Not counting graphic novels, I read 53 books (so far – there are two days left!) in 2011. Here are my top 10, in no order:

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian – fast, sad and excellent. Peek into a world with which I’m totally unfamiliar, which might be my very favorite fiction.
Bossypants – I think Tina Fey is brilliant and charming and probably too self-deprecating but I forgive her because she makes me laugh.
Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? – I think Mindy Kaling is brilliant, too, but the difference is I knew very little about her before picking up the book and was a fan by the time I finished.
True Grit – Probably the best book I read this year. Loved it from start to finish.
Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex – I learned SO MUCH, and annoyed Matt with “fun” facts about his penis every night.
Life Among the Savages – my first Shirley Jackson, and I’m excited to read more.
The Postmortal – dystopian future, well-thought-out, page-turner. Fun book.
Room – I was skeptical about this one but she won me over. A lot of people hated the ending but I loved it.
The First Husband – My least favorite Leah Stewart novel is still must better then most other books by other people.
An Abundance of Katherines – Huge John Green fan. (Orlando represent!) I read two of his during year but this was my favorite.

Runners up: The Time Traveler’s Wife and The Art of Fielding. Both solid, I just enjoyed the ten above more. The Time Traveler’s Wife gave me my favorite conversation-starter of the year.

I abandoned Bird by Bird this year. I’m sure it was a fine book, but I just couldn’t get into it.

Worst books of 2011: Valley of the Dolls, Swamplandia! and Just Kids.
I probably hated them all equally, but for different reasons – Just Kids was pretentious and boring, Valley of the Dolls was stupid and boring, Swamplandia! was boring and gross and boring. Okay, maybe some of the reasons are the same.

1. Our anniversary.
2. My birthday.
3. National Coffee Day (9/29)
4. Start of roller derby season
5. Weather goes from sweltering to merely ungodly hot
6. News starts to pick up again from summer lull
7. I feel happy.

“I think I’m about to make an important switch. After a lifetime of one thing, I’m changing to another,” my boss announced.

“You’re going to turn into a woman?” my co-worker guessed.

“You’re going to start DATING women?” I chimed in.

“No, more important.

... I’m going to switch from smooth to chunky peanut butter.”

I’m starting to believe that my call is not, in fact, “very important” to them.

In taking off my earrings to more comfortably cradle the receiver on my shoulder, I also just realized that I have been wearing two different earrings all day long.

Now I have realized that I’m having jewelry issues today. I broke my favorite necklace with a microwave. Our office nuker has these hooks on the inside of the door. I lean in to put my food inside, don’t notice that the necklace is caught on a hook, go to slam the door shut and SNAP! This is the second necklace I’ve destroyed in this manner.

Now holding 18 minutes, 2 seconds. COME ON NOW.

My gay male friend, to me, when discussing the rollerskating and hockey-watching in which we participated: “That’s two butch things I’ve done with you this week. You owe me a chick flick.”

Me: You are really good at this being married thing.

Matt: But you yell at me all the time!

Me: Yes, but that’s because I’m a bitch.

Getting married today.

It’s awesome.