The year isn't done. But close enough. By this time next week it will be, and the new year begun. So we'll do this now.

I'm not so inside pop culture these days where I can make top tens of much of anything. Or, if I had ten, then it might be the only ten. And that's not really "top" ten.

I am inclined to agree with pretty much everyone who writes about music that Kanye's new one is the best of the year. I like Vampire Weekend a hell of a lot, too. But Kanye's is epic (and so much better than his last one, which I could barely even listen to).

And the fact that W said this year that the worst part of his presidency was when Kanye said W don't like black people. That's pretty good. Especially since W really should have picked a couple other moments that were much more horrendous (9/11 and Katrina itself come to mind). But no, it was when a rapper called him out on a telethon. That was the pits.

How bout that oil spill?

I've only seen a few movies in the theater this year. I don't think I'm really qualified. Even though I have seen a bunch of them at my house. I just can't get into the 3D thing. Novelty act.

Oh yeah, here's something I'm going to be a little loud about: I DON'T WANT TO HEAR RICH PEOPLE BITCH ABOUT HOW MUCH THEY PAY IN TAXES EVER AGAIN!

Really? The election was about extending tax cuts for the rich? I guess that's why the rich pay for the elections, huh? We're suckers of the worst kind.

A couple of stages my band graced in the past few years are pretty much no longer (they may be reopened to some extent in the coming year). The Santa Fe Brewing Company Pub (not actually run by the Santa Fe Brewing Co., apparently) and the Atomic Cantina are now closed. Rumors about the Atomic brewed for more than half a year. The Santa Fe Brewing Co. Pub just locked its doors and cancelled (or moved) all upcoming shows. But the good news is we played one of the newer stages a few weeks ago (Low Spirits), and they liked our brand of rock n' roll.

I realized I watch more currently-running TV shows on AMC than I do on all other channels...combined.

My niece didn't have a proper name for me most of the year. If one of her parent's said, "Uncle Matt's here," she'd point at me and say, "Yeah!" Then, earlier this fall, for a day or so, I was Map. Then it was Mop. Which was pretty funny to me (although somewhat distressing for her parents), and vaguely Beatle-esque. During one babysitting session, she said, "Mop! Clean!" while threatening me with her small pink broom. For the most part these days, though, I'm Matt again thanks to her parents' correcting her pronunciation.

I didn't accomplish everything I wanted to this year. I'm still in the same job. I will endeavor to change this in the new year.

But my band recorded a chunk of songs, and wrote and learned some new ones. We're still rockin' and that's great.

The Chiefs are a pretty good team again! The Royals still suck (and they traded Grienke!). The UNM football team still sucks. The Lobo basketball team is still pretty good!

I played God in a Woody Allen play, dropping from the ceiling twice a night (plus run-throughs) without smashing to the stage like a Spiderman stuntman.

And heading into my last year of 30s, I'm still in pretty good health. Despite my efforts to the contrary.

Matt Worley thinks everyone should take it easy for the rest of the year.