It’s the dawn of a new decade and before we get too far into it, I would like to take one last look at the last decade. Okay, I’m pretty sure that it won’t be the last look considering the number of photographs and videos that I shot. I can’t imagine not ever looking at them again. Let’s just agree that it’s a figure of speech and move on, shall we?

I love lists. I love reading other people’s lists even if it’s just a todo list. It gives you a little peek into the minds’ of others. A list tells you how someone thinks. What is important. And then you compare that list to your own list and feel superior because the things that you value are far more important.

Feel free to compare your own lists to mine!

So here they are (in no particular order)…

10 Top 10 Lists for the Last 10 Years

Top Ten Books

Disclaimer: I didn’t read nearly enough books in the last ten years. It might have something to do with kids, work, and a lack of sleep. Yeah, I’m pretty sure that’s it.

1. Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser. This book changed the way we eat in our home. I make sure that we know where our meat comes from if we didn”t raise it ourselves. We’re far from perfect, but we are certainly more aware.
2. Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts. One of my all time favourite books. Roberts is a master at drawing the reader into his world no matter how far removed you may be.
3. Come Back by Claire and Mia Fontaine. Touching, scary, and has a happy ending.
4. Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen. An easy read that gives you a behind-the-scenes look at circuses. Real or not, it’s very compelling.
5. The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. So much more than the movie. I guess I can’t really say because I have not seen the movie, but I know it’s better.
6. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. An autobiography of a woman with very troubled parents. The fact that the children grew up with any kind of success amazes me and gives us all hope for dire situations.
7. Life of Pi by Yann Martel. Martel knows how to tell a tale, there’s no doubt about it.
8. The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling. I couldn’t possibly name one of the Harry Potter books without referencing another. These books caused a mania and got kids reading again.
9. Stitch ‘n Bitch: The Knitter’s Handbook by Debbie Stoller. Stoller’s frank and funny voice comes through in her writing and makes it possible for anyone to learn how to knit. Besides, she makes it cool to knit.
10. Culture Speaks by Russell Bishop and Mere Berryman. Finally! A book that illustrates what I think education is all about.

Top Ten Movies

I have watched very few movies, so take this list with a grain of salt.

1. Food Inc. If you haven’t read Fast Food Nation, watch this movie. Seriously disturbing.
2. Slum Dog Millionaire. I love that this movie bridged the gap between Hollywood and Bollywood. The combination of dance, music, and story line make this a movie I could watch over and over again.
3. Traffic. A frighteningly real look at the war on drugs.
4. Ocean’s Eleven. And twelve and thirteen. Irresistible.
5. Save the Last Dance. I have watched this movie too many times to count and still love it. It’s definitely the combination of a good romance/dance combo that keeps me coming back for more.
6. Walk the Line. The lifestyle, music and personal history of Johnny Cash. I was not a fan until I watched this movie.
7. March of the Penguins. Morgan Freeman’s narration totally makes this movie in the English translation. Loved it.
8. Into the Wild. I had a student that dreamed of going off to live alone in the wilderness and so his enthusiasm about the outdoors persuaded me to see this movie. Loved the idea. Hated the ending. It’s based on true events, so there was no changing the ending. But still…
9. Million Dollar Baby. Another movie that I have seen numerous times, yet it still breaks my heart.
10. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Beautiful. That’s all I can say about the filming of this movie.

Top Ten Magazines

With the demise of many magazines due to a poor economy, I recognize that many of these magazines are extinct. I suspect that we will be really lucky if the remaining ones are still around in ten more years.

1. Harrowsmith Country Life. A Canadian publication that appeals to country and city folk alike. It is jam-packed with recipes, articles, and quick tips to get just about any job done.
2. Simple Scrapbooks. Sigh. I just loved this magazine. It just fit me.
3. Blueprint. It was so stylish and clean. Another one that bit the dust.
4. Real Simple. The title says it all. I don’t buy this one very often, but it’s a gooder.
5. Quilt Sampler. If you’re just learning how to quilt, this is a good place to start for easy patterns, good tips, and eye candy in the form of fabric.
6. Cloth Paper Scissors. I have never made a single project from this magazine, but that doesn’t keep me from dreaming and drooling.
7. Creating Keepsakes. A staple in the scrapbook arena. And for good reason.
8. Popular Photography. This magazine is brimming with inspiration, tutorials, tips, techniques, and product reviews.
9. Beautiful British Columbia. I live in a beautiful province and this magazine proves it.
10. Somerset Studio. Not only is this publication filled with stunning art, it also feels like a piece of art. The pages are heavy, the typography is gorgeous, and the photography is out of this world.

Top Ten TV Shows

1. Survivor. Rupert. Cirie. Boston Rob. Jerri. Colby. Sugar. Yeoman. Russell. There have been some memorable characters.
2. Grey’s Anatomy. Seriously my favourite show.
3. The Sopranos. I didn’t watch this show until this year. And then I watched every single episode. Loved it!
4. Dancing With the Stars. I love the concept of taking someone (celebrity or not) and teaching them to dance in a very short period of time. The transformations are amazing!
5. So You Think You Can Dance. What can I say? I wish I could dance.
6. Glee. A new show, but it’s quickly becoming an all-time favourite.
7. The Amazing Race. Uchenna and Joyce forever!
8. Ghost Whisperer. I am a big chicken. I cannot watch this show without my husband in the house, but I like it anyway.
9. Medium. Another show about the supernatural. Love it!
10. Oprah. What can I say about Oprah that hasn’t already been said? Not much. Her show has been an inspirational, eye-opening experience for women around the world.

