2011, Day 1

I always feel like I want to do some sort of year in review post on my blog, but for some reason, the inspiration hasn't hit me this year. It's not that 2010 was a boring year - it was eventful, stressful, life-changing, exciting, bittersweet, fun, surprising, growing, stretching, emotional, frustrating, fulfilling, and memorable. But I could probably say the same of every year.

So I'll satisfy myself with a quick year-in-review, a list of some 2010 favorites. The lists aren't necessarily exclusive or in any particular order.

TRIPS: Atlanta/Alabama/Tennessee, a cross-country road trip via the northern routes and Mt. Rushmore, Michigan for the fall holidays, a day trip to Seattle, Ludington for the 4th of July

MUSIC: Broken Bells, The Suburbs (Arcade Fire), Wooden Arms (Patrick Watson), anything by Sister Rosetta Tharpe, piano works by Heitor Villa Lobos, "Blue" (Angie Hart/Joss Whedon), Plastic Beach (Gorillaz), my birthday playlist

BOOKS: Collected Novellas of Gabriel García Márquez, Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins, Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie, The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende

MOVIES: Man with the Movie Camera, Sullivan's Travels, The Third Man, Charade, The Godfather, The Spirit of the Beehive, Au Revoir Les Enfants, Schindler's List, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, The Class, Sita Sings the Blues, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, The King's Speech, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, True Grit

TELEVISION: Lost (the final season), Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Breaking Bad, Mad Men, Doctor Who, Project Runway

EVENTS: My brother's wedding, my roommate's wedding, President Obama in the Big House, half marathon on Antelope Island, my 30th birthday, dissertation defense, the Hallelujah Chorus on the organ

COOKING ADVENTURES: Monte Cristo sandwiches, stuffed pumpkins, fudge, lemon dessert with Maria cookies, pear and Gorgonzola cheese pizza, Lost cupcakes, apple pi cupcakes

I guess that covers about everything. Okay, really it only touches the surface, but it's a nice snapshot. Here's to an equally eventful, stressful, life-changing, exciting, bittersweet, fun, surprising, growing, stretching, emotional, frustrating, fulfilling, and memorable 2011.

Happy new year!