Music Comebacks and First Timers

I haven't been this excited for a music post in quite a while.  The first two bands are on the rebound after years of no new material.  The last three are bands that aren't well known but have potential.  See them live and get the word out!

The Postal Service - A Tattered Line of String

They haven't had a new song in 10 years. 10 YEARS! Their first CD is among my favorite of all time.  Death Cab is great, but I like Ben Gibbard's side project better.



Phoenix - Entertainment

I actually heard this on the radio in LA today.  Their new album drops in a few months.



And here are the bands you might not have heard of...

Family of the Year - What A Surprise

They have a song called Hero that's starting to get some airplay on the radio, but I heard this one about a year ago and like it more.  I listen to it on repeat.



The Last Bison - Switzerland

They were originally just called 'Bison' but changed their name.  Their full length album is due soon.



Chamberlin - A Pleasant Conversation Over Drinks

I first heard of this band's Cabin Covers cover album (check those out, too).  This is one of their originals.



Which is your favorite?  What else are you listening to?

Pursuing Happiness Vs. Living A Meaningful Life

Read this interesting article for the difference between pursuing happiness and living a meaningful life.

A few favorite quotes:

"Happiness without meaning characterizes a relatively shallow, self-absorbed or even selfish life, in which things go well, needs and desire are easily satisfied, and difficult or taxing entanglements are avoided..."

"Meaning is not only about transcending the self, but also about transcending the present moment -- which is perhaps the most important finding of the study, according to the researchers. While happiness is an emotion felt in the here and now, it ultimately fades away, just as all emotions do... Meaning, on the other hand, is enduring. It connects the past to the present to the future. "Thinking beyond the present moment, into the past or future..."

Despite the negative connotations of only trying to live a happy life, this is still one of my favorite cover songs of all time.

Lissie - Pursuit of Happiness (Kid Cudi cover)

2012 In Review

It's been a year of tough changes, ups and downs... 2012 started out with a lot of promise and then took a nose dive.  I officially moved across the country, fell in love with a girl, bought a new car, completing 60 days of Insanity (and sett a record for page views on my blog), UK won the national championship, turned 30 and had my best friends help me celebrate.  And just when things were looking great, I got my world turned upside down and ripped apart.

But the only depressing thing I want to focus on is the fact that I didn't get any stamps on my passport this year (I don't make resolutions on New Year's, but I guess this is one!) but I did get to see Alcatraz at night, Yosemite, Boston, Philadelphia and Upper New England for the first time.

I traveled 179,000 miles on Delta, took more than a month's worth or red eye flights and saw 4 new states.  I'm hoping this year brings me more leisure travel!  I'm targeting Denver, Seattle, Vancouver and anywhere far, far abroad as my travel goals for the year.

I spent New Year's relaxing on my couch with Brandon and Kelly, a couple I know from my time in Atlanta that recently decided leave Houston and move to San Francisco.  Tim drove up and my neighbor Michelle walked over.  We had a nice, quiet and stress free countdown to 2013.

Before I close up, who can forget the music?  My Best Songs of 2012 list defined, motivated and sometimes consoled me during the year.  There are some great new bands in there - let me know what you think of it all.  And Happy New Year, I really hope it's better than the last! 

Best Songs of 2012

In my annual tradition of collection my favorite songs of the year, check out this year's Top 10. Here are the lists from 2009, 2010 and 2011 for a look back in time.

My favorite album of the year is actually a cover album of Fleetwood Mac hits.  But on to the individual songs.

10. The Mountain Goats - This Year

I debated on whether I wanted to put this on the list at all... but I heard it on XM over the holidays in a time when I was down and needed a good laugh. "I'm going to make it through this year if it kills me." Very true.


9. Kanye West ft. Big Sean & Jay-Z - Clique

Kanye and Jay-Z never cease to get my head bopping.


8. Atlas Genius - Trojans

I think this band is on the up and up.


7. Tim McMorris - Overwhelmed

I first heard this song on a Sam Adams commercial.


6. Fun. - Some Nights

This song definitely got overplayed on the radio, but it's still pretty good. They had a really strong first album.


5. Phillip Phillips - Home

I'm not an American Idol fan, but this former contestant is really good. At first I thought it was a Mumford & Sons song.


