2008: The End
2008: The End
Current mood: nostalgic
Category: Blogging
The year 2008 started off with a bang only to fizzle off early on, it started to pick back up over the summer, leveling off around fall and through the winter.
At least that's how I felt.
Was it a bad year? Well I had my down moments, and anyone can tell you they were really bad, but I also had my good memories as well. Was it as good as 2007? I may not go that far, but it definitely wasn't as awful as 2006 was.
Things I liked about 2008
Spending a lot more time with friends. I understand this is one of those things that can be said year in and year out, but really, it wasn't as detrimental for me as it was in years previous. I honestly think I have one of the best support systems when it comes to people I can trust, confide, hope-they-won't-let-me-down category. Trips to California, nights to the bar, to the casino; with a constant flux of different characters kept things relatively fresh. Shout outs go to new friends Johnny, Ray (holdover from last year, but didn't get to hangout with until this year), Eric G, Molly, Sarah, Abby, Blanca, Lisa (I knew you before, but weren't really a friend yet.), Paulie, and Shandon as well as holdovers: My sis, Hamric, Aldana, Franny, Eric, Joe, Ron, Louie, Nick, and Richard. Honestly I have at least one great memory with everyone listed this year.
Keeping my promises. I stuck to my new years resolution (barring I don't breakdown in the next 25 hours), took a more proactive response in getting things done, and letting that which does not matter. Truly slide. Yeah, yeah, you could perhaps make an argument to the contrary, but then I would say those things truly did matter... So go to hell. No, when things got sour, I didn't dwell on them like I used to. As such, my free time was much more productive, and I went to sleep a lot earlier than I had in the past. In fact if anything, I probably slept a little too much. But that's neither here nor there.
Coffee. Something had to fill the void of soda right? Now before you tell me that coffee is much worse than soda, let me just tell you that my affliction for coffee is nowhere as bad as what I had for soda, where I was rolling out of bed and having a glass of pepsi with my breakfast... Oh wait, I was.
Well I mean my lunch and dinner then.
The Beach. Ever since I made it back during the summer it's been on my mind ever since. I miss the beach, the sweet smell of salt water before you even step on the sand, hanging out near the shore in the day and through the night. Long story short. I miss the beach.
Making up drinks and Adios'... My two drinks of choice this year? Adios' and making up drinks. It led to some many interesting nights.
Call of Duty. I blame Nick for this he got me addicted to this damn game.
Comic Book Films. The top two highest grossing films (Dark Knight/Iron Man) are comic films, while Incredible Hulk, Wanted, and Hellboy 2 did really well at the box office. It's funny that the success of two films off the talents of a dead actor, and one risen from the dead are what finally brought comic films credibility.
On that note...
Robert Downey Jr. Glad to see him make a comeback, he's a great actor and deserves it, everything he touches is gold.
Heath Ledger. I had my doubts about him, although I trusted Nolan's decision making. The most enjoyable performance this year.
The Killers. Yeah, six years late I know. Screw you. Better late than never.
Obama winning the presidency. Yay for me for experiencing/ being a part of history.
Miami Dolphins. You guys are something I can be proud of again.
Things I Didn't Like About 2008
Colds. I got them a little more than I would've liked.
Working twelve hour days. Just when I get used to the idea of working full time, I get Pearl Harbored with the requirement of working 55 hour work weeks all through November and most of December. Fuck you work. You tired the hell out of me, screwed up my sleep schedule, and ruined my social life for the holidays. If I was in school, my eyes would of liquified after two weeks.
Cowards. *sigh* I hate it when I get too negative, but this has to be included none the less since I dealt with this throughout the year on numerous occasions. Whether it was either not speaking up, or starting rumors like a child. This year I truly learned age is only a number and because someone in there twenties can still act like a twelve year old.
$200 Bar Tabs. Never again!!!
2008 Movies as a whole. My 2008 list below was a stretch to compose. Sorry, most of the films that were released early in the year were average/ mediocre, and the "oscar" films are lackluster. I saw thirty eight films in theatre this year (I have to go back to the years I didn't have money for my own movies to remember a time I made so few trips to the theatre), a good portion of them repeat viewings because there just wasn't much out there that peaked my interest. The films that had that potential (Street Kings, Body of Lies, and Pride and Glory) were disappointing, I haven't seen all the oscar films yet, and I'm sure I won't see some of them. In fact, I would prefer to watch There Will Be Blood, which is saying a lot since it's been over a year now, and I still haven't made the time for it.
