Best of 2024

I enjoy the self-reflective tone of the year’s end. I spend some time taking stock, reviewing my past goals, looking at what went well, what went poorly, what surprised me, how much I changed, where I traveled, who I met, what I made, and other observations that left some kind of imprint on me. All of this helps me move into the new year with a certain measure of confidence and optimism. Assembled here is a Top 40 of personal highlights, ranked in no particular order.

• Weeknotes
  I had no idea how satisfying a project this blog would be. It's a weekly exercise that has helped me develop my voice as a writer and asked me to pay greater attention to the world around me. I’ve learned so much from it!

• Walknotes
  Denise Wilton's brilliant Walknotes blog is the direct inspiration for my own. Her adventures amid the minutiae of England are a joy to read each week.

• Weird Walk
  I discovered this U.K. zine at my local curio shop Wyrd Byrd (itself another 2024 highlight) and was hooked from the start. It’s an Anglophile’s dream of great writing about horror folk, neolithic stones, landscape punk, Morris dancing, and other esoterica all presented in a killer graphic style.

• Wyrd Byrd
  I’m so grateful for Shawn and Brooke Gates’ strange little boutique on Washington Street. Every visit is a small enlightenment.

• Going Back to College
  At the start of the year I thought I might challenge myself and sign up for a weekend drawing class somewhere or maybe take a few music lessons on one of my lesser-played instruments. Instead I decided to resume my long-abandoned college journey and enrolled in the Graphic Design program at Washtenaw Community College. For decades I've held on to a lot of fear about going back to school and doing so in my late-40s seemed even scarier. I was shocked at how much I liked it and how well it went. This was easily the biggest surpsise of 2024.

• Bird Dog's Maple Cherry Bread
  When Bird Dog Baking opened its doors over the summer, the morning lines were so long I that held off on trying it for a while. When I finally did, I fell in love with their beautiful maple cherry loaf which is now a Saturday staple for me. Toasted and buttered, it can't be beat.

• Morning Glory Trellis
  Every year I plant from seed about 4-5 different strains of morning glories. In previous years I’ve trained the vines up to the top of my back fence where, having reached the terminus, they proceeded to find their own way in the world. This year I strung a series of wires from the fence top to my nearby shed so they could continue their journey under my direction. It created a gorgeous flowered trellis under which I would lay in my hammock and read. Walking out every morning to note their progress and keep them in line was one of the best parts of the day.

• Leopold Benches
  I put some work into my backyard this year. I wanted to build a series of simple, but attractive benches and landed on the familiar angled design credited to famed naturalist Aldo Leopold. The first bench was such a success, I immediately built its twin, then designed a small auxiliary stool and a coffee table, all in the Leopold style. Finally I named them all: Baby Lasagna, Second Banana, Miniskirt, and Diana Ross.

• "King of Rock and Roll" by Prefab Sprout
  Paddy McAloon's biggest hit was my song of the summer and maybe the year. I listened to it and its parent album From Langley Park to Memphis constantly. Even now, in December, I regularly have the infectious "hot dog, jumping frog, Albuquerque" chorus running through my head.

• Site C1 at Platte River Campground
  I tend to fall in love with specific campsites and this year's hero was C1, a walk-in site at Platte River Campground in Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore. It's about a minute walk from the parking lot through a sandy wooded trail to C1 which had an abundance of character thanks to the scrawny, whimsical pine growing in its center like a coat rack.

• Street Marigolds
  On the corner of North Adams and Forest, someone planted a plot of marigolds into a tiny wedge-shaped bit of easement. It was maybe 2' at its widest point and tapered to a point like a slice of pizza. It's a very public city corner across from a bus stop and I felt unbearably happy every time I walked past it.

• The Detroit Tigers' Surprise Playoff Run
  Right around the time the Tigers were heating up for a late season win streak, my dad and I watched them lose to the Baltimore Orioles at Comerica Park. Neither of us had been to a game in years and despite the loss, it was a perfect September night. Over the next three weeks the Tigers clawed their way into the Division Series and we had October baseball in Detroit for the first time in over a decade.

• Ziggy's
  I spent more nights than usual at Ypsilanti's favorite venue which felt more and more like a clubhouse this year. I played three gigs there in 2024, each time in a different format (duo, band, solo), and saw great shows by friends like Tanager, Misty Lyn, Sara Tea, Golden Feelings, Brawny Lad, and Same Eyes.

