Autumn Souvenir

As the years pass, my show attendance continues to ebb. 2012 was probably my lightest year of concert-going since 1990, when I'm pretty sure I only saw four shows (Def Leppard (2x), Genesis and Neil Young. How about that for a mix of terrible and awesome?) . Of the few tangible pursuits of 2013, attending more shows makes the short list. That said, I did see a few memorable shows this past year, and here are the ones that stuck out: Runners Up : Wilco / Berkeley Theater, Berkeley, CA / September 21 Following a lackluster show in Brooklyn earlier in the year, for the first time in nearly two decades, I worried that my interest in Wilco's live show was beginning to wane. Before a surprisingly thin crowd (probably 80% full, but light by Wilco standards), the band put on a fantastic show. Much to my delight, they played a blistering version of "Laminated Cat," a song I'd been waiting to hear for a decade. Add in a run of "Handshake Drugs," "Wishful...

- Go to Mexico - Complete that 1/2 marathon - Move to the South Bay - Give more to charity - Attend the Solid Sound Festival - Get to 180 - Give more - Read more books

The Re-Election of Barack Obama President Obama is the leader I've always longed for. His re-election was the highlight of my year. Discovering Rodriguez I'd had one of his records for a few years, but it was the documentary Searching for Sugar Man that led me to the story of Rodriguez. Wilco Now over 18 years in, my favorite band ever, continues to move me like no other. Aung San Suu Kyi Seeing her speak in person will remain a moving memory for life.

Memories & Birds : Kenny Roby Simple Song : The Shins Down In My Hometown : The Flatlanders New Multitudes : Farrar, Johnson, Parker & Yames Working Titles : Damien Jurado Decoration Day (Live) : Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit I Want a Pair of Cowboy Boots : Jens Lekman The House That Heaven Built : Japanroids Not a Day Goes By : Bap Kennedy Hold On : Alabama Shakes Land of Hope and Dreams : Bruce Springsteen My Sweet Lord (Demo) : George Harrison Duquesne Whistle : Bob Dylan Hoping Machine :  Farrar, Johnson, Parker & Yames Why : Josh Ritter Be At Peace With Yourself : Bill Fay

Without a thorough review of all purchases, here's what I've got: 1 Bruce Springsteen : Wrecking Ball 2 Bap Kennedy : The Sailor's Revenge 3 Farrar, Johnson, Parker & Yames : New Multitudes 4 Bill Fay : Life Is People 5 Japanroids : Celebration Rock 6 Damien Jurado : Maraqopa 7 Chuck Prophet : Temple Beautiful 8 The Flatlanders : The Odessa Tapes 9 Bob Dylan : Tempest 10 Lightships : Electric Cables

http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2011/01/who-killed-assault-weapons-ban Who Killed the Assault Weapons Ban? —By  Josh Harkinson | Wed Jan. 12, 2011 3:43 AM PST 62 If the Federal Assault Weapons Ban had been renewed in 2004, there's a good chance that its restriction on high-capacity gun magazines would have  prevented the Tuscon shooter from killing so many people . So who's to blame for allowing this common sense law to lapse? Certainly not the American public. During the 2004 debate on renewing the ban, the Annenberg Election Survey at the University of Pennsylvania released a poll showing that 68 percent of the public—including 57 percent of all gun owners and even 32 percent of all NRA members—wanted the ban extended. Enacted in 1994 with the support of Ronald Reagan, the Assault Weapons Ban was politicized during the contentious 2004 presidential race. "I don't understand the philosophy that says you're making America safer whe...

And perhaps the best movie I've seen since 2000s You Can Count on Me. (I've yet to see Zero Dark Thirty .)

I can probably count on one hand the number of genuine vacations I've taken in my life. In 2001, just a few weeks prior to 9/11, I traveled to a few countries in Europe with my brother. That week holds some of the fondest memories of my life. In 2007, I extended a business trip to France by spending 4-5 days in Nice, France, along with a day trip to a small town in Italy. Many of the moments of that week are etched in my memory. A few years back, a girlfriend and I traveled up to Crater Lake in Oregon and spent a week journeying throughout Oregon. Again, some of the deepest memories I've ever had. Add in about 11 trips to Big Sur and countless shorter stops in cities throughout the US, and it truly is a wonder why I've never taken to travel. I can summon almost any city (Cincinnati, Austin, Portland, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, Chicago, Boise, Jacksonville, Boston, Asheville, etc.) and I'm immediately brought to a time when I experienced the wide-eyed joy of being in a fore...