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What'd you do for new years friend? Were you shitfaced? Enjoying time with family? All alone? Hey, whatever story you decide to stick with I promise to believe you.
It was a long year, new changes, new faces, new places. A recession that failed to keep us down, a recession that succeeded in raising prices. New artists for us to hate, new artists for us to love. Fuck it, it was a great year all things considered.
With that, it would only be right for me to list my favorite products, aspects, and people of the year.
Enjoy.
Favorite overall blog
Late boots
After reading this blog for a good year or something I finally want to share. But, I don't want to ruin your opinion of the blog by telling you my opinion of the blog. So I will not taint the mind that is soon to be developed. Just go take a look, I won't blame you if you never come here again.
Late boots
Favorite local blog
Orcl worldwide
This goes hand in hand with my favorite breakout brand of the year. What I really like/look for in a blog is witty commentary, real person perspective, and uhh stuff. Needless to say this falls under all three categories.
Favorite boots
Clarks desert boot
By now I'm sure that this might be everyone's favorite boot. Why not? All that anyone should ask for from a shoe is that can withstand the test of time, test of endurance, test of drinkspillage, test of thestare", and that it will look better at the end of every long day. Through wear and tear my once "Sand" colored Clarks have now turned into a more "silt"y type of color, and continue to look great.
Favorite sneaker
Not the Space jams
Oh you got the space jams friend? Yeah me too. I understand that you probably stole money from the cash register, robbed old women, and stood outside for a day in order to get them..But that still doesn't validate the uncomfortable toe area if you were like me and bought them true to size. A 6.5 is not supposed to feel like a 6. (Yes,even with hype and that "ahh I got mine" feeling, a shoe is still supposed to be comfortable. I don't care if Lil Wayne mentions them in his song). More importantly, after our space jams have been through rain, dirt, parties and whathaveyou they are going to look like shit and your (ok, my) toes are going to be bruised.
But enough about my not favorite shoe. My go to sneaker for this year was picked up for $88 dollars in 2008 at Ubiq on a whim. No lines, no reseller prices and no scuffable patent leather. The Jordan CDP III will likely remain my favorite sneaker through 2010 because it can pass the same tests as my Clarks. Meaning, I know that my midsoles have dirt and other unmentionables caked on them..I just choose not to clean it. Have you ever passed out on your bed in Supra's? I don't recommend it but, if by chance you have the opportunity (and right mind) to pass out in III's..By all means..go for it.
Favorite concert
Kid Cudi X 88 Keys X Asher Roth
The electric factory brings back memories even without acknowledging the artists I've seen there. Paying $4 for a fountain soda in a waxy paper cup, Paying $30 for a cotton t-shirt, getting frisked, watching some girl crowd surf (and get dropped by a group of douchebags), smelling chocolate blunts getting lit up a few heads back.. blah blah blah. I guess that you could call all of that "atmosphere". Could you imagine fist pumping to "Embrace the Martian", blindly waving your arms to some Asher Roth song that no one's ever heard of, or shaking your head at 88 Key's sandals without it? What if you had room to move forward without touching someone? Fathom jumping with the crowd..Without the sweaty crowd. It just wouldn't be the same would it?
Cudi might have left our mouths open with his performance, Asher might have made us wish that we could wear Ball shorts onstage and still be envied, and 88 keys might have umm jumped around a lot...But it might not have been the same concert without the venue. Fuck it, I'm changing the category. Favorite Venue of the year The Electric Factory
Favorite jacket
Do you remember as kids when it was important to have the brightest colored jacket? I went through Neon green, Neon Orange, Neon yellow, other shades of Neons, Red's, etc etc. Combined with those sneakers that had the color changing goo on the toe box, or various pairs with midsoles that blinked red & green when I took mighty mighty seven year old steps..There was really no one seeing me in terms of clashing.
Now older (and arguably wiser) I've learned to settle for more neutral jackets. Far past the north face phase, the American Apparel "this is cool looking but doesn't keep me too warm" phase, and have finally settled down to the "This is $48 and is made with wool so I'll buy it and hope for the best" phase.
Guess what? I bought this jacket for $48 and much to my relief..It keeps me warm.
Favorite denim
APC New Cure
I've been wearing the same pair of jeans for over a year now. The crotch hole, whiskers, chapstick & wallet imprints on the back pockets, and knee fades tell me that my jeans have character....Unfortunately those are just signs of old jeans to the rest of society. Not many people seem to relate to that proud feeling of turning cardboard stiff jeans (that I had to sleep in for two weeks, stride with caution for fear of bending a knee that hadn't been moved with the exception of taking showers, and worry about relentlessly until the day that I could finally call them comfortable) into a second skin.
There are many, many emotions in this world and though I've tried (searching google, thesaurus, dictionaries, etc) I've yet to find one that can capture everything that I feel about my jeans.
Through grass stains, and loose ends of cotton..My jeans are more reliable than most of my friends.
-I've moved on to a pair of petit standards since this was written. They are loved as well.
Favorite new artist
Kid Cudi
Man on the Moon was different. Different to the point that if you weren't already a fan you might have formed some opinions about Mr. Mescudi's mental state. Also different to the point that a fan of the mixtapes might not have bought the album. Personally, I was a fan of everything and anything Kid Cudi came out with. The variety of lyrical content, producers, featured artists, and etc throughout his budding career showed me that he can do well without being confined to one specific genre..Yes he's a "rapper" but think about it, is he really just a rapper? No.
Favorite album
Fuck it, my favorite album of the year did not come out in 2009. My ear canal doesn't see much to begin with but it is completely blind to time. My favorite album came out a few years ago. N.E.R.D's "FLY OR DIE" is the only CD that I can picture listening to for the rest of my life and discovering new meanings within lyrics everyday. An album that requires thought but not a specific mental state..Is an ALBUM.
This is an album my friends.
Favorite gadget
Ipod touch
While my ipod doesn't give me the "Crackberry itch" while I'm away from it (hide someone's blackberry then watch how their eyes won't focus on one place, and study how their fingers fidget) if I were to misplace this, I'd be very upset with myself and the rest of the world.
Favorite hat
Anything that either A. Keeps my head warm OR B. Looks fucking cool!
Favorite breakout brand
ORCL
"ORCL? What's that?" wasn't an uncommon phrase this summer/fall but once they got on, they got on. The lookbook was amazing, this coming seasons lookbook is bound to be amazing. The shirts are comfy, the faces of the brand are good people. There is everything and nothing to hate on at the same time. Grab yourself a tee before it's too late.
Dope shit
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That's all folks. I hope that you laughed (maybe cried when I hit a nerve), and enjoyed the end to the hiatus. We're back.
