tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24628102473433189902023-11-15T22:42:08.194-09:00A Slice of Fried GoldDavid Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06154853673567565465noreply@blogger.comBlogger787125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462810247343318990.post-46717176528442627242012-01-04T12:12:00.000-09:002012-01-04T12:12:16.457-09:00Favorite Albums of 2011<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif2JIwrFc5r9wBEkWbsKkELNRu8wcpyi-k6AYbBJF68JbC-CjBAcBN6lmIPcr3LcIRaUU6aU-Y96IXLf6loofhRVwX09JFQFUKzkWg9Bi870IsRdfIRAfdbfeO20AuTEOGT87-Md0Rhj8/s1600/spotify.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif2JIwrFc5r9wBEkWbsKkELNRu8wcpyi-k6AYbBJF68JbC-CjBAcBN6lmIPcr3LcIRaUU6aU-Y96IXLf6loofhRVwX09JFQFUKzkWg9Bi870IsRdfIRAfdbfeO20AuTEOGT87-Md0Rhj8/s400/spotify.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The last part of my favorites lists of 2011 is my favorite albums of 2011. I'm doing things a little bit differently than usual, as I'm typically pretty methodical in breaking down a top 20. Because of my trip, I fell way behind on music, and for those who are obsessed with music it becomes pretty obvious that staying on top of what's new and what's good is a full time job in a lot of ways. With the trip and a job search going back-to-back, my music obsession waned and I became more of a casual fan.<br />
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Plus, 2011 really was the year of Spotify for me. I pretty much only listen to music on there at this point, and with my driving time now more focused on podcasts, there's just less time for new music.<br />
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That said, it seems like 2011 was a pretty solid year for music. My list is after the jump and in in more of a general order, favorite to least favorite, and proves that I favor old favorites to the new hotness those kids these days are listening to.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixnqzQDzZ0Y0Gi0A3vBgtGJopE0GTY54xgmE0gp9oON7QWbng_88Y_lC_l8FCj6dbVsfuoVVDmqbWSo-287t5quLIOMVD2B9EkkjRthG7nD0UDdCaeqj5QuoClgiTcOyfk8PkeVDdH2gI/s1600/Beirut-the-rip-tide.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixnqzQDzZ0Y0Gi0A3vBgtGJopE0GTY54xgmE0gp9oON7QWbng_88Y_lC_l8FCj6dbVsfuoVVDmqbWSo-287t5quLIOMVD2B9EkkjRthG7nD0UDdCaeqj5QuoClgiTcOyfk8PkeVDdH2gI/s400/Beirut-the-rip-tide.jpg" width="397" /></a></div><b>Beirut - The Rip Tide</b><br />
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Homer pick! Homer pick!<br />
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Yeah, it's true, Beirut is part of my holy trinity of favorite artists (which also includes Sigur Ros and Spoon), meaning that they earn a little favoritism from yours truly. But that only gets you so far (Spoon's last album didn't even make my top 20 last year). Zach Condon took me the rest of the way, as I truly love every track on The Rip Tide. As soon as I picked up this album, I must have listened to it twenty times in a row, becoming completely obsessed with the pop amazingness that Condon had created here.<br />
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The biggest bummer of it is that it is only nine tracks long, but I'd rather have nine tracks I love any day over twenty plus that I like. Beirut just makes music that I love. That is a fact.<br />
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<b>Standout Track:</b> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzORRh6lzg4">East Harlem</a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4QANRYyv7gR3ylsvKVGDi4G4QMrecCF_IULod8a_LcSZMnVEfzwkrKv3u4ORJYHI2Qi1fAfVjo7WPHa5OLj-enDs3Y27_-GqUfuDdq8Pi2REJzEWR_cnmQAyxC9Wjkagi1QgkJosI_TI/s1600/Within+and+Without.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4QANRYyv7gR3ylsvKVGDi4G4QMrecCF_IULod8a_LcSZMnVEfzwkrKv3u4ORJYHI2Qi1fAfVjo7WPHa5OLj-enDs3Y27_-GqUfuDdq8Pi2REJzEWR_cnmQAyxC9Wjkagi1QgkJosI_TI/s400/Within+and+Without.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b>Washed Out - Within and Without</b><br />
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This was the first album I started listening to after I got back, as I hopped on Spotify and became basically hypnotized by every track on this album. It's an amazing, hypnotic and constantly changing album that finds a base in its very core with some deeply set pop sensibilities (they are there, I swear). <br />
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Every year, one album comes out that I find to pair with almost anything, and it quickly becomes a favorite. Washed Out is the winner this year, in that "Within and Without" is brilliant for anything from a nice fall drive, exercising, reading, writing...you name it. This is 2011's winner of my "Soundtrack of my Life" award, and that is one hell of a claim for a band that I'd truly never heard of before late July.<br />
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<b>Standout Track:</b> It's hard to choose, but either "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cj2HcdiOmt8&ob=av2n">Eyes Be Closed</a>" or "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neUXnTzAR9o">Far Away</a>"<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioD2KfiUJLexHdfhk5MZbMZybiaWwPSbkfkp1PZAV6TkITEzIkML1Gb-Mw1eo5mDN4blxEIKrEn5cYxXS21A_4id8IVUTUWuo1ULhDYvLKXElesAYFWB5y2bz71-_tUdNEuC2KKZTZNZo/s1600/Aeroplane.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioD2KfiUJLexHdfhk5MZbMZybiaWwPSbkfkp1PZAV6TkITEzIkML1Gb-Mw1eo5mDN4blxEIKrEn5cYxXS21A_4id8IVUTUWuo1ULhDYvLKXElesAYFWB5y2bz71-_tUdNEuC2KKZTZNZo/s400/Aeroplane.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b>Aeroplane - In-Flight Entertainment</b><br />
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The guy who hired me on to ADN kills me. We were talking on gchat one day and he basically ruined the last month of my year by telling me to listen to Aeroplane. Sure enough, I did, and it's basically been the only thing I've listened to since. Sure, it's not technically an album by one artist, as it is producer Aeroplane putting together a mix of new, lesser known tracks, in a seamless fashion, but man, this is pretty much amazing.<br />
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For something that is a slew of artists thrown into a mix, it is incredible how well everything fits together. It's like they were all originally crafted by one voice and then distributed to a range of musicians who all provided their own spin to them, and it makes this 61 minutes and 33 seconds of musical awesomeness. The blend of styles and genres is intoxicating, and about as much fun I've had all year listening to music.<br />
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<b>Standout Track:</b> Well, it's a <a href="http://soundcloud.com/eskimorecordings/sets/aeroplane-in-flight">huge mix</a>, but if you want to pick one track, I'd go with Herr Styler's "Zero Ghosts Out the Door"<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsKk7j8a_JSUIgoYU1FsMCuK4PhFqayoBXe1cVg1shR9BiwqoSi7ZBt3nhpC2pQj_jv7EENnSnF_aZrvwAOPOdSvt6NI4vFNevMgRcjX829dfQgEGUK_dxH2h3G5i8TBhNDLkQ5WXZoD4/s1600/Strange+Mercy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsKk7j8a_JSUIgoYU1FsMCuK4PhFqayoBXe1cVg1shR9BiwqoSi7ZBt3nhpC2pQj_jv7EENnSnF_aZrvwAOPOdSvt6NI4vFNevMgRcjX829dfQgEGUK_dxH2h3G5i8TBhNDLkQ5WXZoD4/s400/Strange+Mercy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b>St. Vincent - Strange Mercy</b></span></b><br />
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I love St. Vincent. In fact, one of the biggest bummers of my world trip was the fact that St. Vincent came to perform here while I was gone. Really. St. Vincent came to Alaska for the one five-month stretch that I was out of the country. How weird is that?<br />
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I've loved all of St. Vincent's work so far, and Strange Mercy is arguably on par with 2009's Actor as my favorite album she's put together to date. It's a diverse, beautiful and strangely aggressive album that gets under your skin in the way the best music does. St. Vincent is stellar at producing music that is lush in its darkness, sharing the beauty she finds in the underbelly of life.<br />
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For me, the one thing that this album lacks perhaps is a single track that really kills me like Actor's "Black Rainbow" did. Still, that could just be because the whole damn thing is so great, and it's hard to find something wrong with that.<br />
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<b>Standout Track:</b> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Itt0rALeHE8&ob=av2e">Cruel</a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw04ESIgugs3m16mH_b3Wu7h-I5Na7YWCn2kpcz3zX6mRX7MxBZIRRk8S8qDrVEFtXjpGMHY_E6kBHjBAxVosZjff5iK3SsUUdAo7YvGPCjuktWcTRJjAcPbC-KpR2ZG3Wh2LFBFqk_Jc/s1600/childish-gambino-camp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw04ESIgugs3m16mH_b3Wu7h-I5Na7YWCn2kpcz3zX6mRX7MxBZIRRk8S8qDrVEFtXjpGMHY_E6kBHjBAxVosZjff5iK3SsUUdAo7YvGPCjuktWcTRJjAcPbC-KpR2ZG3Wh2LFBFqk_Jc/s400/childish-gambino-camp.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b>Childish Gambino - Camp</b><br />
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This album surprised me maybe more than anything this year, in that it's an actor-turned-rapper who is, frankly, pretty damn incredible. Donald Glover (aka Troy on Community), is predictably clever, nerdy and funny on this album (he was a writer for 30 Rock after all), as he drops surprising lines that reference anything from Human Centipede to Fantastic Four villain Annihilus.<br />
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What was surprising about it though is how damn emotionally honest it is. Glover confesses everything about his life in a way that feels like the musical equivalent of a really good autobiography, walking people through what it's like to live his life. Sure, the guy is a celebrity, but that doesn't mean when he speaks honestly his life will be any less turbulent than yours or mine. Confessing things like he does in album closer "That Power" makes him all the more amusing and real.<br />
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I also want to give him credit for having an outrageously versatile voice. The guy can sing, his rapping sounds like anything from himself to Kanye to Lil' Wayne, and his range makes all of his songs work all the better. The production is incredible as well, and the beats and layered samples never distract, only enhance.<br />
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If you like hip hop, I'd highly recommend this. One note though: it absolutely sucks to write to. I find it impossible to not pay attention to the lyrics.<br />
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<b>Standout Track:</b> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpohPO3ALYQ">Outside</a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxo2-8QzVSI1CaVzphhBAZymdpzpRVe2q6XfIjD9E-JuWly96xDg8a1i3Ddvn-lZpPPmvcHAZNH0Q_8SlKOD1Hc7dhLx7kyVFhPZ9Up_kbvxVcr8w1HmfxT_fnTuKdv4_5APBTgcVFShA/s1600/M83-HURRY-UP-WERE-DREAMING.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxo2-8QzVSI1CaVzphhBAZymdpzpRVe2q6XfIjD9E-JuWly96xDg8a1i3Ddvn-lZpPPmvcHAZNH0Q_8SlKOD1Hc7dhLx7kyVFhPZ9Up_kbvxVcr8w1HmfxT_fnTuKdv4_5APBTgcVFShA/s400/M83-HURRY-UP-WERE-DREAMING.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b>M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming</b><br />
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Everyone has a different favorite M83 album (and by everyone, I mean people who actually listen to M83), and it seems that this is the year that most agreed "holy crap, this is the one we're all going to love."<br />
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And it's with good reason. This album is really a double album filled with standout tracks, and it really is M83's most epic effort yet. It's a sprawling, constantly inventive record that touches on a lot of things that he has figured out that he has done really well throughout the years.<br />
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Oddly enough though, every time an M83 album comes out I find myself really liking it but never quite loving it. This record for me falls short in that it feels maybe a little less personal then his previous ones, as songs like "Graveyard Girl" in the past really draws you into the storyteller underneath the beautiful noise. For me, the only track that does that on par with his previous efforts is "Raconte-Moi Une Histoire," an adorable and unforgettable track that stands out just for being so different than everything else on here.<br />
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That said, this is a really beautiful album, and I think it's something I may come to appreciate more over time. As it stands now, it's a very good album, with potential to become a great one in my mind.<br />
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<b>Standout Track:</b> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZ3flcWcwmI">Raconte-Moi Une Histoire</a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk-gfzzMlmO5I2ICAqKs8Qpy7P3KNsFkBy5CEfknXIta0NqbJTWRvSqp4yx9Qadn6CSUY6OReOCIEayQCaWHPhU0KbkR9HmF_8QYlEqY2wWmfY4gJAhjLtAJAu2ZmKDz5_SorhT3KdcnE/s1600/TheRoots_UNDUN_cover_6001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk-gfzzMlmO5I2ICAqKs8Qpy7P3KNsFkBy5CEfknXIta0NqbJTWRvSqp4yx9Qadn6CSUY6OReOCIEayQCaWHPhU0KbkR9HmF_8QYlEqY2wWmfY4gJAhjLtAJAu2ZmKDz5_SorhT3KdcnE/s400/TheRoots_UNDUN_cover_6001.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b>The Roots - Undun</b><br />
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This was a late add to my list, but man, this is an absolute fantastic album. I mean, sure, it gets bonus points from me because it features and is influenced by Sufjan Stevens. But still, for fans of well crafted hip hop, brilliant musicianship and concept albums, this deal should be catnip.<br />
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While it features guest performers like Big K.R.I.T., Stevens, Aaron Livingston (who kills it on "Sleep", and others, this really is all about The Roots. This doesn't really feel like any of their albums, or really, any other hip hop albums in recent memory. It's very soulful, stressing their storytelling and providing a sonic background that emphasizes the mood and words all the more. Every member of the group is on point from track one, but their third interpretation of Sufjan's "Redford," titled "Will to Power," is ?uestlove and avant-garde pianist D.D. Jackson reinterpreting it in a new, unexpected way. It needs to be heard to be believed.<br />
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<b>Standout Track:</b> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqYFclG1hdw">Make My</a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxBmECLeHmmgJ3dVRmFQGugyKeSgIxTDtpRXkrFLo-5hFT9Q7PlpvHDRtwEDuHRm21daLViq9MjcjbSpH1XSK6K4nJLUTFNTKzmtsrctDT4W8CYFrY1GJ-O5N9xApQkRVh2wCEun0WLek/s1600/the-antlers-burst-apart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxBmECLeHmmgJ3dVRmFQGugyKeSgIxTDtpRXkrFLo-5hFT9Q7PlpvHDRtwEDuHRm21daLViq9MjcjbSpH1XSK6K4nJLUTFNTKzmtsrctDT4W8CYFrY1GJ-O5N9xApQkRVh2wCEun0WLek/s400/the-antlers-burst-apart.jpg" width="397" /></a></div><b>The Antlers - Burst Apart</b><br />
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It seems like a decent amount of bands on this list benefit from myself catching them live during this year, and The Antlers are one of those bands. They came up to Anchorage this year and greatly impressed me as an incredibly tight and expressive live band, beautifully portraying the tracks from last year's record Hospice and this year's Burst Apart. The latter is a lot lighter than Hospice, but most funerals have happier playlists than that album.<br />
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A lot of the tracks, like lead tracks I Don't Want Love and French Exit, could even be called "playful" if only for The Antlers, with ambling rhythms and soulfully harmonized near falsetto vocals highlighting the sonic peaks and emotional valleys of those tracks. This album has all of the emotional vibrancy of Hospice, but is more my style than that album simply because it goes a lot lighter in the gloom department. If you get a chance though, do catch these guys live. Phenomenal live performers.<br />
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<b>Standout Track:</b> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiAznGarlPA">I Don't Want Love</a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQt4KzFN2bLlI9cwHBzDBGxLInpvAN15gbDJn8filSxwlz59KA1vsTuZxZH9xHQr78IeDy9exF2szg5FrJbRrbw6MeJNHEe7KeEWDhzcfywHRvZSd9uk-OwSJ0Md1KfNTE8TT-FNwViLw/s1600/Wilco-The-Whole-Love.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQt4KzFN2bLlI9cwHBzDBGxLInpvAN15gbDJn8filSxwlz59KA1vsTuZxZH9xHQr78IeDy9exF2szg5FrJbRrbw6MeJNHEe7KeEWDhzcfywHRvZSd9uk-OwSJ0Md1KfNTE8TT-FNwViLw/s400/Wilco-The-Whole-Love.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b>Wilco - The Whole Love</b><br />
