Another year, another decade

Well, another year is coming to an end. We're about to close the curtain on the aughts and it has been quite the decade for me personally. And not just me. For America. And? The world. I had a bunch of random musings I wanted to throw into this blog entry but then I realized, given the timing, it was more appropriate to do a year end post. So like my forebloggers before me, I am going to do a list. What kind of list? Well, obviously a summary of 2000-2009 as well as a quick recap of the past year. Get your #2 pencils sharpened because there may be a quiz at the end...

2000 (for everyone): 1999 marked the fin de siecle. The end of the century. Y2K fears. 2000, meanwhile, represented the entrance of the 21st century, the 3rd millennium, and George W. Bush and Vladimir Putin as President of their respective countries. It marked the end of Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the rest of the Peanuts gang as creator Charles Schulz went to see the Great Pumpkin once and for all. Original Obi-Wan Kenobi (Sir Alec Guinness) became one with The Force. And Ernest made a final movie that never made it to screen called Ernest Goes to Heaven. We had the closest presidential election in history (fucking Florida) and an even closer Superbowl where the Titans lost to the Rams by literally an inch. The Yankees wrapped up their 4th title in 5 years and their 3rd consecutive championship in the Subway Series, a World Series no one outside of New York particularly cared about since it featured both New York teams. It also was a year where a majority of America forgot about good old rock and roll. It was a year that was dominated by the likes of Britney, Christina, Jessica, N'Sync, 98 Degrees, Destiny's Child, and Limp Bizkit. Thankfully, Eminem dropped his 2nd album, Outkast apologized to Ms. Jackson, and the good Doctor dropped The Chronic 2001 to salvage at least part of the year. The theme of spring breaks everywhere was "The Thong Song" and Carlos Santana had a resurgence among young folks by doubling up with that Matchbox 20 dude. America wasn't completely devoid of rock however because Kid Rock showed up in his trailer and delivered some Southern attitude. It helped offset Creed's preaching. We also were introduced to some small British band who's first single referenced peeing in the snow. Yep, I'm talking about Coldplay. And my second favorite band of all-time broke up as Billy Corgan decided the fun had run out of Smashing Pumpkins. But the highlight artistically in 2000? C'mon. Gladiator. It miraculously won Best Picture, one of the only times I actually agreed with the Academy. There also was a tiny TV show that changed the landscape forever. Survivor. Although we as TV viewers dabbled in reality TV with the likes of The Real World previously, Survivor was the first of the new wave reality shows. And TV viewing would never be the same. Reality Television has since dominated television airwaves ever since. And that was 2000 boys and girls.

2000 (for me): This is Macster Uncensored. If you didn't think I was going to talk about myself then you haven't been paying attention. What did 2000 represent for me? Well, it was my freshman year at Amazingly Sexy University. It was a time of change for me. I was away from home for the first time (except for that European trip I took the summer prior). I was in a fraternity. And I was in one of the most famous (for all the wrong reasons) dormitories in America! I was my floor's president, an honor bestowed on me because even then it was clearly evident I was awesome and better than most people. My first trip to Mexico (Rocky Point shout out!) occurred. My first bar experiences occurred (thanks for the sake bombs Tombstone!). And most importantly, my first strip club experience. I'd seen a stripper perform before but not in an actual strip club. And that became an addicting experience for me and some fellow froshies. Oh! And I got to go to Spring Training a shit ton because it was in my backyard. It has now and forever become one of the best trips I take each and every year. Nothing beats a Spring Training trip. Beer, broads, and baseball. And bikinis. And boobs. And bars. And bros. It's the best of, well, everything, in life. 2000 was a great transitional year for me. Not to mention I also met some douchebags and whores that became my friends for life. I enjoyed the year thoroughly.

2001 (for everyone): A relatively quiet year. Oh wait. Until September 11th. A day that will forever be burned in our memories and our lives. A day when the casual American learned the name of Osama Bin Fuckface. Suffice to say, 2001 will always be remembered as the year America was attacked by al-Qaeda assholes and little else. Yes, Barry Bonds did break the single season HR record (with 73) but 2001 won't be remembered for his epic season.

