Pandora's Box

About six months ago, I read an article about a company called Pandora that had built an online music recommendation service. But instead of using collaborative filtering like most sites use (e.g. Amazon's "Customers who bought this books also bought..."), Pandora had built an algorithm that measured the tone, pitch, rhythm, beat, etc. of the music you listened to and went and found you music that sounded similar. Not music that might be found in the same bin at your music store, but music that actually sounded the same.

Six months later (today to be exact), I was getting caught up on my sister-in-law's blog and came across a post she made about Pandora so I decided to try it out for the first time. "Wow!" is all I can say. It is amazing. And it's not that often that I say that about some new internet service.

My first five channels:

• Chemical Brothers
• U2
• Ludacris
• The Killers
• Pink Martini
• 50 Cent

I think I may be shizophrenic.

And speaking of cool internet services, I find myself using Wikipedia more and more each day. I love having a one-page summary on anything in the world. And I do mean anything. I'm hard pressed to find a subject that isn't on Wikipedia.

Top 10 TV Shows

The following are my Top 10 TV Shows of all time:

1. Friends
Considering this is almost the only show I consistently Tivo, it has to be #1. I could watch Chandler and Joey all day. Literally. We only stop when Kerri is "Friendsed-out" as she put it.

2. Lost
Feels weird naming such a new show #2, but Kerri and I literally watched 48 straight episodes in the span of a month after missing Seasons 1 and 2. We'd sometimes watch 5-6 episodes in a row. Can't wait for Season 3 to start.

3. The Simpsons
How in the world have the writers been able to maintain consistent, timely, relevant, hilarious scripts after 10+ years? Lots and lots of Duff Beer. Doh!

4. Seinfeld
Jerry's whimsical "What's up with airline peanuts?" musings struck a cord with American viewers, but let's face it--it was Kramer that made that show what it was. Had the finale not been so disappointing, it might have been looking at a #3 spot.

5. Cheers
Arguably one of the greatest ensemble casts in comic television. And I'm not just talking about a rat pack like Jerry/Elaine/George/Kramer. But a true ensemble: Coach, Sam, Diane, Woody, Norm, Carla, Cliff, Fraser, Rebecca. "Norm!"

6. Party of Five
Bailey, Sarah, Claudia...but let's face it. It was Charlie that held the family together. Also doesn't hurt that the first time I ever asked Kerri to do anything, it was to come over to my dorm room for a "Party of Five Party". When she showed up, she was the only one there. To this day, I swear that I invited other people. At least I think I did.

7. Magnum PI
That Ferrari will forever be etched in the mind of every boy born before 1978. Not to mention Thomas Magnum, the only man in history to ever rock a mustache and not only get away with it, but actually make it cool.

8. Gilligan's Island
A lot like Lost actually. No one can seem to get off the island, but a heckuva a lot of people sure seem to find their way on to the island. You would have thought that after all of those years that the Professor could have gotten that coconut phone to work.
And let's be honest...who among us didn't have a crush on Mary Ann?

9. Night Court
People often wonder why I know about shows like Cheers, Magnum PI, Night Court, etc. I grew up with 4 older brothers and sisters. I was always watching stuff that was over my head and ahead of my time. To this day I can't figure out why not one of the actors from this show went on to anything of any importance.

10. The Brady Bunch
Honestly, I think in a weird way I liked this show because it mirrored my own family. Only Jeff never blew up his science projct volcano spraying mud all over Kristin and her friends. And Dave never pointed a flash light with a red filter on it at a white sheet while he was blowing a whistle to trick Jeff and I into thinking that there was a UFO in our back yard. And we never had a maid. And for that matter, who would Oliver be? Oh, Aubrey.

Other Contenders: Moonlighting, Knight Rider, Miami Vice

Top 10 Books

The following are my Top 10 Books of all time:

1. The Da Vinci Code (Dan Brown)
I was the last person in the world to read this. I have a tendency to shy away from fiction that gains mainstream popularity, but now I see exactly why it achieved all of the fame that it did. Even if you don't believe all of the details in the book (and you shouldn't because some of them are flat-out wrong!), it is still a masterfully woven conspiracy theory that turns 2,000 years of accepted history on its head. In the end, I made it #1 simply because of all of the books I've ever read, I enjoyed (from an entertainment perspective) this one the most.

2. The Tipping Point (Malcolm Gladwell)
Anytime you read non-fiction, you are usually coming to the work as a lay person. Meaning the person writing the book probably knows a heckuva lot more on the subject than you do. Which can be tough because it makes it difficult to question the theories put forth. I don't know whether or not all of the historical events that Gladwell points out can necessarily be pinpointed to their Tipping Point, but the coincidences and timing of each of them seem too remarkable to not be accurate.

3. The Doomsday Book (Connie Willis)
I'm not usually a fan of science-fiction, but I had to read this for our book club in Denver and found it to be a fantastic read. Although historical fiction is probably a better description than science-fiction given all of the history included in the book. I poured through this one in just a couple of days as I couldn't put it down.

4. Lessons on Love
I lead a busy, crazy, hectic life. I am constantly moving at 100 mph and--with more frequency than I care to admit--miss the immediacy of moments as they pass me by. After reading this book, you will forever have a different view on the importance (or lack thereof) of the 100 tasks you have on your To Do List today and what it means to truly love something/someone.

5. Unforgettable Fire (Eamon Dunphy)
The biography of U2 as told by Eamon Dunphy through his years of knowing and traveling with the band. Like Rattle and Hum, this book was written at a perfect time in the band's history coming off of the Joshua Tree album but before albums like Zooropa. (I'm not knocking Zooropa, I'm just making a statement about the changes that the band has gone through over the last 30 years). This one will take you all the way back to Paul, Larry, Dave, and Adam's childhoods and the forming of the band in high school.