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Historically, I like not love Wilco. They make some really great music that for the most part (things like "A Shot in the Arm" or "Either Way"), but it also just isn't really my style.<br />
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That said, with this album Wilco took a chance and did something a little different. They fuzzed up their music, added some electronic pizzaz to it and for me, it ended up coming out as my favorite album they've released yet. The emotional content or strong songwriting that so many love from this band isn't gone, it just comes in a partially altered form, but as something that is still entirely recognizable as Wilco.<br />
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And for those who prefer the classic stylings of the band, the closing track, One Sunday Morning, is a twelve minute stunner that immediately became one of my favorite songs they've ever released. Just a phenomenal track, and maybe my favorite song of the year from anyone.<br />
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<b>Standout Track:</b> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xa2XnouRXKo">One Sunday Morning</a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiURuZWi-KYcJ8Q1OxS2Io3ezVi8sdCihDMNA04oFuFfQTmhn6dVhJWaBoZvgnw6qtYVoANMNtfLI5HfxlXETLvKP-9YLY8uhvzLVH0QErR6yrMxUsDlSNUjkwYTrdhJEk-SQt5NrTLp4/s1600/its-a-corporate-world.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiURuZWi-KYcJ8Q1OxS2Io3ezVi8sdCihDMNA04oFuFfQTmhn6dVhJWaBoZvgnw6qtYVoANMNtfLI5HfxlXETLvKP-9YLY8uhvzLVH0QErR6yrMxUsDlSNUjkwYTrdhJEk-SQt5NrTLp4/s400/its-a-corporate-world.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><b>Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. - It's a Corporate World</b><br />
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Every year, there has to be a quirky random album in the mix, and this year it comes from the hilariously named Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. (which makes me happy because it reminds me of Everything is Illuminated). The record highlights this duo's exceptional ability at crafting poppy, fun tracks that highlight their stellar harmonized lyrics and driving rhythms. This isn't something that is likely as "good" as many of the albums that precede or follow it on this list, but man, this album is a whole lot of fun and has a ton of soul at the same time. It's like musical sunshine, and who doesn't need a little more of that?<br />
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<b>Standout Track:</b> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sqqSRoFKmg&ob=av3e">Simple Girl</a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjDamCQBBx-YrxP4UIvKT2ZuVNLzcoFzyqxMFclGTEZmiOsM2qLFBKF4FfMXB5448ULnSjdZcG0fm-4MeCH7ZxEczcrDbFQ3CFfJy0QEpChNjmWd3lrF9g2GDJTS9rLl7sx_3B6t3gNVI/s1600/JAMES-BLAKE--575x575.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjDamCQBBx-YrxP4UIvKT2ZuVNLzcoFzyqxMFclGTEZmiOsM2qLFBKF4FfMXB5448ULnSjdZcG0fm-4MeCH7ZxEczcrDbFQ3CFfJy0QEpChNjmWd3lrF9g2GDJTS9rLl7sx_3B6t3gNVI/s400/JAMES-BLAKE--575x575.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b>James Blake - James Blake</b><br />
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True story: I could not stand James Blake when I first heard him. He came out with an EP called CMYK in 2010 and I couldn't help but be bored to tears by it.<br />
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Then, when I was in Barcelona at the Primavera Sound music festival, I couldn't help but go see him perform. I don't remember if I felt compelled to do so or if there was just a hole in my schedule, but either way, I went. And man, while his music is pretty heavy on the electronic and the auto tune, this guy can really make his music magic live.<br />
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Granted, this album came out while I was gone, so he had other material to work with, but the amount of heart and soul he put into every song made me want to close my eyes and get swallowed up by the slow jams he created. It helped a lot that he had a drummer that looked exactly like Harry Potter (note to bands: want me to like you? Dress like Harry Potter), but it was really the music that did it for me.<br />
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Then I picked up his self-titled debut full length album and man, this is some powerful, soulful stuff. Very few artists can make something like "I Never Learnt to Share," with its minimalist lyrics and layered auto tune vocals stacking on top of each other, work, but Blake turned it into a jam that is effortlessly powerful. That's kind of the deal with this record. For a heavily electronic record, it's really stripped down and focuses on the soul of his words, voice and music. As a producer, it was a brilliant idea for Blake to do that, as it highlights his strengths as a songwriter and musician all the better.<br />
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<b>Standout Track:</b> <a href="http://vimeo.com/21248057">Unluck</a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcD1HOxh8JktaYMxBEKdPT_Mp_SvWrXbFmElRY4aJ33CuK1pAI7ABHpKUQTf6VZsxgRFulIMQFjkTGmkpOEiWM8HM6kIbO0Hu3iMnNmP4cp3DXo8VhWguBwykWBfKKaSLqcv8UhT0FSPs/s1600/Radiohead-The-King-of-Limbs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcD1HOxh8JktaYMxBEKdPT_Mp_SvWrXbFmElRY4aJ33CuK1pAI7ABHpKUQTf6VZsxgRFulIMQFjkTGmkpOEiWM8HM6kIbO0Hu3iMnNmP4cp3DXo8VhWguBwykWBfKKaSLqcv8UhT0FSPs/s400/Radiohead-The-King-of-Limbs.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b>Radiohead - The King of Limbs</b><br />
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When I was going to see Sufjan Stevens in London, I was sitting in my seat before the show when I started chatting with the middle-aged guy who was wearing a dapper suit and generally seemed like a pretty gregarious chap. Very British, of course, as we were in London. No less, we started talking about music when we got onto Sufjan's "Age of Adz" album. We talked about how some people weren't really into it, but, as we were at a Sufjan show that was mostly "Age of Adz," we both clearly liked it. Then this conversation happened.<br />
<br />
British guy: "To me, it's Sufjan's 'Kid A.'"<br />
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Me: "Oh yeah? Why do you say that?"<br />
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British guy: "When 'Kid A' came out, everyone was down on it because it wasn't 'OK Computer.' But as time passed, people started to realize what it really was, which was simply a great album. Now it's one of the best albums of the past decade."<br />
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Me: "I could see that."<br />
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British guy: "Have you listened to 'The King of Limbs'?"<br />
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Me: "A little bit. I streamed it a few times right before I left. I thought it was really good."<br />
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British guy: "I love it. Honestly, not that many do, but as time passes, I think people will learn to love it like they do 'Kid A.'"<br />
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Now, I'm not sure The King of Limbs will ever approach the levels of Kid A. But I can say this: I've seen it on almost no end of the year lists that I've read, and I find that crazy. It's Radiohead doing Radiohead things, expanding on their sound while focusing on certain aspects that they do well. It's more ambient and a little less pop driven than many of their efforts, but it's a great album that excels as headphone music for when you need to be productive. That's a valuable asset to have in my music rotation.<br />
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<b>Standout Track:</b> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8A9bMTh9rdQ">Bloom</a>, but really, this is a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NV4xhsYvU2g">full album</a> experience<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicKnUri9b6OgnmwI9BpwWUSvUZtMK7XbmUVAkpi-TFekFrMdCUbvO9JAtnnSzyWKbyrACuGUNyUZYRQb5s_8rAw8lavJcF8a7cPrrKYdUcxR-lPAZm9tUDUBwNbL7u1hyphenhyphenBizvrT5YlvKA/s1600/The+War+on+Drugs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicKnUri9b6OgnmwI9BpwWUSvUZtMK7XbmUVAkpi-TFekFrMdCUbvO9JAtnnSzyWKbyrACuGUNyUZYRQb5s_8rAw8lavJcF8a7cPrrKYdUcxR-lPAZm9tUDUBwNbL7u1hyphenhyphenBizvrT5YlvKA/s400/The+War+on+Drugs.jpg" width="398" /></a></div><b>The War on Drugs - Slave Ambient</b><br />
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This is an odd album in a lot of ways for me, because it's obviously a new album but it feels like a fuzzy throwback to musicians of yesteryear. To be honest, it feels like there are influences of people ranging from Bob Dylan to Tom Petty to Mark Knopfler in here, but without any one of them winning out to create a pastiche when this band is very capable of creating their own sound.<br />
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The interesting about this album is that it is soulful and feels sad in some ways, yet while listening to it, I find it hard not to just feel good. It's anthemic at times but also feels really thoughtful, taking time to hit emotional notes that will resonate with the listener. Interestingly enough, it's mood music for me at the same time. Sometimes I really, really enjoy it, and other times I'd much rather listening to anything else I can get my hands on.<br />
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<b>Standout Track:</b> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMqWSFNC1jU">Come to the City</a><br />
<br />David Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06154853673567565465noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462810247343318990.post-56437112513880410992012-01-03T16:10:00.000-09:002012-01-03T16:10:16.858-09:00Favorite TV Shows of 2011<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9iLLDXCPYlD8urxJa2hDLIPjJWCcjpViFI6l0x3Ohz6M81FKui7lCeXdCosFkNag7F77qmTdvLDLNN3GsFOdOA39QfhtMgKIDlAUpGVTOZBbHONAMN9gcUfcUkcfyI8yKms6dksr3iZE/s1600/Treat+Yo+Self.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9iLLDXCPYlD8urxJa2hDLIPjJWCcjpViFI6l0x3Ohz6M81FKui7lCeXdCosFkNag7F77qmTdvLDLNN3GsFOdOA39QfhtMgKIDlAUpGVTOZBbHONAMN9gcUfcUkcfyI8yKms6dksr3iZE/s400/Treat+Yo+Self.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Treat yo self to my list</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Today's 2011 in Review list is going to be...my favorite TV shows of 2011!<br />
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Now, to be honest, being gone half of the year made it pretty easy to fall behind on a lot of TV shows. That said, I did my best to catch up on the ones I used to love and there were some I honestly couldn't miss no matter what I did. Regardless, because of missing so many, this will only be a top five list.<br />
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But what a top five! I love all five of them, with one of them having a new season coming on my birthday and the top pick having a theme song that currently is my ringtone. Yeah! Find out my picks after the jump.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtyBIX1jCFFNFFdSdFSvnCVIGeml6uEyEulj1OIgvYGkrn7wD3I3WPv1NtCnCwTSw_c1YrQyhTYgQqk04DmvVGzuKoWtEVvE2IiXQamuyX6lofp0YkT1fr3-F7c3RhsOFMtvWEwJSelYA/s1600/Justified.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtyBIX1jCFFNFFdSdFSvnCVIGeml6uEyEulj1OIgvYGkrn7wD3I3WPv1NtCnCwTSw_c1YrQyhTYgQqk04DmvVGzuKoWtEVvE2IiXQamuyX6lofp0YkT1fr3-F7c3RhsOFMtvWEwJSelYA/s400/Justified.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b>5. Justified</b><br />
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Justified makes the list because its second season was one of the best acted shows on television. True story. I mean, at your base you have the amazing Timothy Olyphant as Raylan Givens, giving TV its best Western hero with an awesome blend of vigilante tendencies and a fierce moral compass. But then you have a list of character actors who managed to overshadow him, like the incredible Walton Goggins as Boyd Crowder, Nick Searcy as Raylan's boss art, Jeremy Davies as the cruel, conniving Dickie Bennett, and the Emmy winning Margo Martindale as the truly evil Mags Bennett. Every episode was packed with fantastic performances, and I can't wait to see what the new season brings...and it's coming on my birthday!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht5xGgJOnm1gPq1daOy7iRJGRUSIyJAMH0V0WLh2hrmYv0Vydi_RzXt1OGbBDSa4U6WzdX4G-Soo6m-uaU2NPq7D13zTxiftYQQm34vLw4rkeax7sqp5GtRLWWo8CLHq5CzLuf2FVx6FE/s1600/Community.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht5xGgJOnm1gPq1daOy7iRJGRUSIyJAMH0V0WLh2hrmYv0Vydi_RzXt1OGbBDSa4U6WzdX4G-Soo6m-uaU2NPq7D13zTxiftYQQm34vLw4rkeax7sqp5GtRLWWo8CLHq5CzLuf2FVx6FE/s400/Community.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b>4. Community</b><br />
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I have no idea how every person on the planet does not know this show (and I know some who do not). With an incredible ensemble cast that brings something a little bit different to the show (they're like a well crafted basketball team, and everyone of them knows Bill Simmons' secret of what makes a team work), one of the best romances on television (Troy and Abed...pure magic), and a bevy of bizarre and amazing recurring characters (POP POP!), this show's cup runneth over with awesome and imagination. I mean, this show had a two episode arc about a paintball fight, the world's most explainable zombie outbreak, and an episode that basically mirrored My Dinner with Andre. It's outrageous, but it's also infectious, funny and entirely charming.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioEbLggcirCP0-sv151_xJsy2kORe3sU71yNzS6e54tJY6BMStekXpdwRDadyUH2iqD5np1UBv6K8NNW58ZhJb8eKpc-AqOMqZAanBRzxT21LWR4quPwDGKENZ_T6_EpH3MXOyIYr1AiU/s1600/Boardwalk+Empire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioEbLggcirCP0-sv151_xJsy2kORe3sU71yNzS6e54tJY6BMStekXpdwRDadyUH2iqD5np1UBv6K8NNW58ZhJb8eKpc-AqOMqZAanBRzxT21LWR4quPwDGKENZ_T6_EpH3MXOyIYr1AiU/s400/Boardwalk+Empire.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b>3. Boardwalk Empire</b><br />
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Some think this show is too cold to ever be great, but I think they must have missed the second season. With two phenomenal co-leads in Steve Buscemi and Michael Pitt as gangsters done in the best way (you can't be half a gangster, as season two proved), you know this show is going to be steady and well acted. But the production value of it makes it hard for me to not keep typing "movie" when I mean to say show. HBO and the team of Boardwalk Empire have made something that blurs the edges between TV drama and film drama, with stellar scores, cinematography, casting and scripting throughout the whole production. It may not be my favorite show, but it's hard to argue that it couldn't be considered the best.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-7RvmxSvh2kRGBMDyGelx-IPE2R5LupjKBigzBgReYAEfZeoYzzaLcZ_tYRFulnhBCwBuNBFfmW8HNGwI1Fwfp4X_YfWWlhx9eTkE37S063gaaQkiV7n1TLbaIhqvk1fqa3qzqarim1A/s1600/Homeland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-7RvmxSvh2kRGBMDyGelx-IPE2R5LupjKBigzBgReYAEfZeoYzzaLcZ_tYRFulnhBCwBuNBFfmW8HNGwI1Fwfp4X_YfWWlhx9eTkE37S063gaaQkiV7n1TLbaIhqvk1fqa3qzqarim1A/s400/Homeland.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b>2. Homeland</b><br />
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The Walking Dead had very unfortunate circumstances for its second season. I always would watch The Walking Dead first and then Homeland, and because they were both high end cable dramas on Sunday, I would unfailingly compare the two. While that might not be fair to the former, that's only because Homeland was so spectacular. With a tense, driving first season that was highlighted by lead performances from Claire Danes and Damian Lewis that, in my opinion, should win the Emmy's for their respective categories, this show was the best freshman show and a testament to how Showtime sometimes is every bit as good as HBO. The first season ended in spectacular fashion, with what the second season will look like completely up in the air. I'll be watching, and please god, don't tell me I will have to wait a long time for it.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieLtOxqhTJVRo-R4KpfiSsmgWbyVOl1W02hDKFC3cbGSm7OGLR2hp2jumxVYdhTKYdykURkmtkbLFWsnrYzm9fql45tuGEPromND_tRWrSTMsrmo7PJW4aScUytlaj96Bz-vurNXEkzHg/s1600/ron-swanson-parks-and-recreation.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieLtOxqhTJVRo-R4KpfiSsmgWbyVOl1W02hDKFC3cbGSm7OGLR2hp2jumxVYdhTKYdykURkmtkbLFWsnrYzm9fql45tuGEPromND_tRWrSTMsrmo7PJW4aScUytlaj96Bz-vurNXEkzHg/s400/ron-swanson-parks-and-recreation.png" width="400" /></a></div><b>1. Parks and Recreation</b><br />
