Year in Review
At long last, it is time for me to do the annual year in review, although we're 21 days into the new year. If you want to see the previous years', check my memories.
Top CDs of 2005:
My usual disclaimer is that I usually only include CDs that I purchased or otherwise acquired. You know, they claim that the ability to acquire music online doesn't hurt CD sales. I call bullshit. I'm pretty sure I didn't buy a CD all this year or last. Still, let's see what I can come up with. No particular order
1. The Emancipation of Mimi. Not Mariah's best work, but it was a come back in a major way, and Mariah being the crack of the R&B world again.
2. The Game-The documentary. Though I will admit, things got much more interesting once the beef started. If 300 Bars were its own album, it'd be up here.
3. Alicia Keys-Unplugged. I heard most of it this past weekend when I was chillin with Stacy in ATL, and it's definitely some hotness.
4. The Rent movie soundtrack. I've alyways loved the soundtrack, and they kept it real for hte movie.
Top Producers of 2005:
1. Kanye West. Particularly for his Album and Common's Be.
2. Some Dudes. In the spirit of the 2004 Best Year Ever, alot of the club bangers were rounded out by Some Dudes--producers who aren't the most on name recognition but put out something hott.
Top Party Anthem of 2005:
Dem Franchise Boyz f. JD, Brat, and Bow Wow-Oh I Think They Like Me. It may be recency effect, since this was a last quarter song, but it was hot and is still in heavy rotation. There are other songs that blew up the clubs despite their wacktitude, so I won't bother mentioning any recent songs that spoke of candy with jokes on the wrapper.
Best Movies of 2005-no particular order. looked at what came out this year here
1. Crash! Wow, I almost would have forgotten this one--glad I came across it. This is definitely #1.
2.The Exorcism of Emily Rose. That joint was righfully scary. Monsters and zombies are one thing, but when you get into demons, that's some scary shit.
3. Coach Carter. Wow, was that realy this year? side note: Year in reviews always make me realize that being in higher ed, I work on an academic year, not calendar year, schedule. Last school year feels like last year.
4. Sin City. I definitely enjoyed it, plus it was just pretty
5. Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. Way to round out the saga.
Best Concerts of 2005:
I don't think I have fodder for our concert section, at least not in the traditional sense. Given CAB concerts, we had Lil Scrappy ,which was nothing spectacular; Elephant Man got canceled, and for CAB here, we had the FallFest concert which went well, but was nothing spectacular. I will include the 2 DCI shows (Orlando and NightBeat), however.
Best Sports moments of 2005:
1. The Eagles rolling over the Falcons to stamp their ticket to Jacksonville
2. USf over then #9 Louisville, getting people talking and making our possibility of winning the Big East and going BCS bowling legitimate.
3. The Bulls playing in their first ever bowl game (in virtually my backyard!)
Most disappointing sports moments of 2005;
1. Eagles losing the Super Bowl
2. FUCK T.O. FUCK T.O. FUCK 'IM!
3. USF losing the bowl game--and getting shut=out to boot
4. the Terps not so much as making the NCAA hoops tourney
Top Sports Songs of 2005:
1. Fly Eagles Fly (the Eagles' Fight Song)
2. Rob Thomas-This Is How a Heart Breaks--theme of the NBA finals
3. Big & Rich-Comin' to your City as the theme song for football College GameDay
Top Video Games of 2005:
1. NBA Street Volume 3. The game is sick. The entire franchise is sick.
2. Throwback! Street Fighter II-Special Champion Edition. Megan got me the plug and play game for Christmas, and it's STILL hott.
New Category!
Top Trips of 2005
1. Minneapolis. MPLS, you ask? I was up ther for a NACA conference. It really marked my first trip in cognisant memory to anything in the middle of the county (I've been on both coasts). It's a nice city, even if it was the middle of February (and traveling from FL at that) and I got to go to the Mall of America.
