To me, this seemed like the most logical reason [there's nothing scientific about this, it's just some stuff I've thought about before and makes some sort of sense]. When I drive somewhere new, say about an hour away, the drive to my destination always seems slower than my drive back. I feel like this is because on the way home, you are more familiar with the route. Your drive back isn’t as new and exciting, and you are just going through the motions. At least, more than you were on the way there, when you didn’t recognize anything.

So I was wondering if this could have been similar to how life works. If each day we get more and more familiar with what we’re doing, each day seems shorter because we’re just going through the motions. Every day we get more accustomed to the things we do, whether it’s work, go to class or even play video games. By falling into a routine, we’re making our lives seem shorter. Or at least creating that illusion.

Now what? I’m hoping you’ve guessed my message by this point. Go out and try something new. Play a sport you’ve never tried before. Meet some new people. Listen to different music. Take a class that you don’t need. Eat something weird. Take the long way home. Just do something out of the ordinary. Perhaps by breaking the routine that we go through every day and doing something unfamiliar, we might be able to experience taking that route to the new destination every day.

At least, that makes sense to me. Who knows? It could work.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this, if you’ve got anything to share. Enjoy your Thanksgiving…

Well… that’s not completely true. Either way, here you go:

Dear All,

Today’s update is a very mixed bag.

The focus of concern remains reactor #4 at Fukushima, where spent nuclear fuel rods are stored.  Unlike active rods — which are surrounded by a very thick container — spent fuel sits in what is effectively a tub of water, protected only by the roof of the building.  These rods are still extremely hot, and boil through water very quickly.  Without an effective pumping system to bring in fresh cooling water, the water level in the pool drops — exposing the rods.  At that point “significant” amounts of radiation are released.

Efforts are therefore centered on getting more water into the pool.  Yesterday’s plan was to drop it from helicopters, but the radiation emanating from the facility was so intense the mission had to be called off.  Today they are going to attempt to thread water through a hole in the side of the building using water cannons.  This has never been tried before, and it’s not encouraging the experts are referring to this as “a last-ditch effort”.

Compounding the complexity of the situation, temperatures at reactors #5 and #6 also started to rise.

For the first time, the US Embassy has recommended a level of caution that exceeds that set by the Japanese authorities.  They have asked citizens living within 50 miles (80 kilometers) of the facility to evacuate, whereas the government evacuation zone remains 20 km (with people living 20-30 km away asked to stay inside).

The embassies of Iraq, Bahrain and Angola have closed, and repatriated their staff.  The Austrian Embassy has moved to Kobe.

The weather turned cold last night, with snow and mid-winter temperatures forecast for the disaster area — where there is still difficulty getting blankets, food, water and fuel to the evacuees.

In better news, the wind continues to blow out to sea, reducing the amount of radiation reaching Tokyo.  However the winds are expected to turn south by the weekend.

The amount of smoke emanating from the Fukushima plant has been greatly reduced — though it’s somewhat worrying no one knows why.

In Tokyo itself, things have actually improved a bit.  TEPCO continues to grossly mismanage the rolling blackouts, announcing this morning that “parts of Group 5″ would lose power.  (No, we don’t get it either.)  Nonetheless most train lines are operational, albeit at a reduced frequency.  There is a surprising amount of food on store shelves, possibly because panic buying has focused on non-perishables (with rice being the most highly sought item).  They managed to get more gasoline into the city, although authorities are still encouraging people not to buy gas unless it’s absolutely necessary.

Our office was open yesterday from 11-4, and for much of that time it felt like a normal work day.  Unfortunately “normal” now includes a couple of earthquakes, and there was an unpleasantly strong one around noon.

But yesterday’s most surprising news was that the Nikkei Stock Index went up 5.68% and the yen hit a record high against the dollar, touching the Y76 level.  The theory seems to be that Japanese companies might be forced to sell off assets, meaning speculators would need yen in order to play.  But it’s bizarre that a country can face an existential crisis AND have an extremely strong currency at the same time.

The upside, of course, is that imports of things like fuel just got a lot cheaper.  And that’s important, as we’ve lost 1/3 of our total power supply and the cold weather ahead is going to stress an already weakened system.

