While the Super Bowl was not devoid of controversy (the 34 minute blackout, the no call on 4th and goal, etc.) most reasonable people agreed that Beyonce knocked it out of the park at halftime. Sure, I didn’t know all of the songs, but she’s stunning to look at and one hell of a performer. It had been years since the Super Bowl halftime act packed this sort of youthful punch. Ever since the Janet Jackson nip slip in 2004 the acts have skewed old. Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, Prince, Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, The Who, and Madonna. There was a one year aberration with The Black Eyed Peas and Usher, but that performance featured Slash, so there was still a dose of antiquity.
Many are now wondering who should perform the halftime show in next year’s game, which will take place at MetLife Stadium, the home of the New York Giants and Jets. I think the answer is simple. You want an act with local flavor, so your best options are Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, and Bon Jovi. The Boss performed back in 2009, so he’s out of the mix. Now it’s down to Billy Joel and Bon Jovi and I lean toward the Piano Man. I realize that this selection would be reverting back to an “older act”, but I think it’s the best route to go (unless the world is ready for Lady Gaga, who’s losing a little steam in terms of popularity, right?).
Here are Billy Joel’s Top 10 songs of all time in my opinion (I probably could have done a Top 25).
10.) Only the Good Die Young- This is one of Joel’s most popular songs and it’s no surprise because it’s very catchy.
9.) Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song)- This song about upward social mobility is a crowd pleaser mainly because of how the verses end by kicking right into the chorus. For example, this is how the second verse ends, “And he's trading in his Chevy for a Cadillac, lac, lac, lac” and then the chorus starts with, “You oughtta know by now”
8.) We Didn’t Start the Fire- Not only is it a goal of mine to memorize this song, but I also updated the lyrics a few years back.
7.) She’s Got A Way- This one has wedding song written all over it.
6.) Tell Her About It- This is just an upbeat ‘80s song about telling a girl how you feel.
5.) Piano Man- Sure it’s his most popular song, but it’s fantastic. Joel has said that all of the characters in the song are based on real people.
“And the waitress is practicing politics
As the businessmen slowly get stoned
Yes they're sharing a drink they call loneliness
But it's better than drinking alone”
4.) You May Be Right- The chorus gets me every time. “You may be right. I may be crazy. But it just may be a lunatic you’re looking for.”
3.) Allentown- Joel provides a little social commentary in this one as he addresses the decline of the manufacturing industry in blue collar America.
2.) Uptown Girl- Joel allegedly wrote this song about supermodel Elle McPherson, who he dated before marrying supermodel Christie Brinkley. Legend also has it that Joel refuses to perform this song in concert, but I’m sure that’s just a myth.
That said, I know chicks love rock and roll stars, but has anyone ever outkicked their coverage more than Billy Joel? He dated Elle McPherson and married Christie Brinkley. That's unbelievable. The only other people on that level are probably Derek Jeter and Leonardo DiCaprio.
1.) Scenes From an Italian Restaurant- Most people think it starts out the other way, but the opening lyric is, “A bottle white, a bottle of red…”
Honorary mention: Keeping the Faith, New York State of Mind (if he’s picked for next year’s half time show he’s obviously going to have to close with this), You’re Only Human (Second Wind), Pressure, Goodnight Saigon, Leningrad, The Ballad of Billy the Kid, The Longest Time, Only the Good Die Young, Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway), The Downeaster Alexa, Just the Way You Are, It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me
Speaking of honorary awards, Joel has been given six honorary doctorates including one from the two schools I most closely associate myself with in Fairfield and Syracuse University.
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Forecasting 2013
I'm a few weeks late on this, but you're still going to read it.
13 Bold Predictions for 2013
1.) The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox will both miss the MLB playoffs for the first time since 1993- Pretty remarkable that it will be two full decades since they both missed the playoffs (by the way, 1994 was a strike shortened season, so that doesn’t count). Yes, this means that I think my beloved Toronto Blue Jays will return to the playoffs for the first time since winning back to back world series titles in 1992 and 1993.
2.) The New York Knicks will not get out of the first round of the NBA playoffs- If the playoffs started today the Knicks would be the 2 seed in the East and take on the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round. In my estimation they’d beat the Bucks, but the playoffs don’t start today. Looming in the 8th spot in the East right now is the Boston Celtics. I think the Celtics and Knicks will square off in the first round (as the 2 vs. 7 or 3 vs. 6 matchup) and the Celtics will prevail.
3.) Tiger Woods will win the U.S. Open- I’m on record saying that Tiger will win The Masters at least one more time in his career (just like how Federer won Wimbledon this year), but I don’t think that it will be in 2013. After coming close at Augusta in April Eldrick will get the monkey off his back and win at the Merion Golf Club outside of Philadelphia.
4.) The Miami Heat will win their 2nd straight NBA title- Not really that bold, I know.
5.) The Syracuse men’s basketball team will not make it to the Sweet 16- I originally put this thought down before the Orange went into the KFC Yum Center and beat the #1 team in the land. I didn’t think this team had much grit and fight (and much of a half court offense for that matter), but they’ve showed me a lot in the past week. Obviously I hope I’m off by a mile (and am only doing this as a reverse jinx), but I’ll stand by this one if only for the sake of being bold.
6.) I will not complete 50% of my 50 things to do in 2013- I’m well on my way to about 10-12 already, but I think 25 might be a little ambitious.
7.) Argo will not win Best Picture at the Academy Awards- It won the Golden Globe, so it’s certainly in the discussion as a potential favorite now, but I think Lincoln, Zero Dark Thirty (I saw the movie and still don’t understand the title), or Silver Linings Playbook will take home the hardware.
8.) Mad Men, the best show on television, will jump the shark in Season 6 and flame out in Season 7- I thought Seasons 1-4 were excellent, so the bar has been set pretty high. I wasn’t particularly enamored with the direction of the show in Season 5, but people (in this case characters) change and that’s part of what makes the show great. Did you know that the term “jump the shark” is literally used to is used to “describe the moment in the evolution of a television show when it begins a decline in quality that is beyond recovery.”?
9.) Japan will win the World Baseball Classic for the 3rd straight time- Even though we claim the sport as our “pastime” we’re probably only the 4th or 5th best country competing in this event. Seriously, Blue Jays catcher J.P. Arencibia made the US Team and he’s a career .222 hitter.
10.) The Supreme Court will uphold gay marriage- They might strike down the Marriage Equality Act, but they’ll uphold the right for two persons to get married. If the highest court didn’t overturn Obamacare they aren’t going to strike down gay marriage.
11.) The Lakers will make the NBA playoffs- They’ve lost 3 in a row and 8 of their last 10 and everyone is burying them. I still think that the talent will eventually play itself out. They’re currently only 4 games back of the 8 seed in the West.
12.) One of my siblings will get engaged- My oldest brother is already married, but my other two older brothers are in serious relationships, as is one of my sisters.
13.) We will finally meet The Mother in How I Met Your Mother- There’s going to be a major cliff hanger at the end of this current season (don’t be surprised) and when CBS decides to sign the show for only more season due to floundering ratings (thanks to a decreasing product) the writers will have to tie up some loose ends and let us meet the bitch in the last episode. Let the record state that How I Met Your Mother seasons currently span (seemingly 3 years) from about November to April, so this big reveal probably won’t actually take place until 2014, but we’ll know that it’s coming in 2013.
13 Bold Predictions for 2013
1.) The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox will both miss the MLB playoffs for the first time since 1993- Pretty remarkable that it will be two full decades since they both missed the playoffs (by the way, 1994 was a strike shortened season, so that doesn’t count). Yes, this means that I think my beloved Toronto Blue Jays will return to the playoffs for the first time since winning back to back world series titles in 1992 and 1993.
2.) The New York Knicks will not get out of the first round of the NBA playoffs- If the playoffs started today the Knicks would be the 2 seed in the East and take on the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round. In my estimation they’d beat the Bucks, but the playoffs don’t start today. Looming in the 8th spot in the East right now is the Boston Celtics. I think the Celtics and Knicks will square off in the first round (as the 2 vs. 7 or 3 vs. 6 matchup) and the Celtics will prevail.
