Snow!

The past two-weeks in the snow has been fantastic. The coverage is excellent, the temperatures have been below freezing, and the snow level has not passed 3000 feet.
Last week I hit Alpental three times, Ski Acres once, and then I finally hit Stevens on Wednesday.
At Alpental I enjoyed a day in the backcountry for the first time in about three years. On Monday I went to Ski Acres with my sister and I now remember that I actually love that mountain, specifcally the rollers to the skiers right of the high speed quad. I am pleased I purchased a mid-week pass.
At Stevens the runs to the right of Southern Cross were great, the power line run off of Jupiter was untracked (we even popped into the out of bounds for the last 500 feet or so), and Big Chief Bowl was fantastic.
I'll be hitting snoqualmie Monday and Tuesday (weather permitting) should anyone want to meet up.

Pictures Taken At Just The Right Angle. Very funny!

This Scares The Hell Out Of Me

A Well Written Tribute to Future Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr.

I always loved the fact that he loves to play basketball so much. It really can become an addiction...in a good way.

Holiday Party Pics

Some photos I meant to put up a couple weeks ago. Click pics for larger view.

Cool Little Feature

I installed a site monitor to see who reads the blog and therse are the locations where the blog was viewed from since 4:00 PM. Who do I know in San Fran? Jeremy's old boyfriend? Was that Kelly in Cali? How about Mercer Island, is that Barbara?

1		United States	Seattle, Washington
2		United States
3		United States	Mercer Island, Washington
4		United States	San Francisco, California
5		United States	Renton, Washington
6		United States	Mercer Island, Washington
7		United States	Seattle, Washington
8		Canada	Abbotsford, British Columbia
9		United States	Seattle, Washington

Cabin Tree Damage Pics

As some of you already know the deck at the cabin was smashed by a large tree during the wind storm. This was the tree directly to the west of the old rope swing tree.
The tree also dismantled our gutters, took part of the roof off, and also broke two large internal support beams inside the cabin.
This is a very unfortunate event, but you might be able to ascertain that we are very lucky as well. About a foot to the east and we could have lost much, much more and I dare to think what could have happened had someone been staying there at the time.
We have quite a bit of work to do and we are hoping insurance will cover quite a bit of the cost. We'll see about that. There is some major renovation work that needs to be done and we may need to fall some trees, replant smaller ones, and basically just have another cabin work day. We appreciate in advance anyone that can help. I wish we could do it ourselves of course but Rachelle is preggers and depending on the day of the week I have a bad back, hip, or shoulder (or all three at the same time). So goes life in the NW.

Click the pics for a larger view.

I saw these two on Letterman last week. Musica de el partido en me pantalones!

A great young band from the Eastside

My good friend Cheryl from high school sent me a link to her nephew's band. When I clicked on the link I immediately hear "So, uh, this song's called Evenflow and , uh, we really like it alot." So obviously I was hooked. Not bad for a bunch of 15 year-olds!
Click the link to check em out.

Top 5 Songs

Marty has requested it and here it is: The Top 5 Songs of the year without any commentary.
Just list your top 5. That's it.

Mine:

1. Goin' Against Your Mind-Built To Spill
2. Ohh La La-Goldfrapp
3. Here It Goes Again-OK Go
4. The Funeral-Band of Horses
5. Manipulation-The Black Angels

List your five in the comments section.

Update: Here is a link to the EW top ten songs site where hundereds of readers wrote in and listed their Top Ten of 2006.
I would like to add the Scissor Sisters "I Don't Feel Like Dancin", Madonna's "Hung Up", Yeah Yeah Yeahs "Cheated Hearts", Artic Monkeys "I Bet You Look Good on The Dance Floor", and the Long Winters "Pushover" to my Top Five to give me a TOP TEN.

Miss Nevada is a party animal!!!

Click pic for full story.



http://splashnewsonline.blogspot.com/2003/12/photos-that-stripped-ms-nevada-of-her.html

Huskies!!!

The Dawgs finally looked like a Top 20 team tonight against LSU. If Hawes and Brockman give the same effort during the Pac 10 regular season then the Huskies will be legitimate contenders for the title. What a fun game to watch.

