Ok, so 2008 won't go down as one of the best years in recent memory. We've had a financial collapse of historic proportions, a housing meltdown, a credit crunch, a $50 billion investment scam, a failing U.S.
The first time I remember seeing a Reddi-wip can was on a camping trip during a high school summer when some of my friends tried to get high by snorting the nitrous oxide gas inside it. Even back then, a 'whippit' sure looked like a stupid, only mildly effective, thing to do.
I don t think 2008 was a very good year for pop culture.
The Hollywood writers strike seemed to have lingering effects, delaying the return of some of my favorite TV shows past the point of anticipation all the way to indifference. Probably can t blame the strike, but most of the year for movies was also generally a disaster, with the summer slate being a particular disappointment (I was even let down by The Dark Knight).
It was miss after miss on the reading front for me as well, with several much-hyped books, like Chabon s The Yiddish Policemen s Union and O Neill s Netherland leaving me cold and unsatisfied. And our most exalted Prophet has admitted that it wasn t a particularly great year for new music, either.