2007 (Part Deux)

As 2007 closes (at midnight tonight to be exact), I know I will look back at it in memory for years to come. A close relative & a family pet left this world to be in another, my dad got married again and a good friend got engaged to be un-engaged a couple weeks later. Things go up, things go down, life just works that way.

I know I'll try to look at the positives but I know that the majority of the feelings I experienced during the year weren't so good, which is why I can only expect great things for 2008. I need to start writing music again, and regularly. I need to quit smoking, which I do when I imbibe in adult beverages. Start working out again but nothing crazy. Those are my resolutions for the new year. What are yours? Eat more, watch less pron, become more confrontational?

2007

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to the few readers we have!


I moved to Scottsdale a little over a year ago to get some direction in my life. I think I've found the heading and am finally on the right path. That being said I leave you with my "2007" Letter:

THINGS I'M GRATEFUL FOR:

My friends, family and Shaunna Patrick
The Dallas Cowboys and the Texas Tech Raiders
The ability to buy booze on Sundays
Designated Drivers
Convenience Store sales


THINGS I DESPISE:
$6 Cigarettes
Sherrif Joe Arpaio
UT Football and the AZ Cardinals
Scottsdale, AZ

I miss my Fort Worth Boys and enjoyed seeing you guys while I was there. Hope everyone has a great holiday.

Stay Hard,

Zach Thoms

'The Year the (Music) Industry Broke'

Through the past 10 or so years (the evolving state of the internet), we have witnessed record labels lose money at an alarming rate. Music is easily downloadable, relatively easy to steal online using bit torrent sites and consumers are buying fewer and fewer compact discs year-to-year.

This isn't surprising to me. Although I still maintain I'm a CD believer, I understand why records sales are declining. Welcome to the age of all for nothing. Although I blame MTV much for the downfall of music sales and music in general (more shows than videos), they posted a pretty good article describing 2007 here.

Here's the key budding musicians (if you want to make money, take note): Tour, tour, tour. No-one can steal a live concert, ticketholders are charged heavily (to the benefit of you and Ticketmaster) and with better recording tools you can record your next album (which will be stolen anyway online) for very little.

The Second Loss

Eagles 10, Cowboys 6

Romo's thumb, T.O.'s slips/drop and key offensive line injuries (Gerode) had much to do with one of the most boring games I've experienced in my lifetime and a Cowboys loss, their second of the season.

Didn't see this coming yet I wasn't surprised either. Divisional opponents are supposed to raise their intensity for these types of games but apparently neither the Eagles or Cowboys did. Philly just happened to score more points. Westbrook showed his prowess again and perhaps idiocy by falling down at the one yard line to end the game. Classy (seriously).

Think about it: Do you think the rest of the league view Dallas as the luckiest team in the NFL? Did Westbrook lay down because he could not be sure Dallas wouldn't pull of another miracle ala the previous Lions game and Buffalo earlier in the season? I don't know.

Romo Greatness

Dallas Cowboys - NFC East Champs

Cowboys 28 - Lions 27

Hard fought game today in Detroit. The Dallas defense was extremely slow and shaky but the offense found a way to win in the final 20 seconds. Dallas's 12th win clinches their NFC championship, Witten and Romo are good and Jon Kitna's a whiny b****.

How about them Cowboys!

To Your Potential

To your potential...what does that mean exactly? Does every child have the potential to be President of the United States, an astronaut or a professional athlete? No, so it's all relative, right?

I happened to grow up privileged by most standards. White, male and was raised with parents that stayed together until I graduated from college. Have I lived up to my potential thus far? Some days I think I have, others not, but for the most part I try not to be so reflective. I think looking back can cause you to lose confidence, in other cases, it can be used to stroke your ego or blame your shortcomings on others.

This potential thing had me thinking to music. Do you consider The Smashing Pumpkins reunion a reunion? 2 out of the 4 founding members left, are they touring for $$$? Lynard Skynard? How many surviving members do they have left, do they get tired of playing 'Freebird'? Pearl Jam. What have they done since 'Vitalogy'? They still release albums?

What if these bands stayed together, avoided plane tragedy or didn't go after Ticketmaster and retool their lineup? Did they all live up to their potential? I don't think anyone can make that call.

Let's Get Married

Not quite half of my friends are married yet, am I old? Being a single narcissistic male is hard work ladies, enjoy your time with me until I leave you. Seriously, perhaps someday I will take a leap into the confined world of marriage, and when I do, I want it done exactly like this. I have my Scrubs moments at work everyday.



Oh yeah, A&M hired Mike Sherman as the football head coach, the Mavs won last night, the Rangers are still sorry, Cowboys are 11-1 and hockey, hockey?