As the amount of detailed information about things we never used to know or care about increases, it gets ever-more difficult to put it all in context.  Yesterday I reported that Tokyo had seen levels of radiation “20 times the normal level”.  It turns out “normal” is extremely low, and 20 times that amount is equivalent to the radiation you’d get flying from LA to New York.  No points for guessing which way the evening news decided to tell the story.

I’d like to close by thanking a couple of true heroes.  There were 800 people at the Fukushima plant, 750 of whom have been withdrawn.  The remaining 50 volunteered to go back — again and again — into a highly radioactive building in a valiant effort to protect the rest of us.  Despite the various precautions being taken, illness is almost certain and death a strong possibility.  Their courage is beyond imagining.

The US has 148 people on the ground, and the USS Ronald Reagan is now stationed off the coast.   On Tuesday 32 sorties were flown, looking for survivors and (mostly) delivering supplies to the victims.  When they returned to the ship, there was radiation on both the helicopters and on some of the crew uniforms.  Yet to a man, they said they would be going out again tomorrow.

It makes the inconveniences and concerns we in Tokyo have to deal with seem trivial by comparison.

Best regards,

David

And the most recent one:

Dear All,

Yesterday was a game of two halves.

Until late afternoon, it was the most normal day we’ve had since the disasters began.  There were only three earthquakes in Tokyo, all minor.  The overwhelming majority of trains were running.  Work got done.  I left the office with two of my team who were cheerfully discussing how and where to score a quart of milk.  The taxi driver who took me home said he had absolutely no problem getting the LPG Japanese taxis run on.

Then things took a turn for the worse.

For the first time, the US Government broke ranks with the Japanese, and announced that anyone living within 50 miles of the reactors should evacuate.  (The Japanese government continued to insist 12 miles was sufficient, with anyone living between 12 and 17 miles ordered to stay inside with the windows shut and the heat off.)

Next the US Embassy sent out an e-mail saying US citizens should “consider” leaving.  This was quickly followed by an announcement that flights had been chartered to take people to “a safe haven”.

The technical news also worsened.  An earlier attempt to drop cooling water on the Fukushima reactors had to be abandoned due to intense radiation.  This was a setback, but not a major one since a plan was already in place to use water cannons to shoot water through a crack in the housing surrounding the reactors.  Around dinner time, we learned that even though the extraordinarily brave crew had driven the truck right up to the entrance of the highly radioactive buildings, the water couldn’t reach the fuel rods.  As this was the last publicly announced counter-measure, it seemed liked we’d run out of options.

Around 9 PM the promised large quake struck — a magnitude 5.8.  Tsunami warnings were issued.

Fortunately, the day ended on a slightly better note.  Using a different type of water cannon, they succeeded in getting cold water into the reactor building (though it remains unclear whether they reached the rods, and whether that made any difference).  The tsunami warnings were cancelled.  The big fear for the night:  unseasonably cold weather, with heavy snow in the afflicted areas.

This morning both the helicopters and the water cannon are back at work in Fukushima.  Authorities say that while reactor temperatures haven’t dropped much, they haven’t increased — which is progress.  They are also trying to attach a new power cable to the disabled pumps, though whether those pumps still function remains unknown.  Trains are running, but as temperatures remain in single digits (centigrade), it’s likely more power cuts will be necessary.

Today is graduation day for many Japanese schools.  (Kaoru left early this morning to help her deaf students through the ceremony.)  Several schools up north have opened for the first time since the tragedy, and it is a huge relief to see the kids acting stupid together, just as kids are supposed to do.  But signs of what we’ve been through keep appearing.  The principal at one school clearly hadn’t shaved for a while, and when the talk turns to friends lost in the disaster, teachers, parents and students all dissolve in tears.

But there is good news, too.  Stations have been set up where people can charge their mobile phones.  Several people who are then able to turn on their phones discover messages from family members long thought lost.

The Ad Council has started running public service (unrelated to the disaster) TV ads again, presumably to make it safe for paying advertisers to start spending money again.  Some (idiotic) normal programming has returned.

