Elvis Costello And The Attractions: The Best Of Elvis Costello And The Attractions (1985)

This is the only Elvis Costello album that I have on CD as well as vinyl. It's a good summary of his career up to 1985. I find the choices of most best of or greatest hits collections to be a bit odd, as they often miss some of the better songs. That's probably true of this one, but it's a really good collection of tunes.

Blondie: The Best of Blondie (1981)

Who wouldn't want to own a collection of Blondie's best tracks (up to 1981)? This is my second copy. The first copy came to a bad end, when it was subjected to an unwanted source of heat and warped. Records can be fragile but they can last forever, unlike CDs, which might stop working or develop laser rot or other bad things. My oldest CD (The Cure: Staring at the Sea) still works fine, though I think the mastering is suspect.

The Alan Parsons Project: The Best of the Alan Parsons Project (1983)

I guess I should mention that all of the jacket images were shot with my phone. Wikipedia categorizes The Alan Parson Project as art rock, progressive rock, pop rock, and soft rock. I find it inconceivable that one band could satisfy so many labels. The Allmusic guide is far more economical, referring to the band as album rock, contemporary pop/rock, prog-rock, and soft rock. Perhaps this means that the bad is difficult to pin down?

Since the band preferred to release thematic albums, it might seem odd to release a collection of individual songs divorced from the larger concept. Nevertheless, the collection seems to work. It picks out poppy songs, like I Wouldn't Want to be Like You, Games People Play, Eye in the Sky, etc. The album also contains a new song, You Don't Believe. In other words, it's a good entry point or a good album for a casual listener.

I Wouldn't Want to be Like You:

The Best of Zydeco Fish 2009 (You might also enjoy: best of 2008, 2007, 2006; 2005; 2004; 2003)

Well, here it is, my annual list.

1) Shining 'cross this dark highway where our sins lie unatoned - On music and cycling in winter, sort of.
2) Gran Torino - A review.

3) Pink - The colour, not the singer.

4) Damn those Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses - I hate religion.
5) The Numbers - The stats on the European vacation.
6) Shopping with the Ancient and the Insane - I don't think I have ever gone back on a Friday.
7) Trip Recap, part 2 - Musings about a free, but tiny, apartment.
8) C@#* Explosion! - Wifi craziness.
9) On Jacket Holding, Photography, and the AGO - No, I have not been back

The Best of Zydeco Fish 2008 (see: best of 2007, 2006; 2005; 2004; 2003)

It's finally that time of the year again, folks. These are some of my fav posts from the last year. I hope you are having a wonderful holiday.

1) Ringo has a Really Big Nose - Conversations with six-year-olds are always amusing.
2) George W. Bush vs. Dan Quayle - Sometimes, weird things happen when I am cycling.
3) Just Say No! - Or, why I now hate the Songwriters Association of Canada.
4) A Political Detour - Or, oh, how I hate John McCain.
5) From the Mouth of a three-and-a-half-year old - He tells it like it is.
6) Smart Casual - About conference dress codes and Velcro.
7) Overrated - A series of ten posts, some funnier than others (not to be taken too seriously).
8) Pee Mobile - Solving the energy crisis, one leak at a time.
9) A Play in Two Acts - A bleak outlook on the world of business and communication.
10) 666, A Stream of Consciousness Post - Let the metal flow.

The Best of Zydeco Fish 2007 (see: best of 2006; 2005; 2004; 2003)

I guess it is late enough in the year for my annual best of, since I probably only have a few more posts in me for 2007. I have this overwhelming sense of failure as a blogger this year, which comes from the belief that I did not post very much this year. In fact, the stats say otherwise:

2007 - 125 (so far)
2006 - 58
2005 - 220
2004 - 107
2003 - 42

2007 was my second best year in terms of posts. Nothing can match the golden year of 2005, where I posted frequently and always had something obnoxious or funny to say. The highlight this year was that no one called me a twit. On the other hand, there was that ongoing event that I can't mention for fear it will start all over again.

So here it is:

1) The Boston Molasses Disaster and other Curiosities. I am not sure why I like this. I suppose it just holds together nicely as a post about curious things I had recently read about.

2) The Conference Review. About the Ontario Library Association Conference and a librarian feeding frenzy. I now regret that National Geographic wasn't there to cover it.

3) He'll Be Dead Soon. The topic that cannot be mentioned, but here it is anyway.

4) Today, I Killed a Mouse. Graphic cruelty to rodents.