2001 (for me): 2001 marked a huge stepping stone in my life. I turned 21. But instead of this being a huge celebration, I actually was depressed about this development. Turning 21 felt like the end of the train of cool birthdays. I had nothing left to look forward to. When you're a kid, every birthday is getting you closer to being a teenager which you can't wait for. When you're in your early teens, every birthday is getting you closer to 16 and being able to drive! Once you have your license, you can't wait for that day when you're 18 and legally an adult, though you still can't legally drink. So of course, once you've turned 18 you eagerly await those 3 magical years where you'll never have to shoulder tap a bum to buy you some shitty brand of beer or liquor ever again or worry about that shady fake I.D. being snatched away by an omniscient bouncer. But what occurs after 21? That's right. NOTHING! Most people start dreading birthdays around 25 or 30. Not this guy. This guy was hating life the day of his 21st birthday. It also didn't help that my birthday was a preview of life to come. My friends (most of whom were not of legal drinking age either) had decided to order me and my party strippers instead of going to an actual bar. Hey, even though it was my 21st, my friends couldn't get into bars so why have a party where my friends couldn't go? So we partied at our brand new Pussy Palace, a 4 bedroom 2 bath bachelor pad I was moving into with 3 other guys. We invited a bunch of friends and we ordered strippers. The only problem was once the strippers showed up, they wanted more money than we were originally quoted. So in the end, all I got was a peepshow of some girls in lingerie before they took our money and ran. I don't even think I saw a naked breast. That's how I spent my 21st birthday. And I wonder why I was sad? Maybe it's then I learned that women and money can only lead to bad things. What else? I also got to experience a pretty awesome World Series. In 2001, the Yankees played the Diamondbacks and I had the luck of living in Arizona at the time. I didn't go to a game, but I was at a sports bar directly outside of what was then Bank One Ballpark for Game Seven, also known as one of the best World Series games ever. The Yankees were the emotional favorites, playing for New York and the championship just over a month after we were attacked. It was an amazing series and an even better ending. The Dbacks won the game and the trophy in the bottom of the 9th inning in an amazing comeback victory over future Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera. And pandemonium ensued in Phoenix. It was a great experience. And one I longed for my own team, the Giants. Little did I know...

2002 (for everyone): With America still wrapping its head around 9/11, President Bush created the Department of Homeland Security, a major historical event as it became the largest reorganization of the U.S. government since the creation of the Department of Defense. We lost some key people in 2002, like Freddy Heineken (mmm, Heineken) and Dave Thomas (Wendy's would never be the same). Layne Staley left Alice N' Chains without a singer, Linda Lovelace had her last orgasm, Lisa Lopes found out that karma is a bitch for burning down people's houses, Ted Williams went to his field of dreams (or was it his field of ice?), and music lost three icons in DeeDee Ramone, Jam Master Jay, and Joe Strummer. NFL fans were introduced to Tom Brady and the beginning of a New England mini dynasty. Eminem and Britney spears continued their domination of pop music and Avril LaVigne showed up to give angry teenage girls an outlet. Movie studios were blessed with new moneymaking franchises as Spider-Man, Harry Potter, and Jason Bourne introduced themselves to audiences. Overall, 2002 was a year of recovery for Americans and a year of new heightened security measures. But it was the beginning of our healing as well.

