books

It’s that time of year. The time when everybody makes a whole big thing out of one number changing on the calendar. By my count, the number 8 has been replaced by the number 9 thirty-six times this year. But we’re all supposed to act like the thirty-seventh time is some big deal. Once you’ve seen the new millennium, its hard to get excited about 2019.

Nevertheless, I am given to understand that year-end-best-of posts are like catnip to you people so I would be falling down on my job as a Semi-Professional Blogger™if didn’t crank one out for the driveling masses. Here goes…

*note: I will not be limiting myself to things released in 2018. For me, it is enough if I have consumed the thing in 2018.

This year, I set a goal to read 26 books. Then I hit that goal. So I increased it to 35. Then I hit it again. After repeating the aforementioned cycle a few more times, I landed at my current goal of 52 books (see all the books I have read this year). Here are some of the highlights:

Suicide of the West by Jonah Goldberg
Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clark
Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson
Witness by Whittaker Chambers
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain
Israel: a Concise History of a Nation Reborn by Daniel Gordis

Movies

There have been a lot more disappointments in the film industry than hits this year, at least for me. A Star is Born was 2/3 of a good movie. Avengers: Infinity War was solid, but not exceptional. Black Panther was great, but everyone already knows that. So here are the best movies I saw this year that didn’t get enough buzz:

The Death of Stalin (for the love of God, see this movie)
Operation Finale
Tag
12 Strong

TV Shows

Something, something Golden-Age-of-Televison®:

Apps

There are a lot of apps out there. It’s kind of a big deal. I regularly make app recommendations to people, here are some of my favorite apps I started using in the last year:

Stuff

This is America, dammit. And in America we love stuff. New stuff, old stuff, shiny stuff… you get the idea. These are some of my favorite things I bought this year:

AirPods
Bose TV Solo 5 (this is the best sounding, least fiddly sound bar I have ever owned)
Away Suitcases (best luggage around, and a lifetime warranty)
TCL 55″ 4K UHD TV w/ Roku
iOttie One Touch QI Car Mount
Tecovas Cartwright
Logitech Harmony 650
Funko Pop Ron Swanson
Logitech K380 (Keyboard)
Anker Wireless Charging Pads
Key-Bak Sidekick
Screwpop Cigar Punch

There you have it. Go buy some stuff. It will make you happy for at least a few minutes.