two zero zero six

Time on the X-Axis, Fortune on the Y-Axis

Before we all go panties-on-our-head about what's going to be in this post, let me sum it up like this:

January-May: Don't remember.
June-August 25: Bored.
August 25-26: Dis-O!
August 27-September 16: Happy!
September 17-December 21: Fuck!
December 22-December 31: Not So Fuck!

There should be something really, really awful about summing my year up in six lines. After all: I'm a complex human being with feelings. But the gist of it is true. I actually don't remember much before the summer, except that it was the second semester at Rice and it was probably fun. And there was Beer Bike, which it just an enormous positive blur in my head. I remember the summer, because I spent a good amount of it doing circles in a nice office chair while working diligently for the US Government. I remember coming back to Rice, and how fun that was. And then it seemed like things just sort of went downhill from there.

The positive thing is that I'm ending this year on an upbeat feeling. My grades are better than they've ever been, my life feels like it's headed in the right direction, and I finally feel like I've earned (or re-earned) the respect of everyone around me. Go me. HAPPY FEELINGS.

Enough about me. Let's break down a few Top 10's.

Top Ten New Artists of Kyle's Life in 2006
Not necessarily music that came out in 2006, but music that came (or rather, came back in the case of Muse) to me in 2006.

1. Muse
2. Explosions in the Sky
3. Gang of Four
4. Editors
5. Spoon
   
6. She Wants Revenge
7. Gnarls Barkley
8. Massive Attack
9. The National
   
10. Hard-fi

Top 10 Songs of 2006
Self-explanatory.

1. Beck - Elevator Music
2. Gnarls Barkley - Crazy
3. Muse - Knights of Cydonia
4. Jurassic 5 - Work It Out
5. The Killers - Sam's Town
6. Muse - Starlight
7. Elefant - Sirens
8. T.I. - What You Know
9. OK Go - Here It Goes Again
10. Tool - 10,000 Days

Best movie I saw this year: The Fountain
I almost cried. Yeah, it was moving. And I'm man enough to admit it. Let's see if you're man enough to call me a pussy over the Internet, uhuhuhuhuh. Runner-ups: The Departed, Casino Royale.

Favorite Party: Beer Bike
Come on. It's an all-day drunkfest from 7ish in the morning until pass-out time around 4 or 5 in the morning the next day. Beer Bike is also my best memory of the Long Hall seniors and running crew. Nothing like starting with a box of Franzia and ending by watching Happiness. Runner-up: Festivus Party 2006, because we got everyone laid.

Person of the Year: Me
Like every year. Runner-ups: Louis Warner, because he's the badass-est.

Pet of the Year: Lil Turrl
The resident snapping turtle of the WRC 90's. He's fucking boss.

New Years Resolution: No Smoking
Okay, that might be an embellishment. Like I've said before, there's hardly ever anything besides my willpower and concern for my own will and respect for my mommy that keeps me from smoking. I might allow myself the weekly slip, but smoking on the weekdays is over.

If This Year Could Talk, It Would Say:
"I hope you were paying attention."

And I Would Say:
"Don't worry, I was."