45 days & Top 10 Song List!!

It's been over a month since my last post, and I'm not apologizing for the delay.  Work was extremely busy in December (more than normal), I was in Vegas for 4 days, trip to Nashville, TN for work but saw some friends as well, Adult Winter Prom 2010 (ok, so it was just a house party where we just in formal wear...sorta), 2 Pacers games, Thanksgiving weekend, Xmas weekend, and now approaching New Years. 

Vegas was awesome as usual.  Good to get out there w/ Marko for once - first time I've gone out w/ him.  Andy also went and I think that's our 3rd time being out there together.  A lot of good gambling stories, including learning the intricacies of how to play Craps (and not just betting the Pass Line only - thanks Marko), turning $10 into $500 at a blackjack table, and hitting my first ever NFL parlay bet.

But now, the moment I've been working towards, albeit mentally, since our Athens GA road trip back in October.  During the drive down, I think it was Scott who presented the idea that we all should come up w/ our lists, or maybe he said one of his friends had done it and he thought it was a must that our circle of friends do it as well. 

This is a lot harder than you would think, so i needed a process to get started. 

• Step 1 - Open ITunes, grab a beer  
• Step 2 - Go through 2,000 song list by artist, jotting down favorite song by artist
• Step 2a - Grab second beer
• Step 3 - Shrink 2,000 songs down to Top 30
• Step 4 - Grab another beer
• Step 5 - Take Top 30 and make the tough decision on which songs crack the Top 10

Really the only requirement that I used was "Would I ever turn this song off it came on the radio/ITunes."  If I could answer YES to that question, then it did not qualify.  I obviously like music, all different types (minus most country), so it was tough to go through and realize that many songs that even though i may "like" them, they didn't pass the radio/ITunes test.....thus not included.  In addition, every song that made my Top 10 List, and most that were in the Top 30, all have some sort of story or memory attached to it on why I have a fondness for it.  Most memories revolve around high school/college or the few years after college, but nevertheless, they take me to a good place when I hear them.   HERE WE GO....

#1 - Sweet Child of Mine - Guns & Roses. 
#2 - Clocks - Coldplay
#3 - Under the Bridge - Red Hot Chili Peppers
#4 - Two Step - Dave Matthews Band
#5 - Wonderwall - Oasis
#6 - Let Her Cry - Hootie & the Blowfish
#7 - Up All Night - Counting Crows
#8 - Burden in My Hand -Soundgarden
#9 - Yesterday - The Beatles
#10 - California Love - 2Pac / Dr. Dre

Honorable Mention:  Life in Technicolor II (Coldplay), One (Metallica), Remember the Time (Michael Jackson), Learn to Fly (Foo Fighters), Mr. Brightside (The Killers), Clumsy (Our Lady Peace) Walking in Memphis (Marc Cohn), The Valley Road (Bruce Hornsby), I Walk Alone (Oleander), Separate Ways (Journey). 

There ya go - Top 10, w/ another 10 for good measure.

Since the new year will be upon us, i'm sure my next post will be about my 2011 goals.  I had 3 goals for 2010.  I completed goal #1 (boxing class), about 20% completion on increasing culinary skills to what I had previously envisioned, and a 0% completion rate on learning the whole Thriller dance (readers choice goal, sorry people who voted for that!).  I also did not do any baby-sitting, which was 2nd in votes for my 3rd goal.  We'll see what 2011 brings...