I can't call this a best of, but it is a summation of sorts

I started 2008 at a warehouse party with friends in Melbourne with a boy who changed my view of music forever; he introduced me to a world I’d not yet been invited into and I was awed, and inspired. Because of him, 2008 has been full. He nudged me towards the decision to quit my job and try out some other stuff, which I did, and wouldn’t have had he not convinced me I was capable of more than I thought I was. It wasn't the greatest relationship, it was very short lived and we didn't work, but he was good for me regardless, I guess.

A lot happened this year, but they were all small things that you don’t quantify at the time.

I don’t wake up at 4am everyday for work anymore, I get up around 8am instead. But when my office was a radio studio, I now work at desks with groups of people, which is really different. That’s strange; I’m still not yet used to that. I started 7 jobs, writing, editing, producing, scouting, publicising, and more. I had to give up 2 of them because I couldn't find the time. That upset me a little. I lost weight, I gained weight. I doubted myself, and continue to do so, but I’m trying not to. I searched for a smart and cute Jewish boy to take me to the movies, but I didn’t find him. Instead I briefly dated or slept with a few boys, but they’re not really worth mentioning. Is that sad? I don't mean it to be, they just weren't amazing.

I fell out with a girlfriend - my oldest and best friend. I miss her and I didn’t call her on her birthday last month. I really regret that. Maybe we grew apart, or maybe I became someone I shouldn’t have. I still have two weeks before the year is over to work that out.

I interviewed more bands and musicians than I can remember, everyone from Vampire Weekend to Animal Collective to No Age to Telepathe to Vivian Girls to Kid Cudi to Air France to Santogold to Ebony Bones to Weird Tapes to Brian Jonestown Massacre to… oh I can’t remember. I went to one funeral. It was for my great, great grandmother Hazel who was 102. I have her watch now, but I have to get a new battery for it because it's stopped working. That was just last week. I spent a lot of time with parents, and even more time with my younger brother which is amazing. I love spending time with him. I didn't spend enough time with my extended family I don't think. I drank wine and ate salad, cheese and chocolate with my best friends. I think they have been my favourite moments of 2008 - I spent much more time with my friends. Maybe because I’ve been single.

I dreamt of getting the tattoo I’ve planned to get every year since I left high school but typically didn't go through with it. I listened to M83 heaps, while sitting on my balcony reading magazines by candlelight and drinking peppermint tea. I drank a lot of peppermint tea this year.

I didn’t have a holiday, but I did have three sick days. I’m ending the year in Egypt on a big overseas trip, which I am so excited about. I need to not work for a month. I’m not very good at that though, and I’m taking my computer so I can write while I am overseas.

I listened to more surf punk, and more disco than ever before. A documentary on Arthur Russell made me cry. I decided I hated remixes, and then decided they weren’t so bad. But I still think a remix won’t make an average song anything more than average. Except if it's an Eli Escobar remix, he is amazing. You know what else, after the warehouse party in Melbourne I didn’t do drugs this year. I just didn’t feel like it I guess.

albums released this year I listened to on repeat

Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago
High Places – 03/07 – 09/07
Lucky Dragons - Widows
James Pants - Welcome
Brightback Morning Light – Motion To Rejoin
School Of Seven Bells – Alpinisms
M83 – Saturdays = Youth
Vivian Girls - Vivian Girls
Liquid Liquid – Slip In And Out Of Phenomenon
Lykke Li – Youth Novels
Tobacco – Fucked Up Friends
College - Secret Diary
Chromatics - Night Drive
Abe Vigoda – Skeleton
Gang Gang Dance – Saint Dymphna
Yeasayer – All Hour Cymbols
Beach House – Devotion
Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend
MGMT - Orucular Spectacular
Dirty Projectors - Rise Above
Santogold - Santogold

songs released this year I listened to on repeat that aren't on the albums above
Passion Pit - Sleepyhead
Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal
Friendly Fires - Jump In The Pool
Friendly Fires - Paris (Aeroplane remix feat Au Revoir Simone)
Mi Ami – African Rhythms
Invisible Conga People – Cable Dazed
Trouble Andrew – Run Hide
Aeroplane - Whispers
Soft Circle - Shimmer
Telepathe - Chromes On It
Teyana Taylor - Google Me
Lemonade – Big Weekend (Delorean edit)
Ebony Bones – We Know All About You
Minitel Rose – Magic Powder
We Have Band – Oh!
Busy Signal – Tic Tic Toc
Teki Latex – Go Go Go
Glass Candy – Beatific
Air France – Collapsing At Your Doorstep
Megapuss – Adam and Steve
Estelle – No Substitute Lover
Beaches - Sandy
Ryan Lesile feat. Cassie- Addicted
Firekites - Last Ships
Daedelus - Fair Weather Friends
Memory Cassette - Asleep At A Party

(I tried to make top 10. I tried to make a top 20. I tried, I really did. But this was an amazing year for music, and so many releases completely rocked my world. That's a culled list already!)

people I want to hear heaps more of/see heaps more from in 2009
Charles Hamilton
Mi Ami
Pacific
Seekae
Bridezilla
Dan Black
Cocknbullkid
Friend
Florence and the Machine
Ebony Bones
Ninjasonik
Soft Circle
La Roux
Pegase
Weird Tapes
The Big Pink

Merry Hanukkah and happy Christmas. I really hope you had a wonderful 2008, or you at least learnt and experienced something you didn't know in 2007. I think I did.

x Michaella