4. Walk The Moon - Anna Sun

Very interesting music video, but another new band that I hope turns out more music.


3. Of Monsters And Men - Little Talks

This is their debut song and they've had a little radio exposure of a few since then. Little Talks is still my favorite.


2. Imagine Dragons - It's Time

The studio version is great but I like this one even better.


1. The Lumineers - Ho Hey

I used to text my ex some of the lyrics ("I belong with you," etc...) and I really considered it 'our song'... the things that made me happy from it now make me sad, but it's just as powerful. It mentions places in New York that I am near and I still find myself humming it when I am in New York City. I'd really like to see this band live in the coming year.

Pappy Van Winkle

My stash

If you've never heard of Pappy Van Winkle bourbon, get educated.  It's highly sought after and widely praised by those in the know.  My friend (name redacted to protect their job) works at a wine store and was able to secure two bottles for me, one 23 year and one 20 year, even though each customer is only allowed to buy one.  The total cost - $450.

Now why would I do this?  I searched the 20 year bottle on Craigslist and it was going for $500.  This bourbon is so rare that stores only get a few bottles per year and they fly off the shelves.  So if I was lucky, I could keep the more expensive bottle and sell the cheaper one to cover the cost of both.

I immediately cracked open the 23 year and all I can say is that it is amazing.  No mixers, no ice, just straight, smooth bourbon.  Even if you don't like bourbon - if you get a chance, try it.

I started posting ads on Craigslist in the New York metro area during my last week of work, then in Atlanta when I went home for a few days, and finally in Kentucky as I drove up for the holidays.  I got a few inquiries here and there but nothing serious.  I dropped the price to $450 and then got a serious buyer in North Carolina.  After a little negotiation he got me down to $400, and with shipping that meant i got $375 out of it.  It wasn't quite what I wanted, but it would have to do.  Note - don't go into FedEx or UPS with a bottle of alcohol to ship.  Listen to me closely... you're shipping olive oil.  A fine, expensive bottle of olive oil.  You follow?

I shared my bottle with friends and before I knew it, it was gone.  But it was well worth it.  Then on a whim I searched eBay to see how much an empty bottle would go for.  To my surprise it was $50.  So I put my used bottle on the website and within 5 days I was shipping an empty bottle.  So in the end, I was only $25 in the hole.

I've seen a glass of this bourbon go from $40-50, and I can really justify that price.  But if you have a friend with a connection or find someone with a stash like I did, try to take advantage of it.  It's the best bourbon I've ever had!

Maybe Next Christmas

Maybe Next Christmas by Matthew Mayfield... a little dark but appropriate considering recent breakup events...



‘Maybe next Christmas’ she used to say
‘We’ll find a new life and we’ll both run away
Maybe next Christmas I won’t be with him
Maybe next Christmas we can start fresh again'

Maybe next Christmas we’ll have reaped what we’ve sown
Maybe next Christmas we’ll have paid what we owe
Maybe next Christmas we won’t be afraid
Maybe next Christmas we’ll both be ok

But you can’t pull the truth out of thin air
And you can’t manufacture what ain’t there
And maybe next Christmas we’ll sit by a fire
Maybe next Christmas you won’t be a liar

Maybe next Christmas I’ll be in your arms
With the scent of the evergreen keeping us strong
Maybe next Christmas I’ll finally get to see
You wearing that dress that you bought just for me

Maybe next Christmas you’ll be by my side
And relentlessly prove to me that I’m worth the fight
Maybe next Christmas I’ll have more to say
Than ‘I gave you everything and you gave me away’

But you can’t pull the truth out of thin air
And you can’t manufacture what ain’t there
And maybe next Christmas you won’t be thinking
That I’m just a criminal and you’re still the queen

Maybe next Christmas I’ll have more to say
Than I gave you everything and you gave me away
I gave you everything and you gave me away
I gave you everything and you gave me awa

Touring Upper New England

I've visited Cape Cod a few times through work for my South Harwich based company, but I always find the most ill-timed weekends to go.  The first two trips were in January, and this time I was going up to attend our Christmas party in December.  I made a weekend out of it, planning one night on the Cape, one night in Boston and then driving back to Connecticut for the next work week.

