It’s the end of the year, which means it’s a time of reflection, evaluation and burnout. Hence, I bring you lazy writing. 

What made my 2011: 

10. Suckering 28 college freshmen into giving presentations on The Real World. For example, “Compare and contrast how Southern virgin Julie (circa 1992 NY season) differs from Southern ‘skank puppy’ Jemmye (circa 2010 New Orleans season).”

9. The Corrections. Finally read it and better for it.

8. Realizing that repetition can be bliss and vacations don’t need events. I’d like to thank Maine for three straight days of morning hikes, afternoon wine, ice-cream cookie-dough bombs, slumber in the grass, loads of cable television and insomnia-fighting with Behind the Music.

7. Snookie, oh, Snookie.

6. Girliness. I don’t care how Sex in the City cliche this makes me, but I love me some bullshit chatter, laughs that make you snort and then snort again because snorts are funny, bacon gravy and bottomless mimosas with my ladies over a multi-hour, voice-losing brunch.

5. Successfully convincing my boyfriend that Saturday mornings are for unproductivity.  

4. Watching my best male friend legally marry the man he loves (and sobbing with joy like Will’s Grace, or Brown who beat the Board of Education). 

3. Tearing through and being endlessly fascinated with this and this and this, just because I should put something intellectual on here.

2. Getting paid to read “Stars - They’re Just Like Us.” 

1. Hearing from a student, “You made me enjoy writing.”  

(Above: #7 a.k.a. America’s mascot. How can you not shake your head and want to hug her at the same time?!)