The world continues to react with incredible kindness.  Yesterday I got a note from a friend who runs a diamond company in Bangkok.  They are making a corporate donation to the Japan relief effort, and asked their factory workers whether they would like to contribute.  Although these people make very little, they all reached into their pockets and pulled out crumpled bills to add to the pot.  ”Japan has been a customer for a long time; this is our chance to give something back” said one.

There is a bit of debate on whether now is the time to donate.  There has been no official request for funds, as the major barrier to getting fresh water, food and blankets to the evacuees is not supplies but rather logistics.  And it’s clear many charities are using the disaster to raise funds that may or may not make it to Japan.  The US Red Cross raised $24 million, but gave “just” $10 million to the Japanese Red Cross — who hadn’t asked for the money in the first place.

Our view is that the money will be needed later, when the world’s attention has moved on.  Most Japanese insurance does not cover quake damage, and there’s likely to be a debate about whether the tsunami falls under this exemption.  With towns entirely wiped out, not only is there no housing or roads — there will also be no jobs.  All those cars you saw being tossed around by the tsunami will need to be replaced if people in rural areas are going to be able to get to the market or doctor’s office.   Hundreds of thousands of people will have nothing more than the clothes on their backs.  It is then, I think, our help will be needed most.

Nonetheless, the $1 million donation mining company BHP announced yesterday is much appreciated!

The sun is shining, the wind is blowing the fallout out to sea, and the power is still on.  Right now, that counts as a good start to the day.

Best regards,

David

http://tinyurl.com/4jelafp

Dear All,

A brief summary of today’s Update:  the sun is out.

No, I’m not going to start singing show tunes from the musical “Annie!”.  But the fact that it’s sunny means there’s less worry about rain bringing radioactive fallout into contact with skin and clothes.

That remains a worry, particularly since there are now problems with the 4th and 5th reactors in Fukushima.  But the level of radioactivity in Tokyo has dropped since late afternoon yesterday, when they were 20 times the normal level.  (The government says even that does not pose an “immediate” threat to human health, but they are noticeably mum about longer-term damage.)

The US Ambassador sent out an e-mail this morning saying the US government has been very involved both at the plant, and in measuring radiation throughout the country.  He concluded by saying they support the steps taken by the Japanese authorities, including the recommendations regarding evacuation.

Nonetheless, the exodus from Tokyo has intensified.  A large number of expats have left the country, or sent their families ahead.  Some companies are moving their teams down to Osaka or Kobe.  Conversations often begin with “are you leaving?”

For those who are staying — which is the overwhelming majority — life is being lived in a fog.  TEPCO continues to do a terrible job of organizing the rolling power blackouts, often canceling them at the last minute because the supply of electricity is higher than expected.  This keeps the trains from running normally, which has resulted in some unfortunate scenes.  Yesterday the glass in one train was broken simply because there were too many people inside the car.  Knowing how packed a commuter train is on an average day, it’s hard to imagine how much humanity must have been jammed in.

Yet no matter how long the lines — for trains, buses, or ever-more-scarce toilet paper and tissues — people remain orderly and considerate.  There are stories on Twitter about stranded commuters and homeless people sharing rice balls.  So far the worst display of anger came at a press conference, where journalists were upset when the spokesperson simply read a prepared statement and was unable to answer any questions.  And even that was tame compared to the daily feeding frenzy at the White House.

Food, water and blankets continue to be in short supply in the affected areas.  However money is starting to pour in.  Yesterday Uniqlo made a $24 million donation, including 300,000 sets of thermal underwear.  Coke sent 300,000 bottles of water — which was then topped by a Japanese firm who sent 500,000.  LVMH pledged $500,000.  And the list goes on.

However distribution remains a problem.  The devastation has been so complete there are no trains, no roads, no ports.  Helicopters are one of the only ways in, and to date most of them have been tied up with the search & rescue effort.  As hopes of finding more survivors fade, one assumes these will be redeployed.

