We're in that XMas middleground where light becomes shadow and there isn't much musicwise to write about... or is there? Tomorrow I'll be posting a feature on The Good Life where we discuss the band's breakup last May (Yes, it did happen after all.) and how everything seems to be back to normal. Then Thursday Part One of my annual "predictions" article gets served up column-style, wherein I score how well I did on my 2005 predictions (you'll be shocked... shocked!).

I forgot to report my brush with greatness on Saturday afternoon... While driving back from lunch on Underwood St. just before crossing 50th I spied a trollish little man wearing a straw cowboy hat and bug-like glasses surrounded by a handful of people crossing the intersection heading east. My girlfriend erupted "Look! It's Bono! Look! Look!" But I couldn't look because I was trying to safely operate my motor vehicle. I glanced over again, and sure enough, it looked like Bono... sort of. Teresa, however, was sure of it. So we doubled back up Webster to see if we could figure out where he was going, but by the time we got to Underwood again, he was gone, perhaps into Blue Line or Mark's or (and I suspect this to be the case) the Laundromat. Yesterday I recanted this story to my co-workers, and sure enough, Bono had still been in town on Saturday, apparently taking part in some event at The Joslyn Museum. Later that day I surfed to Time.com and there was Bono again, declared the magazine's "Person of the Year." In a photo essay accompanying the story were pictures of the intrepid, ill-shaven Irishman wearing the same straw cowboy hat. So close... so close... There are all kinds of celebrities catting around Omaha this time of year. Last night a friend of mine called from the bar saying he almost got in a scrum with Alexander Payne whose seven foot of bad haircut wouldn't get out of his way.

Other things to occupy your time this morning:

-- Personal music critic guru Robert Christgau has a new reviews/update on the Village Voice site (read it here) where he writes about new non-boxed greatest hits releases. I've learned my lesson to stay away from artist "best of" compilations, preferring remastered complete versions of original releases. This is a fun read, anyway.

-- Everyone's "Top Records of 2005" lists are now coming out. Here's one from Mote Magazine that includes a "Records I need to buy Cuz I hear they're great" list, which I admire. Fact is, most people who write these lists haven't heard half the good stuff out there because it's physically impossible to do so. I'm no exception. (My list, by the way will be online next week as part of the annual Year in Review).

-- The arsenal of press for the new Jenny Lewis solo CD is beginning to slam against the Internet shores. Here's Filter's coverage. I got a copy of Rabbit Fur Coat in the mail last week. First impressions -- Lewis is trying to channel June Carter (or Anne Murray?) and not doing a bad job of it. It's certainly better than the last Rilo Kiley CD.

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