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This is far and away my favorite show on television. The funniest show out there, the one with the most heart, the one with the best characters, everything. I adore every aspect of this show as well as every character that is featured in it. I never know what direction an episode will go, but I know that at any given moment it could make me laugh harder than anything else or be more emotionally resonant than anything else as well. It's the best kind of comedy, because it also excels at the drama and reality of life. A lot of people compare it to The Office, but it approaches its characters as real people, not caricatures. Sure, some are ridiculous at times (namely, Andy and Chris), but always in truly endearing, real ways. It's so far past The Office in quality it is like the two shows aren't even in the same realm any more.<br />
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Bonus points to Parks and Rec though for having the best character on television as well: Ron Swanson is the man. He's one of my all-time favorite characters in anything, and nearly everything he does makes me laugh to a degree that I previously thought TV was incapable of doing. Bravura work by Nick Offerman, and good god people, get this guy an Emmy already!David Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06154853673567565465noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462810247343318990.post-38489909853952142452012-01-02T12:00:00.000-09:002012-01-15T19:16:26.920-09:00Favorite Movies of 2011<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJgx6Fp2ATolP5xx5bZp_vIE_lz8n8zzQ4mq-RfD-g3i-16TkNvmL4m1HcmAoxj5E0QrME7HpdT7PRVE-DC6d0p4nm-VNXNioCI_3YSjimRoquG0xkbBIkacn5RHq334in4YnnCdWaLoU/s1600/oscar-statue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJgx6Fp2ATolP5xx5bZp_vIE_lz8n8zzQ4mq-RfD-g3i-16TkNvmL4m1HcmAoxj5E0QrME7HpdT7PRVE-DC6d0p4nm-VNXNioCI_3YSjimRoquG0xkbBIkacn5RHq334in4YnnCdWaLoU/s320/oscar-statue.jpg" width="233" /></a></div>
To start off my favorite of everything in 2011, I'm going to lead off with my favorite movies of 2011. Now, just to be clear, this isn't the best movies of 2011. Sure, you could make an argument that Lars Von Trier's Melancholia was a significantly "better" film than anything on my list, but man, I just didn't enjoy it (mostly because Kirsten Dunst's spectacular performance was tied to a character who was utterly reprehensible in every way someone can be reprehensible).<br />
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So this isn't about best, it's just about the movies that I look back on as the ones that I enjoyed the most for base level enjoyment mixed with overall quality.<br />
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But that's enough of that. On to the list, of which the keyword is "nostalgia," which you can find after the jump.<br />
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<b>Note:</b> I still haven't seen a few movies that could easily make this list, so my apologies to War Horse (saw the play - amazing! - and seeing the movie today), Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, Tree of Life, The Artist, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, and a range of other assuredly great movies.<br />
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<b>Second Note: </b>I FORGOT TROLL HUNTER! Troll Hunter is amazing! Must watch!<br />
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<a name='more'></a><b><u>Runners Up</u></b><br />
- Drive (mostly for the amazing soundtrack and general vibe)<br />
- 50/50 (mostly for JGL and personal connection)<br />
- Rise of the Planet of the Apes (this movie was surprisingly fantastic)<br />
- Contagion (superstar cast, Soderbergh, scary, just a little on the cold side)<br />
- Warrior (superb performances from the three leads make this better than just an MMA Rocky)<br />
- Cedar Rapids (very funny with a lot of heart thrown in)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgaHLUW6Ql-rItaNQVjELycjK2ao3MH-xecqm4hpYKpXUXcMFtbm2PG_hZan-dzl2FkTEPkAzpVwP1rx-2Ju7NFd5rR5AWq8V4gvdtXdWjIhTdFDBcyjLGX6P5txt894ka6W_nyOHmj6Y/s1600/Tucker+%2526+Dale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgaHLUW6Ql-rItaNQVjELycjK2ao3MH-xecqm4hpYKpXUXcMFtbm2PG_hZan-dzl2FkTEPkAzpVwP1rx-2Ju7NFd5rR5AWq8V4gvdtXdWjIhTdFDBcyjLGX6P5txt894ka6W_nyOHmj6Y/s400/Tucker+%2526+Dale.jpg" width="308" /></a></div>
<b>10. Tucker & Dale vs. Evil</b><br />
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This movie was forever in limbo and made, under my estimation, $15. Pretty much no one saw it, which is a shame because man, this movie was amusing as all hell. Was it an Oscar style film in any way shape or form? No way. But good god, this was maybe the best time I had watching a movie in 2011.<br />
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With two fantastic leads in the always underrated Alan Tudyk (Firefly) and Tyler Labine (Reaper), this movie reversed the traditional ideas of 80's slasher flicks with an incredible amount of heart and humor thrown in there too. It might not have the longest legs of anything you'll see in 2011, but it's an absolute blast of a movie.<br />
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<b>9. Margin Call</b><br />
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This movie comes from a first time writer/director named JC Chandor and is filled with incredible actors like Kevin Spacey, Jeremy Irons, Paul Bettany, and a range of others. What carries this movie for me was a particularly strong performance from the cerebral Zachary Quinto (who generally had a good year, between this and American Horror Story) and a focused, smart script that was paced incredibly well by Chandor.<br />
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For some (namely a certain good friend of mine), this movie is a snorefest. But for yours truly, I found it to be a truly gripping office thriller that paints a scary and realistic picture of the current economic crisis at its roots. A fascinating film, and one that came out of nowhere to be that.<br />
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<b>8. The Descendants</b><br />
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Generally speaking, I'm not crazy about Alexander Payne's films. I know that's extremely not cool to say so, but it's the truth. I enjoyed Election, found About Schmidt to be darkly funny, and generally found Sideways to be painfully overrated, but The Descendants was irrefutably great in my mind. For me, the reason why was the infusion of significant heart into his formula, as the story of George Clooney's Matt King and his family was one any dysfunctional family can relate to, as can the themes of heartbreak and loss. Granted, this effort was definitely bolstered by superb performances from Clooney and his kids, played by Shailene Woodley and Amara Miller.<br />
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It was a very, very good movie, and one that definitely deserves the significant awards attention it has received to date.<br />
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<b>7. Source Code</b><br />
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I was out of the country when this movie came out, but I can say I was surprised that it didn't earn a lot more love. It was the type of smart science-fiction that I eat up, which is unsurprising given that it comes from Duncan Jones (Moon). While the plot in itself is pretty inexplicable if you look at it closely at all (so this machine lets you inhabit someone else's body for eight minutes at a time, but in another timeline and at one exact starting point?), that's cool with me because what sci-fi isn't really?<br />
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The execution on the other hand is pretty genius, combining multiple levels of time travel theory with a driving thriller of a plot, crafted well by the hands of the very able Jones and highlighted by strong performances from the underrated Jake Gyllenhaal (I'm comfortable in saying that because many still regard him as just a pretty face), the outrageously charming Michelle Monaghan, and the stunning and talented Vera Farmiga. In a year that was a little light in quality sci-fi, this was a joy for me as a viewer.<br />
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<b>6. Moneyball</b><br />
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I read Moneyball when it first came out, and for a person who is a big fan of statistics and baseball, it was a fascinating and occasionally arduous read (it was thin, but it still was kind of boring in parts). True story.<br />
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I actually enjoyed the film version of it far more, as director Bennett Miller and writers Aaron Sorkin and Steven Zaillian managed to turn a book about sabermetrics and Billy Beane being a forward thinker into something that had a ton of heart and charm to its name. Honestly, watching Brad Pitt (as Beane) and Jonah Hill (as Paul DePodesta...I mean, Peter Brand) attempt to trade for Rincardo Rincon (an apple of Beane's eye for most of the movie) was one of the most enjoyable scenes of the entire year. Sure, it was all pretty whiz-bang, only in the movies type storytelling that was sort of revisionist in the way it handled everything, but damn, I absolutely had a smile on my face when I left the theater.<br />
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And to those that say it was too The Social Network like for its own good, I say to you this: what movie hasn't been directly influenced by something that preceded it? And wasn't The Social Network a great movie? For a project that had been stymied by a ton of creative changes throughout the years, seeing something like The Social Network likely helped conceive the narrative structure to make this what it was. It was a great movie on its own, regardless of similarities to Fincher's Facebook film.<br />
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<b>5. Win Win</b><br />
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Writer-director Thomas McCarthy makes movies that I love. That's a fact. I loved The Station Agent to a perhaps unhealthy degree (for those that were all gaga for Peter Dinklage in Game of Thrones, please watch The Station Agent) and The Visitor was another splendid movie that highlighted another range of talented character actors.<br />
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With Win Win though, he told another great small-town America tale, one with significant ethical questions, family drama and humor from an extremely talented ensemble cast highlighted by Paul Giamatti, Amy Ryan, Melanie Lynskey, talented newcomer Alex Shaffer, and the unparalleled awesomeness of McCarthy favorite Bobby Cannavale. This movie was seen by few and hyped up by even fewer, with <a href="http://www.hollywood-elsewhere.com/2011/12/timing_strategy.php">only</a> my long-time favorite movie writer Jeffrey Wells really championing it as something that should be an Oscar contender.<br />
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More people should see this, and if you haven't yet, I implore you to do so.<br />
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<b>4. Crazy, Stupid, Love</b><br />
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I watched this movie three times in theaters, and it was pretty much because I was trying to get anyone who would listen to go see this movie. I've always said I'm a hopeless romantic, and my borderline obsession with this movie confirmed that as it was an unbelievably smart and funny example of how to successfully make a romantic comedy.<br />
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It was full of amusing, touching performances from people like my lady love Emma Stone, Steve Carell, Julianne Moore, and a slew of others, but really, the best reason to watch this movie is Ryan Gosling. He had a huge year as an actor, making it rain in the superb Drive and the very solid Ides of March, but for my money Crazy, Stupid, Love was his best work of the year. While his character, a chiseled adonis with a lot of hidden depth, easily could have been a complete throwaway character. Instead, he made the character one of the biggest scene stealers of the year.<br />
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After I saw this movie with my Facebook wife Joanne, we discussed opening our fictional relationship up to allow Gosling into it. Of course we brought him in (in our minds, at least).<br />
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If you missed this movie, I couldn't recommend it highly enough.<br />
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<b>3. Super 8</b><br />
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Fact: I saw The Goonies literally hundreds of times when I was a little kid. It was my favorite movie growing up, and there was something about that movie that is magical to me still to this day.<br />
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Fact: Super 8 is a spiritual descendant of The Goonies, as JJ Abrams crafted an Amblin joint for modern audiences. It combines a fierce love of film and life with an able cast of characters, with the kid leads of Joel Courtney and Elle Fanning standing tall amongst talented character actors like Kyle Chandler, Noah Emmerich and Ron Eldard. Plus, it's a thrilling science-fiction ride that made me leave the theater with an ear-to-ear smile on my face. What more would I want from a movie, really?<br />
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<b>2. Hugo</b><br />
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I was completely overjoyed by this magical movie experience. Hugo in 3D is something completely unlike anything you'd ever expect to see from Martin Scorsese, but really just highlights how much the guy loves movies and life and everything in-between. This Paris based ode is a splendid adventure, with kid actors Asa Butterfield and the always charming Chloe Moretz carrying the lead as the duo who are trying to figure out how a little automaton ties into toymaker George Melies (a splendid Ben Kingsley).<br />
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The 3D blends perfectly into the stunning imagery Scorsese crafts, and the heart in this film practically leaps off the screen and into your arms as you watch it (literally when a certain key is involved). This is a prime Best Picture contender from what I understand, and I can say wholeheartedly that I am pulling for this to take the win (assuming my number one pick doesn't earn a nomination). A stunning work, and something that goes into my favorite Scoscese films immediately.<br />
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<b>1. Midnight in Paris</b><br />
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I very rarely would use the word "magical" for a movie (well, besides for this movie and the other Paris set one that preceded it), but Midnight in Paris was one of the most joyous and magical times I had watching a movie this year. Woody Allen is not typically the type who would make things like this (in my mind, at least), but this smart, thoughtful and inspiring movie is something built for dreamers. Not just ones who yearn for the days of yesteryear, but for anything really. It's romantic, without really being overtly romantic in the relationship way. It's romantic for another time and place, and for me in the point of transition I'm in and having just returned from my world trip, it was an absolute joy to watch.<br />
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Plus, it gets major bonus points for being a tour of one of my favorite cities as well as giving us one of the most fantastic performances of the year (Corey Stoll made an absolutely phenomenal Hemingway).David Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06154853673567565465noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462810247343318990.post-86862594233508100592012-01-01T11:00:00.000-09:002012-01-01T22:00:44.410-09:00The World Trip Wrap Up<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqXDtuRYnjlFFYtD47aB7XP1KDuNp08-ZWeZHWe5Vhh8qBRF0G_dOlbcKuRiU0v6oFXFgyTafYvNW9XJaLaDAIfqdaPQ4gING0cR7I1RrtliIqLtr1ymrkEwkyAMMCbSbxDaC_uxZSjPc/s1600/IMG_9641.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqXDtuRYnjlFFYtD47aB7XP1KDuNp08-ZWeZHWe5Vhh8qBRF0G_dOlbcKuRiU0v6oFXFgyTafYvNW9XJaLaDAIfqdaPQ4gING0cR7I1RrtliIqLtr1ymrkEwkyAMMCbSbxDaC_uxZSjPc/s400/IMG_9641.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Partying in Edinburgh with a kilt, a tweed vest and a fantastic hat</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Well, my life is finally starting to get figured out. After an immense time away from this blog and from real life, it's time to start this blog back up. I've got a new job starting up January 5th at Anchorage's Nerland Agency, so I figured it was about time to get reconnected with sharing every single little detail about my life with you even if you don't want to know them.<br />
