Best Albums of 2012

2012 was a wonderful year for music in all genres!  While last year belonged to rock and pop with the likes of Adele and Florence + the Machine, this year for me belongs to country and folk.  This year saw the return of Sinead O'Connor and The Cranberries at full force, great follow-up albums, and significant debuts.

10. December Well (Mike Vass)

I've already gone in depth this album.  The only thing that kept it from being higher up is that it may be too seasonal.  But, hey, it beat out the rest of the competition!  Check out my previous post on it.

Follow Mike Vass over at his website, twitter, youtube, and facebook.

Buy his album at his website, Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, or iTunes.

My TV BFFs

Sometimes when I watch TV, I think, OH MY STARS AND GARTERS!  I COULD BE THEIR BEST BUD!  It's why I love certain TV shows so damn much.  Listed here are my TV BFFs and reasons why.  Who are your TV BFFs?

1. Veronica Mars
Played by Kristen Bell; Veronica Mars
Veronica's spunkiness, dry sense of humor, and witty retorts, complete with nerdy pop culture references make her my ultimate potential BFF.  Her ability to handle herself in a dire situation and be able to sniff out clues and piece them together to solve minor crimes to murders.  Her ability to ward off all popular people with fear and weirdness can only draw me to her more.  "When entering a frat house full of accused rapists, the pant suit is a solid wardrobe choice.  It's fashion's way of saying, 'Move along. Nothing to see here.'"  Veronica (or, really, Kristen Bell), please be my BFF-entine.  If you had, you wouldn't have chosen such awful taste in men.

Bobby's Top Ten TV Shows of 2009

10. Merlin
After an average, formulaic, solid first season, Merlin's second series (season here in the States) has taken a step up and becomes even more dangerous for all characters. The characters are getting more depth, and Merlin and Arthur are both LESS whiny. YAY!

9. Modern Family
This show seems to be everyone's favorite new comedy...understandably. The dry, natural humor of a dysfunctional family makes for perfect relation to the audience. There's no way to not love every character in their own quirky, idiotic ways. The kids Manny and Alex, including the lovable child-like Phil, steal every scene. How can you not love a show that does that?

8. Big Bang Theory
Big Bang Theory continues to shine as it showcases its goofy nerds. And it turns out that people love nerds! Thanks for accepting us nerds into your TVs, America. I love the developing relationship between Sheldon and Penny. It's ridiculous and brilliant at the same time. "Nice kitty, soft kitty, little ball of fur."

7. Dollhouse
It's too bad that Dollhouse was not renewed because it continually got better. Why, Fox, why? At least it was given a second chance. Dollhouse is now addicting and maybe my favorite show at the moment. It's crazy, unstable, twisty, and very Whedonesque.

6. Legend of the Seeker
Legend of the Seeker is Bad. Ass. You all know my love for Kahlan/Bridget Regan. But the second season shows her badassery off even more. And the lines between good and bad get blurred, as Richard inherits the throne of the Midlands from his villainous brother Darken Rahl, but Richard increasingly shows his dark side. We actually see the dark side of all the characters, except for maybe Kahlan who is the most rational, fair person, which is good since she is the Mother Confessor, judge of the Midlands. And there's the addition of the wonderful, and beautiful, Tabrett Bethell as former Mord S'ith Cara.

5. Battlestar Galactica
What a way to end the show. It was a bit direct on the final scene, but I wouldn't expect anything less from a show that so blatantly criticized religion, government, technology, society, among other things. The latter half of the last season was bone-chilling and intense. Blood on the Scales...HOLY CRAP!!! Roslin's speech to the mutinous Zarek was one of the best, if not the best, speech from the entire series. I'm not one to talk to the television or cheer or any of that, but I stood up and cheered Roslin. And then I orgasmed a bit. The finale was a nice, satisfying goodbye to the characters we so loved and enjoyed, and still the goodbyes are mysterious.

4. Glee
Glee is the breakout hit of the year, and it really induced our salivary glands when the pilot aired, making us want more immediately, but that more didn't arrive a long time. And the arrangements and cast made me love pop songs that I thought I'd never even tolerate. I hate Rihanna's music, but I loved Rachel's/Lea Michele's version of "Take a Bow." And I can't wait for Matthew Morrison's forthcoming album.

