Our Yearly Playlist

Brit had her first softball game today, and despite not being totally comfortable out there she played great.  She played second base, made six out of seven plays that included a Willie Mays style catch that garnered raves from both teams, and went 3 for 4 at the plate.

#1 in progress. Placed an ad on craigslist yesterday afternoon for a part time assistant and the response has been eye opening. So far, I have a stack of about 60 resumes and they keep coming.  About 80% are college graduates. Many went to the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. A few are USC alums.  And we have one from Princeton.

I was 6 for 9.  I still don’t think Sandy should’ve won it, but it was the best speech of the night.  Hurt Locker writer wins an Oscar for his first screenplay.  Encouraging.  Or not. Jeff Bridges’ win is long over due. Sometimes the Oscar has an adverse effect on those who win him.  I really hope that’s the case for Mo’Nique.  And finally, Tom…

#2 in progress.  Tried Thomas Keller’s Bouchon in Beverly Hills last night.  Tried escargot (pictured) for the first time and became a huge fan.

My Predictions. Best Picture – The Hurt Locker. I thought it was an intense and virtually flawless war movie.  Avatar was an experience I’ve never had at the movies, but in five or ten years when 3D is the norm it will remembered as the first, not the best. Best Director – Kathryn Bigelow. She’ll be the first woman director to win, and deservedly…

Happy 60th Birthday to my Brother-In-Law, Tom.  Seems like just yesterday you were in your fifties.  Celebrate the day!

Netflixed Law Abiding Citizen.  Sympathized with the villain.

From the pages of last year’s list, Sonia’s quest for the perfect smile took a major step forward today, albeit a painful one.  Under local anesthesia, Sonia had four teeth pulled and two screws inserted into her jaw bone.  I think she’s ready to write a book titled, Be Happy with your Crooked teeth.  Meanwhile, Brittany’s teeth are moving ahead of schedule.

#37 research.  Every year, Restaurant Magazine, the most respected magazine and critic in their field, chooses the top 50 restaurants of the world. Based on 2009’s list, there are only eight top 50 restaurants located in the USA, six of which are in New York City.

Hit the Clippers-Jazz game with Sean to see former Warrior, Wes Matthews.

Having trouble finding the right book to read next.

After their top three players graduated, Marquette limped into the season with low expectations.  Those expectations were lowered further after losing three key players to injury and one top recruit quit the team.  But the Warriors banded together and have thus far put together one of the more remarkable seasons in some time.  Today’s third straight overtime win on the road gave the Warriors…

#10 in progress. The Ghost Writer, not to be confused with Nicholas Cage’s Ghost Rider, is a ten minute political thriller spread out over two hours.  Cold and pointless.

#49 Complete.  Having binged on more burritos and hot dogs than the average food critic, I certainly wouldn’t claim to have an overly sophisticated pallet.  But what I do have is the desire to experience the new on a nightly basis. In fact, Sonia and I have been practicing six out of seven nights for the past couple of years.  After seeing our year…

I’m finally worth more dead than alive.  After undergoing a battery of tests over a couple of months, I was finally cleared for life insurance, thoroughly surprising the hypochondriac in me.  Now that Sonia and I are both covered, we’re going to go for a hike on a jagged cliff with our shoelaces untied.

#28 done. Wrote a letter to my little sister, Rosie, to be opened at her retreat.

1159:57… 1159:58…1159:59…Happy New Year.

#98 Done. It’s ten instead of one hundred and I won’t be blogging about it. Nevertheless, I’m looking forward to completing the following in 2010. Grow our business.  Hopefully we can double again in our third year. Visit my Mom in Santa Rosa. Get into shape. It’s really going to happen this year. I promise. Eat a meal outside of the U.S. This goal…

#95 Complete.

#18 Done.  Journaling my life for over two years now and I’m more than ready to let it go.

The Incomplete List. #5. Finish my current screenplay.  I rewrote Cheeseheads, so technically I didn’t finish the one I started in the beginning of the year. #14. Sorry #24. A major failure. Gained 20 instead of losing 15.  Now I’m in for some work. #26. Inspiration never struck. #33. I’ll reflect on this list in about six months and consider writing an article about…

#26 Incomplete. Not going to happen.

#33 not yet.  So, this blog thing is coming to an end.  The overall experience might make for a halfway decent article, but not at this time.  Instead, I think I’ll wait six months or a year to gain perspective.  So, come January 1st there will be no more posts. C’est la vie.

#66 incomplete.  Just didn’t get around to hiking anything but the usual trail.

#19 Done. Although this blog is coming to an end, I will continue to add posts to My Grandfather’s Office when the inspiration strikes. Click photo to read.

#84 Done. Sonia finally got her braces and she’s been in pain ever since.  They said it will all be worth it.

Saw The Lovely Bones.  A good story ruined by the director’s excessive use of computerized production design.

#59 not going to happen. Too little time, too little desire.

Merry Christmas.  Kids are growing up fast.  Everyone got what they wanted as usual.  Xmas eve dinner was great.  Xmas breakfast was comforting.  Now it’s time for the traditional xmas nap.  Here are a few more pics from last night.

Santa made an appearance at the annual Youmans Christmas Eve Party.  Good times as usual.

#21 Done. Having read Hemingway’s first novel, I figured I should read his last one as well. The Old Man in the Sea is proof that character trumps story.  To recap, the other four classic novels read this year were The Big Sleep, Tropic of Cancer, Slaughterhouse Five and The Sun Also Rises.

Took Brittany to see Avatar because Sonia is allergic to Sci-fi movies. The story was a well executed version of a story we have seen many times before.  The way it was told through the 3D cinematography and production design was a game changer.  This is a seminal moment in movie making.

Brought back something nasty from Chicago. It’s bed for me.

#10 done.  I started a six week push up routine in early July but have kept it going despite hating it.  I’ve been able to do eighty push ups at one time despite the fact that I seem to weigh more every time I try.

Touched down in Chitown.  Made a pit stop at Gene and Judes for a couple of dawgs.  Fantastic.  The hour plus in traffic, not so much.

#6 Done.  But far from actually being done. I started working on my first novel, 27, a few weeks ago.  Hopefully I’ll a first draft by this time next year.

#96 Incomplete.  The Newport Beach Xmas boat parade is this weekend, but we’ll be in Chicago gettin’ our cold on.

#23 Done. Tried Eva Longoria and Todd English’s, Beso, in Hollywood.  Neither of us were disappointed.  2009 was the year of the restaurant.  And although we sunk way more money into our stomachs than any financial would advise, we’d do it again.

#99 Done.  We’ve given a bunch to ourselves this year, so it’s probably wise to take a break and give a little back to others.  So we gave a little christmas cheer to a family through the Los Angeles Children’s Hospital’s Holidays From The Heart.

#19 in progress.  Wrote a post about my great grandmother’s family, The Pellissiers. Click the picture to read.

Good gangster flick. Used to live down the block from the Biography theatre in Chicago where Dillinger was killed after watching Manhattan Melodrama with Clark Gabel.  I saw Something About Mary in the same theatre.

Saw this movie with five other people who were either luke warm or didn’t like it.  It was a movie about melancholy.  I liked it.

#97 Incomplete. This was the one goal that was way out of my control.  And other than being on the Amazing Race I have no desire to be on a game show.  This won’t be on next year’s list.

She’s only three games into the season, but it’s cool to see Brit has cracked the top ten in Southern California for total points.  With that said, it’s still sloppy soccer.

Montclair is 2-0 after winning just one game last year.  Brit scored twice today, but man do I miss watching club.