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And I'll start with doing something I should have done a long time ago - wrapping up my world trip adventure by sharing my favorites of anything and everything I did. And it was a pretty good time. It turns out that dropping everything and adventuring for half a year is actually as fun as it seems like it should be. Shocking, right?<br />
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Look for more from me sooner rather than later, and click through the jump to see that wrap up. Also, if you're interested in anything from my trip in specific, please ask me!<br />
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<a name='more'></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJOeJbh7lJfqUStfFmt8uyZ97jS7kvYk3bGGt-oWM1gryIgsqmxRER_6Dc7oD44H51AZjX7mXUchu98TpLUPv7JEwajD-jQw_9RCBLTjJ5S-TYLhmv-KK4oHu2B6B2roS9uDhuv-mn_FA/s1600/IMG_4616.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJOeJbh7lJfqUStfFmt8uyZ97jS7kvYk3bGGt-oWM1gryIgsqmxRER_6Dc7oD44H51AZjX7mXUchu98TpLUPv7JEwajD-jQw_9RCBLTjJ5S-TYLhmv-KK4oHu2B6B2roS9uDhuv-mn_FA/s400/IMG_4616.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><b>Best Country:</b> Japan<br />
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When I went traveling, it wasn't so I could basically experience the same life but in another country. I went to adventure! And adventure I did, but nowhere did that adventure feel more real than Japan. I'm not sure if it was the fact that almost no one spoke English, the sheer size and speed of everything, the completely different culture, the often impossible to figure out (but always delicious) food, or what, but Japan sated my needs to really get out there and try something new more than anywhere.<br />
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A lot of people were horrified that I was even going there because of the whole earthquake/tsunami deal, but in a lot of ways, that made the experience all the more memorable. Japanese people seem inherently kind and good natured, but with me being one of the sadly few tourists who was there in that time period, they seemed to respect me all the more. It's hard not to love people who love you back, and for those reasons and a million others, it was my favorite place.<br />
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<b>Runners up:</b> Thailand, Iceland<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNAzyQ6x_rWPBYeBkBdoBfPfLpXzU_1LPyvv-OaNp0Vh9sZeEr5EhL06VsugzKWe2jO8tmoJsm4UXDAFSTY8JK8yn-VOXthCdfrgSf66EWMvAE3yLlRnMMKvxqaUkIeFJMXcjM7c-_Fvc/s1600/IMG_3631.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNAzyQ6x_rWPBYeBkBdoBfPfLpXzU_1LPyvv-OaNp0Vh9sZeEr5EhL06VsugzKWe2jO8tmoJsm4UXDAFSTY8JK8yn-VOXthCdfrgSf66EWMvAE3yLlRnMMKvxqaUkIeFJMXcjM7c-_Fvc/s400/IMG_3631.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In Back to the Future's Delorean in Melbourne</td></tr>
</tbody></table><b>Best City:</b> Melbourne, Australia<br />
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My least favorite country features my favorite city. How weird is that?<br />
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Not that weird really, because Melbourne is freaking awesome.<br />
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Granted, I did get there during a perfect storm of fantastic (abnormally great weather for the season, Melbourne Comedy Festival, Supanova, general hysteria), but I can't imagine loving it any less for any reason. Melbourne is a place that is just straight up fun. I'd walk out the front of my hostel, hop on a train and go right and be on a beach with an amazing amusement park in five minutes or so. If I went left, I'd go to the city center and be in one of the most richly cultured cities I've ever been to, with stellar museums, delicious food and fun people at every turn.<br />
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It's a diverse and spectacular metropolis that still has a small town feel in a lot of ways. Here's how much I loved it: I was really, really sick for most of the time I was there, but my sheer elation (and coffee) kept me going throughout. That is saying something.<br />
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<b>Runners up:</b> Barcelona, Berlin, Edinburgh, Hiroshima<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4RwMlaAQzFKE2Tw24BR_dvMg71KhqaMQmkLGfevDT0sqlNO5iHw9toaCI1xwgjdUyifT3iVcuwSRJ6FY4IKBkNC8N1KHJqzUH1ZYeRRGiRMWsnCo0srpZ5Z-znTx0YHxvGHjOuqiwyOc/s1600/IMG_5428.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4RwMlaAQzFKE2Tw24BR_dvMg71KhqaMQmkLGfevDT0sqlNO5iHw9toaCI1xwgjdUyifT3iVcuwSRJ6FY4IKBkNC8N1KHJqzUH1ZYeRRGiRMWsnCo0srpZ5Z-znTx0YHxvGHjOuqiwyOc/s400/IMG_5428.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><b>Best Food:</b> Japan<br />
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You guys know Ramen? That stuff that poor college students eat when there is no other choice to be had really? That stuff is an <i>art form</i> in Japan. Cheap, spectacular, and hearty, for a traveler like myself it's an absolute godsend. <br />
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One time, I ordered some for about $7.50 and had a bowl that was roughly two pounds in weight, featuring copious ramen noodles in a miso soup based broth, filled with delicious veggies (leeks! bean sprouts!), high quality meats (chicken dumplings! braised pork!) and all kinds of other surprises (quail eggs!). It was one of the most epic and incredible foods I've ever eaten - AND THAT IS A LOW QUALITY FOOD IN JAPAN.<br />
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One of my favorite things about Japan's food though has to be the fact that I knew what I was eating roughly half the time. Getting Takoyaki (octopus dough balls) in Osaka, Okonomiyaki in Hiroshima (Japanese savory mega pancakes), god knows what the hell I was eating on a bullet train from Takayama to Tokyo and any number of other meals was an incredible highlight of my culinary experience. Plus, the sushi was pretty spectacular. Who would have seen that coming?<br />
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For people who fancy food, going to Japan should be like going to Graceland for Elvis fans. It's just something you have to do once in your life.<br />
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<b>Runners up:</b> Spain, Iceland<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sufjan Stevens</td></tr>
</tbody></table><b>Best Concert:</b> Sufjan Stevens at the Royal Festival Hall in London<br />
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I'm not going to lie, I was pretty lucky in terms of going to see concerts on my trip. I saw Arcade Fire with Mumford & Sons and Beirut in London, a whole music festival in Barcelona (highlighted by The Flaming Lips, James Blake, The Walkmen, Caribou, and any number of other performances), Cut Copy in Reykjavik, and assuredly a few others I cannot remember, the world has a lot of options for the music fan in me.<br />
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The best had to be Sufjan Stevens though. Stevens was playing at Primavera Sound in Barcelona (the music festival I went to), but I wasn't guaranteed to be able to see him there. Knowing that and that his two London dates were sold out, I took a chance and went to the Royal Festival Hall in London shortly before the first night of his two performances there in hopes of magicking a ticket out of thin air. As I waited in line, I thought of what I could say that wouldn't sound stupid. "Does this completely sold out concert have any extra tickets for me, a wayward Alaskan?" "Please sir, may this poor lost hipster have a ticket to your indie music concert?"<br />
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I bumbled my delivery, but the message came out understandable. "Actually, the guy right in front of you just returned two tickets. Want one?"<br />
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I almost wept. Magical words, those were.<br />
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One ticket, two performances, and much dancing later, I came out having experienced the only show I would pair up with The Flaming Lips in matching the sheer euphoria and joy they inspire. <br />
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Twelve minutes into Sufjan's 26 minute epic "Impossible Soul," the best thing I've ever seen at a concert happened. Everyone was sitting in this classy joint, enjoying the music and taking in the experience but hardly moving. Then, as a dancy part starts, out of nowhere this muscle bound guy off to my right shouts out "YEAH!" and gets up and starts dancing in his seat. Then, all hell broke loose. Three girls to my left danced. Then a few more. Next thing you know I was out of my seat rushing to the front with a few others to dance at the front of the stage. Glorious pandemonium ensued, as Sufjan sang to us and we sang back to him. "It's a good life, better pinch yourself. Is it impossible? Is it impossible?"<br />
<br />
Not to be cheesy, but man, that night, everything felt truly possible. During the encore and his performance of "Chicago," balloons rained down on us. I grabbed one and took it home with me, sitting on a train for a 45 minute ride back to Virginia Water. People looked at me like I was crazy, except one person who happened to be holding a balloon too. We looked at each other and nodded, sharing in the revelry that was this incredible show.<br />
<br />
<b>Runners up:</b> The Flaming Lips at Primavera Sound, Arcade Fire at Hyde Park<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMpTMC8elC-L8TuhoTr3GKX4bBH4qOYu2QAngfHDqAnWFh81ylm5h0g2uhRhF9q79Uo8YpdCfcpT3FKvHWXEIm9fUtws_kh7mXFNOIXW7XZ0kzNd3xvTP_KChlFvpMOwVpRcWGIMZeue4/s1600/IMG_7650.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMpTMC8elC-L8TuhoTr3GKX4bBH4qOYu2QAngfHDqAnWFh81ylm5h0g2uhRhF9q79Uo8YpdCfcpT3FKvHWXEIm9fUtws_kh7mXFNOIXW7XZ0kzNd3xvTP_KChlFvpMOwVpRcWGIMZeue4/s400/IMG_7650.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On Pegasus before my Vespa adventure began</td></tr>
</tbody></table><b>Best 24 Hour Stretch:</b> Wine Country, Baby!<br />
<br />
Let's start at dinner time. It's June in Siena, Italy, a cute little city in Tuscany. I head to a restaurant that I'd read good things about in good ol' Rick Steves' guidebook on my iPad, so I headed that way to grab a bite and hopefully have a good time.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAtwBTrH16PRItMLZI4Sy6wQHMrFjUN2m4_d_SvsoHmH-kaP_qfZBeckFhHlgPe9QFMzcVBSkuZfgDDFV-fJzjpRY6ZbuB5oDPGPUWW6ewGkEYkAt_VG6jDSLUg6X6DSNh1zqdZh352Kg/s1600/IMG_7627.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAtwBTrH16PRItMLZI4Sy6wQHMrFjUN2m4_d_SvsoHmH-kaP_qfZBeckFhHlgPe9QFMzcVBSkuZfgDDFV-fJzjpRY6ZbuB5oDPGPUWW6ewGkEYkAt_VG6jDSLUg6X6DSNh1zqdZh352Kg/s400/IMG_7627.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Viva Italia!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The dinner was marvelous, with me eating way too much and then enjoying some home crafted Amaretto that the restaurant is known for. From there, I started talking with the table next to me, a couple from Austin named Ben and Alyssa, and then the night opened up. I greatly enjoyed this duo, as the three of us consumed a good amount of Amaretto and laughed a ton and talked about music and travel (two of my favorite things). This led to us pretty much closing the restaurant down and then heading to the primary square of the city (Il Campo) to get more drinks at the bars that surround it. Of course, this led to more ridiculousness, as we met a slew of Italian university students and joined in on their fun with fire twirling and bongo drums.<br />
<br />
In true random fashion, the night ended with all of us using what effectively was a stamp to put Italian flags all over our faces. So there we were, three Americans with a slew of Italian students, drinking booze and having faces covered with Italian flags. Not a bad night. Actually, a ridiculously amazing night.<br />
<br />
Then, the next morning I woke up with a goal in mind: time to go live my dream and rent a Vespa to drive around wine country. And drive I did, as I picked up a Vespa and drove it all around the Chianti region of Tuscany for the whole day, sampling amazing food and wine while riding a scooter for the second time in my life. Did I look like a massive dork on this tiny motorbike? Assuredly. Was it a good time? Hell yes.<br />
<br />
So in 24 hours, I had a slew of amazing meals, met a ton of awesome people, experienced wine country, and lived a dream. Pretty good day, if I do say so myself.<br />
<br />
<b>Runners up:</b> Days One and Three of Primavera Sound, Day One in Thailand<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMdq9Xa4h8sMzVGvZYPVHM6f-xOnYQNnO9vslXLSKZAI7kFRVye6Y6mgjTm096UslureNuI03ryWBFfAc5aHL8g7K-MUhxiWWVhkIae3Hi6FEIcgwF6ApKEvLR5GAo4_u1489PLxzl8zI/s1600/IMG_4150.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMdq9Xa4h8sMzVGvZYPVHM6f-xOnYQNnO9vslXLSKZAI7kFRVye6Y6mgjTm096UslureNuI03ryWBFfAc5aHL8g7K-MUhxiWWVhkIae3Hi6FEIcgwF6ApKEvLR5GAo4_u1489PLxzl8zI/s400/IMG_4150.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I had a good time</td></tr>
</tbody></table><b>Most fun ever:</b> My first day at Thailand's Songkran Festival<br />
<br />
What kid didn't enjoy water fights? I mean, you take buckets and fake guns and you fill them with water and then you blast the living hell out of each other. It's the most legal fun you can have shooting someone (pre zombie apocalypse, of course).<br />
<br />
But then we grow up and water fights...well, they just don't work anymore really. We're adults, so we have to leave things like that behind, sadly.<br />
<br />
Except in Thailand during the Songkran Festival.<br />
<br />
The Songkran Festival is the Thai New Year and is also known as their Water Festival. It was started to highlight the spiritually cleansing powers of water, but it quickly became a day for anyone and everyone to hose down anyone who comes anywhere near you. And I don't mean this is just in one place (although Bangkok seemed to be a <a href="http://www.theweathernetwork.com/news/storm_watch_stories3&stormfile=thailand_breaks_world_record_130411">pretty good place</a> to do that at), I mean everywhere in the country.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0SAe00wHMBReqBseiJIApqqVghyJce8L6abW7Ko9DS5kYGO6xjANCRC0bMxSpNLBzCSeAWDWXM7Xl-3UzFZs3F8RenegHp8ycz0tqLkqDY-d7UIgjwOb602QtUD9CoC2OwRCMK10OBkw/s1600/IMG_4149.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0SAe00wHMBReqBseiJIApqqVghyJce8L6abW7Ko9DS5kYGO6xjANCRC0bMxSpNLBzCSeAWDWXM7Xl-3UzFZs3F8RenegHp8ycz0tqLkqDY-d7UIgjwOb602QtUD9CoC2OwRCMK10OBkw/s400/IMG_4149.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">PANDEMONIUM!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I was in Chiang Mai for it, and they say it's the best place to do it because the layout of the city and because of the canals that form a square around it. I find it hard to disagree with that idea because when I first got to Chiang Mai and went out to get a taste of Songkran, I intended to go for just thirty minutes or so, but it ended up being three hours of water, beer, pandemonium and great times. Not only that, but I quickly developed a rep in the area as a bringer of awesomely hilarious carnage (or at least I did in my mind).<br />
<br />
Maybe more so than anything I did on my trip, I wholeheartedly recommend trying out the Songkran Festival in Thailand. It's a wild, fun time, and it's completely unlike anything I have experienced before or likely ever will again.<br />
<br />
<b>Runners up:</b> Riding a Vespa around wine country, jumping off the Kawarau Bridge in New Zealand, watching the Champions League final between Barcelona and Manchester United in Barcelona (at Primavera Sound)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYe0Ju7hg_atV-BB5jKX45OKFAt7Tw71k-COppTyLNpGiBVocmfYk7ut5Ky0pawJd9RpYXTnPQJhddI8BMRFg5MVRfIqG1R98q2NwByxvvmpJhr1pwNj2_S2ipgDQObKtmD2C9afe5mOI/s1600/IMG_6614.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYe0Ju7hg_atV-BB5jKX45OKFAt7Tw71k-COppTyLNpGiBVocmfYk7ut5Ky0pawJd9RpYXTnPQJhddI8BMRFg5MVRfIqG1R98q2NwByxvvmpJhr1pwNj2_S2ipgDQObKtmD2C9afe5mOI/s400/IMG_6614.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wayne Coyne and I at Parc Guell in Barcelona</td></tr>
</tbody></table><b>Best Celebrity Moment:</b> Meeting Wayne Coyne in Parc Guell<br />
<br />
I met an oddly large amount of famous people on this adventure. The King of Mississippi from True Blood/Burnt Man from American Horror Story and his boyfriend (now husband) gave me money to buy a bus ticket to the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary in Brisbane, Australia. Talked to Simon Pegg and Nick Frost at Supanova in Melbourne, Australia. met Arcade Fire at Gare du Nord in Paris. But the best had to be meeting The Flaming Lips' Wayne Coyne.<br />
<br />
