List-a-mania!

I've decided to take inventory of some past lists I've made, and also wanted to include some new lists.

This list was taken from a post about my [not-so] laminated top five list (the last three haven't changed, but Jason Segel was cutting it close at times.)

1. Chris Messina: Really, all he has to do is dance and I'm sold! :) Actually, he could just stand there and do nothing and he'd still be swoon-worthy. However, I love that, as Danny Castellano on The Mindy Project, he's not afraid to act goofy and vulnerable.  Oh, and that smile....
2. Jeremy Jordan: The real reason I'm sad that Smash is cancelled. I can't wait to see him in The Last Five Years when that finally comes to a screen near me.
3. Jason Segel: My crush on him came from watching How I Met Your Mother and I think it's more because he reminds me of my husband. I could see myself just hanging out with him and having a fun time though. I love to laugh and I know the humor would be guaranteed.
4. Matt Lanter: He's just incredibly hot. He doesn't even have to talk. I wouldn't mind the kind of making out I've seen him capable of on 90210. And he has such a great speaking voice...all deep and intense. He's definitely been on my list ever since he first appeared on the show.
5. Jamie Cullum: I think it's his Harry Connick Jr. appeal (speaking of....I also think HCJ is sexy). He has such an amazing voice that it just sends tingles down my spine. He could seduce me just by singing!

I could add Luke Bryan to this list just for his voice, but that's all that really does it for me about him. That, and his songs are sexy. But that's it, really.

This is my celebrity bucket list, revised from a list created around this time, three years ago. I'm sad that I have to take Idina Menzel off, but now that I saw how she is in person, I've lost interest. I know she probably has a lot going on right now in her personal life, but I still don't see myself making the effort to meet her again. If we happened to run into each other (like what are the odds of that happening?!?) and she decided that she'd be happy to stop and take a picture with me, I wouldn't argue. Not holding my breath though. I didn't change two people as I really respect them and still want to meet them.

1. Mindy Kaling. She's so funny and down-to-earth. I can only imagine her being like that in person too. I could totally see us exchanging chick lit novels and joking around about anything and everything.

2. The main cast of How I Met Your Mother: I know that is five people (six, if you count the mother, as I'd love to meet her too), but they're all so great in their own ways.

3. Lin-Manuel Miranda. I was hoping to meet him when I saw In the Heights. (He wasn't performing at the time but I had a fantasy that he'd be watching from backstage and would come out to meet his fans anyway. However, that was not the case.) He wrote an incredible musical, does a great job rapping without it sounding unintelligible and even sang "To Life, L'Chaim" to his wife at his wedding. Toss in the fact that he's adorable and you'd want to meet him too!

4. America Ferrera. She won me over in Real Women Have Curves and completely sold me on her talent in Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Then she was in Ugly Betty and completely took on her role as Betty Suarez and made it her own. She just seems like a down-to-earth celebrity who isn't going to go the skanky route that other female celebrities have. I could see just hanging out with her and having fun "girl talk" over dinner.

5. Khaled Hosseini. I didn't get a chance to see him when he was in DC this past summer promoting his latest novel. I still hope to meet him one of these days, as he is on par with Wally Lamb for his incredible writing talent.

My favorite personal blog posts from 2013. Moma Rock did this at her blog for a recent blog project and I liked the idea so much that I wanted to do it too.
1. My first attempt at fiction in over two years...and of course it's pop-culture related!
2. Rolling in the deep...blue sea. I definitely need this motto right now!
3. Having a "Me Party"...this was so much fun to write.
4. Who says you can't go home? So much fun to reminisce!
5. The things I never got to say. This was so emotionally cleansing.
6. Merrylandgirl does Disney World. A great way to remember my trip!
7. Bowling for besherte. I can one day call this post "How I Met Your Father."
8. I go back. I love where certain songs take me....
9. Having a Zack Attack! Really, I can talk about Saved by the Bell anytime.
10. 525,600. Anything that has to do with Rent is always good, right?

Best movies I saw in 2013 (not that they necessarily came out this year). I didn't see all that many movies this year.

1. Monsters University. Such a warm and fuzzy (excuse the pun) prequel.
2. Love Actually. I saw it a long time ago and forgot most of what happened, so it was like watching it for the first time.
3. The Internship. Like Monsters University, but with people.
4. Disconnect. Very thought provoking. It was nice to see Jason Bateman in a serious role.
5. Turbo. Cute and fun for the whole family.
6. The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Poignant, and it involved Rocky Horror....
7. Parental Guidance. Sweet and funny. Plus, Billy Crystal sings a song about poo!
8. The To Do List. Raunchy, but Aubrey Plaza was fun to watch and it took place in the 90s. And it was really funny.
9. The Way Way Back. Very well-acted and had an interesting story line. I agree with whomever is saying that Sam Rockwell should get an Oscar nomination.
10. Struck by Lightning. Chris Colfer and Rebel Wilson are a great team. I liked the supporting cast too.

Best books I read in 2013 (even if they were published prior). This is separate from my favorite chick lit reads of 2013. Visit Chick Lit Central to find out those choices. (The links below are to my reviews of the books.)

1. The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult
2. We Are Water by Wally Lamb
3. And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini
4. Wonder by R.J. Palacio
5. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
6. Finding Lucas by Samantha Stroh Bailey
7. Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls
8. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling
9. The Meryl Streep Movie Club by Mia March
10. Fractured by Dani Atkins
Bonus: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. I'm loving it so much but am not sure I'll have it finished by the time 2013 is over.