Top Five Albums of the Year

When I try to list my favorite albums at the end of each year I usually look at my ITunes, hit arrange by year, and start scrolling down. Some albums jump right out at me and others hit me with an "Oh yeah, I remember that. Was that this year?" response. Then I need to decide on my criteria for the list. Should they be the best critical received albums or the ones I listened to the most? For example, in 1991 I would have listed AC/DC's The Razor's Edge as one of the best albums. That might inspire a chuckle since AC/DC essentially remade all of their own songs after Back in Black was released. But damn if the intro to Thunderstruck doesn't just make me want to scream "Snyder!" (long story). Anyway, the point is that everyone has their own taste in music, guilty pleasures or not.

My list this year is made up of the albums I listened to the most on my IPOD and in my car. The list includes a combination of old and new bands with one common theme: the albums want to make me rock out, dance, or sing. In other words these albums really make me want to move.

My Top 5

1. Sonic Youth:Rather Ripped

Sonic Youth has finally aged a bit. Those looking for massive feedback and endless jamming might be a bit disappointed. Those looking for a groove heavy pop album with hooks will be pleasantly surprised that it is Sonic Youth delivering your request. I listened to this album non-stop for about three months and as I listen to it now it's hard for me to believe these fresh sounding riffs and short jams were created by some forty-something year-old musicians.
Stand out tracks: Incinerate, Sleeping Around, and Pink Steam

2. The Raconteurs: Broken Boy Soldiers

My hetero-man-worship of Jack White is not a secret. I am jealous of everything he plays the same way I used to marvel at Jimmy Page.
This isn't the White Stripes of course and that is just fine. Jack White playing with a bass player and another competent guitar player/singer in Brenden Benson just raises the rock bar another level. It's a fuller and poppier sound compared to the Stripes and this album does not sound like it's just a side project at all. The harmonies are priceless as are the dueling lead guitars. If anything, I hope Jack continues to bounce between the two bands in the future because the Raconteurs are that good.
Standout tracks: Hands, Intimate Secretary, and Level.

3. Beck: The Information

I'll keep this brief. If you like Beck you'll love this album. It sounds like Guerro, Sea Change, Mellow Gold, and Odelay all in one. The Information demands headphones due to all the layers of sound effects in each song.
Standout Tracks:Elevator, I Think I'm in Love, and Nausea.

4. Artic Monkeys: Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not

Like The Clash, the Artic Monkeys mix classic rock, punk, pop, and reggae all together and still create their own sound. I honestly think the most apt comparison is Sublime minus the rap influnce. Most songs are two-three minutes long and switch tempos and genres multiple times. It's hard to believe these guys are only in their early 20's.
Standout tracks: I Bet You Look Good on the Dance Floor, A Certain Romance, and Fake Tales of San Fransisco.

5. Built To Spill: You In Reverse

'Goin' Against Your Mind' doesn't even have any vocals until the 2:04 mark and it still demolishes everything on the last Built To Spill record and pretty much trashes any other rock song released this year. This song has melody, a hook, and some amazing fuzzed out jamming courtesy of Doug and company. It is essentially two chords and yet they can still make it sound exciting for 8:41. Fantastic.
The rest of the album cruises along nicely with pop songs like 'Saturday', riff powered songs like 'Conventional Wisdom', and the reggae vibe of 'The Wait'. Most jam bands turn me off because their songs turn into masturbatory guitar excercises in excess or the excess of too many instruments receiving equal billing ("Ok boys, let's give the violin guy his turn. Now the Obo. Great. Keyboards? Sweet."). Built To Spill gets in and out at perfect times on You In Reverse and it's their first album that really showcases what a great live band they can be on most nights.
Standout tracks: See Above

Alright, there were so many good records I get to list the five records I loved that didn't make the top five.


6. Pearl Jam: Pearl Jam
Their best since Yield, maybe since ten.
7. Wolfmother: Wolfmother
Combine Zep and Sabbath with large hair.
8. Neko Case:Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
I am in love with her and her voice.
9. Yeah Yeah Yeahs: Show Your Bones
Punk, pop, and Avant Garde Rock.
10. The Rapture:Pieces of the People We Love
Their rock disco starts where Franz Ferdinand stops. Catchy and moveable.

There were many good bands and singers that made wonderful albums that did not make my list including Cat Power, Flaming Lips, Band of Horses, Black Angels, Dirty Pretty Things, Gnarls Barkley, and the Decemberists. Thank for the tunes.

What are your favorite albums? Please list your Top Five in the comment section. Please include any sub-categories you feel necessary.

If you like Sarah M, Jewel, or Lucinda Williams you should check this girl out. We saw her play last night and she can sing!

