Brian's regrets for the year 2008

1. Having ever studied political science and all the other forward-thinking classes at the UW, that allow me the inclusion to the notion that Barack Obama is not the savior of the world I have been looking for; but just another moderate politician. And, while he sure looks progressive compared with his predecessor, the important fact here is that only moderate politicians get elected to office in the US. I guess I will have to wait for that real revolution, although—at least for four years—I wont have to worry about my president anymore.

2. For thinking that I had found my dream job with Dr. Dan's Biodiesel. I should have known when I found that the company was dramatically in debt, being sued by another company, and unable to compete with the rest of the bio-diesel dealers in Washington. Moreover, I should have really known when Dr. Dan himself started showing signs that he was going to be hard to work with/for. I won't say any more here but, I had the skills, drive, and knowhow to help this guy to—at least—not have to worry about some of his business issues, or even fix them in some cases, and yet still he made the daily decision to be a fucking asshole. Good luck with the future Diesel Dan!!!

3. Not having tried out for bands. Not having formed my own band. Not having made more of my own music. Not having pushed more people to make music with me. I have been out of work for almost three months and I have had all this free time and still I have only written lame acoustic guitar shit. This is not music—it's for open mic's—and pretending to have issues that only I suffer from. I don't have any issues other than the fact that I can't find a job and am not in a rock band; using electrified instruments, being loud, jamming for no other reason other than its fun, endlessly thinking up lame band names, and making fun of acoustic singer song writers.

4. Watching too much TV. It started with Jeopardy; I had no problem liking a quiz show. And, then I found that I liked that damn Terminator show with the girl from Firefly. Then I found that Heroes was pretty damn good as well. Oh, yeah and that show with Christian Slater where his brain switches between family man and hit-man; that one is also alright. Who can I thank for this new time/brain sucking pastime. Well Netflix for being fucking slow and Hollywood video for having late fees, and raising their rental prices past five dollars, and for being owned my Mormons who don't deserve any of my damn money. Oh well, in February our antenna won't work and we don't have one of those damn digital boxes, and I will have a job so I can go out again instead of wasting time in front of the damn stupid box, smoking from the dumb pipe—wait Lost is coming back isn't it, time to get out the trusty dumb pipe!!!

5. Not pursuing any of my invention ideas. Seriously I think a guitar pick dispensing PEZ container with rock star caricature is money if I have ever heard the sound of money flowing in (whoosh)! Oh yeah, and the reflexology shoe inserts with different functions for each one is also gold. People will pay through their asses for happiness, and well being, and detoxification, and whatever other feeling I can create in a textured shoe insert. In case you don't know the foot is the gateway for communication with the body, seriously a foot massage is way more rewarding than a back massage. My other invention is a cell phone signal blocking device that can be placed in schools and businesses to block kids and their less mature adult counterparts from completely using their cell phones while in class, waiting in line at the post office, ordering coffee, and any other situation that could apply. Don't steal these people!

6. I regret not writing more. Seriously I have been complaining how journalism is dead and my degree is pretty much useless, but when it comes down to it—not doing a thing about it. It's not Journalism that's dead; more aptly its the daily newspapers, some forms of journalistic writing (see: music), and journalists being the watchdogs over government that appear to be losing ground. I can write and love doing it and know that the the money in writing is on the web; or better yet with personal web sites aimed at a certain subset of society. All I need is an idea (Ballard Living, Green Ideas, Everyday Activism), some well written content, and the ability to market myself, and I will make money. Advertisers are out there, and just waiting to be tapped.

7. Not having brewed my own beer. Fellow beer lovers, we should all be doing this, and the incentive not only lies in letting other people try out your home brewed goodness, but also in the notion that everyone I have ever talked to that brews their own beer has relayed that the people sampling their home brews say it's better than a lot of the micros out there. Fuck I could be drinking Brian's Chocolate Starfish Brown, or BK's Intercourse IPA, and my personal favorite: That Time of the Month Red. Seriously they would all be delicious and I could design my own labels; design ideas for the above three already come to mind: Think of a Starbucks like logo with the spread-eagle mermaid, yet sick, twisted, nasty, and comical.

8. This is the year when I could have started the novel I have been thinking about for almost four years. I have this constant narrative running through my brain and everything and everyone I come into contact with is morphing that narrative into a more cohesive idea to put into said novel. One of these days—hopefully soon—I will sit down at this very screen and start writing and not stop until the idea is seen through to its fullest (OK I will get up to poop and eat and then poop again). You should be excited about this notion as well because you all are in it; your names might not be the same but its unmistakably you, or even a bunch of you put into one, and since I care about and respect you all, you will be represented in a honorable fashion. To this I swear!

9. I regret that this list is not as funny as prior years list. In the past when I have compiled these things they are filled with humorous social commentary and funny rantings and ravings about my observations; albeit, this years list has a sense of foreboding to it that—while I am not totally comfortable with—I can honestly say it's just the way it came out. So for that, anyone that wasted the time to read past the first three entries of this list, I am truly sorry. My life has been one of uncertainty lately. Next year at this time I could be in Fort Collins, Colorado, or I could be in Portland, or even right her in the first city I loved: Ballard, with my dream job.