Top 8 Movies of 2008
1. The Dark Knight
2. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
3. Iron Man
4. In Bruges
5. The Orphanage
6, Zack and Miri Make A Porno
7. Choke
8. Hellboy II
Top Comics of 2008
Now I wasn't sure if I should make these titles, storylines, or an issues list. Since so many of the books I enjoyed were so damn late in shipping some leak from 2007 or onto 2009. So I'm just going to list what I liked in 2008 that came out in 2008.
1. All Star Superman 10 I could just list All Star Superman as a title and call it a day, but that does an injustice to this issue. One of the best single issues I've ever read, that and what? Like four or five issues of A.S.S. came out this year.
2. Y: The Last Man 60 One of the best stories concluded with it's last issue early this year, and unlike so many last issues. This one didn't disappoint.
3. Astonishing X-Men 24 Whedon and Cassady make it two for two in the last issue department, Whedon won me back over with the entirety of volume two, after a forgetteble second half of volume one.
By the way, Whedon needs to get on Amazing Spider-Man asap!!!
4. Criminal: Bad Night Brubaker gets down and dirty with the best of them, and Criminal as a whole has been great, this story adds to the continually growing list of awesome writing in Brubakers ever growing library.
5. Daredevil: Lady Bullseye Why Brubaker hasn't tackled a big event is beyond me, issue one builds the tension early on, and primers you for what can only be classified as a concrete epic.
6. Doktor Sleepless No particular issue stands out, but has continually the most enjoyable book I read every other month. Warren Ellis gets to play a little more, and if you like his Desolation Jones/ Crooked Little Vein work you'll like Doktor Sleepless.
7. Fantastic Four I couldn't give this to any other Millar book, while it seems every Millar book loses steam from lateness. Fantastic Four has been the closest thing to being consistent, while I found 1985 lacking in the thrills department. Fantastic Four has Bryan Hitch going for it who could make Reed Richards fighting a giant robot seem epic.
8. Batman: R.I.P. Could of been higher if it wasn't for what I felt was a cheap ending. Grant Morrison gets Batman, but it's not his Batman that keeps us interested, it's the world he creates around him. The caped crusader in a Morrison mind fuck. What more could you want in a comic?
Well I was going to write about what I'm looking forward to in 2009, but I think I'll leave that for another blog in the next week or so. In the mean time here are some of my favorite quotes I was lucky to hear in 2008.
"Well that sobered me up...Sorry?" - Professor Dale Melgaard after hearing the price of the book assigned for the class he was teaching. Thanks for staying on top of things Dale.
"You're either being chipped away or, being added upon, it just depends where one ends and the other begins." - Dr. Crouse (one of the best professors ever).
"Please, he's just a friend" - Nirè in an act of futility.
"Women are a perpetual disappointment"- Louie
"A bitch is a bitch, that's why they a bitch in the first place." -Love advice from random black dude I met on one of my drunken escapades.
"I was asking random girls at the concert if they thought that guys who were good at video games were sexy... They said no." -Mick retelling his trip to S.D.
"I thought to myself. Shit, I'm going to have to bail him out of jail." -Hamric
"Not going to lie... I'm feeling kinda fucked up." -Francis
"Then I saw that the guy calling me names handle was Danny Glover Dick Blood"- Judd Apatow
"I'm not going to pay $5 for Eric to cockblock me in three minutes." -Derek
"Uh, yeah she went crazy" - Hamric
"So what do you think the moral of the story is? That the guy in the friend zone has a chance?" - Jeff
"I think we should go." -Joe after seeing our bar tab at San Diego.
"I was amazed at how my friends came together and chipped in for a present to me. What a bunch of bullshit that was." - Nick
"Armed with only a keen wit and a devil may care attitude." -Eric after hearing our two friends were lost in the ghetto's of San Diego.
"Dude you're more fucked up than me." -Ron wrongly assessing the situation
"We need some new writers, a lot of the new one's out there are shite." -Grant Morrison making my Con.
That's all I got for now, If I missed anything I'm sorry, I didn't mean to and there's a lot on my mind, if you have anything feel free to share, I love hearing what you held dear in 2008 that it was worth remembering.