2002 (for me): Although I want to say lots of cool things happened for me personally in 2002, when I look back on the year, I only think of one event. The 2002 World Series. I'm a Giants fan. A huge one. Their lone World Series appearance in my lifetime occurred when I was 9 yrs old and it involved a 4 game sweep by the Oakland A's and one huge natural disaster that scarred San Francisco and the Bay Area. So when the Giants advanced to the 2002 World Series against the Anaheim Angels, I was stoked beyond belief. Riding the bats of Bonds and Kent and a surprising Benito Santiago and the arms of Russ Ortiz, Jason Schmidt, and Robb Nen the Giants were primed to win their first championship since moving to SF. The Series was a see-saw with the Giants winning Game 1, the Angels winning a crazy back and forth game in Game 2 and winning easily in Game 3, and the Giants winning Game 4. I remember going to Game 5. My first World Series game ever. Schmidt pitched. And it was a great game for Giants fans. It also featured the infamous J.T. Snow scoop of 4 year old Darren Baker at home plate when the manager's son went to pick up bats near home plate as two Giants were running home at full speed to score. An infamous picture. The Giants won handily 16-4. And the feeling amongst Giants fans were never higher. We had our ace Russ Ortiz going in Game 6 against Kevin Appier, who was no longer very good. I remember watching Game 6 all alone at the house back in AZ. No Giants fans or friends around me. No one around me. And stupidly, I had agreed to go to my friend's sisters wedding that night. So I only go to watch about 6 innings. And what a great 6 innings they were. The Giants were up 5-0 when I left the house. Russ Ortiz was dealing, holding the Angels to 2 hits. Shawon Dunston, practically worthless all year, homered and I remember thinking to myself, what else could possibly go right!? What a great way to win the championship! Bonds would finally win a ring and win the WS MVP as he was simply unstoppable. I left for my buddy's sister's wedding reception feeling awesome. At the reception, that's when the world turned upside down. My buddy in SF was shooting me text updates. Then they started sounding something like this:

"Ortiz gave up 2 hits, Dusty is pulling him. Why? He's not even at 100 pitches I don't think. Oh, and just gave him the ball."

"Felix Rodriguez just coughed up 3 run homer to Scott fucking Spiezio on the 11th fastball of the AB."

"Got out of the inning. 5-3 Giants going to the 8th."

"Giants no runs in their half."

"Worrell in. Facing Erstad."

"FUCK! Leadoff HR to Erstad. 5-4 Angels, no one out and the heart of the order coming up."

At this point I excused myself to go to my car and listen to the rest. I can only describe the next 20 minutes as pure agony, torture, sadness, and defeat I had never felt in my life in regards to a sporting event. It felt like a family member dying. Most Giants fans know the rest of the story. Worrell never got an out, Robb Nen came out with his shoulder barely hanging on by a thread, and couldn't get out of the jam. The Angels staged the biggest comeback in a World Series elimination game in MLB history and won Game 6 6-5. The Giants locker room, minutes before covered in plastic with champagne on ice, had to swiftly be fixed back to normal before the players arrived back to the clubhouse. Meanwhile, Giants fans everywhere knew that the chance of raising a baseball championship trophy for the City of San Francisco had just gone from 8 outs away with a 5-0 lead to having to play a Game 7 with a decimated bullpen and unsure starters. Sure as shit, the Giants hardly put up a fight in Game 7 and lost the World Series the next day. Bonds would never win a WS ring and a large group of Giants that had become the core of the team over the past several seasons all dissipated that offseason. It was one of the most heartbreaking experiences of my life that didn't involve a personal tragedy. So when I think of 2002, it's usually the Giants gynormously missed opportunity that I tend to think about. But overall, the rest of the year was great for me. It just will forever be overshadowed by the Giants choke job...

2003 (for everyone): We went to war with Iraq. Jon Gruden's Bucs beat Jon Gruden's Raiders in the Superbowl. The thrifty Marlins beat the Yankees in the World Series behind Josh Beckett. The Human Genome Project is completed. The Terminator turns into The Governator of California. This was a bad idea, as you can tell, I'm starting to get lazy...

2003 (for me): I graduate from college, beginning a depression that will never be cured. I take my first cruise as part of my final collegiate spring break. I learn that, in fact, everyone that ever told me college is the best 4 years of your life was not a total ignoramus.