2. Nashville. What happens in Nashvegas, stays in Nashvegas. Nah, but I had a good time at the ACPA conference, got to catch up with some folks hadn't seen in a bit, including Erin, Sabrina, Mike, Josh, and Lisa.
3. Home for the holidays. Before that trip, I hadn't been home (or so much as set foot on yankee soil, with the exception of my grandfathers funeral less than 2 weeks prior) in about 9 months.
Biggest Dissapointments:
1. Not getting hired up at USF. Don't get it twisted, I love where I am now, but at the time I was all about sticking around in Tampa and still being at USF.
2. Subsequently, having to move up here where I didn't know a soul--just the lack-of-friends part of that.
3. Megan and I being separated--often on opposite sides of the nation--for the better part of the year.
Most Memorable Times:
1. 05/07/05, bitches!!
2. And passing comps, knowing that graduation was just around the corner
3. Moving up here to the G and starting my life as a pro
Best discoveries
1. Life as a pro--makin' it happen!
2. As much as I protested that I was a Dog and only a Dog, I'm a proud USF Bull!
3. And as much as I rep the up top to the fullest, I can't help but admit that, at least to some degree--I'm a dirty southerner too.
4. I suppose if I actually try, I can even get drunk off of beer.
and now, for my New Year's resolution reflections:
my resolutions from last year were:
-Spend less time in front of the computer when I'm home--even when I'm watching TV I'm at the computer. I need to chill the hell out and sit over there.
I think I've gotten better at this, particularly since the purchase of my couch!
-Get over my phobia of telephones--i'm gonna need them in the real world.
Again, I think I've improved a bit, probably be virtue of having more need for such as a professional. Still don't like 'em though.
-Get back into the habit of packing my lunch to work instead of buying it.
eh, hit or miss on this one.
And for this year's resolutions:
-Say "tomorrow" less. That is to say, less procrastination. I know this year in review is coming on 1/21. Shaddup.
-Make some leeway--I mean some SERIOUS leeway--towards The Plan™ After all, now I've got a handy outlet!!
Anyway, that's it outta me. I know we're 3 weeks in... but happy 2006!
Top CDs of 2005:
My usual disclaimer is that I usually only include CDs that I purchased or otherwise acquired. You know, they claim that the ability to acquire music online doesn't hurt CD sales. I call bullshit. I'm pretty sure I didn't buy a CD all this year or last. Still, let's see what I can come up with. No particular order
1. The Emancipation of Mimi. Not Mariah's best work, but it was a come back in a major way, and Mariah being the crack of the R&B world again.
2. The Game-The documentary. Though I will admit, things got much more interesting once the beef started. If 300 Bars were its own album, it'd be up here.
3. Alicia Keys-Unplugged. I heard most of it this past weekend when I was chillin with Stacy in ATL, and it's definitely some hotness.
4. The Rent movie soundtrack. I've alyways loved the soundtrack, and they kept it real for hte movie.
Top Producers of 2005:
1. Kanye West. Particularly for his Album and Common's Be.
2. Some Dudes. In the spirit of the 2004 Best Year Ever, alot of the club bangers were rounded out by Some Dudes--producers who aren't the most on name recognition but put out something hott.
Top Party Anthem of 2005:
Dem Franchise Boyz f. JD, Brat, and Bow Wow-Oh I Think They Like Me. It may be recency effect, since this was a last quarter song, but it was hot and is still in heavy rotation. There are other songs that blew up the clubs despite their wacktitude, so I won't bother mentioning any recent songs that spoke of candy with jokes on the wrapper.
Best Movies of 2005-no particular order. looked at what came out this year here
1. Crash! Wow, I almost would have forgotten this one--glad I came across it. This is definitely #1.
2.The Exorcism of Emily Rose. That joint was righfully scary. Monsters and zombies are one thing, but when you get into demons, that's some scary shit.
3. Coach Carter. Wow, was that realy this year? side note: Year in reviews always make me realize that being in higher ed, I work on an academic year, not calendar year, schedule. Last school year feels like last year.
