6 years ago today I asked the most important question of my life and was greeted with the sweetest laughter I’ve ever heard. My wife accepted my proposal of marriage. Every year on this day we go to the same restaurant we went that night and celebrate the day.
I just found this out after typing this whole post…In very sad news today (http://eddietrunk.com/news/article.php?news_id=1594), guitarist Dimebag Darrell was shot and murdered last night (12/8). Dimbeag was the guitar player of Damageplan, but many people may remember him from Pantera one of the best, most consistent Metal bands of the 90s. While grunge was taking over the rock scene, Pantera was kicking ass, carrying on the Metal tradition set forth by Metallica and Megadeth. Their third album, Far Beyond Driven, debuted at #1 on Billboard’s then new Soundscan system. I saw Pantera at the Roseland ballroom during that tour (1994/95?) and it was a great show. I was sad to see the band break up, but even more sad now that they will never reunite. A moment of silence for an excellent guitar player killed in a completely stupid and senseless act.
My writer of the week is Michael Chabon. The Pulitzer Prize winning writer is on the cover of this month’s Locus magazine, he’s got a short novel out (The Final Solution), an edited volume of Short stories (McSweeny’s Enchanting Chamber of Astounding Tales ). His Pulitzer prize winning novel, The Adventures of Kavalier and Klay is our generations Great American Novel. Mr. Chabon is an advocate of comic books and fantastic fiction and a supremely gifted writer.
My beer of the week, change of pace, my liquor of the week is SFFWorld forums, we are putting together our SFFWorld Members Best Book(s) of 2004 .
Cribbed from Pal Mastadge:
1. What did you do in 2004 that you'd never done before?
Voted for president, rather embarrassing since I’m now 30.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Yes but not completely. I continued writing but didn’t write as much as I would have liked. Will probably make another resolution, but that’s a secret.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No.
5. What countries did you visit?
The ones in my head.
6. What would you like to have in 2005 that you lacked in 2004?
A house and more income to buy the house. The start of an NHL season.
7. What dates from 2004 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
November 7 – the day I turned 30.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Maybe finishing the installation of laminate flooring in my townhouse.
9. What was your biggest failure?
I didn’t write enough and didn’t save enough money.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Illness – no. Injury – yes, cut a gash on my thumb knuckle down to the bone, and needed 6 or 7 stitches. Much less serious than it sounds.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
A new suit and probably a book or two.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Randy Johnson – a perfect game at his age, or any age, is simply amazing and one of the rarest achievements in all of sports, though this is more achievement than behavior.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
The NHL players union. The FCC.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Bills, bills, and bills, gifts, comics and books.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Nothing really, maybe seeing my cousin’s hockey team win a couple of tournaments.
16. What song will always remind you of 2004?
Shinedown’s .45 or U2’s Vertigo. Probably Vertigo since it is all over the place.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
Yes I am.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Write more and save more money
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Procrastinate
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
All over Union County, New Jersey, ‘Eve with my parents, Day with my in-laws and the week before they will all be at our house..
22. Did you fall in love in 2004?
Not so much fall in love, but still falling in love with my wife. Yes, I’m a sap.
23. How many one-night stands?
0
24. What was your favorite TV program?
Without a doubt, Lost. This is a prime example of great storytelling, something VERY rare on television these days. This along with Smallville is probably the only show I watch on a regular basis.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Hate is a strong word, though there are a number people who I dislike that I didn’t dislike or even know last year.
26. What was the best book you read?
This is tough, considering I read about 50 books or so. I was planning doing a whole post on my “best of ’04,” stay tuned.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Either Shinedown or Dropbox
28. What did you want and get?
Playstation 2. Mrs. Blog ‘o Stuff surprised me with that one.
29. What did you want and not get?
A house.
30. What was your favorite film of this year?
Almost as tough as the book question, perhaps The Incredibles or Saw.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 30, spent the day with my wife, relaxed and did some writing.
32.What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Winning the lottery, but of course that would entail actually buying some sort of lottery ticket.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2004?
Dockers and polo shirts during the day, most of the other times shorts.
34. What kept you sane?
Of course sanity is a relative thing, but I’d say – my wife, my friends, reading and writing.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Does being in love with Catherine Zeta-Jones, Faith Hill, Charlize Theron and Nicole Kidman count?
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
The big-brother mindset our president seems to be taking, the erosion of our personal freedoms, what seems to be the reunification of church and state, and the continuing distrust of the “people in charge.”
37. Who did you miss?
Opie and Anthony. Ron and Fez.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Probably my friend’s new baby Nicholas.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2004:
Not so much a new lesson, but something that was reinforced: trust can only go so far.
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