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Everywhere I turn in this city, it’s all about U2.

I must admit that I am pumped. I felt that my experience at the Elevation tour in 2001 was a religious experience. Bono transcends the rock star persona to something more.

In other news, I’m trying to figure out how long are all-seasons good in the snow for? aka, how many kms? Dad suggested I look into getting winter tires…there goes my recording equipment fund down the drain. But seriously, I know the benefits of winter tires, yada yada yada, but with all-seasons with 36,000 kms on them, do I direly need them? Fill out the comment section with answer! I’m searching for the answer!

The lack of winter tires will allow me to purchase this:
http://fostex.com/index.php?file=products/digital/mr8hd

I’ve been looking at getting recording equipment ever since our trip to Boston last year where I found out that I wouldn’t have a warranty covered in Canada. I’ve waited a year and now that Mike is moving in, I’m thinking of picking up something. This little ditty has a built in hard drive AND four inputs. What does this mean?

Let’s say Mike and I are on the road somewhere touring. We can plug in two guitars and two mics into the system and record ourselves. Instant soundboard recording.

Let’s say Mike and I just want to jam at home and we get something good but don’t want to forget about it in a week’s time. Boom. Tape it.

What if I want to write Tributes to Michael Bolton for a night? Well, I would just laugh that one off and go record some good rockin’ tunes.

Something tells me this may be a long post and I have time to kill. Bear with me.

I’ve realized that with Vero, I’m not sure what music she has listened to. I have an idea of what she enjoys, but I have no idea if she knows the same music which has created a solid foundation of love.

I’ve given her a few albums when we first started dating…just trivial things such as Econoline Crush – Devil You Know, and Pearl Jam – Ten (pretty well they’re best commercial album.)

After hearing that she didn’t really know U2 at all, and didn’t even know THE U2 song; Where the Streets Have No Name, I decided I would take the next step in our relationship. We’re going to see what she thinks of my top albums.

How did I judge my top albums? Simply enough, I looked through my album collection and pulled out anything that either:

• touched a chord in my soul
• reminded me that there was not one bad song on the album

I have this theory that even though you may think the majority of the songs on an album are amazing, it can all go to hell with ONE song. That ONE song screws everything up for being the best album. Example: Master of Puppets – Metallica. It can be the killer album except for freakin’ Leper Messiah. Guh. I hate that song. The rest of the album is bliss.

I will be honest that I tried to create a Top 10 list, but there are way too many albums here.
(in no particular order)

• U2 – The Joshua Tree – My introduction to U2. The classic album. Ranked #26 on Rolling Stone’s Top 500 Albums list here. I cannot begin to describe my love for U2 from this album. Can I just say that Where the Streets Have No Name has more energy than the entire discography of the Rolling Stones (oooh…I can see the comments section flamed soon).
• Nirvana – Nevermind – No real explanation here. Actually, this album is ranked #17 on the Top 500. I’ll keep checking the site to see if my choices make it or not. What can I say about Nevermind that has never been said before? How about the fact that there is a naked baby on the cover? Nah…that’s been said.
• Lifehouse – No Name Face – A SOLID SOLID album. I’m not sure who introduced this to who, but Eric, Annie and I (and maybe Mike?) put this in our top 5 for sure. Every song evokes emotion. Everything is the greatest song put on this Earth. In fact, this is the song that Mike and I played at Eric and Annie’s wedding. And it kicked ass. Why? Not because we rocked the casbah…but because the song evokes emotion. Too bad Lifehouse sucks more and more with each new release. Stanley Climbfall…not bad. Self-titled album…gak!
• Sam Robert – We Were Born in a Flame – I have entered my rock n’ roll phase in the past few years. Sammy and the boys bring this feeling out in me. I would have to say this was my favourite album of 2003. I will follow this band to the grave.
• Mogwai – Happy Songs For Happy People – Lucy introduced me to Mogwai after I mentioned how I loved the guitar driven soundtrack of 28 Days Later. This album brings you to another place…all (or mostly) guitar-synth sounds all about. It creates an atmosphere.
• Matchbox 20 – Yourself or Someone Like You – Someone out there has borrowed this album and never returned it so I found it at a garage sale for $5. It’s worth another purchase. Good campfire songs here.
• Stabbing Westward – Darkest Days – I sense a theme here. I like albums that evoke emotions. What I love even more are albums that evoke ONE emotion. Ah, the classic theme album. This album is the greatest for after the breakups when you are full of rage. Industrial at its best.
• The Tea Party – The Edges of Twilight/Transmission – Where Edges take Eastern and Western…Transmission takes rock and electronics. These are such different albums, but so, so good. Edges got me into playing guitar. However, I don’t think I’ll ever pull off what Jeff Martin can pull off.
• Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here – Ah…the tribute album to Sid Barrett. From the bookend Crazy Diamond’s to the middle title track…there is nothing missing from this album. I love Floyd albums for the sole reason that they blend into one cohesive piece of music.
• Live – Throwing Copper – Memories of driving around in the car with Carol and Angele and belting out these tunes until we believed we were on stage. Probably their best album ever.
• I Mother Earth – Scenery and Fish – Same time period, but guitar goodness. Choice track – Earth, Sky and C (C is for Carlos ladies and gents)

