...while wondering what ever happened to Matthew Wilder

EDITOR'S NOTE: If you have a myspace account, log onto it in another window and minimize, as some of the hyperlinks go to our personal photo album, located there. If not, no biggie, as only a few of the links go there.

2007 comes to an end and, lemmings that we are, here we sit, to give our take on the year that was.

We’ve lost one long-term friend by choice, reconnected with two others, by chance. We have been on some truly horrific dates, a few decent ones and one very special one…that came to nothing. We left a job we hated, found one we love. The Scatterkid started high school the day we started the new gig. (Of the two, the job has started much better.) Our Mavs were on the wrong end of the biggest gag job in NBA history, our Phillies made the playoffs for the first time in a generation and our Browns squeaked into the postseason. Or not. (Tonight’s Titans/Colts game will tell the tale). We’ve read some great books, seen some good flicks. Death hasn’t touched anyone this year who we hold dear. And we enter the new annum in good health. We’re gradually accepting our relegation to Dallas (the water in that picture is only there when it rains) and have lain a good foundation upon which to build a happy life. Now it’s on us…

As for the world, well it’s as screwed as ever. And with 2008 being an election year, it’ll only get worse before it gets better. We had fires and famine, shooting sprees and spectacular splits. Jesus is running for president -- and He's trailing a guy who's been married three times, favors abortion rights and gun control -- and is a Republican. Strange days, indeed.

Before before we dole out the end-of-the-year awards, we need to vent on two things. First, "Two Girls One Cup" is fake. While we enjoy all the reaction videos as much as anyone else -- and our initial reaction was very similar -- people, it was ice cream. Now the initial "dispensing", was clearly real. Granted, it had aparently been recently placed in the dispensing unit, as evidenced by the force with which it was ejected. But then the tape is visibly spliced before the eating begins. And the texture clearly changes. The vomiting, well, that's pretty hard to fake, but c'mon. They were not eating what they wanted you to think they were eating. Second, a woman rebels against the government and society as a whole in an Islamic country -- and we're shocked that she gets killed? Why? Benazir Bhutto's killing was sad. But shocking? Not at all. The fact that anyone in this country could find it so is further proof that we as a nation do not understand the cultures of the Middle East, nor the politics and need to LEAVE.

On to the awards:

Couple of the Year:

3. Tony Romo and Jessica Simpson
Anything that makes Cowboy fans freak out is inherently good. The fact that one of their two losses (against 13 wins) came while Miss Chicken of the Sea was present caused an absolute uproar. Giggle, we did.

2. Anna Nicole Smith, Howard K. Stern and Larry Birkhead
21st-century American society at its finest: Cokehead ex-stripper bangs old man for his money, he croaks, she has a really disturbing relationship with her son, he dies as she has a kid -- but doesn't know who the Daddy is. She then dies, leaving said infant as the Golden Child. And a nation waits with baited breath to see whodababydaddy. Nice.

1. Lindsay Lohan and her crack pipe
Need we say more?

Most Inspiring:

3. Genarlow Wilson.
--Dude spends two years in prison for some bullshit and comes out saying all the right things. We wish him well.

2. Wesley Autrey
--This 51 year-old construction worker was waiting for his train one morning when 19 year-old Cameron Hollopeter has a seizure and falls onto the tracks. With the subway barreling down the rails, Autrey dove on top of the stricken Hollopeter as the subway rolled over them. Both walked away unscathed. The Wesley Autreys of the world are what keeps us from being convinced we as a society are doomed.

1. Liviu Librescu
--A professor at Virginia Tech, he blocked the door to his classroom with his body, sacrificing his life so that all but one of his students could flee to safety through the window. Having survived a Nazi concentration camp, Dr. Librescu ends up dying at the hands of a jackass with more bullets than sense. His entire life was an example for us all.

Most Disturbing:

3. Keith Richards
--Who revealed that he had snorted his father's ashes. Intentionally.

2. Neil Diamond
--Who revealed that Sweet Caroline was written about Caroline Kennedy. When she was like eight.

1. The Skatterkid's little half-brother
--Getting caught spanking one out to...The Golden Girls. This coming right off the heels of us getting this when googling Bea Arthur. Yes, these two incidents are completely unrelated and no, we were not looking for anything remotely like that.

Persons of the Year:

3. Al Gore
--Politics aside, the guy is passionate about the environment and is truly making an effort to leave the world a better place than he found it. Do we want him as president? Hell no! But we do like his dedication to saving the planet.

2. The military.
--Wars are comprised of young men fighting old men's battles. While we do not think we should be actively engaged in military action in Iraq, we do admire the men and women who are over there, doing what they think is right, in the belief that they are doing it for all of us. And we feel the same for the young men on the other side as well, who are dying for what they think is right. Hopefully this all ends soon and the loss of life ends.

1. The Scatterkid
--Being a teenager is an impossible feat these days. The drama, stress and danger are exponentially greater than even as recently as when she was born. She has an inherent grace and goodness within her that we know will win out in the end. She gives meaning to our days and hope for our future. In short, she's the best thing that could ever happen to a parent.

Most Missed:

3. Kurt Vonnegut
--It's one thing to rant against the establishment; it's entirely another to have something to say while doing it. The voice of a generation. And a phenomenal writer.

