the Year's end

This is probably my most pretentious blog entry ever. The end of this year signaled the end of the "aughts." Why are they called that? I don't know. Anyway, one of my favorite parts of the end of the year, besides having a few weeks off from school, is the abundance of year end lists by music and movie reviewers. This year was special because we got both the year end lists, as well as the lists at the end of the decade. If there's one thing i enjoy reading, its a year end list. This year, the few that I read were all absolutely ridiculous. Rolling Stone said their number 1 album of the year was U2's new album, which i cannot even remember the name of. Pitchfork, of course, said the number one album of the year was the new Animal Collective album (the same was true for Spin magazine, as well i believe). Finally, Paste magazine had the Avett Brothers, "You and I and Love" as their number 1 album. First of all when it comes to U2's new album it's important to consider the fact U2 doesn't even like their new album. Pitchfork is going to love anything Animal Collective puts out. The Avett Brothers album is good, but I believe that there were a few far better albums that came out this year (the more ridiculous thing Paste did was call the Avett Brothers album the number 8 album of the decade, but that is neither here nor there). With all this in mind i guess i just wanted to make a list of all the things media related that i found interesting and fun this year!

Music (probably going to be different than what i "tweeted"). In terms of music, 2009 was nowhere near as great as 2008.
1) Regina Spektor - Far
2) The Decemberists - the Hazards of Love
3) the Pains of Being Pure at Heart - The Pains of Being Pure at Heart/Higher than the Stars EP (Pitchfork put the Fleet Foxes LP and EP on their year end list last year, so i figure if they can do it, so can i.)
4) The Rural Alberta Advantage - Hometowns (this album was something i got way towards the end of the year, and i listened to it a bunch of times, and really started to like them).
5) Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (this is actually isn't a GREAT album, i just think 1901 and Liztomania really make it notable.)

Some other good albums this year were Wilco's Wilco (the Album), Bowerbirds' Upper Air, The Avett Brothers You and I and Love, Real Estate's Real Estate .

Movies!

1) (500) Days of Summer

2) Adventureland

3) Zombieland

4) Up!

I didn't see many movies this year. Knowing was good as well, but not something I think i would put as one of my favourites.

Television

1) Glee

2) Modern Family

3) Community

-These 3 shows have no particular order. All of them are excellent TV shows.

Video games also had a good year. The ones i got were The Beatles: Rock Band, Left 4 Dead 2, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. All very fun.

Overall, 2009 was not that great for music and movies and stuff. Here's hoping 2010 is better.

Have a safe and happy new year.

peace, love, & multimedia,

m.w.w.

well, now what do i do?

Merry Christmas. I hope you had a wonderful day doing whatever it was you were doing. Santa brought me some very nice things, including a few Yankees things i can use to rub in all you Philly people's faces. Let me also say, it's nice to have a Jets jersey that doesn't say Favre on the back. One really great surprise gift was the first season of 8 Simple Rules, that show with John Ritter. I used to watch it when it was on, and its really cool to re-watch these episodes. Its one of the first shows I followed and watched. Its quite hilarious. Also, I have two seasons of Mad Men, as well as two seasons of Lost to get through. Not to mention Firefly when I get back to the bronx! So much TV to watch.

Anyway, Christmas was great. For Christmas Eve I went to two parties at family friends houses. Both were good fun. For Christmas the family and I went to my uncle's house and spent the day reading cards with movie quotes on them, some of which were eerily relevant (quotes from Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, as well as the Hoffman favorite, "They call me Mr. Tibbs."), playing Christmas bingo, listening to Christmas music, and watching Elf. But really, i want to take this opportunity to talk about some tasty beers i got to sample! One great thing about being home is the selections of beer that they have around here. I got to try 2 different types of Sam Adams, the Honey Porter, as well as the Pale Ale. Both were really good. The place in town has such a nice selection of Sam Adams, as well as beer in general. I wish I could by single bottles like in the bronx so i could try them all! I also tried Magic Hat's Hefeweizen, which was very tasty as well. I'm not very big on Magic Hat, but this one was very good.

Hope your Christmas was just wonderful. It was for me. This Christmas season was one that i'll remember for a long time. Thanks everybody!

peace, love, and leftovers,

m.w.w.

the sounds of the season

Happy Christmas!

Since some of my blog friends are writing about christmas music and stuff, i think i will do the same. I will have to say that, for me there are three things that make christmas what it is. 1) Lights 2) Music & 3) movies. This year, we got to watch a lot of chirstmas movies, and listen to a lot of christmas music, and hang around under the beautifully hung lights in 2491. After compiling a playlist of 200 very, very hit and miss christmas songs, i decided to cut it down to one CD or so's worth of christmas music here is what i came up with. 25 of my favorite christmas songs.