4. Sin City. I definitely enjoyed it, plus it was just pretty
5. Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. Way to round out the saga.
Best Concerts of 2005:
I don't think I have fodder for our concert section, at least not in the traditional sense. Given CAB concerts, we had Lil Scrappy ,which was nothing spectacular; Elephant Man got canceled, and for CAB here, we had the FallFest concert which went well, but was nothing spectacular. I will include the 2 DCI shows (Orlando and NightBeat), however.
Best Sports moments of 2005:
1. The Eagles rolling over the Falcons to stamp their ticket to Jacksonville
2. USf over then #9 Louisville, getting people talking and making our possibility of winning the Big East and going BCS bowling legitimate.
3. The Bulls playing in their first ever bowl game (in virtually my backyard!)
Most disappointing sports moments of 2005;
1. Eagles losing the Super Bowl
2. FUCK T.O. FUCK T.O. FUCK 'IM!
3. USF losing the bowl game--and getting shut=out to boot
4. the Terps not so much as making the NCAA hoops tourney
Top Sports Songs of 2005:
1. Fly Eagles Fly (the Eagles' Fight Song)
2. Rob Thomas-This Is How a Heart Breaks--theme of the NBA finals
3. Big & Rich-Comin' to your City as the theme song for football College GameDay
Top Video Games of 2005:
1. NBA Street Volume 3. The game is sick. The entire franchise is sick.
2. Throwback! Street Fighter II-Special Champion Edition. Megan got me the plug and play game for Christmas, and it's STILL hott.
New Category!
Top Trips of 2005
1. Minneapolis. MPLS, you ask? I was up ther for a NACA conference. It really marked my first trip in cognisant memory to anything in the middle of the county (I've been on both coasts). It's a nice city, even if it was the middle of February (and traveling from FL at that) and I got to go to the Mall of America.
2. Nashville. What happens in Nashvegas, stays in Nashvegas. Nah, but I had a good time at the ACPA conference, got to catch up with some folks hadn't seen in a bit, including Erin, Sabrina, Mike, Josh, and Lisa.
3. Home for the holidays. Before that trip, I hadn't been home (or so much as set foot on yankee soil, with the exception of my grandfathers funeral less than 2 weeks prior) in about 9 months.
Biggest Dissapointments:
1. Not getting hired up at USF. Don't get it twisted, I love where I am now, but at the time I was all about sticking around in Tampa and still being at USF.
2. Subsequently, having to move up here where I didn't know a soul--just the lack-of-friends part of that.
3. Megan and I being separated--often on opposite sides of the nation--for the better part of the year.
Most Memorable Times:
1. 05/07/05, bitches!!
2. And passing comps, knowing that graduation was just around the corner
3. Moving up here to the G and starting my life as a pro
Best discoveries
1. Life as a pro--makin' it happen!
2. As much as I protested that I was a Dog and only a Dog, I'm a proud USF Bull!
3. And as much as I rep the up top to the fullest, I can't help but admit that, at least to some degree--I'm a dirty southerner too.
4. I suppose if I actually try, I can even get drunk off of beer.
and now, for my New Year's resolution reflections:
my resolutions from last year were:
-Spend less time in front of the computer when I'm home--even when I'm watching TV I'm at the computer. I need to chill the hell out and sit over there.
I think I've gotten better at this, particularly since the purchase of my couch!
-Get over my phobia of telephones--i'm gonna need them in the real world.
Again, I think I've improved a bit, probably be virtue of having more need for such as a professional. Still don't like 'em though.
-Get back into the habit of packing my lunch to work instead of buying it.
eh, hit or miss on this one.
And for this year's resolutions:
-Say "tomorrow" less. That is to say, less procrastination. I know this year in review is coming on 1/21. Shaddup.
-Make some leeway--I mean some SERIOUS leeway--towards The Plan™ After all, now I've got a handy outlet!!
Anyway, that's it outta me. I know we're 3 weeks in... but happy 2006!