Current mood: nostalgic
Category: Blogging
The year 2008 started off with a bang only to fizzle off early on, it started to pick back up over the summer, leveling off around fall and through the winter.
At least that's how I felt.
Was it a bad year? Well I had my down moments, and anyone can tell you they were really bad, but I also had my good memories as well. Was it as good as 2007? I may not go that far, but it definitely wasn't as awful as 2006 was.
Things I liked about 2008
Spending a lot more time with friends. I understand this is one of those things that can be said year in and year out, but really, it wasn't as detrimental for me as it was in years previous. I honestly think I have one of the best support systems when it comes to people I can trust, confide, hope-they-won't-let-me-down category. Trips to California, nights to the bar, to the casino; with a constant flux of different characters kept things relatively fresh. Shout outs go to new friends Johnny, Ray (holdover from last year, but didn't get to hangout with until this year), Eric G, Molly, Sarah, Abby, Blanca, Lisa (I knew you before, but weren't really a friend yet.), Paulie, and Shandon as well as holdovers: My sis, Hamric, Aldana, Franny, Eric, Joe, Ron, Louie, Nick, and Richard. Honestly I have at least one great memory with everyone listed this year.
Keeping my promises. I stuck to my new years resolution (barring I don't breakdown in the next 25 hours), took a more proactive response in getting things done, and letting that which does not matter. Truly slide. Yeah, yeah, you could perhaps make an argument to the contrary, but then I would say those things truly did matter... So go to hell. No, when things got sour, I didn't dwell on them like I used to. As such, my free time was much more productive, and I went to sleep a lot earlier than I had in the past. In fact if anything, I probably slept a little too much. But that's neither here nor there.
Coffee. Something had to fill the void of soda right? Now before you tell me that coffee is much worse than soda, let me just tell you that my affliction for coffee is nowhere as bad as what I had for soda, where I was rolling out of bed and having a glass of pepsi with my breakfast... Oh wait, I was.
Well I mean my lunch and dinner then.
The Beach. Ever since I made it back during the summer it's been on my mind ever since. I miss the beach, the sweet smell of salt water before you even step on the sand, hanging out near the shore in the day and through the night. Long story short. I miss the beach.
Making up drinks and Adios'... My two drinks of choice this year? Adios' and making up drinks. It led to some many interesting nights.
Call of Duty. I blame Nick for this he got me addicted to this damn game.
Comic Book Films. The top two highest grossing films (Dark Knight/Iron Man) are comic films, while Incredible Hulk, Wanted, and Hellboy 2 did really well at the box office. It's funny that the success of two films off the talents of a dead actor, and one risen from the dead are what finally brought comic films credibility.
On that note...
Robert Downey Jr. Glad to see him make a comeback, he's a great actor and deserves it, everything he touches is gold.
Heath Ledger. I had my doubts about him, although I trusted Nolan's decision making. The most enjoyable performance this year.
The Killers. Yeah, six years late I know. Screw you. Better late than never.
Obama winning the presidency. Yay for me for experiencing/ being a part of history.
Miami Dolphins. You guys are something I can be proud of again.
Things I Didn't Like About 2008
Colds. I got them a little more than I would've liked.
Working twelve hour days. Just when I get used to the idea of working full time, I get Pearl Harbored with the requirement of working 55 hour work weeks all through November and most of December. Fuck you work. You tired the hell out of me, screwed up my sleep schedule, and ruined my social life for the holidays. If I was in school, my eyes would of liquified after two weeks.
Cowards. *sigh* I hate it when I get too negative, but this has to be included none the less since I dealt with this throughout the year on numerous occasions. Whether it was either not speaking up, or starting rumors like a child. This year I truly learned age is only a number and because someone in there twenties can still act like a twelve year old.
$200 Bar Tabs. Never again!!!
2008 Movies as a whole. My 2008 list below was a stretch to compose. Sorry, most of the films that were released early in the year were average/ mediocre, and the "oscar" films are lackluster. I saw thirty eight films in theatre this year (I have to go back to the years I didn't have money for my own movies to remember a time I made so few trips to the theatre), a good portion of them repeat viewings because there just wasn't much out there that peaked my interest. The films that had that potential (Street Kings, Body of Lies, and Pride and Glory) were disappointing, I haven't seen all the oscar films yet, and I'm sure I won't see some of them. In fact, I would prefer to watch There Will Be Blood, which is saying a lot since it's been over a year now, and I still haven't made the time for it.