1) Nat King Cole - Hark the Herald Angel

2) Jackson 5 - Santa Claus is coming to town (Bruce version works too)

3) Vince Guaraldi Trio - Skating

4) Stevie Wonder - What christmas means to me

5) Andy Williams - It's the most wonderful time of the year

6) Sufjan Stevens - I saw three ships

7) David Bowie/Bing Crosby - Peace on earth/little drummer boy

8) Eels - Everythings gonna be cool this christmas

9) Nat King Cole - O Tannenbaum

10) Joe - This Christmas

11) Bing Crosby - I'll be Home for Christmas

12) Nat King Cole - The Christmas Song

13) Julian Casablancas - I wish it was christmas today

14) Bing Crosby - Adeste Fideles

15) Frank Sinatra - Have yourself a merry little christmas

16) Greg Lake - I believe in Father Christmas

17) Zooey Deschanel - Baby it's cold outside (any version of this works, really)

18) John Lennon - Happy Xmas (War is Over)

19) Paul McCartney - Wonderful Christmastime

20) Martina McBride - Do You Hear what i Hear (any version as well, just a good song)

21) Bing Crosby - White Christmas

22) Luther Vandross - O Come all ye faithful

23) Vince Guaraldi Trio - O Tannenbaum

24) The Waitresses - Christmas Wrapping

25) Celine Dion - O Holy Night (probably most important track on here.)

hope you check out some of the ones you haven't heard. The greg lake song is amazing.

Have a great christmas, and again, thanks to all who made this xmas season amazing!

peace, love and lights,

m.w.w.

To be young during the holidays

Hello,

1st things 1st. I don't usually like to give dan compliments, but i enjoyed his most recent post. I think being that we're all second semester seniors now, we're all trying to cling onto that little something before it's actually time to grow up. I know I've been trying to hold onto, and consequently replay over and over, this year's christmas party. I know i talked about it last time, but as Warren said in one of the comments on (another dan compliment...man) the great photos from the evening, thank you to everyone who made the party what it was. It was truly, and i think we can all agree, or at least for me, one of the most memorable nights we've had at school as a group. The same is true for the gift exchange the next day. Everyone did a great job with the gifts they made, or in Shauna's case, bought. It was so nice how at the end of the semester everyone really embraced christmas and everything it's about. From Holiday Inn to Jimmy Stewart impressions to decorating the apartment, to the Vince Guaraldi Charlie Brown Christmas album (which we all must have listened to 1,000 times), it was such an enjoyable holiday season, even with finals. It's amazing to think that come January 19th, we'll be starting our last semester as undergraduates. Our first (any only) last semester. I know there's plenty of more fun to be had. I think we've started some great new traditions, as well as realized that it's possible for us to make a great "family" dinner, as seen by Thanksgiving and Christmas party. I have a feeling we're going to have to start making up holidays just so we can have more parties, sort of like our own "Holiday Inn." Have a swell break, and a swell holiday, everyone.

"This was a very meaningful Christmas for me. Thanks to all who made it possible."

-Warren Raiti

Happy Christmas, See you soon,

m.w.w.

Hark!

Merry Christmas (Party) Everyone!

this is gonna be a quick one folks.

1) Joe really likes the Celine Dion version of "O Holy Night." So do I. Probably one of my favourite Christmas songs. Glad to see someone else appreciates it.

2) dancing to "Linus and Lucy" like a peanuts character is a lot of fun in a large group. Who knew?!

3) New traditions: christmas party/gift exchange?

peace, love, exams,

Michael W.

It's a Bird! It's a Plane! It's...Huey Lewis and the News!!

HI.

1) have you ever seen a female cab driver? I haven't.
2) the Holiday spirit is in full swing at 2491. I decorated a beautiful Christmas tree. it felt weird putting decorations on a fake tree (being as this is my first).
3) so excited for the dinner, i hope all you readers who i want to come, are actually going to come. You may think that's subjective, but, it is not. It is objective.
4) about to be done with REAL REAL work for the semester. just have to put the finishing touches on a paper. boy that feels good.

i love you all, very much.
m.w.w.

p.s. - John Lennon was murdered 29 years ago today. listen to the beatles, or his solo stuff.

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Now playing: Lead Belly - Skip to My Lou
via FoxyTunes

An American Tail: Michael Goes West

**the title isn't entirely true. I did not go west, nor do i have a tail, but i did watch the first 10 or so minutes of that movie today, but more on that after i say hello

Hello,

So, did you guys know that Jimmy Stewart (yeah, that one) provides the voice of Wylie Burp in An American Tail: Fivel Goes West? I was just as shocked as you guys to find that out. Good for him. Its just like one of Orson Welles last movies being The Transformers: The Movie, voicing the all powerful Unicron.

So, some big papers have been finished in the past day or so. My law & psych paper is complete! I get a nice short break before i have to start worrying about my big music paper. Who wants to give me a topic?

Also, sorry to get political but, was i the only one who didn't know about the gay marriage vote in the state of new york? I feel like this was not a publicized thing. the other props seemed like the were in the media much more, like the whole "vote no on prop 8" thing. oh well.

as you were,
m.w.w.
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Now playing: Neil Young - There's A World
via FoxyTunes