At this point, heck, I’m tired of writing my thoughts on the albums, so I’ll come back to them tomorrow, but I’ll leave the list here:

• Theory of a Deadman – Gasoline
• The Arcade Fire – Funeral
• Silverchair – Neon Ballroom
• Pearl Jam – No Code
• The Smashing Pumpkins – Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness – here’s my comment. My all-time favourite album. Will be forever. Long live the Smashing Pumpkins.
• Collective Soul
• Nine Inch Nails – The Fragile
• Counting Crows – Recovering the Satellites

There you have it…my top albums.

If you’ve wondered how to get an idea of what I think and feel, listen to these albums. The answers are written right there.

What do I cherish more than life itself?

A hot apple cider…man, I’m addicted. I have been known to have one (or sometimes two) a day. I pride myself on the fact that I don’t have any common vices such as coffee or chocolate, but heck, when the cold weather hits, why not warm your insides with some hot goodness?

What are your cold weather delights? I know Duncan likes to pick up quarts of eggnog every time he gets the chance, as they are only offered during the holiday season.

Other cold weather delights:

• sitting next to the Christmas tree reading a book. Ahhh, the smell. Boo to the fake Christmas trees. They smell like metal.
• having a nice glass of rye after a big meal

I think I shall also have hot apple cider on hand at the Christmas bash this year. Not sure how to go about this…I’m assuming a huge pot with some apple cider should do the trick.

Can I just say that my week is getting better and better?

Turns out that The Arcade Fire is opening for U2 in Ottawa…originally they were not.

EXCELLENT! I am pumped.

In other news David Bowie and the Arcade Fire have teamed up for an EP release.

Dang…only available on iTunes. I may have to finally buy something off of that horrid site.

http://www.jasonmulgrew.com/content/blog_archive.php?bid=506
(warning, not for the faint of heart)

Excellent find by Krista!

I’m pretty pissed at myself because I forgot to get Coldplay tix on Saturday. I found out the hard way.

Checking phone msgs…
Benoit: “Hey Ryan! I read on your blog that you’re going to get tix to Coldplay! Give me a call. I want in.”
Ryan (looking at his watch and realizing it’s 8 hours after they went on sale): “SONOFA!”

So, needless to say, even with them opening up ANOTHER date in Toronto due to the impressive ticket sales, I got nothing. This is the second time on the Twisted Logic tour that I missed out.

Woe is really me. Sure, I see a lot of other bands, but I was REALLY wanting to see Coldplay.