3.) Tiger Woods will win the U.S. Open- I’m on record saying that Tiger will win The Masters at least one more time in his career (just like how Federer won Wimbledon this year), but I don’t think that it will be in 2013. After coming close at Augusta in April Eldrick will get the monkey off his back and win at the Merion Golf Club outside of Philadelphia.
4.) The Miami Heat will win their 2nd straight NBA title- Not really that bold, I know.
5.) The Syracuse men’s basketball team will not make it to the Sweet 16- I originally put this thought down before the Orange went into the KFC Yum Center and beat the #1 team in the land. I didn’t think this team had much grit and fight (and much of a half court offense for that matter), but they’ve showed me a lot in the past week. Obviously I hope I’m off by a mile (and am only doing this as a reverse jinx), but I’ll stand by this one if only for the sake of being bold.
6.) I will not complete 50% of my 50 things to do in 2013- I’m well on my way to about 10-12 already, but I think 25 might be a little ambitious.
7.) Argo will not win Best Picture at the Academy Awards- It won the Golden Globe, so it’s certainly in the discussion as a potential favorite now, but I think Lincoln, Zero Dark Thirty (I saw the movie and still don’t understand the title), or Silver Linings Playbook will take home the hardware.
8.) Mad Men, the best show on television, will jump the shark in Season 6 and flame out in Season 7- I thought Seasons 1-4 were excellent, so the bar has been set pretty high. I wasn’t particularly enamored with the direction of the show in Season 5, but people (in this case characters) change and that’s part of what makes the show great. Did you know that the term “jump the shark” is literally used to is used to “describe the moment in the evolution of a television show when it begins a decline in quality that is beyond recovery.”?
9.) Japan will win the World Baseball Classic for the 3rd straight time- Even though we claim the sport as our “pastime” we’re probably only the 4th or 5th best country competing in this event. Seriously, Blue Jays catcher J.P. Arencibia made the US Team and he’s a career .222 hitter.
10.) The Supreme Court will uphold gay marriage- They might strike down the Marriage Equality Act, but they’ll uphold the right for two persons to get married. If the highest court didn’t overturn Obamacare they aren’t going to strike down gay marriage.
11.) The Lakers will make the NBA playoffs- They’ve lost 3 in a row and 8 of their last 10 and everyone is burying them. I still think that the talent will eventually play itself out. They’re currently only 4 games back of the 8 seed in the West.
12.) One of my siblings will get engaged- My oldest brother is already married, but my other two older brothers are in serious relationships, as is one of my sisters.
13.) We will finally meet The Mother in How I Met Your Mother- There’s going to be a major cliff hanger at the end of this current season (don’t be surprised) and when CBS decides to sign the show for only more season due to floundering ratings (thanks to a decreasing product) the writers will have to tie up some loose ends and let us meet the bitch in the last episode. Let the record state that How I Met Your Mother seasons currently span (seemingly 3 years) from about November to April, so this big reveal probably won’t actually take place until 2014, but we’ll know that it’s coming in 2013.
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Thing to do in 2013
First and foremost, happy new year. As I tweeted a few weeks back, I hattttte when people wish me a happy new year on December, 31st. Either say, "I hope you have a happy new year" or "Have a happy new year." Saying, "Happy new year!" is annoying and inaccurate. It's a lot like people at church saying, "Merry Christmas" on Christmas Eve.
Over the past few weeks I've been asking people what their new years resolutions are. Some answers included be nicer to strangers, kill it at work, do more community service, move out of my parents' house, and get a new job. I've never been much of a resolution guy, but for some reason I felt motivated this time around. I won't reveal all of mine (by the way, having more than one increases your chances to accomplish at least one), but one of them is to be more goal oriented. I've found that I say a lot of things and never follow through. I always want to do this, go there, or try that, but I rarely actually do what I say I want to.
In an effort to inspire me to do the things that I want to do I've compiled a list of 50 things I want to do in 2013. I know that I won't accomplish all 50, but I'd like to look back on the year and feel good about some of the things that I've accomplished, tried, or witnessed.
50 Things to do in 2013 (in the order that I thought of them- read into that what you will)
1.) Get a passport- I’ve been telling people for years that I want to travel, see the world, etc. for years, but I still haven’t taken the first step and gotten my passport. That changes this year.
2.) Finish writing my memoir- I’m a lot closer to finishing that you’d think. There’s also the daunting task of editing and re-editing the entire thing, but I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.
3.) Read 25 books (roughly 2 per month)- I’m off to a slow start, but I don’t think that this is an unreasonable task.
4.) Visit my sisters in Washington DC- I haven’t been to our nation’s capital since the Clinton administration.
5.) Attend a Blue Jays game in Toronto- The last time I saw the Blue Jays play a game in Toronto I was 17 and the stadium was called the Skydome. It’s now named the Rogers Centre.
6.) Run a half marathon- My friend Kate runs the Hartford half marathon every year and always asks me if I want to run it with her (we ran together a few times in college when she was training to run a half marathon) and I always say that I’ll do it before backing out a week or so before the race.
7.) Attend a Knicks game in the newly renovated Madison Square Garden- I’ve been told by 4-5 different people that the latest renovations have rendered the world’s most famous arena unrecognizable.
8.) Buy a new suit and get it tailored- I’m starting to travel more for work, so it’s time that I start looking sharp.
9.) Lose 6-7 pounds- I’m close to what I believe to be my ideal weight, but there’s still some work left to do.
10.) Go sailing- I’ve been anti-water for most of my life, but I’m willing to give sailing a shot. It seems like it’s relaxing and not too much work.
11.) Become a better cook- My culinary skills are not impressive. I can follow directions fairly well, but I’d like to be in a position where I can experiment with different flavor combinations.
12.) Buy a winter coat- My mom (or should I say Santa?) bought me a jacket 5 years ago that I dubbed my “transition to adulthood” coat. I’m almost embarrassed to wear it now, so I rarely do. I need an upgrade immediately.
13.) Attend my 5 year college reunion- I’m getting old. That said, I hear this event is a great time and I’m looking forward to it.
14.) Get a credit card- I think I’m finally ready to cave.
15.) Shoot an 85 or below in golf- This might be the most unrealistic item on the entire list, but I’d love to get better at golf and shooting an 85 would be one hell of a feat for me.
16.) Take a trip to Chicago in the summer- The Second City is one of my favorite three cities in the country and just a great place to be in the summer.
17.) Play more basketball- I used to play basketball 4-5 times a week in college, but have played maybe twice in the past two years.
18.) Go to the eye doctor and get new glasses/contacts- I haven’t been to the eye doctor since April of 2010. My eyes have undoubtedly gotten worse.
19.) Do 100 pushups a day- I currently do 30 after I shower every morning, so this shouldn’t be too difficult to pull off.
20.) Visit 5 states that I’ve never been to before- In a recent post I commented on how I’ve only been to 18 states (20 if you count layovers). One of my roommates has a goal to visit all 50 states before he turns 30. I’m hoping for 30 by the time I’m 30.
21.) Go to the New York State Fair- There’s nothing quite like the Great New York State Fair. All I need is an hour or two to get a pizza fritte, footsy wootsy, and some Byrne Dairy chocolate milk.
22.) Go to a concert- I can’t tell you the last time I went to a concert.
23.) Shave at least 3 times a week- I need to clean up my act/life/look.
24.) Get a raise/promotion at work- Pretty cliché, but still worthy of the list.
25.) Get my (still to be gotten) passport stamped- If step one is to get the passport. This is definitely step two. I’ve been saying for months how I want to go to Ireland. Maybe 2013 is the year.
26.) Take a drive along the California coast- Probably a little far-fetched, but I’ve been told that it’s a breathtaking experience.
27.) Attend a professional golf tournament- People tell me that these are a lot of fun. I’m not sure if I’d pick a group and follow them around or pick a location and watch all of the groups come through. I do know that I’ll be hammered throughout.
