TOP TEN for January 14, 2006
10. The Appleseed Cast is a really good band. Their first couple of albums weren't very good, but the last 3 have been amazing. Check 'em out.
9. We Are Scientists--a good band with a great name (based on a Cap'n Jazz song).
8. Sonic Youth's new album
7.
6. The Simpsons is on right now, the episode where Homer says, "Jeebus" about 40 times. It's funny.
5. Oatmeal. With Dates. And Raisins. And Almonds.
4. Speaking of almonds, I like almonds. So, it's good to eat almond butter.
3. The Foundation Series by Isaac Asimov. Classic books.
2. Surfing--I like it right now for some reason. Maybe because I did some stuff I haven't really done before.
1. George Bush. I really think we misunderstood him.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOP TEN for January 14, 2006
10. The upcoming Schadenfreude Politik (I just made that conjunction up) is going to be a good one. I can't wait (look for this to move up the list throughout the year).
9. Iggy Pop is a maniac.
8. Doggies. They're nice.
7. Not showering (actually that's not a Top Ten, that's just a fact right now. I'm getting in the shower right after this, I promise).
6. Guests are fun. The other night we had Willy (a shocker), Davis, Slug, and Virgil.
5. New computers and data recovery from old computers is freakin' awesome. Hello 21st century.
4. Readin' is fundamental! I finally finished reading 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. If you like good books...
3. My paintings all suck right now, but it sure is fun to do.
2. Make a guess, a prediction, a hypothesis... think about it for a long time... attempt to test this idea... it fails, not because the idea is wrong, but because you tested it wrong... test the idea... and success! Man, after thinking about it so long, it's a little bit anti-climatic after you find you've been right the whole time. This has to do with both art (I hate that term) and science, so it was pretty sweet to find both of them actually work, but the details are not ironed out yet...
1. I'm content
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOP TEN for November 28, 2005
10. Let's hear it for professional photographers. What a way to go. I don't know why so many of my friends are paid to take photos, but it sure is cool. I wish more of them painted though because I'd like to copy their work (just like I copy Pat Chapman's).
9. The Surfer's Journal. Man, that magazine is sum good readin'. Lots of stories and pretty pictures.
8. My friend Jason Lacy used to make fun of the way I write my 8's. I guess it is a little weird.
7. Experimenting. The first time ever!!!
6. Throwing paint on stuff. It has been really fun lately. I hope it lasts. I'm afraid it might end soon because I am overwhelmed at how good some people are. Like this guy.
5. One wave, one Pat, one big turn--it can be that good sometimes.
4. Chai Tea from Trader Joe's. Man, this stuff is good. And it is cheap. The Gimp always comes over to steal some because he never shops at the Pacific Beach store--I guess they are the only ones that sell it around here.
3. This maybe should be the #1, but I already wrote that, so it'll be #3--this may have been the best year of my life. hooray. funny how that looks when you write it down without any exclamation marks or capital letters. HOORAY!! that's better. Anyway, Brooke and I were discussing what year was the best and we both decided that this year was. Me? New Year's Eve was probably the best I ever had, later on this year I qualified (advanced to Ph. D. candidacy), traveled on someone else's dime (Galapagos, Mexico... New Jersey(?) and soon I'll be in Hawaii), and overall I had some good times with really good friends. Did I miss something else? If not for the terrible, terrible winters of my high school years (moslty due to the horrible high school known as Middle Township) I would have said that one of those years were the best ever because those summers... oh those beautiful south Jersey summers.... nothing to do, but... wait. I didn't have anything to do because I didn't work that one summer I was 15 and I had a one handle-barred bicycle. But alas, those winters were the worst and the best year is definitely this year. Hey, it has a good ring to it.
2. Hey, I have a new (to me) computer to use and it is sitting on my lap! Thanks to Neil Gordon who only wants a measly painting in exchange. Little does he know that they aren't worth very much.
