So Long ’07

Posted by Jim on Dec 31st, 2007
2007
Dec 31

Tonight Nissa and I will close out the year of the pig at Jeff’s place, enjoying the three bottles of Champagne we got for Christmas.  Although it’s been sad lately, 2007 has been very good to me.  I got married!  We lost one pet but adopted another.  I bought a new (to me) car, a new computer and created this website.  I’ve listened to more music than any previous year.  I completed my training at WMPG, began working on my comic book, and became an avid bicyclist.  I saw some great concerts (Josh Ritter, Rustic Overtones, White Stripes, Watson Twins, Old Crow Medicine Show), some great movies (Zodiac, Grindhouse, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, American Gangster), and became a fan of some wonderful TV shows (Alias, Lost, Heroes).  I traveled to Kentucky, vacationed in Lobster Lake, and watched Nissa graduate from library school in Boston.  I completed my long standing goal of drinking a glass of port on a sailboat.  I was able to spend more time with my brother when he moved to Portland, and got to see my oldest friend Pat’s band play when they came to the Big Easy.

2008 looks to be another major year, with plans to buy a house, travel to Florida, get another cat, and self-publish my comic book.  I also want to read more books and update this blog as much as possible.   I hope you all have a fun night tonight!  Best wishes for 2008!

Sing a Song of ’07

Posted by Jim on Dec 30th, 2007
2007
Dec 30

I listened to more new music this year than any previous year, thanks to all the music blogs listed in the sidebar.  It’s through them that I discovered all sorts of new bands and great albums.  What follows is a list of my favorite albums of the year (in alphabetical order).

  • Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings – 100 Days, 100 Nights
  • Daft Punk – Alive 207
  • Andrew Bird – Armchair Apocrypha
  • The National – Boxer
  • New Pornographers – Challengers
  • Chromeo – Fancy Footwork
  • Polyphonic Spree – Fragile Army
  • Spoon – Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
  • Octopus Project – Hello Avalanche
  • Of Montreal – Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?
  • Josh Ritter – The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter
  • Broken West – I Can’t Go On, I’ll Go On
  • White Stripes – Icky Thump
  • Stars – In Our Bedroom After the War
  • Rustic Overtones – Light At the End
  • Hold Steady – Live at Fingertips EP
  • The Miss Fairchild Mix Tape
  • Jens Lekman – Night Falls Over Kortedala
  • Shout Out Louds – Our Ill Wills
  • Feist – The Reminder
  • Bettye Lavette – Scene of the Crime
  • Wilco – Sky Blue Sky
  • Dan Deacon – Spiderman of the Rings
  • Okkervil River – The Stage Names
  • David Bromberg – Try Me One More Time
  • Rilo Kiley – Under the Blacklight
  • Mavis Staples – We’ll Never Turn Back
  • Shins – Wincing the Night Away
  • Black Kids – Wizard of Ahhs EP

Late every December, I like to make a mix CD of my favorite songs from the past year to play at whatever New Years party I find myself at.  This year, I heard so much good music, I had to make two discs.  Here are the track lists:

Disc 1 (Track – Artist – Album)

  1. Tell Me    Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings    100 Days, 100 Nights
  2. Section 22: Running Away    The Polyphonic Spree    The Fragile Army
  3. Heimdalsgate Like A Promethean Curse    Of Montreal    Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?
  4. Okie Dokie    Dan Deacon    Spiderman of the Rings
  5. Truck    The Octopus Project    Hello Avalanche
  6. + 81    Deerhoof    Friend Opportunity
  7. Rehab    Amy Winehouse    Back To Black
  8. Down in the Valley    The Broken West    I Can’t Go On I’ll Go On
  9. 15    Rilo Kiley    Under The Blacklight
  10. Ankle Injuries    Fujiya & Miyagi    Transparent Things
  11. The Underdog    Spoon    Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
  12. A Postcard to Nina    Jens Lekman    Night Falls Over Kortedala
  13. I Feel It All    Feist    The Reminder
  14. Myriad Harbour    The New Pornographers    Challengers
  15. You Don’t Know What Love Is (You Just Do As You’re Told)    The White Stripes    Icky Thump
  16. What’s Left Behind    The Sadies    New Seasons
  17. Hate It Here    Wilco    Sky Blue Sky
  18. Our Life is Not a Movie or Maybe    Okkervil River    The Stage Names
  19. A Comet Appears    The Shins    Wincing The Night Away
  20. Empty Hearts    Josh Ritter    The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter
  21. Light At The End    Rustic Overtones    Light At The End

