Dear Readers,

I’ll be honest, with 2011 coming to an alarming close, I am tempted to quickly draw this whole year as a failure and go back to the drawing board for 2012. It is so easy for my to dwell on things gone wrong that I miss on wonderful things. I forget that through this tough year there has been much to be thankful for. So 2011, these were the things that made me happy.

MOVIES

Super 8 - You were an excellent movie that was thrilling and was also able to remind me of childhood and loving movie characters again.

Drive - You sounded like a terrible idea, but god damn was I ever wrong. Thank you for showing me that I don’t need to know every little detail about a movie before ever going to see it.

Insidious - Holy shit, awesome scenes. You had me going there.

TV

Modern Family - Because fuck yes, that’s why.

New Girl - I judged you so harsh it was ridiculous, and I say this whole-heartedly that I still hate Zoey Deschanel, but damn are you a funny show from week to week.

Raising Hope - I hate kids, and you still made me love your episodes more each week. Excellent.

American Horror Story - Suprisingly, you are the best show this year in my opinion. After the first episode, I all but forgot about you, but when the DVR piled up and we started to get back into it. Wow. Thank you.

FOOD

Alchemy Cafe - I was unsure of you, but I wanted to do something bold and different for our anniversary this year. Blew every expectation I had out of the water.

Vegetarian recipes from Amanda’s cookbook - Well done. Simply well done.

FASHION

YES. Plaid dress shirts with diagonal stripe ties. Its like crack for my eyes. Thank you Tim Gunn. You make that shirt work. Overtime.

VIDEO GAMES

Dead Space 2 - I didn’t think you could be better than the first. I was scared, thrilled, excited, anxious, etc. I was surprised and happy at all the extras. And multiplayer was so much better than I could have expected, and I wasn’t half bad either.

SPORTS

I don’t really care about sports, but I’m glad Milwaukee had high moments while the Brewers did great.

LIFE

I got promoted. Period, I work in a new department and I still train and handle high priority materials.

I successfully taught my dog two new tricks, and these are tricks I’ve never tried to teach my previous dogs. She really is a gift that keeps giving.

My new car. It was a shame that Barricade was lost in an accident and there isn’t a time I see a silver Charger and not think of him, but I couldn’t be happier with Tyler Durden. Totally awesome.

Soccer. It may have broken my eye socket, but up to that point I had lived in 3 years in a city without a single friend. After I joined the soccer league with some of my wife’s coworkers and some of mine I have people that I truly believe are friends. The first time I managed a shut-out in a half, it was a great feeling. Congratulations on a great first season and I’ll be back in 4 more weeks, once the eye socket stops being broken.

My wife. I don’t know where to start when describing how lucky I feel from day to day. It is simple, she knows me and knows how to keep my spirits up. It is a terrible job some days. Damn near impossible others. See kids, I’m a pessimist. Every day is terrible, until I get around my wife and she can make it wonderful. She makes me cookies, makes jokes, makes me laugh, is capable of standing up to me and letting me know when my head is too big. I’d be so worse off without her and less of an interesting person if it weren’t for the fact that she pushes me into things I don’t normally even consider. The gifts that I got through this year are numerous, and all made for me. My wonderful hats, each go with my outfits. Fashionable boots that I fear I will never wear enough for the reason I couldn’t live with scuffing them. Ever. Above everything else she has been my rock when I needed courage and a scaredy-cat when I needed to feel tough. I couldn’t issue enough thank yous for all of the kind things she has done for me and all the patience she has afforded me when I act like a pouty kid. I love you Amanda. I am most thankful for another year with you and I am excited for our next year.

Happy new year everyone.