1. Looking at my last Top Ten (December of 2004), my #1 would have to be that Republican crooks may possibly get what's coming to them. I love it, love it, love it. However, the biggest liar of all will probably pardon all those who get convicted anyway. What a douche.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A top 10 for the end of a crappy year:
10. Riffing off that last Top 10, Wal-Mart is getting bad press for "only" growing at ~0.2% over this holiday period. The bad news is that these anti-union extremists stock more than 70% of products Made in China. I think that the old dickhead Sam Walton might even protest the wholesale disregard for the American laborer... nah, I don't think he would actually.
9. The Moron In Charge doesn't seem to have control over his own people... he can't pass the first major legislation to come in front of him--the one that's supposed to reform intelligence. I have a couple ideas for how to reform intelligence in the U.S. government right now. The funny thing is the main players blocking this legislation are from San Diego.
8. Going to San Francisco--for the first time--next weekend for the American Geophysical Union conference. Woo hoo.
7. Can you sense this list isn't what it used to be?
6. Man, I need to cheer up, what's my deal?
5. Oh yeah, the Gimp is moving out to California. That's cool.
4. Also, Scott Soens has a house and it is awesome. We had a good time and I'll put up photos later.
3. Tofurkey is good.
2. It's raining, it's Sunday, I'm waiting for the mass spec. to work. I hope it does.
1. Hi, I am healthy and have food to eat. Thank you to whoever.
The 8-3-04: The August Top 10
10. Wal-Mart -my least favorite evil corporation- was handed a class-action lawsuit for consistently keeping women in low-paying positions. And today I heard that they won't be able to immediately appeal the ruling that allowed the six original plaintiffs to expand to the millions of women held back by the minions of Sam Walton since 1998. Made my day.
9. My immediate tooth repair is over, now I just have to deal with the pain and hope there aren't any more cavities lurking under my other fillings.
8. Summertime in California isn't so bad, as long as my friends from home keep coming out. But while I'm at it, I should say I have some good friends out here too. I should hang out with them more often.
7. Finding new cores to work with is very exciting. Especially when the initial description of the core bottom says "Miocene", but is very likely Pleistocene. Hell yeah, and it is right at 180W and is above the lysocline... unbelievable, but true.
6. Catching up on things... my teeth, my health (eyes, skin, etc.). Also, painting.
5. Band t-shirts: Braid, Amanda Woodward. All black, why is it always that way?
4. Lazy summer days... I can do my work at home, late night. Like I should be doing right now...
3. Movies: the Corporation (too long though), Napolean Dynamite (rip off, but good), Star Blazers DVD from Chappy (really bad quality, though), Basquiat DVD (amazing artist, I didn't know much about. the movie told me all about him and his crazy/crappy style. I could only be so bad), and more.
2. The feeling that everything is good (even though I sense something not so good "turning the corner" as our president says). GWB is getting a serious lashing everywhere nowadays and that's fine with me. But the problem is that there are people that are infatuated with him... learning disorder as Janeane Garafolo says? Possibly, although some may actually be psychotic, right wing, christian, nutjobs in which case there support is totally consistent.
1. Home again in two weeks for the Borek and good times.
The 3-27-04: The "Last Time I name this list" Top 10
10. George W. Bush getting his ass kicked right now!!!! Go Dick Clarke, he's a good guy. And I should say, Go GWB because he's his own worst enemy. What a dumb ass. I'm trying to savor this moment just in case he wins in November.
9. Good food, need some right now.
8. So many good shows coming to SD in April, Decemberists, Minus the bear, Hot Cross....
7. Good data, oh that is some good stuff.
6. Giving seminar talks that kick ass. That was a close one. You can see the talk at www.prafter.com/stuff and click on SIO student seminars.
5. The Decemberists: they have some super catchy songs that even my mom would like. That's right, my mom. Acoustic, pirate music that will get you singing along and then you realize you just sang, "dirth French-Canadian gut shot running gin". Bizarre, but good..
