It's The End Of Something.

Thinking back on 2011, I don't really remember much of real consequence happening. I made a few new friends, got a few different creative projects started, argued with some hippies and racists, tried to sell a book or two, and spent a lot of time with my family. It was a quiet year, really.

For what it's worth, here's a few of my favorite things from the last year (though some of them didn't come out in 2011):

Music:
Without a doubt,  the album I listened to the most was, "Sigh No More", by Mumford & Sons. This is one of the only cds I've purchased in the last 10 years. I think I got it in February, and liked it right away, but it didn't become one of my favorites until about 6 months ago. I love this band and cannot wait until their next album comes out. Key tracks for me are, "Roll Away Your Stone" and "White Blank Page", but I like all of the songs.

Books:
Like every year for the last 18, I read many books this year. Right now I'm working my way through George R.R. Martin's SONG OF FIRE AND ICE series. I'm on the second book. It's good stuff, and fulfills that need for epic political fiction which the Dune books taught me to love.

I also enjoyed the "Sandman Slim" books by Richard Kadrey, they are, "Sandman Slim", "Kill The Dead", and "Aloha From Hell". Good fun pulpy fun, all three.

I also read everything by William Gibson that I could find. Somehow I never read any Gibson until this year, but as soon as I did, I went crazy with it. This man is a genius.

There were other books, I'm sure, but I can't remember them.

Comics:
I'm not the biggest comics fan in the world, not even close, but I still read quite a few of them this year.
I really like "Animal Man", "Swamp Thing", and "Action Comics" in DC's New 52.

But my favorite thing I've read in comics this year is Joe Hill's "Locke & Key", drawn by Gabriel Rodriguez. I read the first 4 trades, and it's one of my favorite series of all time now. If you haven't read this yet, you should do everything in your power to do so.

Movies:
MEH! It says something that I can't think of a single movie from this year that really kicked my ass. Oh, I guess I liked "Super 8" a lot. I guess.

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I hope you had a decent year, didn't lose anything you didn't want to, maybe found a couple of other things. I also hope 2012 is even better for you.