There were several significant earthquakes last night, and there’s still a 40% chance of a 5+ earthquake hitting in the next two weeks.  While both the odds and intensity are down, they’re still far too high for comfort.  And of course, with each major quake there is a high risk of tsunami.

After keeping the office closed yesterday, we have decided to open today from 11 – 4.  Clearly things aren’t going to return to normal any time soon, and we need to start coping with the new reality.

In closing, let me again thank everyone for your messages of support and concern.  A huge number of you have offered us a place to stay should we choose to evacuate, which is thoughtful beyond belief.  It really means a tremendous amount — to me, my family and my team.

Best regards,

David

Dear All,

Many of you asked to be updated as events unfold, so here goes…

We returned to the office Monday morning, and were pleased to see there had been very little damage.  Papers had fallen off some of the messier desks, and a few pictures were on the carpet rather than the wall.  But all the computers and TV monitors were intact, and there was no broken glass anywhere.

After a meeting to ensure everyone was o.k., and fix some holes in our emergency procedures, we went back to work — starting with calling all our partners to make sure they were safe.  However there were four quakes before lunch time — one of them quite large — and that brought back some unpleasant memories.

It also made several people seasick, one of the side effects of working in an “earthquake proof” building that sways quite substantially together with the movement of the earth.

The biggest short-term issue is the rolling blackouts imposed by the power company late Sunday night.  They did this without talking to the railways, who didn’t have sufficient time to adjust all the train schedules.  To make matters worse, on Monday morning the power company announced they had greater reserves than they’d expected, and cancelled some of the blackouts.  This left everyone confused about which trains were running, and when.  Moreover coordination between the various rail companies was (understandably) spotty.  Many people found themselves stuck at a transfer station — so many, in fact, that one of the major stations had to close for fear of being overwhelmed by the mass of humanity.

Like many companies we closed early to give people a chance to get home.  Once there we watched the worsening news coming out of the Fukushima nuclear power plant, where there had been a second explosion earlier in the day.  Fear centered around a third reactor, where — with typical Japanese indirectness — authorities said they “could not rule out the possibility a meltdown had already occurred”.

The government also announced there is a 70% chance of another 7+ quake by mid-day Wednesday, followed by a 50% chance of same by Friday.  (There was a large quake last night — and another one while I wrote this — but neither came close to a 7, which is lethal.)

Last night’s weather forecast was for rain, which would have brought dangerous oil (from Friday’s fires at the storage facilities) and possibly radioactive fallout back down to earth.  Fortunately, it remains overcast but dry.

As of last night, the confirmed death toll had passed 1,800.  News reports — especially overseas — are saying there may be more than 10,000 dead, but at this point that’s just a wild guess.  No one knows what lies beneath the tremendous destruction up north.

Reactions to all this have varied widely.  The French and German embassies have instructed their nationals to leave the country, and if that’s not possible, to go further south.  The American embassy is much more reserved, telling its citizens to follow the instructions of the Japanese government.  Some companies have reduced hours, others shut for a few days, and some are down for the week.  Store shelves have been stripped of water and non-perishables, though there’s still a surprising amount of fish, meat and vegetables on display.  As always, people have remained calm and orderly.  Even in the taxi ranks — where waits are as long as two hours — there is no pushing or arguing.

Twitter has emerged as a primary means of communication.  Phone service has improved significantly, although there are still times when calls don’t go through due to congestion.  But there is so much new information — like the ever-changing blackout schedules — that needs to be quickly communicated to a large group, social media is a faster, broader option.

All the TV stations continue to broadcast nothing but news, all day, without commercial interruption.  It’s hard to turn away from it, but equally hard to watch.  It leaves you numb.

Due to the transport difficulties, we have closed the office for the day but are hopeful we can get back to a semi-normal schedule by tomorrow…assuming none of the latest threats materialize.

Thanks for thinking of us.

David

Dear All,

Thank you for your calls, e-mails, Tweets and Facebook postings.  It has been a scary and horrifying few days, and it means a lot to me, my family and my team to know that you’re thinking of us.

When the quake hit I was on a rare domestic business trip to northern Japan.  The train I was in stopped suddenly on a small bridge, and shook violently for 4-5 minutes.  It was another hour before the train proceeded — very slowly — to the nearest station.