Office Space Re-Cut as Thriller

Avant Garde Student Film

New Arcade Fire Single and Album Info

Almost as good as Lazy Sunday

This is where you can report roid rage and vent your frustrations on other idiot drivers.

I have a feeling this site will grow like crazy. There is nothing more annoying that late mergers or people that drive in the far left lane going exactly 60. The law states the far left lane is for passing! This is also a great place to report tailgaters and drivers who are driving erratically.

An Oceans 11 Style Movie From School

Meet the Press

I've been watching or DVRing Meet The Press for a few years now and I have to say it is by far the most reliable place on TV to watch non-partisan reporting and interviewing. Tim Russert asks tough but un-biased questions and quite frequently has politicians re-visit past statements or political stances to find out what has changed and/or if they would do anything differently now. Also, he frequently has a panel of esteemed columnists from around the country on participating in panel discussions about all of the current local, national, and world issues.

I truly feel that if everyone spent the hour a week watching this show they would really expand their points of view about our current policies, both successes and failures.

Set your DVR for KONG or KING on Sunday mornings. It's also offered in HD.

Survivor Predictions...

Yul wins against Sundra and Becky only.
Ozzy wins against anyone, deservedly so.
Adam beats Sundra, Becky, and Yul because he made it as far as he did and because everyone resents Yul for being the mastermind.

If Ozzy does not win immunity he will be voted out first tonight at tribal.
If Adam wins immunity Ozzy will be voted out.
If Ozzy wins immunity first Adam will be voted out.

Predictions:
Yul beats Becky in the final two to win the game. However, I am rooting for Ozzy.
I think Adam is a spoiled brat like Pavarti cheese and I hope he loses.

Rock-ee!

Can't wait til the 20th.

Golden Globes Announced

Scrubs Christmas

Top 5 Albums of 2006

Good morning!
It's time to compile the top 5 albums of the year as decided by Kickeditinthesun.blogspot.com.
Actually I am once again asking you to post your top five (favorite) albums of the year on the blog site.

Rules: Greatest Hits, Re-Issues, and Live-albums are not eligible. If you want to add a sub category yourself, feel free.
Any type of musical genre is eligible for this list.

Here is the link to last year's selections so you can see the format.

I will give you all a week to comple your list and then next week I will post the official TOP FIVE of 2006 form on the site.

Thanks for playing and (to quote the now retired Ron Fairly) "See You Later."

Student Directed Videos

http://www.audiovisible.tv/

This site showcases the music videos directed by the students this semester. These bands are local and currently touring nationally.
The Blakes in particular are really fun to watch.

This Simpson Remake Was Created by Students in my Video 2 class

This is in Cleveland!

Click on the link above for an interesting article about the Cleveland die hards!

Horny Manatee!!!

You have to check this site out. They have something for all your manatee fetish needs.

Read how it started here.

Take the tour and also don't forget to check out the Pale Force cartoons courtesy of Jim Gaffigan.

New Blog Templates etc.

I am in the process of making some major changes to my blog site. This is a test post and also re-affirms my man-love for DJ Henderson.

Do you like the new look? Any suggestions? Should I add some more links on the right?
Drop me a line and let me know.

New Rock Covers Album

This record has some very different takes on some mostly recent pop songs.
Modest Mouse, Spoon, Phantom Planet, The Killers, Super Furry Animals, The Pixies, and Mazzy Star are all covered.
You can stream it live at the link above.

Dick Cheney's Lesbian Daughter Pregnant and plans to raise the child with her partner

The fact that this is news is really a shame. The fact that Mary Cheney has a conservative anti-gay rights father is an even bigger one.

Flatulence forces plane to land

Biggest Shocker of all Time!!!

Scott just sent me this...Really gross. The pop-ups are great.

Check out a great video from PandaSmash.com... it's called "Voices That Care - Where Are They Now?"... click here to check it out.

In addition to their big show in Hawaii on Sat, PJ played a secret show on Thursday

Mel Gibson is nuts but I'll be there for his movie on opening night. I hear it's an amazing chase film

The Zags are tough this year!

O love this song, I love white shirts, I love sign language, and I love the video

Britney is looking worse now than she did with K-Fed

I know you have all scene the photos and I am not going to post them here because this is a family site. However, I will say that if Paris Hilton is trying to help keep your legs closed you have major issues. Did Britney forget she has two kids? Oh yeah, I forgot. She's not...that..inno-cent!