Looking back at 2007, I wrote a lot of forgettable crapola, but here are five entries of note worthy of a revisit.
The Saint Ralph Soundtrack
Acquiring the Saint Ralph soundtrack became a personal quest. After years of hunting, I became one of the very few to secure a copy of this unreleased album, which includes not one but two studio versions of Gord Downie's "Hallelujah".
My Personal Offline Challenge
The entry above about receiving a copy of the Saint Ralph soundtrack inspired this one. Ralph needed a miracle, so he set out to win the Boston Marathon. I decided I too could run a marathon, even though I had never really run before. The result was a summer of running three times a week. This goal continues as I start my half marathon clinic in February.
Sam the Record Man on Yonge Street to Close
I got a bit of an exclusive on this big local story from my friend in the music distribution business. I have so many memories of Sam's on Yonge Street and it's been such a big part of Toronto's cultural fabric, I hated the idea of it going gently into that goodnight. At least the facade is safe...
The Crocs Conundrum
This entry, like most entries in 2007, was written off the cuff. My wife had bought me a pair of Crocs and I wanted to jot down my struggle with them. In a nutshell, they're comfy but dorky. This entry was linked to from Slate.com resulting in over 10,000 unique visitors in one day and $128 in ad revenue. This entry reminded me that there is money in this hobby if you attract the right eyeballs.
17 and Out: A Toronto Tradition Ends
In the Humble & Fred universe, I'm in a rather unique position. I helped both Humble and Fred with their respective blogs and I'm in regular contact with both. I'm also a big fan of their old radio show on 102.1, so this entry saddened me. Humble & Fred are done, and all we're left with are the memories. Sigh.
