratic Erotica: Masochist At The Masquerade Ball
The Vandals: Oi To The World (hey, I've devoted almost a dozen posts to that album...that's the only reason it didn't make the top list)
The Dollyrots: Because I'm Awesome

That is all.

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