Annual Mix CDs

For a long time, I've wanted to create a mix CD at the end of each year with the music I got into that year, largely as a way to remember the music and events of my life. However, it's always seemed daunting to figure out if I got into a song this year, or was that 2 years ago, etc. So a few months ago, I made a big spreadsheet, went through all my CDs, tried to remember exactly where I was living and what I was doing when I got into an album, searched for receipts for music purchases, etc., and I worked out what I listened to in each of the past several years. I've now started making my annual mix CDs, working backward in time. I've avoided putting multiple songs by the same artist on a given CD, unless it was a slow year. The result so far is a lot of post rock and Batman music:

2009
1. Route 12 from the Revolutionary Road soundtrack
2. Malachite by Jakob
3. The Day Shift by Pg. Lost
4. Ybe 76 by Subheim
5. Taijin Kyofusho by Evpatoria Report
6. A Notion I Can't Shake ... Accidents Happen So Fast by September Malevolence
7. Incirculation by This Is Your Captain Speaking
8. White Seraphs Wild by Immanu El
9. Sapphire by Seabound
10. In Your Room by Depeche Mode
11. Hero by Regina Spektor
12. Enlightened False Consciousness by French Teen Idol

2008
1. Marching Bands Of Manhattan by Death Cab For Cutie
2. Cerda's Plan by Near The Parenthesis
3. Void by Red House Painters
4. Aggressive Expansion from the Dark Knight soundtrack
5. Psiu! Puxa! by Lights Out Asia
6. Define Dancing from the Wall-E soundtrack
7. The Second Nave by Near The Parenthesis
8. Denouement from the Atonement soundtrack
9. What Sarah Said by Death Cab For Cutie
10. The Cottage On The Beach from the Atonement soundtrack
11. Six Points Of Fire by Lights Out Asia
12. A Dark Knight from the Dark Knight soundtrack

2007
1. Analyse by Thom Yorke
2. Outlast By Rain by Readymade
3. Tepid Coat by Damiak
4. All I Need by Radiohead
5. Worst Taste In Music by Radio Dept.
6. Pace Is The Trick by Interpol
7. Soma by Smashing Pumpkins
8. I Remember It Differently by Near The Parenthesis
9. And Triage by Bitcrush
10. The Funeral from the Pan's Labyrinth soundtrack
11. Watching Over You by Seabound
12. Spiti Elfas by Lights Out Asia
13. Mortal City by Dar Williams

2006
1. Pulling Our Weight by Radio Dept.
2. Eptesicus from the Batman Begins soundtrack
3. Medicine Bottle by Red House Painters
4. 10,000 Days (Wings Part 2) by Tool
5. Fair by Remy Zero
6. Sometimes by My Bloody Valentine
7. Alone In Kyoto by Air
8. No Quarter by Tool (a Led Zeppelin cover)
9. Svo Hljott by Sigur Ros
10. Corynorhinus from the Batman Begins soundtrack
11. Let Go by Frou Frou
12. Love On A Real Train by Tangerine Dream
13. A Lack Of Color by Death Cab For Cutie

Due to lack of data, mix CDs before 2006 will probably have to span multiple years.

My FarmVille: Week 5

What a difference from last week. No more covers on the plantings! Everything is up now (well only 1/2 the chard is up, but that's another story). Leaves are on the once-bare branches, the grass is growing, and the lawn furniture is out.

The parsley seedlings are in, and I put in another round of peas. I also planted some nasturtium under the cherry bushes cause they look pretty ragged, and not a lot of new growth is coming along.

A couple of nights ago an intruder (a squirrel I'm guessing) rooted around in the part of the garden where the chard was planted. Half (4/8 plants) were ruined so I started those over. Someone does not want me eating chard this spring!

Many of the plants (like this spinach) have their 1st true leaves well underway:

More things are happening around the yard. The tulips and voilets are out:

We even have our first dandelion of the year:

(darn Blogger rotated this one on me GRRRRR)

There are more pics of the plants and other things blooming in the yard in our photo gallery.

My FarmVille: Week 4

From this photo you might think not a lot has changed in the last week, but everything is sprouting now (note fewer cups on the ground), and if you look closely in the foreground under the bare climbing rose bramble you can see I've planted something new there as well (cilantro). Parsley seedlings are hardening off over by the just-now-budding currant canes (upper right).

In the background, on the still hay-covered bed, I've begun preparing some hanging baskets for nasturtiums that will hang from the hooks on the garage wall.

Other new life in the yard includes daffodils springing up everywhere and this bush in the backyard (forsythia?) with the cheery yellow blossoms.

Here are my little spinaches. Hurry up and grow! I'm hungry!