In a nutshell, I passed up a well-paying full-time job a mile from my house to work on contract at a company 70 miles away. I’ve found the most amazing group of friends by doing so. And I’m branching in to an entirely new career path which I shouldn’t have been able to do so easily. 05 was a good year for work.

I rented a room to 3 perfect strangers over the course of the year, after living alone for 4 years. I gained a whole new appreciation for an empty house.

I became very good friends with Rach and then she moved away. I met the most incredible guy and he left for even further away.

Visited 2 new states. Hung out with the Gary Allan band in good ol’ Rocktucky.

So many good shows. MMJ, BTS, Black Keys, Margot, Muse, Bright Eyes, BB King, Aqualung, Robbers on High Street, Brendon Benson...I’m pleased with the list.

Music This Year

Albums that lived in my car player:

• Bright Eyes I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning
• My Morning Jacket Z
• NIN With Teeth
• The Silent Years Stand Still Like a Hummingbird
• The Black Keys Rubber Factory
• Fiona Apple When the Pawn…
• Cake Prolonging the Magic
• Green Day American Idiot
• Interpol Antics
• The Arcade Fire Funeral
• The Killers Hot Fuss

Songs that were always on repeat and thus on my new 2005 mix:

• Interpol - Evil
• The Killers - Andy, You’re a Star
• The Silent Years - Important Collection
• Ladybug Transistor - Oceans in the Hall
• NIN - Every Day is Exactly the Same
• Fugazi - Strangelight
• The Walkmen - We’ve Been Had
• Bright Eyes - Old Soul Song
• I Monster - Heaven
• Arcade Fire - In the Backseat
• Fiona Apple - Paper Bag
• Clem Snide - No One’s More Happy Than You
• Ted Leo - Me and Mia
• Andrew Bird - The Naming of Things
• Beth Gibbons - Tom the Model
• The Pernice Brothers - Water Ban
• Radiohead - 2 + 2 = 5
• Margot - Talking in Code
• Tiara - The Night Air
• Green Day - Holiday (almost Jesus of Suburbia)
• Sufjan Stevens - Seven Swans