4. Strawberry Rhubarb pie from Julian, CA. So good I need to go back to get another.
3. Eternal Sunshine... great, great movie. Loved it more than Lost in Translation or In America.
2. Email updates from B Herron, M Pellini, and R Alley in the far off lands of the Southern Hemisphere.
1. Sunny days in La Jolla with Brooke, waking up with the window open and a warm breeze blowing through...
The 1-09-04: The "I am breaking tradition" Top 10
10. The UCSD Food Coop. Really good food at prices a tight-ass like me can find affordable.
9. Those once-a-day calendars, specifically: the Simpsons and Zen calendars.
8. New boards that are almost done, just the thought of it...
7. Lomo photography. You need to go there and look at my photos and say nice things (http://www.lomography.com/ppp/ then "LOMO MISSIONS", then "Current Entries" on the left, then click "Username" to find me: prafter_united. Go.
6. Motivation, it's nice.
5. New neighbors, they seem nice.
4. Cleaning house, that's right!
3. Book: New Stephen King Dark Tower Series.
2. Movie: In America.
1. Too many good things to single out a #1 as of this time, but Brooke knows she's there.
The 11-09-03: The "I am so slack about updating this" Top 10
10. The hardest thing about a top ten isn't finding 10 things that you are excited about, but it is finding those 10 things that you want to write down for everyone to see.
9. Sprecfer Cream Soda, get some if you can.
8. Plants. They're nice.
7. New photos with my stereo camera (which cost $4.75 at the thrift store). That damn thing is weird, but good weird.
6. The Kiev 4 camera coming soon to my doorstep (only $23). That thing is a big hunk of Soviet steel with what I hope is a great lens for cheap.
5. Going home for xmas, but I better have a lot of work done before I go. Make note to self to get lots of work done. Now. And while I'm talking about New Jersey...
4. Doug Deegan is a great guy. Our friendship is an example of how the right and left can disagree on politics and still be cool.
3. I just wanted to use this space to say how crappy the last Matrix movie was. Yes, my top 10 has some negativity in it, I'm sorry. But it really was bad. Bad bad bad.
2. The big, green couch.
1. Brooke again. Just because.
The 09-03-03: The "I'm so domestic" Top 10
10. Doing my own work.
9. Wonderful Nitrogen isotopes.
8. Eight is great.
7. Fun tubular waves this weekend. Best of the year (for me).
6. The bike to school is even quicker and less risky. I still should get a helmet, though.
5. The side yard next to the house.
4. Drunk Scott. Too funny. Really. Poop.
3. Cooking food in the house.
1. My mom, brother, and sisters. They are the best.
1. Brooke in the house, so amazing.
The 07-17-03: The "I'm In Summer" Top 10
10. Writing letters (paper, duh).
9. Matlab(???)
8. Science.
7. Warm, warm, warm ocean.
6. Feeling less stressed...
5. Waking up early.
4. New home.
3. Good food... that I left at home.
2. Things are different.
1. Brookie in the new home, with me.
10. All the good email for my mix tape library.
9. All the damn kids who thought I was really making "Mix Tapes". I don't even have anything to play a tape on kids... it just sounds way better than "Mix CDs". That's lame. Despite what Mike T says about analog, I'm still into digital. Sorry.
8. So, I'm making this new mix, so nice. I had Bob and his broken foot in mind.
7. Wow, I still have seven more to go.
6. Almost done.
5. Avalon, NJ in one month and one day.
4. My freaking paper is done.
3. 22nd street in Del Mar, what? Fun, east coast style peaks and warm water? What happened? I like it.
2. Wow, I really like mix tapes.
1. The number one spot is not even the number one thing. It's usually the last thing I think of in my "stream of consciousness" style of writing as Joe Grotolla likes to say. Is that how you spell his last name? See what I mean?
The 04-25-03: The "It's been a long time since the last Top Ten" Top 10
10. The Boss for telling it like it is.
9. Greg Palast for also telling it like it is in his new book (go read it or forever be ignorant (and probably happier)). Have I not said anything about this book yet? Oh, I will...
