Be thankful for the end of the year

This time of year is the time when we pause to give thanks. Often times with the hectic pace of our daily lives we take what we have for granted and the ever-extending Christmas shopping season doesn't do much to aid us in appreciating what we have. Instead, we are fixated on what we want/"need" but that rabid consumerism is what makes the world go round and what lines my pockets so who am I to complain?

Instead, I have actually taken time to think about what we have and how lucky we are to have the things we need. This is especially important given the events of yesterday but we've always had a certain amount of luck on our side.

To illustrate that luck, here are some examples. When my old lady was pregnant we were told that the level of fluid in our daughter's kidneys was low (or high, I don't even remember now) and that we needed to head to the Mayo Clinic for a more involved ultrasound. As I assumed, it was just overly cautious medicine at work and nothing was wrong. Another fine example was my old lady falling in to a job just after graduating college. Sure, it has absolutely nothing to do with her degree but it has provided for her and us and her boss greatly appreciates her work. It's more than many people can say.

But back to appreciating what we have. We are both gainfully employed. Sure, I've suffered a setback or two in the past year or so and my old lady is facing some uncertainties but we're proactive and we've survived. We have made it through another year and while every day has had some sort of challenge lurking around the corner we've paid most of our bills, done some small improvements around the homestead and even managed to buy a new ride so we can more easily wrangle the toddler in and out of the back seat. I have long been anti-SUV but this is a crossover so don't call me a hypocrite.

We know that things are looking up. Every job seems to be facing a certain amount of uncertainty but if you add value to what you do by doing more and teaching yourself valuable lessons and skills that can bring more to your duties then you are being proactive and that alone should give you a certain amount of comfort. So, in the final days of the year, pause for a moment and take stock. Be thankful if you have a roof over your head, warm clothes and a full stomach. And now for the part that makes me a hypocrite, be thankful if you have a job that pays your bills. Be thankful for family and friends and be thankful that this sappiness is done.

And don't forget to show some appreciation for the gift that is MinnPics. I do the work to find you amazing photos from across Minnesota and all you ahve to do is pause to look at them. What a deal!

Songs of the year - part two

Yesterday I rattled off a few of the best songs of 2009 in video form - a sort of doudle-edged sword of success for a musician. Today I'll wrap things up with a few more songs that were huge and songs that should have been epic.

Kings of Leon - Sex on Fire
Sure, KOL made it huge with mainstream success this year for "Use Somebody" but anyone who follows the roots of their music in the alternative scene would tell you that these southern boys are definitely not newcomers. I remember hearing them locally with "The Bucket" about four or five years ago. Sex on Fire, while it dind't achieve even a shred of pop success this year was most definitely a hit in certain corners during the summer of 2008 and I think that, based on this year's pop success, KOL can again hit it big if "Sex on Fire" is re-released. It deserves to be the soundtrack to half-naked people on beaches everywhere.



Ida Maria - I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked
Who? Ida Maria could very well fall in to the one-hit-wonder chasm but this song is catchy as hell and the accompanying video is compelling simply because it's different. The lyrics, while simple, are certainly not throw-away crap like for too many songs released this year but the straigh-forward approach of them makes the song that much more appealing. The lyrics can only be interpreted one way.



Airborne Toxic Event - Wishing Well
The instrumental opening of nearly a minute long is so epic that it's hard not to be a fan of this song. The style that the video is edited feels fast, jittery and choppy and matches the underlying, steady kick drum beat that's present throughout the four minutes of the song. In short, even though this is a fan-produced video, it's as good as many bands turn out.


I think I'll stop here but I could go on forever. Sure, this year wasn't as ripe with favorites to me as years past but it's been a blast putting this together. And for the five or six people reading this, I'm toying around with a video site dedicated to Minnesota music - both from here and appearing here - check back from time to time to see if it happens.

But don't forget about MinnPics - it's like a reliable old friend if that friend captured kick ass photographic moments across Minnesota to share with the world.

Songs of the year

Everyone and their mother seems to be releasing rather pointless and tired year-end or decade's-end lists ranging from sports moments to fails. But this one is different. This one was created by me...

Without further ado, 2009's songs of the year - in video format because I hear that video is catching on.

Phoenix - 1901
I had never heard of Phoenix until they were the featured musical act on an SNL episode early in the year. I was happy I was watching SNL because they were the only bright spot in that wretched Seth Rogen episode.