I love The Flaming Lips, and a big reason why is because the sheer life affirming joy one stems from their live performances. If you haven't seen one of their shows, it's like happiness in concert form. A big reason why they are like that is because their lead singer Wayne Coyne seems to be the nicest and most gregarious guy on the planet. While in Barcelona in Gaudi's Parc Guell, I was chatting with my friend Amy when Coyne showed up right near me, eating a popsicle and picking up left behind litter (makes sense). I'm terrible at meeting people I admire, and my god, I was nervous beyond words. But I went up and introduced myself, took a picture with him and talked with him for a bit about their shows and Alaska.<br />
<br />
Basically, we're best friends.<br />
<br />
The only thing I regret from that experience is not asking if I could be one of the people who danced on stage during their shows. They always have people in costumes dancing up there, and I absolutely should have asked them if I could be one. But that's okay. It was still a thrill to meet him, and I was stoked to see them live the next day. Maybe next time...<br />
<br />
<b>Runners up:</b> Meeting Arcade Fire in Paris, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost in Melbourne<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix2w9V9TEEmzh29Jj9HsgHcdL_JLeKdOlUbW4o-6yeVPmJ8S5eDR3ZUVVeR7JSXfq3zUb16vPc-lq5C-xFr-3rd4cUFRs5-L1-5f7Lokd8BnAXf_N-c15n8-Y5FsCIPoXHUQ9XFnCb13s/s1600/IMG_9677.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix2w9V9TEEmzh29Jj9HsgHcdL_JLeKdOlUbW4o-6yeVPmJ8S5eDR3ZUVVeR7JSXfq3zUb16vPc-lq5C-xFr-3rd4cUFRs5-L1-5f7Lokd8BnAXf_N-c15n8-Y5FsCIPoXHUQ9XFnCb13s/s400/IMG_9677.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soccer pool at a bar in Reykjavik</td></tr>
</tbody></table><b>Nicest People:</b> Iceland<br />
<br />
Iceland is a really interesting place. It's a lot like Alaska in a lot of ways, but also completely not. It's like Alaska if fermented shark seemed like a good thing to eat and that there was a decent percentage of the population believed in magical things (with a significant amount of waterfalls thrown into the mix as well).<br />
<br />
But one of the things that stood out the most had to be just how nice the people were in Iceland. Sure, the people in Japan and particularly New Zealand were crazy nice as well (CRAZY NICE in New Zealand), but the people in Iceland were just so damn interesting and fun and friendly. It was like a bohemian remix of Alaska, with everyone speaking in adorable accents and exhibiting a passion for life (and a fear of heat) that made them endlessly amusing.<br />
<br />
Plus, their enthusiasm for nightlife even though their alcohol is outrageously expensive is awe inspiring. You get the feeling when you're out on the town in Reykjavik, in particular, that everyone knows everyone (besides you). But even that last tidbit is only a temporary impediment, as it is only a matter of time before you get to know them too over a shared beer or you getting obliterated by them in foosball.<br />
<br />
<b>Runners up:</b> Japan, New Zealand<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKDWu6gC_6CHorA9QEMe5mdO0utKmVKW97qkxc5I8BOANbxefD_ec_phAmBjB0NCmQ-ECV2Y4yPilVxOMDRa20yUOvpaojO_av4al7OPFs-cwLJmOhPCWLYzqU-i4PR2kq5FjqSr6tdng/s1600/Bungee+Jumping.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKDWu6gC_6CHorA9QEMe5mdO0utKmVKW97qkxc5I8BOANbxefD_ec_phAmBjB0NCmQ-ECV2Y4yPilVxOMDRa20yUOvpaojO_av4al7OPFs-cwLJmOhPCWLYzqU-i4PR2kq5FjqSr6tdng/s400/Bungee+Jumping.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bungee Jumping in New Zealand</td></tr>
</tbody></table><b>Thing That the Most People Found Surprising About my Trip: </b>That I did it myself<br />
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Fun fact about doing this trip by myself: that was the best idea of the whole deal.<br />
<br />
Some people fear experiencing things by themselves. Someone I know told me once that my generation's biggest problem is our fierce co-dependency issues, which I have never been able to disagree with. We're seriously co-dependent.<br />
<br />
But I've never had a problem with that. I like seeing movies by myself. I like eating by myself. I like living by myself.<br />
<br />
The good news about traveling by yourself is...well, there are a lot of good things about it. People by themselves are far easier for others to approach (I was told this over and over). Being by yourself means that if you want a day of hardcore tourism (power traveling, if you will), you can do that, or if you want a night on your iPad, you can do that, or if you want to spend the night drinking at a bar in Reykjavik until 6:30 AM, you can do that too. You can be with people. You can be by yourself. It doesn't matter.<br />
<br />
Don't get me wrong, I love experiencing things with others too. But the thing about it is I could do that, but it became a choice for me, not a potential weight around me. Plus, if I was going to wait for someone to be able to travel around the world with me for five months, I probably would be waiting forever. I was not interested in that, and I have five months of memories that prove that going by myself wasn't a bad idea, but a great idea.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My older lady pal Ryi asking if I can join a wedding party for a pic</td></tr>
</tbody></table><b>Best Supporting People: </b>Senior Citizens<br />
<br />
I'm not sure what a unifying factor for the senior citizens of the world should be, but I know what one is: myself.<br />
<br />
No matter what country I was in or when it was or what I was doing, it seemed as if the older population of that locale went out of their way to help me no matter what I happened to be doing. Whether it was endless kiwis picking me up in their rickety old trucks to give me a ride (because I "looked like I was trying hard to get somewhere"), friendly town matriarchs who wanted to share her home's history with me, lovely older Japanese women who want to walk with me to practice their English and to share their country, or any number of other benevolent older person, I never had less than a glowing experience from the senior citizen crowd.<br />
<br />
I have no idea if it was a me thing or if it was just because I happened to get lucky with who I met, but man, seniors of the world, I have this to say to you: thank you, from the bottom of my heart.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOtCAjp3LDmnPd3grCJlruujgTurH2ifpx2BcBkwHUfz4cLpIZYJnvDP7pZrSy6_2qMhXb3-3vv35ZozxNLafMkvpL6e3aUBkdq2rKYoKJgjTTn-QEKXHCRKTZ_onkYp1vaLUB9zlygR4/s1600/IMG_9689.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOtCAjp3LDmnPd3grCJlruujgTurH2ifpx2BcBkwHUfz4cLpIZYJnvDP7pZrSy6_2qMhXb3-3vv35ZozxNLafMkvpL6e3aUBkdq2rKYoKJgjTTn-QEKXHCRKTZ_onkYp1vaLUB9zlygR4/s400/IMG_9689.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Believe it or not, the best hot dog I have ever had is in Reykjavik</td></tr>
</tbody></table><b>Weirdest Food: </b> Hákarl in Reykjavik<br />
<br />
Anthony Bourdain called it the worst food he's ever eaten. Gordon Ramsay vomited after he ate it in a challenge with another famous person. It's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C3%A1karl">Hákarl</a>, also known as fermented shark, and it's, according to Wikipedia, "similar to very strong cheese slathered in ammonia."<br />
<br />
When I suggested to native Icelandic folk that I was going to try it, they all just laughed. "You aren't going to like it," my driver into Reykjavik told me. "But if you try it, make sure to go to the flea market to do so, because then it will be free and the best." The Icelandic...always so caring.<br />
<br />
So to the flea market I went, desperate to try this delicacy that at best would be "interesting" (never a word you want to hear about food on the upside) and at worst "the single worst, most disgusting and terrible tasting thing," as Bourdain said.<br />
<br />
I tried it, with an amused merchant looking on, and I actually really liked it! Sure, it was small enough to not get killed by it, but in small doses (it's served on a toothpick and is best paired with a popular Icelandic alcohol called Brennivin) it's oddly enjoyable.<br />
<br />
Granted, I later went back with the Croatian Ken Jennings (aka my buddy Mislav) and the same merchant pulled a fast one on me by giving me an epic piece that nearly made me vomit, but the idea is still there. When in small doses, it's pretty good. I'm still glad I tried it.<br />
<br />
<b>Runners up: </b>Fried Pig Ears in Madrid, nearly everything in Japan<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My old friend Amanda and I in Japan</td></tr>
</tbody></table><b>Best Advice I Can Give You: </b>Make the trip rain<br />
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And by that, I mean anyone and everyone should go on a trip like this. I don't know why you wouldn't. It is literally the best thing I have ever done. I will always look back on it with great joy and happiness, and I think it changed me in very positive ways (or at least I hope it did). It was fun, exciting, educational, challenging and wonderful, and it really wasn't even that expensive.<br />
<br />
If you have the opportunity to go and do something great, or to live your dream, you should do that. I don't know why a person wouldn't, but you absolutely should. What's the point of life if you don't do the things you desperately want to? I'm 27 and I've already lived my dream. But I have good news for everyone.<br />
<br />
I can always get a new dream.David Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06154853673567565465noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462810247343318990.post-13020208663364435252010-07-31T12:03:00.000-08:002010-07-31T12:03:41.605-08:00The Catch Up PlanI think a lot of my problem with getting back into blogging is the fact that I feel like I just have so damn much to cover from the past couple months during my slacker days of writing. At least, that's what Sheri and I came up with while she was up visiting. So in lieu of going back through and posting every little thing I wanted to post about and beyond, I'm going to unveil a three step plan to getting back into blogging.<br />
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1) Catch up in pictures - One post, tons of pictures, all showing what I've been up to when I haven't been blogging<br />
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2) What music I've been digging - Not a list where I rank my favorite albums like usual...more of an aggregated list of what I've been digging in one place. Expect lots of awesome because I've been enjoying my fair share of new music recently.<br />
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3) What movies have caught my eye in 2010 and why - I haven't written much about movies this year except <em>Inception </em>and <em>Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World </em>(immediately preceding this post). Time to talk about what I've liked about in recent memory and to finally catch up on that.David Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06154853673567565465noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462810247343318990.post-61828457781097029852010-07-31T12:01:00.000-08:002010-07-31T12:06:57.653-08:00Review: Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" bx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx6QBQh79ws-26RQgyNzvkpH23P_CgF9MK6EmpQsG84Dfl-vyWK3eE-wd2W17VVwzsvgZdTYNE8LktAm_U1fkYwswFhEk233rnWTdE780ZKVpiVGD3oWp_pHwTZ8acjuvfPRzsqENQZBs/s320/scott_pilgrim_poster.jpg" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>I want to preface this review with an important note about myself as a reviewer. As a comic fan, my personal preference for comic movies is an entirely new take on a character/comic rather than a slavish recreation. I like to think of these films as another universe in which these characters exist, quite like All Star Superman is to Supes or Kingdom Come is to most of the DCU. Its a new sandbox for filmmakers to play in, which is why people like Christopher Nolan thrive while the Zack Snyder's of the world struggle.<br />
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With that said, Bryan Lee O'Malley's Scott Pilgrim is a whole different animal than previous comic movies: its a comic in which so much of its charm exists in its specificity. In the careful exactitudes and moments and comedic beats that he nails throughout the series.<br />
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Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz) clearly understands this, as throughout this film he nails the important bits that make O'Malley's series so transcendant in its existence. Kim Pine's count offs as Sex Bob-omb prepares to launch into "Launchpad McQuack." The pure hilarity of drunk Wallace's recreation of Scott's side of their conversation ("there he is"). The stylistic story bubbles that revealed ratings and the ownership of belongings and things of that sort. Comeau + Crash and the Boys being included. The way Stacey Pilgrim always knows everything immediately (thanks to Wallace). These are the types of things that makes this book so damn amusing to its core, and in kind, make the film so delightful.<br />
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In a lot of ways, Wright takes even the comic to a new level with the way he stages fights. Sure, he takes some short cuts in these sequences (no Honest Ed's as Todd and Scott face off, and no robots much to Brandon's chagrin), but at the same time, these are places he has to take them. The film is sub two hours. The series is SIX BOOKS LONG. Cutting these fights down to their core not only allows Wright to focus on making them hugely entertaining and kinetic (good lord are these fights energetic), but also allows more time for story and character moments. In particular, I liked the way he spliced together the Todd Ingram fight (and the stunt casting of Thomas Jane and Clifton Collins as the Vegan Police - yes!), losing some of the core elements but still making it work in its own right.<br />
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The movie shines as Wright turns this film into a living, breathing video game, having fights culminate with the Smash Bros. "K.O." ringing through our ears and one-ups being a way of life (literally). It is an uncanny visual accomplishment by Wright, and something that is really an astounding achievement overall (bonus points for incorporating O'Malley's art into the movie also).<br />
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Yet, not everything worked for me. In fact, there were a few things that bothered me greatly.<br />
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Namely, I felt that the core women in the story (Ramona Flowers, Kim Pine, Envy Adams) were poorly developed. Sure, their development had to be cut to a degree to make the movie a manageable length, but without their backstory and their fleshed out relationships with Scott, the movie seems weightless at times. Kim Pine was just there often, being sardonic but never really acting as the stabilizing factor she always did in the books. Envy Adams was a bitch, but not a redeemable one really at all. She was just kind of there, and then she wasn't.<br />
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Ramona was perhaps the most criminal, as not only was she not given a ton to do nor was the relationship between her and Scott really real feeling, but Mary Elizabeth Winstead left me feeling colder than the way she broke up with Scott. To me, in the books it was easy to fall in love with Ramona. She's mysterious, vivacious, and often brilliant, but in the movie she was mostly lifeless. I found myself wanting more from her as a character, and without her pushing the plot along the end game just felt like...well, a game. At a certain point, it seemed like a freaking awesome version of a fighting game fully realized on the screen.<br />
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The book series was so phenomenal because the way it infused the stylistic genius of O'Malley with a tried and true plot strained through years of video gaming and indie rock, as well as infusing it with rich characters that layered true weight into an occasionally fluffy story. Wright got most of it right, but was found lacking by yours truly at times.<br />
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I have to give credit where credit is due though, a lot of the cast killed it. Michael Cera...well, there just couldn't be another Scott Pilgrim. He is the guy, and he was right from the very beginning. Casting Kieran Culkin did two things: truly brought Wallace to life as well as making me even more shocked that Culkin isn't a star. Brandon Routh, Chris Evans and Jason Schartzman (unsurprisingly) stole the evil exes show in my book, and not just because they are the most famous...they also happened to be the most awesome (Routh in particular killed as Todd Ingram). Allison Pill was Kim Pine on screen, but she really didn't get a whole lot to do - I would have killed to have more with her.<br />
