I'll post a longer entry about life on winter break, the new year and all that jazz, but I had to post two things before I forget. Both are music related, 2009 music in particular. I wasn't able to do this stuff before the year ended, so you just get it late.

My Favorite Albums of 2009

1) Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest
2) Sondre Lerche - Heartbeat Radio
3) M. Ward - Hold Time
4) Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
5) The xx - XX
6) The Decemberists - Hazards of Love
7) the dodos - Time to Die
8) The Swell Season - Strict Joy
9) St. Vincent - Actor
10) God Help the Girl - God Help the Girl

(the 10th spot was really hard, and I've probably switched out the album for this one several times)

And in the spirit of this pretty rocking year of music, I also just compiled my official 2009 mix tape. It's a mix of favorite songs and songs from favorite albums (not always the same thing, I chose certain songs over others from particular albums because they fit better). In retrospect, I probably would have switched a few things out there, but whatever. It's too late now

Here Goes:

1) Lady GaGa - Bad Romance
2) The Decemberists - The Rake's Song
3) John Vanderslice - Sunken Union Boat
4) Animal Collective - Bluish
5) Beirut - La Llarona
6) St. Vincent - Save Me From What I want
7) Thao with the Get Down Stay Downs - Cool Yourself
8) M. Ward - Epistemology
9) the dodos - Fables
10) Grizzly Bear - Two Weeks
11) The Bird and the Bee - Diamond Dave
12) Regina Spektor - The Calculation
13) Lily Allen - The Fear
14) Julian Casablancas - Out of the Blue
15) Foreign Born - Winter Games
16) The Swell Season - Feeling the Pull
17) The Cave Singers - Hen of the Woods
18) Andrew Bird - Nomenclature
19) The xx - Islands
20) Savoir Adore - We Talk Like Machines
21) Sondre Lerche - Like Lazenby
22) God Help the Girl - Come Monday Night

2009 was all in all a very good year for music. From what I hear, 2010 isn't going to disappoint either.

Started off on road trip. We are in Laughlin, nv. Blog - bruceisroadtrippin.blogspot.com

I'm done with finals! It was a tough week, but somehow I survived. I think my grades could go either way...some of the tests were pretty hard, but I'm just happy to be done.

The post finals haze is finally clearing up but I still have that lingering feeling of guild that I'm not constantly studying. That too should fade. Time to enjoy winter break and figure out my top albums of 2009. Also we're going on a road trip again, so I need to start getting ready for that.

Oh by the way, we had a Dexter finale party last night. I can't even begin ...4th season might have been the best, or at least a very close tie with season 1. John Lithgow was so creepy. And the twist at the end! It was a flashing lights twist, but I can't even begin getting into describing how well done that was without ruining what happened.

One final down and three more to go. Next one is on Thursday. IP. Not as scared of it as I probably should be because I've got that outline done. And it's not closed book like Remedies. Sales was my final today. I really can't tell you how I did on that one, but it's done.

I caught up on Dexter too. Sooo good. I can't believe I'm going to be stuck studying while that finale is one. Going to be so hard to resist.

Gossip Girl was not as good. They need to hire new writers for that show or seriously reconsider some of the stories they're doing. Also that whole Chuck talking to Bart thing they tried to pull tonight kind of felt like it was taken directly out of Dexter. Just saying. Seriously, though. There's a long break anyway. Maybe they can cook something up in that time.

Also, finally got Strict Joy by the Swell Season. So go0d.

Okay. Never thought I'd say this, but the Vatican's Myspace playlist is really good. They also get extra awesome points for putting Muse and the Fleet Foxes on there.

Randomly decided to listen to Gavin DeGraw's Chariot. It's been almost exactly 6 years since all of us girls from Shadowfax went to the House of Blues in Anaheim to see Maroon 5/Gavin DeGraw/Big City Rock. It was such a fun show. Still one of my all time faves out for nostalgic reasons.

Thus, this album reminds me of the easier and more carefree days of undergrad...especially the Shadowfax days. Those were some goods times.

Too bad my image of Gavin DeGraw was later tainted by the overall icky gross vibe I got from him when I saw him again in DC.

Thanksgiving came and went. It was a lot of fun. Spent Thanksgiving with Chris's family in Arcadia. Spent the rest of the weekend hanging around in Irvine. Irvine's a lot more fun when you're not studying for law school finals and can go wander around Orange County, but it was still a good weekend.

Now it's officially December, which means it's time to get even more serious about finals. Guh.

For anyone arguing in favor of James being a cute and adorable brother:

(11:17:04 AM) Alea: do you want to be my friend :D
(11:17:13 AM) coolstupiddude: hell to the no

Amazon put up its Best of 2009 list earlier this week.

Can someone explain to me why Metric (or Passion Pit) is higher than Grizzly Bear? I liked both of the albums, but they don't have anything to the awesomeness that was Veckatimest. Also, can someone explain why Lonely Island is in the top 50 and M.Ward's album isn't? That stupid boat song was the bane of my existence for like half of the year.

I'm limiting myself to grumbling about that.

Yay Sondre being #56 and #16 for song.

I'm done with App Ad (well except for the class we have on Monday). Hurrah for one less class to worry about! Oral argument yesterday went well, I think. I know I could have been a lot better maybe if I actually practiced in front of other people, but I got primarily good comments, so yay! Whatever, it's done.

And I must thank Jeanne, who saved my life...or shoes. For whatever reason, the two pairs of black flats that I rotate between have disappeared except for half of one pair. At 11 on Tuesday night, it seemed like a good idea to just wear my blue shoes and hope no one noticed. When I actually was dressed for the OA, I saw that I made a huge mistake. Fortunately, I actually now have a friend who wears the same shoe size as I do so I was able to borrow one of her shoes. Go that.

In my mind, the week is over because my OA is done. However, I've still got a preemption check/thesis due for journal that I've been working on cranking out.

I've also got four outlines/finals to contend with in my other classes. :(

On a completely unrelated note, I got the new Cave Singers album this weekend when Umma sent us to Rasputin so we wouldn't whine about her trip to Marshalls. I actually like their other album, Invitation Songs, more. However, Mia claims that this band sounds like gargling mermaids. Please confirm/deny this.