Year in Review!

Thanks to Deva Fagan for this great set of criteria for a great year!

Five books/authors/series I discovered in 2009:

1. Kristin Cashore! I don't remember exactly when I read GRACELING, but it was cold so I am going to assume it was early 2009. And then FIRE! Dang, she can write. And I saw her read in Cambridge and she was funny and personable and wonderful.
2. SHELF DISCOVERY - Yes, I was reading Fine Lines before this year, but when SHELF DISCOVERY came out, I realized that I was not alone in my near-fetishization of the YA of my youth. So funny, so accurate...
3. Blogs that I look forward to: Six Boxes of Books, Bookshelves of Doom, Mimi Spartypants. Checking my RSS feed is no longer the work-related chore it once was!
4. Julie Halpern - she hasn't written much yet, but what's there is cherce.
   
5. The Betsy Tacy Books by Maud Hart Lovelace - Yeah, I have been aware of them for a little while, but they were re-released! A cause for celebration!
   

Five highlights of my writing year:

Since this is the extent of my writing life (other than Joy of Idol, review for SLJ and Facebook updates) we will call this highlights of my working year...

1. Writing [ha!] and teaching the YA class at Salem State.
2. Okay, the emerging technology course at SSC, too.
3. The weed from heck at the BHS library. Seriously got rid of a TON of useless stuff and will be working on part two soon...
4. Updating and cleaning the magazine room for the move.
   
5. Another sucessful summer reading event!
   

Five entertainment discoveries:

1. THE CLOSER - I always kind of liked Kyra Sedgewick just because of her keeping Something to Talk About from being complete crap. But here she is just wonderful.
2. Beads!* I can now justify watching television because I am doing something useful like making jewelry. (With useful being a relative term)
   
3. Instant movies on netflix. Oh goodness, like computer crack...
4. My children. They have always been adorable and wonderful, but as they get older they have also become hysterical. They are a sketch comedy show waiting to happen.
5. SNL -thanks to number 4, I have learned that it is funny again (usually). Who knew Taylor Swift was the comedianne she is?

*these are not mine, but rather what I aspire to!

Five favorite new foods:

1. I was pretty sure I knew them all until I started getting FOOD AND WINE. It is food porn. I am never going to eat those foods, but they sure are fun to look at! (I understand it is a magazine and not a food, but I am counting it anyway.
   
2. Red red wine! Rich finally got me drinking it with the help of the Millers, and I finally get it. It is good and warming and helps my heart stay healthy.
   
3. Velvet Truffels - I made my own advent calendar out of these. Absolute heaven.
4. Pepperidge Farms frozen garlic bread - okay, not a gastronomic bright star, but a convenient alternative to buying fresh crusty bread (or God-forbid making it myself) only to realize I have meetings for the next 3 nights and by the time I can make the delicious meal I was planning to have it with, it is stale. Just have it in the freezer and never hear your husband say, "You know what would have been good with this? Garlic bread..." With a sad little look on his face.
   
5. Growlers! You don't have to go to Salem to drink amazing beer! (And no, I am not at all concerned that of my 5 foods, one is made of paper and two of alcohol...)
   

Five Moments of Pure Happiness:

1. Family reunion in North Carolina - complete bliss for a week in 2 houses with 28 people (14 of them under 20). It was magical!
2. Betsy Tacy Convention - A ton of work that paid off in fun.
3. Beatles Rock Band
4. Singing on a snowy Sunday
5. Walking home from WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE.

And there you have it!