My Favorite Things of 2011

Along with taking on a post-dawn mall with my prodigy in search of sales, we have another post-Christmas tradition here at Run DMZ. It's time to indulge in a little hubris and list some of the races, books, movies, plays and songs that I especially enjoyed this year.

First, here's my list from 2010. And now, on to this year.

Favorite Race: Buffalo Alley 10k
Once again, I didn't do a lot of races this year. But it never felt so good to hurt so bad as the 60 minutes I spent moving with a couple of thousand others through the hills of Camp Pendleton on a race-perfect October morning. I really enjoyed my video version too.

Favorite Book: 2030: The Real Story of What Happens to America by Albert Brooks
It's impossible to read this Swiftian satire and not start worrying about where we're heading as a country. It is a fictional account of the United States 20 years from now, when we've found a cure for cancer and Alzheimer's Disease and we've continued to let our national debt spin out of control. That it's written by a well known actor and director keeps a very heavy topic from feeling so.

Favorite Movie: Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Granted, I like James Franco and I have seen every Ape remake since the one starring Charleton Heston way back when. But this one is so well done that it tops my list of movies. And I see a lot of movies. The story line, the acting and the special effects are superb.

Honorable Mention: Take Shelter
I'm betting no one reading this blog has seen this one, which lasted in theaters about a week. Very powerful indie film about a man's mental illness ... or gift. I'm still not sure how to interpret the ending.

Favorite Play: "The Tempest" at The Old Globe's Shakespeare Festival.
It was cold in the outdoor festival that night, but I never noticed because I was so engrossed in the performances. This was Shakespeare at its best. Even the actors onstage cried during the final bow.

Favorite TV Show: "Revenge"
If you judged the show by ABC's commercials and trailers, you'd think it was just some superficial chick show. But it's intelligently written with perfectly paced plot twists and multifaceted characters. I can't tell you how many people I've gotten hooked on this show. You really should be next.

Favorite Running Song You've Probably Not Heard and Yet Have Heard: "Under Control" by Tim Myers & Ben Lee
No, I don't think this got any radio play, but if you watch any amount of television, then you'll immediately recognize the tune from the Chase Bank commercials. It's free to download, and I highly recommend you do.

Honorable Mentions: "Got It All [This Can't Be Living Now]" by Portugal. The Man (it's the chorus that has me floating through workouts) and "Whirring" by The Joy Formidable

Favorite Post: "Stairway to Heaven[ly]," which features my favorite self-made video of the year and recounts a huge milestone and the perfect day that enveloped it.