Which was lucky.  10 minutes earlier or 10 minutes later, and I would have spent the night on the train.  As it was, I was able to get out at the station, and find a bed for the night.

In Tokyo Kaoru was in her Japanese sumie class.  After the shaking stopped she and her elderly classmates had coffee for nearly four hours, followed by dinner.  The aftershocks had then calmed to the point it was safe to go home…but there was no way to do so.  All trains and subways were halted, and taxis had understandably disappeared.  Consequently the only ways to get around were by (rare) bus or foot.  Several came to our house for the night.

My team was hard at work on the 30th floor.  Our building is one of the modern structures designed to sway with the movements of the earth, making it a reasonably safe but tremendously frightening place to be.  After the initial quake finished, the team evacuated the building, accounted for everyone, and departed to make their ways home.

Some of our friends walked for more than 3 hours to reach their families.  Others spent the night on the floor of their offices.

The TV coverage has been phenomenal, but Friday night we saw only a small portion of the horrific scenes that were to unfold over the weekend.  As we headed off to bed the biggest concerns were the tsunami damage in Sendai, and the burning oil storage facility across from Haneda airport.

I woke at 4 AM to what was by far the most frightening earthquake I’ve ever encountered.  (My hotel was much closer than Tokyo to the epicenter of the magnitude 6 Nagano quake.)  The noise and the shaking were so violent I felt sure the building would collapse.  After a nearly endless 5 minutes the tremors subsided, but aftershocks continued every 10-15 minutes for the rest of the night.

The next morning the non-stop TV coverage showed even more of the damage from the tsunami.  Many of the scenes were simply impossible to believe.  A train bent at a 90 degree angle, sandwiched between a house and a boat.  Ships being literally tossed into highways.  Waterfalls in city centers.  Houses on fire while being swept by the tsunami through a village.  Bridges with an entire center section missing, as if still under construction.  And the beginnings of what is now the biggest worry:  an explosion in the nuclear power plant in Fukushima.

That story worsened throughout Saturday, and even now (Sunday morning) it’s unclear how bad this will prove to be.  Initially people within a 3-kilometer radius were told to evacuate.  Shortly thereafter that was expanded to 10 kilometers, then 20, then 25.  The experts said that the security core containing the nuclear material had not been damaged in the explosion, but then we learned that nearly 150 people had gotten a year’s worth of radiation in just 1 hour. Their condition is being described using the same phrase that is applied to survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

I was able to make it home a little after 9 PM last night, nearly 30 hours behind schedule.  The streets were deserted, with most shops closed.  Convenience stores were open, but their shelves had been stripped bare of essentials, water, batteries and other survival items.  Mobile phone service is improving — it shut down completely on Friday — but is still sporadic.  My Blackberry still cannot send mail, which is why I’ve been so slow in responding to so many of you, and resorted to this bulk mail.

No one has been back to the office since Friday, so we’re not sure what awaits us tomorrow morning.  Reports are that the elevator in the building still doesn’t work, and as we’re on the 30th floor that’s a major obstacle.

Quake damage seems to vary widely, depending on size and age of building.  At home we had only a few things fall from shelves, and just two broken glasses.  But friends have come home to living rooms full of broken glass and toppled bookshelves.  So much of this is simply dumb luck.

They say the aftershocks will continue for several weeks (there were two while I wrote this), and the nuclear plants continue to be a huge worry — not least because there is so much yet unknown.  The death toll is now over 1,000, and expected to climb as teams sort through the tremendous devastation in Sendai, Fukushima and Iwate.  But there are signs the worst has now passed, and we can start on the huge task of rebuilding.

In closing, let me again thank you for your thoughts, prayers and support.  It has made a very difficult time much easier to bear.