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Wasn't a huge fan of the casting jobs on Knives and Stephen Stills, but they were satisfactory, just not superb like most of the cast.<br />
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The music throughout was superb - I loved the Beck written, Broken Social Scene performed Sex Bob-omb tracks. I really dug The Clash at Demonhead in execution. They really made the music almost a character on its own, and I greatly appreciated how Wright worked throughout to make that such an important factor.<br />
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All in all, this movie was more successful than it wasn't. Was it enjoyable? Yes it was. I found myself to be incredibly pumped by many sequences, and I was enthralled throughout. However, there were things that nagged at me: the aforementioned weightlessness and some scenes (early ones, in particular) that were so aimed at the core audience that they almost felt choked out by the attempts to recreate the comic. It was a very entertaining movie and a damn fine adaptation, not to mention one of the most unique films I've ever seen. But it could have been so much more.<br />
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I do have to say Brandon and I went with someone who hadn't read the comics, and unlike the comic heavy group at the theater, he found most of the film to be utterly preposterous. More so than ever, I'm more than a little concerned about SP's chances at the box office - can a movie like this succeed financially? I have my doubts after seeing it for myself. It's a movie for the hardcore, and not many more, I fear.<br />
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We'll see if I'm wrong come August 13th.<br />
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<b>Final Verdict:</b> 7.8 - Buy (a ticket)David Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06154853673567565465noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462810247343318990.post-27975195973134592202010-07-30T16:59:00.000-08:002010-07-30T16:59:58.542-08:00Doppleganger David<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" bx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAvcchsfjJRAvPaFRvJ2D4OYuBgeXcurTLm8-oJ5WcdWfLUYW36ZWupfw3f1bQFS6wRF9kzh1FAUAHutschg9_y6tAUFFLVo5c9SjHWXkeEvxRiafaerkMIVuqAFadhFMosy_DkWRBQcI/s320/Doppleganger.jpg" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>In the past year, the idea of having a doppleganger has somehow become a hot concept. You had Doppleganger Month on Facebook, the whole of the most recent season of <em>How I Met Your Mother </em>somehow being mostly about finding ones double, and an odd mix of other examples. Never did I think I would actually find mine.<br />
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But then I did.<br />
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Last night, as my friends and I crashed a Calista event (open bar and free food? Yes please) we managed to come across a person who looked fairly similar to me (I think I'm more attractive). I was very resistant of meeting him because I figured the world would explode if we came into contact, ending life as we know it for the rest of time, but when Amy forced the issue nothing happened. Thankfully.<br />
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With that said, he did turn out to be odd and sort of a creepster. He hit on my friend Cate and managed to make a group of people who normally is never awkward (i.e. Cate, Amy, Eric and myself) very awkward.<br />
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Still, I had to share photographic proof of this bizarre event with my readers. Enjoy, and let me know if you think he resembles me.David Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06154853673567565465noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462810247343318990.post-79558071168749420522010-07-30T16:55:00.000-08:002010-07-30T16:55:42.763-08:00Another Article!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" bx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWF2ra5X9i2mCI4JPedLNNHosY-UykZm2OpDcgE2Yy4FjuO9ZWN8KUzxMtSRAYglFtu2j1JMS1Ef1ANmA_T0R0L6dRYTo3AqkKDbG0yQDfbwCGRD4RsEPqsZ1dgYe4yrok-x6fWWI366E/s320/cake-band.jpg" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>I had another article in the Play section of the Anchorage Daily News today, as I wrote the feature for the upcoming Cake concert. This meant I got to talk to the lead singer of one of my favorite bands and write about them in a way I never thought I'd be able to in the past. It was my favorite article yet, and I really think I'm getting better with each passing article.<br />
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Check it out <a href="http://www.adn.com/2010/07/29/1387554/a-fun-band.html">here</a>, and look for me to get back in the swing of things this weekend on the old blog.David Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06154853673567565465noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462810247343318990.post-4518441508122110932010-07-18T22:08:00.000-08:002010-07-18T22:08:54.086-08:00Review: Inception<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNs3AlW87sNkvx6ht79GwoZ4O-SVh8urNfnOpy7U8hc7pgw-azMVbTPws3R3hL7bNocFPJR8yy254SgVnYiWG0QmVbLRHUMRYAsX7_4mTVhAKcDFoko-caiAVrEqmiH1Xzu-tCx-yhpdY/s320/inception-poster.jpg" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>In a summer filled with (even more) brainless action flicks and romantic comedies, getting a movie that even qualifies as good (save Toy Story 3) was beginning to seem like a lost cause.<br />
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That we finally get a movie that is not just high quality but also wildly inventive and completely unlike anything else we’ll see this summer (or anything else ever more than likely) is shocking, until you realize it’s virtuoso filmmaker Christopher Nolan’s handiwork. This past Friday, his new film Inception came out and it not only met the towering hype that preceded it but surpassed it.<br />
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The film begins with kings of extraction - the art of stealing from others dreams – Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Arthur (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) attempting to ransack the dreams of energy magnate Saito (Ken Watanabe). The genesis of this job stems from the comic prequel Inception: The Cobol Job, but the comic isn’t necessary as this film stands entirely on its own. This job goes poorly, and the whole of the film spins thusly from there. However, to go into the plot seems like it would just be a foolhardy task. This film in its two and a half hours of running time weaves many plot threads together while going into a level of depth (this word will have new meaning when you watch the film) that you just don’t see in blockbusters – if I wrote about the plot, I’d need probably at least 10,000 words.<br />
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Suffice it to say, you should just watch it.<br />
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But why should you watch it? Many have quickly drawn parallels from this film to The Matrix, and while I see bits of that, I think that’s an entirely unfair comparison. People find the need to compare one film with another incessantly because it is an easy way out, but to rely upon that convention would be unfair to the film: Inception is one that stands entirely on its own as a fiercely original and remarkably innovative spin on classic filmmaking. Not only that, but unlike other pioneering efforts, Nolan manages to ground these ideas with sheer perfection in storytelling.<br />
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The basic premise is a man that wants to get home, and the lengths that he’ll go to make that happen. Around that framework, Nolan expands and creates like he’s one of the dream architects from the film. In comics, many people say it’s the perfect artform because the sole hindrance on quality and innovation is the creator and his/her imagination. With full studio support after a stunning list of previous efforts behind him, Nolan becomes perhaps the first auteur to make a film of pure, unadultered imagination that works as unabashed spectacle as well. Whether you’re talking second level Arthur developing the kick to awaken his team knee deep in Inception (the job, not the movie), Ariadne’s (Ellen Page) first efforts as a dream architect, or the expansive third level showdown against a slew of winter commandoes, this movie is filled to the brim with well crafted action set pieces. It’s a massively entertaining film that is elegantly paced and ferociously intelligent.<br />
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Yet, all of these elements would be for naught if the players bringing them to life were not game. Thankfully Nolan pulled out all stops and assembled a veritable all star team of actors. You’ve got DiCaprio giving us a restrained and smoldering lead performance. There’s Gordon-Levitt taking a different turn on his formula as the unimaginative yet effective Arthur. When Page comes into the equation, she turns the story as a whole with her ever-evident intelligence and her charisma that acts as a bridge between the cast. With those three, you have a remarkable top three, but it goes far deeper than that.<br />
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For me, Tom Hardy as Eames stole every scene he was in. Exhibiting the same charm he has as a scoundrel in films like Guy Ritchie’s Rocknrolla, the screen crackles when he is on it. Recurring Nolan players Watanabe and Cillian Murphy give us nice spins on their norm, as Watanabe gives us an angel that always seems as if he could be the devil at any turn, and Murphy manages to take a more basic role as a mark and make it an emotionally resonant and well developed one. Everyone kills it in this movie.<br />
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I could just go on and on. Wally Pfister continues his beautiful symbiotic relationship with Nolan, as he continues to create an iconic look and feel to each of Nolan’s films with his cinematography. Hans Zimmer’s score is heavy and atmospheric, ever present but never really existing anywhere besides in the back of your brain (very similar to what he did with The Dark Knight). Everyone on the visual effects team…well, they did an incredible job at fully realizing Nolan’s imagination on the screen, and I bet each job they get after this will seem boring in comparison.<br />
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Long story short, Inception is definitely the best blockbuster film since The Dark Knight, and perhaps one of the greatest summer offerings ever. What Nolan does with this film is essentially throwing down the gauntlet to all other filmmakers, effectively telling them that just because they are making a big budget movie doesn’t mean that it has to be brainless or old hat. In a time where everything we get anymore are retreads, remakes, and ridiculous dreck, to experience a film like Inception is utterly refreshing and reinvigorating. It gives hope to this viewer that originality is still a possibility in a medium that I love that so often falls back on places they’ve already treaded.<br />
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I have to say though; it only makes sense that the two camps that have produced films that work as both entertainment and as art this summer have been Pixar and Nolan. The more things change, the more they stay the same.<br />
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To close this review, I have <a href="http://www.slashfilm.com/2010/07/16/can-christopher-nolans-inception-save-the-movies/">this line</a> from /Film’s David Chen:<br />
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<blockquote>Buying a ticket for Inception is buying a ticket in support of high-quality, original filmmaking at big movie studios. It’s buying a ticket in support of the idea that a movie doesn’t have to be dumb to be popular, that it doesn’t have to cater to the lowest common denominator to make money.</blockquote>Couldn't agree more. Make sure you catch this film.<br />
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<b>Final Verdict:</b> 9.5/10David Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06154853673567565465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462810247343318990.post-36266345163103838212010-07-11T22:01:00.000-08:002010-07-11T22:01:51.893-08:00The Weekend EditionAnother weekend down, and one in preparation of a new adventure that I never expected to take. It was a good weekend, and one that was definitely better than the previous one (which was a tad dramatic for my taste). What went down?<br />
<ul><li>Getting off work early, time for Frisbee Golf with Marc and Colver!</li>
<li>Filming 4 Color News & Brews with Brandon</li>
<li>Moose's Tooth with Darren, Cate and Eric</li>
<li>Downtown bars (and riding the bull!) with Eric, Cate, Lorna, Cassi and others</li>
<li>Hitting up Fire Island with Steph</li>
<li>3rd/4th Place game in the World Cup at the Bear Tooth with Marc and Eric</li>
<li>Foosball like CRAZY!</li>
<li>Watching Colver and Joanne's softball team with Marc (free beer and burgers!)</li>
<li>Grilling and hanging out at Colver and Lorna's with a slew of people</li>
<li>World Cup final at my place with Marc, Eric and Colver (horrible game)</li>
<li>Frisbee Golf with Marc and Colver (again!)</li>
<li>Hula Hands!</li>
<li>Cake article writing!</li>
<li>Hanging out and watching movies!</li>
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Because this isn't necessarily worth a full article (and nothing really stands out as momentous enough to have its own big moment section down here), I figure I'll talk about movies.<br />
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</div>Recently I signed up for Netflix on my Xbox 360, allowing me to instantly stream movies via Netflix on my TV...and it is freaking AWESOME.<br />
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I've been watching all kinds of movies lately on it, and massively disparate ones at that. In the past two weekends I've watched <em>King of Kong: Fistful of Quarters</em>, <em>Ink</em>, 2<em> Days in Paris</em>, <em>Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs</em>, <em>180 Degrees South </em>and <em>Zombieland</em>, all without having to move or really do anything besides pressing a few buttons. There are tons of movies that I want to see on there that I haven't seen yet, and it instantaneously makes the whole Netflix paradigm worthwhile for me once again. Plus, with so many movies on there I've never heard of, I may find a new favorite purely by accident.<br />
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If you haven't tried it out (and I'm sure you have, because I'm behind on everything cool), I highly recommend it.David Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06154853673567565465noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462810247343318990.post-84797283155735153042010-07-09T13:32:00.001-08:002010-07-09T13:33:20.600-08:00My Article is Up<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivw6f_znLL-WU-Owf9kWKdEvr0U7DvoB2sim7jIAcAMtIXQZmDcU0QTLGM2Hgr_Qwtap8Le_VwtVQDimgNZYkT-Jt1oc2D8LuRzvxo8HGKttrUvTbOTxEXtFTiT9hsE5x4dJeu1cpxumI/s320/Jared+Woods.jpg" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>My article is <a href="http://www.adn.com/2010/07/08/1359635/perpetually-busy.html">up</a> at ADN.com and it's even currently on the front and center. I'm a featured writer, everyone! Yeah! Check it out and please notate the apparent mistake I made in the article that fleets of people have noticed already.<br />
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Jerks.David Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06154853673567565465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462810247343318990.post-30660371022965593022010-07-08T22:51:00.000-08:002010-07-08T22:51:42.894-08:00I'm in the Paper! (Again)It seems that my raw writing talent has struck the fancy of the Anchorage Daily News once again, as I'm writing not just one but TWO articles for them over the next month. The first one will be appearing in Friday's edition on the front page of the Play section (for non-Alaskans, this is the Entertainment section that appears every Friday) and is a profile of Alaskan musician Jared Woods. He's a heck of a nice guy and very talented as well, and it was a blast getting to know him. I'll link to this article tomorrow.<br />
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On top of that, I was offered the piece on Cake much to my delight. Cake is one of my all-time favorite bands, and one that I've connected with for a very long time. In fact, I'd say they're perhaps the most consistent band in my life. I like them as much today as I did when I first liked them.<br />
