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      CommentAuthorKJToo
    • CommentTimeJan 4th 2010 edited
     
    Overlord

    I'll admit that 2009 wasn't exactly a banner year. Taken as a whole, I think the good outweighed the bad (at least on a personal level) by a bit, but I can't say I'm sorry to see that particular collection of 365 days behind us. Lest I begin to wallow in negativity, I'd like to ask everyone what their "Best of" 2009 was. I don't want to limit this in any way, so you just pick or make up any category (or categories) and tell me what particular thing or event (or even non-event) was, in your opinion, the ne plus ultra in that category.

    I'll kick things off...

    Best Bacon Cheeseburger

    Burger Nuts. Willoughby, OH. It's big, it's messy, it's a heart attack waiting to happen. Oh, and it's absolutely delicious. My toppings: lettuce, pickles, onion, ketchup, mustard and mayo.

    Best Animated Television Series

    The Venture Bros. Granted, I didn't watch Season Three until after 2010 was underway, but when I did...I LOL'd.

    Best Live Band

    The Outlaws, who played at my dad's 70th birthday party. Country & Western isn't my musical genre of choice, but these guys kept the dance floor packed with people all night; without them, the party would not have been as fun as it was.

    Best Long Island Iced Tea

    Ted's Montana Grill. Denver, CO. Ted's also has the dubious honor of being voted Worst Service (Restaurant), but that's another list. The LIIT in question cost me $9.50, but was so blasted tasty that nearly ordered a second.

    Best Family Game (Xbox 360)

    Rock Band 2. I had no idea that Laura would enjoy drumming and strumming as much as she does, and Kyle has a blast on vocals. Meanwhile, I struggle with making the transition from "Medium" to "Hard" on lead guitar.

    Best Family Game (Card/Board)

    Dominion. Okay, Kyle isn't quite old enough to play this yet, but Laura and I played more of this on non-IHOJ Game Night evenings than any other game we own.

    Best Novel

    The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi. Sure, it was voted Best Science Fiction Novel by The Hub, and yes, that's what prompted me to create my own "Best of" list for 2009 in the first place, but I don't think any novel pulled me into a particular setting more thoroughly than this one did. Bacigalupi's post-petroleum future is fascinating, and I truly hope he explores it further.

    That's it for now, but I may have more to add later. Now it's your turn.

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      CommentAuthorctmiller
    • CommentTimeJan 5th 2010 edited
     
    Overlord

    Best Opening Line from a Book

    From Glen Cook's Passage at Arms:

    I decide that a planetary siege is like a woman undressing. Both present the most amazing wonders and astonishments the first time. Both are beautiful and deadly. Both baffle and mesmerize me, and leave me wondering, What did I do to deserve this?

    Best Music CD

    Lamenta

    Lamenta by The Tallis Scholars

    Biggest Literary Disappointment

    Enemies and Allies

    Enemies and Allies by Kevin J. Anderson

    Best Food

    Rodizio at Ipanema in Seattle

    Rodízio, a popular Brazilian style of enjoying dinner among friends, is a unique dining experience. Rodízio offers a wide variety of different cuts of grilled meats slowly roasted in specially designed charcoal grills that preserve all the natural flavors. Served continuously by our “chefs” or “passadores”, brought to you on skewers and carved to order tableside. Our passadores make their rounds untill all the rodízio specialities are served or until you are satisfied. Rodízio also includes unlimited visits to our “mesa de frios”(cold table) where you’ll find an array of cold cuts, cheeses, salads and exoctic Brazilian specialities.

    Best Drinks

    Either 35 year Macallan Single Malt Scotch or Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale

    Best Part of the Drive Home from Los Angeles (aside from finishing it)

    Seeing the rainbow as we crossed the Ohio state line.

    Best Television Series

    Torchwood: Children of Earth

    Best Movie Seen in an Actual Theatre

    District 9

    Best Movie Seen At Home

    Guy Ritchie's Rockanrolla or Shane Black's Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

    Biggest Movie Disappointment

    Burn After Reading by the Coen Brothers

    Best Audiobook

    Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson

    Best Game Played

    I have to agree with Kris, Dominion

    Best Convention

    Con on the Cob

    Best Podcasts

    Stuff You Missed in History Class from HowStuffWorks.com and Planet Money From NPR & This American Life

    Best Novel

    Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch

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      CommentAuthorKJToo
    • CommentTimeJan 6th 2010
     
    Overlord

    Oh, man, I had an opportunity to go to Rodízio when I was out in Denver, but we decided against it. Curses!

