LAST ENTRY OF 2013! This one's a collection of odds and ends of favorite things from the year that didn't fit into the other entries, I guess?
The only new book I read in 2013: Gun Machine, by Warren Ellis – Between this and Crooked Little Vein (which may be my favorite novel of all time, actually), I hope Warren Ellis just keeps chugging out these slim, mean little crime novels with broken detectives and twisted killers.
Favorite music video: David Bowie – The Stars (Are Out Tonight)
I never got around to listening to his new album in its entirety, but man, I love this video he did with Tilda Swinton. Just right up my alley on the weird greatess. Plus, something wonderful about Bowie saying something as mundane as "happy hump day, Phil."
Best videogame: Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon – Mostly for the hilarity, the constant references to 80’s movies, the cool sci-fi neon graphics, and the EXCELLENT soundtrack by Power Glove. Most fun I’ve had with a game in some time and seriously the funniest game I've played since Psychonauts and Portal. Will I play any of the other Far Cry games? No, probably not. Unless you get to play as Rex "Power" Colt again, that is.
Best videogame that wasn’t Blood Dragon: The Last of Us – Aside from the emotional prologue, I HATED the first few hours of this game. But the more I played, the more it grew on me. It still has flaws, and I think the way it instantly cuts ahead into the story after certain emotional moments is cheap, like the game is apologizing for making you FEEL THINGS, and I’m still not sure how to feel about the ending, but man, what an intense game.
Best TV show I watched: Arrested Development – I don’t get all the complaining people were doing about the new season on Netflix. It does take a little time for things to click, for you to get into the way the show is working, but the original series was exactly like that as well. Also, my favorite joke of the entire show is in one of George Michael’s episodes: when he moves into the neighborhood with all the pedophiles who fall for him because of how young he looks. Too damn funny.
Best new thing in Bristol: The opening of a Beef Jerky Outlet. Now I don’t have to drive two hours to Pigeon Forge to get my fix! I went three times in one week. This will be my death, mark my words.
Thing I spent the most money on this year that wasn’t my new car: My jaw. :(
Favorite internet thing: Chris Ready watched and reviewed every single Godzilla movie on his blog, then posted awesome screenshots from all of them on his Tumblr. He also writes awesome reviews for other things, and is a damn cool guy on Twitter.
Best thing that happened this year, I think: Going to the beach for the first time in over a decade with my girlfriend and getting to see wild alligators. Oh, and finishing Other Sleep, of course.
Worst thing that happened this year, I think: The crazy, large, infected cyst that was found and removed from my jaw. See “Thing I spent the most money on this year that wasn’t my new car.”