Oh Nine Was Divine

I thought it would be cool to take a look back at the year 2009 as lived by me.

2009

• Became more internet savvy by starting two blogs.
• Made the jump from manual toothbrushes to electric. I highly recommend it, but I suggest wearing a bib to protect your shirts from EXCESS drooling while brushing.
• Switched from the Mach 3 Power razor to the Gillette Power Fusion razor. Five blades are SO much better than three. WOW!!! Also, whoever invented the vibrating razor deserves a Nobel Prize.
• I'm not sure if this happened this year or not, but special mention needs to be made regarding switching to Nike moisture wicking socks. No more will I buy cheap Fruit of the Loom socks.
• I took a 7:30 AM class and survived.
• For the most part, I stopped eating frozen pizza. It's not like I ate a lot of them anyway, but finally committed to memory how unsatisfying they are even though they can be good sometimes and are quick and easy to eat.
• Tried Twitter at the urging of a student presenter during one of my classes. I hated it. Thought it was completely pointless. This may be my biggest regret of the year.
• Watched about 2 1/2 to 3 hours of Jane Eyre. Didn't want to stab myself in the face with a soldering iron like I did during the first 20 minutes of Pride & Prejudice that I watched 9 years ago. Couldn't get over how much Jane looks like the gay kid from Glee. It's creepy. See for yourself. The pics might not do justice to the similarities, but trust me.

• Stopped listening to a lot of Rap and R&B. Still listen to some, but let's just say my ears have become a lot more sensitive to the content of the songs.
• I bought my first pair of Jordan shoes. Now I just need to take the opportunities to wear them. They look brand new, because they still are brand new.
• I thought I found my future wife, but it turns out they didn't think they found their future husband. Here's hoping she finds me this year.

So 2009 was a pretty good year. Hopefully 2010 will be equally good if not better. I remember a quote by William H. Johnsen that my father had taped to the dashboard of his Minivan from when I was a wee lad that I thought was stupid, but now find applicable: If it is to be, it is up to me. How true that is. I wish for you a happy, successful, fulfilling, memorable, and accomplished 2010. God bless.

Best Playlist Ever!

I while ago I created what I call a chill playlist in iTunes. Ever since I created it, I can't stop listening to it. I've stayed up well past my bedtime several times because I didn't want to stop listening to these songs. If you haven't heard of any of these bands/artists, check 'em out. Some of my favorites are Brandtson, The Cure, The Format, Ingrid Michaelson, and Safetysuit, but all of these songs are amazing. I've updated my music player on the side with most of these songs so check it out. If you are going to buy any of these singles, I suggest buying from Amazon because they don't charge tax and they don't protect their music like iTunes does. Happy listening! Oh, I put the song title, artist, and album for your information.

