New Year's Resolutions and TWO Movie Lists!

Hello!

I hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday season and a happy new year! I love December, and I also love the first part of January, when things are just getting back to normal . . . and yet not . . . because we're all busy getting set up for the new year!

I generally don't make hardcore resolutions, nothing that would be depressing or demoralizing if they fall through. That's generally not a good idea for someone who has depression to begin with, especially when you factor in that we're headed toward the bleak, cold, dark, awful time of year that affects many people anyway. But if you do, I salute you, because you are braver (and have better willpower) than I!

But this year I would like very much to:

Lose weight. (I know everybody says this, but I'm pretty sure I can do it, since a good 15 pounds or so don't belong to me, and will be "removed" by the end of the month . . .)

Have this baby. (I think I might start crying with joy on the day when I can put on my socks without panting and feeling lightheaded. Also, see above about the gratifying instant weight loss.)

Read a lot of books. (I currently have over 300 books on my To Read shelf over at Goodreads. I want to OWN that list this year. I know I can't read them all, but I would really like to be able to get that list below 200.)

Potty Train My Daughter. (I will pay good money if anyone wants to come and do this for me.)

See some movies. (Good stuff coming this year: The Hunger Games. The Avengers.)

And on that note, here are my Top 12 Grown Up Movies of 2011!

(For those of you who are new to the blog, I used to write movie reviews for a website my husband ran, before there was blogging, and I still like to weigh in on le cineme, if you will. Also, last year I did a Top 11 in honor of 2011, so I figure, why not a Top 12 for 2012? Also, I took my kids to a lot a movies this year, and thought I'd rank the kiddie faves separately.)

And now, for real, the list:

1. Jane Eyre
2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
3. Super 8
4. Thor
5. X-Men: First Class
6. The Help
7. Crazy, Stupid, Love
8. Cowboys & Aliens
9. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
10. Captain America: The First Avenger
11. Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol
12. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

*Please note that not all of the above movies are suitable for all audiences.*

1. The Muppets
2. Cars 2
3. Winnie The Pooh
4. Arthur Christmas
5. Kung Fu Panda 2
6. Hugo
7. Hop
8. Gnomeo & Juliet

Coming soon: The Book Lists!

Guess What I Got For Christmas?!

No. Not a baby.

The baby will be here soon, though, and we are in full "hunker down" mode. I have already been in a minor car accident (not my fault, thank you very much!) and fallen very hard in an icy parking lot. I refuse to leave my house again unless I am going to the hospital. So I asked for books for Christmas. Books upon books upon books!

And guess what? I GOT THEM!

I got wonderful books! Books that I am so excited to read! Books I have been waiting for!

Books like:

A CONSPIRACY OF KINGS
ALL CLEAR
A DANCE WITH DRAGONS
WELCOME TO BORDERTOWN
UNDERDOGS
TONGUES OF SERPENTS
MONSTER HUNTER ALPHA
THE CHRONICLES OF HARRIS BURDICK

I even have new graphic novels, like a new collection about Thor (or "Mommy's Boyfriend" as my husband has trained our son to say), and a new Schlock Mercenary, THE TERAPORT WARS.

So let's get out the hot chocolate, people, and prepare to hunker down, sip and read!

*AND NOW A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT*

Webmaster Mikey has once again discovered that the settings on the Contact Jessica page were changed, and no messages have come through! If you emailed me through the website in the last month, your message was lost in the webisphere (or whatever they call it these days). If you wish to re-email me, please do so! This will also explain why, if you are requesting an interview or some such thing, I appear to be ignoring you. Sorry about that! It's all fixed now!