Top 5 of 2007

Alright...I started a couple of years ago emailing all of my friends and family with five lists of quality things I had experienced in the previous calendar year. It's not the Oscars. Or for that matter even the SAG awards, but I enjoy the challenge of remembering all the movies, tv shows, etc. that I enjoyed throughout the year. This year I decided to post it on the blog.

The five items are not listed in order of importance. Sometimes I don't see movies in the year they came out. This year I didn't see much theatre or read as many books so I've changed some of the lists around.

Every year I call for my friends to send me a top five list because I believe that time is short and that personal recommendations save me time looking around for quality. This year feel free to post a Top five list in the comments or email me your list if you want to keep it personal. I love recommendations from friends because all of you have splendid taste.

Without apology here are some of the experiences, entertainments, and things I enjoyed in 2007:

Top 5 Websites/Blogs

• Notes from the CocktailMoms
• Freerice.com
• Ebay.com
• craigslist.org (if by favorite I mean obsessed)
• google reader and google maps

So the first choice is for obvious reasons.
Hit on the link on the blog to experience freerice.com it will help you expand your vocabulary and feed the world.
I jumped on the Ebay wave extremely late. This was the first year that I bought or sold anything on the site. It takes awhile to get the hang of it, but the commercials are right - it is better to win it!
Relocating is the reason I became obsessed with craigslist.org. Before I left, I needed to sell things and after I arrived, I needed things like a job and furniture and things to do in the community - craigslist.org (Boulder version) fulfilled my needs daily.
Google reader is super cool - its like an inbox for the websites you read on a regular basis - thanks for the recommendation from Jon and Gretchen on that one.

Top Five Movies:

• Sicko
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
• Charlie Wilson's War
• There Will Be Blood
• No Country for Old Men
  

Don't watch Sicko if you are unsure if your insurance covers mental health services because afterwards you'll need therapy for depression and anxiety.
I am one of those people that they are studying to determine if there actually is a Harry Potter gene. Yes, I am completely aware that the movies aren't good, but this one was slightly better than most.
Charlie Wilson's War was written by Aaron Sorkin, who wrote The West Wing. A. Sorkin really knows form. Julia Roberts is ill cast in the movie, but just pretend she isn't there.
I can't decide which of the last two movies on my list are more disturbing. Go see both and let me know what you think.

Top Five Albums

• The Reminder - Feist
• Those the Brokes - The Magic Numbers
• The Con - Tegan and Sarah
• Armchair Apocrypha - Andrew Bird
• Under the Blacklight - Rilo Kiley

Instead of me trying to describe music, I think you should just take a listen. Click on the links above to see youtube.com clips of songs from some of my favorite albums in 2007. Thanks to Jennifer and Alison for telling me about Tegan and Sarah (6 years ago). Thanks to Scotty for bringing Andrew Bird into my life.


Top Five Dishes I cooked

• Croissant Bread Pudding
• Lighter Sesame Chicken
• Super Easy Split Pea Soup
• Honey and Spiced-Glazed Pork Chops
• Spiced Zucchini

I definitely cooked dinner more often this year than ever before. Above are links to some of the dishes I'll be cooking again in 2008. Enjoy.

Top Five Things I Learned in 2007

• How to ride a bike
  
• That having friends over for dinner is more fun than going out
• That I detest Office Life
• That a truly sharp chef knife is the only thing to cut with
• That maintaining a blog is more work than I thought - but totally worth it

That's right folks, I can finally join the rest of the adult world. After years of fear, I learned to ride a bike and it was worth it. (Big thanks to Gretchen.) I like the wind on my face and feeling more like I am in the environment instead of observing from behind the window of my car.
Before I left NYC I had as many of my friends as I could schedule over for dinner, I've known since my first CocktailMom Christmas that I loved cooking for the masses on holidays, turns out I love having over a few friends for everyday meals as well.
Yes, technically I worked in an office before but never like this. I worked for a nonprofit theatre box office for over 9 years. It's quite different from the cold depressing paper pushing I do now. Plus, I'm the only one there nearly as witty, as fun, or hard working as Michael Scott on "The Office".
Cooking is a drag with a sucky dull small knife. Do yourself a favor. Spend the money on a kickass chef knife so that you can chop, dice, and slice with ease.
I falter often with the blog by not writing as often as I should (Gretchen is must more diligent) but I love looking back over the posts we have created. It's been a good year!

Honorable Mentions:

Friday Night Lights

Just when I thought I'd never love a sugary sweet high school melodrama as much as The O.C., Friday Nights Lights came along to show me that there are plenty of guilty tv pleasures left to enjoy.

Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
See previous post.

The Coast of Utopia by Tom Stoppard

More of an experience than a play. This three part epic will probably turn out to be one of my favorite plays of all time. I doubt I'll ever see it again. What theatre has the money to revive a 3 part, nine hour epic play about the philosophical debates in pre-revolutionaryRussia between1833 and1866? Glad I saw it when I did.

Please send me your lists of favorite quality things in 2007. Or better yet post them in the comments.