Movies of 2008

1. The Dark Knight Returns
2. Iron Man
3. Forgetting Sarah Marshall
4. JLA: New Frontier
5. Rachael Getting Married

T.V. of 2008

Which shows filled up your TiVo/DVR this year? My list:

1. The Wire
2. The Office
3. The Daily Show
4. 30 Rock
5. True Blood

What's your Top Five?

Celebrity Crushes of 2008

We all have that childhood actor/actress/musician/etc. who will always hold a special place in our hearts, but each year there is a new crop of headline-making celebs who make us think "I wonder what it would be like to make out with them!?!" So who are your Celebrity Crushes of 2008? Mine are as follows:

1. Sarah Silverman
2. Morgan Webb
3. Jenna Fischer
4. Kristin Wiig
5. Rachael Maddow

What's your Top Five?

Songs for the Treadmill

I recently uncovered a little mystery that's plagued me all my life - how to run at the gym. Turns out it's all in the music. If the right music is playing, I not only can distract myself from the agonizing pain that wracks my entire body, but even experience something like that elusive "Runner's High".

Especially while indulging myself during the holidays, I've gotta drag myself to the gym and force myself to sweat for a while. I'm looking for more ideas - so: What are the Top Five Songs You Play to Get Your Heart Beating?

Thanksgiving Traditions

For some people it's cranberry sauce, right out of the can, for others, it might be a annoying relative giving you a squeeze and informing everyone you've gained weight. What're your top five things without which it just wouldn't be Thanksgiving?

Halloween Costumes You Saw This Year

I enjoyed Halloween when I was a kid, but somehow not as much as I do now. Maybe because when I was a kid, I'd put together a great costume, then my parents made me put on a coat and maybe even a hat before I could walk around gettin' my candy! Darn parents! Lately Halloween is everyone's favorite holiday, isn't it? We were invited to like, 5 parties this weekend! Between the parties and the kids at the door, I saw a lot of cool costumes - what were the top five Halloween costumes you saw this year?

Favorite things about Autumn

I know they're still rocking out 100+ degree temps in LA, but for the rest of us, it's pretty much full-on Autumn. This is my favorite season - and there are a lot of reasons why! What are your top 5 favorite things about Autumn?

Websites for Information

Not long ago, we listed the websites we browse when we're looking for a distraction. But where do you go for real information? News, politics, studying... where are the top five websites you go for info you can trust?

Busy?

I don't know 'bout y'all, but I have been crazy busy lately. By Monday night I was ready for the weekend. So, I'm wondering - what're the top five things that are keeping you busy right now?

Covers

John Mayer's gorgeous cover of Tom Petty's Free Fallin' is making me think of some of my favorite covers. Now, I think a good cover brings a little something different to the song - otherwise it's just karaoke, right? But, then there's the tricky business of honoring the first song while, to use the words of the American Idol judges (who frequently merely judge karaoke): "making it their own." Which is to say, artist #2 brings their own unique interpretation of the song. What are your Top Five cover songs?

Websites for Distraction

Nothin' to do? What are your top five websites for distracting yourself?

Here're mine:

1. Salon.com
2. Natalie Dee
3. The Onion
4. NYT arts and books sections
5. Miss Manners

Coming soon: Top 5 Websites for Information

Summer 2008 Playlist

Every summer I make a playlist and then just wear it out until my dear husband's ears are bleading. Is that normal? Anyway, I'm curious (and looking for ideas): What's rocking out the top five spots in your summer playlist this year?

Tom Cruise Movies

Alert cousin CLT sent in the idea to do a Tom Cruise Top Five after the Scientology King paid another visit to Oprah. However mysterious and strange he may appear, that guy has done a bunch of movies - and some of them are even good! So, what're your Top Five Tom Cruise Movies? (visit IMDB if you need a reminder!)

Top 5 Boy Bands You Love (or Love to Hate)

In honor of the New Kids on the Block reunion, KBM suggests the "Top 5 Boy Bands You Love (or Love to Hate)". She says it could be anything back to the Beatles or the Beach Boys (if you consider those boy bands) or Jackson 5, Menudo, on up to those new Jonas Brothers she's hearing about!

Top Five dramatic characters in television

Last week you listed your Top Five favorite comedic characters on tv, this week, let's do your favorite dramatic characters on tv!

ooo... I gotta think about this for a while...

Top Five Comedy Characters in Television

Well, you readers aren't nearly as potentially violent as I thought you were. I thought for sure everyone had a secret list of people they'd like to fight... Anyway! How about your favorite comedy characters on tv (living or dead)? And, hold your horses, we'll do drama characters soon.

Mine:
1. Lucy by Lucille Ball
2. anyone by Carol Burnett
3. George Costanza by Jason Alexander
4. Jeeves by Stephen Fry
5. Cartman

Tip o' the hat to KHM for the idea!

People you could take in a fight

In Fight Club, they talk about who they could take in a fight - Shatner seems to be the dude dudes want to take on - I guess taking Captain Kirk would be quite a coup. It seems that in this question, you want to come up with what would be a Good Fight, not an easy one. For me, people would either take me out pretty fast, or there might be some prolonged slapping and hair pulling, hence my list:

Renee Zelweger - she's little, but she's in good shape. I think it'd be fair, but I could take her.
Martin Short - as Jiminy Glick
Emma Thompson
Keira Knightley - I snap her like a twig
Claire Danes - I beat her, then force feed her a hamburger

Actually, it's more likely they'll all kick my ass. OK, don't embarrass me by not listing your TOP FIVE.

Warm Weather Destinations

It's been a long, cold winter here in Chicago, and it ain't over yet. Folks what's smart and lucky split down round 'bout February (I make my move for CA tomorrow). This weekend we're throwing a Winter Luau just to pretend like we're anywhere but here. Maybe this is a torturous exercise, but I like to look at it as creative fantasizing - list your top five fantasy warm weather destinations:

Mine:
1. The French Riviera - never been there. Looks nice.

2. Cancun - that was our February escape a few years ago. Did nothing but lay on the beach under a thatched umbrella while people brought us pina coladas every half hour.

3. Costa Rica - our amazing beach front hotel in Montezuma had grounds filled with hammocks. Guess what we did all day.

4. This place

5. And this place. Oh. Yeah.

Rockin' Guitar Songs by Women

We play a fair amount of Guitar Hero. I love it, except I kind of prefer female artists, and there's just a handful of songs by the ladies on these games. I dream about "Guitar Heroine" - a game full of songs by the gals. What are your top five rockin' guitar songs by women?

Mine:
Bring Me Some Water - Melissa Etheridge
Back on the Chain Gang - The Pretenders
Closer to Fine - Indigo Girls
Extraordinary - Liz Phair
Out of Range - Ani DiFranco

People You'd Invite to Dinner

Living or Dead...

What's your Top Five?


Thanks for the idea, KHM!

Changes you want to make in 2008

I'm not one for making resolutions, but I do have some goals for the next year. Too often, we humans underestimate the big changes we can make in the world, just by smiling more at strangers and practicing random acts of kindness (and the reverse: being a jackass on the road, littering, being inconsiderate...) So, tell us the changes you intend to make, large and small. Here's mine:

1. Be more green (shopping bags/cleaning products)
2. Get in better shape (natch!)
3. Elect a democrat for president!
4. Work on my books
5. Find gainful employment

What's your Top Five?