5) Tube Quest. On a curious trip to a bike store for a new tube.

6) Getting Down in Second Life. Cyberorgies and anatomically-incorrect avatars.

7) Endings/Beginnings, part three. The ongoing history of my family.

8) Endings/Beginnings, part four. The ongoing history of my family, continued.

The Best of Zydeco Fish 2006
(read best of 2005)

It may seem a bit ridiculous to recap 2006, since it was almost a non-blogging year. I did blog, but with great gaps between posts and far fewer posts than usual. I was even called a twit once! Such strong language from the right wing; it almost makes me blush.

So, here it is - my top five posts of 2006:

1) The End of Bathing - I have re-written this and made it much longer, but I am not sure when it will be ready for public viewing.

2) The Paranoid Side Step - I am feeling nostalgic recently about lots of stuff, including music. That might have prompted this post.

3) I have to Ask Myself - On Christmas trees and my family. I think I chose this post because of the photo :-)

4) An Open Letter to Jacob Richler - Because I am an avid cyclist.

5) Untitled - Perhaps the best post ever...

Technorati Tags: Zydeco Fish, best, review, blogging, 2006

Best of Zydeco Fish, 2005

I seem to have the flu or something like it, so I did this quickly. You may disagree with my choices.

(read best of 2004; 2003)

1) Easter Bunnies - notes on Easter and some recipes
2) Happy St. Patrick's Day - imperialism and song
3) "Gorgeous hair is the best revenge" - all about hair - I am not sure why I like this one
4) Portrait of my Brother as a Young Man - the early life of my estranged brother
5) Portrait of my Other Brother as a Young Man - the early life of my other estranged brother
6) 12 Random Facts about my Grandmother - yes, she does re-use toilet paper
7) "You've Got a Nice Box" - shopping and old people
8) George W. Bush and the Decline of America - a political rant against Bush & Co.
9) Troublesome Turd (a true story) - my sister's big poo

Happy New Year to all of you.

Technorati Tags: Zydeco Fish, blogging, 2005

Rhinotillexomania and Best of Zydeco Fish, 2004 (by request)

I swear that guy on Bay Street waiting for the bus and reading the National Post was digging deeper than any man has ever gone. Shocking, it was. If you have no idea what I am talking about, look up rhinotillexomania.

And now, because I was asked why I didn't summarize 2004, like 2003 (read it), here it is:

Ah, 2004. I wrote nothing in April or May, thinking that I would abandon the blog forever. But, in June, I brought this blog back from the brink. Here are a few pieces that are worthy of re-reading. You decide.

Downloading Music Sucks - I thought so then; I think so now.
The Worst Song - it was tough, but I have the answer.
Kinsey - not a movie review.
Lost in the Supermarket - on MP3 players and cabbage.
Just Say No - to the Free Flu Shot. Seriously.

Technorati Tags: zydeco fish, blogging, retrospective, 2004, rhinotillexomania

Best of Zydeco Fish, 2003 (because I forgot to do this at the end of 2003)

In the shower this morning, dealing with enough shampoo for ten men - I just had a haircut and took way too much - I had this idea. It's a recap, sort of.

Zydeco Fish, the blog, was born on Friday July 11, 2003. Zydeco Fish was the title of one of the first poems I had published. It's about a rebel fish who upsets the order of the oceans. Well, that's my memory of it.

Although I have kept a journal for years (more about that), I wasn't writing as much in it as I had been. So, I decided to start blogging and I decided that I wanted to be anonymous, thinking that I would be provocative and fairly uncensored, like one would be in a personal journal. That never happened. Zydeco Fish seemed like a good alter ego and cover. Now, a few people know who I really am.

So, I thought I'd review the six months of the blog, from July to December 2003. That's easy since I posted nothing in December and very little overall.

Here are some posts I like from that period. Oh, and most can't be commented on because I didn't have comments turned on and then I started using Haloscan and then switched to Blogger.

Hey Homo! - Sesame Street and subliminal messaging
Love You Forever makes me puke - a vicious attack on a children's classic
Arthur Koestler - a review of Arthur Koestler: The Homeless Mind by David Cesarini
The Decline of Radio - a lament on the state of North American radio

And, my favourite post was simply: " Leaf blowers are stupid." Trust me, they are.

P.S. My fly was down during the whole of my cycle in this morning.

Technorati Tags: zydeco fish, blogging, retrospective, 2003