Cardinology Is A Terrible Title To a Pretty Good Album

I kind of like this Ryan Adams and The Cardinals new album, Cardinology. It doesn't have that overall twangy country sound that a lot of Jacksonville City Nights and Easy Tiger has. And I have really grown to enjoy that sound. Five years ago I would have found it a bore, but I guess as I get on in years I like good old roots country tunes. This album sounds more pop like than some of his other, and thats alright. In a time where I am sincerely struggling to like any music at all, I find this record to be pretty good.
I like Ryan Adams because he pukes out songs, and not in a bad way either. He is a songwriter and for the most part a very good one. Here is one of my favorite songs on the album.


Ryan Adams and The Cardinals [mp3] Crossed Out Name

NBA Basketball is Back

NBA basketball is back. It is imperative, for professional sports leagues to be successful, that big name teams contend for Conference and World Championships. For the NBA to be truly successful and back in the living rooms of sports fans then the Celtics and the Lakers have to be successful. The Knicks need to be successful. It would be great for the Pistons and the Bulls to be successful. Right now the Lakers and Celtics are a combined 15-1 coming off their Finals showdown last year. The Knicks have found a way to get to 5-3 and the Pistons are a half game out of first in the Central. There are more guys I would pay money to see (Lebron, Kobe, Dwayne Wade, Dwight Howard, Troy Paul, Amare Stoudemire, Pierce, Allen, Garnett). The Trail Blazers are a fun team to watch, as are the Suns.
I am looking forward to watching the Celtics on Friday night basketball for the first time since watching Bird, McHale, Parish on those Friday nights before Church League Basketball. Shooting phantom jump shots in my basement during timeouts imagining that I was probably as good as Bird was at this age. Ha!
It seems that guys are playing harder. Playing with enthusiasm. The Celtics winning the championship last year was a great thing for the sport. No one cares if San Antonio or Utah or Miami wins it. We all want to see Boston or Detroit or Chicago or Clevland. With that being said. I would rather see Oklahoma City win the Finals Championship than the Hollywood Lakers.

The Unanticipation of Thanksgiving Makes it the Greatest Holiday since my Birthday

-Turkey, you are probably not alive anymore, and if you are you are on death row-

Thanksgiving is the most underrated Holiday in our country. Easily overlooked for obvious reasons and taken advantage of, as simply an extended weekend of discount shopping. I believe that I like it more than Christmas. Thanksgiving holds all the fun that Christmas does...getting together to eat lots of food over and over again, to drink alcoholic beverages over and over again, watch sports and movies and take naps intermittently throughout the day. You don't have the presents and of course, the birth of Christ and all, but most importantly, you don't have the pressure. Every year you get so hyped up for Christmas. More excited than anything. With overexcitement comes the dread of it ending. I dread Christmas ending more than I look forward to it.
With Thanksgiving you don't count down the days on a calender pulling out a piece of candy as you get closer to the big day. You don't prepare long lists of things you don't really need and you don't hang lights and torture trees...the day comes without a ton of overdone anticipation. You wake up when you wake up. Drink, eat, and watch football. Nap and eat and nap and drink.

5 great things about Thanksgiving
1. I don't love turkey. I don't request it for birthday meals or for special occasions, but on Thanksgiving eating plates and plates of turkey sounds better than meatballs during the Super Bowl.
2. Sleeping through the 3rd and maybe 4th quarter of the Lions game.
3. The Friday after Thanksgiving might be the busiest shopping day of the year, but it is irrelevant if you spend that entire day in your basement.
4. Saying, "The Thanksgiving Day Parade is on!!!" and then watching Sportscenter.
5. After the dishes are done and it has just gotten dark getting the turkey out and making the greatest turkey sandwich ever assembled.

I think that the best bands to listen to today are as follows--
Fleet Foxes
Sun Kil Moon
My Morning Jacket
Bod Dylan (just Blood on the Tracks)