I have always done this on New Year’s Eve, ever since I started blogging back in 2006, and this year will be no exception – despite the rest of it being so irregular.
The band that I listened to the most this year is, without a doubt, The Staves. I saw them live with dad in April, and have been spell-bound since then. As to their best song – well, they don’t really do hits, so there isn’t one obvious favorite song. But if I had to choose, it’ll have to be Facing west. I’ve also listened a lot to Tallest Man On Earth, Anna from the North, Låpsley and, believe it or not, Taylor Swift this year.
I’ve mostly read scientific articles this year. But of the few novels that I’ve read, most have been set in different parts of Africa, and of them The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver was the one that left the deepest impression. I got it from Anders, who neglected to return it to the library in Boone when he was there over Christmas, and then he gave it to me because “it made him think of me”. Those kinds of recommendations are always interesting to read. I started reading it by the pond at the farm in Sebastopol, and finished it on a beach in Lisbon. And it really is an impressive piece of fiction. Definitely a compliment.
It should be no news that I’m a sucker for the epic. I choose Star Wars: The force awakens as the best film of the year. They’ve done it well, created a couple of interesting new characters and built on the already existing story-lines, and not only ridden on the immense popularity of the Star Wars franchise. I saw it on the Swedish premier day with dad, brother and Anna. I should go to the movies more often.
As for TV shows, Parks and Recreation is by far the best, and funniest, show I watched this year. I adore Leslie Knope, adore her!
And finally, just to stress the all-consuming effect that research has had on my year, I will not choose a photograph for 2015, but a map. To be more precise, one of the two maps that I produced as my master’s thesis. This piece of colors is what gave me a master’s degree.
There you have it, my year in pop culture! Have a happy New Year now! I’m going to bake a water melon cake with Natalia and Alice!
Katja Malmborg 