2008 In Review

Time for my year-end lists... The entries are in no particular order within the categories.


TOP BOOK READ
Rhinoceros Success - Scott Alexander


TOP 5 MOVIES IN THEATER
A Christmas Carol (12.7)


DINING EXPERIENCES
The Melting Pot (1.3)
Piper's (4.20)
Bonefish Grill (5.29)
Don Pablos (9.12)
The Melting Pot (10.26)
(Adobo [8.13])


SPORTING HIGHLIGHTS
Blackhawks host game at Wrigley (1.1)
The Bears trade for Jay Cutler (4.2)
Chris Roberts' 3/4-court shot in CIT (3-23)
Blackhawks advance to the Western Conference Finals (5.11)
Bradley beats Illinois (11.28)


SONGS OF THE YEAR
Scenic Route - Jars of Clay
Faithful One - Bryce Daniel
Moment of Surrender - U2
Name - Joel Hanson
Free - Switchfoot
(How He Loves - David Crowder Band)


ALBUMS RELEASED
The Long Fall Back To Earth - Jars of Clay (4.21)
Hello Hurricane - Switchfoot (11.10)
The Great American Midrange - The Elms (9.15)
Armistice - Mute Math (8.18)
No Line On The Horizon - U2 (3.3)
(What If It Is - Joel Hanson [10.29])
(Church Music - David Crowder Band [9.22])


MOST LISTENED-TO CDs
The Long Fall Back To Earth - Jars of Clay
The Great American Midrange - The Elms
Hello Hurricane - Switchfoot
Armistice - Mute Math
No Line On The Horizon - U2
(Broken - Joel Hanson)
(City of Black and White - Mat Kearney)


RANDOM PEOPLE I TALKED TO THROUGH MY JOB
Tom Cavanagh
Jay Cutler
Danica Patrick
Kerri Walsh
Don Mattingly


TOP 5 BLACKHAWKS
Jonathan Toews
Dustin Byfuglien
Adam Burish
Brian Campbell
Kris Versteeg



MUST-HAVE PRODUCT DISCOVERY
Umcka immune-boosting syrup


LATE NIGHT JOGGING MUST-LISTEN DISCOVERY
Extended Blackhawks Postgame until midnight EST.


VERSE OF THE YEAR
1 Chronicles 28:20


LYRIC
"We’re just sitting like novels we’ve picked up but never read through / You think you know my ending, I think I know yours, too" - Jars of Clay ("Scenic Route")

"Hallelujah. I'm caving in. Hallelujah. I'm in love again. Hallelujah. I'm a wretched man. Hallelujah. Every breath is a second change." - Switchfoot ("Always")

"I was born to sing for you / I didn’t have a choice but to lift you up / And sing whatever song you wanted me to / I give you back my voice / From the womb my first cry, it was a joyful noise." - U2 ("Magnificent")

"If there's one thing that I know to be true / Is that I'm in love with you, is that I'm in love with you / And I don't care if everyone knows what we're going through / 'Cause all the roads lead back to you." - Mat Kearney ("On and On")

"I've dropped anchor in Your promises and I am holding on, 'cause You are faithful." - Steven Curtis Chapman ("Faithful")


QUOTE
"I know not all that may be coming, but be it what it will, I'll go to it laughing. ." -- Stubb (Moby Dick).



MOST DREADED PHRASE OF THE YEAR
"Please advise..."


NEWEST PET PEEVE
"Sorry for interrupting..."


OTHER MAIN HIGHLIGHTS
Cincinnati date with Megan.
Ridding my left thumb of it's huge growth/boil/blister/wart.
Trafalgar night with Meg.
New Year's Eve prayer with Megan at church.



HUGE DISAPPOINTMENTS
Crash of laptop.
Locksmith night.
Choking on my proposal speech.
Module failure at 5 in the morning the day of Randy's wedding.

MY 2009 IN PICTURES

Here's a brief and sporadic pictorial of my 2008. It's hit and miss, and purposefully non-conclusive. If a key happening is found to be left out, it's not intentional...



1.1.9 - Winter Classic



1.1.9 - Downtown with Meg.



1.2.9 - Promotion



1.3.9 - Girlfriend.



1.28.9 - Snow Day at Work.



2.1.9 - Super Bowl Party.



2.14.9 - Valentine's Day.



2.22.9 - Bulls Up Close.



3.5.9 - Driving to Arch Madness.



3.9.9 - Big Ten Burgers at Work.



3.13.9 - In the Tunnel with the Illini.



3.14.9 - Grainger at the Ice.



3.23.9 - Chris Roberts' 3/4-court Shot in the CIT.



4.2.9 - Jay Cutler a Bear.



4.9.9 - Indians' Opening Night.



4.15.9 - New Car.



4.21.9 - The Long Fall Back To Earth.



4.30.9 - Bulls 128 Celtics 127 in Game Six.



April - Playoff Beard.



5.11.9 - Blackhawks Advance to the Western Conference Finals.



5.24.9 - Dan's Best Man.



6.5.9 - 30th Birthday Party.



6.6.9 - Snow Cones with Savannah.



7.3.9 - Six Months.



7.5.9 - The Music Man and Fireworks on the Hill.



7.19.9 - Louisville Trip for Bats Game with the Skinners.



7.29.9 - Tractor Pulls are Fine.



8.1.9 - Scene of Proposal Scouting Trip.



8.3.9 - First ESPN Appearance.



8.13.9 - Propose.



8.15.9 - At Bryce and Jana's Wedding.



8.22.9 - State Fair.



8.30.9 - Starry Night in Trafalgar.



9.5.9 - Full Circle. Indians' Finale.



9.6.9 - Our Symphony On The Prairie Debut.



9.12.9 - Engagement Party at Don Pablos.



10.4.9 - At Wrigley for the Season Finale.



10.14.9 - In Nashville for Dave Ramsey's Affiliate Executive Counsel.



10.26.9 - The Melting Pot.



10.30.9 - Autumnal Party.



11.2.9 - Engagement Photo Shoot.



11.10.9 - Hello Hurricane.



11.13.9 - First Brunswick Stew Since Moving to Indiana.



11.26.9 - Thanksgiving.



12.4.9 - Candles and Carols.



12.10.9 - Sell Oldsmobile.



12.13.9 - Christmas At The Zoo.



12.24.9 - Christmas Eve Picture.



12.25.9 - Christmas Day.



12.31.9 - New Years Eve Prayer.