28.) Go to the US Open (Tennis)- Every year I say how I want to go down to New York to check it out, but I never get remotely close to going. Hopefully writing this down will be the impetus to actually go.
29.) Go to a taping of The Daily Show or The Colbert Report- Unlikely that I have a free weekday in New York City, but If I do I’d love to pull this off. I watch these two shows all the time, so it’d be a thrill to see a live taping.
30.) Complete my quest to watch every movie nominated for Best Picture in my lifetime- I need to see 6 of the 9 this year, 1 of the 9 from last year, 2 of the 5 from 1986, and 1 of the 5 from 1995, 1992, 1991, 1988, and 1987. That’s 14 films.
31.) Go to an NHL game- Who has Bruins or Rangers tickets?
32.) Attempt to eat as many hot dogs and buns as I can in a 10 minute span- Every Fourth of July I say that I could eat at least 10, but I’ve never attempted it.
33.) Completely overhaul my wardrobe- I have zero fashion sense. I need to start dressing (and acting) more like an adult.
34.) Post at least 50 pictures on Instagram- I joined a week or so ago. You can follow me @danstanczyk.
35.) Take some sort of class- I don’t care if it’s online (I love learning), baking, a work out class, etc.
36.) Run a mile in under 6 minutes- I haven’t given a mile run my all since I was a 6th grader at St. Matthew’s. I think I can break the 6 minute mark.
37.) Watch a fireworks display from start to finish- I’m a sucker for a good fireworks show, but I haven’t seen one in years.
38.) Witness a sunrise- In all of my days on the planet I think I’ve seen one (the night I graduated from college).
39.) Write more- Although I don’t update this blog nearly enough I actually do quite a bit of writing when I have the time. Whether it be fantasy football power rankings, features for work, or a 60,000+ word memoir, I’ve come to terms with the fact that I enjoy putting words together. I need to carve out more time in my day to day life to get better at this craft.
40.) Learn to ski/water ski- I skied as a kid a few times, but never again. I’ve also attempted to water ski once or twice, but never got up.
41.) Keep in touch with more friends- I hardly keep in touch with anyone from high school or college. At least on a regular basis. I’ve finally accepted that this is at least half my fault.
42.) Give a speech- I’d prefer it to be at a friend’s wedding or at some big occasion.
43.) Memorize the world capitals- I know most of the European, African, and South American ones, but there’s plenty of room for improvement.
44.) Create a list of the Top 10 places in the world that I want to visit- Hopefully compiling the list will inspire me to get the time off from work and book a flight.
45.) Eat 0 meals at McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s, etc.- I’ve been very good about this in the past year, but I’ve slipped up on occasion. I’ll certainly miss the spicy chicken sandwiches from Wendy’s, but it’s for the best.
46.) Wake up earlier- My alarm goes off at 9:30 almost every day. Most people are at work by at least 9.
47.) Go to sleep earlier- A few years ago I charted my sleep schedule and found that my average lights out time was 2:30 am. It’s probably closer to 12:30-1 am nowadays, but I think I can, and should, do better.
48.) Cook the bacon explosion- I’ve been telling people about this recipe since 2008. It’s time that I finally cook the damn thing myself.
49.) Travel to a different continent- I’ve never left North America.
50.) Watch less television- I watched a lottt more when I lived by myself, but should I really be watching The Challenge on MTV?
Over the past few weeks I've been asking people what their new years resolutions are. Some answers included be nicer to strangers, kill it at work, do more community service, move out of my parents' house, and get a new job. I've never been much of a resolution guy, but for some reason I felt motivated this time around. I won't reveal all of mine (by the way, having more than one increases your chances to accomplish at least one), but one of them is to be more goal oriented. I've found that I say a lot of things and never follow through. I always want to do this, go there, or try that, but I rarely actually do what I say I want to.
In an effort to inspire me to do the things that I want to do I've compiled a list of 50 things I want to do in 2013. I know that I won't accomplish all 50, but I'd like to look back on the year and feel good about some of the things that I've accomplished, tried, or witnessed.
50 Things to do in 2013 (in the order that I thought of them- read into that what you will)
1.) Get a passport- I’ve been telling people for years that I want to travel, see the world, etc. for years, but I still haven’t taken the first step and gotten my passport. That changes this year.
2.) Finish writing my memoir- I’m a lot closer to finishing that you’d think. There’s also the daunting task of editing and re-editing the entire thing, but I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.
3.) Read 25 books (roughly 2 per month)- I’m off to a slow start, but I don’t think that this is an unreasonable task.
4.) Visit my sisters in Washington DC- I haven’t been to our nation’s capital since the Clinton administration.
5.) Attend a Blue Jays game in Toronto- The last time I saw the Blue Jays play a game in Toronto I was 17 and the stadium was called the Skydome. It’s now named the Rogers Centre.
6.) Run a half marathon- My friend Kate runs the Hartford half marathon every year and always asks me if I want to run it with her (we ran together a few times in college when she was training to run a half marathon) and I always say that I’ll do it before backing out a week or so before the race.
7.) Attend a Knicks game in the newly renovated Madison Square Garden- I’ve been told by 4-5 different people that the latest renovations have rendered the world’s most famous arena unrecognizable.
8.) Buy a new suit and get it tailored- I’m starting to travel more for work, so it’s time that I start looking sharp.
9.) Lose 6-7 pounds- I’m close to what I believe to be my ideal weight, but there’s still some work left to do.
10.) Go sailing- I’ve been anti-water for most of my life, but I’m willing to give sailing a shot. It seems like it’s relaxing and not too much work.
11.) Become a better cook- My culinary skills are not impressive. I can follow directions fairly well, but I’d like to be in a position where I can experiment with different flavor combinations.
12.) Buy a winter coat- My mom (or should I say Santa?) bought me a jacket 5 years ago that I dubbed my “transition to adulthood” coat. I’m almost embarrassed to wear it now, so I rarely do. I need an upgrade immediately.
13.) Attend my 5 year college reunion- I’m getting old. That said, I hear this event is a great time and I’m looking forward to it.
14.) Get a credit card- I think I’m finally ready to cave.
15.) Shoot an 85 or below in golf- This might be the most unrealistic item on the entire list, but I’d love to get better at golf and shooting an 85 would be one hell of a feat for me.
16.) Take a trip to Chicago in the summer- The Second City is one of my favorite three cities in the country and just a great place to be in the summer.
17.) Play more basketball- I used to play basketball 4-5 times a week in college, but have played maybe twice in the past two years.
18.) Go to the eye doctor and get new glasses/contacts- I haven’t been to the eye doctor since April of 2010. My eyes have undoubtedly gotten worse.
19.) Do 100 pushups a day- I currently do 30 after I shower every morning, so this shouldn’t be too difficult to pull off.
20.) Visit 5 states that I’ve never been to before- In a recent post I commented on how I’ve only been to 18 states (20 if you count layovers). One of my roommates has a goal to visit all 50 states before he turns 30. I’m hoping for 30 by the time I’m 30.
21.) Go to the New York State Fair- There’s nothing quite like the Great New York State Fair. All I need is an hour or two to get a pizza fritte, footsy wootsy, and some Byrne Dairy chocolate milk.
22.) Go to a concert- I can’t tell you the last time I went to a concert.
23.) Shave at least 3 times a week- I need to clean up my act/life/look.
24.) Get a raise/promotion at work- Pretty cliché, but still worthy of the list.
25.) Get my (still to be gotten) passport stamped- If step one is to get the passport. This is definitely step two. I’ve been saying for months how I want to go to Ireland. Maybe 2013 is the year.
26.) Take a drive along the California coast- Probably a little far-fetched, but I’ve been told that it’s a breathtaking experience.
27.) Attend a professional golf tournament- People tell me that these are a lot of fun. I’m not sure if I’d pick a group and follow them around or pick a location and watch all of the groups come through. I do know that I’ll be hammered throughout.
