... About 2008

Hey, look! It's time for my year-end review!

Here, in no particular order, are ten of the major events, random moments, and memorable incidents from this last year that I will probably remember for at least another little while. You know, I should really look into getting something that will improve my memory. Like a memory-improving device. Or substance. Does green tea improve your memory? I hope not, because that stuff's pretty nasty. What about St John's wart? Because I really don't want to have to put some dead guy's wart inside my body. That wouldn't be kosher. Or is it? Are herbal supplements kosher? Any of my Jewish friends know? Do I have any Jewish friends?

What was I talking about?

Oh, yeah. 2008.

Numero One: AAAAAAHH! ARE YOU SERIOUS? DID THAT SERIOUSLY JUST HAPPEN?!?!

Like most of America (and possibly the world), Bailey and I were watching Michael Phelps' seventh race on August 15, and as it drew to a close we were fairly confident that the Serbian was going to keep Phelps from his goal of 8 gold medals. Then they turned into the final stretch.

"He's catching up! Wow, he's really flying. Is he going to do it? Is he going to do it?! HOLY CRAP, HE'S GOING TO DO IT! HE'S GONNA WIN! GO! GO! GO! Ohhhhh.... so close, he was so - wait! HOLY FREAKING CRAP! AAAAAHHH!!!"

I'm not going to lie to you, Reader. I was pretty surprised at the amount of screaming and shouting that poured out from Bailey's and my mouths. Until that moment, I don't think I realized how emotionally invested I was in his quest, or appreciated how invested the rest of the country was. In all seriousness, I really think that's what the Olympic spirit is all about.

Numero Dos: Movin' on up to the east side

Finally. Bailey and I moved into our apartment at the end of May. Ah, the joys of apartment life. The neighbors who get in screaming fights, the neighbors who like to pretend they know how to play the drums, the neighbors who park in our assigned spot.... the TV that would work great if we could turn it on, the dishwasher that spews its soapy innards, the heater that sounds like the rolling thunders of Armageddon when it first turns on..... bliss.

Numero Three: Day Tripper, yeah

2008 was the year of the stay-cation. I kept my travels local this year - up to Bear Lake and Logan, down to St. George. I felt the itch to get away for a day, so I took a Saturday a while ago and drove myself down to Sanpete to get a look at my old stomping grounds. It's remarkably the same, although I've realized that I am not. Funny how that happened. Somehow I guess I expect the places that matter to me to change right along with me.

Numero Four: $1.99, are you out of your mind?

It worries me a little bit just how excited I get when I drive past a gas station now. The first time this summer I filled up for less than $4 a gallon, I called people to tell them. When it went under $3, I got a rather excited voicemail from Maren telling me exactly where I could find it 'cheap'. When the gas station near my work slipped under $2, I took a picture with my phone and sent it out to half my address book. The other day I filled up from fumes for less than $14, and here I am blogging about it.

I know it probably won't last for long, but thank goodness it's here at all.

Numero Five: What a crazy random happenstance!

Last year, my favorite little random internet gem was the Potter Puppet Pals (although, admittedly, Charlie the Unicorn took a close second). This year, while the writers' strike shut down Hollywood for months and stopped my favorite shows short for the season, it did bring me one of my new favorite things: Dr Horrible's Sing Along Blog! I love this show. I love NPH. I love him. Watching Dr Horrible inspired me to visit Hulu.com and watch Doogie Howser in its entirety, a venture I would highly recommend for all of you.

Numero Six: Hey, Nessa? I've got something to confess-a... I don't have a camera...

My dear Nessa got married this September and asked me to do her wedding video. I was more than happy to oblige - it was like I was actually putting all those years of education to use! How novel! Luckily I had a new Mac that I could edit on, but I still haven't bought a video camera (I'm way too picky, and have very expensive taste). It was a long day, and a long week or so of editing, but it was really fun. I'd forgotten how much fun filmmaking really is. So thanks, Ness! And thanks to your sister for letting me use her camera!

Numero Seven: Goodnight, My Angel

On July 5, I lost a friend and the world lost a treasure. I still think of Craig often, always with a smile (and occasionally an eye roll when I happen to think of his "reducing the viscosity of the synovial fluid in our joints" dance), and I think I'll be forever grateful for the influence he had on me. He wasn't just one of the good ones - he was one of the best ones.

Numero Eight: How does Siggy always know?

I love the Discovery Channel. Not only does it bring us the glories of Shark Week every summer (Shark Week!), but it also brought the unequaled luminescence of "Planet Earth". Bailey and I became a little obsessed with the series. They showed it in mini-marathon form on Sunday evenings and we DVRed it to enjoy later. And enjoy we did. If you grew tired of me excitedly spewing out stories of cave-dwelling glow worms and manta rays with a 20-foot wingspan (20 feet!), than I'm sorry. I'm sorry you have no sense of wonder or curiosity, and I'm sorry you're so lame.

Numero Nine: Civic Duty

I feel like I should say something about the circus that we called an election. But what can I possibly say that hasn't already been said? I'm glad it's finally over, and I'm glad we're finally going to move forward. But I am still trying to recover from CNBC over-exposure (it has symptoms similar to frostbite - loss of feeling, open sores on the extremeties, that sort of thing).

