Year-End Lists

Not a lot happening really, sorry for the lack of updates. The past few weeks have mostly been spent at work. I’m [still] in the process of completing a travelogue, and will hope to post bits and pieces of that, along with some photos early in the New Year.

December usually means for me its time to review 2005. At present nominations for the Top 5 Albums of 2005 include:

Sigur Ros – Takk
Coldplay – X&Y
Bright Eyes – I’m Wide Awake it’s Morning and Digital Ash in a Digital Urn
Nichole Nordeman – Brave;
Switchfoot – Nothing is Sound, and
Jars of Clay – Redemption Songs

(A few others that I have, but haven’t listen too properly are: Third Day – Whereever you Are, Rebecca St James – If I Had One Chance to Tell You Something)

I’ve excluded She Will Have Her Way because it is a tribute to the song writing of Neil and Tim Finn by Australian and New Zealand artists. Other great albums I’ve bought this year, but not recorded in 2005:

Sarah Blasko – The Overscore and the Underscore
James Blunt – Back to Bedlam,
The Arcade Fire - Funeral,
Greenday – American Idiot
Sigur Ros – untitled or ( ) and Ageatis Byrjun.

A countdown of my favourite 10 Movies will also commence shortly. I’ve seen quite a number of films this year, some of which were silly, others serious, and still others challenging or confronting.

Good Night and Good Luck, Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Shopgirl, Turtles Can Fly, In Her Shoes, The Motorcycle Diaries, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (which I think I saw an inappropriate number of times due to air travel), Little Fish, Downfall, Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith, Hotel Rwanda, Crash, Howl’s Moving Castle, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow and Mr and Mrs Smith.

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Unrelated, and definitely not with the same expectation and confidence as in 2003, my nomination for Australian of the Year is Judi Moylan: For displaying courage in her convictions, being willing to stand up or those who are weak and vulnerable in our society, perhaps risking her standing and credibility.