Obligatory Best of Post – Less Obvious Categories

Best Thing I Found On The Internet – I’m a big fan of I Can Has Cheezeburger but since that’s really a series of things I’ll go with this

Arcade Fire/Sergio Leone mashup in which Once Upon A Time In The West gets edited down to about 4 minutes that somehow go perfectly with Arcade Fire’s My Body Is A Cage (last Arcade Fire reference for 2007, promise).

Best Thing I Learned -  This one is easy, though I’m unable to point back to the original article.

The Myth of Genius essentially asks that we reconsider our notions about exceptionally smart and successful people from Mozart to Einstein.  The point is not that they weren’t exceptionally gifted, but that this was only a fraction of their story.  Just as important was the fact that they were extraordinarily obsessed with their work, practicing and refining their skills to the point where they ‘appeared’ effortless while being anything but.  This message has been packaged up in any number of self help books, but the point is clear.  Your IQ is not a limiting factor, and those who explore and expand themselves with practiced dedication can surpass those who don’t.  In short, the race doesn’t go to the swiftest, it goes to the one who relentlessly practices running.

Best Thing I Did – I put this one in not because there’s a lot of contenders, but because it’s something everyone should probably ask themselves at the end of the year.  I wish I could say that I cured cancer or even roughed it up a bit, but it wasn’t that kind of year for me.  In a thin field I’ll have to go with being published in the

Mid American Review rush out and get yourself a copy before they all fly off the shelves.

Best Moment – In a year when I got married and found out twins are on the way this would seem obvious, but for me it was something simpler that came in between.  My brother and sister in law made us a

Kubb Game as a wedding present and we broke it out after the rehearsal dinner, which in our case was after the wedding.  Maybe it’s just the magic of viking games, but not only did everyone get incredibly involved, but at some point the hotel staff took it upon themselves to bring out and set up lights so that our game could go on into the dark.  Then someone did something great and everyone, not just the people playing, but the staff watching from the balcony above, all cheered like it was the pivotal play in the super bowl.  I kind of hate weddings and I’ve been to a lot of them that all sort of run together; ceremony, reception, everyone goes to a bar.  I can’t say that we reinvented the wheel, but that particular moment was I haven’t seen before, and certainly one we couldn’t have planned.  So for all it’s organic, unexpected, viking goodness, I say Best of 07.