It’s taken me half a month but I’ve finally found the time to do my traditional round up of 2006: it’s highs, lows, stories and adventures. Continue reading for my top films, books, memories and more…
Top Films:
Children of Men – spectacular, relentless, frighteningly believable, hopeful and finally a role that shows Clive Owen at his finest.
Casino Royal – at last a Bond film I can truly say I love. Bourne influences his predecessor for the better.
The Prestige – an incredible and slightly frightening film about obsession and commitment. Not a bad turn from David Bowe either.
Top Telly:
LOST – Season two finished quite literally with a bang and before the Christmas break season three was progressing quite fantastically.
Battlestar Galactica – Smart SciFi hitting on American Politics, the fickle nature of democracy and faith verses science.
24 Season 5 – The best 24 season yet! Go Jack go!
Top Fiction Books:
The Time Traveller’s wife, Audrey Niffenegger – truly original and interesting.
The Dark Tower: Wolves of the Calla, Stephen King – one of the best of the series! Ah the blurred reality, the intertextuality!
The Wheel of Time: Crossroads of Twilight, Robert Jordan – again a highlight in the series and the end is approaching.
The Boy In The Stripped Pyjamas, John Boyne – a fresh look at Nazi Germany through the eyes of a boy. Predictable but an excellent tone and idea.
Most despised books:
Eragon, Christopher Paolini – Aaaaaaagh! Stop patronising your reader! You may have been 15 when you wrote it but how old was you editor? 12?
The DaVinci Code, Dan Brown – I am baffled, and not about the ridiculous claims about Jesus, this is truly terribly written, how in God’s earth did it become a best seller! Pap!
Blue Like Jazz, Donald Miller – well dispised it too strong a word but I definitely don’t see what all the fuss was about. Make a statement, arrive at a destination, do SOMETHING definite, please!
Top Tunes:
Twelve Stops Then Home, The Feeling – The album was only bettered by their live performance.
Rat Pack Christmas, Various – Still the best Christmas Album I’ve heard to date.
The Pride & Prejudice soundtrack, Dario Marienilli – The soundtrack Steve slipped into my bag with a beautiful message in the sleeve. The opening track “Dawn” was the song I walked down the ailse to and the soaring piano pieces have hit the spot in my romantic year.
Undiscovered, James Morrison – I loved this album, sadly I’ve gone off it since seeing him live.
Solo Acousitc volume 1, Jackson Browne – I LOVE this album!
Breakaway, Kelly Clarkson – Good pop; you can’t beat it for the feel good factor.
Nations visited:
Norway – dry snow, great people, really enjoyed hanging out with the Baptist youth leaders.
South Africa – a tick on my list of places to visit before I die. Truly amazing.
Serbia – my first foray into Eastern Europe and though I may not return to Belgrade I do want to explore more.
Greece – my parents love affair with the Greek Islands continues, I’m not arguing, I love em.
Wales – hmmm our heavenly honeymoon, a tiny cottage in the middle of nowhere. Bliss…
Memorable moments:
Imperfection – the moment I realised that my blackened toenail meant I would be less than perfect on my Wedding Day. Somehow I managed to block out the fact that I had a dent in my shin from a metal pole.
HOPE Week – watching the girls shaking their thing to Boyonce.
Hide the Marrow – ‘nough said
Jumping off piers – ah the things we do amuse ourselves on holiday.
Caterpillar Cuisine – eating mupani worms with Pete in South Africa.
Superheroes – dressing up as our own superheroes complete with pants over trousers and capes for Smiles’s hospital trips.
Lisa – my little sister’s deepening relationship with God. She rocks, I’m lucky to have a little sister who’s such a good friend. She’s also a legendary bridesmaid.
My Hen Day! – my lovely ladies went to so much trouble I was totally blown away. It was truly the best hen day I have ever been to. A boat down the Solent and jet skis, fantastic.
Our Wedding Day – I can’t even begin to describe it. Truly the best day of my life, it was an honour to marry my best friend.
2006 has been without doubt the best year of my life so far and though the preceeding lists are mostly frivolous God has greatly blessed me. Thank you muchly mighty Father xc