Yes, I did just look at my calendar, and yes, I do know that it's January 29th. Is it too late to do a "remember last year? I do, and here's some highlights because I know you care" post? I don't think it's too late. It's still January, right? Hey, this is a yearly tradition, so just sit back, adjust your reading glasses (and clean them too, they're filthy) and enjoy. How can I best sum up 2008? A daunting task if I may say so. 2008 was an emotional year, I'll say that. There were some dizzying highs, some very rough lows, and as always, the consistent creamy middles. Now that the year's over, what effect on me did it ultimately have? Now that's the $64,000 question. I'd love to say that since another year's gone by, that I've grown wiser by a year, that I've come to a maturity level 366 days greater than this time last year, and that I've progressed occupationally by 52 weeks. I'd love to say that, but I can't. I can say that I've become a tad more emotional in the past year, mostly due to a very important person in my life changing the distance between us from minutes to nine time zones. I still talk to myself, I still make fun of others to make up for my own issues, and I still seem to lock my keys in my truck.
But you know what? You don't care, and neither do I. Nobody said at the start of 2008 that "personal growth" was required before 2009. Things happen, people change, and time flies. That's life. The only constant year to year? The Edmonton Oilers still frustrate the shit out of me, but I can't stop loving them.
Now, on to the memories! This year, I'm giving the top prize a cheap plastic trophy! Hooray!
BEST EYE-GASM: In Bruges
There were a shat load of great films in 2008, but I'll have to say that the film that flew under the radar and really shouldn't have, was this gem from director Martin McDonagh. An incredibly well-written dark comedy with outstanding performances, it features a murdered kid, a hooker and coke-obsessed midget and the most boring beautiful town in Europe. And I couldn't have enjoyed it more!
Participant Ribbons: The Bank Job, Be Kind Rewind, The Dark Knight, RocknRolla, Slumdog Millionaire, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, The Wrestler
BEST EAR-GASM: Into Your Lungs - Hey Rosetta!
Basically, no other album has generated more happiness, brought me through more times of sadness and boredom and kicked more ass than these Newfies. Leader Tim Baker has more talent in his dead skin flakes than most musicians out there. I predict this band will get very, VERY... somewhat noticed by the masses. And that will be a huge, unforgivable crime. They should be at least bigger than Akon. Damn Akon. He sucks.
Participant Ribbons: Beck - Modern Guilt, Black Mountain - In The Future, Constantines - Kensington Heights, The Hold Steady - Stay Positive, TV On The Radio - Dear Science, Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer
BEST CONCERT-GASM - Hey Rosetta! and Two Hours Traffic (Pawn Shop, Nov 10)
I shall repeat the comment I made on Facebook the moment I came home from this show: "If War and Peace was an epic, then tonight's Hey Rosetta! and Two Hours Traffic show was 10 War and Peace's worth of epic." Enough said. (Hey Rosetta! also played with The Coast on June 26. That show was 10 Ben Hur's worth of epic)
Participant Ribbons - Bedouin Soundclash with Shad K (Grant MacEwan, Apr 4 - First show I planned!), Every act at COCA (Ottawa, June 6-11), Bloc Party with Shout Out Out Out Out (Edmonton Events Centre, Sep 9), Bedouin Soundclash and Hey Ocean! (Edmonton Event Centre, Oct 25), The Australian Pink Floyd Show (Winspear, Dec 10), Monotonix (Pawn Shop, Dec 27 - most insane show I've ever seen!)
BEST LIVER-GASM: COCA Conference (Ottawa, June 6-10)
Once again, COCA proves to be unstoppable, in that I couldn't stop myself from indulging in a few drinks. Times 10. Per day. For almost a week. A truly wonderful experience shared with equally wondrous delegates, associates and musicians from across the country. Oh, and those beers on the right are mine. The red-coloured drinks are some douche's. Probably somebody from Ontario. Burn.
Participant Ribbons: Stampede Pubcrawl (Calgary, July 5), Bike 'N Wipes II (Bentley, AB, July 26), My birthday pubcrawl (Edmonton, Aug 25), Halloween Pubcrawl (Oct 31)
There might be more best things next post! But probably not.
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