you show your pain like it hurts

first off i'd just like to share that i slipped and fell in the shower this morning and i hurt quite a bit. feel free to laugh at my pain.

now thats out of the way, it is "best of '04" season and so of course VTB will jump on the bandwagon with our obligatory "best of" lists.Last year we went through our tops in one shot and even created a list of new years resolutions that we actually kept (we did in fact quit smoking, and were even going to the gym for quite some timeuntil school got in the way, and we can play quite a few recognizable riffs on the bass guitar, but don't expect us to join ozzfest any time soon). This year we'd like to give it to you slowly, tenderly, building up to a climactic finish just in time to kick off the 'O5.

So without any further ado, VTB would like to present to you with a rose - we've decided to keep you until the next elimination although we'd like you to put out just a little bit more if you want to make it to the end... umm, we mean that we'd like to present you with the first of the Best of the Best of '04:

Songs of the Year*
1. Mr. Brightside - The Killers
2. Bend and Break - Keane
3. Still in Love Song - The Stills
4. These are the Ghosts - The Bees
5. The Quiet things that No One Ever Knows - Brand New
6. Waiting for the Sun - The Shore
7. Apocalypse Please - Muse
8. Chocolate - Snow Patrol
9. I'm Not Okay (I Promise) - My Chemical Romance
10. The Same Mistakes - Cooper Temple Clause

*songs we've listened to the most according to our IPods - repeat artists excluded

Albums of the Year*^1,2
1. The Bees - Free the Bees
2. Morrissey - You are the Quarry
3. Arcade Fire - Funeral
4. The Cooper Temple Clause - Kick up the Fire...
5. The Delays - Faded Seaside Glamour
6. Muse - Absolution
7. Snow Patrol - Final Straw
8. Goldie Lookin Chain - Greatest Hits
9. Keane - Hopes and Fears
10. The Ordinary Boys - Over the Counter Culture
11. The Killers - Hot Fuss

*not particularly in any order, as determined by our own damned tastes.
¹reissues, soundtracks and greatest hits albums ineligible
² the killers were added for good luck and because we couldn't cut the list to ten, cutting it to eleven was tough enough

a success..

so for those of you interested in things related to my personal life, just thought I'd let y'all know the dinner party went fabulously and according to the Sunday Styles section, I'm also very cutting edge!

After spending 8 hours prepping the 4 course meal came out surprisingly well! So, if you feel like being cutting edge also - let me know, I'd be happy to cook for you to, since I'm now a professional chef and all.

In unrelated news, Sister Mary Kate today handed down the best metaphor for the baseball team known as the NY Mets. In referencing how they make their signing decisions (**cough Pedro **cough) she called them:

that really dumb girl who just takes everyone's thow aways and never thinks for herself, she just wants everyone else's boyfriends... what she doesn't realize is there was a reason they broke up...

heh. this from a red sox fan.

Re-Gifting


So, since last night's Chrismukah episode was weak with a capital suck, I thought i'd give y'all some tasty gems from last year's beauty of a show. it may be a recycled gift, but I knew you'd enjoy it anyway. (pics via )

A confession...

Dear Reader(s):

My name is Andrea and I have a problem. I didn't mean for it to happen, it started out small but now its become completely uncontrollable.

At first it was an occasional, who doesn't like to listen to one guitar and a whole lot of whining, interlude. The death cab, the alkaline trio and my chemical romance slowly began making their way into my rotation while sitting at my desk. Then it was listening to something corporate, taking back sunday and brand new on the subway, but only when i was feeling a little blue. Alas, it has made its way to dashboard on the way to school, my matchbook romance on the way home.

I can admit it - I'm addicted to emo. And I'm not sure if I want any help.

Send all good thoughts his way...

my brother will be taping today as a contestant on who wants to be a millionaire??!!

wish him the best!

Huzzah!

Who's not even halfway through culinary school and has already been hired to cater a private dinner party?

Oooh yeah, that'd be me. Who Rah?

Hump day or Harrumph Day?

To the annoying man in the suit with the large doorman's/golf umbrella getting on the uptown 6 train with me today at Union Square:

Dear Sir - Please take this as a public service announcement as I speak not only on behalf of myself, but the rest of the east side commuters who you held up today because you consider yourself more important than all of us and had to force your way onto the train. DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT use your oversized umbrella as a subway door stopper. As you clearly found out this morning when your nice wooden handle snapped off, you'll destroy your brolly. Also, you hold up the entire train system when we all have to wait 15 minutes for the MTA guy to dislodge your umbrella remnants from the door jam. You suck. Next time, wouldn't it make more sense to just wait for the next train? It would've taken less time. I reiterate, you suck.

Warmest Regards,

A.E. Wolinetz

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But then, the day turned around when I saw this : Honor. Friendship. Fisting!!!! OK who's with me? Anyone up for it? Clearly the best thing to Hit NYC since "Who is Wilford Brimley, the Musical."