2010 Year in Lipshultz

Well captive audience, surprisingly you’re back. And, less surprisingly, so am I. It’s the Yearly Year in Lipshultz. Let’s do this.

I was at dinner the other night where I mentioned that I'm turning 40 in mid January and one my colleagues from Korea noted ‘I guess turning 40 is treated as a big deal in America.’ This was funny to me as I thought it was a big deal everywhere. I stupidly forgot we are behind the world in math, science and immortality. Well, his comment got me thinking: Why is 40 such a big deal? What’s so good/bad about it….and you know what that means (and probably already got distracted by the pictures and bullet points below). Here are the

Pros and Cons of Turning 40


Pros

• Wendy threw me one of the best parties I’ll ever have - an amazing 39.5 surprise party - this past year. She was glad I was totally surprised, especially given how much work she had put into the ‘surprise’ logistics and the party itself. Funny thing, though, is she said that if I had actually known about the party she would have wanted me to tell her. Not so she wouldn’t have been disappointed. It was so I could have helped.

• No longer need to wonder what turning 40 will feel like

• In order to avoid spending all of year 40 trying to get healthier, I spent all of year 39 doing so…but it worked (Feb 180 lbs – Dec 154 lbs).
  




• Still feel 20-30-year-olds are my peers…Hmmm, having delusions. May need to move this one to cons.

• There is more to do, learn and see.




• Fart jokes still have not lost their luster

Cons

• I’m going to be 40, which is old enough to know better




• Increasingly evident scalp appears to be slowly plotting to add insult to injury. I found 2 gray hairs, which is just enough to breed.




• My mid-life crisis has been very lame. Where are all the hot chicks throwing themselves at me so I can feel conflicted?
  




• I just realized that old schoolmates are probably thinking the same thing about Facebook pictures of me that I am thinking about Facebook pictures of them.




• 40 is the new 40

Getting Back In Touch, DIY Style

Being 40 - and Facebook - have made me realize how many of you I haven't spoken with, heard from or seen in an long time. I'd like to rectify that with my own handy-dandy do-it-yourself email response. Here's how it works:

Step #1: Fill in the Blanks below
Step #2: Cut and Paste and send back to me at
Step #3: Feel you have accomplished something today in getting back in touch with an old friend/family member/person who emails you but you only sort of passingly know

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Dear (Whatever you would like to call me) ,

Thanks as always for that (adjective that means awesome) yearly wrap up. You're going to be 40? Wow, you don't look it. You look (number between 25-28) . I can't believe it's been (however long) since we (use your imagination). Sounds like you're been (verb ending in -ing) yourself. As for me thing have been going (word that describes how things have been going). I currently live in (location) , am (marital status) and living with (people, children, animals or inanimate objects worth mentioning). I spend my days (verb ending in -ing) at (location where you spend your days) where I (describe your daily magic). I'll never forget that time we (verb ending in 'ed) in the (noun). Crazy times, eh? Well, it's been great (verb ending in -ing) you on (social networking site, preferably one I'm actually on) but we should talk or hang out soon. Please send my (noun that doesn't make me question your motives) to your wife.

(Your favorite salutation)
(Your name)
(Your signature tag that gets automatically populated)

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All this 40 talk is a bit too much of a theme, but with the onset of 40 you do start to think of things not only that you have – and I do consider myself an incredibly lucky person – but all the things you have or are beginning to lose. With that I bring to you

All the things that were lost this year

• Our 17-year-old cat Gomez. He will be missed

• 25 pounds. Ask me how!




• Many of Pete’s things: a) His breakfast at the indoor pool. Closed it down with 100 kids scurrying out as my tearful kids and I slinked away b) His dinner right in front of the emergency room check in desk. To steal Wendy’s joke, several xrays later, we received a confirmation of what we knew all along: Pete was full of shit. c) His first tooth d) Every game I coached of his soccer team. Was fun though.
  




• At least 6 of our 20 foot trees in the backyard from those insane snowstorms






• My desire to watch any more of Weeds or Friday Night Lights these last seasons. They lost me. Ironically Lost did not lose me.
  




• The Washington Generals at the game we saw this year. This, despite the Generals’ hypnotizing all the Globetrotters one by one at center court
  

(Graceful transition from talking about myself to talking about entertainment for a bit goes here)

The Top 10 movies/books/TV shows I saw this year

10. In the Loop (movie) – funny British political satire, but I still expect James Gandolfini to yell with spittle every time I see him

9. Despicable me (movie) – Best kids comedy I’ve seen in a while. Megamind was a close 2nd.

8. Incredible mind benders/mysteries

• Shutter Island and Inception - Leo's great year in movies
  



• Rubicon (TV series) – was canceled but I’m kind of glad it ended the way it did. It was perfect. They would have just effed it up had they kept going.
  



• Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series (books) – Great except for book 3, which should have been called “The Girl who Wasted Several Weeks of my Life”
  



• Triangle (movie) – I wouldn’t have heard of without Netflix recommendation. I haven’t seen anything quite like it before.

