as expected - #4...#8

No surprise here that I couldn't keep it together for more than three so it looks like I've got some catching up to do.

Favorite Movie: The Dark Knight

Since I only saw two this year (I don't even want to get started on the second) the pool of contenders is pretty thin.  Needless to say, The Dark Knight would have been my favorite even if the other didn't suck so bad, which it truly, truly did.

This was definitely my most anticipated movie of the year so seeing it opening weekend was the only option.  With a babysitter booked Pink and I saw the only movie he would see this year.

Upon first reflection I thought that Heath Ledger had the most amazing and creepy performance.  He stole the movie.  One of my most favorite actors ever, Christian Bale, seemed only like eye candy to me, at the time.  But after I really started to think about it I was more and more impressed with Bale's performance.  I think so many people were focused on Heath because of the tragedy that Bale was wrongly overlooked for his deeply complicated portrayal of a conflicted hero.

Of course, Christopher Nolan is a creative genius and deserves major props for creating such a brooding, thoughtful, and intellectual commentary on society, resurrected from a super-hero franchise that hasn't entertained us in the last two or three installments.

Favorite Indulgence: iPhone

I know that my sister will disagree, but every minute of the 360 that I waited in line for that coveted object was so worth it.

I happened to be in NJ the day the new iPhones were released this year and had to have it that day.  H and I went to the mall with Jack (not quite a year old) and got in the most massive line I have ever seen for anything I have ever wanted to purchase or even see.  It was beyond ridiculous.  But it was with such optimism that we were sure the line would move at a steady pace.  I mean, it's Apple, they had to have anticipated this demand and had to have the process so stream-lined that it would take mere minutes for each individual, right?  Alas, no one counted on a server going down, or all of them for that matter, for something like 4 hours.

So after 6 hours, H taking baby J home to feed and nap him, my line-buddy and I getting cut by some a-hole who tried to play it off until I called him on it and kicked his ass out of the queue, one bathroom break, one cookie, and one Wendy's cheeseburger (courtesy of H when she returned to the mall with my child, her two kids, and a friend's kid) I finally had my precious 16GB white iPhone in my hot little hands.  Oh, the joy.

Favorite Beer: Sweetwater IPA

For those who don't frequent the Atlanta area and surrounding states I don't know that you've had the pleasure of a Sweetwater IPA.  Simply stated, the best local-brewed IPA in the Southeast.  Too hoppy for some, but just right for me.  This, by far, is Sweetwater's best of all the beers they brew, even the old standby 420 doesn't put up a fight.

Favorite Athlete: Lance Armstrong

So he's been running in some marathons or something like that.  Who cares about that?  All I care about is that this year Lance announced his return to cycling.

This sport has suffered so much since his departure with scandal after scandal and no major talent with a personality, certainly not an American one, to even want to watch.  Ok, maybe that's not true.  Alberto Contador gave us some hope this year (by winning the two major races he was allowed to compete in) that there was a cyclist out there good enough to win a lot and root for.  But now that Lance and he are on the same team (a MONSTER of a team at that), who are the domestiques going to ride for: the best cyclist EVER (who hasn't competed in oh three or so years) or the best cyclist of 2008?

When Lance retired everyone thought it would be good for the sport because now the field would be more even, like golf without Tiger.  But honestly, it sucked.  There was no one who was even close to Lance in ability and then when we think we've got another American as the Tour victor, there's scandal.

It's time for everyone to acknowledge that Lance is a beast and cycling just isn't as entertaining without him, whether he's going to win this year or not.

Favorite Celebrity Baby Name: Levi Alves McConaughey

Given my penchant for celebrity gossip I've read and heard all those crazy names celebrities don their babies with a million times this year and you can't help but feel sad for some of them. Levi seemed like a fairly normal one followed by both his parents' surnames, perhaps because I'm a fan of Levi Leipheimer.  Maybe that's the only reason I like it, but it's way better than Ignatius, Zuma, and Bronx.