The Archies: The Top 51 Things in the World (2009)

For many people, the fact that 2009 is over is worth celebrating. Sure, the year presented its share of hardships and aggravations, but let's not forget the good things too.

Donna began The Archies, which is a list of one's top things in the world (as opposed to favorites), and I've played along the last three years. So, I'm back for more this year, even though I've most assuredly forgotten some things. If you'd like to participate, just make sure to let her know in the comments to her Archies '09 if you do.

Now, my Archies selections for The Top 51 Things in the World: The 2009 Edition.

1. Andrew Bird and St. Vincent at the Southern Theatre
2. Auto-Tune the News
3. Back-to-back Cincinnati Reds games (nice, brief overnight trip to see two games in one trip)
4. The Beatles Stereo Box Set
5. Busch Stadium (gorgeous St. Louis ballpark and a Reds win)
6. Chungking Express
7. Cincinnati Bengals' winning season (they're rare even if the playoffs disappointed)
8. The Decemberists at Lifestyle Communities Pavilion
9. Don't Stop/All Night EP - Annie
10. Duplicity
11. First Columbus Blue Jackets playoff appearance (even if their brief stint was a disaster)
12. Flannel sheets in the winter
13. Gateway Arch
14. Google Chrome
15. GPS
16. Grandma's letter
17. Hotwire
18. Inglourious Basterds
19. Inventory by the writers of The A.V. Club
20. iPhone
21. Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams
22. Leonard Cohen at the Palace Theatre
23. Married life montage in Up
24. Martinelli's Gold Medal Sparkling Cider
25. Matt Damon in The Informant!
26. Minor league baseball games in the midwest and south
27. "My Girls" - Animal Collective
28. My own small, artificial Christmas tree
29. New car (despite all the repair issues)
30. New car radio (despite one being stolen)
31. "Night Shift" café scene in 35 Shots of Rum
32. Rubz
33. A Serious Man
34. Snowville Creamery milk
35. "So Far Around the Bend" - The National
36. "Stillness is the Move" - Dirty Projectors
37. The Stone Roses debut album reissue
38. Summer Hours
39. Timberland waterproof boots
40. Tom Scharpling and Paul F. Tompkins on The Best Show talking about the 2009 Gathering of the Juggalos infomercial (runs from 1:26:55 to 1:51:14) (so funny it reduced me to tears, although it helps if you've seen what they're commenting on)
41. Twitter (I've resisted social networking sites, but this one has been a lot of fun)
42. Two Lovers
43. "Two Weeks" - Grizzly Bear
44. University of Central Arkansas dishcloth
45. Vacation hosts
46. Watchmen (the graphic novel; the film was just OK)
47. Wendy's Spicy Chicken Sandwich (best fast food sandwich ever?)
48. Whole Foods
49. Wingate by Wyndham Birmingham (not to mention the killer price I got the room for)
50. Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix - Phoenix
51. Yo La Tengo at Stuart's Opera House