Songs 10-1

The final 10. These are the songs that stood out the most and left the most lasting impression on me. I hope you enjoy the songs as well, but I make no attempt to make them “popular” or “cool”. These are the songs that had the affect on MY life.

So, as the Doctor would say: Allons-y!

10.  “Birth and Death of the Day” – Explosions In The Sky

Instrumental rock done to perfection.  They have a way of drawing every emotion out of you that they can, and it’s amazing music.  I got this album a few months before I started at my current job, and when I gave a copy of it to a coworker I said “Birth and Death of the Day is the most epic song.  I nearly drove off the freeway drumming along the other night” (which was 100% true).  The next morning all he said was “I know exactly where you were in that song when you drove off the road.  I did the same thing”.    I will leave it to you to find.

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Songs 20-11

20.  “New Slang” – The Shins

In Garden State, Sam (Natalie Portman) hands her headphones to Andrew (Zach Braff) and says “You gotta hear this one song — it’ll change your life; I swear.”  She wasn’t lying.

Listen

19.  “Glósóli” – Sigur Rós

Whilst watching the music video is NOT a prerequisite, it certainly adds a new level of enjoyment to this fabulous song.

Listen

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Songs 49 – 21

49.  “Still Fighting It” – Ben Folds

I first heard this song outside Jamie’s house after a party or something.  Jordan (formerly of OMJ and currently of The Gorgeous Hussies/Wailing O’Sheas) played it for us on his car radio.  I was hooked immediately and jumped on napster (or possibly limewire) to get the album as soon as I got home.

I have since legally purchased it.

Listen

48.  “Bleeder” – Emiliana Torrini

Another musician from Iceland, which has such a great musical culture.  This is quite simple, relying on only a small smattering of instruments and beautiful lyrics to make it’s point.  If you don’t listen to anything in this round, make sure to listen to this one.

Listen

47.  “Flugeldar” – Johann Johannsson

More Icelandic music.  This is a beautiful piano piece that builds to something spectacular.  I wish I could find the sheet music for this so I could learn to play it.

Listen

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Top 100 Songs of the Decade: Songs 75-50

75. “Everything Evil” – Coheed & Cambria

Progressive rock at it’s finest. My friend Pud had been raving about this album for some time so I decided to purchase it from Smart Punk. Quite glad I did. The Coheed & Cambria albums tell the story of “The Armory Wars”, which is a pretty cool premise for the music.
Listen

74. “Vi Sitter i Ventrilo och Spelar Dota” – Basshunter

Yes. I like Europop or whatever you would like to call it. This song is catchy and is about playing video games, so you can’t go wrong with it.
Don’t judge me.
Listen

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Top 100 Favourite Songs of the Decade 100-76

I have been kicking around an idea for 100 songs for a while, but could never decide how to classify them.  Should I put them as the top 100 of all time?  Top 100 of the year?  Top 100 songs that get me through the day without hitting someone? It was too hard to narrow it down, and as I am the laziest person I know, I quit putting any effort whatsoever into it.  Then I got added to a note on facebook a few days ago by a buddy from High School.  He had compiled his top 100 Songs (and then followed it up with albums) of the past decade.  I knew how to do it and set out compiling my own lists.

Anyone who knows me realizes how much music is a part of my life.  I can hear a song and be instantly transported to times when I heard that song.  Nick Drake’s “From The Morning” will always remind me of camping and bonfires and the clear, crisp, Utah mountain air.  Of looking at the expanse of stars in the heavens and great friends.

So, where to start?  A 100 songs is a lot!  Sure, I have over 9000 songs on my ipod, but narrowing it down to 100 that where recorded in the last ten years was quite difficult.  I decided to start with the songs that had the strongest emotions attached to them.  Something that defined me, defined some time or event  in the last 10 years and were featured on heavy rotation in my listening schedule.  It was still difficult to come up with 100, but I made it.

I will say up front that songs 100-11 could pretty much be in any order.  Just because a song is number 22 doesn’t mean it is any less important than song 11, or more important that song 70.  It’s just where it feel into place here.  The top 10, however, are the most significant and meaningful to me, hence their spot on the list.

I will try to include links so you can hear it if you feel so inclined.  You don’t have to listen to everything, or even the whole song but I encourage you to listen to as many as you can.

Right.  So let’s get started.

100.  “Summer’s Gone” – Aberfeldy

I only downloaded this album because they were Scottish.  I am glad I went with just that, as I have enjoyed this album since 2005 when it showed up on my ipod (a measly 4gb one!  How did I manage with that?!)  I was driving down South Weber Drive when I first really heard this song and put it on repeat the whole way home.  Bouncy pop-rock with the nice addition of a xylophone can never go wrong.