28.) Go to the US Open (Tennis)- Every year I say how I want to go down to New York to check it out, but I never get remotely close to going. Hopefully writing this down will be the impetus to actually go.
29.) Go to a taping of The Daily Show or The Colbert Report- Unlikely that I have a free weekday in New York City, but If I do I’d love to pull this off. I watch these two shows all the time, so it’d be a thrill to see a live taping.
30.) Complete my quest to watch every movie nominated for Best Picture in my lifetime- I need to see 6 of the 9 this year, 1 of the 9 from last year, 2 of the 5 from 1986, and 1 of the 5 from 1995, 1992, 1991, 1988, and 1987. That’s 14 films.
31.) Go to an NHL game- Who has Bruins or Rangers tickets?
32.) Attempt to eat as many hot dogs and buns as I can in a 10 minute span- Every Fourth of July I say that I could eat at least 10, but I’ve never attempted it.
33.) Completely overhaul my wardrobe- I have zero fashion sense. I need to start dressing (and acting) more like an adult.
34.) Post at least 50 pictures on Instagram- I joined a week or so ago. You can follow me @danstanczyk.
35.) Take some sort of class- I don’t care if it’s online (I love learning), baking, a work out class, etc.
36.) Run a mile in under 6 minutes- I haven’t given a mile run my all since I was a 6th grader at St. Matthew’s. I think I can break the 6 minute mark.
37.) Watch a fireworks display from start to finish- I’m a sucker for a good fireworks show, but I haven’t seen one in years.
38.) Witness a sunrise- In all of my days on the planet I think I’ve seen one (the night I graduated from college).
39.) Write more- Although I don’t update this blog nearly enough I actually do quite a bit of writing when I have the time. Whether it be fantasy football power rankings, features for work, or a 60,000+ word memoir, I’ve come to terms with the fact that I enjoy putting words together. I need to carve out more time in my day to day life to get better at this craft.
40.) Learn to ski/water ski- I skied as a kid a few times, but never again. I’ve also attempted to water ski once or twice, but never got up.
41.) Keep in touch with more friends- I hardly keep in touch with anyone from high school or college. At least on a regular basis. I’ve finally accepted that this is at least half my fault.
42.) Give a speech- I’d prefer it to be at a friend’s wedding or at some big occasion.
43.) Memorize the world capitals- I know most of the European, African, and South American ones, but there’s plenty of room for improvement.
44.) Create a list of the Top 10 places in the world that I want to visit- Hopefully compiling the list will inspire me to get the time off from work and book a flight.
45.) Eat 0 meals at McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s, etc.- I’ve been very good about this in the past year, but I’ve slipped up on occasion. I’ll certainly miss the spicy chicken sandwiches from Wendy’s, but it’s for the best.
46.) Wake up earlier- My alarm goes off at 9:30 almost every day. Most people are at work by at least 9.
47.) Go to sleep earlier- A few years ago I charted my sleep schedule and found that my average lights out time was 2:30 am. It’s probably closer to 12:30-1 am nowadays, but I think I can, and should, do better.
48.) Cook the bacon explosion- I’ve been telling people about this recipe since 2008. It’s time that I finally cook the damn thing myself.
49.) Travel to a different continent- I’ve never left North America.
50.) Watch less television- I watched a lottt more when I lived by myself, but should I really be watching The Challenge on MTV?
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Best Movies of 2012
I've undoubtedly become more busy this year, which means that I haven't had as much time for things that I love: Jeopardy!, golf, and movies. I'm not sure why those were the first things to go (actually I'm quite certain that I could think of plenty of other activities that I no longer partake in as much), but while I'm definitely not as intelligent or as good at golf as a byproduct I don't think that watching fewer movies has made me less of a movie critic. I think it's actually made me more picky about the movies I choose to see, and has thus honed my critical eye.
Due my self-proclaimed skills as an evaluator of films I've decided to add a new feature to this post. Have you ever read a book/movie/album review where the critic uses words that you've never heard of to explain the deeper meaning of what the work is actually about? I will attempt to reveal the themes of each movies in their simplest form. I may use some big words while employing this reductionist method, but deal with it.
Here are the top 10 movies that I saw in 2012 (3 of them were released in 2011)
10.) Total Recall
I usually hate re-makes (Total Recall was originally released in 1990 and starred Arnold Schwarzenegger), but when you put Jessica Biel and Kate Beckinsale in a movie I'm going to watch it. This may have made the list because my expectations were extremely low and I came out of the theaters pleasantly surprised, but I remain convinced that it's worth the two hours of your time.
What is this movie actually about? class warfare and the corruption of power
9.) Bachelorette
It could be called a Bridesmaids knock off, but I really enjoyed it (again, expectations were low). The humor is a bit raunchy, so don't watch it with mom and dad, but it appeals to both genders. I love Lizzy Caplan and she's both hot and hysterical in this film.
What's this movie actually about? female jealously
8.) Skyfall
This is not my favorite Bond film of all time. In fact, it's only my 2nd favorite of the Daniel Craig films. I still enjoyed it, though, because you know what you're going to get when you see a Bond film; action, guns, crime, sex, and espionage.
What's this movie actually about? the duality between modernity and the past
7.) Drive (2011)
I was pretty sure that Ryan Gosling's performance in this film was going to garner an Oscar nomination last year and I'm still stunned that it didn't. He knocked his understated, reserved role out of the park. He barely said a word throughout the entire thing, which accentuated the quality of his performance. The movie is a neo-noir piece about a heist that goes wrong. There's action, murder, confrontation, and a love interest (the sneaky hot Carey Mulligan).
What's this movie actually about? loyalty, loneliness, and body language
6.) Ted
It's essentially a two hour episode of Family Guy, which means it's hysterical (and obviously funnier if your high). People will be quoting lines from this movie for years to come.
What's this movie actually about? the bond of friendship, growing up, and the effects of marijuana
5.) A Separation (2011)
This Iranian work won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film last year and I heard positive review after positive review, so I finally saw it. It's intense, stirring, and filled with deeper meanings. I doubt that any of you will take the time to see it, but if you do it will definitely force you to think and isn't that what all movies should do?
What's this movie actually about? the many sides of the truth and loyalty to family
4.) Lincoln
I'm a bit of a politics/history freak, so I know that I probably like this movie more than most, but it's worth seeing solely for Daniel Day-Lewis' portrayal of Honest Abe. Halfway through I had to remind myself that it was actually Day-Lewis on the screen and not Lincoln. My main takeaway as I exited the theaters was, "That movie was two and a half hours? It sure didn't seem that long."
What's this movie actually about? our 16th president not slaying vampires
3.) The Dark Knight Rises
There was a lot about this film that I liked and a lot that I didn't, but at the end of the day there's no question that it was incredibly entertaining. It should also be noted that it was next to impossible to live up to The Joker, but Bane came damn close.
What's this movie actually about? privacy, obligation, fate, and coping with loss
2.) Argo
I love politics and I love Ben Affleck. There was almost no chance that I wasn't going to love this movie. Sure the ending is over dramaticized, but the story is still incredible.
What's this movie actually about? faith in a federal bureaucracy and having conviction in a singular idea
1.) Midnight in Paris (2011)
On the surface this Woody Allen movie is about a writer who finds inspiration from magically spending time with the likes of Pablo Picasso, Ernest Hemmingway, Gertrude Stein, etc. It also features a great cast with Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, and the intoxicating Marion Cotillard. What it's actually about is how everyone looks to a past point in history or their own lives and thinks of it as the glory years. Everyone wishes they could go back to a certain time or place, but what they don't realize is that those good times aren't as good as they seem. The further we're removed from the past the more we glorify it. We choose only to remember the positives.