7. Friday Night Lights (TV seasons 1-4) – Season 5 is a cheesy network TV garbage letdown, but 1-4 were great and used music well, like the theme song and Tony Luca’s “Devil Town”

6. Religulous (documentary movie) and 5. The Year of Living Biblically (book) – Both comically take on the same question: “Why do otherwise rational people suspend disbelief/follow sometimes rigid dictums for their faith”. The movie and book come to very different conclusions. Religulous has interesting, sometimes insightful and/or funny interviews yet the movie ends with the same questions it started with. The ‘Year’ author tries to literally alter his life to follow the Bible, at times to the absurd in order to make a point (ie throwing pebbles at an adulterer in Central Park in an attempt to stone someone). By the end, however, the author finds comfort and purpose in ritual and belief…and in the process inspires readers like me who wrestle with faith to open up more.

4. Inglorious Basterds (movie) – I’m a year late but it was worth it.

3. 30 Rock (TV) – Has hit its ‘Simpsons at its peak’ high.

2. Mad Men Season 3 (TV) – Season 2 was just sophomore slump. They are back.

1. Breaking Bad (TV) - Again, Breaking Bad sets the standard. This series is beyond words

Ok back to family for a bit...Here are 2010's Most Memorable Memories from My Word-That-Is-Escaping-Me-But-It-Starts-With-An-M-And-Means-Family-In-A-Witty-But-Not-Showy-Way

• Becca confiding in me to talk about her boy problems. Issue is, she’s in 3rd grade and already it's too complicated for me to be much help.

• Cub Scout Sleepaway camp Goshen with Zack – probably the best several days I’ve spent with Zack ever. He was in his glory -- archery, bb guns, swimming in the lake, etc. Moment I want to continue to relive: While most kids were more than ready to shed their parents during activity free time, Zack looked and me and said 'Aren't you coming with me?' I was torn between wanting to let him go and grow and not wanting to let him go and grow.
  
  


• Taunting my father with this new lawn addition

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• Lots of fun in watching Pete grow (swim, read, ride a bike) but most of all his (intentional?) sense of humor. My cousin recounting a conversation he had with Pete about Pete’s new walkie talkies
  

• Cousin Mike: “If you and Zack went to separate rooms could you hear each other?”



• Pete: “You could go to ANTARTICA and still hear each other”



• Cousin Mike: (laughing) “So could you talk to Darth Vader on these things?”Pete: “If he had one”

• Family trip to Chicago/Steelers Training Camp/Football Hall of Fame. Great to see friends we haven't seen in a long time in Chicago. That it was Wendy’s idea to stop at the Football Hall of Fame and that she was (almost) as excited as I was to go to Steelers Training Camp is reason #843 that we’re married.

• Reason #844 – on our romantic anniversary weekend trip to Miami, she was willing to stay in to watch the Lost finale

• The April fool I planted with help from Pete and Becca. Yes it got Wendy and her Mom too....but then it kept getting me every time I walked by it!

Family holidays (Matt, Rob and Ken helping to make a great fireworks display) and Vacations/visits with kids' cousins/grandparents at Nags Head and visits from their cousins in December

Now on to the thing that used to be the bulk of this update -- The music. I know I use a lot of superlatives, but this was an awesome year musically, and I mean outstanding. To prove it, here is a playlist for you to hear. Check it out.

Share 2010 list

MUSIC - Honorable Mention for new and newly found in 2010

• “How I got over” – The Roots



• The Messenger (album) – Joe Pug



• Go (album) – Jonsi



• “Santa Cruz” – Erin McKeown



• “Hello Hurricane” - Switchfoot



• “Cold Wind Blows” – Eminem



• "Miracle" - Matisyahu. I say this in all seriousness -- a kick ass Hannukah song that isn't self-deprecating



• “Birds” and “Earth to Aliens, What do You Want?” – Margot and the Nuclear So and Sos



• “Kings and Queens” – 30 Seconds to Mars



• Tennesse (album) - Lucero. Great Alt Country



• “Close Your Eyes” – Jump Little Children



• “That’s It That’s All” and “The Brouhaha” – Beastie Boys



• “Close Edge” – Mos Def



• “The Bucket” – Kings of Leon. New album Come Around Sundown is good too.



• “Terrified” – Kara DiGuardio. This gave me an entirely new respect for her. Skip to 1:48 as they just talk up until then.
  
  
  
  
  

MUSIC - As for the top 10. Here 'tis.

10 (tie) “Over” – Drake and “Check It Out” – Nicki Minaj

9) “This Too Shall Pass” - OK Go (videos) – Two wildly creative videos for the same song. One Rube Golberg, the other a marching band rendition

8) “F*ck You” – Cee-Lo Green– Best use of cursing since I stubbed my toe this am






7) High Violet (album) - The National – The Smiths is (not) dead

6) God Willing and the Creek Don’t Rise (album) - Ray LaMontagne – He hasn’t made a bad album yet

5 (tie) Together (album) - New Pornographers

My Beautiful Dark Twisted Family (album) - Kanye West

Both solid deliveries from artists that have yet to let me down.

4) Weathervanes (album) - Freelance Whales. Not sure how to describe them but you must hear. Chorus soar and layers of keyboards, guitars and – at times – banjos and toy pianos.

3) Say Anything – Say Anything (album) – offbeat lyrics, catchy hooks and a song (Do Better) that you can’t get out of your head.

2) My Best Friend is You - Kate Nash – A classic - sometimes retro motown, sometimes music art project that reaches for the stars and, like all classics hits incredible highs and 1 or 2 lows. Hey even Sgt. Peppers had 'Within Without You'

1) Becca as Ella Fitzgerald. I couldn’t be prouder.






With that little Becca outro, I can't think of a more perfect way to leave you. A proud family man ready to tackle the midlife wilderness.