Now that we are past the halfway point in the year, here are my favourite albums of the first half of 2009. It is yet to be determined which ones will make the end of the year Top 10, but these are the albums that have caught my attention so far. (Credit to Shley, from whom I stole this idea).

In Alphabetical Order:

Beirut - March of the Zapotech and Realpeople Holland


Andrew Bird - Noble Beast


The Decemberists - Hazards of Love


Bob Dylan - Together Through Life


Franz Ferdinand - Tonight: Franz Ferdinand


Gomez - A New Tide


Lisa Hannigan - Sea Sew


Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit - Self-Titled


The Low Anthem - Oh my God, Charlie Darwin


Mos Def - The Ecstatic


Regina Spektor - Far


M. Ward - Hold Time


Wilco - Wilco (the album)

New beginnings;
I've had many
Or so I believe
What you want and what you need
Are rarely the same
To begin, there must be an end
There is no end
Just a change
Evolution
A new perspective
Moving forward
yet remembering the past

This is not the end of an era.

I remember ...

... walking across the tile floor of Pamplin Hall. As I approach the door, there is a crowd of people gathered inside the atrium. I could tell that these people didn't belong in Pamplin, they did not seem to have anywhere to go. Instead they huddled together near the entrance. I can sense that something isn't normal, but my cynicism prevails and I head outside, muttering underneath my breath.

I immediately notice that there is something different about the campus. Something just doesn't feel right. It is strangely quiet. The calm before the storm. The overcast sky mirrors my heart and I start walking towards the parking lot. Screaming comes from the drill field. I hasten my step. A girl is walking toward me, a door opens up and someone tells her to get inside quickly.

Something is wrong.

I figure that as long as I am going away from the commotion, I am OK. The parking lot is unnusually crowded. I get in Babe and proceed to dial the Virginia Tech emergency number.

"There is a gunman on campus."

Numbness in my fingers

The message then relays that we should stay off campus if possible or secure ourselves inside a building. What? Is this really happening? Here?

I return to my house and am glued to the internet and radio for the rest of the afternoon. The toll rises:

2

8

20

32

It's too much and I find sanctuary in a friend's dorm at Radford. I don't set foot on campus for 7 days.

I hate my socks. Maybe it is the size of my foot that I dislike.

Socks come in size ranges (i.e. 10-12) and the size of my foot tends to fall in the lower half of the range that fits me. Because of that, the reinforced heel ends up behind my achilles and it looks stupid. It looks worse with athletic socks, because they tend to make the reinforced areas grey. It's a small thing, but it annoys me.

I hope she doesn't mind, but I just had to share this song. I think it's beautiful. I hope she doesn't feel too embarrassed. Then again, she might be the only person who actually reads this blog. I hope you enjoy your song, Kit.


Basement Lullabye - Kristin Benshoof