3. Party Down
I absolutely love this show; of course I would, because it's from the same creator as Veronica Mars, and the cast is even shared. And the guest stars are off the wall ridiculous, just as ridiculous as the employees of the catering business. And next season we have Megan Mullally joining the cast in place of Jane Lynch, who will briefly reprise her role to wrap it up. So much stupidity in one show and only two rational, sane characters.

2. Parks and Recreation
As I've stated before, this show has increased in quality, surpassing The Office, I think. I don't think I need to repeat myself, so I'll stop.

1. Better Off Ted
By far the best and most unwatched show of the year. It didn't help that it was a summer show going against stupid reality shows. The hilarious Veridion Dynamics commercials embedded in the show are definitely the highlights. I'm a fan of adorable characters, and this show has a lot of them.

Growl for me!

In honor of the premiere of Cougar Town tonight on ABC, I think it's appropriate to compile a list of a nerd's top ten cougars. What qualifies as a cougar? Old enough to be a teen's mother, I'd say. So I'll go with mid 40s.

10. Mary Steenburgen: From Woody Allen's Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy to Elf, Mary Steenburgen lights up a room with her flighty, sweet voice. I wish she'd cook spaghetti for me...

9. Jane Seymour: Seymour was by far the sexiest bond lady EVER. She looked good decked out in western garb, but I began to lose respect for her when she started doing roles and movies like Wedding Crashers. Less sexy, more slutty. But because of Dr. Quinn and previous experiences, she still tops my list...and have you seen her?!



8. Robin Wright Penn: Princess Buttercup. Classic. Queen of the Wealthow. And she can sing? I couldn't stop listening to her two songs on the Beowulf soundtrack for two weeks when I saw the movie a few months ago (I should've seen it sooner with Neil Gaiman scripting it).

7. Famke Janssen: All I have to say is "Jean. Grey. Bad. Ass." Another Bond lady and classy actress. If only she could read my mind...

6. Faith Hill: I know to most, she'd probably top this list, but remember this is Nerdy Pop...I do think she's classy and beautiful and has a great set of pipes. She's not afraid to speak her mind. I like that in a lady. And she's not afraid to be herself, which is probably why she doesn't have more a fan base in her music and just her looks.

5. Megan Mullally: The only character I liked on Will & Grace, and, therefore, the only reason I watched was Karen Walker, the squeaky, drunken, pill-popping riot! And now she'll be a single mom looking for love in obviously the wrong places. And look...look at those glasses! That's hot.

4. Courteney Cox: I usually considered Monica the Friend that was most like me...clean freak, crazy, etc. Unfortunately it turns out I'm more like Ross...disappointing to say the least. I loved, loved, loved her as bitchy Lucy Spiller on Dirt, and I can't wait to watch her tonight.

3. Michelle Yeoh: Wowzas! A woman who does her won stunts and wields a sword and every other hand-combat weapon. I'll watch any movie she's in. And she tore my heart into shreds in Sunshine. She's the only reason why I tolerated the Mummy III. She's oh so sexy. Her voice, her poise, her....well, her.

2. Amanda Tapping: I love you, Madame Tapping. You own science-fiction as far as I'm concerned! Though I haven't seen her in her previous work, I have heard of her dedication to Stargate, and I've seen her dedication to the thrilling and complex Sanctuary. And damn, can she rock a ladyhat like crazy. See first episode for classic broad ladyhat. I've only seen Chely Wright rock it like her in her video for "Jezebel."

1. Mary McDonnell: I feel like I don't need to say anything, but I do. Because...I owe that to her. She's sexy beyond all sexiness. Her fantastic acting makes her even sexier. When she delivers the lines in "Blood on the Scales," she made me shiver and tremble with excitement and all sorts of good feelings in my pants. But why on earth would she guest star on Grey's Anatomy?! That almost pegged her down a notch, but since they have good music on their show, I let it slide. She played the most badass lady president ever, and I wish Laura Roslin could be ours one day. I hope Roslin guest stars on Sanctuary this season! I might explode!

Honorable mention: Cate Blanchett, solely for being the classiest, most talented performer to grace the big screen since Dame Judy Dench and Meryl Streep. And she's beautiful.