What's this movie actually about? romanticizing the past
I also enjoyed- The Avengers, Flight
I want to see- The Master, The Hobbit, Zero Dark Thirty, Silver Linings Playbook, This is 40, Django Unchained, On the Road
Here are my Week 17 NFL Picks (our national nightmare is finally over)
Jets +3 at Bills
Dolphins +10.5 at Patriots
at Bengals -2.5 vs. Ravens
Browns 0 at Steelers
at Colts +7 at Texans
Jaguars +4 at Titans
Eagles +7 at Giants
Cowboys +3 at Redskins
at Lions +3 vs. Bears
Packers -3.5 at Vikings
Bucs +4.5 at Falcons
at Saints -5 vs. Panthers
Chiefs +16.5 at Broncos
at Chargers -10 vs. Raiders
Cardinals +16.5 at 49ers
Rams +11 at Seahawks
Last Week- 7-9
Season- 109-129-3
Due my self-proclaimed skills as an evaluator of films I've decided to add a new feature to this post. Have you ever read a book/movie/album review where the critic uses words that you've never heard of to explain the deeper meaning of what the work is actually about? I will attempt to reveal the themes of each movies in their simplest form. I may use some big words while employing this reductionist method, but deal with it.
Here are the top 10 movies that I saw in 2012 (3 of them were released in 2011)
10.) Total Recall
I usually hate re-makes (Total Recall was originally released in 1990 and starred Arnold Schwarzenegger), but when you put Jessica Biel and Kate Beckinsale in a movie I'm going to watch it. This may have made the list because my expectations were extremely low and I came out of the theaters pleasantly surprised, but I remain convinced that it's worth the two hours of your time.
What is this movie actually about? class warfare and the corruption of power
9.) Bachelorette
It could be called a Bridesmaids knock off, but I really enjoyed it (again, expectations were low). The humor is a bit raunchy, so don't watch it with mom and dad, but it appeals to both genders. I love Lizzy Caplan and she's both hot and hysterical in this film.
What's this movie actually about? female jealously
8.) Skyfall
This is not my favorite Bond film of all time. In fact, it's only my 2nd favorite of the Daniel Craig films. I still enjoyed it, though, because you know what you're going to get when you see a Bond film; action, guns, crime, sex, and espionage.
What's this movie actually about? the duality between modernity and the past
7.) Drive (2011)
I was pretty sure that Ryan Gosling's performance in this film was going to garner an Oscar nomination last year and I'm still stunned that it didn't. He knocked his understated, reserved role out of the park. He barely said a word throughout the entire thing, which accentuated the quality of his performance. The movie is a neo-noir piece about a heist that goes wrong. There's action, murder, confrontation, and a love interest (the sneaky hot Carey Mulligan).
What's this movie actually about? loyalty, loneliness, and body language
6.) Ted
It's essentially a two hour episode of Family Guy, which means it's hysterical (and obviously funnier if your high). People will be quoting lines from this movie for years to come.
What's this movie actually about? the bond of friendship, growing up, and the effects of marijuana
5.) A Separation (2011)
This Iranian work won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film last year and I heard positive review after positive review, so I finally saw it. It's intense, stirring, and filled with deeper meanings. I doubt that any of you will take the time to see it, but if you do it will definitely force you to think and isn't that what all movies should do?
What's this movie actually about? the many sides of the truth and loyalty to family
4.) Lincoln
I'm a bit of a politics/history freak, so I know that I probably like this movie more than most, but it's worth seeing solely for Daniel Day-Lewis' portrayal of Honest Abe. Halfway through I had to remind myself that it was actually Day-Lewis on the screen and not Lincoln. My main takeaway as I exited the theaters was, "That movie was two and a half hours? It sure didn't seem that long."
What's this movie actually about? our 16th president not slaying vampires
3.) The Dark Knight Rises
There was a lot about this film that I liked and a lot that I didn't, but at the end of the day there's no question that it was incredibly entertaining. It should also be noted that it was next to impossible to live up to The Joker, but Bane came damn close.
What's this movie actually about? privacy, obligation, fate, and coping with loss
2.) Argo
I love politics and I love Ben Affleck. There was almost no chance that I wasn't going to love this movie. Sure the ending is over dramaticized, but the story is still incredible.
What's this movie actually about? faith in a federal bureaucracy and having conviction in a singular idea
1.) Midnight in Paris (2011)
What's this movie actually about? romanticizing the past
I also enjoyed- The Avengers, Flight
I want to see- The Master, The Hobbit, Zero Dark Thirty, Silver Linings Playbook, This is 40, Django Unchained, On the Road
Here are my Week 17 NFL Picks (our national nightmare is finally over)
Jets +3 at Bills
Dolphins +10.5 at Patriots
at Bengals -2.5 vs. Ravens
Browns 0 at Steelers
at Colts +7 at Texans
Jaguars +4 at Titans
Eagles +7 at Giants
Cowboys +3 at Redskins
at Lions +3 vs. Bears
Packers -3.5 at Vikings
Bucs +4.5 at Falcons
at Saints -5 vs. Panthers
Chiefs +16.5 at Broncos
at Chargers -10 vs. Raiders
Cardinals +16.5 at 49ers
Rams +11 at Seahawks
Last Week- 7-9
Season- 109-129-3
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Book It
I rarely opened summer reading books when I was in high school, but as I've gotten older I've developed more of a thirst for literature. Maybe it's one of the few ways to momentarily quench my insatiable desire to keep learning (watching Jeopardy! is another), but reading has become something of a hobby for me over the past few years. I can still only read right before I go to sleep, but when I'm reading something that I like I often read until 2 or 3 a.m. Over the past two or three years I've also been a part of a semi-regular book club (we essentially just recommend books to each other) with my buddy Kyle Korver (he might want to be called Steve Novak now, I'll have to ask him).
I do not claim to be a literary expert, but I have read plenty in 2012 and would like to share some of the work that I enjoyed the most. Before we get to my Top 10 Books That I Read in 2012 I should point out that (just like the title suggests) all of these books were not published in 2012. I just happened to read them over the course of the calendar year.
10.) Plum Island by Nelson Demille
This is the story of a NYC cop who’s convalescing on Long Island and become entangled in the investigation of the murder of an attractive, young couple who were scientists on a island run by the government. It reads almost like a Scooby Doo plot mixed with sex and pirate treasure. My roommate, who recommended the book, insists that it’s the worst of the series, but that I needed to read this one to get the background of the main character. It was entertaining enough to make my top 10, but I don’t think I’ll be reading the second book of the series.
9.) Do Not Ask What Good We Do by Robert Draper
I’m something of a political junkie, so I was pumped to read this account of the inner workings of the House of Representatives. It read like an episode of HBO’s The Newsroom without any drama, urgency, or sizzle.
8.) The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach
This novel is ostensibly about a college baseball player who has an errorless streak going, but it’s more of a campus novel that deals with a multitude of relationships (including a gay one).
7.) Don’t Put Me In Coach by Mark Titus
If you don’t know the story of the former Ohio State walk on that parlayed a popular blog into a job at Grantland.Com then you’re missing out. Titus is simply a funny kid who acted liked an absolute clown while suiting up for one of the best college basketball teams in America. The writing isn't that great, but the stories are fantastic.
6.) The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides
This book is definitely more feminine than what I’m used to, but it won the Pulitzer Prize, so I figured that I’d give it a shot. I wouldn’t say that it was great, but it was well worth my time and I liked how it ended and that’s more than I can say about most books that I read. The story begins on the morning of a college graduation (probably where I’d start a novel if I ever wrote one) and follows the exploits of a female over the next few years as she deals with the real world through the context of her relationship with two guys she knew well in college.
5.) Killing Yourself to Live by Chuck Klosterman
When he was a writer for Spin magazine pop Culture critic/commentator Chuck Klosterman was tasked with traveling the country to visit the places where rock legends died. In this novel we get his inner monologue while on the two week journey. It’s very self-serving (a lot of the book is about his relationships with three different women), but there’s the usual blend of witty and intriguing commentary that we’ve come to expect from Klosterman.
4.) 11/22/63 by Stephen King
If that date doesn’t strike some sort of chord in your head then this book might not be for you. Stephen King messes around with time travel (yay for worm holes) and tells an incredible story about the assassination of JFK. It's about 900 pages, but it's hard to put down.
