JESTER - A to Z Challenge

It’s the third A to Z Challenge! Blog the letters of the alphabet in order every day except Sundays The participation list is HERE – start with the blog after yours and visit at least five blogs a day. Mostly, make new friends and have fun!

My theme – I have selected a word for each day and will present to you blogger buddies who fit that description, along with movies, music, etc. My theme is to give back, highlight some awesome bloggers, and have fun in the process.

JESTER

Gail at Familiar Spirit
Gail posts pictures of her farm critters every day, and a cute or funny line accompanies each photo. I started leaving my own snappy comeback in the comments, and thus our humorous sparring was born. Sometimes I get the touché and sometimes Gail earns the honor. But it’s all in fun, as Gail is just the sweetest woman. I think most days she is just humoring me!

TS at The Non-Review
TS is a man of comedy. His 7-Word Weekend feature highlights new movie releases and occasionally we get to hear what cats are thinking. (Poor Melvin!) Recently the Dinosaur Party Debates were going on as prehistoric presidential candidates vied for our votes. So for a little fun at the expense of dinosaurs, movies, and Melvin, visit jester TS!

In Flames symbol
While recording their amazing third disc, “The Jester Race,” two of the members of In Flames came up with a symbol that has appeared in some incarnation on all of their covers and merchandise. In Flames has been shredding since 1990 and their latest release “Sounds of a Playground Fading” is one of my favs.

NINJA NEWS!

My buddy Sean’s book is now available in print! For more information on A Fine Likeness, visit Civil War Horror He’s also offering to request your book at his library if you will do the same.

Another blogger buddy alerted me to this one: Jones Party of 5 is offering a contest for a customized blog layout including header graphic.

And I was thinking about doing a giveaway for the person with the most first comment here, but I’d really hate to see anyone hurt themselves…


Following Gail and TS? Familiar with In Flames? (Probably not!) Any news I missed? Still having fun with the Challenge? Who is the jester in your life? Come on, we all know at least one fool. I mean, jester!!!

The Best of the Best and the Rest

We’ll start with the rest!

Thanks to everyone who visited my two guest posts this week. Sorry if I shocked anyone with my blogging hours. That’s what it takes to keep up with my blogger buddies. You guys are awesome – how could I not keep up?

I’ll be co-hosting another blogfest – details next week. And yes, I will host one of my own soon! It’s been ages since the Worst Movies Ever Blogfest and I have something really cool planned for later this spring.

The trailer for CassaFire went live at You Gotta Read Videos on Tuesday – voting opens later this month. I’ll keep you posted.

Special thanks to Arlee Bird at Tossing it Out for his review of CassaFire on Monday. I’ll take the 4.99999 out of 5.0, Lee – thanks!

And we have a special video announcement at the A to Z Challenge blog today.

Now on to the best!

Instead of just a “Best of 2011” list, which everyone else has already put together, thought I’d do my favorites, some honorable mentions, and a look ahead to this year.

Favorite movies – where else did you think I’d begin?

Super 8

Fast Five

Captain America (I know you love that, Melissa!)

Thor

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol

Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows II

Source Code

Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows

Rango

Honorable mention goes to Drive and Hanna – not favorites, but two excellent films.

Favorite albums – all rock/progressive rock, which should come as no surprise!

In Flames – Sounds of a Playground Fading

Dream Theater – Dramatic Turn of Events

Mastodon – The Hunter

3 – The Ghost You Gave to Me

Serenity – Death and Legacy

Favorite Games – because I am a computer game junkie.

Skyrim

Orcs Must Die

(I lead a double life – Orcs during the day on my laptop, Skyrim at night on my Xbox!)

Favorite books – and I so dig reading books on my iPad!

Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

Feast of Souls by C.S. Friedman

Honorable mentions – Karen Walker’s Following the Whispers (never read a memoir before and hers was just amazing) and Rusty Webb’s unpublished novel (don’t stop until you find a publisher, dude!)

And since this post is growing long, I’ll just give you the movies I most want to see this year –

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (Peter Jackson can do no wrong! Yes, I will totally geek out at the end of the year for this one.)
Dark Knight Rises (Christopher Nolan can do no wrong either.)
The Avengers (This will be just EPIC!)
The Cabin in the Woods (Joss Whedon rocks.)
Prometheus (High hopes for another Aliens ride.)
Underworld: Awakening (Favorite vampire/werewolf series. And of course, KATE!)
John Carter (Please don’t screw this up, Disney.)

Now, you tell me – what was your favorite movie/album/game/book in 2011? What movie do you most want to see this year? Curious about the upcoming blogfests? Still trying to figure out what ‘progressive rock’ means?