BEST BAD-ASS
Well, another year come and gone. 2007 hasn't been the best of times, but it hasn't been the worst of times either. I have high hopes for 2008, although with all the milestone events (two graduations!) and changes (my mom moving to Half Moon Bay! Eric and I may buy a house!) it could very well end up the Year of Living Dangerously...
As for 2007, here's my list of the things I enjoyed most in 2007. Please feel free to respond with your own "best of" lists...
BEST. PERSON. ALIVE...
Eric.
I'm afraid I can't truly do justice to Eric by describing his many wonderful traits. So as evidence, I'll provide a transcript of an actual conversation he and I had about a week ago:
Siobhan: Hey, it's me. Whatcha doin?
Eric: Well, I have someone in my office right now.
Siobhan: Okay, I won't keep you. But can you do me a huge favor?
Eric: (warily. He's been burned by this question before.) Sure, no problem. What is it?
Siobhan: Well, at my mom's new house, there's this white wicker elephant in the driveway...
Eric: Oooookay...
Siobhan: And I really can't explain this, but I need you to drive there tonight, retrieve the white wicker elephant and then dispose of it-not anywhere near our house or near her house. I can't stress this enough-do NOT dispose of it anywhere near our house OR my mom's house.
Eric: Okay. I'm on it.
And he was. And he didn't even ask any questions.
BEST OF FILM:
No Country for Old Men (special mention for Javier Bardem's hair)
Michael Clayton (LOVED this movie. Eric, not so much)
Juno
Knocked Up. I think it's funnier than "Super Bad". So sue me.
Hairspray (As a coworker said, "They should just prescribe this movie to people instead of giving them Prozac.")
Gone Baby Gone. I mean, who knew Casey Affleck was so awesome? Or awesome at all?
Running Down a Dream (Tom Petty fan or not, if you enjoy music, you will like this film. I was absolutely fascinated by the details of the music world, recording records, traveling with a band. Stories about eating entire bricks of hash at airports. Stevie Nicks is a stalker. Great stuff.)
Did I mention Javier Bardem's hair?
BEST OF BOOKS:
And Then We Came to the End, by Joshua Ferris. Even though I have never worked in the advertising world, this story of a company going slowly under and the lunatics that work there seemed like non-fiction to me. The details may be different, but this guy absolutely nails the dysfunctional work family we all know and love. If you've ever worked in an office, you know these people.
Eat, Pray, Love...by Elizabeth Gilbert. For some reason, I put off reading this book that everybody else seemed to be reading this year. I picked it up and then put it back down at the bookstore about 10 times. I think I was put off by the "pray" part of the title. I thought the book might be a little preachy. Thank goodness I finally got around to reading it. Elizabeth Gilbert's year of finding God, allowing herself simple pleasures for pleasure's sake and falling in love is the best book I've read this year. Possibly the best book I've read in a few years. She goes on the list of authors I'd totally want to hang out with (list also includes David Sedaris, Anne Lamott, Paul Feig, Calvin Trillin. What a rockin' party that would be. Well, okay...maybe rockin' isn't the right word. But I bet I'd pee my pants laughing.)
BEST OF MUSIC:
Hmm. This year's list is very...retro.
Bruce Springsteen, Magic. My 2nd favorite album of the year.
Crowded House, Time on Earth. Yeay! A new Crowded House album. Boo, no Paul (RIP). But a nice record and as is typical for me with Crowded House albums, it's a "grower." Everytime I listen to it, I pick a new favorite track. Most of the songs are kinda sad-every song somehow seems to relate to Paul. As usual beautiful lyrics and melody courtesy of Mr. Neil Finn. Crowded House at the Saratoga Winery. Amazing. Terrific venue. A full moon, seats close to the stage, music that makes me cry and Michael Lederman (wtf? Can you say RANDOM?) somehow managing to bask in the spotlight after every song.
A John Waters Christmas, various artists. "Santa Claus is a Black Man" and "Here Comes Fatty with a Sack of Shit." Why did it take me so long to find this?
Pink, You + Ur Hand Tonight (Honestly, does everything have to spelled IM-fashion now? Of course, Prince has been doing it for years...) This song just makes me laugh, and also makes me wish it had been around during those young and carefree days when I was hitting the clubs and scamming on cute guys. (Ah, who am I kidding? I never really had those days. But still.)
BEST OF TV:
(Who watched too much TV this year? I did, I did!! I watched a lot of reality TV in particular. Geez, I'm never gonna get back the hours of my life spent watching this crap...)
So You Think You Can Dance. jidges?
Big Brother. I love me some Evel Dick.
House Hunters. I still think Eric's lying about that whole Suzanne Whang being on People Magazine's 50 most beautiful people list, though. Not with those bangs.
Heather, from America's Next Top Model. Totally rocked the assburgers.
James, from Survivor. For saying "every hairy dick...or Tom" on national television and Denise, the lunch lady, from Survivor, for lying about getting fired from her job on national television. C'mon. She's a lunch lady. Give a gall with a mullet a break.
BEST OF STAGE:
It was a good year for theatre.
The Pillowman (directed by Ivy A. Henry. Don't forget the "A.") Seriously, this was a great show. I would've loved it even if it hadn't been directed by my daughter. But it was, and she did a great job.
Jersey Boys. This show is just plain fun. Be ready to hum Four Seasons songs for days if you see it, though.
Avenue Q. The Bad Idea Bears! Cute looking, foul-mouthed puppets! Song titles like "It Sucks to be Me" and "What Do You Do with a B.A. in English?" What's not to like?!!!
Now we have some random awards that don't exactly fit into any category:
BEST MAJOR AWARD:
Trip to Sanibel Island, Florida, courtesy of Travelocity.
BEST QUIETLY MISCHIEVOUS FRIEND:
duh.
BEST GRAMMY:
duh again.
BEST SIX FOOT PENIS:
The guy who lives near BART with the giant TV screen who plays porn while we're sitting at the stop light.
BEST CANADA JOKE:
How do you spell Canada? C-eh? A-eh? etc.
BEST SURPRISE APPEARANCE IN AN INTERNATIONAL CELL PHONE AD:
Olivia and Mike. What are the odds that not one, but TWO of Olivia's friends would be in Paris and spot this (unauthorized) photo on a Nokia billboard?
BEST CAT:
Fuckin' Target, man. I take back everything nice I said about Eric earlier.