3.) Risky is the New Safe by Randy Gage
Do you want a glimpse of what the world is going to be like in 10 years? If so, then read this book. Gage does a great job of forecasting the future of the economy and job market. It’s basically a manifesto on why you should immerse yourself with cutting edge technology. If you read this book and aren’t motivated to create more content in your field of work (in whatever capacity) then something is wrong with you.
2.) Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
The writing in this book is off the charts. I read this fast paced thriller in July and am still amazed at the ability of Flynn. Her technical skills as a writer are enormously impressive. The plot is also something to behold. When a wife goes missing her husband works hand in hand with the police before realizing that he’s actually the primary suspect. The chapters alternate from each spouse’s perspective and the amount of suspense, tension, and humor (I laughed out loud at least 20 times) is simply remarkable. I wasn’t wild about the ending, but the ride this book took me on was absolutely worth it.
1.) The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
In this Malcom Gladwell-ish book Duhigg explains how and why we fall into routines (both good and bad). He uses real world examples to illustrate the effect of changed or learned habits including a riveting chapter about how retail stores like Target often know that a woman is pregnant before she does. This book is not going to fix all of your bad habits, but it will give you a better understanding of why you do what you do. I would recommend this book to anyone.
My Week 16 NFL Picks
at Lions +4.5 vs. Falcons
at Packers -13 vs. Titans
at Panthers -8.5 vs. Raiders
Bills +4.5 at Dolphins
at Steelers -4 vs. Bengals
at Jaguars +14.5 vs. Patriots
Colts -6.5 at Chiefs
at Cowboys -2.5 vs. Saints
Redskins -5.5 at Eagles
at Bucs -3 vs, Rams
Giants -2 at Ravens
at Texans -7.5 vs. Vikings
Browns +13.5 at Broncos
at Cardinals +6 vs. Bears
at Seahawks +1 vs. 49ers
at Jets -2 vs. Chargers
Last Week- 4-12
Season- 102-120-3
I do not claim to be a literary expert, but I have read plenty in 2012 and would like to share some of the work that I enjoyed the most. Before we get to my Top 10 Books That I Read in 2012 I should point out that (just like the title suggests) all of these books were not published in 2012. I just happened to read them over the course of the calendar year.
10.) Plum Island by Nelson Demille
This is the story of a NYC cop who’s convalescing on Long Island and become entangled in the investigation of the murder of an attractive, young couple who were scientists on a island run by the government. It reads almost like a Scooby Doo plot mixed with sex and pirate treasure. My roommate, who recommended the book, insists that it’s the worst of the series, but that I needed to read this one to get the background of the main character. It was entertaining enough to make my top 10, but I don’t think I’ll be reading the second book of the series.
9.) Do Not Ask What Good We Do by Robert Draper
I’m something of a political junkie, so I was pumped to read this account of the inner workings of the House of Representatives. It read like an episode of HBO’s The Newsroom without any drama, urgency, or sizzle.
8.) The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach
This novel is ostensibly about a college baseball player who has an errorless streak going, but it’s more of a campus novel that deals with a multitude of relationships (including a gay one).
7.) Don’t Put Me In Coach by Mark Titus
If you don’t know the story of the former Ohio State walk on that parlayed a popular blog into a job at Grantland.Com then you’re missing out. Titus is simply a funny kid who acted liked an absolute clown while suiting up for one of the best college basketball teams in America. The writing isn't that great, but the stories are fantastic.
6.) The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides
This book is definitely more feminine than what I’m used to, but it won the Pulitzer Prize, so I figured that I’d give it a shot. I wouldn’t say that it was great, but it was well worth my time and I liked how it ended and that’s more than I can say about most books that I read. The story begins on the morning of a college graduation (probably where I’d start a novel if I ever wrote one) and follows the exploits of a female over the next few years as she deals with the real world through the context of her relationship with two guys she knew well in college.
5.) Killing Yourself to Live by Chuck Klosterman
When he was a writer for Spin magazine pop Culture critic/commentator Chuck Klosterman was tasked with traveling the country to visit the places where rock legends died. In this novel we get his inner monologue while on the two week journey. It’s very self-serving (a lot of the book is about his relationships with three different women), but there’s the usual blend of witty and intriguing commentary that we’ve come to expect from Klosterman.
4.) 11/22/63 by Stephen King
If that date doesn’t strike some sort of chord in your head then this book might not be for you. Stephen King messes around with time travel (yay for worm holes) and tells an incredible story about the assassination of JFK. It's about 900 pages, but it's hard to put down.
3.) Risky is the New Safe by Randy Gage
Do you want a glimpse of what the world is going to be like in 10 years? If so, then read this book. Gage does a great job of forecasting the future of the economy and job market. It’s basically a manifesto on why you should immerse yourself with cutting edge technology. If you read this book and aren’t motivated to create more content in your field of work (in whatever capacity) then something is wrong with you.
2.) Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
The writing in this book is off the charts. I read this fast paced thriller in July and am still amazed at the ability of Flynn. Her technical skills as a writer are enormously impressive. The plot is also something to behold. When a wife goes missing her husband works hand in hand with the police before realizing that he’s actually the primary suspect. The chapters alternate from each spouse’s perspective and the amount of suspense, tension, and humor (I laughed out loud at least 20 times) is simply remarkable. I wasn’t wild about the ending, but the ride this book took me on was absolutely worth it.
1.) The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
In this Malcom Gladwell-ish book Duhigg explains how and why we fall into routines (both good and bad). He uses real world examples to illustrate the effect of changed or learned habits including a riveting chapter about how retail stores like Target often know that a woman is pregnant before she does. This book is not going to fix all of your bad habits, but it will give you a better understanding of why you do what you do. I would recommend this book to anyone.
My Week 16 NFL Picks
at Lions +4.5 vs. Falcons
at Packers -13 vs. Titans
at Panthers -8.5 vs. Raiders
Bills +4.5 at Dolphins
at Steelers -4 vs. Bengals
at Jaguars +14.5 vs. Patriots
Colts -6.5 at Chiefs
at Cowboys -2.5 vs. Saints
Redskins -5.5 at Eagles
at Bucs -3 vs, Rams
Giants -2 at Ravens
at Texans -7.5 vs. Vikings
Browns +13.5 at Broncos
at Cardinals +6 vs. Bears
at Seahawks +1 vs. 49ers
at Jets -2 vs. Chargers
Last Week- 4-12
Season- 102-120-3
Thursday, December 13, 2012
The Year in Music
If you divided popular culture into different genres you'd probably end up with television, movies, books, art, celebrities, sports, and music. There may be 1-2 others that I'm missing (fashion for example), but those are the big ones. Now I'm not an expert in any of those genres, but I obviously know some of them a whole lot better than the others. I've made no secret about the fact that I don't know music as well as I used to, but just because I'm not an afficionado doesn't mean that I don't have an opinion when it comes to the best songs of the year.
In order to get better informed about the top songs of the year I consulted with a few reputable sources and spent hours listening to hits that I was less familiar with.
Rolling Stone's Top 10 Songs of 2012
1.) “Hold On” by Alabama Shakes
2.) “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” by Taylor Swift
3.) “Take A Walk” by Passion Pit
4.) “Thinking About You” by Frank Ocean
5.) “Ramada Inn” by Neil Young
6.) “Mercy” by Kanye West
7.) “Rocky Ground” by Bruce Springsteen
8.) “Sixteen Saltines” by Jack White
9.) “Pay in Blood” by Bob Dylan
10.) “Emmylou” by First Aid Kit
I could be way off (seeing that I readily admit that I'm out of touch with music), but I don't think this was a great year in music. My reasoning is simple. Rolling Stone actually listed their Top 50 Songs of 2012 and there were an inordinate amount from artists that were popular in the 70s and 80s. Just look at the Top 10. Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen, and Bob Dylan? Their average age is 67. You're telling me that they had three of the best songs of the year? I guess my point is this. If those songs were recorded by three no name artists would they even sniff the Top 100? No chance.