Top Ten Websites

1. YouTube. If you want to watch your favourite show, learn by watching, or have a good laugh, YouTube has it all!
2. Wikipedia. If you don’t know or don’t even know what you don’t know…go to Wikipedia.
3. Two Peas in a Bucket. Inspiration. Plain and simple.
4. Ravelry. If you knit, you need Ravelry.
5. Flickr. I can’t imagine an internet without Flickr. It’s that good.
6. IMDb. Otherwise known as The Internet Movie Database. I go here after watching nearly every show to find out where I saw so-and-so before and what else they’re in.
7. Google. I am about 99.367% certain that the internet would crumble without Google. Gmail, iGoogle, Google Reader, Google Docs, Google Calendar, and more. So much, much more. Google rocks!
8. Amazon. Amazon has become more than just a bookstore. I often use Amazon for product reviews and also keep a list of books I want to read.
9. Etsy. A brilliant site that has united crafters like no other site. Mmmmm…Etsy!
10. Shockwave. What would this list be without a place to chillax? Quick, daily games galore!

Top Ten Blogs

1. Live From Tormville! I have been a long time reader of Sharyn’s blog. Her family stories and sense of humor keep me coming back for more.
2. Simple Inspiration. This family is an inspiration! Ten family members and so much love shining through.
3. Cluck Cluck Sew. So many ideas, so little time.
4. The Daily Trumpet. Brought to you by two witty and talented women who make up Ella Publishing. Ella is the new simple.
5. Just Be Blogged. The fabulous photog queen Tara Whitney and her cute, cute family lights up my screen with photographic inspiration on a regular basis.
6. Simple Mom. Crunchy living mixed with good parenting.
7. The Pioneer Woman. No list would be complete without mention of Ree and Marlboro Man. Love her for her stories, photos, recipes, and down-home charm.
8. Red Pepper Quilts. One of many quilting blogs that inspires.
9. Zen Family Habits. Another great resource for parents. Trust me, I need all the help and motivation I can get some days.
10. Bits&Pieces. She scrapbooks. She writes. She takes pictures. But mainly, she brings a smile to my face with her humour.

Top Ten Places I Visited

Disclaimer: I am not well-traveled and I make no apologies because I am a homebody. But here are some places that I really liked visiting… near and far.

1. Vancouver. I lived there for three years and learned to love the rain. Every visit is a treat.



2. Prince Edward Island. Anne’s land. You haven’t breathed fresh air until you’ve visited PEI.



3. Barkerville. A wonderfully magical place to step back in time.



4. Bull Canyon. My home territory. I just love it there.



5. Calgary Rodeo. Yee haw!



6. Alexis Lake. Looking at this picture makes me seriously homesick. I’ll have to see if we can swing a camping trip there this summer.



7. This fishing spot is my all-time favourite spot. It’s a wicked hike, so we won’t be taking Jacob there for a few years.



8. Gundy Caves. One of the best outings that we’ve had since we’ve lived here.



9. Disneyland. We went nearly ten years ago. I can’t say that I want to go back anytime soon, but it was so much fun. I went during my pre-digi era, so I only have film photos and I’m too lazy to scan one. But I was there, honest!
10. Our nest. I visit this place at the end of every day. It is my favourite place to be.

Top Ten Gadgets

1. Digital cameras. Film? Are you serious? I can’t stand the stuff anymore!
2. The iPod. I have only recently jumped on this bandwagon and I wonder what the heck I was waiting for!
3. GPS systems. What did we do without them? I’m pretty sure we were lost.
4. The Kindle. I don’t have one. Yet. Sadly, the predictions for bookstores are not pretty.
5. Remote car starters. An absolute must in cold weather.
6. Cell phones. Ten years ago they were big, honkin’ things that were a bother to carry around. Today, everyone has one (or two in my case!).
7. The USB memory stick. It astounds me that one of these little thingies can hold more data than my first computer.
8. The Nintendo Wii. Nothing makes you look like more of a dork than the Wii. But the fun is so worth it.
9. PVR. It’s still television, only better.

Top Ten Memories I Photographed

1. Kelly’s laugh.



2. My husband on our wedding day.



3. Seeing my dad become a grandad.



4. Colette’s wedding.



5. Hedley in concert.



6. Bringing home our llamas.



7. Going for walks with Smokey.



8. Getting cows.



9. Having chicks.



10. Watching the seagulls dance as the sun rose in PEI.

Top Ten Memories Not Photographed

1. Seeing one of our cows give birth. I would later have a flashback of this moment.
2. Having coffee with my grandad on the morning of my wedding day.
3. Watching Dominique tear up as she looked out the window on her first airplane ride.
4. Listening to Richard Van Camp tell the story of the Northern Lights.
5. The look on my husband’s face when we found out we were having a baby.
6. Giving birth to said child. No photos, thank you very much.
7. Sitting around Uncle Mike’s table while he tells stories. The man hates cameras.
8. The fire that threatened my hometown in 2004.
9. Moving day. Moving out of our trailer and onto our farm.
10. Meeting my boss. I didn’t know then how significant that moment would be.

So that’s all folks! What makes your top ten for the last ten?

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