Best of lists!
Here’s what I found to be the most rad in 2012:
On the subject of music. I listened to a whopping two records that were released in 2012. The rest of my tuneage was basically comprised of records I’ve worn out over the last few years: Sam Cooke’s Greatest Hits for everyday merriment; John Coltrane and Miles Davis for house-related activities; Strike Anywhere, Every Time I Die and Refused for those empty-newsroom, gonna-destroy-this-report-on-the-county-government-finance-subcommittee-meeting-and-then-go-buy-some-snacks days; and The National’s entire catalog for basically everything else.
So, Record of the Year — and I mean it, this was my favorite record this year and it just so happened to be released in 2012: Polica “Give Up the Ghost”. Also, a nod to Tycho “Walk” (2011), synthy, instrumental ethereal stuff that made for great running tunes. Take, for instance, my favorite track (note the little riff at 1:38):
Hat tip to Senneca for the recommendations.
Best Fiction Books:
1. “East of Eden” John Steinbeck
2. “The Fountainhead” Ayn Rand, who, by the way, has just been getting SHIT on since the GOP kidnapped her.
3. “Corrections” Franzen
Best Nonfiction:
1. “Omnivore’s Dilemma” Michael Pollan
2. “The Big Short” Michael Lewis
3. “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass” Frederick Douglass
4. “People’s History…” Howard Zinn
5. “Outliers” Malcolm Gladwell
Assorted:
Best Show that I finally got around to viewing: Mad Men
Best Movie: Batman?
Best Discovery: Coffee, honestly, how the fuck did I operate over the years?
Best Use of $20: Sports Illustrated subscription
Best Product that Changed My Life: Wool socks, for the second straight year
Best “Damn, I’m so Caucasian” moment: Tie — Yoga and Joining a CSA
Best Tweet: @DadBoner: “Wonder why Stone Cold Steve Austin’s never been in the olympics? Woulda loved to see him stun some french corncob back to cheese town.”
Best At Flooding My Twitter Feed: the intern who runs Obama’s handle.
Best Use of My Time at This Exact Moment: Snowboarding
Off to the hill.
Love, Lou