• Parker Mill
  When I think of Mary Oliver's line from Percy Six, ("How many summers does a little dog have?") I take Islay to Parker Mill so she can go swimming in Fleming Creek. It's a bucolic, dog-friendly park that never fails to make both of us happy.

• Leif Enger's Books
  In September I read Leif Enger's newest book, I Cheerfully Refuse. I immediately went back to the library and got Virgil Wander, followed by Peace Like a River, then So Brave, Young, and Handsome. I love discovering a new author then working my way through their back catalog.

• Eurovision Song Contest
  Americans don't really pay much attention to Eurovision, but I do have a small contingent of friends who love this annual spectacle. This year I finally took the plunge and listened to all the submissions while I was out in the yard building my benches. I quickly developed favorites and allegiances (Norway, Croatia, Armenia, Ukraine) then re-vived my Peacock streaming app so I could watch the international broadcasts. I was rooting for Baby Lasagna all the way.

• "Mayor"
  I wrote about half of this song in September 2021, then forgot about it for several years. I finished it this spring and it became the secret weapon of my solo and duo sets. It's very satisfying to sing, especially with CC's harmonies. I think it's one of my best songs right now.

• "Cecil Sharp House"
  This is another new song which references London's famed folklore center, Cecil Sharp House. I presented it to State Park in the spring and they instantly knew what to do with it. I can't remember the last time a band arrangement came together so quickly and effortlessly. It jumped to the top of the set list and became our opener.

• Alvvays in Cleveland
  I was a casual Alvvays fan when my friend Serge asked if wanted to take a road trip to see them in Cleveland. We had a fun weekend and it ended up being one of my favorite shows of the year. Serge had never been to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, so we took a side trip and I got to spend a little more time with Colin Blunstone's sweater.

• Rumble Strip: Aphasia Choir Episode
  Erica Heilman's wonderful podcast Rumble Strip is both hyper-local to her native Vermont and universal in its sense of humanity. I just love it. I was out on a run when I listened to the Aphasia Choir episode and I had to stop for a little while to have a good cry. It's about a choir consisting of singers who have suffered major head trauma and struggle with basic speech and communication. Apparently singing can be a helpful to people afflicted with aphasia. There is an interview with a particular member who just captured my heart. Her halting, percussive laughter has stayed with me all year.

• The Great North American Eclipse
  Who would have anticipated that 2024 would be a year of such celestial significance? The total solar eclipse on April 8 was a beautiful thing to rally around in an otherwise bitterly divisive year. I made a last minute decision to drive down to Ohio to witness the path of totality and was mired in eclipse traffic for about three hours. I pulled into Toledo's Cullen Park with just minutes to spare, then gawked with hundreds of cheering strangers while the sky blackened over Maumee Bay. It was astounding.

• The Northern Lights Over Ypsilanti, Michigan
  Barely a month after the April eclipse, I was able to see the Aurora Borealis from my street in Ypsilanti, even amid the light pollution. My friend Annie and I drove out to a preserve a little north of town to get a better view. Unbelievably, the light show returned again in early October. There was also a night when I saw a massive Pink Moon rising over Frog Island Park. The celestial riches kept on giving.

• The Americans
  When I started classes in September I began having homework again for the first time in decades. Most of it was design related and I often like to have some kind of ambient TV going on while I work. I started watching the Americans on Hulu and Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys became my weeknight companions for the entire semester. I finished the series finale the same week classes ended. As a Gen X-er who was a kid during the Cold War '80s, I really vibed with its aesthetic and especially its music. 

• Running for Health and Pleasure
  I try to run a marathon every year and was about a six weeks into training for one this fall when I realized I just couldn't manage the schedule while working, going to school, and launching a new release. Despite running zero races in 2024 I still logged over 700 miles, most of them quite pleasurable. This year was about running for running's sake, not training.

• Perfect Days
  Wim Wenders' film about a cleaner of public toilets in Tokyo was a sublime treasure. I loved its quiet radiance and couldn't stop thinking about it for weeks.

• Mdou Moctar in Ferndale
  I'd reviewed several of his albums but hadn't had the opportunity to see Nigerien guitarist Mdou Moctar live until this summer. Transcendent North African rock and roll that brought the house down. They also installed a laser show at the Magic Bag, no small feat in itself.

• Ann Arbor 200
  It was such an honor to celebrate the city of my birth by taking part in this bicentennial series created by the Ann Arbor District Library. Not only did it cause me to reflect on my relationship with Ann Arbor, but I truly enjoyed interacting with all of the other submissions.