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This gave me the chance to have a phone conversation with lead singer John McCrea (!!), in which I got to speak to him specifically for the piece <em>and</em> took the opportunity to ask a couple questions I always wanted to ask. The guy was a gem, and it made me extremely happy to say "holy crap, I interviewed one of my favorite bands." <br />
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Considering I'm basically a big fraud who can't write at all, it's pretty cool that I've managed to interview so many artists of different mediums that I greatly respect over the past few years. Thank god none of them were in person, otherwise I likely would have had a panic attack and been breathing through a paper bag throughout the conversation. Turns out that is frowned upon.<br />
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That piece will be coming some time shortly before the show (if I was a betting man, I'd say July 30th), and hopefully I can do an okay job on that one too. No less, look for my name out there as I use the ADN as a launching pad for my dream career: traveling food writer. This is totally going to work. Traveling to the south of France to sample escargot, going to the far reaches of Thailand for the top curries in the world, and all the way to NYC to try the best in bagels...great. Now I'm hungry. This job is going to ruin me.David Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06154853673567565465noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462810247343318990.post-46508686057181202002010-07-08T11:00:00.000-08:002012-02-10T15:00:00.009-09:00LeBrongate<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm sure that if you have a pulse, you've heard the deafening buzz about LeBron James and his free agency. Given that he is inarguably the most talented player in the NBA and so many teams have opened up cap space for him, it has been pretty much insanity through and through. Will it be Cleveland? New York? Chicago? Who will it be? We'll find out tonight on his TV special where he announces his intent (seriously), but <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=5363055">according to</a> Chris Broussard of ESPN, it looks like he'll be heading to Miami.<br />
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Much to the chagrin of <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/100708">Bill Simmons</a>.<br />
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As Simmons points out, it is starting to seem like this has all been manufactured drama by the big three free agents: James, Dwyane Wade, and their far less talented and interesting counterpart Chris Bosh. It seems Wade and Bosh had been filming all of this for a documentary, and all of the action has played out like a bad reality series. The parallels are there, as Simmons points out, and I have to say if its true I'm pretty disgusted by it.<br />
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The weirdest thing about all of this is the fact that I honestly don't think a team of those three players and 9 scrubs will win an NBA championship. Odds on none of them getting hurt are low, and all of them are such nice guys that I don't think that I'd find it hard to believe that they'd have the killer instinct to dispatch other squads. Would they have a chance against the Lakers? I really don't think so.<br />
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It is all very disappointing to me as well, as I genuinely like LeBron and feel as if the place for him is Cleveland. I miss the days of yesteryear - supporting the team that supports you. Paying back fans with honor and with respect. If LeBron goes to Miami, it seems to me that he's sticking it to all of his faithful fans, and quickly becomes a villain in my mind.<br />
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The good news about all of this is it is a win win in a lot of ways. If he stays in Cleveland, he regains my respect. If he goes to Miami, I have a new team to root against. The question is, will the 2010-2011 Miami Heat become the new Evil Empire? According to Broussard (who is, in my opinion, a complete toolbox and wrong about 99% of the time), they will be. Here's hoping Broussard keeps to his pattern of being wrong about everything.David Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06154853673567565465noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462810247343318990.post-78700323623649167282010-07-08T10:41:00.000-08:002010-07-08T10:41:11.829-08:00The Evolution of a Soccer Fan<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgteCNcY6HPkzsFnLCbG0fF6ZodyT-vB-88sGMtbSKlLSGnWleC8SxbtEi-srbrWmkP5ghFW6WB-xqR1viKO5ubzbv6Nh-ILro3AwSsDoVnj8qtyoG-rVpjKJAOkpECK63m6P9NXg51HLE/s1600/Sneijder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgteCNcY6HPkzsFnLCbG0fF6ZodyT-vB-88sGMtbSKlLSGnWleC8SxbtEi-srbrWmkP5ghFW6WB-xqR1viKO5ubzbv6Nh-ILro3AwSsDoVnj8qtyoG-rVpjKJAOkpECK63m6P9NXg51HLE/s320/Sneijder.jpg" /></a>It seems like with each passing World Cup I become a slightly bigger soccer fan. I've always been one to a certain degree, but this World Cup has been a definine one for me as I've been unbelievably into almost every match I've laid my eyes into. It wasn't just USA's inspiring and also disappointing run (these games were SO FUN to watch at Humpy's though), but I find myself quickly becoming a passionate supporter of whichever team I enjoy watching in any given match.<br />
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Whether it's watching the complete dismantling of Argentina by Germany or the quiet cool of Spain as they protect their lead against the same Germans, I find it intoxicating to observe these players working together in a synchronicity that you rarely see in American sports. Plays don't develop on the ball necessarily - every moving piece factors into each and every play, and it is a joy to watch some of the best creators out there like Thomas Müller, Wesley Sneijder or Xavi do what they do best - pick apart defenses and make it rain on dem hoes.<br />
<br />
That's right.<br />
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I did bring up Müller intentionally. The only blemish on the Cup as a whole has been the rather shoddy reffing - no way in hell should Müller have missed the Spain match, and he easily could have turned the tide for the Germans. He was a catalyst throughout the Cup for them, and he's one of the best young stars in the game. It was a shame to have him out for that match.<br />
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With that said, the Cup ending is a truly sad event for me. I'll be paying more attention to the EPL and other leagues going forward, but the Cup has just been an unbelievably exciting time for me. It's going to culminate on Saturday and Sunday with two great matches, as Eric, myself and perhaps others will be watching it live on the Bear Tooth big screen. My take? Germany is going to walk all over Uruguay (I'm thinking 4-1, or something similar to the dismantling of Argentina), while I like the offensive pressure of Holland to overtake Spain and their "let's get a goal and protect" methodry 2-1.<br />
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Enjoy the games this weekend everyone!David Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06154853673567565465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462810247343318990.post-13158320174684264502010-07-01T16:43:00.000-08:002010-07-01T16:43:33.704-08:00"Let the Right One In" >>>>> "Let Me In"<object height="340" width="560"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/qjavOLdPk1c&hl=en_US&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/qjavOLdPk1c&hl=en_US&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br />
<br />
I try not to judge a movie by its trailer too much. Often, films look way more awesome or way worse than they are based off the trailer. I tend to at least give them the benefit of the doubt until I see reviews.<br />
<br />
But the trailer for <em>Let Me In</em>, the American remake of the absurdly good Swedish vampire film <em>Let the Right One In </em>is just ridiculous. It looks like it recaps a lot of the moments of the original, it seems to miss the point and the pace of its predecessor. I generally think remakes are a bad idea, especially when recent films that were remarkably fresh are concerned. This isn't just a movie that didn't need to be remade, it <em>shouldn't </em>be remade.<br />
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Yet here we are, with video proof of this remake that didn't need to happen. Le sigh...David Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06154853673567565465noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462810247343318990.post-27817860842251856642010-06-28T22:56:00.001-08:002010-06-28T22:57:09.378-08:00The Weekend Edition (Version Kim.0)My dear friend Kim came into town over the past weekend, which led this weekend to be extra ridiculous and extra packed as well as extra long. I took Friday off to hang out with her, much to her (and my) delight. What went down?<br />
<ul><li>Breakfast at Middle Way with Kim</li>
<li>Hiking Flat Top with Kim</li>
<li>Lunch at Dish and making it rain golf balls at the driving range with Kim and Colver</li>
<li>Crazy times in Anchorage bars with Kim, Lorna, Colver, Amy, Justin, Eric, and Chris (AND GALLAGHER!)</li>
<li>Being saddened by the US Soccer team losing to Ghana in the knockout rounds at Humpy's</li>
<li><em>Knight and Day </em>with Joanne and Kim (awesomely entertaining!)</li>
<li>Going to play Bingo with Colver, Joanne and Kim (ridiculous, but entertaining)</li>
<li>Hanging out with Joanne, watching movies and eating home made ice cream sandwiches</li>
<li>Talkeetna adventure with Colver, Lorna and Kim!</li>
</ul>Over the past few years, a number of people have moved out of my life, but perhaps none have been sadder departures than Kim. Her move to Portland left me with one less partner-in-crime, as I could always rely on Kim to do pretty much damn near everything I wanted to do so long as I gave her a little warning. I mean, this weekend kind of showed that: a hike, bingo, road trips, delicious meals, a movie, and more. It was a fantastic weekend, even if Anchorage didn't give her much more than Portland had recently in the weather department. It was fantastic having her back.<br />
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Also, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the fact that Friday night while at the bars, we hung out with Gallagher. As in THE Gallagher, of comedy and smashing watermelons fame. It was surreal, as he was just hanging out at the bar meeting people in downtown Anchorage. How weird is that? Just another odd highlight of a top weekend filled with all kinds of ridiculousness. Just the way I like it.David Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06154853673567565465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462810247343318990.post-47025452025530814332010-06-28T22:28:00.001-08:002012-02-10T14:58:19.237-09:00Burger Me<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0UPNKlTgFBOYmk9TiLI-i-G9ONj-4iMrsxeYXzP39vIl_sOCwi1yQ_qPxTYsBfYqPmh-5fTOlSkQRAmJI-7RYTIoBWMvb1Lj5HYTQJaZfKAs1xnp9ZTHAXbzq0Yt8bi6uRPTpVuH-7YU/s1600/Burger+Down.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0UPNKlTgFBOYmk9TiLI-i-G9ONj-4iMrsxeYXzP39vIl_sOCwi1yQ_qPxTYsBfYqPmh-5fTOlSkQRAmJI-7RYTIoBWMvb1Lj5HYTQJaZfKAs1xnp9ZTHAXbzq0Yt8bi6uRPTpVuH-7YU/s320/Burger+Down.bmp" /></a>Travel Channel's <em>Man vs. Food</em> isn't a favorite show of mine, but when I watch it on the occasions that I do I'm instantly hooked. I mean, it's about food and food is pretty much my favorite thing on the planet, so there is a natural connection. Last season, Adam Richman came up to Alaska for a food challenge and to visit a few of our local dining establishments. Of course I went and watched the build up for the main challenge at Humpy's, but I had no idea what exactly he did for his other two meals.<br />
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Then the show premiered and I saw something glorious...a burger of destiny. This burger - the Seward's Folly - was from West Rib Pub & Grill in Talkeetna, and it was 4 pounds of pure, unadultered intensity. Two one pound caribou patties, a pound of ham, 12 strips of bacon, 12 slices of cheese, lettuce, tomato, grilled onions, fatass sauce (bacon, mayo, raspberry vinaigrette, sauerkraut), and three buns...this burger does not mess around.<br />
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Given that I pride myself on my eating prowess, Joanne, Eric, Darren, Cate and I ventured up to Talkeetna so I could try the burger. And I...got dominated. I made it through half of the burger and half the fries, but I just couldn't eat any more. To this day, I claim that it had nothing to do with me being full and everything to do with being completely done with the flavor. It wore me out and beat me down - it was just too much burger for me, but not in the way I thought it would be.<br />
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This past weekend with Kim in town, the two of us and Colver and Lorna went to Talkeetna just to hang out. While there, we had lunch at the same restaurant. This time I actually was able to order my burger instead of having to torturously work my way through it - I just got to enjoy it. It was a ridiculously delicious burger, but one that was mitigated in its awesomeness midway through by a horrible site: someone else going after the Seward's Folly.<br />
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I sat and watched as this man who looked like he had wandered in from the woods took the burger to pieces, eating everything but the middle bun and the fruit/veggies, and even taking down the fries. The waiter (who a month previously had jokingly shamed me) walked by him and simply stated "wow." This genuinely affected me, as the only thing that had consoled my defeat by the burger was that only one person had finished the burger previously. Then the wild woodsman came in and took me to pieces.<br />
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This just motivated me, as I now need to begin my vigorous training to get in game shape to take this burger out. It's going to happen!David Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06154853673567565465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462810247343318990.post-91613377133674138232010-06-21T21:19:00.000-08:002010-06-21T21:19:47.904-08:00The Weekend Edition (TGAASH2KX Edition)I've gotten back to slacking at the good ol' blog, but I'm returning with another glorious entry in my "Weekend Edition" series in which I recap my life on the weekends. This weekend...was a particularly good one. I've discovered that I almost never have remotely bad ones, but this one? This one was a gem. Why is that?<br />
<ul><li>Dinner at Bear Tooth with Gen and Eric (and eventually Colver and Joanne)</li>
<li>Buckaroo Club with Gen, Eric, Colver, Joanne, Amy, Olivia and JT - yeah!</li>
<li>Gathering the troops with Joanne</li>
<li>The meet up at Middle Way Cafe for The Great Alaska Awesome Scavenger Hunt 2010!</li>
<li>The Great Alaska Awesome Scavenger Hunt 2010! with Joanne, Steph and Gen</li>
<li>Father's Day BBQ at my parents</li>
<li><em>Toy Story 3 </em>with my family - amazing!</li>
<li>Bike ride from my apartment to Point Woronzof - surprisingly exhausting</li>
<li>Catching Bravo's <em>Work of Art </em>with Amy</li>
</ul><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnhaR_n1PxR50fA8IMw6plgGUhg7Uh9R9xVaMrDQjwd_u1DoufXQvb0nIDiLoYKhBIUeKIe8cUNo0jV8z96l1tGssa3C2imfajxL5crgBmbjtvJiswMKMW6Bfwzope7q3UO-VnT8DdMm8/s1600/IMG_0525.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnhaR_n1PxR50fA8IMw6plgGUhg7Uh9R9xVaMrDQjwd_u1DoufXQvb0nIDiLoYKhBIUeKIe8cUNo0jV8z96l1tGssa3C2imfajxL5crgBmbjtvJiswMKMW6Bfwzope7q3UO-VnT8DdMm8/s320/IMG_0525.JPG" /></a></div><br />
The highlight had to be The Great Alaska Awesome Scavenger Hunt 2010 (aka TGAASH2KX). The only reason I didn't mention this on my blog before was because of purely slackerness (a new word trademarked to me exclusively), but this was an event I had randomly came up with when wanting to sing karaoke as I drove along blaring music and singing along as per usual. Then, I proposed the idea to Joanne and we came up with a laundry list of activities for teams of 2 to do together. Thus...TGAASH2KX was born.<br />
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Eventually it expanded a bit, as our founding team became Joanne, Stephanie, Gen and myself. We ended up with four teams who had from noon until midnight to check as many things off on the list as humanly possible. This list included tiers of possible scoring activities, from things as simple as "take a picture with a police officer" to things as intense as "zipline from Flat Top to the Sheraton Hotel". Our team rocked the house and had an AMAZING day doing so. I couldn't possibly have had a better team, as we drove around singing along to glorious tunes, learning a lot about each other, and having the best day ever together. It was just..sublime.<br />