Metric - Help, I'm Alive
I had heard so much of this band as 2009 came into being and I simply fell in love with this song. Metric, hailing from Canada, makes exquisite poppy tunes and I think that they have even more mass appeal being a female-fronted band. The vocals of Emily Haines are mind blowing in my opinion. Sadly, no ture official video exists outside of this short film produced for the song.


The band's latest song, "Sick Muse", is equally as satisfying both aurally and visually. It already stands an excellent chance of making my list for 2010.


Green Day - 21 Guns
Green Day, after their "American Idiot" album, found themselves all grown up. They wrote more melodic music and while they still appeal greatly to teens their music is more all-encompassing. "21st Century Breakdown" isn't chock full of hits in my book but it's hard to be fair when "American Idiot" had a hit in nearly every track. The music of "21st Century Breakdown" has far less of an obvious political message and stance but is far more powerful. "21 Guns" is the purest definition of power pop that I heard all year long.



Lady Gaga - Bad Romance
It took me all year to warm up to Lady Gaga. Her first single, "Just Dance", was just annoying. The more I heard it the more I hated it. But then came "Poker Face". I was becoming a fan of Gaga. When "Paparazzi" hit the airwaves I was indifferent - until the MTV VMA performance. She is a true talent when it comes to her live performances - they aren't just music, they are art and that's what her persona as Lady Gaga is. The first time I saw the video for "Bad Romance", off her "Fame Monster" disc, I loved it. It was a turn in a new direction for me because rarely do I like a pop song on the first listen. I predicted on Twitter that by Thanksgiving week it would be played 80 times/week locally on KDWB - that prediction was off by about two or three weeks but this song is huge and amazing in so many ways - plus it sounds great at any volume.


Jay-Z - Empire State of Mind
No, it's not so much Jigga-man's rapping that sold me on this song being one of the year's best, it's his decision to team up with Alicia Keys who makes playing the piano cool. This song and its accompanying video almost make me want to live in NYC.



Carolina Liar - Show Me What I'm Looking For
This is another example of power pop - the only difference is that this song deserved so much more exposure than it received. Carolina Liar is a fairly straight-forward rock band that wrote a ballad of sorts that seemed custom-tailored for touching TV montages and commercials. I know that at one point SoapNet used it but these guys deserve so much more.



In the interest of keeping this as succinct as possible, I'm breaking this in to a two-parter. Check back tomorrow for the reast of my humble list and don't forget to spend a few more minutes of your time at MinnPics because who doesn't like photos?!?

Reflective and optimistic

Have we now moved to a place in time where we can look beyond the fear about what tomorrow will bring and begin to work toward a better future? That's one of the positions I am taking away from Barack Obama's Inaugural Address. It's time that we should move beyond the greed and blind profit-taking that has gotten us to this place. As a country, reality tells us that we need to stop our damn bickering. Comedic prodding of our nation's leaders will always have its place but the outright negativity (which I commented on yesterday) that so many people listen to and believe in so vehemently needs to take a back seat. The divisiveness needs to end and apparently at least 2 million people are on board in believing that the nation's 44th president, Barack Obama, is just the man for the job.

Realistically, a lot of weight is being placed on the presidnet's shoulders and if we emerge from 2009 even a sliver better than many are predicting the economy, unemployment and people's perception of America's health and strength to be at that time then Obama may be viewed as a success. If even a shred of prosperity returns and a recovery of sorts begins, then Obama will be seen by many as a messiah. I don't envy the amount of pressure people are placing on this man's shoulders because with such lofty expectations, even the best of leaders would be set up for total failure. However, Obama is poised, by virtue of his cabinet choices, to unite all but the most extreme elected officials who run this country.

For once, even on a day filled with yet more media layoffs on the local front, I am optimistic. I am actually charged up to tackle things rather than sitting back and watching the world go by and go to hell in a handbasket.

What about you? What is your mood as we seem to enter a new era in America's history?

If you haven't seen enough coverage of today's Presidential Inauguration, check out MinnPics for the cream of the crop in presidential photos.

Is it wrong to say that I am fearful?

In case you've been living under a fucking rock for the past year or so, all forms of media are tanking. There's no kind way that I could say this because it's reality. It's happening more and more frequently and I could list all of the victims of the recent media layoff but with KARE 11 tv laying people off and forcing all employees to take one week of unpaid time off, WCCO tv laying off employees, KSTP tv doing the same and the Star-Tribune filing for bankruptcy. Then there's Minneapolis/St. Paul magazine firing Brian Lambert and another Twin Cities veteran writer.