Disc 2

  1. The Dance of the Hours    The Clientele    God Save the Clientele
  2. Heretics    Andrew Bird    Armchair Apocrypha
  3. Melody Day    Caribou    Andorra
  4. Computer Camp Love    Datarock    Datarock Datarock
  5. Around The World / Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger    Daft Punk    Alive 2007
  6. D.A.N.C.E.    Justice    †
  7. Det snurrar i min skalle    Familjen    Det snurrar i min skalle
  8. Paper Planes    M.I.A.    Kala
  9. Grace Kelly    Mika    Life In Cartoon Motion
  10. I’m Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You    Black Kids    Wizard of Ahhhs
  11. Boy With A Coin    Iron & Wine    The Shepherd’s Dog
  12. Two    Ryan Adams    Easy Tiger
  13. I Want You to Want Me    The Holmes Brothers    State Of Grace
  14. Before the Money Came (The Battle of Bettye Lavette)    Bettye Lavette    The Scene of the Crime
  15. Mistaken For Strangers    The National    Boxer
  16. Welfare Bread    King Khan & His Shrines    What Is?!
  17. Tonight I Have To Leave It    Shout Out Louds    Our Ill Wills
  18. Missed the Boat    Modest Mouse    We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank
  19. The Man In Love    Nick Lowe    At My Age
  20. When I Get To The Border    M. Ward ft. Zooey Deschanel    The Go-Getter OST
  21. The Most Beautiful Girl in the Room    Flight of the Conchords

There are a few albums I have yet to hear, which may end up added to my list of 2007 favorites (such as the I’m Not There soundtrack and releases from The Autumn Defense, Ween, Bruce Springsteen, and Son Volt), but as of year-end these are my favorites.  What were some of your favorite songs/albums from the past year?  What have I missed that I should check out?

Picture eBook

Posted by Jim on Dec 29th, 2007
2007
Dec 29

I’ve uploaded a bunch of new pictures to Flickr, including images from our honeymoon and Dave’s “Jim” Halloween costume.

That Girl

Posted by Jim on Dec 29th, 2007
2007
Dec 29

 

Relaxin' With Ellie

 

 

On Christmas Day, our beloved cat Ellie revealed to us a serious hear condition that rapidly proved to be fatal. Franklin, Nissa and I all loved her so much and really miss her. She was always ready to be pet or snuggled. She loved to play fetch and hide in boxes or under a blanket. She chortled like Yoda and loved to knock small objects off of tables. She was a great pet. Head over to my Flickr page to see some pictures I’ve collected of her, or click on the above photo to be taken to a slideshow.

Merry Christmas!

Posted by Jim on Dec 24th, 2007
2007
Dec 24

Enjoy these highlights from the greatest holiday film of all time!

A Glove-slap to the Face

Posted by Jim on Dec 23rd, 2007
2007
Dec 23

I’ve started playing a new game online: Duels.  It’s an RPG based on arena style combat.  It’s a little silly, but I’m enjoying it.  Try it out—just be sure to list me as a reference!

My character’s name is Sendhil; you can view my unimpressive record on my profile page.

Taking Secrets to the Grave

Posted by Jim on Dec 21st, 2007
2007
Dec 21

One of my favorite Apple news sites, Think Secret, has shut down as part of a lawsuit settlement with Apple Inc.  Sadly, I’ve removed the link from the sidebar.  I’ll keep it in my Google Reader, just in case anything ever pops up on the feed again.

In other news, I’m sick and stayed home form work today, in hopes of feeling better before Nissa and I head out to visit all of our parents in the next few days.

In Good Company

Posted by Jim on Dec 20th, 2007
2007
Dec 20

I’ve just discovered that the hosting company I use, the always great Laughing Squid, is sponsoring the ROFLcon, a meeting of the greatest personalities the internet has to offer.  More information about the sponsorship and the conference itself can be found here.

eMusic – December 2007

Posted by Jim on Dec 14th, 2007
2007
Dec 14

Crossovers

Posted by Jim on Dec 6th, 2007
2007
Dec 6

Last night at the Great Lost Bear, Luke, Nissa and I came up with a fun game that perfectly complements sitting around with friends and drinking Shipyard Preludes: invent outlandish movie cossovers.  Here’s how you do it: select two or three unrelated movie characters you’d like to see make a movie together, and then pick a film’s plot and setting.  It works best when each item is from a different movie.  For example:  Data from Star Trek: TNG, Ruby from The Fifth Element, and Kathrine Zeta-Jones’ character from The Phantom doing It’s a Wonderful Life set to the backdrop of A Very Long Engagement.  Doesn’t that sound like something you’d want to see?

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