Listen

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Since I got written up for this anyway…

So, I got written up for posting this at work. The person who actually did post it told the boss, but apparently that wasn’t good enough for them. So, I am posting it here so we can at least all read it and laugh.

How to prepare for the zombiepocalypse

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NYC part 2

FoTC Computer Shop

This is the computer shop from Flight of the Conchords.  Brett and Jermaine’s apt is right above this, and the “owners” join Brett’s gang in one episode after their sign is graffitied.

The Great Lawn

Jacob and I went by the Great Lawn at Central Park one of the days.  This is a few towards the east or the north or something.  I don’t remember.  But it is facing a direction, I assure you of that.

Mets game

Mets game again.

Something at the reservoir

I don’t know what this is.  But I took a picture anyway.

City View

Another view of the city from the reservoir.

A cool globe

This is just a cool globe I would see every morning.

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View of the city from the Staten Island Ferry

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The Temple…and the Tour Guides head

Angel Moroni

Angel Moroni

Boat

This was just a cool boat.  If I knew were they offered tours I would have gotten one.

Bull

I didn’t seek out this photo, but once here I felt obliged to take it.

Chrysler Building

Chrysler Building.  I took this from the bus.

Empire State

Empire State Building from the bus.

Flat Iron Building

Flat Iron Building, also taken from the bus.

McD's

McDonald’s in China Town

ChinaTown

A cool place in China Town.

Bridge

This is a photo of a bridge from another bridge.  That is about as accurate as I can be right now.

Bridge 2

Further along the bridge.  You can see the Statue of Liberty.

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The Watchtower.  You know you wanted to see this giant building.

Tiny Hotel Room

This is my tiny hotel room, with my dirty laundry in the corner.  I am backed up against the wall to get this shot.

Natural History Museuem

The statue in front of the Natural History Museum.

Saint John the Divine

This is above one of the doorways of The Cathedral of Saint John Divine.

Saint John The Divine

A zoomed out shot of the the Cathedral.

The Apollo

The Apollo Theatre and the Michael Jackson wall.

Mosque

This was the mosque that Malcom X used to preach at if I remember right.

Max Brenner

Lunch at Max Brenner.  I thought it would be all hype, but it was quite delicious.

Elton Johns

I almost bought these at the street market think by Union Square.  This is my Elton John look.

RTH

This is a Red-Tail Hawk about half way done with the moult to Haggard feathers.  This was in Union Square Park if I remember right.  Not the best photo but it was the best I could get.

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NYC

A few pics from my trip last week to NYC. Many, many, many thanks to my bro in law Jacob for ferrying me around and showing me the sites. Thanks man!  I made the photos smaller in the post, but you can click on them to see full size.

Brett and Jermaine's Apartment from Flight of the Conchords

Brett and Jermaine's Apartment from Flight of the Conchords

This is was one of the first stops on the trip.  Flight of the Conchords is one of the best shows on the planet, and the humour got even better when we noticed a sign on the door:

Vacated

Vacated

I hope this somehow ends up in the show (if it hasn’t already).  I laughed pretty hard at this.

Bullfrogs

Bullfrogs

After the apartment, we walked through China town (where the apt is).  Didn’t get many photos but this one was a must.  An old lady came up and washed her hands in this water while we were standing there watching.  Bizarre.

Mets Game

Mets Game

Jacob and I got tickets to the Mets game.  Was my first Major League game, and it was a lot of fun, even with the no sleep and jet lag.

Jacob at Citi Field

Jacob at Citi Field

Jacob at Citi Field.  By this point, I think he had about 15 hot dogs.

Reservoir

Reservoir

Went by the Reservoir in Central Park.

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Creme Brulee

Creme Brulee

Em wanted to eat at Caracas Arepa Bar (which was feature on a Throwdown with Bobby Flay).  It was delicious, at least mine and Jacob’s were good. After, we found the Dessert Truck where I bought a creme brulee.  It was possibly the best dessert I have ever had.

Wilkommen

Wilkommen

This is blurry, but I had to get this photo in Times Square.

Times Square

Times Square

Times Square was a lot of fun.  They shut down the street to traffic a few weeks ago so its all pedestrian traffic anymore.

Statue

Statue

This statue is outside Central Park and across from Columbus Circle where I would meet Jacob in the mornings.  Yes, there is a surgical mask on the statue on the right.

City view

City view

This is the view of the city from the Staten Island Ferry.

Lady Liberty

Lady Liberty

Statue of Liberty from the Staten Island Ferry.

More to come later!

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*creative/witty post title*

I haven’t bothered posted for a while, things have been busy.

My dad has another gallery at Antelope Island right now, and was recently featured in a story in the Davis County Clipper.  You can read that here.

Some music: Explosions in the Sky – Your Hand In Mine (Goodbye) (XO, I told you this song was amazing).

