Best Songs of 2009

Here are my favorite songs of 2009. Most were released this year although some are a bit older.

10. The Maccabees - Love You Better


9. Jay-Z ft. Alicia Keys - Empire State of Mind


8. Matt & Kim - Daylight


7. Kid Cudi ft. Kanye West and Common - I Poke Her Face


6. Vampire Weekend - A-Punk


5. John Mayer - Edge of Desire


4. Company of Thieves - Even in the Dark


3. We Are Scientists - After Hours


2. Julian Casablancas - 11th Dimension


1. Foals - Two Steps, Twice



On the outside of the top 10... some because they're almost good enough, some because they were overkilled on the radio.
IKO - Look What You've Done to Me
Will Hoge - The Wreckage
Phoenix - 1901
Wale ft. Yael Naim - New Soul
Owl City - Fireflies
Pretty Lights - World of Illusion
Secondhand Serenade - Twist in My Story
Laura Marling - Ghosts
Dorrough Music - Ice Cream Paint Job

Merry Christmas

Every Christmas I leave Atlanta and travel up I-75 with my family to visit my old Kentucky home. We stay with my grandparents in Richmond in the house they've lived in since the 1940s. My mom grew up in this house that has 2 bedrooms downstairs, a den with a foldout couch-bed (where I sleep with Zabba) and a loft upstairs that has 4 single beds. Oh yeah, and the house has a bathroom. Yes, one bathroom. My mom has 6 brothers and sisters... I can't imagine the chaos.

The house is small and familiar, but as the years have gone on my grandparents have accumulated more stuff. Aunts and uncles give them books and knick-knacks as gifts every year, and they could fill a library. Instead, they're filling every open space in the house. The den, where I'm staying, is a room that is about 10x25, but with the bed rolled out and all of the toys, magazines, books and other random items, there is only about 10-15 square feet of walking space out of the 250 square feet in the room.

Most holidays I spend here, I escape off to Lexington to spend a night or two with my friend Matt, whom I've known since 3rd grade. Yesterday he volunteered to pick my brother and I up, so we spent most of the afternoon catching up and relaxing in a house that didn't feel like the walls were closing in. Don't get me wrong, I love spending time at my grandparents house. Some of my earliest memories are of this place. I just want to do some kind of home makeover to give us all more room while we are here.

The first day we spent in Kentucky was a noteworthy one because I went to my first UK home basketball game since I graduated in 2004. We played Long Beach State, which should have been a pushover. After a bit of sweating, we pulled it out in the end. It'll probably be another long period before I'm able to see another game at home, so I'm glad I could go.

Christmas day was fairly typical. We got together at my aunt's house here in Richmond with most of the cousins, aunts and uncles. We're even to the point where some of my cousins are marriend and have kids. They're all younger than me. Scary. I did get to model a leopard print Snuggie, which was fun. My 12 year old cousin (the Snuggie owner) wasn't too happy of the mockery, though.

Tomorrow we're going to Elizabethtown to spend some time with my dad's brother, my cousin and her daughter. I haven't seen them all in a while so I'm looking forward to it. They came down for Thanksgiving in Atlanta this year, but I was out of the country (see my Thanksgiving post).

Merry Christmas to all!

Back in Rupp Arena

Has it really been 5 years since I've been to a UK game? Has it really been 5 years since I graduated and moved to Atlanta? Wow.

My friend and fellow UK Club Soccer Alum, Phil, hooked me up with a few tickets. I sat with my brother and my dad sat in another section. We played Long Beach State, which I was hoping to be a blowout. To everyone's dismay, the game was really close until the last 5 minutes of the game. The redneck sitting a few rows behind me was especially upset. He kept screaming "Put thu bawl in the howle!" We were in row Z of the upper deck, mind you. It was somewhat entertaining, because you have to love Kentucky.

We won and I stayed after to sing My Old Kentucky Home, as is tradition. I really miss that.

My old Kentucky home far away...

Worst Christmas Song... EVAR!

If you've never heard Last Christmas by Wham, you've been lucky enough never to hear the worst Christmas song ever created. It's cheesy, bitter, and overall just a horrible song. I remember in 8th grade we were allowed to bring a CD to share with everyone in French class. I remember nothing from French class, except for this memory and the song Alouette.

Here is a literal translation of Wham's video for Last Christmas, which I love since I hate the song so much.

Back on US soil

I'm finally back in the States, and on my first night I dream about Miley Cyrus' song "Party in the USA". What have you done to me, homeland?

I spent the weekend in Miami at my company's awards celebration. We rented out the entire Sagamore Hotel on South Beach, and didn't really have time to explore the city (unfortunately). I met James Blake and Melanie Oudin, two tennis stars that are sponsored by BackOffice. I wore a tux (for the first time since... prom? Wow, about 10 years) and cut a few rugs, of course. All in all, it was a good (and warm) way to be introduced back into normal life.

I'll be going back and expanding on all of my Chile experiences as I have time to look through my notes and remember things that happened. So bear with me on these, and come back in a few weeks to see the whole picture.

Last Weekend in Chile... for now

Still editing this post... stay tuned for more.

I realized I didn't post anything about the soccer game I attended a few weeks ago. The match was the first leg of the Chilean league championship between arch-rivals Colo-Colo and Universidad Catolica.

Get Well Rounded

I've always considered myself a Renaissance Man, or at least that's what I would like to be. When it came to sports, subjects in school, whathaveyou... I always seemed to be somewhat decent at a lot of things, but not an expert in any one thing. It's actually what I use as my biggest weakness in job interviews. Depending on how you look at it, having a breadth of knowledge instead of a depth in one subject can be a strength. Here are a few reasons why you might want to be a Renaissance Man.

Hit me with a brick

I called in sick to work yesterday for the first time in my life. There's very little worse than being sick in another country. Thank goodness it was only a 24 hour bug. I couldn't even keep water down for most of the day. The last thing I ate was an avocado, I hope that this doesn't give me a taste aversion because I love them so, but even thinking about one brings that vomit taste back in my mouth. I don't think I ate anything that was weird, and I've been drinking the water since I got to Chile with no problems (it is potable and clean). Unsolved Mystery.