A Year In Not Normal: 2012

This year saw more than its fair share of Not Normal things go down. Here’s our list to the ten most Not Normal happenings to happen in 2012.

10. All I Want for Christmas Is A Latina Girlfriend

Love was in the air this year in San Diego’s Barrio Logan, a historically Hispanic neighborhood where Real estate mogul Mac Paskin shelled out for this romantic billboard overlooking Interstate 5 near 28th Street. I guess a Craigslist ad just wouldn’t cut it.  Who said chivalry is dead?

9. YouTube Rap Stars

This was a big year for hip hop in more ways than one. Downloable mixtapes exploded because sites like DatPiff- letting even suburban kids in on the newest and #veryrare releases.  If you were at SXSW or Coachella, it was clear that hip hop heads were everywhere—especially on stage.  YouTube played a huge roll in the careers of some of this years break out stars.  Riff Raff, Lil B, and Cheif Keef, all found a ton of success be.  On the fringes of this “genre rebirth” is a bunch of amazing “YouTube rappers”,  it seems any one and everyone grabed a mic and hit up their webcam.

8. Juror Jailed for “Friending” Defendant on Facebook

So you’re telling me that all you need to do is send a friend request to the defendant and sit in jail for three days to get out of jury duty?  Sign me up.

7. Paul McCartney Nirvana

One of the most Not Normal combinations in the history of music happened in 2012- Two era-defining bands linked up.  This could have been the worst things ever, or the most amazing amalgamation of music royalty to befall upon our sordid, underserving world. Instead, it was super blah.  And afterwards, there was no real conversation about it, which is even more not normal.

6.  Bath Salts

In 2012 the world was introduced to a new drug: Bath Salts. Although “drug nerds” will be all like, “Geez, they’re not new. They’ve been around forever.” Their opinion really doesn’t count. Bath salts are new. And you know what else is new? Homeless cannibals. Even if this drug ends up becoming the cure to some crazy disease, it will still always be known as that drug that makes you eat people’s faces off. Bad PR move.

7. The Well Dressed Monkey

A little monkey ran around a Canadian Ikea this year. Oh yeah, and it was wearing a cute little winter coat. I’m not sure how it got there or why, because to be honest I could never get past the first picture of every story I tried to read. I would just sit there and stare at this little monkey. I’m sure everyone else just did the same thing, so I guess there’s no point in really writing all of this after that picture above.

6. Tupac Hologram

Tupac’s holographic performance this year was easily one of the coolest/weirdest surprise guests at any sort of live event ever. The fact that a Tupac hologram performed at Coachella is already not normal enough to make this list, but the long-tail effect of the hologram is even more not normal. Tupac hologram kicked down the door for countless other dead performers who want to hit the stage and make some cash from beyond the grave.  Hell, maybe even lazy musicians who don’t feel like touring anymore will take advantage of it.

5. BIG BAY BOOM

One of the most not normal and MOST EPIC July 4th firework shows occurred this year. Thanks to some sort of glitch, San Diego’s harbor looked like a Michael Bay film during this year’s July 4th.

4. Fresco Restoration

Old people are the best. They can essentially walk around and do whatever they want and never get in trouble. My grandpa farts at the dinner table just about every time I see him and no one even raises an eyebrow. In Spain, an old lady took it to the next level when she decided to restore acentury-old “ecce homo” fresco of Jesus crowned with thorns. She succeeded…in creating one of this years biggest internet jokes and the best piece of not normal art this year.

3. Seapunks

Seapunk’s made an out-of-nowhere resurgence back into American counterculture.  Seapunks were so below the radar that their resurgence only brought them back into the underground. Their new life was fueled by internet jokes that turned into a real-life scene.  The style was seen on fashion runways and Azealia Banks videos this year.  Here’s to you Seapunks, we’ll miss you in 2013.  Let’s face it; this trend isn’t lasting past the New Year.

2. Outer Space Ain’t Got Nothing on Us

Whether we were landing on Mars or jumping from the stratosphere, we were kicking ass and taking names when it came to doing fun stuff outside of our own atmosphere. Will.i.Am premiered a song on Mars, and they carted a space ship through the streets of LA. NBD.

1. Lil Bub

Lil Bub is the cutest not normal pet in the whole wide world, and we love him.  Thank you for coming into our lives this year Lil Bub.

MINI would have made the list but their Not Normalness is bound by no year-end list.  It lives on and on.  2012 was the year of Not Normal and 2013 MINI will carry the torch onward.  For More info head to www.miniusa.com

For more Not Normal: www.vice.com/notnormal