Oh, 2004, you were quite a year.
I got my heart broken, learned that heartbreak isn’t permanent, changed majors, watched a lot of movies, was unemployed, then had two jobs, learned that just because I’m awake for all those hours doesn’t mean I can work for all of them, and, oh, wound up with the best boyfriend ever.

Personal Worst month: January (Got dumped: it was a total shock and it was done in a pretty harsh way. I also started birth control pills which led to brutal side effects both physical and emotional)

Personal Best Day: April 8 (Last day of classes, luncheon with free drinks PAID FOR BY MY SCHOOL, on my BIRTHDAY, first kiss, etc. How often is your birthday actually the best day of your year? Not very.)

Personal best purchases that weren’t books or food:
cell phone
I (heart) Bacon purse
Sad Robot shirt
everything I’ve bought from H&M
deep red velvet jacket (vintage)
perfect white sandals
brown boots

Ten favourite movies that came out in 2004 that I saw (no order):
Napoleon Dynamite
Can you bring me my chapstick? Will probably re-watch the most.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Gorgeousest. It drew me into its world in a way I don’t think any other movie could.
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
It had Bill Murray. And David Bowie songs in Portuguese. Which would really be enough if that’s all it had going for it.
Hero
So pretty.
House of Flying Daggers
When we went to see this, there were these engineers a few rows up making fun of the unrealistic physics and weather effects.
Kill Bill Vol. 2
I don’t think I liked it as much as the first one, but I still think it was good.
Control Room
I think this made me declare documentary the wave of the future.
Collateral
I love Hitchcock, and it basically depresses me that in the current cinema, thrillers mostly suck and have Ashley Judd in them. This wasn’t especially Hitchcockian, except that it was really really good.
Mean Girls
Hot Tina Fey action. Best summer movie that came out in the last several summers.
Coffee and Cigarettes
No one’s going to put this on their list because they all think it was “minor” or whatever. I think it takes two viewings.

Three favourite movies that came out before 2004 but I saw in some kind of theatre:
House of Wax (in 3-D!)
Forty Guns
The Wild Bunch

Most disappointing movie:
Garden State
It wasn’t that bad, really, but the trailer made it look so life-changingly fantastic, my hopes were just unfairly high.

Nine favourite albums that came out in 2004 I listened to (no order):
Loretta Lynn: Van Lear Rose
My most anticipated album, and worth the wait, even though the part in the video where she and Jack White kiss is kind of creepy.
Rilo Kiley: More Adventurous
Rilo Kiley is my official “new favourite band of 2004.” If I was cooler, it would have been my new favourite band when one of their other albums came out, but I am not cooler.
Tegan and Sara: So Jealous
I’m so proud of those girls.
The Arcade Fire: Funeral
Blah blah deserve the hype.
Destroyer: Your Blues
That part where he’s all “And I, with my evil empire eye” is wicked.
Bjork: Medulla
I thought this would sound better on paper than in real life, but then it didn’t.
Mirah: C’mon Miracle
Lovely.
A.C. Newman: The Slow Wonder
I don’t know how to explain how good this album is.
Brian Wilson: Smile

Three best books read (preferential order):
Anna Karenina by Leonid Tolstoy
Nightwood by Djuna Barnes
The Hours by Michael Cunningham

Best concert: Probably The Wrens

Best food: Portuguese custard tarts

Songs I was obsessed with that I can remember (some that came out in 2004, some that didn’t, I’m sure there were more):
“Deep Red Bells” by Neko Case
“Whip the Blankets” by Neko Case
“Bootylicious” by Destiny’s Child
“No Children” by the Mountain Goats
“99 Problems” by Jay-Z
“Naughty Girl” by Beyoncé Knowles
“A Better Son/Daughter” by Rilo Kiley
“Bonnie and Clyde ‘03″ by Jay-Z (featuring Beyoncé)
“Maps” by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs
“Red Right Ankle” by the Decemberists
“Dirrrty” by Christina Aguilera
“Everyone Chooses Sides” by The Wrens
“Such Great Heights” by Iron and Wine