Favorite Book – Pueblos, Spaniards, and the Kingdom of New Mexico by John L. Kessell. I typically read more fantasy and historical fiction than anything else, but I do enjoy an occasional historical text. With my recent interest in genealogy, this book hit the spot. My family originally settled in New Mexico during the Spanish colonial period so it was great background for my investigations.
Favorite Novel – Disciple of the Wind by Steve Bein. Urban fantasy set in Japan with samurai and magic swords, plus a shit-kicking female cop that isn’t afraid to get bloody or buck the good-old-boy system. What more could you ask for?
Favorite Place to Visit – Santa Fe, New Mexico. I do a lot of traveling for work, and typically try to take at least one vacation a year. This year my wife and I visited New Mexico and Colorado on vacation, and we absolutely loved our time in Santa Fe, New Mexico. We showed up on the last day of the fall fiesta in the old market square, and spent the next few days shopping and seeing the historical sites. We also visited Taos Pueblo, which is a couple of hours north of town.
Favorite Anime – Love, Election, and Chocolate. This story blew me away. At first glance, it seems like a typical Japanese high school meme, but the backstory between the two main characters is what makes it great. The way their history is gradually brought forward, and the twisted relationship between these characters makes it worth watching. I never thought that chocolate could be such a strong element in a story. Japanese anime has a lot of clichés, but you can also find some great storytelling
Favorite Game – Fallout 4. I didn’t play many games in 2015, concentrating more on my writing, reading, and watching anime in my spare time. Even though I just started playing it at Christmas time, I love Fallout 4. I have always liked the Fallout series and expected to like this one as much as the rest, but I like it more. It is mostly the same as previous versions, but I enjoy the new feature of being able to build up your towns and farms. It just adds another level to the game for me.
Favorite New Show – Better Call Saul. I don’t watch very much regular television. My favorite show for 2015 was Better Call Saul. This off-shoot of Breaking Bad turned out to be more entertaining than I expected. I love Jimmy McGill’s character and can’t wait to see more of his transformation into Saul Goodman. I guess I just love flawed characters.
Favorite New Activity – UCSD Copyediting Certificate Program. I’ll admit, I was a little unsure about this one. I’m the type of person that isn’t happy unless I’m moving forward. I’m a goal kinda guy, and one of my goals was to learn the basics of the formal editing process. After looking around for the best option, I decided to try this program. I finished the first two classes in 2015, and have enjoyed it. Actually, a close second was going to physical therapy and learning how to manage the aches and pains of my not-so-young body. Yes, I have a warped sense of fun.