While clicking around the Web this evening, I discovered Slate’s daily feature, Today’s Picture.

If you’re looking for a visual time-out or a little artistic inspiration, bookmark this Web page.

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Jason Keese, a fellow music snob and my managing editor at the Bellevue Leader newspaper, puts together his list of top albums every 365 days.

Below are Jason’s picks for 2006.

The top 10 albums of 2006 are, in no particular order:

– *Cat Power, “The Greatest” (such an obvious pick)
– *Band of Horses, “Everything All The Time”
– Hot Chip, “The Warning”
– Peter Bjorn and John, “Writer’s Block” (listening to them makes you feel cool, like Belle and Sebastian used to)
– *Cold War Kids, “Robbers and Cowards” (fucking incredible album; requires an expletive to describe)
– Tokyo Police Club, “A Lesson in Crime”
– *Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins, “Rabbit Fur Coat”
– Neko Case, “Fox Confessor Brings the Flood”
– Tapes ‘n Tapes, “The Loon”
– Jennifer O’Connor, “Over the Mountain, Across the Valley, and Back to the Stars”

Please note, an asterisk (*) denotes highest honors.

Honorable Mention:
– Belle and Sebastian, “The Life Pursuit”
– Alexi Murdoch, “Time Without Consequence” (a close #11)
– Yo La Tengo, “I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass” (a few good songs, yes, but really this makes it on album title alone)
– The Decemberists, “The Crane Wife”
– TV on the Radio, “Return to Cookie Mountain”
– Artic Monkeys, “Whateve People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not”

Best reissue of 2006 – or EVER, for that matter:
– R.E.M., “And I Feel Fine…:The Best of the IRS Years 1982-1987”

Album that will show up on EVERY other top 10 list but really only had 2 good songs:
– Gnarls Barkley, “St. Elsewhere”

Best song of 2006:
– “Crazy” by Gnarls Barkley

Best cover song of 2006:
– “Crazy” by Gnarls Barkley, covered by Ray LaMontagne

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From: chris@machianphoto.com
Subject: What I am going to get you for x-mas
Date: December 17, 2006 6:09:13 PM CST
To: wendy@shaggy-money.flywheelsites.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dmVU08zVpA

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I’m a sucker for clean design.

That’s why I created a hypothetical Wendy Townley logo with only gray and black Georgia text.

{For those I haven’t conversed with via email, I sign my electronic messages using this precise format.}

Do you have any ways to improve my logo? Or, perhaps you have an idea of your own.

If so, please share your creativity with me and the world.

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Dear Julie M. Haney —

It has been many months since we last chatted. Well, we really didn’t exchange pleasantries of any degree. I simply forked over the approximate $2,200 last year for the 2006 property taxes on my Omaha home.

Thankfully, you accepted the payment in two, smaller installments.

You are too kind.

So you may imagine my delight and glee upon receiving your lovely letter in the mail this past week, as I wrap up holiday shopping and count my dwindling pennies for the gifts I’ve yet to purchase for family and friends.

It was another heartfelt correspondence from you, detailing my 2007 property taxes. You are sweet enough to, yet again, accept the $2,290.54 total in two payments, due April 1 and Aug. 1. And you even included two self addressed envelopes for my convenience.

What a sweet gesture.

Is there any relevance to that first, $1,145.27 payment being due on April Fool’s Day? Is this an attempt to be humorous? To lighten an otherwise dreadful situation?

If so, take a bow, Ms. Haney. Take a bow!

Respectfully,
-W.

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I had the pleasure of experiencing Omaha’s first Cheesecake Factory Friday afternoon for lunch.

After devouring my angel hair pasta, I ordered up a piece of the Factory’s Black-Out Cake.

It was, as you might imagine, a purely divine experience of chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate, topped off with homemade whipped cream.

I only ate half of my slab, though. I brought the rest home and have been sampling it all afternoon.

I’ve been tempted to set the cake in front of me near my Macintosh, but doing so would most certainly allow me to consume the remainder of the cake in one setting.

Instead I’ve left the cake on my kitchen counter. I walk into the kitchen every few minutes or so and take a bite, only to return to my office here at home.

True, I probably will finish off the cake just the same. However, I can claim getting just a wee bit of exercise in the process.

Right?

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On the twelfth day of Christmas, wendywriter sent to me…

Twelve hipsters drumming

Eleven eyeglasses piping

Ten books a-leaping

Nine jayhawks dancing

Eight strokes a-milking

Seven daisies a-writing

Six newspapers a-reading

Five andre-e-e-e dubus

Four white stripes

Three bright eyes

Two magnetic fields

…and a beck in a digital photography.

Get your own Twelve Days:

{Thanks to urbanelegend for the inspiration on this one.}

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Allow me to recommend the perfect Christmas album, Maybe This Christmas.

It’s a compilation album of popular holiday songs performed by a variety of modern musicians.

My favorite track at the moment is “Maybe This Christmas” by Ron Sexsmith.

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You Are 69% Indie

You’re a very indie person, and admit it, you look down a little on people who strive to be normal. You’ll indulge in a little mainstream pop culture every now and then. But for you, anything not indie is a guilty pleasure!

{Thanks to marq_manner for inspiring me to take this nifty (and rather meaningless) quiz.}

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I had the absolute pleasure of continuing my birthday celebration this morning over a delicious brunch at Kate’s at 35th Avenue in Denver.

Starting the meal with a mimosa (garnished with an orange wedge, no less), I opted for a fresh vegetable egg casserole, served with country potatoes and a cinnamon muffin.

Midway through the meal, I ordered up another mimosa and another cinnamon muffin.

By meal’s end, I was stuffed.

We had the opportunity to have the restaurant’s namesake serve as our waitress. And I can tell you that Kate is an absolute delight.

The restaurant is housed in a home she purchased years ago. The true charm of this place can be felt the minute you approach the front door.

The next time you’re in the Denver area, say hello to Kate and her good food.

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