Usually that statement is just bullshit we spew to keep up small talk with people we don't really have much else to talk about with. And then you go, "It seems like just yesterday an illiterate war criminal was president/we were huddling around a space heater and drinking whiskey to keep warm/you were giving BJers at the train station for cash/etc." And again, usually that's a load of crap, but while reading about the same debate I've been reading about all year I realized this year really did fly by because nothing happened. The health care BS has been stagnant pretty much since the spring... Democrats are too chicken shit to pass something that actually fixes anything, Republicans yell loudly until the pants peeing Dems give in, and rednecks hold misspelled signs arguing against their own self interests. That's it. That was 2009. That's all that happened all year.
The past few days I was going through different publications' "Best Albums of 09" lists and checking out all these "hot artists" and found more and more of the same uninspired technically proficient and intricate, yet soulless, ambient mumblings of hipsters trying to be inspired to create the next "Pet Sounds" or "OK Computer". There's nothing going on out there. It's a wasteland! Even the things I saw promise in like the alternative folk/country movement that's been brewing for the past few years was pretty lackluster in 2009. Lucero and the Avett Brothers both hit the big time this year with their first major label releases and while I haven't heard all of the new Avett album they both seem underwhelming and have traded in quite a bit of the grit that made me love them. I tried to make my own "best of" list for the year and really couldn't come up with much I loved other than Bomb the Music Industry's "Scrambles" and the Dopamines "Soap and Lampshades". I'm sure there's plenty of stuff I'd like that I just never got around to, but seriously? I remember doing a best of 06 or 07 radio show back when Chris and I did Bearcast together and we had trouble narrowing it down to 25 or so. Am I just out of touch or is anybody with me here?
I'd also like to contribute my general living situation to the fast and lame year that was 2009. This was the first year of my life where nothing major changed. My first full year out of college working the same jobs with no major change. It's a strange feeling to know that I plan to wake up and do that same thing with no major change for another 365 days... there's no more grades or classes to move on to. Just tasks to be accomplished and checks to be cashed. Is this what I have to look forward to in the way of having a career? The years flying by with you sitting around waiting for frozen manicotti to heat up wondering how you wasted 365 days farting around harboring in paycheck after paycheck just to pay for the place where you sleep in between working for those checks? Okay... that's a bit more pessimistic than intended, but seriously, I'm not used to so much regiment in my life. I mean, I also love my job and am damn lucky to get paid to hang out and make music... the other one's usually okay too, but it's retail at Christmas time, so fuck off for a few weeks and get back to me on that.
On a brighter note I got pretty decent at the drums in 2009 and am about to finish one EP of new music. I can also actually can see the light at the end of the tunnel that is the first EP or full length of a new era of the Best Revenge and songs that were written nearly three years ago now.
Where am I going with this? Well I get a week's vacation to sit around finding new music, bitching about the government, and trying to write music in the quaint little town of Lima. It should be good. There will be whiskey and music released prior to 2009.
See you there nerds!