2004 (for everyone): Bush is re-elected. The world cries. The government acknowledges we pretty much invaded Iraq just because, since there was no evidence of WMD's. One of the worst natural disasters in history hits Southeast Asia and racks up nearly 190,000 deaths. The Patriots win their 2nd Superbowl. The two best TV shows ever debut. In case there was any doubt, those shows were "Lost" and "Entourage". Oh, and a little website called Facebook is launched, changing social media forever. The Red Sox break the curse and win their 1st World Series since dinosaurs roamed the Earth. Or something like that.

2004 (for me): Pretended to still be in college. Got evicted from an apartment for being a drunk idiot. Personal growth? Relatively none.

2005 (for everyone): The Pope dies. Hurricane Katrina hits. The Patriots win another Superbowl. The San Antonio Spurs win the NBA Finals for the 3rd time in 7 years cementing them as the most boring NBA champions ever. Some other stuff happens, too.

2005 (for me): I turn 25. Whoopty do.

2006 (for everyone): The first World Baseball Classic is held and turns out to actually be pretty neat. Saddam Hussein goes to meet Allah. And we were introduced to a new, blonde James Bond (Daniel Craig). Anything else of note happen in '06? Didn't think so.

2006 (for me): I moved back to my native San Francisco where Macster Madness had yet to be truly displayed in earnest.

2007 (for everyone): I'm not sure anything really happened in 2007, looking back on it. Yeah, the Red Sox won another World Series. Anna Nicole Smith shockingly didn't make it to 40. The Simpsons movie finally got made. The last Harry Potter book was published and subsequently sold 11 million copies within 24 hours, making it the fastest selling book EVER. A book about a nerdy kid with special powers, huh world? Christ.

2007 (for me): More of the same. Worked a little. Played a little. Met a cool girl who still doesn't escape my thoughts very often. Went to see ASU's football team play in the Holiday Bowl. The cascade of friends getting married or engaged begins in earnest. That's about it. Man, life IS pretty lame after college.

2008 (for everyone): BARACK OBAMA IS ELECTED! The tyranny of George W finally comes to an end. The world rejoices. And "The Dark Knight" is released. Probably the best "superhero" movie of all time. However, the movie's Oscar winning star Heath Ledger doesn't live to see the final cut.

2008 (for me): I change careers. I meet my soulmate (hope she feels the same). I have one of the best years personally since college.

Which brings us to 2009. Oh 2009. I had such high hopes for you. And you didn't disappoint. The end of a decade. A decade of ups and downs. 2009, you were a year of good things. You brought me a Giants winning season. You brought me hope that the 49ers could be good again next decade. You introduced me to a new season of Melrose Place and caught me up on characters I loved in the '90s. But you also took some favorites of mine. You took Michael Jackson and Patrick Swayze. Walter Cronkite. Farrah Fawcett. Dom Deluise! You even took Brittany Murphy. But you gave me one of the best Wimbledon men's matches I can ever recall watching... Federer vs Roddick. And poor Roddick deserved to win that match. But Federer did not deserve to lose either. In the end, Federer anchored his status as the best pro tennis player maybe ever. Of course, in baseball, you had to end the decade with how you started it... with a Yankees championship causing everyone outside the Bronx (and those faux Yankees fans I've mentioned earlier) to pull out their hair at yet another Yankee trophy. You also gave us the return of James Cameron with his movie "Avatar", a visually stunning piece of art that undoubtedly will change film very much like his effort in the nineties (a little flick called Terminator 2) changed filmmaking. You brought me new friends and a new job that I absolutely cherish. You put me on the right path. And although Macster still has his Moments, a taming, a maturity may be on the horizon! And to that 2009, I salute you.

As for you, 2010. Well, bring it on. I have my resolutions ready (and a resolutions post ready to go shortly after the New Year). So all you revelers out there. Get ready to turn the page. Because although 2009 brought tough times economically, 2010 is sure to get better. Could it get worse? Be safe. Have fun. And I'll see you all in the New Year...

Happy New Year!