Best/Worst of 2005

Hey all. Here's my random thoughts on 2005... a year I am glad to have finished as it pretty much was a struggle. But, hey, things are already looking good for 2006--I am working days again, my school load is cut in half, and I have a graduation to look forward to! Anyway, have a safe and merry new year and enjoy the list:
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BEST ALBUM: 12 Songs, Neil Diamond.
Seriously, Rick Rubin is a genius. From Slayer to Johnny Cash, to Run DMC and the Beastie Boys, Rick Rubin has started and resurrected sooo many musical careers with his mastery behind the boards. Forcing Neil to lay off of his glitter and cheese, Diamond offers 12 raw recordings of brilliant songwriting. The stripped-down production--usually only Neil's voice backed by a couple acoustic guitars--confirms that behind the larger-than-life persona of Neil Diamond lives the soul of a SONGWRITER. All 12 songs are wonderful, but "Hell Yeah" is the best single of 2005. Get it now and enjoy.


Worth buying? Hell Yeah it is!

WORST THING ABOUT THE BEST ALBUM OF 2005: Thanks for the spyware, Sony! Look, I bought the CD and I want to put it on my WinAmp "jukebox" on my computer. After I finally installed the spyware-inducing software, the damn thing still wouldn't work without another program to transfer the WMA files to MPEG. I gave up and deleted everything... plus I had to download another program to remove the harmful spyware.

BEST MOVIE: REVENGE OF THE SITH

To be honest, this was the only movie I had the chance to see in the theatres in 2005. But it was definitely awesome.

BEST MOVIE MOMENT: The opening 20 minutes of Revenge of the Sith. WOW. Starfighters screaming by, rapid-fire editing, ultra excitement!! BAM!

WORST MOVIE MOMENT: REVENGE OF THE SITH: Darth Vader's "Nooooooo!" C'mon!

BIGGEST SPORTS DISAPPOINTMENT: Letsee... the Twins, the Wolves, and the Vikes were all picked by various national media outlets to make it to their respective championships. And Minnesota went 0-3. Grrrrr!

MOST DESPICABLE THING ABOUT NATURAL DISASTERS: I am not a big G.W. supporter, but the way the administration was crucified for not being omniscient enough to predict the weather was sad. The fact that Bush was blamed for not bailing out New Orleans in a timely manner (despite claims by Marine and Coast Guard members that it was the swiftest evacuation they've seen) while ample warning was given to the citizens is worse. To turn the hurricanes into a anti-Bush agenda was sad, sad, sad.

BEST DVD PURCHASE: LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE (Seasons 1-5... so far) My wife and I have been enjoying reliving memories of Ma, Pa, Laura, and Mary with these packaged seasons on DVD. Little House ROCKS! Michael Landon turned Charles Ingalls into a super-hero, able to punch, swim, and work his way out of any family crisis. Awesome... A bit preachy sometimes, but awesome.

BEST FOOD SWITCH: A bit sick of the fajita burrito, I switched to the hard tacos at Chipotle. Mmmmmmm... better, and not so sickenly stuffing.

BEST CELEBRITY SIGHTING: I sat next to Flip Saunders and his son at the U of MN Chipotle. I was wearing my Timberwolves winter cap, but this was only a week or so after he got the axe... I nodded and smiled to 'em, but I figured I'd let him eat without autograph seeking and such.

WORST THING ABOUT THE U OF MN: The anti-war protests were so embarrassing (see my articles below)

BEST THING ABOUT THE U OF MN: I finally took the time to figure out "The Gopher Way," a maze of tunnels that allows me to travel across the mega-campus without going outside. SOOOOO helpful during this frigid winter!

WORST LOCAL NEWS CHANNEL: They all suck, but FOX 9's new muckraking approach to "journalism" is sick! "We'll track down politicians... and tell you when they SCREW UP!" Seriously.

WORST LOCAL NEWS: It's not the fact that the Vikings had their sex cruise on Lake Minnetonka, it's the fact that it was inescapable for months. Yeah, it's illegal and newsworthy, but is it worth the local media's dumpster diving for evidence?

BEST BRIDGE CLOSING: For a few months, Stillwater closed its historic lift bridge for repairs--meaning I was able to drive Highway 36 without the usual flurry of Wisconsinites. Ahhhh... it was nice while it lasted.

WORST RADIO AD: I love her soooo. And she must Kno-oooow. The way that I show her... has got to go straight to the heart. STRAIIIIGHT to the Hear--rt! (Goodman Jewelers) WOOOOAAAHOAOAOAOAOHHh! I know it's an oldie, but it was back in 2005... During the Xmas season this ad played every 20 minutes. I timed it.

BEST WEBSITE: www.aequalsa.blogspot.com duh.

WORST THING ABOUT NEW YEARS BESIDES DRUNK DRIVING: People think they are sooo clever by saying, "See You Next Year!" during the final days of December. Hello, people! Cliches are not clever!

Alright, that's enough. See you next year!