I love all these doofy ‘year in review’ things people do (though it seems no one cares for mine–sniff, sniff), so in honor of Matt Bronleewe’s 2004: Personal Review (it’s a goofy frames site, so it might open all weird), I present my own year in review. Though I don’t know as many cool people as Matt Bronleewe, so don’t expect as much. Of course you could just look through the archives, but that’s not fast enough for you people, is it?
January 2004
Started eBaying crap lying around the house during a lull in freelance work (hey, seems I’m doing the same thing in January 2005). Interviewed lots of famous people for my article on the U2 tribute album, In the Name of Love. Famous people like Dan Haseltine of Jars of Clay, the guys in GRITS, and some other quasi-famous people who will sound more impressive if I don’t mention them. Take that Matt Bronleewe!
In the real world, we conquered Mars and Apple released the iPod Mini.
February 2004
I left my wife behind the week of Valentine’s Day and helped my parents move across country from West Bloomfield to Somewhere in the Middle of Nowhere, Kansas. I think that’s the official post office address. I also converted from a irritable PC user to a stary-eyed Mac user. And I won’t be going back. I also started taking small business classes so I had someone to blame when Monkey Outta Nowhere goes belly-up.
In the real world–well, I don’t know what happened. Though Sixpence None the Richer broke up and Freaks and Geeks came out on DVD. You win some, you lose some.
March 2004
I finally admitted my addiction to Buffy the Vampire Slayer to the entire world. This can be directly blamed on my former roommate who moved in with us during this period and left all five seasons of the series currently available lying around. I also started downloading songs on iTunes like mad and going on and on about my new Mac.
In the real world some Jesus movie came out and made a big splash. I dunno, I missed it.
April 2004
I jetted off to L.A. for a secret business meeting. Well, I suppose it’s not a secret anymore. As a result of that meeting, we launched ChurchMarketingSucks.com, as well as planned what would eventually become two businesses: Personality and Center for Church Communication. We talked about just plain taking over the world, but the motion was tabled. The roommate who was living with us also got married and we kicked his butt out on the street. I also reprised my role as Jesus in the youth group Passion play. I think this year I’ll have to lay down the beard for someone else.
May 2004
The month started with discovering that an old college musician friend had started a band and recorded an amazing CD. With another friend I led a discussion on blogs. It didn’t amount to much, but we had fun. Speaking of blogs, I put Google ads on this very blog (total earnings to date: $21.95). My wife began grad school this month and I got a Nintendo GameCube. Coincidence? Probably.
In the real world my hockey season came to a bloody end with a puck meeting Steve Yzerman’s face.
June 2004
I turned 25. Techno-wizard Josh Lewis! enabled those funny little pics at the top to randomly rotate. I read through almost the entire Harry Potter series. Doesn’t look like much else happened. Must have been playing lots of GameCube. Oh, that’s right, my wife went on a missions trip with the youth group, leaving me and Speak to play Nintendo.
July 2004
My parents came to visit and IKEA opened a few days later. Coincidence? Yeah, I think so. We jetted off to Las Vegas for my brother’s wedding and psuedo-vacation. If you can call 100+ degree heat a vacation. I also traveled to Sonshine with the youth group for three days of rock. Okay, three days of Christian rock. I had more fun than I should have.
August 2004
I tried to track down a lot of old high school friends, discovering that one of them had survived a close call in Iraq. I ended up hearing from a handful of old friends, and have promptly not talked to them since. I saw the 2005 Mustang at the Minnesota State Fair and fell in love with cars again. Well, not really, but I point them out like a giddy school boy whenever I see them.
That Olympics thing happened in the real world.
September 2004
We bought an iPod and a laptop. Must have been rolling in cash–not sure what happened. Youth group started up for the year again, this time with no youth pastor.
October 2004
The whole month seemed to be gearing up towards some crazy Presidential election. You know who won. But I was really hoping to see the loser in a plaid lumberjack shirt and beard. Alas. I also wrote an Advent play for the youth group, which featured John the Baptist’s head as the narrator. Everyone said I’d get letters. Letters received: 0.
November 2004
This month I wrote my first ever novel and U2 released their umpteenth album. Coincidence? No. I don’t think so. I also spent Thanksgiving night in the emergency room waiting room.
December 2004
I think I spent the whole month talking about my novel and shopping for Christmas presents. Of course I still haven’t finished preparing that novel for the public (though it’s almost there). We also traveled the midwest, visiting such sights as Warsaw, Ind. and Great Bend, Kans.–we know how to travel, huh?!
Whew. That was something, huh? Kind of depressing to gloss over an entire year like that, but you get the idea.