film | Grace Rules Weblog

Wow! 2012 is taking off in a hurry.

I have almost waited too long to post any kind of reflection about last year! However, I do want to say something about 2011 so here are a few of my favorite things in 2011.

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Adele. Sure they overplayed her songs on the radio but before that happened there were those times when hearing her sing was one of those “I’m glad to be alive” moments. So I can’t make a list of favorite things from last year without including Adele.

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Pinterest. I heard about it and didn’t think it sounded interesting. I tried it anyway and immediately loved it. Pinterest is a place to organize and share online images that you find interesting or inspiring. Once uploaded or shared on Pinterest, these images become known as Pins, which the user can place on customized, themed Boards. You can create Boards for any topic imaginable, from cats to classic cars to cats driving classic cars. The possibilities are endless. It’s a lot more fun than it sounds.

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Synchroblog. It’s not new but it remains one of my favorite things year in and year out. A synchroblog is a collection of similar articles or posts made by a group of bloggers who have agreed to blog on the same topic on the same day. The synchroblog group that I participate with has a different theme each month – such as “The Devil Made Me Do It“, “Hope” and “Experiences In The Wilderness“. I love it because it keeps me writing, connects me with other bloggers and gives me a chance to hear a variety of voices. If you like to blog you should try it out.

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Timeline. Yes, I like timeline. I have always wished that it was easier to look back at something on Facebook and I also wished for a more visual experience. I think that timeline delivers both of those things without losing any of the features that I like about Facebook. I know there has been a lot of complaining but I don’t pay much attention to that as it happens everytime Facebook makes any changes. Timeline was definitely one of my favorite things in 2011!

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Photo Books. I created some online photobooks for the first time last year, ordered printed copies and absolutely loved them! I love digital photography but I also love having a printed version of a photograph. The photo books are a perfect was to enjoy a collection of printed photographs! I used Mixbook and liked the process and end product. There were lots of styles/themes to choose from and I had the ability to customize everything. I already have plans for more photo books this year.

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Paste Magazine. Paste is a leading online destination for pop-culture enthusiasts, covering music, movies, TV, books and video games. Each month you get 4 issues, 28+ high-quality downlodable MP3s, exclusive videos, in-depth articles and more for only $2.99. You can pay monthly, cancel at any time, and never miss an issue! I love Paste Magazine!

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The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larson. The book trilogy (Dragon Tattoo Trilogy) and the movie (only the first one is a movie at this point)! The characters are rich and interesting, the stories unique and dark. I was intrigued throughout all three books and for a change I thought the movie was just as good. I suggest reading the books first and then seeing the movie.

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Provoketive Magazine. It’s like a blog but better. Provoketive Magazine is an online space of rich conversation about life, faith, justice and culture. The desire is to provoke the reader’s imagination through conversation and open up spaces of dialogue, learning, and hope. It is one of the fastest growing online magazines and has over 120 writers contributing to it’s content. If you would like to contribute to Provoketive, begin here.

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The Help. I always see a lot of movies and this past year was no different. At one point during the year I had been to the same theatre 14 weeks in a row (at least that is what Foursquare reported to me). As usual I saw the good, the bad and the ugly. The Help was one of the good ones. I had read the book quite a long time before the movie released and had almost forgotten how much I liked the book. The movie reminded me how good the book was and I was pleasantly surprised that the movie was just as good (although the book did have some great story lines that weren’t covered much in the movie). I am glad to see it is getting some recognition and hope to see it win some more awards during the Oscars later this month.

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Spotify. Oh, how I love Spotify. Who would have ever believed that there would be an app that was free where you could listen to practically any song you knew anytime you wanted! On top of that Spotify has all sorts of social networking features that help you share the music you are listening to and discover new music when your friends share what they are listening to with you. It’s amazing!!!! And for a small monthly fee you can even take it with you on your smart phone, your ipad or your ipod! Amazing!!!!!!!!!