8. Matty Pellini for being proud to post Top Tens! They are so Fun!
7. Wow, I have seven more to go.
6. Ariana Huffington is pretty cool, too. But she should be back where the Boss is and the Boss up here. Make that change in your mind.
5. Tom and Loraine! Forever Top 10 contenders, because I wouldn't be bringing this junk to you if it wasn't for them!
4. My mom, because she is also a perennial Top 10 member.
3. My Brooke, for being so very entertaining even though she's 3000 miles away (she's "all-time"). She thinks so much of me, that she thought I could move a boat over the phone.
2. Breaking all the Top Ten rules, by not having a number 1.
1.
10. Adbusters
9. North Shore on DVD
8. My light-up globe
7. Taking good photos
6. The Ansel Adams PBS DVD, which made me realize my photos are no good.
5. Going into the ocean.
4. My photo of the Exit 13 "Swainton Avalon" sign in the rain. It looks so.... wet. Well, it did rain here a week ago, so I shouldn't complain.
3. My new book, thanks Brooke.
2. New music, but Soulseek is down again.
1. I think I'm over the hump for this school year. My brain is no longer an out of shape lump of grey clay and I understand what happens when you have positive vorticity advection!
Yes, here it is. I know you've been waiting for it.
10. The car made it out and it's ok.
9. Nothing too bad happened.
8. Putting my brain to work again. Make me think good.
7. Playing the guitar again.
6. Proving myself, to myself. I know, why did I have to?
5. New friends who are all really cool.
4. Being paid to be a student. Not too well, but enough.
3. All my friends, who always put up with my crap. Especially, but not limited to Scott who's made this move so much easier. He pretty much made did everything he could. He even got my picture in Surfer mag. Should I put Tom and Lorraine in the "friends" part too? Big thanks to them for helping me a whole lot with the computer and with everything. I'm probably leaving someone out, but my friends are so good that they wouldn't care right?
2. My Family, who have to put up with my crap. Especially my wonderful mom who is so strong she is model for moms everywhere. Give yourself some credit Suzie. And also my brother, who just got married. And his amazing family. I could only be so lucky.
1. My wonderful girlfriend Brooke. She puts up with my crap because she likes it(?). I know, crazy, eh? She of course is always the number 1, but this time I thought I should remind her about it. This year was filled with so many ups and downs and now I'm getting some more education. I miss her and can't wait for her to move out.
10. DJ Shadow
9. Not Spending Money
8. Rocks
7. Sanity
6. So soon...
5. School (?)
4. The Sun
3.
2. This computer I got from Tom and Lorraine
1. Tom and Lorraine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
10. Trader Joe's
9. Having money
7. Cheap flights straight from San Diego to Wilmington, NC
6. I don't have to be studying right this second
5. People at this school are starting to remember my name and say Hi
4. Did I say, Having money?
3. Stuff
2. Antarctic Mode Water
1. Mid-terms are over
10. Big Wednesday
9. Sailing
8. Rock n' Roll
7. Amelie, Royal Tenenbaums, and Big Wednesday all on DVD soon
6. Short Boardshorts
5. My New Ezera When I Get It
4. Brian Herron getting back from NC(sometime soon?)
3. Nice Photos
2. Brooke back in NJ
1. Air Conditioning (somehow getting before Brooke????)
10. Johnny Cash Again
9. Hot Water Music Again
8. Free Music
7. Painting Houses for Yourself
6. Taking a two hour lunch break
5. My New Ezera When I Get It
4. Brian Herron in NC
3. Fish Night
2. Seeing the Royal Tenenbaums twice
1. Seeing the Royal Tenenbaums the first time
10. Johnny Cash
9. My new black shoes
8. Cold weather in December
7. Orange Juice
6. The movie "Bottle Rocket"
5. Whenever I see "The Royal Tenenbaums"
4. Tim Chapman's face when he saw the picture I sent him
3. Sander Banta's face when he saw the pictures I sent him
2. Getting a new laptop (soon)
1. The car making it to NJ another time
