Birthdays, beer, life changing possibilities, and my favorite songs of all time

I know I have always jokingly said that February is my favorite month of the year.  A lot of it has to do with the fact that my birthday is on the 23rd of that month, and that it is the shortest month of the year.  There's a lot of stuff going on this month.  It's a good thing too, since my birthday last year consisted of me and my girlfriend at the time Sabrina breaking up.  I wanna make up for last year, especially since last year was my 30th birthday, and that, for all intents and purposes should have been a huge one for me.  So this year is going to be what should have been my celebration last year.  My birthday falls on a Wednesday this year, and if you're living my life that means that Wednesdays mean Karaoke Night.  I went to Sundays Grille a month or two ago for Karaoke and pretty much had the time of my life.  And it was just the three of us going that time around.  This time, however, I'm wanting a fucking army to show up.  And as I have told my friends at work, if you show up to this thing, you have to sing at least one song before the night is over with.  No, I am NOT kidding around!  lol

Also, the day before the big day is when my tax return is scheduled to hit my account.  It's a big one this year, to the tune of $1400!!  That's almost $500 more than I got last year.  And I have a lot of things to do with that money too.  Finally, I'm gonna be picking up another Playstation 3, and on top of all that, is my annual trip to Ohio to see my family, among...others as well.  I have a small feeling that this year's trip home has the potential to be life-changing.  And in all of the good ways too.  But it's too soon to tell right now, so we will see what happens.  Wish me luck, y'all. 

Tomorrow night is another trip to Universal to see TNA Wrestling.  Hey, it's free admission, and you know I'm gonna be eating that shit up for the whole three hours.  I always have a hell of a time every time I go.  I have a feeling that this time around will be no different.

2nd Chance CD of the Week
Van Halen
The Best of Both Worlds (2004)

Tracklist 

Eruption
It's About Time
Up For Breakfast
Learning to See
Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love
Finish What You Started
You Really Got Me
Dreams 
Hot For Teacher
Poundcake
...And the Cradle Will Rock
Black and Blue
Jump
Top of the World
(Oh) Pretty Woman
Love Walks In
Beautiful Girls
Can't Stop Lovin' You
Unchained

Panama
Best of Both Worlds
Jamie's Cryin'
Runaround
I'll Wait
Why Can't This Be Love
Runnin' With the Devil
When It's Love
Dancin' in the Street
Not Enough
Feels So Good
Right Now
Everybody Wants Some!!!
Dance the Night Away
Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love (live)
Panama (live)
Jump (live)

Ah, the definitive greatest hits package from my favorite band of all time.  What more can you ask for?  This double CD was released in 2004, coinciding with the return of lead singer Sammy Hagar, as they toured for the record in question.  Sure the tour lasted only the summer with Hagar leaving the band vowing never to work with the band again, but what a way for Sammy to leave, though.  The album's called The Best of Both Worlds based one the fact that the album contains the best hits from both of Van Halen's most popular lineups, with original singer David Lee Roth and his replacement, the aforementioned Hagar.  Now, I may be in the vast minority here, but I have always maintained that the albums the band made with Hagar were their best.  I'm sorry, but give me 5150 over Women and Children First ANY day.  Anyhow, the double CD set starts off the best and only way it really can, with Eddie Van Halen's Eruption guitar solo from VH's first album, originally released in 1978.  It was that solo alone that set the bar for rock guitarists everywhere, and as far as I'm concerned, the hard rock genre was made better because of it.  All of the band's greatest and finest are here, from "Runnin' With the Devil," "Unchained," "I'll Wait," and "...And the Cradle Will Rock" from the Roth era, to "Top of the World," "Not Enough," and the country-tinged "Finish What You Started" from the Hagar era are here in all their glory.  They even decided to add my favorite song, not just from Van Halen, but of ALL time, "When It's Love" into the mix.  That song gives me chills every friggin' time.  During their short-lived second run with Sammy Hagar, Van Halen decided to write three new songs specifically for the album, those being "It's About Time," "Up For Breakfast," and my favorite of the three, "Learning to See."  I'm sorry, but the dual, echoing guitar solos in "Learning to See" just kicks you in the face every time.  I don't have any real complaints about this greatest hits package, only that I wish they had added a couple of more songs from their 1995 album Balance, my favorite from the band.  Other than that, it's a perfect greatest hits package, and the best way to introduce someone to the greatness that is Van Halen.  Nothing more can really be said here.  Give it a listen.

Thumbs up.