New Year's Revolution

I’m bad with dates. By that I don’t mean going out with cute boys-- I’m a fantastic date. No, I mean months, days, years. I always had the most trouble with remembering time periods and dates in history classes. They just all blend together-- did something happen in 1824 or 1928? Couldn’t tell you.

In the same vein, I have no idea what happened in 2010 vs. 2009 or even earlier. I can only be sure a given event didn’t take place in 2011 because I haven’t mastered the art of time travel (yet). So it’s hard for me to compile a list of the best movies, music, books, et cetera, from the past twelve months.

Instead I give you this: a list of some stuff I discovered or enjoyed this year, regardless of release date, in no particular order.

Top Chef All Stars
I’ve watched most every season of Top Chef, and this one is by far providing me with the most entertainment. Typically it takes several episodes to even learn the cheftestants’ (I love that word) names, but this time I’m familiar with all these folks and all this drama from day one.


Cougartown
The show no one will watch because it has a stupid name is actually really, really funny. I was hesitant at first, but now that I’ve caught up on it, it's one of my favorite comedies. Parks and Recreation almost makes the list for similar reasons-- check it out when it returns in the spring.

The month of January
It was a good one.

Harry Potter
I don’t think that the Deathly Hallows Part I tops my list of favorite Harry Potter movies, but it was still an exciting lead up to this upcoming summer's finale. And I'll never turn down a midnight showing, complete with nerdy t-shirts.

TT.TKO [The Podcast]
I can’t technically unbiasedly call TT.TKO my favorite podcast of the year, but I'm going to call it that anyway.

Anchovies
I’m on an adventurous eating kick, and I’d call whole anchovies at least reasonably adventurous. I’m a little bit obsessed with grilled Caesar salad anywhere I can find it.

Braves baseball
I’m slowly but surely getting over my irrational dislike of all Atlanta sports teams that stemmed from my own watered-down brand of teenage rebellion against my Braves-loving parents. I think my record was 6 for 8 in games I attended this year. With any luck next season will be even better.

Cute dresses
No one who knew me in my t-shirt-and-jeans high school days would believe my closet now, but I make this look good.

Running
I picked it up in June, ran my first 5K in July and now my foot hurts and I can’t run ‘til it stops or I bother to go see a doctor, but whatever. I still dig it.

Netflix
Best $10 a month you can spend.

40 Dogs (Romeo & Juliet) by Bob Schneider
I Shazaamed the song when it was on the radio in maybe January and kept it on repeat most of the spring. Now it's the song with the second highest playcount in my iTunes library, only two plays behind the Avett Brothers' Distraction #74. Check it out.

TT.TKO [The Blog]
Well we have fun with it.

2011 had better bring its A-game. Just sayin'.