David

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jasonkweiss

25. Phish – Live Phish Series (1995 – present)

Favorite Track: Wipeout/Chalk Dust Torture (Live Phish 06)

24. Bright Eyes – I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning (2005)

Favorite Track: At The Bottom of Everything

23. Weezer – Weezer (2001)

Favorite Track: Hash Pipe

22. Common – Be (2005)

Favorite Track – The Corner

21. The Flaming Lips – Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots (2002)

Favorite Track – Fight Test

20. D12 – World (2004)

Favorite Track: Get My Gun

19. Band of Horses – Cease To Begin (2007)

Favorite Track: The General Specific

18. The White Stripes – White Blood Cells (2001)

Favorite Track: I’m Finding It Harder To Be A Gentlemen

17. Ol’ Dirty Bastard – Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version (1995)

Favorite Track: Protect Ya Neck II The Zoo

16. Guster – Ganging Up On The Sun (2006)

Favorite Track: The Captain

15. Sufjan Stevens – Illinois (2005)

Favorite Track: Jacksonville

14. The Decemberists – The Crane Wife (2006)

Favorite Track: Yankee Bayonet

13. The Shins – Chutes Too Narrow (2003)

Favorite Track: Gone For Good

12. Arctic Monkeys – Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not (2006)

Favorite Track: A Certain Romance

11. Belle & Sebastian – The Life Pursuit (2006)

Favorite Track: Funny Little Frog

10. N.W.A. – Straight Outta Compton (1988)

Favorite Track: Parental Discretion Iz Advised

9. The Strokes – Is This It? (2001)

Favorite Track: Last Nite

8. My Morning Jacket – It Still Moves (2003)

Favorite Track: Dancefloors

7. Oasis – (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? (1995)

Favorite Track: Champagne Supernova

6. Dandy Warhols – Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia (2000)

Favorite Track: Shakin’

5. Wu-Tang Clan – Enter The Wu-Tang (1993)

Favorite Track: Wu-Tang: 7th Chamber

4. Sigur Rós - Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust (2008)

Favorite Track: Inní mér syngur vitleysingur

3. Sublime – 40 Oz. To Freedom (1992)

Favorite Track: Badfish

2. Pixies – Doolittle (1989)

Favorite Track: Mr. Grieves

1. Radiohead – OK Computer (1997)

Favorite Track: Paranoid Android

Tribe Called Quest’s Low End Theory was on the list, but had to be removed for the Pixies, who I got into after I made the initial list (I know, I know). Either way, now that’s done with, hopefully I’ll be able to update a little more often. Perhaps I’ll write on the top 5 in a future article, but not tonight. Enjoy the list, hopefully you discover some new great music, or rekindle your love for others. Share your thoughts if you wish.

Do I look fifty to you?

Yeah.

Really?

Well, I mean you know… only from the neck… up.

Mmm.

In case you guys didn’t know, the Ocean’s series are my favorite movies. All of them are brilliant. It’s a shame that they aren’t making any more, but damn it I love every minute of them.

RIP Bernie Mac

In the meantime, here’s a picture of Johnny Cash I edited:

It’s all in the game, yo.

20. D12 – World (2004)

This is probably a prime example of an album that I enjoy, rather one that is critically acclaimed. The Dirty Dozen’s sophomore album didn’t have that big of an impact in the rap game or anything, but I still loved it. D12 was probably one of my favorite rap groups back in the day, despite being a little mainstream. I even created my AIM screen name after them (DirtyDozen997). Either way, I still enjoy listening to this album from time to time. What I love about D12 the most is that they can be really funny but have great rhymes at the same time. I feel like they all have this really goofy personality or something, I don’t know. Maybe it’s just me. Maybe this album isn’t for everyone, but I still like it a lot.

Favorite Track: Get My Gun; I loved this song as soon as I heard it. It’s funny, it’s catchy, and it’s well made. Swift’s verse off the top was just raw, and the rest of song is just as crazy/entertaining. The song begins with Eminem upset because someone asked for his autograph and it’s just about the group being violent and angry, but with silly undertones. It’s why I love D12.

