If we never write best of 2016 lists, then 2016 never ends right?
Movies
I watched fewer movies in 2016 then 2015, but that didn’t mean there were fewer great movies. Instead of listing my “top 5” I’m just going to highlight a few movies I really enjoyed.
Hunt for the Wilderpeople
The latest work from Taika Waititi, this movie takes you on a journey through the beautiful New Zealand backcountry. If you’ve followed my recommendations for very long you know I have a big soft-spot for coming of age films, and this is no different. Full of laughs , tears, the skux life, and a dog named Tupac.
Swiss Army Man
I don’t really know how to describe this film. A bizarre look at a man, corpse, and the trouble the two of them can get up to. This movie has an amazing score, and it’s one I return to quite often to listen to.
Sing Street
The second movie on this list with great music, however this one is a full blown musical. By writer/director John Carney, known for his critically acclaimed Once and Begin Again, this movie follows a young group of budding Irish musicians as they develop their own sound. They explore music through the ages, and write original pieces to reflect great artists. Another coming of age film, and another soundtrack I listen to quite heavily.
Books
My goal this year was to read 50 books outside of graphic novels. I didn’t reach that goal, but I came pretty close. Heres some of my favorite books from 2016.
On the Road With an Archangel
Frederick Buechner is an author I had heard a lot about when talking about Christian authors. I had also read Telling the Truth, and loved how simply he broke down the gospel into such simplicity, while remaining reverent to it. OtRWaA is the same way. A fictional retelling of the Book of Tobit, this book ponders the question of God in our daily lives and prayers.
The Southern Reach Trilogy
My sci-fi/fantasy book club read the first book in this trilogy, Annihilation, and I had to go back and complete the rest. These books evoke such a deep and foreboding sense of claustrophobia, and the thickness that comes from a deep jungle. This book isn’t one of clean lines, and sense. Rather it is full of mysteries and haunting questions left unanswered. Annihilation is being made into a movie that is slated to release September of 2017. Maybe it’ll make my mentions in next years blog post.
Life Together
This book is small. Tiny in fact, but so full of deep conviction that it is impossible not to read it slowly. You have to sift through these chapters, and let the topics digest inside you. Dietrich Bonhoeffer brings such depth and clarity to such rich topics, I feel like this is a book I should read on a yearly basis.
Broken Earth series
Another series introduced to my by my book club, the Broken Earth books start with The Fifth Season. I really like fantasy books that break from the typical Tolkien-esque setting, and bring new ideas. This book builds a world rocked by seismic activity, so much in fact that the ‘magic’ introduced by this book is all rock and earth based. N.K. Jemisin weave this unique worldbuiling with complex themes from the real world that provoke the imagination in really great ways.
Goals
How did I do with my goals I set at the beginning of 2016
*Contribute to Open Source*
While my overall commits are up(barely) vs 2015, they’re still not as active as I was hoping. I did participate in Hacktoberfest this year which required commits to complete. I’m going to give myself a B- on this goal. While I did make(and have accepted) commits into projects I wouldn’t normally contribute to, it wasn’t very much. My hope for 2017 is to expand my knowledge around different kinds of tools, and give myself more ways to contribute.
*Write more*
I only wrote two blog posts this year and 2 book reviews on Goodreads. My journaling was pretty sparse also. C on this goal.
*Travel*
First trip to Europe!! 3 weeks spent traveling around Europe and Morocco. This would have made a great blog post but see above on my writing. In addition to this we went to the Painted Hills for the first time. A+ on this goal.
*Get fit*
Didn’t lose any weight this year, but I didn’t gain any either…. Was actually really consistent with going to the gym though. B+ on this goal
*Tell Stories*
I had several story-telling ideas, but none of them came to fruition. Wrote an outline for a podcast storytelling that will hopefully come to life in 2017. C on this goal.
*Create a web presence*
I started making a website but never actually published it. D here
*Take Improv classes(and see more shows)*
I didn’t take any classes, but I did attend several improv shows. D here.
*Create presentation for CC*
I did create, and give, a presentation for CrowdCompass covering how new systems are lifecycled. Giving myself A on this goal.
*Get involved in organization*
In the end of 2015 we started volunteering more at the Portland Rescue Mission homeless shelter. This year we became the volunteer coordinators for our church at PRM. This has meant a lot more time spent working with the shelter. A here.
*Create more videos*
I finished the Crater Lake video from our rim ride in 2015, but that was it for finishing. I filmed a lot more videos. I determined that the free video editing software is more struggle then it’s worth, so I’m going to purchase some actual editing software for 2017. B on this goal.
*Play more games*
This year I played 55 board games. That is up quite a bit from the 19 I played in 2015. A big part of this is playing Pandemic Legacy over lunch. I didn’t get to play as much Pen and Paper role playing games as I liked, but that wasn’t due to trying. A+ on this goal.
These are the breaks 