Deer Season

I grew up in a rural area where deer hunting season was a very big deal - we even got a day off school for the opening of the hunt.


This year during the hunt I did manage to get my deer - although my version of "get" involves getting a few photos of one.


Given that the women in my family used the dear hunt holiday as a retail holiday where the only thing that got a work out was our credit card, I've decided this kind of hunting (with a camera) might just work for me.  After all, this way I get pretty pictures and no big credit card bill when I'm finished.

Did anyone else get a school holiday for something as odd as the Deer Hunt?  Or is it just rural Utah?  Note, they called it Fall Break, so it wasn't quite as blatant as I make it sound.

I hope this little doe never finds herself in the headlights.
Owl City: Deer in the Headlights Pin It

Vanilla Twilight

I fell in love with this song based simply on the title - doesn't "Vanilla Twilight" sound lovely?  For me it hits all the right notes - I can picture listening to it at twilight sitting on my back deck, I can smell the vanilla candle burning in the background and my ears are full of this lovely song.

I fell more in love as I started to pick up on the lyrics - what girl wouldn't love having a guy write a song like this for her.

The stars lean down to kiss you

And I lie awake and miss you

Pour me a heavy dose of atmosphere

'Cause I'll doze off safe and soundly

But I'll miss your arms around me

I'd send a postcard to you, dear

'Cause I wish you were here

I'll watch the night turn light-blue

But it's not the same without you

Because it takes two to whisper quietly

The silence isn't so bad

'Til I look at my hands and feel sad

'Cause the spaces between my fingers

Are right where yours fit perfectly

I'll find repose in new ways

Though I haven't slept in two days

'Cause cold nostalgia

Chills me to the bone

But drenched in vanilla twilight

I'll sit on the front porch all night

Waist-deep in thought because

When I think of you I don't feel so alone

I don't feel so alone, I don't feel so alone

As many times as I blink

I'll think of you tonight

I'll think of you tonight

When violet eyes get brighter

And heavy wings grow lighter

I'll taste the sky and feel alive again

And I'll forget the world that I knew

But I swear I won't forget you

Oh, if my voice could reach

Back through the past

I'd whisper in your ear

Oh darling, I wish you were here

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How did I get so OLD?

Like all of you, I've found myself reading many "best of" lists over the past few weeks.  This weekend I was reading Entertainment Weekly's 2009 Best & Worst issue and one list in particular left me feeling very old and out of touch.  Their picks for The Best Singles of the Year include:

• Jay-Z and Alicia Keys "Empire State of Mind"
• Lady Gaga "Paparazzi"
• Phoenix "Lisztomania"
• Keri Hilson feat Kanya West & Ne-Yo "Knock You Down"
• Grizzly Bear "Two Weeks"
• Gossip "Heavy Cross"
• Green Day "21 Guns"
• Noisettes "Never Forget You"
• Mile Cyrus "Party in the USA"
• Dirty Projectors "Stillness is the Move"

As I read through the list I realized that, while I recognized all of the artists (except Dirty Projectors) the only songs I actually remember hearing were "21 Guns" and "Party in the USA."  Since then I've spent several days feeling old and out of touch.

I've finally decided to blame my lack of knowledge on the fact that I don't listen to the radio anymore and that my taste in music is just a bit outside mainstream pop.  Have I rationalized enough so that I can still consider myself "cool" when it comes to music?

To try and prove my "coolness" here are some of my picks for the top songs of the year (in no particular order):

• The Avett Brothers "I and Love and You"
• Owl City "Fireflies"
• Kings of Leon "Use Somebody"
• Carrie Underwood "I Told You So"
• Miranda Lambert "Dead Flowers"
• Death Cab for Cutie "Meet Me at the Equinox"
• Holly Williams "Alone"
• The Temper Trap "Sweet Disposition"
• Will Hoge "Even if it Breaks Your Heart"
• Dierks Bentley feat. Patty Griffin "Beautiful World"

What were your favorite songs this year?

And because I really do want to know, I've decided to provide a little incentive to get you to comment.  I'm going to give away a mix of my favorite songs to one of you, so leave a comment with you favorite song(s) before Thursday at mid-night and you could be the proud owner of my Best of Mix.

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