Christmas Card 2007

It's become a yearly tradition for me to reproduce the contents of our Christmas card for this blog. For those of you who have been following along, most of this information may not seem new. However, it does make a nice summary of our year.

Here it is:

Hello all,

This year began with Paige’s first plane ride, with us on our annual ski/snowboard trip. We went to Wyoming. Unfortunately, she got a little stomach virus, and we believe she gave it to our co-travelers too.

For a brief time, Megan’s sister Sheri lived with us. This was great for Paige, as she loved the silly kiddie voices her aunt could make.

We celebrated Paige’s first birthday this summer. All her new friends showed up, and she tried cake for the first time. She got a nice swing-set for the backyard, which she played on everyday in the summer. The day after Paige’s party, her parents went on trip to Europe (Greece and nearby countries) with Long and Mary. Besides having a lot fun making fools of ourselves on the cruise, all four of us learned quite a bit about a part of the world we had never been to. While we were gone, Paige started walking. She probably was a little mad us for leaving, but she learned to play well with her cousins under the care of Meme and Pepe. The remainder of the summer was spent at the beach, sometimes with the Nguyens and sometimes with the Dilgers.

Megan changed jobs this year too. She now works at the same hospital as Michael. She mostly works evenings and Mike still works nights, so that generally leaves someone always available for Paige.

Autumn marked another trip for Megan and Michael, this time to Costa Rica for a wedding, but while we were there, we saw beautiful scenery and wildlife. We learned to surf too. Later we took yet another trip with Long and Mary to New York City, where we had a classic tourist experience, dining in unique restaurants, being part of a live studio audience on Megan’s favorite talk-show, seeing a Broadway musical, shopping on 5th Avenue and meeting a minor celebrity.

So this year turned out to be pretty active for the whole family. Paige is walking, I mean running, now and she says many two-word sentences. She’s become quite the outdoor-type, with all the time she’s spent on her swing-set and at the beach. By the way, Bandit’s still doing great, due mostly to Paige as she enjoys hugging and tormenting him. She feeds him and brings him water too.

So, Happy Holidays and thanks to all for contributing to a fun year.

Mike, Megan, Paige and Bandit

Classic New York City Tourist Agenda

Last week, Megan and I traveled to NYC with my sister to visit Mary's husband Long. He had been working there for several months and we all decided to take advantage of his company-paid Times Square area hotel. It was only a two day trip, but we certainly made the most of it. We did all the classic Times Square area tourist activities.
We went shopping on Fifth Avenue.
We ate out. Carl recommended a restaurant called Vynl. All the menus were printed on the backs on vinyl album covers. The desert menus were printed on 45's. It was perfect if the group you were traveling with was hungry for both comfort food and Thai.
That evening we saw the Broadway adaptation of Hairspray. I never saw the original John Waters movie nor the recent film, but I really enjoyed the stage version. It was back-to-back show stopping numbers. As a bonus, one of the performers who nearly stole the show was Darlene Love of "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" fame. It was a nice surprise, especially considering the season.

The following morning was dominated by Megan's agenda. Her favorite television show was "The View": the one with Barbara Walters and a tableful of chatty women. She wanted to be part of the live audience. Most audience members requested their seats months in advance. However, Megan wanted Mary and I to wait with her that cold, wintry December morning for stand-by seats. Waiting in line, we learned that for the past two weeks no stand-by spot had been available and even those with advanced seats were turned down.

Well, that morning turned out to be an exception. Maybe it was the bad weather that may have prevented some fans from traveling, but the show staff immediately allowed the first 13 people waiting to enter. Megan and Mary were numbers 12 and 13, so they just made the cut. Being the last ones onto the elevator, they were the first ones off. Two separate VIP seats way in the front were available that morning, so they had first dibs.

Megan was in the front row (on the Whoopi Goldberg side, just under the camera on the crane.) Watching at home, you could see Megan every time the camera panned the audience before commercial break. Guess which show episode will forever remain on our TiVo?
Mary's spot wasn't too bad either.
As for myself, I was 14th in line but the show staff kept the next five people, including me, waiting just in case there was anything last minute available. Fortunately, they allowed us to wait in the lobby, where I watched cast members of the soap opera "All My Children" pick up their pizza deliveries. As it turned out, one more spot was available so I turned out to be the last person in. My seat was way in the back, but hey, it was warmer than waiting in the street and got to take pictures and walk away with the free gifts (a massage pad and a Jeff Foxworthy book.)
By the way, leaving the show, Megan got to ride the crowded elevator with Barbara Walters. However, that wasn't the day's only celebrity sighting. Walking past the Dell store, we were told that Brooke Burke was doing some promotional thing there. Turned out there was barely a line, so Megan and Mary chatted her up for a while. I think I was a little too star-struck to say much. "She smelled perty." However, when the three of us left, she said "Bye guys! Bye Michael!" which left me a lot more star-struck.
Like I said, it was a NYC classic experience: shopping, restaurants, musicals, tv shows and celebrities. It probably wasn't an experience we'll be repeating anytime soon, but it was definitely one for the scrapbook.

2007 The Year In Music

For me, this was a great year for music. Instead of my usual list of five, I had twenty favorite albums this year. Since the list was so long, I decided to start with my favorite.
#1 Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer? by Of Montreal

This was easily my favorite album of the year. It represented everything great about pop music. It was hooky and catchy, yet the songs contained all these unexpected, non-conventional melodic twists. Stylistically, the album was a lot of fun, playing with styles ranging from psychedelia to disco to funk to folk to rock. Although sunny musically, it was very dark and personal lyrically (I think I praised Lily Allen for the same last year, yet song-writing-wise, this album was simultaneously much more playful and much darker.) Subversive on many levels, this album, for me, represented pop music at it's finest.

