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I think I know my calling in life.  My mission, my quest, will be to write the first musical theatre adaptation of the Back to the Future movies.  This is the, without a doubt, way better than any other frickin idea I've ever had.  Definitely much better than that whiskey and orange juice idea.  Awful.  And this idea isn't unprecedented; there was Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, Monty Python and, umm...I think Mork and Mindy had a quick run somewhere in there.  And don't bother telling me that two of the previous four shows I mentioned were musicals to begin with.  I know.  Shut up. 

But the script writes itself (well, duh, mainly because the script was already written; again, shut up).  Opening scene: Doc is chased by Lebanese terrorists, music should sound like that really frantic funk stuff from Jesus Christ Superstar when Judas is all crazy and shit.  Yeah, that should translate well.  And then Doc whizzes off or something - it's been awhile since I've seen the first movie, so I'll have to write the rest later, but it's going to be awesome.  Oh, and the second act will revolve around the third movie...I really just want to skip over the second movie altogether - that movie just sucked.  And in the first act, Marty's girlfriend will be played by a blonde and in the second act, she'll be played by a brunette.  Because you know, nobody noticed that Elizabeth Shue wasn't in those movies anymore.  Right...

Anyway, thanks for indulging me with that.  Here are some links that should keep you busy:

Pinguin Clubbing  SNL Chronic of Narnia Skit

K...I need to start reading Felix's journal more often to think of ideas to post.  Quite the positive read.  I like it.  Anyway, for a more upbeat post, here are 10 things that have made me glad in the past week (no particular order):

1) NFL Network in HD.  Dan Marino never looked so good.

2) Random references to Cate Blanchett.  Yes, I just posted an inside joke.  Sue me.

3) Not getting sued this past week.  That rocked.

4) Finally getting Silversun Pickup's "Pikul" EP in the mail.  What a breath of fresh air...some great post-Pumpkin songs on there.  And while we're on the music kick: The Darkness.

5) Living 3 blocks from Union Square.

6) Jason Roberts Brown

7) Felix got a new 3 series.  Can't explain why this makes me happy...maybe because he's been talking about it for so long, it's good to see it finally come true. 

8) Sunday NFL watching with Jack.  How quickly the Alex Smith era progressed into us just hoping to see positive steps forward by the rookie.  "Yeah, you know, sometimes when I drop back, I have no clue what's going on."  Nice.

9) Setting up a TV at the foot of a bed.  Hands-down best studio apartment set up ever. 

10) And, just for kicks, the first scissor cut into construction paper.

So I've been told to make this post good.  Liz, I will try.

Anyway, I went back and scanned through some of my xanga posts over the last year, and thought, since 2005 is coming to a close, maybe it's time to reflect on some of these things.  First impression of everything that I've written: god, there are a lot of fucking typos.  I need to proofread more.  Seeing as I spend a fair portion of my day proofreading my work, I should be able to at least give a once-over to a journal post.  Anyway, here are three overall themes from 2005:

1) Job Dissatisfaction  I think I've made peace with this.  Yes, it sucks sometimes, but I think I'm trusted more now than I was before, and that makes me feel kinda happy inside (smile).  And you know, while it's not fun to see JEF stock spend 15 days climbing $5 only to crash $4 on day 16, it's been entertaining to watch the look on the MD’s faces when they realize their equity in the company just lost 10% of its value.  Plus, I like the other analysts here.  It, admittedly, is a boys club.  But in what other job will you walk into harassment sensitivity training, realize that 90% of the things you say to your buddy are technically "grounds for dismissal" and walk out of there laughing about it?  There are a number of things that keep me sane in investment banking: using the dinner allowance to go grocery shopping, stealing the car keys of the guy across from me and moving his car at lunch, and...well, that's it. 

2) Wanderlust  Ok, this is a word right?  Does anyone remember this band from the 90s?  They had a song called "I Walked?"  I've really only seen them on that BMG music sampler that had bands like Hum, and that band that sang, "The Land of Milk and Honey," and...dammit, now I can't remember any of the other ones.  Man, that was a good CD.  And my parents wouldn't let me listen to half the bands on it.  To this day I can't believe my parent's censored my listening choices and I still turned out with a decent ear for music.  I mean, take the story of my first CD ever: I had a gift certificate to the Wherehouse and wanted to get Van halen's "for unlawful carnal knowledge" CD, but was forced to get Billy Ray Cyrus' "Achy Breaky Heart" travesty instead.  Are you kidding me?  Billy Ray Cyrus?  I'd feel about 90% better about half the things my mom has done if it turned out it was all just one big practical joke on me.  Seriously, what parent, in a fit of rage, leaves a message on their son's shared college answering machine screaming, "alcohol and a blowjob!" at the top of their lungs?  Answer: my mom.  If one day my dad called up and said, "ok phil, jokes over, we all had a pretty good laugh at your expense, hope you didn't mind too much," that'd be fine.  All would be forgiven.  I'd even laugh.  Finally, life would make more sense.  Anyway, you may have noticed that I'm avoiding the original topic. 