The sad thing is that this list is short. There have been far more cuts than these which have taken place in the past few weeks. It leaves the media landscape not a leaner operation but one that seems nearly gutted. Can a bare-bones staff fearful for their jobs at every turn be effective in producing and investigating news? Can their support staff, fearful of the same outcome, be effective in their jobs? Will this be the final downturn that leaves us with a media landscape that is a pure laughingstock? What will become of the media companies who cut too far? Is there even a place in the world of tomorrow for the evolving "traditional" media outlets?

Where does that leave these talented writers, producers, cameramen, reporters, personalities and the numerous behind-the-scenes employees of these media outlets? While the evolve-or-die mantra has certainly become true, has it happened too fast?

I hate to think what the media I rely on today will look like at the end of the year. Even more frightening is what the landscape will look like by Spring of 2010 (when I expect everything to begin recovering - slowly). Will I, as a media employee (no, I won't say where or specifically what I do), still have the same job duties or even a job by then? I am at least hopeful in that aspect because I like to think that I understand the buzzworthy trends that are rocking the media world. I've picked up the basic skills over the years that I need to make things work and thankfully I can grasp the new skills needed when they are unleashed.

So there it is in a nutshell. The media landscape - and the world - will not come out of this deep and painful, but necessary, recession (greed and stupidity fucked us all) anywhere near the same as they are now. This will either lead to the richest experience for entertainment and media we have ever witnessed or things will be bleak, bland and totally lacking the personality and skill that is growing and evolving and learning currently.

I am rooting for the former scenario. While you can currently listen to hundreds of hours of music from your iPod which goes everywhere and fits in your pocket, it's lacking the personality and warmth that we still crave and that was lost yesterday and is being lost nearly every day. Hopefully the suits running the world realize that entertainment of any form needs personality. It's what sets the traditional, but evolving, media apart from the "new" media.

Sadly, though, everything hinges on advertising and until those dollars come back into play, things will flat out suck but they will come back but in a wildly different format. A format that I can't wait to see or even be a part of creating.

My New Year's resolutions

I could probably rattle off a few hundred resolutions I should make to better myself int he new year but I think I'll stick to the top three. Truly, three things have been causing plenty of strife in my life so why not nip those three and call it good?

Stop eating boogers
This clearly doesn't say that I'm going to be making any sort of effort to curtain my nose picking habit. Hell, I like showing off in traffic just how many knuckles I can lodge up my nostril. It does, though, mean that I'm planning to put an end to my eating of those boogers. Maybe I'll invest in one of those fancy jars labeled "Boogers" and put that sucker to some good use.

Stop wearing women's underwear to work
Again, this one is specific enough so I can still sport some lacy panties when I'm hanging around Casa De Sornie on a lazy Saturday afternoon. I do fully intend to retire my favorite thong because bending over and having others notice my personal underwear preference is starting to make me uncomfortable. Almost as if people are talking about what they've seen.

Be kinder to America's exotic dancers
No longer will I sit at the tip rail and throw out pennies. Sure, it has much more relevance in today's economy but a stripper, um, exotic dancer just looks odd with her g-string full of coins. In fact, it's quite the turn off. I apologize, strippers of America, for making it look like you are packing a fat bratwurst down below.

Now that I've 'fessed up to my oh-so-honest New Year's resolutions, it's time to share yours.

Make it one of your New Year's resolutions to check out MinnPics and bask in the glory of these fabulous photos each and every day.

2009 predictions - #1

I could spout off about a hundred predictions for the upcoming year but instead I'll slowly throw them in to the mix here from time to time. Maybe even before the year is up.

My first prediction has to do with the media landscape. Being from Minnesota and, more specifically the Twin Cities, my first peek in to my crystal ball has to do with the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.

If you're unfamiliar with this newspaper, they are the largest daily in Minnesota but have been missing debt payments and just announced that they are axing their B section for the month of January as an "experiment". My guess here is that while people will notice and, yes, even complain about the combination of the main news and metro sections but the investment group owners won't react outside of axing still more content in print.

This loss of content translates to a loss of pages and, in turn, leaves behind less value and less of a reason for the increasingly financially pinched average Joe to throw down 50 cents for a smaller paper.

Thus begins the slippery slope leading to a Minneapolis Star-Tribune that nobody will recognize or one that won't even exist.