Numero Ten: The Write Stuff

As you know, Reader, I'm a real fake journalist. This year I joined the staff of the Regal Seagull and contribute occasional articles to help fill the massive "Let's Make Fun of Utah!" void on the internet. It's been a lot of fun - I've met a few new people, I've been able to put my 'work' out there and have at least four different people read it. Plus, it forces me to keep my skills sharp (although, admittedly, some of my articles are way better than others). It's kind of like this blog, but with something resembling a focus.

Anyway, the Seagull took a brief hiatus following the election to recover from the loss of SUPERDELL. But we're back now, and are looking forward to bringing you all the newsiest fakest news in 2009.

Numero Eleven: That's right, Eleven. I'm a rebel.

Reader, remember up there ^ when I said that I realized I'm not the same person I was five years ago? Or is your memory as poor as mine? Need some St. John's wart? Anyway, I think this year will go down in my personal history book as the year I really put an effort into learning about myself. And I found out some stuff that surprised me. And some stuff that would surprise you, Reader. For example, did you know that I hate Oprah? Oh, you did? Yeah, me, too.

So that's 2008! I hope all of you have a Merry Christmas, a Happy Hanukkah (I swear I must have at least one Jewish friend), and a Joyous New Year!



Listamania!

Movies Kristen Saw and Liked (* = Loved) that were Released in 2008 (so far)

Wall-E*
Wanted*
Get Smart
Baby Mama
Charlie Bartlett
The Foot Fist Way
The Kite Runner*
Penelope
Chicago 10
Horton Hears a Who!
Ghost Town
Run, Fatboy, Run!*
The Dark Knight*
Young @ Heart*
Son of Rambow*
Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist
Seven Pounds
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button*
Frost/Nixon*
Changeling*

Movies Kristen Still Wants to See that were Released in 2008

Revolutionary Road
Doubt
Milk
Australia
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
Rachel Getting Married
How to Lose Friends and Alienate People
The Duchess
Burn After Reading
The Other Boelyn Girl

Music Kristen Listened to A Lot in 2008

The Kooks
The Hymns
David Cook
Justin Nozuka
Eric Hutchinson
Glen Hansard
Josh Woodward
Jason Mraz
Jon McLaughlin
Spoon
Sondre Lerche
The Shins
Eels

Books Kristen Read and Liked in 2008

Into the Wild
The Road
The Last Days of Socrates
The Lovely Bones
Anna Karenina
The Memory Keeper's Daughter
Me Talk Pretty One Day

... About Blogging

So I've been racking my brain for the perfect idea for today's post, Reader. I've been trying to come up with something that'll make you laugh, make you cry, make you think, and maybe even make you crave some of those cinnamon roasted almonds like they have at the mall.

I wanted to write something that you wouldn't just read once and never think of again. I wanted to write something that would stick with you, that would change the way you see the world, even to the smallest degree.

My goal with this blog is to enlighten, inspire, or infuriate. I don't care if you agree with what I say or not, or even if you understand my point of view. I just want you, Reader, to feel something when you read this blog.

So I wanted today's post to be special, a reflection on the times we live in and the lives we lead in our own time. I wanted it to be set apart from the rest of the world by its wit, its insight, and its ability to reach deep into the souls of those who read it and find that little piece of them that is longing to try something new.

Reader, I wanted this to be the best blog you've ever read - maybe even the best thing you've ever read, period.

But I've got nothing.

Except a craving for some of those almonds...

... About Somethin' Bad In Your Neighborhood

Why is it all the best stuff happens to us when there are no witnesses that can vouch for the awesomeness of said stuff?

Reader, I kid you not - on my way to work today, driving northbound on I-15 from about 4500 South to 3300 South, I was a mere one lane away from the Ecto-1 (a.k.a. the Ghostbustersmobile).

It.

Was.

AWESOME.

It made me want to go out and buy an old 1959 Cadillac ambulance, give it an orange racing stripe, and catch ghosts for the rest of my life. *sigh*

It seems I see the best stuff when I'm alone in the car. Like that guy who very nearly biffed out on a Segway. Or the giant inflatable bow on top of the new hospital. Or that UFO. The worst part is, I can never convince anybody that these things really happened, or at least convince them that it was as cool as I make it out to be.

One of these days, Reader, you're going to be with me when I run into something spectacular and unexpected on the road (well, hopefully not "run into"; rather "encounter" or "see" or "don't run into").

I mean, seriously! The car from 'Ghostbusters'! Okay, so maybe it wasn't the actual car from 'Ghostbusters'. Maybe it didn't have the logo painted on the door or the high-tech ghost catching equipment strapped to the roof. Maybe in actuality it was just an old 1950s-style ambulance that happened to be white with an orange stripe that just vaguely resembled something that could have once in a former life been the car from 'Ghostbusters'.

Geez, honesty is such a killjoy.

Reader, the point is, someday maybe I will see something as amazing and inspiring as the real Ecto-1 cruising down the road. And when that day comes, who'm I gonna call?