2008 in Rearview

Yes, it’s another “year end review/top XYZ list/bitching about what you didn’t accomplish” post. Everyone else does them, too, so don’t roll your eyes at me, buddy.

Personally, 2008 wasn’t great, but it wasn’t terrible. I didn’t lose my job like some of my friends did. I still have a few crumbs left in my retirement pot. My candidate won. The daughter graduated high school and went off to college. I got a fancy new blog. I started using Facebook more. I jumped back on board the Twitter train. And everyone is coming out healthy at the end.

Roof? Check. Food? Check. Clothing? Check. Income? Check. Health? Check.

A lot of geeky icons passed into another realm of existence this year. Vampira, Gary Gygax, Arthur C. Clarke, Stan Winston, Forrest J. Ackerman, Majel Barrett Roddenberry, Indiana Jones…

Not to mention Richard Widmark, Charlton Heston, Dick Martin, Sydney Pollack, Harvey Korman, Bo Diddley, Jim McKay, Tim Russert, Cyd Charisse, George Carlin, Bernie Mac, Isaac Hayes, Paul Newman, Bettie Page, Van Johnson, Odetta, Studs Terkel, Michael Crichton and Eartha Kitt.

Highlights of the year:  We got a new cat. Pepperkat got a car. We saw Spamalot. I sang in a bar. We started playing D & D 4th Edition. Went to a Red Sox game.

Best movies: Young At Heart and Iron Man.

The Dark Knight was dark and well-done, but not especially fun. Tropic Thunder was fun, but not great. Incredible Hulk was pretty okay, too.

Best TV: Pushing Daisies (I hate ABC for screwing this up then canceling it.)

Heroes has been kinda “meh” for me. It’s had great moments, but not a very engaging storyline. I’m hoping it will pick up in the next run. Of course, my love for Doctor Who, Bones, The Daily Show and Colbert, Mythbusters, Good Eats, Psych and South Park hasn’t abated. We spent the first half of the year watching Angel re-runs on TNT every morning from series beginning to end, then Olbermann for the last half of the year. Pretty much over the lefty outrage stage now, so we’re looking for a new morning routine. It ought to be exercise, but it will more likely be Lost.

I’ve been listening to a lot of podcasts this year, too. Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me, All Songs Considered, Fresh Air, and This American Life have all kept me company during the work commute. And we listened the heck out of The Story during our trips to Tallahassee.

Best video which I’d love to see become a regular series: Dr. Horrible’s Sing-A-Long Blog

Best independent fanboyish things on the internets: I’m A Marvel, I’m A DC and The Ten Doctors

Best gaming: I don’t really have time to play anything much, and if my plans for ’09 hold, I’ll have even less. Still sticking with Lord of the Rings Online, but I have my eyes on Star Trek Online. Spore didn’t live up to the hype. I played it for a while, but it’s not what I expected. I do jump on Medieval 2: Total War a bit, but mainly it’s still Out of the Park Baseball and our silly online league.

That about wraps it up for this year. Have a happy New Year, everyone, and be safe!