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Hopefully this ends up being the first of many of these events. We've already casually discussed what we'll do if we end up moving away from each other...getting back together for a new event yearly? Meeting at a new place? Who knows, but I do know that this event had to have been one of the best days ever.<br />
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I'll post videos of some of the more ridiculous events (getting naked in Chilkoot Charlie's Birdhouse and falling into Westchester Lagoon had to be the clubhouse leaders for "most ridiculous"), but trust me when I say it was one of the most ridiculous days ever.David Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06154853673567565465noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462810247343318990.post-81331106044568846052010-06-14T21:44:00.000-08:002010-06-14T21:44:04.550-08:00At Home<object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/BxRDnFAn1VM&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/BxRDnFAn1VM&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br />
<br />
As I may have mentioned on these pages before, Iceland's Sigur Rós (regardless of my inability to properly pronounce their name) have long been one of my favorite bands - if not my absolute favorite. All of their albums pack an incredible punch with me, heightening whatever emotions I'm feeling at any given moment no matter what. It doesn't matter what emotion it is, they have the amazing ability to fit anything I feel and make that emotion all the more textured and assured.<br />
<br />
One of my favorite movies has to be the documentary about their travels through Iceland as they put together a free, unannounced tour through all parts of the country no matter how small. This journey in 2006 was one of uncertainty (as the band says in the film, they never knew if anyone would actually show up), but it ended up being a uniting point of pure positivity for a country that has seen troubling times befall them. This documentary is called <em>Heima</em> ("at home" in Icelandic) and is alternately the world's greatest advertisement for Iceland and perhaps my favorite performance/music film ever. I find myself being compelled to watch it on a nearly monthly basis (strangely almost always combined with <em>Dr. Horrible's Singalong Blog</em>, which makes sense from a Rob Gordon of <em>High Fidelity </em>organization sort of way as I purchased them on the same day), always finding new and enriching reasons to fall in love with it once again.<br />
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If you're a fan of Sigur Rós and you haven't seen it yet, shame on you. It's a beautiful film and something that should be experienced. If you aren't a fan of Sigur Rós, even bigger shame on you and I highly suggest you get on that right now because they are one of the most remarkably talented bands I've ever heard.<br />
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If you need convincing, watch the video above. It's from <em>Heima </em>and is of "Sé Lest", one of their standout tracks from 2005's remarkable album <em>Takk...</em>David Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06154853673567565465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462810247343318990.post-24166988755842239212010-06-14T10:58:00.000-08:002010-06-14T10:58:00.490-08:00Seriously.<object height="340" width="560"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ydWMY8cYPUU&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ydWMY8cYPUU&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br />
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Given that I've been outside a whole lot, it makes sense that I missed this. But really, I cannot believe this commercial exists.<br />
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I am also very glad that it exists.David Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06154853673567565465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462810247343318990.post-13669532735242215722010-06-10T23:14:00.000-08:002010-06-10T23:14:27.661-08:00Drinking from the World Cup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhESqpHt_WYsj-d-W4K0objJ2W4DjrMNvtQaWocd_WjjrIrPlPMWQM6lFzpWjBBRl2GggfHYuQ9ws1VcMknPugeCqZNEX3-p9vdCnH3qi1OCSLJ5_nBM_6bypBf4cXwIQiQP6Ktsy5MMEE/s320/World+Cup.png" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>I don't know what it is about it, but with every passing World Cup I become more and more excited about the event as a whole. Ever since 1996 I've been excited about it, but this year's event that is starting Friday morning in South Africa is generating the most from me yet. I'm not sure if it is the passing resemblance of a good team that Team USA has in 2010 (ranked 15th in the world!) or if it is just budding interest in soccer, but man, I am jacked.<br />
<br />
This is of course being realized in simple things, like listening to podcasts about the World Cup, quickly distinguishing simple things like the difference between the best of the best and whether or not they're going to play (is Drogba in or out?! I have to know!), and playing more FIFA Soccer 2010 than I have since I purchased it online. I even reupped with my X-Box Live Gold account so I could go online and get absolutely annihilated by the people are actually talented at it. Alas, it is still strangely fun, and it just gets me more excited to see the range of players on Man U's roster who will get taken out by Team USA on Saturday morning (USA! USA!).<br />
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Given that I'm out at Cate's cabin Friday evening, you would think that I wouldn't be so buzzed about the USA/England match on Saturday morning, but that is where you're mistaken. That morning I'm going on radio silence and not even checking my phone until I get back and watch the DVR'd version with Eric and Amy. I want to take it all in as we deliver the worst defeat of the British since the Revolutionary War.<br />
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Here's hoping I'm note eating my words come 12:30 PM Alaska Standard Time.David Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06154853673567565465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462810247343318990.post-26103520383568220312010-06-08T19:14:00.000-08:002010-06-08T19:14:34.853-08:00In Your Face, Knee!To follow up on my previous post about my injured knee, I met with the doctor finally to talk about its status and what he thinks I should do. Thankfully, he is a firm believer in the idea that he can fix everything arthroscopically and that I won't need to have microfracture surgery.<br />
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Yes, if you heard an epic sigh of relief at 9:30 AM Alaska Standard Time, that <strong>was</strong> me.<br />
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Basically what that means for me is instead of having a four to eight month recovery time and a reasonable chance of everything going awry, the doctor said I could be playing basketball again within a month of the procedure. In addition, I can keep hiking and doing everything I'm doing until September, at which point I can have my surgery and still leave the country for vacation in November as planned.<br />
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If it was physically possible for me to do it without pain, this is the point where I would be <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=2c4L4CPfQY8&feature=fvw">hammer dancing</a> across my apartment.David Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06154853673567565465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462810247343318990.post-69220820595201329382010-06-07T11:59:00.001-08:002010-06-07T12:00:03.389-08:00The Weekend EditionAfter a weekend that had even more awesome because of the extra day in its midst, it would have taken a lot to keep everything going as strong. Given that it's summer in Alaska and the world is my oyster though it was still a phenomenal time even with the slightly shorter weekend than the holiday provided. Why is that?<br />
<ul><li>Party down! with Amy, Eric, Cate, and a ton more characters (see picture below)</li>
<li>Relaxed day chilling at Amy's watching movies</li>
<li><em>Get Him to the Greek </em>with Colver and Lorna</li>
<li>Mexican night at Amy's!</li>
<li>Biscuits and Gravy with Cate and Darren (Bear Tooth ftw!)</li>
<li>Hiking False Falls Peak with Amy, Stephanie and Olivia (sliding down the mountain!)</li>
<li>Frisbee golf with Amy and Emily</li>
<li>Garden party with Amy, Puff Daddy, Cornershop, and a lot, lot more</li>
<li>Frisbee on the park strip</li>
</ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_aqptDRYWID9I5kBRnwh8SRNoJnhAgNQPFpm5_FTviPllCCeOX0xiTyH_hGl6wKwj8DxApB3Da2gxQ4PiVuIkZjdRdyZUt1xaF5gE_uVAq-PQ5_b5e2Uz5w-_HWGZ0aq-r90u-u_kp68/s1600/IMG_0401.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_aqptDRYWID9I5kBRnwh8SRNoJnhAgNQPFpm5_FTviPllCCeOX0xiTyH_hGl6wKwj8DxApB3Da2gxQ4PiVuIkZjdRdyZUt1xaF5gE_uVAq-PQ5_b5e2Uz5w-_HWGZ0aq-r90u-u_kp68/s320/IMG_0401.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Another near perfect weekend in the books found me entertained from all types of things provided by the diversity Anchorage offers. While I frequently complain about Alaska during the winter, you rarely see me say anything negative about it in the summertime. Why is that?<br />
<br />
Because it's freaking awesome.<br />
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Perpetual sunlight and warm weather. The ability to get on the water, get to the mountains, and do anything in between within the city. People that are constantly up for anything because they know winter is always around the corner. Really, you combine those things and you get one hell of a recipe for an awesome time.<br />
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Expect many, many more very positive Weekend Editions going forward, assuming we don't have a random snowpocalypse or something of that sort in the near future. *knocks on wood*David Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06154853673567565465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462810247343318990.post-23482512929347842502010-06-04T10:41:00.001-08:002010-06-04T14:08:34.818-08:00Broken Down<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcSzc5IMssxs28v2yx8M-SkDFf4tLih3jNqFz_rZ7Xyyk1C73QSLKbJ8LOp9n5xBJ-zawAz-Rp8Zmg2iQ6lBs8A3TzgJ_a6Me8IYgt86-ybOyTJxcTFs33UhgBue-oOK3A40ObiBd6lHM/s320/knee.jpg" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>One of the things I didn't update my fair readers on in my month long absence from blogging was a health condition change. Generally speaking, I don't go to the doctor because I hate spending money to find out I'm a big hypochondriac. I always feel like that's my experience.<br />
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<strong>Me:</strong> Something is wrong with my knee.<br />
<strong>Doctor:</strong> Ha. Nothing is wrong with your knee.<br />
<strong>Me:</strong> Well crap...really?<br />
<strong>Doctor:</strong> I don't know, I was counting your money, I didn't even look at it. Stop being a girl.<br />
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Needless to say, my opinion of Alaskan doctoring is not strong. However, after my last hypochondriac fest, I decided to go in and get an MRI on my continuously pained right knee. I haven't played basketball in 3 months (which is the longest I've taken off from basketball since...birth?) so I figured it was time to take care of business. The MRI revealed that I have a partially torn meniscus (which happen all of the time) and an osteochondral lesion (which happen...less often).<br />
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What does that mean for me? Well, let's think of this in basketball terms. I'm going to have to have Brandon Roy surgery (shave off part of my meniscus) AND Greg Oden surgery (microfracture surgery). For those that follow basketball, I'm sure you shuddered at the latter part because it is notoriously difficult to recover from. The good news is that from what I understand I can still do pretty much anything besides play basketball and I can wait until the end of the summer to have the surgery. This means I've been biking, hiking and enjoying the sun as much as humanly possible, and will continue to do so until it is medically impossible for me to.<br />
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Of course, I go into the doctor on June 7th for the real confirmation, so there's a chance he'll be like "you're an idiot" and tell me "surgery now or you're gonna die!" Crossing my fingers for not that, as Alaska in the summer is way more fun when I'm not walking around with an unintentional gangster limp.David Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06154853673567565465noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462810247343318990.post-14891028304647358612010-06-02T13:04:00.003-08:002010-06-02T13:25:25.711-08:00The Weekend Edition (V. Memorial Day Weekend)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpMltDNClNmKNZbc8t4bTVty5oPxdwxvknXOXcDVSqPlMimPhVOOtfn1Y-FpVSYd7cp80E45wcPHenb8zdJmP-nDPABwg4w8wJQv_Ucn9enbCcNvYFYH9YwJp9lUGbJIPYhR5doFMz25s/s320/Weekend+Edition.jpg" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>This is coming in late because it turns out Memorial Day Weekend is long, sun-filled, and crazy fun in Alaska circa 2010. It was a weekend that was filled to the brim with 80's dance films, POW camps, BBQ's, hiking, camping, and even a man named Dollface. What all went down this past weekend?<br />
<ul><li>Sleeping through the Celtics/Magic on Friday at Colver's (turns out it didn't with a bang)</li>
<li>Intense foosball over at Colver's with Amy, Eric and Colver</li>
<li>Kick-Ass! (very entertaining, but not a <em>great </em>movie)</li>
<li>Camping adventure to Crescent Creek with Colver, Amy, Eric, Jason and Becca</li>
<li>Random biking adventures on the Coastal Trail solo style</li>
<li>Hiking towards Hidden Lake with Amy and Eric (as well as a bit of solo run around Wolverine)</li>
<li>Impromptu bad movie night while eating BBQ at Cate and Darren's (<em>Girls Just Want to Have Fun </em>and <em>Flashdance</em>)</li>
<li>Dinner party over at _ _ _ _ _'s place</li>
<li>Other randomness throughout</li>
</ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXZLStNwsdYroQG1PqKYQielf5u03xOkpZlEUjKinFWrHO6vwEgIiCOwGn4ajRuWymxSQNDgzc_F0VhXv7pVDWftVBEaPloi6hSAIFsyylG1yXnJe52Oum3km-NMqZlTb2ECBtyn5HYww/s1600/Weekend+Edition+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXZLStNwsdYroQG1PqKYQielf5u03xOkpZlEUjKinFWrHO6vwEgIiCOwGn4ajRuWymxSQNDgzc_F0VhXv7pVDWftVBEaPloi6hSAIFsyylG1yXnJe52Oum3km-NMqZlTb2ECBtyn5HYww/s320/Weekend+Edition+2.jpg" /></a></div>This weekend was important for many reasons. The biggest of those reasons had to be the fact that I finally escaped from a POW camp that I'd been in for years (see top of the page) and that Eric finally made the leap from "Padawan Learner" to full out "Jedi." Way to go Dollface!<br />
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Really though, it wasn't important, it was just a ton of fun. The greatness of Memorial Day Weekend is always multiplied by how sunny and warm it is out, and this weekend was sunny the whole time and warm as all get out. Memorial Day Weekend was a flawless victory of awesome. Amy's return upped the ante even more, leading to many outdoor ventures including a most triumphant camping trip to Crescent Creek and some outstanding hikes. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAuIJB6zFA6ZIsWbxuEjRsEIgIiiG4kqr3ZY3fBeTN2Q2miDq64a-sJxY8MzbYArZgXiuTAm4_VTkEmdAdMIG_ghgbcmzm46Zs9eDyFw9PLN7rVnHOAmub96MoZwWo5Imwp4HwdVnLK_w/s1600/Weekend+Edition+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: left; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAuIJB6zFA6ZIsWbxuEjRsEIgIiiG4kqr3ZY3fBeTN2Q2miDq64a-sJxY8MzbYArZgXiuTAm4_VTkEmdAdMIG_ghgbcmzm46Zs9eDyFw9PLN7rVnHOAmub96MoZwWo5Imwp4HwdVnLK_w/s320/Weekend+Edition+3.jpg" /></a></div>Her return combined with the beautiful summer has led me to also basically live outside, slowly but surely transitioning me into a skin tone that I can only describe as "Farmer's Adonis" (in my mind, Adonis was really tan. I am extremely tan, but only in a farmer's tan sort of way. Hence, Farmer's Adonis...it works, I swears it). This weekend was a superb representation of that, turning my strong tan into an intense, potentially-indicative-of-George-Hamilton-style-efforts one.<br />
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While this has led me to completely abandon my blog (my bad guys!), it's totally worth it as May was full of fantastic in every way, culminating in a ridiculously great Memorial Day Weekend. Here's hoping the rest of the summer matches up. One way or another, you'll be able to find out here, as The Weekend Edition is now back in action.David Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06154853673567565465noreply@blogger.com0