Top 5 List: Current Hot Button Issues in My Life

Since I know you’ve all been lost with out me, I’ve decide to do a quick run down of the current hot button issues in my life. Unlike Top 5 lists in the past, I plan to do this one in descending order, moving from 1 to 5 as opposed to 5 to 1. Well, enough with all the hubbub, let’s get to the List.

1.) Arizona – Illinois Men’s Basketball Game on December 2nd:

I’m not really worried about this game in the traditional sense. Arizona is far more talented than this years Illini squad and should win by 15-20*. What I am worried about is ESPN constantly bringing up what happened the last time these two teams played. I can just see myself sitting in front of the TV watching the game, then late in the second half hearing one of the commentators say, “Well, the Wildcats are in control of this game right now, but we all remember what happen the last time these two played…” which will be followed with a collection of highlights from a game I’ve convinced myself never happen, which will then be followed by be projectile vomiting uncontrollably for at least 3 minutes.

2.) Guitar Hero 2:

For last few months whenever a commercial for Guitar Hero comes on my brother Max and I break in to hour long discussions about how much fun the game is(even though neither of us have ever played it) and how it’s definitely the greatest game of all-time. Well now push has come to shove and I’ll be buying this game in the next 48 hours, and to be honest I’m a nervous wreck about it. I’m fairly certain this game will be a great deal of fun and highly enjoyable, but in my own mind I think I’ve built it up too much. At this point my expectations are way too high, there’s pretty much no way this game can meet them unless it’s as good or better then Super Mario Brothers 3. Suffice to say this impending purchase is leaving me a wee bit leery.

3.) An advanced copy of The Shins new album “Wincing the Night Away”:

A little over a week ago I received a package in the mail which had no return address and was post marked from Spokane, Washington. Inside the package was a blank CD and letter from (supposedly) Shins Front man James Russell Mercer. The letter stated that they enjoyed my blog and wanted to give me an advance copy of their CD to review. Now I’m not mentioning this to toot my own horn because I’m really not sure whether this is legit or a hoax. I don’t know anyone from Spokane, in fact the only person I know in the entire Pacific Northwest lives in Portland and they’re not nearly clever enough to pull off this elaborate of a prank. Either way though it’s pretty awesome. If The Shins actually sent me an advance copy of their CD then great. And for the record the blank CD is a full version of their new album I know this because the version that has already leaked on the internet contains several songs that skip repeatedly. If someone actually took the time and way too much effort to prank me, then that’s pretty damn funny and I’m more then ok with it. Either way I ended up with an advance copy of the new Shins album** and a pretty great story, whatever the case maybe

4.) Are Annuals an Emo band?:

For those of you haven’t heard of Annuals (that’s right there’s no ‘the’ in front) you should probably check out their debut album “Be He Me”, which sounds like a hybrid of Animal Collective and Broken Social Scene with a couple other great influences mixed in. But at times when I listen to this album I get the sinking suspicion that they might be an Emo Band. The lyrics are more off-beat then Emo and while there music is grandiose and sweeping, it’s trying harder to set atmosphere then mood. So why do I think they’re an Emo Band? Well it all starts and ends with the 4th song on their album, Carry Around. At the beginning of this song Annuals’ front man Adam Baker sounds like a dead ringer for uber bitch Conor Oberst. It’s only one part of one song, but it warrants mentioning. It’s almost as if Baker thought “Well we’ve got a good album here, but just in case we no real label picks us up I’ll yelp like a b*tch in this song and Saddle Creek will be sure to sign us.” Actually I think I just convinced myself that was the line of thinking involved here. I feel much better, let’s move on.

5.) Making time to read my boy Randy’s blog:

My old friend Randy has returned to the blogging world after a brief hiatus and quite frankly I’m ecstatic. I don’t want to trivialize his blog by talking about it, but let me just say this sh*t is epic. Epic. Check him out here: blog.myspace.com/r4z0r_bl4d3

Other’s receiving votes: Christmas Presents, What Should I get? (12); Who’s more out of place in Green Day & U2’s joint rendition of “When the Saints Go Marching In” (8); The Phoenix Suns constantly losing big leads: Are they trying to give me an ulcer? (6); Who is that beautiful brown man who narrates Heroes? (3); Why does my dad question my sexuality? (1½)

Well that’s it for now. Come back next week when I may or may not post something awesome.


Until We Meet Again
* Of course it’s a U of A specialty to play down to your opponents’ level so I wouldn’t be terribly shocked if we lost this, or for that matter any, game.** And yes Garden State fans in case you’re wondering; this album will change your life