My friend Bob recently asked me about my top 10 songs of the year, and I realized that I was entirely unprepared. You see, every year of my life, well, at least since I was seven, I have done at least a top 10 for the year. This year, though, I seem to be falling out of quite a few of my habits.

I took a little time yesterday, looking at my iPod and what I've been listening to, and here it is, this year's list. A few comments first:

1) Notice: no American Idol contestants from this past year. I am probably not alone with this. I didn't download a single song from this season. Wait, that's not true. I downloaded some Siobhan songs. I liked her.

2) A huge Glee influence. At least four of the songs have a Glee link.
1

We were in the mall yesterday, and came across a Sketchers store where they were selling their "Shape-Up" sneakers.

The folks at Sketchers claim that by wearing these exceedingly uncomfortable looking shoes, you will improve your fitness and get shapely looking legs.

I've done a little sleuthing, and have come up with THE REAL STORY behind shape-ups: they are part of a long-term terrorist plot by the North Koreans, who are bent on taking over this country.

There I was, innnocently watching Glee tonight, when suddenly, out of nowhere: A Bobby Framingham moment.

Yes, Glee's Kurt (Chris Colfer) got his first kiss tonight. It wasn't by his new love interest, Blaine, an openly gay boy from a nearby private school. Instead, it was by a bully. A football-playing bully, at that.

I didn't see that coming. Well, I should say I didn't see that coming until about 10 seconds before it happened.
3

I received a nice e-mail from a young, gay athlete this morning. He was writing to tell me that Out of the Pocket had really meant something to him. Those notes are always extremely meaningful to me, because they remind me why I'm doing what I'm doing. Often, it's easy to forget in this crazy business that books save/change lives.

Chuck and I have been feeling a little joy deprived lately. Perhaps it's that we're both working so much. On top of his 9-5 job, he's been taking care of and decorating the house (with my input, of course). On top of my load of five classes, which is one class more than a full load at the college level, I have been editing and revising Openly Straight, and working on a new novel.

So the one area that has been missing in our lives has been fun. It's taken a toll.
1

What is the most important soundtrack in your life today?

As good as Saturday Night Fever is/was, as good as The Big Chill's songs were, I'm figuring that the most important soundtract in your life today is the narrative of thoughts that follows you around. The inner monologue that is the music you set your life to.

I was reflecting this morning about mine.

Recently, all too often my soundtrack has been filled with things I wouldn't want my worst enemy to walk around with.

I've been struggling with hatred recently.

I feel extremely wronged by a person. The details are unimportant, but I think it's fair to say that whether they wronged me is not really in question here. We're talking truly poor behavior.

I've been angry. I mean, really angry. Like angrier than maybe I've ever been.

A wise friend of mine, someone whose counsel I value immensely, told me what I needed to do.
2

I am not an A-lister. I am not A-list adjacent. At one point, the B-list called, and told me they felt I was a better fit with the C-list. Whatever.

After watching the premier of the reality show "The A-List" on Logo, I feel a lot better about that.

I don't think I've ever watched a more disturbing, disheartening hour of TV in my life. And I saw the first episode of Paradise Hotel. So yeah.

These poor boys.
4

A plea to Michigan attorney general Mike Cox, who steadfastly refuses to fire cyber-bully Andrew Shirvell, who has been publicly harassing the openly gay student body present at the University of Michigan: Please, don't fire Andrew Shirvell!

Don't fire Shirvell, because firing him would send the wrong message. It would send the message that Republicans think it's outrageous that a public servant would cyber-bully someone half his age, in increasingly crazy, reactionary ways.
4

I want to talk about bullying tonight, mostly because I've just read about what is nationwide at least the third suicide this month because of anti-gay bullying in our schools.

The Advocate reports that 13-year-old Seth Walsh, of Tehachapi, Calif., (pictured above) is the latest victim of bullying to take his own life after the problem remained unaddressed at school.

According to The Advocate, Asher Brown, 13, of Texas, shot himself last week because of bullying.
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