#2 Sound of Silver by LCD Soundsystem

A set of songs that surpassed all the potential hinted at in their early singles. This was the album I was wishing they would make. It was dance music for the thirty-something indie hipster and it was totally addictive.

# 3 Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga by Spoon

Stylistically, this album did not signal any major changes for Spoon. It was just the next step in the evolution of their already consistently good sound. This time, they accented their intimate, bluesy indie rock with some soul and R&B grooves, and the results transformed them from a band I liked to a band I loved.

#4 In Rainbows by Radiohead

This was the coziest, most relaxed Radiohead album yet. Innovative without those innovations distracting from the songs themselves. Really, that what this band had always done well, but this time it was so immediate and approachable. They've finally shed their stadium rock roots and that was fine by me.

#5 We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank by Modest Mouse

Prior to this album's release, I was skeptical. Their last album had gone nearly too far into the pop realm and I initially thought the Johnny Marr thing was a bit of stunt casting. I was wrong. I don't know who to credit, but this album had so much energy and so much guitar heroism, that it recalled their great work from the 90s. This one became my favorite Modest Mouse record of this millennium.

#6 Graduation by Kanye West

On his first album he sped up soul samples. On his second he added rich orchestrations. This third one was all about keyboards and synthesizers, and Kanye West showed he could do that well too. Additional pleasures included more personal, vulnerable lyrics and the lack of skits.

#7 Boxer by The National

A combination of subtle guitar melodies the singer's intimate baritone made this a great romantic late night listen. It had a sit-on-your-back-porch-with-lit-candles kind of feel to it, but with awesome drums.

#8 Neon Bible by Arcade Fire

A set of songs that showcased what Arcade Fire did well: take simple melodies and play them as passionately possible.

#9 We'll Never Turn Back by Mavis Staples

68 year old soul singer showed that she's still fresh and relevant. With a set that recalled the Civil Rights era, she showed why we still need those kinds of songs. Her voice remained both powerful and intimate, and the production and guitar-noodling of Ry Cooder was a welcome update to her sound. This year, Ms. Staples schooled all those neo-soul poseurs (ahem, Amy Whinehouse) on how to really sing the blues.

#10 From Here We Go To Sublime by The Field

This album delivered everything promised by its title. These simple, repetitive grooves provided such an inexplicably addictive and pleasurable listening experience.

The best of the rest:

#11 Let's Stay Friends by Les Savy Fav

#12 American Gangster by Jay-Z

#13 Some Loud Thunder by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah

#14 Myth Takes by !!!

#15 UGK (Underground Kingz) by UGK

#16 Oracular Spectacular by MGMT

#17 Cease to Begin by Band of Horses

#18 Wild Mountain Nation by Blitzen Trapper

#19 Favourite Worst Nightmare by Arctic Monkeys

#20 Beyond by Dinosaur Jr.

So for me, music-listening this year was exhausting in a fun way. There were plenty of albums I liked that simply didn't make the cut. This list truly represented the ones I loved, the ones i listened to repetitively and the ones I have not stopped listening to yet. To anyone who thinks pop music has nothing new to offer, I have twenty good arguments to prove you wrong.

A History of Our Party

Our annual party began four years ago. Megan and I had been in Dover for about five months, married less than a month. We were just beginning to make friends in the area. Although, we received many well-wishes from these local friends, none of them had gone to our wedding (we didn't know them that long, after all.) So four years ago, Megan and I conceived of this party as a way to celebrate with our new life (married, with a new house, in Dover) with our new friends. We invited every person we worked with. Despite having no clue what the turnout would be, the party turned into a success. Over 100 people came that first year, although all 100 were not there at the same time. We vowed to make this an annual event.

Throughout the years, Megan has used the party as motivation to get her holiday decorations up. We're pleased to hear that it's become a yearly tradition among our co-workers with many who already planned on coming before we even announce the date. The shindig generated significant loyalty. A core of ER nurses come every year even if they just got out of work at 7PM and have to return to work at 7AM. There has been some evolution too. The party is much more kid friendly now. Fortunately for us, Paige sleeps at 9PM even though the noise continues onward. Neighbors play a more significant role now. Some neighbor friends even like to embarrass me in front of my work friends.

By the way, among the guests, the food has acquired a favorable reputation, with many party-goers satisfying their annual fix for Vietnamese spring rolls. This was the work of my parents who come yearly to help us prepare food. Thank them.

Unfortunately, I rarely get pictures of the event. That may have to do with my chemical state at the time. I did get a picture of the frittata I made the following morning, which Derek told me looked like a cookbook picture.

Speaking of Derek, he won the furthest away award, coming from two hours away. He simultaneously won the shortest notice award. I informed him of the event at 5PM and he arrived at 7PM just as the festivities began.

2007 Song of the Year

mp3: "All My Friends" by LCD Soundsystem

This was easily my favorite song this year. I guess it appealed to the thirty-something in me (unlike most other pop songs which tend to appeal to younger audiences.) This group has captured the perspective of the aging hipster in the past, but this time it was done with much more nostalgia. The song was both joyful and melancholic.

There were two excellent cover versions recorded this year too. The one by Franz Ferdinand, sounding more like New Order, was sleek, fun and hip. John Cale's version benefitted from the age in his voice. It emphasized the melancholy.

mp3: Franz Ferdinand's Version
mp3: John Cale's Version