I've been to most states in the US, but upper New England has eluded me up to this point.  My parents made the trip after I was in college, so I didn't get a chance to see it with them.  I left Connecticut on Friday morning, driving up I-95.  I planned to have lunch somewhere in Rhode Island.  I actually had to turn around because I got through the state so quickly that I wouldn't have actually touched the ground in the state (and made a credit card transaction at Subway for proof).

A few hours later I checked into the Chatham Bars Inn, which was also where our Christmas party was being held.  It was a really nice, old, established hotel.  The rooms were a bit small, but modern and cozy.  The lobby has great views of the water and the service was very good.  And being in the middle of winter, it wasn't very crowded.

Not many consultants make it up to the Christmas party because we are spread out all over the country.  I got a chance to see a lot of people from our home office that I usually only know through email.  They work in billing, deployment, travel, payroll - all of the people that make my job easier.  There was dinner and drinks and a few speeches about the year, then we headed to a local bar to continue after the hotel party shut down.

On Saturday I planned to meet up with friends in Boston, although I wasn't planning to go all out like I did last time.  Until then, I had a whole day to waste.  I had a conversation the night before about a coworker's trip up the Cape to Provincetown at the very tip.  So that's what I decided to do.

Cape Cod Bay with Provincetown in the distance

The town is known for its gay friendly population, stores, bars and vacationers.  Why, I haven't quite figured it out.  It takes sooooo long to drive up the Cape.  I can only imagine the traffic nightmares in the summer.  When I got there, it was cold and windy on the water and there were very few people out.  Not to mention, most of the stores were closed with 'See you next summer' signs on the door.  I found a restaurant that was open and got a hot drink and a lobster roll - crucial for a trip here.

Lobster cage Christmas tree

I browsed around the shops that were open to look for Christmas presents, but only succeeded in finding a surf shop with a sale going on (score!).  I got a few shirts and called it a day.  There were a few monuments to the pilgrims and founders of Massachusetts, so I snapped a few pictures as I tried to stay warm.

After seeing all I could see, I wove my way back down the skinny arm of the Cape and tried to find all of the lighthouses.  I think I missed one or two but here's what I have:

I stopped in a parking lot to see a surfer getting out of the water - it looked frigid, and I've been surfing in water in the mid-50s lately.  The waves were obviously bad from the onshore wind, but he told me that there were good spots if you knew when to come out.  I probably won't get that lucky, or have the thick wetsuit needed to brave the waters.

After that I headed to Boston for dinner and a decently late night on the town.  I knew I had to get up for the long trip back in the morning, and I had this idea forming in my head.  Since New Hampshire was only about 45 minutes from Boston, and Maine was only another hour, why not just make a mad dash to go there?  Then I could cut back across New Hampshire to Vermont and head south back to Connecticut.

I mapped it out on Google and it looked like a 6 hour trip.  Not bad, and I didn't have anything to get back to in Connecticut anyway.  I left Boston at noon just for flurries to start to appear.  I stopped in upper New Hampshire for lunch and snow was sticking to the ground.  Not too long after that, I pulled off the first exit in Maine to buy a candy bar (transaction complete!) and the snow was a good inch or two thick.  This should make the ride back entertaining!

I started to creep as I got stuck behind slow moving trucks on two-lane roads.  You'll notice there are no pictures in this section - I was 100% concentrating on the road.  By the time I got to Vermont I wondered if I was going to make it back.  Traffic was inching along and the snow was really coming down.  I stopped for gas in Brattleboro, a town in the corner of the state, and then got back in the car for the last 1.5 hours (hopefully).

Massachusetts still sat between me and my destination, but luckily the further I moved south, the less it snowed.  Then it turned to mush and finally rain.  By the time I got back to my hotel in Stamford it was clear.  I finished the trip in 7 hours and made it back unscathed.  I Xed off all of my remaining states in New England, bringing my US total to 40/50.  I know it's kind of cheating to make a run like this to cross them off the list.  I'd love to ski Vermont and drive up there to see the leaves change in the fall, and I haven't ruled that out.  But for now, I've been there done that and it's off to the next place!