• Hometown Glory - ADELE - Hometown Glory - Single
• I'm Not Myself When I'm With You - Amos Lee - Amos Lee
• Keep It Loose, Keep It Tight - Amos Lee - Amos Lee
• Colors - Amos Lee - Amos Lee
• Ode To LRC - Band Of Horses - Cease To Begin
• Drawing A Line In The Sand - Brandtson - Send Us a Signal
• Escapist - Brandtson - Send Us a Signal
• Mercy Medical - Brandtson - Send Us a Signal
• Over And Out - Brandtson - Send Us a Signal
• Sideways - Citizen Cope - The Clarence Greenwood Recordings
• Keep Askin' - Citizen Cope - The Rainwater LP
• Love Song - The Cure - Disintegration
• Pictures Of You - The Cure - Galore
• High - The Cure - Galore
• Friday I'm In Love - The Cure - Galore
• Just Like Heaven - The Cure - Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me
• Wake Up - Danyew - Wake Up - EP
• I'm Actual - The Format - Dog Problems
• Dead End - The Format - Dog Problems
• Snails - The Format - Dog Problems
• Soldier - Ingrid Michaelson - Everybody
• Everybody - Ingrid Michaelson - Everybody
• Are We There Yet - Ingrid Michaelson - Everybody
• Sort Of - Ingrid Michaelson - Everybody
• Incredible Love - Ingrid Michaelson - Everybody
• The Chain - Ingrid Michaelson - Everybody
• Mountain and the Sea - Ingrid Michaelson - Everybody
• Men of Snow - Ingrid Michaelson - Everybody
• So Long - Ingrid Michaelson - Everybody
• Once Was Love - Ingrid Michaelson - Everybody
• Locked Up - Ingrid Michaelson - Everybody
• Maybe - Ingrid Michaelson - Everybody
• Masochist - Ingrid Michaelson - Girls and Boys
• Sky (feat. Ingrid Michaelson) - Joshua Radin - Unclear Sky - EP
• Lovely Tonight - Joshua Radin - Unclear Sky - EP
• You Got Growin Up To Do - Joshua Radin - Unclear Sky - EP
• Melody - Kate Earl - Kate Earl
• The Distance - Number One Fan - Compromises
• She Is Love - Parachute - Losing Sleep
• You Are The Best Thing - Ray LaMontagne - Gossip In The Grain
• Let It Be Me - Ray LaMontagne - Gossip In The Grain
• Trouble - Ray LaMontagne - Trouble
• Shelter - Ray LaMontagne - Trouble
• Hold You In My Arms - Ray LaMontagne - Trouble
• Beautiful Is Gone - The Ruse - Midnight In The City
• Find A Way - Safetysuit - Life Left To Go
• Stay - Safetysuit - Life Left To Go
• Something I Said - Safetysuit - Life Left To Go
• Anywhere But Here - Safetysuit - Life Left To Go
• What If - Safetysuit - Life Left To Go
• Gone Away - SafetySuit - Life Left To Go
• Life Left To Go - Safetysuit - Life Left To Go
• Everything Changes - Staind - Chapter V
• Sea Breeze - Tyrone Wells - Snapshot

Some Good Advice

Make sure you marry someone who can spell!

SafetySuit

So a couple posts ago I wrote about two songs I can't stop listening to. That hasn't changed. I've been meaning to check out the touring schedule for the band SafetySuit, because I really want to see them live. Good news! They're coming on Wednesday, January 21!!! I'm hoping someone will go with me, but if not, I may go by myself.

I didn't know anything about the band besides their music so I checked out their bio on their webpage and really liked what I heard. Here's the link if you want to read more (http://www.safetysuitmusic.com/bio.aspx), but the last three paragraphs are really cool.

It reads:

"The final result, Life Left to Go, is unabashedly catchy. It feels like that album that’ll live in your car stereo for months on end. But the title, like the band’s name, has its own story. “It’s named after our last song on the record, which is our least commercial song ever,” admits Brown. “It chronicles the thoughts of someone who wants to end their life. Then it presents the counter of that, the person begging them to stay. It’s a song to let people know that, no matter what, somebody notices them, that someone cares.

“That song is a big deal for us,” Brown continues, then pauses. “I don’t want to wave any sort of flag, but the focus on music is always so ego-centric. We wanted to flip that. I wanted this to be a song about the artist giving for a change.”

It’s a feeling you’ll hopefully discover when SAFETYSUIT heads out of Nashville this spring and hits the road. As Brown promises, anyone who comes to their show should feel better afterwards than before they came in. As is with their music, it’s an inspiring thought."

I think that's pretty cool and it makes me really want to go to this concert. So if you're down with going, let me know. I'm thinking it should be a great show. Parachute is coming with them and they sing the song called She Is Love.

Here's a youtube video of the song referred to in the quote from their bio.

A Weird Christmas Tradition...

I love my mom. I really do! Haha. I can imagine you're wondering where this post is going. I'm not even sure yet.

My parents are spending Christmas in Chicago this year and so they gave me my presents on Thanksgiving. I, of course, opened them as soon as I got home knowing full well they wouldn't be anything I wanted. This year wasn't as bad as some of the recent years.

For some reason my mom thinks I love getting kitchen stuff. I don't know why she thinks this. Every year, without fail, she will buy me something kitchen related. One year she bought me a garlic press. Another year she bought me a can collander. Yes...a can collander. I always figured that was what the lid was for once you opened the can. I've also gotten oven mitts and dish towels from her.

