don't wince or you'll miss it...

Top. The top. The very top.

(beware…this could make you throw-up a little in your mouth but fuck it, I mean it…)

In no order at all I present to you the great and the good from 2007. Things that meant something to me this year. And just some old fashioned good stuff…

Shauna. Yup. It’s true. The woman I now share my box in Gastown with was and is a very happy addition to my life this year. Goodness wrapped-up in a small beautiful package. I like it. I love her. i hope she keeps me. (ok…if you need a little mouth wash now….)

Issy. Always Issy. A mother to all my friends and those friends she hasn’t even met yet. So great it’s hard to tell you all how great she is.

Putting up xmas lights with Floyd. My father and I have had a weird relationship – and that’s not telling any tales out of school. It’s the truth. It had been years since we’d worked along side each other doing anything. Anything. While over at his place a few weekends ago I helped him put up his xmas lights and while I still hate xmas, It felt good helping him do it. It was fun. I love that guy. I really do.

The Bombers. I love playing hockey, and even though I’ve lost a step and get frustrated with my play, I still love it. I especially love the team I’m on, the Bombers. A great group of guys all concerned with having fun and being, well, a Bomber. It’s good.

Ang. If I had never met her I’d know that there was something missing without knowing what it was. Beautiful, giving and my friend now. I love you kid.

Okkervil River’s ‘Our life is not a movie or maybe’. I love this song. A little wimpy. A little timely. A little of everything.

Band of Horses – Cease to Begin. The Garbs loves to bug me about loving this album. Tobe understands. Maybe one day Garbs will as well.

First it was the Killers ‘When you were young’ and my inability to stop playing it over and over again, then came Interpol’s ‘Our love to Admire’ and ‘The Heinrich Maneuver’. Damn them. I hear you’re moving real fine tonight. How are things on the west coast?

A sweaty bunny suit. For Corie’s t-shirt show I decided that it would be a great idea if I wore a full bunny costume to the event. About ten minutes into being there and dressed in it I remembered why I told myself the time before why I’d never wear it again. I’m sure I’ll forget by the next big event and rent it again. Big guys in bunny suits, nothing spells funny better than that.

Corie’s t-shirt show at snap gallery. Sure, Barry’s an idiot but the show was good fun. Stressful for all but still good fun. Good work Tornack.

Santa Cruz. A couple times last year I sat in Santa Cruz and just watched surfers. I thought of Tom and Judy and just sat there. I also left a pair of shoes there will a little bit of road money in them. I love Santa Cruz. And I love Tom. I miss them both.

El Presidente. What can I say that hasn’t already been said here before. I love the El Presidente. I love Andale in Los Gatos. I’ll be back.

The desert. Shauna and I made our way randomly around the desert in a Dodge Charger and saw what there was out there. Nothing. And did nothing. It was pretty good.

Spring training baseball. I was telling the Garbs the other day that he and I should head down to spring training this year and just sleep in the element like I did last year. I don’t think he’s convinced. It’s not for everyone to be sure. It was the second time I got to see Spike in less than a few months.

Me and Spike in Tucson. For a week or so I holed-up on spike’s couch in Tucson and went about my life as a local, sort of. Day trips into the desert by myself, dinners at night with Spike, Nogales, Mexico, it was a good time. I should have stayed longer. Thanks Spike.

Andrew and Scott. I work with a great group of guys and it took a long time to get there/here. Years of asshole co-workers in this business almost did me in early on. The Jak’s and Dave’s could have buried me early. Now it’s Corie, Al, Dan, Eric, Andy and Stevie and revolving cast of others I really like. This show I was also able to work again with Andrew and Scott who I had worked many shows with over at Tony’s shop. Does my heart good to know they’re around. Solid. Both of them.

Buffalo. Good god I love the buffalo. I began eating meat again this year and feel pretty good about it. I had a piece of buffalo at West that could easily have been my last meal this year and I would have been happy with that. Good god. Good fuckin’ god. Buffalo pepperoni is pretty good too.

Lawn Order. Another year of keeping myself reasonably sane cutting grass. I love it. Really love it. Even when things go wrong, and they do, it’s still great. Season four isn’t far away and I look forward to it. Some people drink, some people smoke pot, I cut grass.

Maybe Arizona. Photos I took, up on a wall for everyone to see. Pretty cool. It was kinda hard for me to do but I did it and I’m happy I did it. Thanks Byron for the chance.

Marcel Dzama. I bought two watercolor painting by Marcel this year from my pal Ronnie in LA and am very happy with my purchase. Suzanne at opus was a huge help in making sure they were framed correctly and now they look like a million bux on my wall – please come over and have a look sometime.

My friends. Who I can not live without. Really. I mean it. The Garbs and Mishi. Pam and Tobe. Mina and Brent. Corie. Scott. The Fawnz, The Queen, Jen with one N, Devon, Don Bull, Andrew and Andrew, Daisley, he who can not be named on the blog, Marcy, k-win, Spike, Megan, Emilie, Muc, Erika and Christian, all the bombers, the BOC boys, and those I have forgotten because I’m brain dead from the paint fumes coming in from Corie’s area here at work and the autobody shop next door….you know who you are – I love you. I do.

My head. I smashed my head open like a pumpkin and learned a cheap lesson from it. Or an expensive one. The details are on the blog but suffice to say, my big hard head saved my life.

More music. Others things caught my ear this year.

Brady’s band ‘The Book of Lists’ song ‘Lost Weekend’ really made the rounds in my car this year.
Broken Family Band - Hello Love
Springsteen’s ‘Born to Run’- the reissue reminded me how good it really was the first time.
Joel Plaskett Emergency – Ashtray Rock. Well, mainly ‘The Glorious life’…that’s a good number.
LCD Sound System – Sound Of Silver
The National – Boxer
Okkervil River – The Stage Names
Richmond Fontaine – Thirteen Cities
Ryan Adams – Easy Tiger

Sure there are more but those are some I listened to over and over and over…and sure, there were more great things this year but I can’t remember them all right now.

I love you . I really. Do.

(we will return to regular blog entries again very soon….do not adjust your set.)

g. xo