favorites

i wasn't going to do one of these, because i found myself reading so many of them and i don't know how much valuable insight i have to add, and because by january 5th, i figure the statute of limitations is pretty close to expired. but, i also figure that not doing something because everyone else is doing it is not a good reason not to do it, and that is how we got here. i also thought about how these things remind me of those e-mails that would get sent around in middle school asking you about your favorite movie and which backstreet boy you most identified with and one time, my friend chris sent one around saying that he thought that i had the prettiest hair and, well, who doesn't like to hear that they have the prettiest hair? so, again, that is how we got here.

and here we are. 2009, which is almost 2010, which means that we are almost ten years removed from Y2K and the year i turned fifteen and the new years i spend in san diego playing third wheel to my cousin and her boyfriend. and it was a really good year, 2000, but 2008 was even better, and i expect this year to be the best yet. they all are.

so, i'd like to think back a bit on this year that is behind us before moving fully toward the year to come. disclaimer, same as with all the other great lists i've read, not everything mentioned here is new to 2008, but was new to me that year.


best music of 2008

• bon iver, for emma, forever ago
• andrew bird, armchair apocrypha
  
• rihanna, everything that she ever put out every, which i realize isn't an album but if you don't realize her genius i can't help that
• she&him, volume one
• fleet foxes, self titled, especially white winter hymnal
• lil wayne, lollipop (just the song, haven't heard the whole album yet, and honestly i have learned to keep from yelling out 'i love lil wayne!' when his joint comes on in the club because half the time it's actually t.i. or someone entirely different and i am totally embarassed)
• bonnie 'prince' billy, lie down in the light
• britney spears, womanizer. duh.
  
• beyonce, everything ever, because she is the shit and she is married to jay
• antje duvekot, snapshots

i know i should say tv on the radio, and i really do like them a lot, but i'm just not there. 'family tree' gets an honorable mention, though.


best books of 2008

• netherland, joseph o'neill
• one hundred years of solitude, gabriel garcia marquez
• the will of god as a way of life, jerry sittser
• the alchemist, paulo coehlo
• alive, piers paul read (holy shit!)
• everything steinbeck ever wrote
• the entire sweet valley high series, except for 'senior year'
• snow, orhan pamuk
• downtown owl, chuck klosterman
• purity of heart, kierkegaard

shout out to p.g. wodehouse for always cheering me up

best moments of 2008

• barack.
• visiting seattle in may
• getting zack back from africa
• courtney's wedding
• jess's wedding
• watching saw i-iii with my family at christmas. an ortberg vacation, to be sure
• falling on my face with four great friends to take care of me, ensuing rum and cokes in the er, and (probably) no lasting scars
• starting at harperone
• grandma and grandpa retire
  
• sea world
• camping (!!!) in yosemite
  
• visiting chicago and having chicago visit me
• jess and josiah's wedding
• vacation in maine
• deetjen's big sur trips
  
• what the hell, barack again
  

best movies of 2008

• slumdog millionaire
• saw i
• forgetting sarah marshall, mostly for the fact that they actually pulled off a vampire musical
  
• saw ii
• milk
  
• saw iii
• surprisingly, ghost town
  
• saw iv
• moonstruck, even though cher is in it
  
• saw v (preemptive, but i'm pretty sure)
• captain blood
• double indemnity
• i guess i didn't see too many movies in 2008

favorite drinks of 2008

• champagne, preferably martini & rossi, and only in flutes
• blubeery from bevmo
  
• whiskey
• iced tea with lemon and lots of ice from portillo's, especially when accompanied by a hot dog and a slice or chocolate cake
• the TEE OFF cosmo
• whichever beer is provided for beer fridays at work
• lauren's hot toddies

so many other favorites, so many i can't even think of right now. it was a good year, a great one even. here's to smooth travels and safe transitions . . .