Went to Cora’s with Maren, Christina and Jeff who just got back from Europe. Envy! Cora’s is good, but for a guy who doesn’t really care for breakfast, it irks me to pay a lot for something I really don’t care about. Give the man a sandwich any day!

Spent the afternoon hanging up my Christmas lights outside as well as going shopping with Shannon. He did well, but I only managed to pick up something for my sister. All in good time. I’m all about Amazon.ca this year. I think I’ve put in four orders to them so far. As long as you are over $39, it’s all good (aka free shipping). I think I’ve got Mom hooked on it. I’m glad, because living in the North offers little selection.

Can I just note that my new vice in life is Hot Apple Cider? YUM!

I must say that my Christmas lights look pretty sharp. I didn’t know how they would turn out, but I can’t complain. Although I swear some of them are blue. An odd colour. I am trying to figure out when to unplug them…should I leave them on all night long or should I unplug them before going to bed? Economically, before bed sounds about right. PLUS, everyone is asleep during the night, so who cares if they are on?

Heads up: If anyone knows how to print off panoramic shots…you know, the ones you stitch together…I want to print one off but am unsure of how that works in the land of printing out digital photos.

Did I mention I’m going to see U2 with Joelle this Friday. Awwww yeah.

There are times in life where you realize you should bring a camera with you at all times. Saturday was one of those times.

Saturday morning – Went out with Shannon to his property where he placed a few trailers together along with a sun deck. Pretty sweet location if you ask me. Out in the middle of Quebec wilderness along with his own private lake. Divine.

The reason for going up was to go to the other side of the lake and pick up the canoe which was stuck over there. Sadly enough, when we got there, we discovered the canoe had blown into the bay/swampy area.

We’re men, so as all men think, we won’t just leave until Spring. We examine the lake and realize there is at an inch of ice formed, so we decide to brave it across. Worst case scenario – fall into about three feet of freezing water.

Being the gallant fellow that Shannon is, he volunteers to go across the ice while I get to hold the rope on the shore. We decide to go to the other side of the lake where there is more swamp (aka, more tufts of grass poking out of the ice which will be nice to step on). We tie the rope to the ladder he will use to distribute the weight across the ice.

Off he goes. I pack my items into my jacket in case I have to make a split second dive into the water to save him. At least I can throw my jacket to the shore with my wallet.

Not suprisingly, Shannon has no problems whatsoever getting to the canoe. At one point he was on his own since the rope was too short to go to the middle of the lake.

I trekked to the other side, grabbed the ladder which he flung across the ice and watched as he canoed across the ice back home.

Men at work.

Went to Peggy’s for a good club sandwich, and caught the ferry across to Ottawa. Excellent! I’ve never been on the ferry here so I was excited. I must appear funny to Shannon as he has probably done this trek a billion times, but to me, being on the water is enthralling.

Saw a dozen wild turkey run across the road as we drove to Constance Bay. Met up with Maureen and her father as we checked out a hall and church for Shannon and Maureen’s wedding. It was a decent location. It’s interesting to see all the thoughts that go into a wedding and how much prep time is needed.

Went back into Ottawa and watched the hockey game with Shannon and Maureen and headed home.

All in all, a most EXCELLENT day. Too bad I didn’t have my camera! We could have made a mini-movie out of the stunts we pulled that day.

http://rochman.blogspot.com/
Check out Matt’s blog for a recap of Friday night’s poker game. I was impressed with how well I played. However, it’s all about the cards you are dealt and Dave dealt really shitty once it came down to Shannon and I.

Also went to the 67’s game Friday night which was fun. Beer and peanuts are the way to go at a hockey game. ACTUALLY, let’s talk about peanuts for a moment. They are the ultimate snack. It takes you effort to eat them, so you don’t eat much. It strengthens your thumb muscles. It helps you drink less beer at a hockey game (ideal for the guys who drive there).

Two (well used) thumbs up.