2008 In Review

Time for my year-end lists... The entries might not be in any particular order within the categories.


TOP BOOK READ
Total Money Makeover - Dave Ramsey


MOVIES IN THEATER
Semi Pro
Leatherheads
U2 3D
Four Christmases
Madagascar II


DINING EXPERIENCES
The Cheesecake Factory (2.13)
Pipers Cafe and Grand Manor (4.16)
Fujiyama (5.31)
Pappadeaux (9.6)
The Polo Club (12.24)


SPORTING HIGHLIGHTS
Attend Cubs Opening Day with Dad (3.31)
Bulls win draft lottery (5.20)
Cubs trade for Rich Harden (7.8)
See Ryne Sandberg in person at Chiefs' game (8.2)
Bears ruin Lucas Oil Stadium opener (9.7)


SONGS OF THE YEAR
"Kingdom of Comfort" - Deliriou5?
"Equally Skilled" - Jon Foreman"
"Missing Something" - Autovaughn
"Falling For You" - Leeland
"Yours" (with new verse) - Steven Curtis Chapman


ALBUMS RELEASED
Kingdom of Comfort - Delirou5?
Viva la Vida - Coldplay
Day & Age - The Killers
Jon Foreman - Spring and Summer
Opposite Way - Leeland


MOST LISTENED-TO CDs DURING THE YEAR
Kingdom of Comfort - Delirou5?
Viva la Vida - Coldplay
Opposite Way - Leeland
Sam's Town - The Killers
Never Going Back to OK - The Afters


TOP RANDOM PEOPLE I TALKED TO THROUGH MY JOB
Frank Caliendo
Dan Patrick
Eric Gordon
Helio Castronevez
Marty Brennaman


MUST-HAVE PRODUCT DISCOVERY
ACT Restoring Mouth Wash


VERSE OF THE YEAR
1 Peter 5:10


LYRIC
"Don't let anyone say that it's just a game / For I've seen other teams and it's never the same / When you're born in Chicago you're blessed and you're healed / The first time you walk in to Wrigley Field." - Eddie Vedder ("All The Way")

"I will be patient as the Lord / Punishes me for the wrongs I've done against Him / After that He'll take my case / Bringing me to light and to justice / For all I have suffered / And both of His hands are equally skilled at ruining evil / Equally skilled / At judging the judges / Equally skilled / At administering justice..." - Jon Foreman ("Equally Skilled")

"I've walked the valley of death's shadow / So deep and dark that I could barely breathe / I've had to let go of more than I could bear / And questioned everything that I believe / But still even here / in this great darkness / A comfort and hope come breaking through / As I can say in life or death / God we belong to you." - Steven Curtis Chapman ("Yours" [Maria version])

"You could stay awhile longer / We could stay up and talk about last summer / We could go down to the water / Watch the sunset going under... / You've got nothing I could ever hold against you / I got fatal flaws to call my own / Please don't go, please don't leave me alone / A mirror is so much harder to hold / I met a man who's looking for perfection / Sad he never met a girl who's good enough / His eyes are getting old, like they'd love to love again / Such a lonely man, such a lonely man..." - Jon Foreman ("A Mirror Is Harder To Hold")


QUOTE
"The people who want to make money get paid for what they know. ...if you don't embrace the rate of change by growing your brain, you're going to be left standing on a dusty road with no money in your pocket. You are going to have to be a reader to win. You will be lower income if you're not a reader, if you just used to be a reader...I don't care if you got your Master's degree."-- Dave Ramsey.


MOST DREADED PHRASE OF THE YEAR
"In the new environment..."


OTHER MAIN HIGHLIGHTS
New Year's Eve prayer with Megan at church.
Driving to Bloomington late at night in the snow with Megan.
Walking into Wrigley Field for the first time with Dad.
Playing a reuninon show with Jason.
Sitting on our corner hill--watching a lightning show and listening to the Cubs with Dad.


HUGE DISAPPOINTMENTS
Cubs swept in playoffs.
Chris one-on-one.
Flooding at the station on June 7th.
Election day.
Scrape up Dad's family van in downtown parking garage.
(Busted water pipe at transmitter on December 7th.)
(Kyle Orton hurt; Bears' season derailed.)
(My PEX review at Grainger.)