2015 was another fantastic year of life! Although my last blog was on June 9th, I had blogged for a year and a half, eventually going on a little bit of a hiatus. Good news my people, The Blog is back in 2016! It will read a little different than last years, but I hope you enjoy it just as much.
In 2015, Rachel and Josh attended amazing concerts, went on a handful of vacations, witnessed friends get married (Adam & Brandy / Gio & Kelly), coached a bunch of lacrosse, watched a lot of TV, helped a lot of people move homes, enjoyed fantastic times with friends and families, and continued to plan their 2016 wedding. Now here are a handful of "best" lists, events, and things that happened in my 2015 life!
Best Music Album: Cosmetics - Diamond Rugs
Best 10 Songs: All songs released in 2015, put in order of bestness
Best YouTube Video: Also was a top 10 song, based on my life and bringing Rachel and I great joys. Also leading to other great Lil Dicky videos and songs. Check him out!
Best TV Shows: Bloodline / Master of None / Better Call Saul / Mr. Robot - I suggest everyone watches these 4 new TV shows that are currently only one season long. Added two bonus shows, The Killing / The walking Dead, that I also watched this year and really enjoyed.
Best Jcubed Video: The only one that was filmed in 2015 and included all 3 members of Jcubed.
Best Jcubed Video Honorable mention: Road to Rado (watch the series), filmed in 2014.
Best Lacrosse Video: A tie between a HS rivalry game from 2015 and a gopro video filmed in 2014!
Best original movie: Found this 2014 gem this year and it helped me rediscover my love for old video games which led to me playing them way too much and even watching people play them.
Best Movie: 007: Spectre? Didn't see too many movies that came out this year, can probably count them on one hand.
Best Moment: John McCauley at City Winery on August 11th, 2015. John McCauley at city Winery! Amazing! Vanessa Carlton makes appearance. After the show, we had a chance to meet the man himself. I am wearing my red LSD Tick shirt and John smiles at me as I approach him. He points to my shirt and goes, you know what that is? I said yup, LSD. After that we just ask him to sign our poster and for a picture with him. I think I told him like 10 times how it was such a great show. When we met him for a second time awkwardly later, I ask him how the new album was coming with Deer Tick and he said they have just been dicking around a lot. I need to have stuff to ask people when I meet them. I had so many ideas before and after, just nervous I guess. But he was super chill and a humble guy. Really nice and he is only 29.
Best Sports Moment: Blackhawks win their third Stanley Cup in 6 years on Monday June 15. After watching the boys bring us the cup at Rachel and Josh's apartment, the gang below heads to Wrigley after the big win, but get turned around by the police and end up bar hopping our way back to the Wiener Circle.
Best books I read in 2015:
Leading with the Heart (book) by Coach K and Quiet Strength by Tony Dungy.
Best Concerts: By far the greatest year of concerts as a whole, even though Deer Tick didn't play in 2015.
Diamond Rugs x2, New Madrid x2, Justin Collins, Dawes, Delta Buds, Delta Spirit, T. Hardy Morris, Lucky Boys Confusion, Samantha Crain, John McCauley, Lady Lamb, Tallest Man on Earth x2, Vanessa Carlton
Best Vacation: Bahamas and Smoky Mountains
Fri Oct 9 - Head out for the Smoky Mountains / 11 mile hike over 5 1/2 hours in rain / Charlie's Bunyon & The jump off, fog rolled in / Newton's bald and clingman's dome / Stop at Buffalo Trace Distillery on way home
Other Notable Events in 2015 while the Blog was away
Sat June 13 - Brew to be wild that night. Hawks win!
Wed June 17 - Go out on boat with Scott, navy pier fireworks
Thu June 18 - Hawks Rally, Rachel and I meet up with Beth and Emily
Wed July 1 - Go to Jazzing at the Shed with Rachel and her parents. See fish, big otters, a beluga whale's penis, which was the size of a penguin. Beautiful evening view of the skyline with some jazz music playing.
Sat July 18 - Hit up the farmers market across from Old Town. We walk through Rachel's old apartment and see it being renovated. We struggle to travel about with the L being closed at parts. We make it to Yoga class with Torie and Nikki just in time. My first yoga class hooray.
Fri Aug 7 - I find out I got the NV Head Varsity Job.
Sat Aug 8 - Agreed with Torie the night before to run 16 miles with her. So I wake up at 7:30a and meet up with her and end up running 15 miles. A new personal record, thought I was gonna die. We head to a family party for Rachel's extended family. I hit a bunny with my car on the way home, first road kill.
Fri Sept 11 - White sox game with Emma and Anna, Beth, Aunt Jan and Uncle Gary, Rachel and friends meet us there a few innings in. I miss a t shirt thrown right at me. Fireworks after the game!
Sun Sept 13 - Our engagement photos in Lincoln park!
Nov 2 - Buy tickets to iceland
Nov 15 - Auntie Wanda's 90th Birthday Party, go out in city with NC cousins, up until 330. Hit up Franks bar for first time.
Dec 13 - Watch 5 Harry potter movies in a day.
Dec 20 - Christkindl Market
Goals for 2016
Let things that do not matter go, we can't worry about every little issue that we come across.
Have a workout plan, stick to it, and get in shape for the wedding/honeymoon!
Put together a food plan in order to eat healthy, save money, and stay lean!
Learn how to play some general chords on guitar and perhaps be able to sing a song with it.
Maintain friendships and spend more time with those friends
Listen to more music and attend more concerts
Learn some basics of piano/keyboard
Edit more videos and film more videos (jcubed / lacrosse / music)
Try something new or stop doing something old each month - starting with no alcohol for January!
Return of the Blog on a weekly basis
I am very excited for what should be the best year of my life! Marriage, trips to Hawaii and Iceland, varsity coaching career, and more to come!
Josh