19. Band of Horses – Cease To Begin (2007)

I first discovered the Band of Horses in college, right before I heard they were going to be at Sasquatch. You could imagine how excited I was to hear that news. What drew me in was that sort of country sound they have, and Ben Bridwell’s voice of course. I’m not really that much of a fan of country music (except Hank Williams Sr., obviously), but I really like indie-folk bands like this. There’ll be a few more of these bands further into the countdown as well. Needless to say, they were really phenomenal at Sasquatch. Easily one of the best shows there. The song The Funeral off their first album kind of became one of our college dorm’s theme songs. If you haven’t heard that song, it’s really something. You’ll have to listen for yourself.

Favorite Track: The General Specific; I really like this song because it just grabs you. It’s upbeat and fun, but Bridwell’s vocals are also great. It’s kind of soft and mellow, but really powerful at the same time. Does that make sense? Listen to it, you’ll understand. Or you won’t. I’m sure you’ll like the song either way though.

18. The White Stripes – White Blood Cells (2001)

The only thing I knew about the White Stripes for a while was the song Seven Nation Army. And that itself is just an amazing song. One of my (and my good friend Ben Nelson’s) favorite songs. Either way, I began listening to this album when I saw it at the top of Uncut Magazine’s best albums of the decade list. I don’t know if it’s the best of the decade, but it’s pretty damn good. Jack White is definitely one of the best guitarists of our time, and this is some of his and Meg’s finest work. I don’t usually listed to much hard rock, but the White Stripes I feel like they can appeal to anyone with a half decent music taste. This is yet another album that you can listen to while working out because of its intensity, or while doing homework because of its musical genius. Real good stuff.

Favorite Track: I’m Finding It Harder To Be A Gentlemen; This song is a masterpiece. It gets me really amped, and its got some really good musical influences within it as well. The guitar and the keyboard are awesome, along with Jack’s vocals, the melody as well as the bluesy sound to it. I’m a huge fan of instrumental choruses like this one, as long as they’re done right. Another example is the Kings of Leon’s Slow Night, So Long.

“… And every breath that is in your lungs is a tiny little gift to me…”

17. Ol’ Dirty Bastard – Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version (1995)

If any of you know me well, you’ll know about my little obsession with the Wu-Tang Clan a few years ago. This was back before I got into rock music, and I listened to nothing but rap. It was good rap though, mind you. Moving on, Wu-Tang was easily my favorite group, and the ODB was my favorite among them. You can imagine how upset I was to hear about his death in the 8th grade. What an awful day. The second artist from the Clan to release a solo artist, the ODB did not disappoint. Rapping along with RZA’s beats, Dirty made one of the more unorthodox rap albums I’ve heard. He totally makes it work though, is the awesome part. He’s got this raspy rap voice, along with this crazy singing voice he throws in some songs. Which is actually pretty good, too. Another album that probably isn’t for everyone. But I still love it. Can’t say enough about this one. I just need to go to bed soon.

Favorite Track: Protect Ya Neck II The Zoo; Just such a hardcore rap song. A great display of Dirty’s spontaneity and overall craziness, but at the same time a little humorous as well. It’s a really fast paced song, and pretty graphic as well. I just really like the way it flows. They don’t make music like this anymore.

“Oh baby I like it rawwww…”

16. Guster – Ganging Up On The Sun (2006)

I was first introduced to Guster by my friend from New York, who showed me the song Amsterdam on one of their previous albums. I didn’t get one of their full albums until this one, but their fifth one is really well done. It’s super melodic and easy to listen to. I feel like anyone can enjoy this album. I’ve never gotten a chance to see them live, but they’re definitely up there. You can tell by listening to their album that they’d be a great live group. This is another great rock album that has some folk/blues to it. I think that Guster’s got a really great sound, one that fuses rock and folk extremely effectively. Ryan Miller also has an awesome and distinct voice, and the harmonies within their music is really well done as well. Definitely recommend this album to almost anyone.

Favorite Track: The Captain; Just a really cool folksy/harmonic track. Also a lot of fun. It’s really versatile as well, if that makes any sense. I feel like it’d be a really good summer song, but work just as well in the winter, you know? Maybe it’s just the sleigh bells at the end. There’s a lot that goes on in this song, and I think the producer did a really good job of putting it together. You’ll see what I’m talking about when you hear it. That breakdown at the end as well, always fantastic.