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Merry Christmas nerds. We are snowed in, Charlotte NC, low on beer and cold meds. Santa made a mighty deposit yesterday, and the kitchen elves were particularly active, rendering roasts and roasted things. A smashing event, full nog.

Good day to bang out the year's best. At least the best we were able to muster. Didn't get to a bunch. Saving for an air conditioned vehicle.

Kind of a more singles year, band's seem less capable or interested in making full length rippers these days. With a few couple of exceptions. The usual white FM from TX, though we did purchase the Kanye thing. We could stand a macho-up.

In order:


1. Walkmen "Lisbon"

The only instance this year where I succumbed to restraint.

2. Deerhunter "Halcyon Digest"

Beerhunter is a better band name, but whatever.

3. Phosphorescent "Here"s to Taking it Easy"

Finally makes a record that makes perfect sense.

4. Black Keys "Brothers"

The soundtrack to bath soap and economy vehicles.

5. Soft Pack "The Soft Pack"

Reminds me of paint as a fragrance, busted, but pretty jiggy when it hits its spots.

6. Superchunk "Majesty Shredding"

This year's sentimental entry. It's our turkey bacon.

7. Tame Impala "Innerspeaker"

Thin Lizzy + Swervedriver = Coco puffs

8. Purling Hiss "P.S.A."

Shredders! #3 Philly best of, right behind cheesesteak and Kurt Vile.

9. Best Coast "Crazy for You"

Pretty good songs about pots and tubes.

10 Avi Buffalo "Avi Buffalo"

Mellow Mommy selection. Right between the AudraRox and Bob Ivan.


Guessing we're forgetting something.

Yer hitlist mixtape:


"Parasites" Soft Pack
"Year's Not Long" Male Bonding
"King of the Beach" Wavves (single of the year?)
"Stroller" Jaill
"Should Have Taken Acid With You" Neon Indian
"Trouble Comes Running" Spoon
"Boyfriend" Best Coast
"Cousins" Vampire Weekend
"While We Were Young " Department of Eagles
"Solitude is Bliss" Tame Impala
"Crown on the Ground" Sleigh Bells
"All the Same" Real Estate
"Old Fang" Black Mountain
"Excess Energies" Les Savy Fav
"Chinatown" Destroyer
"TAOS" Menomena


BEST SHOWS

French Kicks, Hawes wedding
Polvo / Deerhunter, FFFest
Bad Brains, Mohawk
SPOON, ACL
White Rhino, Shiner Stage
Black Joe Lewis, Continental Club
Kurt Vile / Purling Hiss, Emo's
GBV, East Side Drive In
Pixies, Austin Music Hall

Missed the Pavement shows.

Movies seen in theater this year: 1
Tacos consumed (estimate): 400
Worst shooting performance, Crockett High Gym: 0-9
Number of dash lights on the VOLVO that stay lit after car is in gear: ALL
Barracudas caught on fly: 2
Weddings: 5
Charles Newman: 40
Snakes paddled: 1
Hogs cooked: 1
Groins pulled: 1
Interest in resuming wakeboarding ambitions: 0

Yaos!

Like Pinochi-Nose!

We've taken a brief break from The Sound of Music
to learn a few Christmas songs. "Mom" and "Dad",
as we are now suddenly referred to, are not responsible
for teaching her the add-ons!

Happy Christmas Bells

from Christmas Chapel today at school...

Moe's Toes and Other New and Notables

There is a great article in last week's Rolling Stone about Randy Quaid. Someone in Hollywood is out to "whack" him and he's on the run, seeking asylum in Canada. Same crew who apparently offed Carradine and Chris Penn. Nuts. I wonder if that someone bears any resemblance to this guy:


Semi-old one from Rosemary's bday party. Jane went gypsy, there was a teddy bear parade.



We have secured the tree, lots of dancing went down on site. Best part about Christmas? The Goulet carol record.






Was able to float the Colorado, couple weeks back. The white Al hooked up with a trophy Guad bass. My moustache delivered a respectable two pounder, caught hobo jigging.



Just back from Richmond, the Shutz wedding. Good catch ups. Everyone looking holiday dashing, some helmeting, lots of bad idea chili dogs. Dr. Grace and Hank put up the Texas Ranger, god bless them. Cat Butt was local and solo.











Off to LA next week, then Charlotte for a little R&R. Lists forming.

Did miss this finale however, regrettably. YGG live, Cordani, let's swap notes. How boss are these two?






Ho Ho Ho.

M A R F A

The girls and I went to West TX this weekend. Just back and beat. Great trip, it's about nine hours out to Marfa in the car, we made it to Marathon night one, hit Fort Davis and the observatory day two, days three and four in Marfa proper.

If you've been, you know the drill. We hit everything you told us to.

If you haven't, it's worth a junket.

Jane was great in the car, not so great out of the car. But she saw snakes and cows and javelinas. And aliens. And slept in tight quarters with mom and dad. Also a never again.

Night one, Marathon Motel and RV Park:




Day two - the Gage Hotel, observatory, rattlers.








And the main event. Pretty idyllic. Dad had his birthday, we got babysitting, managed to offend the only bartender in town.

























Bye birthday beard. Tragedy strikes tomorrow.



War whoops for the McKennas of Boston, hot news on the wire.............!