2007 Year in Review

I thought I'd have hella time to blog over this break, but it was actually a fairly stressful break, what with eight thousand different family things in two different states. I'm taking some time today while Chris is grading 40 more shitty 10th grade research papers. Here's three lists about 2007, because apparently lists are all anyone can muster at the end of the year.

7 Awesome Events of 2007 (in no particular order)

Friends moving to STL--Good pals Banter and his Ball & Chain moved back to St Louis after an alleged stint in law school, and K-Vav moved back to the 'Lou after lighting up the lives of Bay City rollers. River City didn't even see it coming.


Starting school again--Starting the Leadership program at UST has been totally enlightening and I love being back working out my gray matter. The fat stack of books I have to read in the next month is daunting and exciting all at the same time, and the relationships I'm building within my cohort have been invaluable.


New writing opportunities--Green Options has gotten me back in the swing of regular writing, meeting deadlines, and a little extra income. Plus some clippings. I am a big timer, I guess. Just kidding. This little blog right here is my outlet and venting space and I thank all three of you for faithfully reading.

Concerts, concerts, concerts--We saw Ryan Adams & The Cardinals, Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello, John Butler Trio, State Radio, Lucero, The Decemberists, The Shins, The Flaming Lips, and Guster. We also went to Wakarusa and saw Ben Harper, John Butler Trio, Widespread Panic, Son Volt, and Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, among others. Which reminds me, I need to write my concert manners manifesto, cause some of you fools are out of your damn mind at shows.


Backpacking trip to the Appalachian Trail--Well, the first five days or so, before it got hot, insanely rainy, and buggy.

Good times with good friends--Trip to Chicago for the World Series of Pop Culture, Team Awesome (during the non-dysfunctional times), going to Minnesota with Molly Markham and Abby, various jaunts to South City holes to drink lots of beer and sing 80s hits.

Going to the Iowa State Fair--fried cheese curds, cold beer mullets, farmers, political candidates, and hog balls bigger than your head. Good times, good times.

7 Things I'm Thankful For Right This Minute

Grandma's Kringla--you know, those cakey, pretzel-shaped things my grandma (Hi, Grandma!) makes and I give you, if you are lucky, around Thanksgiving and Christmas because we can't eat them all. She makes like 120 dozen every year. No joke. Seriously, the lady can bake a mean Norwegian pastry.

This cookbook, which is allowing me to make orange pudding cupcakes that currently smell delicious as they cool and will go to Meghan and Paul's Second Annual New Year's Eve bash tonight.

Left Bank Books (the one in STL, although I've been to the unrelated one in Seattle, which is also fucking rules. I could spend hours and hours and thousands and thousands perusing their shelves and expanding our home library.

My new Holga camera. Pictures to follow after I get them developed at Ye Olde Creve Couer Camera. Remember the days before the instant gratification of digital?

This totally awesome Golden Smog album

Dexter and Friday Night Lights, both totally awesome shows whose Season Ones I'm about to finish. Damn! Y'all should watch both, because they are totally well-written and entertaining and feature decent acting. Also, I'm sure you'll get an outstanding recommendation from Chris's 8-year-old cousin, who informed us at Christmas that he loves Dexter. Me-"You mean Dexter's Laboratory?" Him-"No, Dexter the serial killer."

These guys:
***PICTURE REMOVED AT WOLVERINE'S REQUEST*


So, that's my end of year list. You do not suck at all.