6. Term Limits (Vince Flynn)
The book that started the Mitch Rapp legacy. Flynn creates a fantastic middleground between the quick-read nature of Clancy's Op-Center series and the "I need seven straight days of vacation to finish this book" nature of Clancy's core books (The Bear and the Dragon, Clear and Present Danger, The Sum of All Fears, etc.) And Mitch is pretty much the coolest guy ever.

7. The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho)
I once read somewhere that different people come to you at different points in your life when you need them most. I think books are the same way. The first time I picked up this book, I didn't like it. The second time, it was almost life-changing. Great life philosophies that will have you thinking deep.

8. Encylopedia Brown (Donald Sobol)
I'm not joking. My entire grade school years were consumed with reading these books. Encylopedia's adventures solving the mysteries of his small town all while trying to avoid the path of bully Bugs Meany.

9. The Way of the Peaceful Warrior (Dan Millman)
This book is a little too "Karate Kid", but if taken in the right light has much to say about the philosophy of living life and chosing to do what you want to do in life.

10. The Celestine Prophecy (James Redfield)
You have to take a book for what it is at the time you read it. When I read this my sophomore year in college, it changed my life and I tried to get everyone I knew around me to read it. Now, I'd probably just laugh if I read it again.

Just Missed the List: Without Remorse (Tom Clancy), Scimitar SL-2 (Patrick Robinson)

Top 10 Songs

The following are my Top 10 Songs of all time:

1. Somebody (Depeche Mode)
Memory: 7th grade dance in the cafeteria.

2. Running to Stand Still (U2)
Memory: Adjusting to life at Santa Clara my freshman year of college.

3. Crash (Dave Matthews Band)
Memory: Trying to convince Kerri to go out with me my sophomore year of college.

4. Untouchable Face (Ani Difranco)
Memory: Studying at Mission City Cafe every night my senior year of college.

5. Nobody Knows (The Tony Rich Project)
Memory: Coding web sites till 4AM the second half of my freshman year in college.

6. The Heart of the Matter (India Arie cover of Don Henley original)
Memory: Driving the beach roads of Costa Rica.

7. Summertime (DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince)
Memory: What else? Summertime, 8th grade.

8. Fragile (Sting)
Memory: Romeo and Juliet senior year of high school.

9. Turn Me On (Norah Jones)
Memory: Weekend after weekend at the Sir Francis Drake in San Francisco.

10. One (U2)
Memory: Sophomore and junior year of high school. It was inevitable that U2 was going to make the list twice.

Just Missed the List: With or Without You (U2), Secret Garden (Bruce Springsteen), Man to Man (Gary Allan), I Can Still Make Cheyenne (George Strait), Lose Yourself (Eminem), Mudfootball (Jack Johnson), Smells Like Teen Spirit (Nirvana), Magic Carpet Ride (Steppenwolf), Cecilia (Simon and Garfunkel)

Top 10 Movies

The following are my Top 10 Movies of all time:

1. Last of the Mohicans: I honestly can't give you a truthful assessment of why this is my favorite movie of all time. It just is. Maybe some things in this world are better left unexplained.


2. The Princess Bride: Barely missed being #1. Seen it 50 times and could see it 50 more. The sheer quantity of classic lines from it is unheralded.
   


3. Rattle and Hum: U2 in their prime. Post-Joshua Tree, but pre-Zooropa/Popmart. A great look into the soul of a band on the brink of becoming a music icon.


4. Three Amigos: Another 80's classic that I could watch 50 more times. The Singing Bush. The Invisible Swordsman. El Guapo. My Little Buttercup. And a plethora of memorable lines...


5. Ocean's 11: A classic heist flick mixed with an awesome ensemble cast: George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Andy Garcia, Don Cheadle, Elliot Gould. Unfortunately, Ocean's 12 and 13 couldn't live up to the original--I mean, the re-make of the original...or...well, you know what I mean.
   


6. Good Will Hunting: One in a series of fantastic performances by Matt Damon (Rounders, Bourne Identity, Ocean's 11, etc.). Unfortunately, Ben Affleck's first and last good performance.


7. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: I'm not joking—this is a classic. So much so that I refuse to see the Johnny Depp-remake despite being a big fan of his.


8. Fahrenheit 9/11: I'm not a Democrat. I'm not a Republican. Heck, I've never even voted before. But this movie shocks you with its deep dive into the American political machine, big business, and the use of propaganda to drive an agenda.


9. Top Gun (or Jerry Maguire): Putting aside his recent insanity, I had to pick at least one Tom Cruise movie for the list. Hate him all you want, he's a fantastic actor with several billion dollars in box office billings to back up his talent. But in the end, I genuinely couldn't decide between early "Risky Business" Cruise or later "Mission Impossible" Cruise--so I chose both.


10. Groundhog Day (or Click): The older I get, the more I realize how much I enjoy movies that shake my core, that leave me walking out of the theater in a completely different frame of mind than when I walked in. Being that the premise of both movies is effectively the same--"What would you do if you suddenly became immortal?"--I chose them both. Although Click better drives home the point that speed begets speed and the faster we go through life, the faster life passes us by.

Just Missed the List: Rounders, Rent, Moulin Rouge, The Professional, The Great Escape, A Christmas Story, Spaceballs, Blackhawk Down, Usual Suspects, A Christmas Story, Love Actually.