• Last Known Address
  Without the commission from Ann Arbor 200, I doubt I would have released any new music in 2024. Yes, it was a shorter release, totaling about five minutes of music, but it was a deep and concentrated effort that pushed me in new ways.

• Ann Leckie's Imperial Radch Trilogy
  It had been a while since I've locked into a new science fiction series. I took a chance with Ann Leckie's Ancillary Justice back in January and loved its complex, engrossing world and space opera escapism. I promptly read the rest of the series and will continue to read anything else she sets in that universe.

• Grand Mountain Adventure
  Aside from the Atari and Commodore 64 programs of my youth, I've never been much of a gamer. On a whim I downloaded this skiing/snowboarding game to my phone and whiled away some very pleasant winter hours exploring its various alpine slopes and vibing to its tranquil chillwave soundtrack.

• Holiday Valley
  I also got to enjoy the real thing on an unseasonably warm snowboarding trip to New York's Holiday Valley. The conditions were icy and the snow manmade, but I couldn't be too upset about it in the bright winter sunshine.

• The Caviest Cave in the U.S.A.
  On the drive back from the snowboarding trip, I picked up a brochure on the Ohio Turnpike for Seneca Caverns whose charming tagline is "The Caviest Cave in the U.S.A." I thought about it all summer and eventually took myself down to Bellevue, Ohio in September for a tour of its seven levels. It was cavy as hell.

• July Lake Michigan Tour
  It was my only tour of the past few years and it was only three dates, but it got me up into the U.P. where I haven't played in a while. I reconnected with friends in Marquette, made new ones in Copper Harbor, then drove ten hours down the Wisconsin side for a lively night in Chicago. 

• The Paris Olympics
  France nailed it. I love the spectacle and sport of the Olympic Games no matter the host, but in terms of the production and vibe, I thought Paris succeeded with impeccable style. K held her traditional Opening Ceremony watch party, honoring the host country with a French-inspired array of hors d'oeuvre and good wine.

• Looking South From the Center of the Forest Street Bridge
  I’ve memorized a small bit of graffiti on the southside rail of the Forest Street Bridge that marks its center. I like to stand there and watch the Huron pass by Frog Island on its way through town. It’s such a comfort having the river so nearby.

• The Ypsilanti 4th of July Parade
  I love a parade, but my country is such a mess right now. On Independence Day 2024, it was hard to summon much patriotism. Biden was still hanging onto his lethargic candidacy, Trumpsim was surging, and things felt pretty bleak. On the morning of the 4th I walked up to Cross Street and sat next to my neighbors to witness the most refreshing display of true American spirit I’ve seen in a long time. Drag queens, quirky art floats, politicians from all parties, veterans, marching bands, funk bands, kids, dogs, and Ypsi in all its weird diverse glory. Things may not have turned out how I wanted in November, but I know Ypsi will keep showing up.

• Taking the Wins
  Many times throughout the year I found myself sinking into fear and despair, emotions that can kill off an endeavor before it even gets started. But, then I remembered other times I’d felt this way and how in hindsight, things actually turned out pretty well. "Remember when it worked out?" became something of a mantra I used to whenever my outlook turned grim. And it worked! I achieved plenty of my goals and so many things worked out better than I’d expected. Take those wins, big and small. Recognize them when you’re feeling down.

• The Ann Arbor Symphony: John Williams Pops Concert
  John Williams’ film scores are as big an influence on me as the Beatles or the Beach Boys. Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Superman, and E.T. are the foundations of my musical language and I knew I couldn’t miss hearing these themes played live by a full orchestra. I brought my mom who first took me to these movies when I was a boy. A transcendant night.

• Birthday Recording Session
  A January birthday can be troublesome. Unless you’re gifted with beautiful snowy weather (my favorite), it's often a gray, wet slog into which you have to try and inject some manufactured cheer. Recording music is my number one power-up. It always makes me feel good. I've recorded by myself at home on my birthday, but never booked a studio session. Working with two of my favorite people at a studio I love made 2024 one of my favorite birthdays in years.

• Friends
  I really leaned on my people this year. From my oldest friends to my newest, I recognized how much better I felt when I was around them and made efforts — even when I wasn’t feeling like it — to see them. Sometimes your friends make plans for you, but you have to put in the work too and it gets tougher with age. Take the initiative. Visit your friends and make room in your life for meeting new ones.