    Chris, I want more details about your Biggest Literary Disappointment and Biggest Movie Disappointment; I didn't read the former, but I was quite amused by the latter.

    Scott Lynch's first novel, The Lies of Locke Lamora came in a very close second behind Bacigalupi's The Windup Girl, by the way. Also in the running were His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik and Lamb by Christopher Moore.

    Con on the Cob was the only convention I attended last year, so it is my Best Convention as well.

    Here are a few more additions to my "Best of 2009" list:

    Best Movie (Theater)

    District 9. Yeah, no real surprise there. I loved pretty much everything about this movie.

    Best Movie (Home)

    Rogue. Yes, if I don't count any movie I'd previously seen in the theater, a crocodile movie from 2007 gets my vote for best movie seen in the comfort of the International House of Johnson.

    Best Parental Advice Dispensed

    "You can't blame everything on the Nazis."

    Best Website

    Wikipedia. There are a number of websites I use pretty much every day, but Wikipedia is almost always my first stop when I need information about a particular topic.

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      CommentAuthorNycteris
    • CommentTimeJan 11th 2010 edited
     
    Minion
    I definitely agree with Dominion as Best Board Game of the year.
    I would say the Temeraire books by Naomi Novik were the Best Book Series I started reading this year.
    Also in the running were the Academ and Dresden books (both by Butcher).
    And Con on the Cob was my only convetion.

    Biggest Movie Disappointment


    9 (the Tim Burton 9) Also I don't know why this text centered.
  5.  
    Minion
    Best game purchased, Little Big Planet for PlayStation 3. I haven't had a lot of hands on, but it has been great. The ability to make you're own levels is worth the price of admission. I have't even gotten around to checking out all the on-line levels submitted by other players.
    • CommentAuthorGreg
    • CommentTimeJun 3rd 2010 edited
     
    Minion

    (apologies, still figuring out the formatting)

    Oh boy am I late to the party! But having just joined, and now scanning these topics, I feel obliged to contribute.

    Best Cheeseburger

    Global Cafe, in Buena Vista, Colorado. They've got a number of different burgers, with avacado, bacon, or even pineapple, but the basic cheeseburger is my favorite. The seasonings that they mix into their meat make this the best burger I've had in my entire life.

    Best Animated Television Series

    Avatar, The Last Airbender - I started watching season 1 from Netflix because I'd heard that it was good on an early episode of The Totally Rad Show. Since I could stream it from Netflix, it was a low barrier of entry. The show sucked me in, and by midway through season 2 I was enthralled. Great characters, great story. I've currently got the final disc of the final season at home, waiting to to be watched. I recommend it.

    Best New TV Series

    V - Not everyone enjoys the show like I do, and I'll completely agree that it's not the best TV of all time. But in my household, we're enjoying it. Glad it wasn't cancelled.

    Best Family Game

    Boom Blox - I only recently got a copy, but this game has seen a lot of play in my house.

    Best Multiplayer Game

    Trine - I played the PS3 version, which came out much later than the PC version. I absolutely love it. It's a three-player game, but you can play it solo just fine. The final level may be nearly impossible with more than one player.

    Best Game Overall

    Dragon Age: Origins - It's no Baldur's Gate, but it's the best computer RPG I've seen in many years, and I love that it's geared towards adults and not children.

    Best Opening Line From a Book

    "The building was on fire, and it wasn't my fault." - from Jim Butcher's Blood Rites. Not everybody loves The Dresden Files like I do, but I find it to be an excellent mix of modern fantasy adventure and humor. The books are all very quick and easy reads, and they're a lot of fun.

    Best New RPG

    The Shotgun Diaries, by John Wick. I heard about this game on the GeeksOn podcast and soon bought it. Haven't had a chance to actually try it yet, but the ruleset looks awesome.

    •  
      CommentAuthorKJToo
    • CommentTimeJun 3rd 2010 edited
     
    Overlord

    Wow. I wasn't aware that Trine is multiplayer. I've played a bit on the PC (thank you, Steam) and assumed it was just a single player game. Hmm.

    I'm pretty sure Left 4 Dead gets my vote for Best Multiplayer PC Game of 2009. Thus far in 2010, both Borderlands and Nexuiz are in the running.

    • CommentAuthorGreg
    • CommentTimeJun 3rd 2010
     
    Minion
    I've only played the Trine demo on Steam, and never looked into whether it was multiplayer, but the PS3 version can handle 1-3 players. My wife and I had a lot of fun playing together.

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