Archies 2007

Seems like a tradition worth keeping, so we'll see how many I can come up with.  Warning - you may notice a theme.

• Change - not the coins, but the existential state
• Creative Kidstuff - taking all the guesswork out of those nephew/niece gifts
• Caribou and Dunn Brothers coffee - all the warm fuzzy of local, all the convenience of chains
• Remember the Milk and Mint - let the internet organize for you
• The Heights Theatre - cool and nearby, double ++
• Basements and garages - hmm, let's put that box somewhere and forget it for 3 months
• Ice chippers - to allow us to get into the garage in question
• The Q50 - maybe not "essential" downloads but at least "fun"
• IKEA - yes you can furnish your house from one store, if you're handy with an allen wrench
• Very Short List - a daily email that is actually quick and useful
• Facebook goes nuclear - is it still wasting time if you're doing it with friends?
• Finally having a frickin DVR - I know I'm shallow
• Ax Man Surplus stores - I probably laughed more here than anywhere in months
• The Electric Fetus - terrible name, great record store
• Gmail adds IMAP -  I find I like free things that work incredibly well
• Neighbors who bring you pies and cookies
• Hound Dog Pet Hotel - we'd never had to use a kennel before, but it turned out great
• Soul Jazz and Numero Group Records - awesomely consistent, consistently awesome
• Google Reader - finally RSS really is simple
• Turner Classic Movies - yeah, still
• Onion AV Club - yeah, still
• Surdyk's Liquor and Cheese Shop - yeah, distilled... oh and great wine/beer/food selection too
• Columbia Sportswear - winter schminter
• Neighborhood restaurants - of which there are plenty in MSP
• Being the old guy - I'm taking classes where the average age is probably 10 years below me, so I get to be the wise and weird one, and oh how I can fill that role
• Magazines like the New Yorker, the Atlantic, Harper's, Dwell, Readymade, and Good - pretty much why my "books read" list hovers around zero (and I'm scared that one day I will accept those free issues of The Economist I keep getting offered and I'll never go outside again) 
• The "In Rainbows" experiment - I'm always glad when success doesn't diminish nerve, but enhances it; oh yeah and the music was good too
• Fond farewells - and anticipated reunions