2011: Year in Review

Hello out there to all in "blogger-land"!

It has been a VERY LONG TIME since I have been on my blog...

I just wanted to wish everyone a Merry (belated) Christmas, and an extremely Happy New Year!!

I also want to thank everyone whose comments that I've never replied to and to those who have sent me questioning e-mails. (there is a reason that I have not yet replied)

I hope that you are all doing well!

A quick up-date, in case anyone still cares:

After leaving Green Bay, Wisconsin, the family & I traveled to Nashville, Tennessee, then to Columbus, Ohio, then to Erie, Pennsylvania, (where we spent almost a year) then to Boulder, Colorado, (we love it there!) then to Fayetteville, North Carolina, (where we spent 9 months) then to Omaha, Nebraska, and now we are currently in Bloomington, Illinois (through the end of January).

About the time that we left Wisconsin, the agencies (who provide our housing, etc.) stopped paying for wi-fi (it's pretty much either wi-fi or cable, and frankly I would rather have cable)

I figured that I could always go to Barnes & Noble or Starbucks... (not so easy with my kids running around though)

Shortly after this, my (8-year-old) laptop pretty much kicked the bucket, and me being a stay-at-home-dad had to scrounge what money I could (my wife gives me money when I need it) and save for a new laptop...

Long story short, I now have a new laptop (and an iPhone - we'll get to that later) and where we are staying in Illinois is within walking distance of both a Starbucks and a Barnes & Noble - not to mention that my kids are getting older and more behaved, which will allow me to, hopefully, get back into the swing of things!

Now that you have that background information, on to why I'm back on my blog:

(it won't be like the old days, with pictures & trailers, etc - just simple text)

My Top 10 Favorite Films of 2011:

1) The Adjustment Bureau

2) Courageous

3) The Eagle

4) Fast Five

5) Fright Night (yes, the re-make!)

6) Insidious

7) The Ledge

8) Rise of the Planet of the Apes

9) Super

10) Tucker & Dale vs Evil

My Top 10 (non-2011) Films that I watched, for the 1st time, this year:

1) Behind Enemy Lines

2) Case 39

3) Dream Home

4) Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog (yes, I missed that one previously!)

5) Faster

6) Green Street Hooligans

7) Hereafter

8) I Saw the Devil

9) The Next Three Days

10) The Warrior's Way

My Top 10 Favorite Books of 2011:

1) The Christian Zombie Killers Handbook (no joke!) by: Jeff Kinley

2) City of Fallen Angels - by: Cassandra Clare

3) Dead Reckoning - by: Charlaine Harris

4) 11/22/63 - by: Stephen King

5) Friend - by: Franklin E. Wales

6) Infinity Blade: Awakening - by: Brandon Sanderson

7) Mile 81 (I know it's just a novella, but it's that good!) by: Stephen King

8) The Omen Machine - by: Terry Goodkind

9) Purgatory Junction - by: Franklin E. Wales

10) The Vault - by: Boyd Morrison

My Top 10 (non-2011) Books that I read, for the 1st time, this year:

1) Afraid - by: Jack Kilborn

2) The Ark - by: Boyd Morrison

3) Domain - by Steve Alten

4) Heaven - by Randy Alcorn

5) Level 26: Dark Prophecy - by: Anthony Zuiker

6) Meg - by: Steve Alten

7) Patient Zero - by: Jonathan Maberry

8) Resurrection - by: Steve Alten

9) The Trench - by Steve Alten

10 Under & Alone... by: William Queen

So, there you have it!

It feels good to be back...

Oh yeah, I almost forgot... my iPhone...

While it can pretty much do everything, it's not the most conducive to writing reviews, etc, so I'm going to stick to doing my blog, on my laptop, when I find the time.

I'm hoping to maybe find some time at the end (or beginning) of every month.

Maybe just do a "favorite film/book of the month" and maybe a runner-up, so check back, around this time, next month...

P.S. I've never been too big on social networking, however I am using the Google+ app on my iPhone... it makes for some super quick & easy posts, every now and then, so if you're on there, look me up...

Until next time!

(I have to start sorting through my 1,000+ e-mails and 700+ blog/spam comments now)

Jason