2. Luciano Pavarotti
--We consider ourselves blessed to have been able to see greatness in person on occasion. We saw Carlton pitch; we saw His Airness fly; we went to a Sinatra show. We never saw Pavarotti perform in person. And we're less for it.

1. Boris Yeltsin
--The other half of the collapse of the Soviet Union. Without his skill, will and guidance, the demise of the USSR devolves into armed conflict.

Movies of the Year:

3. The Savages
--A blatantly honest, simple tale about familial duty and the realities of midlife. Philip Seymour Hoffman provides a remarkably restrained performance that reminds us yet again why he is one of our favorite actors.

2. No Country for Old Men
--Money, guns and deceit. Tommy Lee Jones yet again playing Tommy Lee Jones. And yet it all worked, in a really original way. Unbelievably graphic, but all within context. A good, dark, funny, violent, interesting film.

1. LustCaution
--Ang Lee's WWII period piece takes place in Japanese-occupied Shanghai and tells the tale of a masochistic pawn and an initially-innocent, eventually empowered mistress. The tale is told slowly and Lee again shows a talent at depicting "non-traditional" sexual congress in a way that does not overpower the story at hand.



Music of the Year:

3. Voxtrot, "Voxtrot"
--Every Day in and of itself is enough to land this band here. The rest of the album is equally pleasing. One of the better bands you've never heard.

2. Jimmy Eat World, "Chase This Light"
--Although their gradual move from punk/rock roots, through emo to straight pop brings them to the precipice of Journey territory, where if you buy one of their albums, you basically have their entire sound, the strength of lyric keeps them from tripping over. Mix those lyrics with catchy, if somewhat predictable, hooks and they still give one of the better listening experiences of 2006.

1. The Ladybug Transistor, "Can't Wait Another Day"
--I'm Not Mad Enough is hands-down the best song of 2006. California Stopover isn't far behind. Indie-lounge at its best.

Idiots of the Year:

3. Don, "Nappy-headed ho" Imus

2. Britney Spears

1. OJ

The beautiful thing about that list? We don't need to add a single thing to it in order for you to know exactly why its members are there.

Quotes of the Year:

3. "Don't tase me, bro."
--University of Florida student Andrew Meyer, after protesting at a John Kerry speech.

2. "There's only three things he mentions in a sentence: a noun and a verb and 9/11."
--Senator Joe Biden (D), Delaware, on the presidential candidacy of Rudy Giuliani.

1. "I have a wide stance."
--Senator Larry Craig (R), Idaho, denying going all George Michael in a Minneapolis airport restroom.

I KNOW I didn't just hear that Quotes of the Year:

3. "I personally believe that U.S. Americans are unable to do so because some people out there in our nation don't have maps and I believe that our education like such as in South Africa and Iraq and everywhere like such as and I believe that they should our education over here in the U.S. should help the U.S. or should help South Africa and should help Iraq and the Asian countries so we will be able to build up our future for our children."
--Lauren Upton, in answer to the question, "Recent polls have shown a fifth of Americans can't locate the US on a map. Why do you think this is?" Yeah, we went to high school in South Carolina too. Explains a lot about us, no?

2. "You are a disgusting little pig."
--Alec Baldwin, giving words of encouragement to his daughter, in a voice mail.

1. "Nothing says I love you like a gloc."
--Drew Peterson, in the card accompanying the gift of a firearm, to his wife -- who didn't proceed to kill with it. Riiiiight.


Most Annoying:

3. Amy Winehouse
--What is the fascination with this chick? She's had what, one good album? Yeah, so did Matthew Wilder. Stick around for at least a decade before your meltdown, wouldja?

2. Um-ber-el-a-el-a-el-a-ey-ey-ey...
--At least Who Let the Dogs Out and Hey Ya were good songs that were only annoying because of their sheer pervasiveness. OK, maybe not. Still, this thing was crap coming out of the gate -- and we still couldn't get away from it.

1. Rosie O'Donnell
--Just go away already. You're not funny, not interesting and not in any way entertaining. We don't hate you because you're gay; we don't care if you're gay, nor does most of America. Why is this woman famous?

Best Live Events of the Year (that we attended):

3. Gwen Stefani and Akon, Smirnoff Music Center, Dallas, Tx.
--We actually knew most of the songs, Gwen was hot, Skatterkid got to actually touch her (the restraining order kept us away) and we continued the tradition of an end-of-the-school year outdoor concert.

2. Responsible Johnny, Tom Cats, Dallas, Tx.
--Hey, it was a slow year.

1. Billy Joel, American Airlines Center, Dallas, Tx.
--Having taken mom to see him in NYC in '06, this year we got to complete the circle and take Scatterkid. We heard Root Beer Rag live for the first time and Billy debuted Christmas in Fallujah. But more than anything, it was a really great night with the daughter. We sang along, took lots of pictures and had one of the best concert experiences we've ever been a part of.

In the end, 2007 has been very good to us. As always, we’re not as good as some, but we're better off than many. And that's all one can really hope for. May 2008 shower you with innumerable blessings and true inner peace.

A picture post card, a folded stub
A program of the play
File away the photographs
From your holiday
And your momentos will turn to dust
But that's the price you pay
For evey year is a sovenir
That slowly fades away

Happy New Year!

Until next time,
Paz