Slant Magazine's Top 10 Songs of 2012
1.) “Take Care” by Drake featuring Rihanna
2.) “Running” by Jessica Ware
3.) “Pyramids” by Frank Ocean
4.) “Gun Has No Trigger” by Dirty Projectors
5.) “Disparate Youth” by Santigold
6.) “I’m Shakin” by Jack White
7.) “Five Seconds” by Twin Shadow
8.) “Hold On” by Alabama Shakes
9.) “1991” by Azealia Banks
10.) “National Anthem” by Lana Del Ray
"Hold On" by Alabama Shakes is on both of these lists, so after listening to it five times I've decided that it's at least worthy of the #10 spot on my list. So we'll start the countdown there...
Best Songs of 2012
10.) “Hold On” by Alabama Shakes- The lead singer looks nothing like what you'd picture.
9.) “Some Nights” by fun.- The title track and probably the best song on their debut album, but it wasn't the song with the most societal cachet.
8.) “Time is Love” by Josh Turner- My cousin who will not be named adopts one country song every year and this was the winner in 2012. I've been on a bit of a country kick the past year and a half and I agree that this song is absolute fire.
7.) “Somebody That I Used To Know” by Gotye- I can't tell you why this song became so popular, but it did.
6.) “No Church in the Wild” by Jay-Z and Kanye West- This would be a badass walk up song for a baseball player. It's also already a fantastic song to hear in movie trailers.
5.) “Home” by Phillip Phillips- I recently found out that this guy was an American Idol contestant (winner?) which made me think slightly less of him, but this song is still fantastic. I also have to ask, what were his parents thinking?
4.) “Whistle” by Flo Rida- This is probably only my 2nd or 3rd favorite Flo Rida song from 2012, but it was definitely the most popular and culturally significant, so therefore it gets the edge. If I put together a Top 10 Artists of 2012 Flo Rida would almost definitely be in the top 3.
3.) “I Will Wait” by Mumford & Sons- Somehow Mumford & Sons have figured out a way to appeal to both men and women.
2.) “We Are Young” by fun.- I can't be the only one who Googled "song from the new chevy commerical" when I first heard this song.
1.) “Springsteen” by Eric Church- There's no doubt that country songs tell the best stories. This one is about hearing a song that takes you back in time. This notion is so relatable. There are a handful of songs that instantly make me think about a certain memory or time in my life when I hear them. It's really pretty amazing how music and memory are so intertwined.
I also enjoyed- “Wild Ones” by Flo Rida featuring Sia, "Even If It Breaks Your Heart" by Eli Young Band, "We Take Care Of Our Own" by Bruce Springsteen
I would be remiss if I didn't mention two of the most popular songs of the year that didn't make my countdown. "Call Me Maybe" by Carly Rae Jepsen should probably have earned a spot on my liste based on sheer popularity, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. It was definitely a huge summer hit, but it got so annoying that whatever positive thoughts I had with regard to it vanished. The other incredibly popular song that was worthy of a spot on my list was "Gangnam Style" by Psy, but I was drowned by the never ending parodies and remakes. Psy also sang an anti-American lyric a few years back, so fuck him.
My Week 15 NFL Picks
at Eagles +4.5 vs. Bengals
Packers -3 at Bears
Giants +1.5 at Falcons
Bucs +3.5 at Saints
at Rams -3 vs. Vikings
Redskins 0 at Browns
Jaguars +7 at Dolphins
at Ravens +3 vs. Broncos
Colts +8.5 at Texans
at Chargers -3 vs. Panthers
at Bills 5.5 vs. Seahawks
Lions -6.5 at Cardinals
Steelers -2 at Cowboys
at Raiders -3 vs. Chiefs
49ers +5.5 at Patriots
Jets +1.5 at Texans
Last week- 6-10
Season- 98-108-3
In order to get better informed about the top songs of the year I consulted with a few reputable sources and spent hours listening to hits that I was less familiar with.
Rolling Stone's Top 10 Songs of 2012
1.) “Hold On” by Alabama Shakes
2.) “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” by Taylor Swift
3.) “Take A Walk” by Passion Pit
4.) “Thinking About You” by Frank Ocean
5.) “Ramada Inn” by Neil Young
6.) “Mercy” by Kanye West
7.) “Rocky Ground” by Bruce Springsteen
8.) “Sixteen Saltines” by Jack White
9.) “Pay in Blood” by Bob Dylan
10.) “Emmylou” by First Aid Kit
I could be way off (seeing that I readily admit that I'm out of touch with music), but I don't think this was a great year in music. My reasoning is simple. Rolling Stone actually listed their Top 50 Songs of 2012 and there were an inordinate amount from artists that were popular in the 70s and 80s. Just look at the Top 10. Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen, and Bob Dylan? Their average age is 67. You're telling me that they had three of the best songs of the year? I guess my point is this. If those songs were recorded by three no name artists would they even sniff the Top 100? No chance.
Slant Magazine's Top 10 Songs of 2012
1.) “Take Care” by Drake featuring Rihanna
2.) “Running” by Jessica Ware
3.) “Pyramids” by Frank Ocean
4.) “Gun Has No Trigger” by Dirty Projectors
5.) “Disparate Youth” by Santigold
6.) “I’m Shakin” by Jack White
7.) “Five Seconds” by Twin Shadow
8.) “Hold On” by Alabama Shakes
9.) “1991” by Azealia Banks
10.) “National Anthem” by Lana Del Ray
"Hold On" by Alabama Shakes is on both of these lists, so after listening to it five times I've decided that it's at least worthy of the #10 spot on my list. So we'll start the countdown there...
Best Songs of 2012
10.) “Hold On” by Alabama Shakes- The lead singer looks nothing like what you'd picture.
9.) “Some Nights” by fun.- The title track and probably the best song on their debut album, but it wasn't the song with the most societal cachet.
8.) “Time is Love” by Josh Turner- My cousin who will not be named adopts one country song every year and this was the winner in 2012. I've been on a bit of a country kick the past year and a half and I agree that this song is absolute fire.
7.) “Somebody That I Used To Know” by Gotye- I can't tell you why this song became so popular, but it did.
6.) “No Church in the Wild” by Jay-Z and Kanye West- This would be a badass walk up song for a baseball player. It's also already a fantastic song to hear in movie trailers.
5.) “Home” by Phillip Phillips- I recently found out that this guy was an American Idol contestant (winner?) which made me think slightly less of him, but this song is still fantastic. I also have to ask, what were his parents thinking?
4.) “Whistle” by Flo Rida- This is probably only my 2nd or 3rd favorite Flo Rida song from 2012, but it was definitely the most popular and culturally significant, so therefore it gets the edge. If I put together a Top 10 Artists of 2012 Flo Rida would almost definitely be in the top 3.
3.) “I Will Wait” by Mumford & Sons- Somehow Mumford & Sons have figured out a way to appeal to both men and women.
2.) “We Are Young” by fun.- I can't be the only one who Googled "song from the new chevy commerical" when I first heard this song.
1.) “Springsteen” by Eric Church- There's no doubt that country songs tell the best stories. This one is about hearing a song that takes you back in time. This notion is so relatable. There are a handful of songs that instantly make me think about a certain memory or time in my life when I hear them. It's really pretty amazing how music and memory are so intertwined.
I also enjoyed- “Wild Ones” by Flo Rida featuring Sia, "Even If It Breaks Your Heart" by Eli Young Band, "We Take Care Of Our Own" by Bruce Springsteen
I would be remiss if I didn't mention two of the most popular songs of the year that didn't make my countdown. "Call Me Maybe" by Carly Rae Jepsen should probably have earned a spot on my liste based on sheer popularity, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. It was definitely a huge summer hit, but it got so annoying that whatever positive thoughts I had with regard to it vanished. The other incredibly popular song that was worthy of a spot on my list was "Gangnam Style" by Psy, but I was drowned by the never ending parodies and remakes. Psy also sang an anti-American lyric a few years back, so fuck him.
