10. That time the Olympics happened. More specifically, Emeli Sande’s rendition of “Abide with Me” at the opening ceremony and, obviously, the Kate Bush “Running up that Hill” remix at the closing ceremony (both of which were cut out in some way from the US broadcast—naturally).

9. That time Taylor Swift released “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.” So what if her voice makes me want to jump off a cliff? The song itself is so fucking catchy. Plus, I was proud of her for embracing feminism for like half a second—then she opened her mouth and spoke.

8. That time I saw a Misfits and a Hole cover band all in the same Halloween night.

7. That time Passion Pit’s head honcho, Michael Angelakos, opened up about his struggle with bipolar disorder. I have a new appreciation for the morose lyrics hidden under those cotton candy hooks.

6. That time Adele did the theme song for Skyfall. With the graphics of that opening sequence set to her voice, I would have been just fine seeing the opening credits. Everything else (ahem, Daniel Craig’s abs) was just a bonus.

5. That time I took my 77-year-old neighbor to see a Pink Floyd cover band. He wore his Pink Freud shirt that I got him and high-fived everyone with an actual Pink Floyd t-shirt for three-plus hours. Then I brought him home and his wife had gone to bed and locked him out of the house.

4. That time that I almost saw Morrissey for the first time. Then his mom got sick, but the anticipation the week leading up to the postponement was pure bliss.

3. That time the Divine Fits played on Letterman. Sam Brown needs to insure that curly mop.

2. That time that I saw Rush—again. They’re going into the Hall of Fame this spring. Does that mean I can stop hiding my lifelong crush on Geddy Lee?

1. That time I interviewed Michael Gira, the most amazingly humble and knowledgable specimen in the galaxy. Still can’t believe that happened. Still can’t believe he took book recommendations on serial killers from me. Still can’t believe how great The Seer was.