Shangrila Towers - Best of 2011

As the grogginess from last night wears off, I'm listing my picks for the best posts I wrote in 2011. In no particular order...

Guns: Building A Better Mousegun - S&W Bodyguard 380 review - It was a banner year for gun reviews here at the Towers, and I managed to get a fairly comprehensive look at the S&W Bodyguard 380. I don't own the gun any more (it's been replaced by the lighter, smaller, and just-as-reliable Ruger LCP), but it's still a decent option for those interested in a pocket .380.

Music: The Band Perry - As I suspected, the Band Perry was headed on to bigger and better things after playing the South Florida Fair back in February. They've since won a boatload of best new artist honors and toured with the likes of Tim McGraw. I may not ever get to meet them again, but I wish Kimberly, Reid, and Neil good luck nonetheless.

Miscellany: Jonathan Dickinson State Park - Tourism is the lifeblood of the Florida economy, but it's shocking how many folks come here just for Disney and Universal. There's a whole state out there, people! Even my non-outdoorsy family likes getting back to nature once in awhile, and Jonathan Dickinson is a good, nonthreatening place to do it.

Guns: Get Down With The Thickness - S&W M&P9C review - This year, I consciously tried to point out the flaws and foibles in well-established guns like the M&P9c. You'd never see the title of this post in a gun rag, I'd wager; it's just one of the perks of being an indie gunblogger. The M&P9c is still in my carry rotation, though it requires a fairly generous waistband to conceal IWB.

A Shangrila St. Patrick's Day, Part 1 - The Boondock Saints - I really liked my series of St. Patrick's Day posts this year. I mean, it's hard to go wrong with Irish folklore and Willem Dafoe, right?

Guns: Ultimate Carjacker Defense - Taurus Judge review - The obvious April Fool's Day Joke. Doesn't make it any less funny!

Miscellany: Successful Failure - The Scrubbing of STS-134 - My trip to Titusville to see the failed penultimate Space Shuttle launch might have been more memorable than actually seeing the darn thing go up. Or at least, that's what I tell myself. Of course, STS-134 eventually made it up and back safely.

TV: Breaking Bad - I got into "Breaking Bad" this year, and it's still one of the best shows in TV. The last season is coming up in the summer, so now's a good time to catch up if you've never seen it.

Guns: A Public Gathering in Georgia - My trip to Dragon*Con was one of the big highlights of my year, and I carried a Kahr CM9 most of the time. It was a touch ironic to wear a Rick Grimes costume and an airsoft Colt Python whilst carrying a real firearm - if I ever had to pull it, you'd bet it would make the Atlanta news. :-P

Music: Ecstasy of Gold - A pretty neat meme, and I still like my answer. Have a safe and happy New Year, everybody.