3) Music  You know, I still like Lyle Lovett.  I still play guitar, a lot.  I think I've only made one bad music purchase this year: some band called West Indian Girl.  But considering this past year was a sort of musical renaissance for rock music, I think one bad apple out of an awesome crop isn't all that bad.  So, what are the Top 5 Songs I’ve listened to in 2005?

1. Lurgee by Radiohead

2. Sincerely Me (Live) by Better Than Ezra

3. I Can’t by Radiohead

4. Kamera by Wilco

5. Ribbons Undone by Tori Amos

I have really just two things to say about this list: 1) Pablo Honey was a frickin great album and 2) ugg, was I that down that these were my most listened to songs in 2005?

There is a reason I haven't updated in awhile; I really haven't had anything to write about.  Brett brought up a good point about a month ago: if you know me solely by this blog, it sounds like I'm either spinning into the depths of dispair over my job, or verging on the suicidal and comtemplating what I am doing with my life.  I fully concede that I offer no middle insight into my life, which is starkly different from my once-a-week posts during the senior year of college.  It's not to say that that I'm bouncing between sadness and aimlessness constantly; its just that these are the emotions that inspire me to write my posts.  (Tremendously happy things would also inspire me to post, but I don't like to gloat.)  Writing the blog is cathartic, and if I'm stuck in the middle, so to speak, I really lack the inspiration to write anything of substance. 

So I'm going to try and change this.  First, I'm posting this on my friendster site in the hopes that boosting readership will spark some sort of obligation within myself to write more.  Second, since I rarely have anything worthwhile to write a whole blog on, I will let myself post 2-3 thoughts each time.

Anyway, here are my thoughts:

1) I just got the new Darkness album.  Is there another rock band out right now that is as consistently mind-blowing?  White Stripes?  Maybe.  By the way, I'm limiting myself to the strictest definition of rock: prog-rock, new new wave, radiohead, etc... are excluded.  Is the music corny?  Absolutely.  But I think critics would be hard pressed to identify bands with as clever hooks and harmonies that rock like a rock band, not a pop band.  By the way, I could very nearly be writing this same paragraph about Fountains of Wayne if they'd limited their 2-disc compilation to the 35 minute length of the Darkness album.  Main reason to buy the Darkness: even more head-voice than the first album.  Second reason to buy the Darkness: Track 2 title: "Knockers," track 2 chorus: "I just love what you've done with  your hair."  Brilliant.

Other music that I've enjoyed listening to in the past 6 weeks: Eels, "Blinking Lights and Other Revelations," The Silversun Pickups, "Pikul," Original soundtrack to "Parade" by Jason Roberts Brown.  Those are the only new discs I've had time for.

2) Apparently Jefferies' just finished a transaction with Penthouse Magazine and the analysts in the SF office have been receiving free subscriptions for a couple months now.  And not just one mag per person, like boxes and boxes of mags.  Working 20 hours a day must be worth it. 

3)  Some lessons I've learned since moving to 7th and Mission: a) homeless people swear very loudly, often times for no reason other than that they are homeless; b) do not, under any circumstances stare at people, especially when they are obviously carrying stolen property; c) people have different ways of saying hello; one way is saying "happy holidays" in october; d) stay away from puddles on the sidewalk; e) do not offer to take your girlfriend to a massage parlor, this is considered inappropriate. 

4) And of course, plenty of good things have happened to me.  My job is not the life sucking drain it once was.  And there's Laura, who has turned me on to the following things and for which my life will be forever changed: Dramarama (not to be confused with Bananarama), Firefly, Jason Roberts Brown, 80s cover bands, pocket squares, the Hayden Christensen whine and The List. 

What's The List, you ask?  Well, this idea is stolen from Friends, but it's still a good one.  It's a list of the 5 people you are OK cheating on your significant other with.  Mine has Kirsten Dunst, Bryce Dallas Howard, Rachel Weisz, Kiera Knightley and Kate Winslet.  Hers has (to the best of my memory) Peter Saarsgard, Jake Gyllenhall, Heath Ledger, Tori Spelling and Jennifer Love Hewitt.  Ok, I made the last two up, but I can't remember who the other guys were.  I'm not very good at listening.  But I'm pretty Laura would put JLH on there if she'd thought of it because she's such a talented actress.  I mean, who didn't like Can't Hardly Wait and the Full Monty?  Oh, and kudos to Laura for picking two dudes who happen to be in the first gay cowboy major movie ever.  Yeah, I believe you had know idea that movie was in the works when you picked 'em.  Whatever.