In which the US suffered its second worst economic downturn in history, lots of friend broke up, but my own life was excessively stable and productive.
2009 was many things. A new President, a sour economy, and a sense of realignment in the country in general. My own life was very routine. Productive, but routine. I worked hard on building Websites and even harder on my first solo album. Except for a great trip to Ireland most of this year was kind of dull. Nothing really scared or excited me too much. I suppose I’d call it a year of productivity if not personal growth.
Other Things In My Life
- Worked full-time at the Department of Energy building Websites
- Wrote, recorded, & produced my first solo album: Subway To Another Life!
- Paid off all my non-mortgage debt and tucked away a good amount in savings
- Continued to downsize and sell off TONS of stuff I don’t need or use anymore
- Started a new company for all my business endeavors
- Resurrected the Pumpkin Party
- Was declared the English Sheepdog
- Tried for the first time:
- Driving on the left side of the road
- Serving as best man at a wedding
- Staying in a bed & breakfast
- Staying in a castle
- Falconry
- Riding a mechanical bull
Trips
- Recording trip at my mom’s farm
- Had some hot-tub hedonism at Deep Creek
- Attended a Wedding and toured Ireland, the Emerald Isle
- Took a quick trip to Nick’s beach house
- Enjoyed another weekend at Steve and Troy’s farm
- Took yet a second trip to Deep Creek for new years.
2009 Best Of Pictures
Of Friends and Family
- Jake and Scott broke up after 7 years together
- Charlotte was adopted and found a good home
- Pronto hurt his back and really began to slow down this year.
- Jay and Lea got married
- Peter got laid off, and rehired
- Tom and Rob got married
- Troy and Steve broke up and Troy moved back down to Alabama
- Drew and Max broke up
- Derek moved to Australia
- Miles and Lexy moved out of Lynnhaven
In Passing
- Ricardo Montalban
- Dom Deluise
- Saturn Motorcars
- Millvina Dean – last survivor of the doomed ship the Titanic
- David Carradine
- Analog television in the United States
- Kodachrome film
- Ed McMahon
- Farrah Fawcett
- Michael Jackson
- Walter Cronkite
- Les Paul
- Patrick Swayze
- Ted Kennedy
- Mel’s Dad
- Walter Cronkite
- Mary Travers of folk group Peter, Paul, and Mary
- Smoking in Virginia bars and restaurants
In the World
- Barack Obama became our 41st President
- Virginia banned smoking in bars and restaurants.
- Steve Jobs stepped down as CEO of Apple, had a liver transplant, and went back to work at Apple
- Gay marriage spread to Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire – and then was clubbed back down in Maine by religa-bigots
- Chrysler and General Motors filed for bankruptcy
- Water was discovered on the Moon!
Films & Shows I’ll Remember
Another great year of Television and an big resurgence of high-quality science fiction movies. I think Moon and District 9 were my favorites of year. I think I’m the only one who didn’t like the new Star Trek movie. Maybe it was that whole faith speech by Spock at the end that left a bad taste in my mouth or maybe it was just the general silliness of so much of it.
- Dog Tags
- Man On a Wire
- Zentropa
- Across the Pacific
- For a Lost Soldier
- The God Who Wasn’t There
- Watchmen
- The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
- Slauterhouse 5
- Being There
- Religulous
- The Shiek
- Cruising
- K-20 Legend of the Mask
- Blow Up*
- Star Trek
- Moon
- District 9
- Return of the Thin Man
- Wanderers of the Desert
- The Conversation*
- Deep something…
- Push – really pretty good despite the reviews.
- Mad Men season 3 – still excellent
- Lost – season 5
Books on the Night-stand
- Kamandi Archives, Volume 2 – Jack Kirby
- Moby Dick – Hermin Melville – Wow! A bit dense in the middle but the beginning and end of this book far exceeds its reputation. An incredible book that had me pouring over and rereading tons of sections!
- The Fantastic Four Archives, Volume 3 – Stan Lee & Jack Kirby
- Crocodile on the Sandbank – Elizabeth Peters
- The Curse of the Pharaohs – Elizabeth Peters
- The Genius Factory – David Plotz
- The Mummy Case – Elizabeth Peters
- Lion in the Valley – Elizabeth Peters
- The Good Book – David Plotz
- Predictably Irrational – Dan Ariely
- On the Origin of Species – Charles Darwin
- The Tipping Point – Malcolm Gladwell
- Indiana Jones and the Hollow Earth – Max McCoy
- Journey to the Underground World – Lin Carter
- Zanthodon – Lin Carter
- Never Eat Alone – Keith Ferrazzi
- A Whole New Mind – Daniel Pink
- Orphans of the Sky – Robert Heinlein
- The God Delusion – Richard Dawkins
- The Smoky God – Willis George Emerson
- Non-Stop – Brian Aldiss
- Under the Dome – Stephen King
- A Brave New World – Aldus Huxley
- Mr. X Condemned – Dean Motter
- Flashforward – Robert J. Sawyer
Memorable Music in the Player
Did I listen to a bit too much music? Well, yes…
- The Nightfly – Donald Fagen
- Fashionista – Lucky So Far
- Lucky One – Raul Malo
- Violator – Depeche Mode
- Playing the Angel – Depeche Mode
- 1 – Blindoldfreak
- Departure from the Northern Wasteland – Hoenig Michael
- Legend – Clannad
- The Keep – Tangerine Dream
- Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend
- Prolonging the Magic – Cake
- Scary Monsters – David Bowie
- Day & Age – The Killers
- The Fray – The Fray
- Dharma Lady – Geronimo Jackson
- Vienna – Ultravox
- Back to Black – Amy Winehouse – really as good as the hype
- Colors of the Sun – Hatchback
- The Conversation – Fantastic soundtrack from a fantastic movie. Listened to it all the time.
- The Cosmic Game – Thievery Corporation
- Dust Galaxy – Dust Galaxy
- The Smiths – The Smiths
- Taxi Driver – Bernard Herrmann
- Chillodesiac Lounge, Vol. 1: FEVER – Worldwide Groove Corporation
- Black Earth – Bohren & Der Club of Gore
- Cease to Begin – Band of Horses
- Eldorado – Electric Light Orchestra
- “A New World Record” – Electric Light Orchestra
- Psyence Fiction – UNKLE
- Chariots Of Fire – Vangelis
- Cyclone – Tangerine Dream
- The Yes Album – Yes
- For Your Entertainment – Adam Lambert
- Coldplay – Viva la Vida
- Sundown Syndrome / Remember Me – EP – Tame Impala
- The Dionne Warwick Collection: Her All-Time Greatest Hits – Dionne Warwick
- For Emma, Forever Ago – Bon Iver
- 20th Century Masters – The Millennium Collection: The Best of Scorpions – The Scorpions
- Time Exposure – The Little River Band
- Run Home Slow – The Kills