The idea of remembering the year gone by appeals to me more and more the older I get — mostly because I forget most everything that has happened. So, I’d like to reflect on the year (nearly) gone by — because I’m old and nostalgic that way. Sit back, relax and be prepared to read and clicky away.
Big Events:
- New church – where I’ve been able to help with their creative focus and output (I did the website, a number of banners, bulletins and various other work to help out their overall visual excellence; and I feel blessed to have found such a great place where God can use my talents).
- Sunset Beach NC vacation. Always my favorite time of the year.
- Moved to a new house where the kids have their own rooms, I have an office (to myself), and we have a great neighborhood where our kids have friends.
- Back to where it all started. Sonya and I went to New York City for 3 days (2 nights) and had a wonderful time celebrating our 10 year wedding anniversary. NYC is special to us as it is where we met and got to know each other (and essentially “fall in love”). We stayed at the Marriott Marquis, gazed at beauty at the MoMA and enjoyed a broadway play (The Pillowman).
Things I enjoyed watching in 2005
- Lost. We hadn’t seen it last season and started to watch it in the summer (while it was in rerun). Incredible. Character development. Mystery. Smart plot. Best series on TV.
- The Office. The first few episodes were directly related to the BBC series, but over the year the show has gotten better and developed its own flavor.
- Curb Your Enthusiasm. We just got HBO this year, and one of the benefits is being able to watch this show. I wish I had the gall to be as honest as Larry (but not really).
- Primer. I know it was released this year (2004) but it was new to me this year. And it’s brilliant. If you think you’ve seen every possible time travel movie, think again. Treat yourself, get this movie.
Things I enjoyed listening to in 2005
This is sort of my best music of 2005 list. It won’t be expansive, and some music isn’t new this year, but it’s new to me, so … deal.
- Copeland – In Motion. Brilliant follow-up to a pretty solid debut. Infused with Queen harmonies, sweeping melodrama and finely crafted tunes.
- Circa Survive – Juturna. I have no idea how to describe CS. Post-punk rock, indie emo? Great album.
- Bloc Party- Silent Alarm. Very reminiscent of Blur, though more straight rock oriented. Now quite overplayed (and overhyped), still a great release from this year.
- Death Cab For Cutie – Plans. Now, I may have been less than blown away by this album (and certainly felt the wrath of fanboys), it doesn’t mean that I didn’t like it (I love “Crooked Teeth”, “What Sarah Said”, “Your Heart Is An Empty Room”).
- Coldplay – X&Y. I really enjoy this album. It’s quite solid. Is it earth shattering, ground-breaking, music changing? No way, but so little comes out that just is solid (it either tries to hard, and thus becomes self-gratification or imitates older music that younger people don\’t realize is being ripped off).
- Muse – Absolution. It’s not new this year, but I’ve been blown away by this album. “Stockholm Syndrome” has all the drive, riffs and backbeat any rock song could ever wish for (one minus is that their band website resizes my window; and I really hate that)
Things I enjoyed reading in 2005
Its been an uncommonly quiet reading time for me. Nothing has grabbed me much this year, or my attention span is dwindling, but here are a few books I liked this year.
- Harry Potter – The Goblet of FireThe Order of the Phoenix, The Half-Blood Prince. Brilliant books. I read all 3 of these in about 2 or 3 weeks. Could not put them down.
- Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris. Hilarious. Following his previous books that chronicle his insane upbringing.
- Searching For God Knows What by Donald Miller. Miller continues on his journey of discovering God and his faith; as it clashes with others faith and the world at large. Donald has a conversational and humorous writing voice, but also tends to ramble and seem aimless.
- Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation. Funny grammar/punctuation book, no really it is. And, I’ve learned a few things (that I’m sure to have forgotten by now).
Things I enjoyed wasting my time in 2005
- Blogs of my friends
- Tiny Showcase. Brilliant way to spread art; and make it affordable.
- Photography. Ever since the start of Whiskerino, I’ve been taking and honing my photography skills. Speaking of which…
- Whiskerino. A national beard contest. Not only fun, not only great photos but I’ve met many a guy that I know I’ll be friends with for a long time.
- Threadless. I love to see what T-Shirts come out. And I’ve enjoyed owing a few of them.
- Church Marketing Sucks. Now that I’m actively involved in church “marketing”, I find this site helpful, interesting and sometimes nauseating.
I can’t even begin to imagine what this new year will bring. I’ve been so blessed in so many ways.