Imagine this: waking up on New Year’s Day and puking every hour (or more frequently) for twelve hours and not really being able to sleep in between. Awesome, RIGHT? And then you get to watch the same thing happen to your boyfriend the next day. Of all the things I could say about how I rang in this new year and new decade, the one I’m sticking with is: It can only get better from here. And it will. I’ve got some pep in my stride, a shiny bag tucked under my arm, and I’m ready.

But before fully stepping into the great beyond, I thought about the past. A few months ago, Chris told Alex and me that he was going to make a “10 Best Albums of the ’00s” list. We were both intrigued by the idea, and Chris encouraged us to take on the project. All three of us made our lists independently and shared them on Wednesday night (Chris is in Boston, so we got creative about our sharing party). Here’s my list below, and this link will send you to a screenshot of all three lists (plus a bonus image of our video chat- I KNOW, right?).

We all decided to do 25, in the end. For my list and Alex’s, the first 10 are our top 10. All of our lists are in no particular order. I can feel you judging me and my tastes, but please know that I am fully aware that this list is TOTALLY subjective. My style of music listening is heavily based on an emotional or physical response to what I’m hearing. My “criteria” are after the jump.

Here are the loose criteria on which my list is based:

* Overall quality: The album must be generally great.

* Longevity: I should still be listening to these albums now and forever.

* Momentousness: Many of them symbolize a time in my life, or more importantly, changed how I listen to music.

I struggled with the fact that MANY albums that I love and spent so much time listening to during the last decade were released in other decades. Needless to say, those couldn’t be a part of the list. I encourage you to make and share your list. It’s an interesting challenge, and it’s fun to compare. And if you have any questions, please ask. I’m willing to defend anything on that list, so try me if you wish.