What little money I have is on the Minneapolis Star-Tribune becoming web-only with a bare bones staff of full-time employees who will write and edit the content, shoot and edit video content and shoot their own photos. A small, free Sunday-only printed piece will still exist on racks as a vehicle for delivering those stacks of printed inserts because that is all that's left that still makes money. While this would leave behind the paper's hundreds of thousands of subscribers, the investment company currently running the newspaper doesn't care because if it lines their pockets, it's good business.

Another scenario leaves the Minneapolis Star-Tribune to be swallowed up by the neighboring St. Paul Pioneer Press. Five years ago I would have punched myself for thinking something so ludicrious could ever happen. Maybe now, though, it's time for this to happen as it would leave the stronger weekly papers whose business models are more nimble to succeed and grab more advertising dollars and actually add subscribers - something the trudging behemoths have almost certainly failed at.

Less doom and gloom exists at the safe-haven known as MinnPics. Check out the stunning photography from Minnesota's finest Flickr-using photographers.

Because nobody's reading, here's my top five

Welcome, scant few readers, to this yea'rs summary of the top five posts here at A Day in the Life. It's been a strange and glorious year. 2008 had the Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. It also had a ton of increasingly insane ramblings during the summer months from yours truly. Then in April I coyly announced the impending birth of our first child. In November I asked for names and in mid-November she graced us with her presence. Oh, many points were awarded throughout the year because I'm a generous fellow. And as 2009 approaches, I am seriously considering invoking some sort of rule where I can take the points back much like a large company buying back their stock because, yes, even blogs are facing tough economic times and even facing bankruptcy.

But truly, you're here to see what the five most-clicked posts were here at Minnesota's home for random nothingness with a soul of stone, A Day in the Life. Without further ado, here we go...

#1 From camel toe to nipples, the olympics are the place
I covered the 2008 summer Olympics like a fucking blanket and in my thinking back to gymnasts with their suits too tight and bodies covered in sweat, some things, like camel toe and visible nippage, are inevitable. It was done purely as a joke in my attempt to mock the Olympics but apprently the world is full of perverts, all of whom landed here, and generated literally hundreds of thousands of page views. Thanks pervs, your traffic translated to about two bucks right here in my still empty pockets.

#2 I'm on camel toe patrol
Oddly enough, as I pored through the thousands of photos available at the NBC Olympics website, I caught zero instances of visible camel toe. Maybe the gymnasts and their Olympic cohorts are using some sort of camel toe avoiding powder or spray but their spandex suits just weren't sucking up into their most intimate of places. It still generated a fuckload of traffic which proves the relevance of the Olympic games... for perverts.

#3 Welcome to China, nipple capital of the world
Yes, three of my top five posts were about a mish-mash of nipples, camel toe and the Olympics. This is where I finally dished on some of the nippage photos I unearthed. The U.S. Women's Beach Volleyball duo of Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor provided most of the material as they were probably the most photographed athletes in Beijing. Again, thanks to the perverts across these fine United States for making August a huge month!

#4 Mix American Diner, Chaska, MN
If restaurant reviews work at Lazy Lighting, why not for me? I did just one restaurant review this year and even without photos, people read it. The decor of Mix American Diner in Chaska is, for lack of a better word, awesome. If only their early attempts at food had matched. With prices truly sky high during my June (I think) visit, I was truly disappointed. Pick a damn identity, already. Your food screams diner while your prices outpace those of a chain such as Olive Garden. Hey, with the economy the way it is I'd encourage anyone still reading this to give the downtown Chaska diner a shot because I've heard that they have adjusted prices and now actually include french fries with meals deserving of them.

#5 A blog post about blogging for bloggers
I can't take anything seriously but I am also a wealth of information. That combination is what spawned this post inspired by this post. Two parts humor, one part self-deprecation, three parts untruths, mix thoroughly and keep it short. Plenty of folks read it and maybe this re-pimping of it will bring people back. Or not.

Of course, as the year draws to a close and the world crumbles around us, there's some housekeeping duties left to tend to. I still have to update all of you who don't give a crap about the 2008 Death Pool. I'm fairly certain that not a damn one of those listed on the death pool kicked it but there are probably some candidates on that list worthy of being on 2009's Death Pool.

How could I forget about something I'm actually proud of? In July I launched MinnPics because I am at least an amateur photographer and I am truly inspired by alot of what I see posted by Minnesotans on Flickr. It's going slowly but steadily as I recently added a MinnPics Flickr pool and am always looking at other ways to make this little pet of mine something more. So after you sober up, check out MinnPics because right now I'm doing a year-end wrap-up of sorts with photos and would love to have you join the Flickr pool and contribute your amazing photos to it.