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Viva La Revolución

There is an amazing dive restaurant that serves the best Chinese food I have ever had.  I had a 13 hour day today, so I wanted something filling.  I had mongolian beef.

My fortune cookie had the most interesting fortune I have ever seen:

“discontent is the first step in the progress of a man or a nation”

Ok, Chairman Mao.  Thanks for the heads up.

Viva La Revolución

Viva La Revolución

I know the photo is blurry.  I make no apologies for this.  Just enjoy.  And please, join my revolution, thanks.

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Festival of Colours

Listen to this while reading this post:

Kira Willey – Colors

Saturday found me, Cory, Jules and Tye driving to Spanish Fork to celebrate Holi at the Krishna Temple. The Temple is quite a beautiful building, and a rather odd site. You drive through rural Utah County and then on a hill is this beautiful Indian building.

Holi, or the Festival of Colours, is a festival to welcome in Spring and also to celebrate the escape of Prahlad from the demoness Holika. There are some other cool, cultural things and the story is much better than just that sentence, but you should look it up on your own. I don’t want to write a paper here.
The best part of Holi for me is throwing of colours. I knew what to expect going in. But I had to idea what it was really like. When the colour throwing started full on (we had a few false starts), I couldn’t see more than about a foot and breathing was nearly impossible. It was brilliant! I’ve been coughing up multi colour gunk since Saturday.
This picture shows it, but you can’t really appreciate how thick and colourful it all is unless you are actually in the middle of the cloud.
Cloud of Colour

(PS, I didn’t ask this photographer for permission. I just totally linked it. Please visit: http://jarviestudios.com/blog/2008/03/lots-of-colors/ to see even more).
We were absolutely covered after this, and all the barriers that were there beforehand were completely shattered. Everyone was friends after that. We were all the same.

Here is all 4 of us (I totally stole this from Jules). Yes, Cory got a mouthful of it somehow and it was all over his teeth.
Festival Of Colours
For more, check out Jules post:
http://juleshouse.blogspot.com/2009/03/holi-festival-of-colors.html

Here are some links about or photos from the events:
http://www.utahkrishnas.com/main/page.asp?id=1332
http://jarviestudios.com/blog/2009/03/holi-festival-photography-tips/
http://www.801creative.smugmug.com/gallery/7748165_cVskq#501016156_wugnS
(my favourite photo of the event: http://801creative.smugmug.com/photos/501195751_dty7u-L-1.jpg)

*note to self: next year bring a camera*

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Best.Workday.Ever

I bought kites. Yes, $1, Wal-Mart special Kites.

And they are awesome.

When your day is going crappy, all you need to do is walk out the back door, and let the kite into the wind. The rest of your break will be magical.

Kite!

Bryce took some photos of his kite actually flying. I focused on having fun. His photos are here.

Bet you want a kite now.

Here is some music by Seu Jorge singing David Bowie songs in Portuguese. I know what you are thinking: “how could David Bowie songs ever be improved?” Right? Well Seu Jorge has improved them.
Seu Jorge – When I Live My Dreams

Seu Jorge – Changes

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Johan The Angel

Johan the Angel is a great band name.

Seriously, it is.

I know the links are broken at the side. I jacked something up, sorry. I will fix it soon.
Fixed.

Enjoy this song:
Johan The Angel – Hymn : O’er Frozen Caps

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Skytrials

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A gorgeous Peregrine Falcon someone had.  The bird in the background is a Prairie Falcon.

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This is Sugar, the prairie falcon.

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Jasper the Harris Hawk

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Ben and his tiercel Golden Eagle

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Matt’s intermewed Red-tail Hawkdscf0271

Andy and Jasper

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Winterfest

All these pics sucks, sorry.  I will try to get them updated later today.
Eddie and Jasper

Eddie and Jasper

Jasper in a tree

Jasper in a tree

Eddie was excited to show off Jasper’s training.  Jasper had an immediate response…but then veered off course for the tree.

Eddie and Jasper again

Eddie and Jasper again

Eddie is trying to coax Jasper out of the tree.  It took a while, but he did come down.

cool hood

I don’t know who this is, but I really liked the hood his Harris was wearing.  He was a really nice guy too, helped me get Jasper off my shoulder when he freaked out.

Sugar

Sugar

This is the only picture of Sugar I got this time.

Great Horned Owl

The Ross and Susan’s Great Horned Owl.  He was VERY interested in a some birds in a tree and I couldn’t get a decent shot at him.

Peregrine

I don’t know who’s Peregrine this was.

Peregrine again

The same Peregrine

peregrine again

The same Peregrine

Kestrel

I don’t know who’s bird this is.  This is a male Kestrel.

Gyrlin

Ben’s Black Merlin x Black Gyr hybrid.  This is my favourite bird.

Golden Eagle

Ben’s Golden Eagle.  I couldn’t get as close as I wanted so this picture will have to suffice.

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