Top 8 Movies of 2008
1. The Dark Knight
2. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
3. Iron Man
4. In Bruges
5. The Orphanage
6, Zack and Miri Make A Porno
7. Choke
8. Hellboy II
Top Comics of 2008
Now I wasn't sure if I should make these titles, storylines, or an issues list. Since so many of the books I enjoyed were so damn late in shipping some leak from 2007 or onto 2009. So I'm just going to list what I liked in 2008 that came out in 2008.
1. All Star Superman 10 I could just list All Star Superman as a title and call it a day, but that does an injustice to this issue. One of the best single issues I've ever read, that and what? Like four or five issues of A.S.S. came out this year.
2. Y: The Last Man 60 One of the best stories concluded with it's last issue early this year, and unlike so many last issues. This one didn't disappoint.
3. Astonishing X-Men 24 Whedon and Cassady make it two for two in the last issue department, Whedon won me back over with the entirety of volume two, after a forgetteble second half of volume one.
By the way, Whedon needs to get on Amazing Spider-Man asap!!!
4. Criminal: Bad Night Brubaker gets down and dirty with the best of them, and Criminal as a whole has been great, this story adds to the continually growing list of awesome writing in Brubakers ever growing library.
5. Daredevil: Lady Bullseye Why Brubaker hasn't tackled a big event is beyond me, issue one builds the tension early on, and primers you for what can only be classified as a concrete epic.
6. Doktor Sleepless No particular issue stands out, but has continually the most enjoyable book I read every other month. Warren Ellis gets to play a little more, and if you like his Desolation Jones/ Crooked Little Vein work you'll like Doktor Sleepless.
7. Fantastic Four I couldn't give this to any other Millar book, while it seems every Millar book loses steam from lateness. Fantastic Four has been the closest thing to being consistent, while I found 1985 lacking in the thrills department. Fantastic Four has Bryan Hitch going for it who could make Reed Richards fighting a giant robot seem epic.
8. Batman: R.I.P. Could of been higher if it wasn't for what I felt was a cheap ending. Grant Morrison gets Batman, but it's not his Batman that keeps us interested, it's the world he creates around him. The caped crusader in a Morrison mind fuck. What more could you want in a comic?
Well I was going to write about what I'm looking forward to in 2009, but I think I'll leave that for another blog in the next week or so. In the mean time here are some of my favorite quotes I was lucky to hear in 2008.
"Well that sobered me up...Sorry?" - Professor Dale Melgaard after hearing the price of the book assigned for the class he was teaching. Thanks for staying on top of things Dale.
"You're either being chipped away or, being added upon, it just depends where one ends and the other begins." - Dr. Crouse (one of the best professors ever).
"Please, he's just a friend" - Nirè in an act of futility.
"Women are a perpetual disappointment"- Louie
"A bitch is a bitch, that's why they a bitch in the first place." -Love advice from random black dude I met on one of my drunken escapades.
"I was asking random girls at the concert if they thought that guys who were good at video games were sexy... They said no." -Mick retelling his trip to S.D.
"I thought to myself. Shit, I'm going to have to bail him out of jail." -Hamric
"Not going to lie... I'm feeling kinda fucked up." -Francis
"Then I saw that the guy calling me names handle was Danny Glover Dick Blood"- Judd Apatow
"I'm not going to pay $5 for Eric to cockblock me in three minutes." -Derek
"Uh, yeah she went crazy" - Hamric
"So what do you think the moral of the story is? That the guy in the friend zone has a chance?" - Jeff
"I think we should go." -Joe after seeing our bar tab at San Diego.
"I was amazed at how my friends came together and chipped in for a present to me. What a bunch of bullshit that was." - Nick
"Armed with only a keen wit and a devil may care attitude." -Eric after hearing our two friends were lost in the ghetto's of San Diego.
"Dude you're more fucked up than me." -Ron wrongly assessing the situation
"We need some new writers, a lot of the new one's out there are shite." -Grant Morrison making my Con.
That's all I got for now, If I missed anything I'm sorry, I didn't mean to and there's a lot on my mind, if you have anything feel free to share, I love hearing what you held dear in 2008 that it was worth remembering.