This year she got me a set of tupperware bowls from IKEA. Definitely something I could use, but won't for a while. Cooking as a single guy doesn't generate much leftovers. It's all good, though.

I just don't have the heart to tell her to not waste her money on these items. At least they aren't breaking the bank on them. It's become a joke between my brother Jesse and his wife Shannah. They always get a kitchen gagdet for me now. Last year they bought me an electric meat thermometer. That was pretty clutch. Just kidding. I don't even think it worked. It ended up in the trash pretty quickly. I should start keeping these things and then regift them for Jesse. Done!

Some Things To Think About

My friend read me some humurous thoughts the other night and we had a good time laughing at some of them. Figured I'd post some in hopes they bring a smile to your face.

1. Do not argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.
2. I want to die peacefully in my sleep, like my grandfather.. Not screaming and yelling like the passengers in his car.
3. The last thing I want to do is hurt you. But it's still on the list.
4. Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.
5. If I agreed with you we'd both be wrong.
6. Politicians and diapers have one thing in common. They should both be changed regularly, and for the same reason.
7. Children: You spend the first 2 years of their life teaching them to walk and talk. Then you spend the next 16 years telling them to sit down and shut-up.
8. A bus station is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops. On my desk, I have a work station.
9. If 4 out of 5 people SUFFER from diarrhea... does that mean that one enjoys it?
10. Some people are like Slinkies ... not really good for anything, but you can't help smiling when you see one tumble down the stairs.
11. Why does someone believe you when you say there are four billion stars, but check when you say the paint is wet?
12. Always borrow money from a pessimist. He won't expect it back.
13. Never get into fights with ugly people, they have nothing to lose.
14. You are such a good friend that if we were on a sinking ship together and there was only one life jacket... I'd miss you heaps and think of you often.
15. Nostalgia isn't what it used to be.

Two Songs I Can't Stop Listening To

These two songs have been my favorite finds over the past 2 years. This band's debut album is amazing. They're called Safetysuit and the songs are Gone Away and Life Left To Go. I've highlighted my favorite lines. If you haven't heard these songs, look them up on YouTube or better yet, just buy them.

Gone Away

I think about life, and oh how it changes so fast
And oh how it's so hard to last here waiting for something to give
I think about time, a luxury so hard to find
And I just can't figure out why I wasted it all here without you
But I'll be fine, and oh don't you worry
Cause I'll be fine, see I'm in a hurry to be
Gone away awhile, tell me all the things that I
I'll be missing here in this old life man cause I just don't know
I think about you, and all of the times that we shared
And oh what a wonderful pair we've made made it so far here we go again
I think about love, and oh what a beautiful song
And oh how it needs to be sung here, sing it so loud all the world can hear
I think I'll be gone away awhile, tell me all the things that I
I'll be missing here in this old life man cause I just don't know
I just don't know, I just don't know
But I'll be fine, oh don't you worry
Cause I'll be fine, see I'm in no hurry
No I'll be fine, oh don't you worry
Cause I'll be fine, see I'm in a hurry to be
Gone away awhile, tell me all the things that I
I'll be missing here in this old life man cause I just don't know


Life Left To Go

Sometimes the edge serves as more than a friend then you thought it would be
And the pages you write in your journal each night are your only release
And the mask you put on it's like words in a song but there's more to be seen
And the failures you see, don't seem failures to me here at all
Oh I'm begging you no, there's more life left to go
Oh I'm begging you please, cause I don't want you to leave
Alone as you walk through a crowd and it's awkward like nobody sees
And you can't help but wonder would anyone come after you if you'd leave
So a pain grows inside and that fear comes alive like you'll never be free
But there's no pain you feel that I know love can't heal here at all
Oh I'm begging you no, there's more life left to go
Oh I'm begging you please, cause I don't want you to leave me
To leave me here on my own, there's nothing to run from
Oh there's nothing but fear inside you
Oh I just hope I can find you
And tell you that I know you'll smile again
Oh I'm begging you no, there's more life left to go
Oh I'm begging you please, cause I don't want you to leave...