My Week 15 NFL Picks
at Eagles +4.5 vs. Bengals
Packers -3 at Bears
Giants +1.5 at Falcons
Bucs +3.5 at Saints
at Rams -3 vs. Vikings
Redskins 0 at Browns
Jaguars +7 at Dolphins
at Ravens +3 vs. Broncos
Colts +8.5 at Texans
at Chargers -3 vs. Panthers
at Bills 5.5 vs. Seahawks
Lions -6.5 at Cardinals
Steelers -2 at Cowboys
at Raiders -3 vs. Chiefs
49ers +5.5 at Patriots
Jets +1.5 at Texans
Last week- 6-10
Season- 98-108-3
Friday, December 7, 2012
Top Tweets
Not only is it Christmas season, but it's also list season. You know, that time of year when anyone and everyone are putting together Top 5's and Top 10's to commemorate the year that was. As a dutiful subject of our society I usually partake in this flurry of lists myself.
To get things started I present to you my Top 15 tweets of the year. Now, as you'll soon find out, these are all tweets composed by me. If I had planned on doing something like this I may have had the foresight to keep a running Word Document of all the tweets by others that I liked, but because I didn't you're left with only the random thoughts that I came up with over the past 12 months.
Now since this is already an extremely narcissitic endeavor I decided not to go ahead and rank the following tweets. Instead they will simply be displayed in chronological order.
Jan 3- I'm not sure if Kendrick Perkins realizes that the common denominator in all of his scuffles is him. - He still doesn't get it.
Jan 15- "The Mayans were right" will undoubtedly be the most overused joke of the year
Feb 12- There's a black guy in Maroon 5? - I'm still stunned by this.
Feb 19- Nah, Gmac, Duany, Melo, Hak, and Forth RT @RJ_Mosley Is the Lin , jr, melo, amare, chandler lineup the most exciting lineup ever created? - Let's Go Orange.
Mar 31- If the taco Erving Walker stole had a Nacho Cheese Dorito shell then I totally understand. - In case you aren't aware, former Florida basketball player Erving Walker was arrested for stealing a $3 taco and fleeing the scene. After he was caught he claimed he was, "just playing around," but he ended up having to pay $301 as punishment.
May 2- Worked on Mike and Mike this morning and found out that Greeny and Golic thought that my name was Stan Zick. - About 5-6 people at work, including the entire show staff of Mike and Mike, continue to call me Stan Zick (even in emails) to this day.
Jul 8- @GottliebShow Federer winning at Wimbledon is evidence that Tiger will win the Masters at least one more time - I stand by this comment. Federer was not the strongest or best athlete in the field at Wimbledon, but his past success there helped him out immensely and I believe that Tiger's familiarity at Augusta will help him win the Masters at least one more time before it's all said and done.
Aug 2- There's an entire drawer in my house dedicated solely to Taco Bell hot, fire, and mild sauce. - True story.
Sep 3- My junior prom date is married? Thanks Facebook
Sep 7- Just delicately walked by Amare Stoudemire in the hall way and tried not to breathe for fear of injuring him. - He ended up getting hurt anyway.
Sep 9- The Mount Rushmore of celebrities that don't age- Coach K, Bob Costas, Gwen Stefani, and Faith Hill - As it was later pointed out to me, the original celebrity that didn't age was Dick Clark.
Sep 13- I'm convinced that people only buy iPads to tell people that they have an iPad and so that their emails say "Sent from my iPad"
Sep 30- You know a TV show's going to suck when its name could pass for an MLS or WNBA team. #ChicagoFire
Oct 17- HD TV has come a long way, but isn't it interesting that it's still hard to tell if it's raining somewhere?
Oct 31- My brother shaved his head to be Mr. Clean one year and his hair never really grew back. #Halloween - Also a true story.
Here are my NFL picks for Week 14
at Raiders +10 vs. Broncos
at Redskins -2.5 vs. Ravens
Chiefs +6 at Browns
at Steelers -8 vs. Chargers
at Colts -5.5 vs. Titans
at Jaguars -2.5 vs. Jets
Bears -3 at Vikings
at Panthers +3.5 vs. Falcons
at Bucs -7.5 vs. Eagles
Rams +3 at Bills
at Bengals -3 vs. Cowboys
Dolphins +10 at 49ers
at Giants -5 vs. Saints
Cardinals +10.5 vs. Seahawks
at Packers -6.5 vs. Lions
Texans +3.5 at Patriots
Last week- 8-8
Season- 92-98-3
To get things started I present to you my Top 15 tweets of the year. Now, as you'll soon find out, these are all tweets composed by me. If I had planned on doing something like this I may have had the foresight to keep a running Word Document of all the tweets by others that I liked, but because I didn't you're left with only the random thoughts that I came up with over the past 12 months.
Now since this is already an extremely narcissitic endeavor I decided not to go ahead and rank the following tweets. Instead they will simply be displayed in chronological order.
Jan 3- I'm not sure if Kendrick Perkins realizes that the common denominator in all of his scuffles is him. - He still doesn't get it.
Jan 15- "The Mayans were right" will undoubtedly be the most overused joke of the year
Feb 12- There's a black guy in Maroon 5? - I'm still stunned by this.
Feb 19- Nah, Gmac, Duany, Melo, Hak, and Forth RT @RJ_Mosley Is the Lin , jr, melo, amare, chandler lineup the most exciting lineup ever created? - Let's Go Orange.
Mar 31- If the taco Erving Walker stole had a Nacho Cheese Dorito shell then I totally understand. - In case you aren't aware, former Florida basketball player Erving Walker was arrested for stealing a $3 taco and fleeing the scene. After he was caught he claimed he was, "just playing around," but he ended up having to pay $301 as punishment.
May 2- Worked on Mike and Mike this morning and found out that Greeny and Golic thought that my name was Stan Zick. - About 5-6 people at work, including the entire show staff of Mike and Mike, continue to call me Stan Zick (even in emails) to this day.
Jul 8- @GottliebShow Federer winning at Wimbledon is evidence that Tiger will win the Masters at least one more time - I stand by this comment. Federer was not the strongest or best athlete in the field at Wimbledon, but his past success there helped him out immensely and I believe that Tiger's familiarity at Augusta will help him win the Masters at least one more time before it's all said and done.
Aug 2- There's an entire drawer in my house dedicated solely to Taco Bell hot, fire, and mild sauce. - True story.
Sep 3- My junior prom date is married? Thanks Facebook
Sep 7- Just delicately walked by Amare Stoudemire in the hall way and tried not to breathe for fear of injuring him. - He ended up getting hurt anyway.
Sep 9- The Mount Rushmore of celebrities that don't age- Coach K, Bob Costas, Gwen Stefani, and Faith Hill - As it was later pointed out to me, the original celebrity that didn't age was Dick Clark.
Sep 13- I'm convinced that people only buy iPads to tell people that they have an iPad and so that their emails say "Sent from my iPad"
Sep 30- You know a TV show's going to suck when its name could pass for an MLS or WNBA team. #ChicagoFire
Oct 17- HD TV has come a long way, but isn't it interesting that it's still hard to tell if it's raining somewhere?
Oct 31- My brother shaved his head to be Mr. Clean one year and his hair never really grew back. #Halloween - Also a true story.
Here are my NFL picks for Week 14
at Raiders +10 vs. Broncos
at Redskins -2.5 vs. Ravens
Chiefs +6 at Browns
at Steelers -8 vs. Chargers
at Colts -5.5 vs. Titans
at Jaguars -2.5 vs. Jets
Bears -3 at Vikings
at Panthers +3.5 vs. Falcons
at Bucs -7.5 vs. Eagles
Rams +3 at Bills
at Bengals -3 vs. Cowboys
Dolphins +10 at 49ers
at Giants -5 vs. Saints
Cardinals +10.5 vs. Seahawks
at Packers -6.5 vs. Lions
Texans +3.5 at Patriots
Last week- 8-8
Season- 92-98-3
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