The very best in music, movies, books, TV, concerts and more of 2012

UPDATED: Dec. 28, 2012
A long time ago (or, actually, two years ago), I would make annual Best Of lists, usually for movies and music, and I loved doing it. I always wanted to include TV shows and books, but I often found myself unable to list 10, and since all good lists come in groups of 10, I would leave them off and be done with it.

Last year, though, I opted for an overarching list that included all things I loved about the year, so I’m now thinking that’s the way to go. Oddly enough, this year, I had a hard time narrowing my TV shows down to 10 – we really are in an amazing era of quality TV. Note: These aren’t necessarily listed in order of favorites or quality.

So, I give you The 2012 List of So … There I Was’ Favorite Things

2012 Emmys have several solid options to honor

For years, it’s been hip/intelligent/cultured/whatevered for people to scoff at the notion of watching TV, acting as if saying “I don’t even own a TV” qualifies them for some sort of high-intelligence honor. I pity those people, as this is truly an amazing era of television.

The very best in music, movies, books, TV, concerts and more of 2011

UPDATED Jan. 4
In sitting down to pick my top movies/albums/etc. of the past year, I realized I would have a difficult time picking 10 in any particular category, which is kind of a key component in any top 10 list.

So, instead of the usual “best of” format, I’m going to borrow from Stephen King (who happens to be on this list) and include the things I loved in 2011. Other than being grouped by category with a No. 1 leading the way for each, they’ll be in no particular order.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give to you …

The 2011 List of So … There I Was’ Favorite Things

A blog by Art Vandelay, or How Seinfeld Made Something Out of Nothing and Shaped My Life

Toward the end of eighth-grade and into high school, I became hooked on stand-up comedy. I would watch A&E’s An Evening at the Improv, MTV’s Half-Hour Comedy Hour and any other collection of comedians I could possibly get, all while soaking up the styles, deliveries and word play.

I’m guessing, though I can’t be fully certain, that somewhere along the way I caught a glimpse of Jerry Seinfeld (now that I think about it – and yes I have honestly thought about it during the amount of time to write “ … cant be fully certain …” and this parenthetical aside – I probably saw him on The Tonight Show). The humor struck a note (or, if you prefer, my funny bone), so on evening of May 31, 1990, this then-high school freshman turned on NBC and watched what was at the time called The Seinfeld Chronicles.

Sighs of the machines: communication problems will delay computer takeover

Watson might have won on Jeopardy, but let’s not start bracing for the impending takeover by Terminators yet.

I hope DirecTV goes DirecToHell

There’s an extra bounce in my step today, perhaps a little extra change in my pocket (as to whether it goes jing-a-ling-a-ling, that’s for another story, perhaps one set in 1986). On this weekend of love and romance and Valentines, I’m celebrating a break-up that’s been a long time coming.

Today, I ended my two-year relationship with DirecTV.

I couldn’t be happier.

Friday Night Lights reaches the end of its game

I didn’t always call myself a fan of Friday Night Lights, but to be clear, that was only because I hadn’t watched the first two seasons when they aired.

That was my mistake.

InDirecTV: Poor service forcing people away from satellite TV

DirecTV’s timing couldn’t be worse.

Just days after starting the pre-planning toward leaving satellite TV for the futuristic territory of online service, I received my latest DirecTV bill. Despite not having ordered any new programming, this month’s bill was almost $20 higher than last month’s. Perhaps they learned of my not-so-secret scheme to leave the company and put in place a plan designed to milk me for a few extra dollars.

Or, more likely, they are just continuing the overall poor performance and customer service I’ve received, literally, since my first day of service.

Hulu voodoo: The arduous process of leaving DirecTV for online television

I’m finally ready to join the future. Too bad technical issues are standing in my way.

Almost as soon as I signed up for DirecTV two years ago, I was ready to leave (poor customer service, expensive programming packages, general shoddiness), but I had to wait out the entire contract or pay ridiculously high penalties. So, I waited (and fumed), all the while compiling information about my next TV-watching step. I considered the following options (listed in order of likelihood): a) moving back to Time-Warner Cable; b) converting solely to online content through Hulu and Netflix; c) starting my own cable/satellite company; or d) keeping DirecTV.

The Best TV Shows of 2010, at least according to me

It’s not been a banner year for television.

Just a few months ago, I found myself anxiously awaiting the start of the new TV season, but now, there’s only been one new show that captured my attention (AMC’s The Walking Dead, which has wrapped up its six-episode first season).