10. I turned thirty years old this year. I went on a month-long road trip with someone I love. I did the best job I could to comfort a family member that was sick and in need. I listened to more albums of music than probably anyone I know; and found a way to monetarily support the bands that I thought good. I checked off a lot of stuff from that big list that we all have of “things to do.” I got in better control of my drinking and my drinking habits. I completed several really great landscaping projects for people and have the pictures to prove it. I got really creative in the kitchen, perfected all my old stand-by meals, and in turn ate better than I ever had. I exercised a lot and felt good about it. I told someone something that I had been meaning to tell them along time ago. I didn't take any shit from anybody and sent them my pity for failing at life (M,B,S,A). I don't regret any of these things actually, and realize that I could have gone on forever with this number as a lot of good happened this year; but that would have been annoying and I'm sure that you would rather be reading about the Palin family baby born out of wedlock, or Jeremy Piven's mercury poisoning, or whatever else TMZ thinks is news!

Brian's top albums of 2008. . .

Love as laughter - Holy. This album is really good. I don't know it took me a while to like it, and now I put it on without even thinking about it. I know the CD art and just spot it and put it in without even realizing it. Thanks Isaac for finding this band and pushing them into the Sub Pop family.

David Byrne and Brian Eno - Everything that happens will happen today. Ok, the first time these two collaborated it wasn't anything special, but now with "Everything" they seem to have found a sound that really makes sense at the time when it was made. Note to other bands try and do this, and you will be famous, or at least be noticed as that's all that really matters nowadays.

Valient Thorr - Immortalizer. This band is more rock than any band out there today. They are sweaty, denim clad, bearded, head banging rockers that will give you their kidney's if you need it. Well not really, but their lead singer Valient Himself did document his kidney removal for his own father in their—really solid music dvd—In Heat.

Titus Andronicus - Airing of Grievances. This band came out of nowhere and for some people they never came out at all. Their debut album is so visceral one might mistake it for a really good live album. The album has its highs and lows, but as a whole it is still better mix of musicianship and feeling than any album that came out this year; remember the name it will give you points.

Fucked Up - The chemistry of common life. I hate hardcore music. I hate that you have to sing in certain way to be categorized as hardcore. Point of fact, I hate tag lines for music in general; and its for that reason that I loved Fucked Up's latest. This album is not hardcore, but the lead singer sings like it is. In all the reviews I read for this album "reviewers" had problems categorizing it and that means that the band was able to accomplish something that hardly any band this year did, it made the listener think about what kind of music this exactly is. My answer: just music.

Kay Kay and his Weathered Underground - Self. Every time I get sick of local music, some band comes along and reminds me that there is a good band for all the bad ones (see: Throw Me The Statue, Jaguar Love, Grand Archives). Kay Kay features the former lead man from Gatsby's American Dream with a large supporting cast including members of the Lashes and the live band for the Blue Scholars. What they sound like is for you to determine, but should you—yes!

New Albums by Kings Of Leon, Cold War Kids, The Hold Steady, My Morning Jacket, and TV On The Radio: These bands were just buzz bands a year ago and now they are the mainstay acts to see as headliners, and sure bets for albums of the year. One look at www.metacritic.com shows just how many top ten lists these bands made with their latest releases.

Colour Revolt - Plunder Beg and Curse. This is the best band you have never heard of. Plain and simple, post-punk is a used up genre but these Mississippians do it right, and how they do it seems to be all their own. For evidence of this go over to www.daytrotter.com and search the bands name. They have a terrific sensibility for melody and timing and with those elements they excel.

Conor Oberst and The Mystic Valley Band - Conor Oberst. When you go on a road trip like I did at the end of the summer of 2008, its always good to have good road music. And, there was no better road music than the first "real" solo record from the Bright Eyes front man. This album just breathes freedom with lines such as, "when I get to moab and get my canteen filled, there's nothing that the road cannot heal."

Wolf Parade - At Mt. Zoomer. This album is a little too good; I mean not really, but seriously the players on this record know how to make music. Then I saw them live and they were young, not just out of high school, young but pretty young, and it made me wonder if hipsters had found a way to sell their souls to the devil for – all to tight – pants, and a musical style that shows a knowledge of music past ones own age and ability to absorb mass amounts of quality music.

Honorable Mentions: Oasis – Dig out your soul, Blitzen Trapper – Furr, Stephen Malkamus – Real emotional Trash, Toadies – No Deliverance, The Roots – Rising Down, The Verve – Forth, Raconteurs – Consolers of the Lonely, The Little Ones – Morning Tide, The Cops – Free Electricity, Spiritualized – Songs in A & E, Shim – Feel like a king, Scott Weiland – Happy in Golashes, The Night Watchmen – The fabled city, Mars Volta – Bedlam in Goliath, Los Campesinos – We are beautiful we are doomed, Brian Wilson – That lucky old sun, Elbow – That seldom seen kid, Common Market – Tobacco road, Annuals – Such Fun, Eagles of Death Metal – Heart On, Foals – Antidote, Jay Retard – Matador singles, The Knux – Remind me in three days, and just for Axl—Guns and Roses – Chinese Democracy.