Bittersweet Holiday

For those of you who didn't get our Christmas Letter, here's a PDF file. Megan and I wish we could have gotten it to you, but it's likely we don't have your address. The picture was taken by "Little Flower" Cheryl from work when she was at our Christmas party.

Yes, the new baby is a girl. I guess Derek will get to tell her his story after all. Everyone seemed to be thrown off by "the part in question" which actually is the labia, seen here on a cross-sectional view of her pelvis.

Finding out her gender came with some distressing news. Sorry, I don't want to go into the details yet, but Megan's going to get a high level ultrasound and an amniocentesis this morning. We shared the details with a few people, and they have all been EXTREMELY supportive. Nevertheless, our daughter has already earned the title of "Our Little Drama Queen" from Megan, and I don't see how I'm NOT going to spoil this kid. She's earned her idenity too. Her name is Paige Elizabeth Nguyen.

Originally, my song this week was going be the bittersweet "Christmas Time Is Here" from the Charlie Brown Christmas Special, but I'm feeling hopeful this morning so you get "Come On! Let's Boogey to the Elf Dance!" by Sufjan Stevens.

Big News

Megan had her formal ultrasound on Thursday. Wow! The reality of our new little baby really hit. We recieved planty of detailed anatomical pictures... fingers, toes, head, spine, kidneys...you name it. Yes, we found out the gender. It should be pretty obvious in these pictures.



Just Kidding! But for those of you able to read ultrasound, the body part in question IS pictured above. Let's play a little game in the comments section, shall we? What's your guess? Little boy or little girl? I'll provide the answer in less than a week, I promise. The full set of ultrasound pictures are here.

Thanks for the Christmas Party

I know this is a little late, but I'd like to thank everyone for coming to our party on December 2nd. In my humble opinion, I thought it was much better than last year. I thought I'd also show some pictures of us preparing those eggrolls. Thanks a lot, Mom and Dad, for the marinade and the rolling. Pictures are here.

It was also great to see some of our long-time friends like Derek, Carl, Rachel, and Bill. Carl and Derek stayed for the whole weekend and we all had a spirited game of Scrabble in which EVERY TILE was used... well, I'm proud of it.

I'm also going to try start a new section to my blog: a currently listening section. This week it's "Me Plus One" from Annie's 2004 album Anniemal. I normally don't listen to electropop, but her stuff is way too infectious.

2005 The Year in Music

Thanks to Christine, Hue, Carl and Derek for at least attempting to give me some feedback on this year's best music. It appears that we aren't as current as we used to be. However, there was one album that we all spoke of with more enthusiasm than any other. It also appeared on the majority of the best-of lists sent to me, so the unofficial "mykng blog album of the year" is:


Illinois by Sufjan Stevens
It's notable when an album can claim to be well-researched. It's even more remarkable that the same album can incorporate so many diverse styles, such as folk, jazz, pop and indie rock, yet still remain both accessible and exciting. However, what makes this album great is that those innovative qualities (the Illinois theme/setting, the broad musical palate) merely provide building blocks upon which Sufjan Stevens performs songs that are deeply personal, spiritual and moving. Is this album more style or substance? Well in this case, it's the style that attracts your attention, but the substance that keeps you listening.

Personally, my to five albums of the year are:

5. Late Registration by Kanye West
4. Twin Cinema by The New Pornographers
3. Illinois by Sufjan Stevens
2. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah

and
1. The Woods by Sleater-Kinney

This is everything I want in an album. A varied collection of songs, each great individually, no filler here; yet at the same time all the songs fit well together, making the album more than the sum of its parts. As for the music, well Sleater-Kinney have completely outdone themselves. Ever since I started listening to The Woods, their well-accomplished back catalogue now pales in comparison. It's as if this special brand of immediate, virtuosic, classic-rock inspired punk is the kind of music this band was meant to make.

The following are my favorite songs of the year. In reverence to the fact that great songs are discrete little packages of musical bliss, I will attempt to explain my admiration for each one in only three words. (By the way, I am aware that one of the songs was actually released on an album in 2004. However, I first heard it when it was it came out as a single in early 2005.)

5. "Since U Been Gone" by Kelly Clarkson
Mainstreamed Pixies Influence

4. "I'll Believe In Anything" by Wolf Parade
Classic Indie Style

3. "Wait (The Whisper Song)" by The Ying Yang Twins
Style Beats Substance

2. "The Bleeding Heart Show" by The New Pornographers
Unembarrassingly Earnestly Pretty

1. "Upon This Tidal Wave of Young Blood" by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Timeless Pop Masterpiece

As if this entry couldn't get any longer, here are my friends' contributions:

Christine Ju
5. Be by Common
4. to 2. (Tied)
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah,
Silent Alarm by Bloc Party,
Takk by Sigur Ros
1. Your Favorite People All In One Place by Medications

Carl Kelsch
"Haven't bought a lot of music this year, but I think there are 5 albums that I've gotten excited about."

Illinois by Sufjan Stevens
Get Behind Me, Satan by The White Stripes
Guero by Beck
Plans by Death Cab For Cutie
Silent Alarm by Bloc party

Derek Harper
Well, he never contributed his list. However, since he's responsible for everyone on this list listening to Sufjan Stevens, I'll credit him with Illinois.

Hubert Wang

Albums:
X&Y by Coldplay
From Under The Cork Tree by Fall Out Boy
Motown Remixed by Various Artists
Verved Remixed, Vol 3 by Various Artists

Songs:
"White Shadows" by Coldplay
"Touch The Sky" by Kanye West
"Feel Good Inc." by Gorillaz
"We Belong Together" by Mariah Carey
"Only" by Nine Inch Nails


Well, what do these lists mean for those of you who read this entire entry? For one, there is a lot of music out there that we feel passionately about, so if you're looking for something good to get into... start listeniing.