100 More Sci-Fi Books One Must Read

Yet another list, this time courtesy of Lynn of Violins and Starships, who got it from here. As usual, the ones I've read already are in bold. I'll be charitable and forego commentary beyond that point. I must admit, however, that I'm surprised Aldous Huxley's Brave New World is on neither of these lists. Is that supposed to be an omen or something?

Update: Oops! It's technically less than a hundred. I must have been really preoccupied yesterday not to pick up on that. My math is usually much better than that. Mea culpa. Mea maxima culpa.

1. The Forever War - Joe Haldeman
2. I Am Legend – Richard Matheson
3. Cities in Flight – James Blish
4. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? – Philip K. Dick
5. The Stars My Destination – Alfred Bester
6. Babel-17 – Samuel R. Delany
7. Lord of Light – Roger Zelazny
8. The Fifth Head of Cerberus – Gene Wolfe
9. Gateway – Frederik Pohl
10. The Rediscovery of Man – Cordwainer Smith
11. Last and First Men – Olaf Stapledon
12. Earth Abides – George R. Stewart
13. Martian Time-Slip – Philip K. Dick
14. The Demolished Man – Alfred Bester
15. Stand on Zanzibar – John Brunner
16. The Dispossessed – Ursula K. Le Guin
17. The Drowned World – J. G. Ballard
18. The Sirens of Titan – Kurt Vonnegut
19. Emphyrio – Jack Vance
20. A Scanner Darkly – Philip K. Dick
21. Star Maker – Olaf Stapledon
22. Behold the Man – Michael Moorcock
23. The Book of Skulls – Robert Silverberg
24. The War of the Worlds – H. G. Wells
25. Flowers for Algernon – Daniel Keyes
26. Ubik – Philip K. Dick
27. Timescape – Gregory Benford
28. More Than Human – Theodore Sturgeon
29. Man Plus – Frederik Pohl
30. A Case of Conscience – James Blish
31. The Centauri Device – M. John Harrison
32. Dr. Bloodmoney – Philip K. Dick
33. Non-Stop – Brian Aldiss
34. The Fountains of Paradise – Arthur C. Clarke
35. Pavane – Keith Roberts
36. Now Wait for Last Year – Philip K. Dick
37. Nova – Samuel R. Delany
38. The First Men in the Moon – H. G. Wells
39. The City and the Stars – Arthur C. Clarke
40. Blood Music – Greg Bear
41. Jem – Frederik Pohl
42. Bring the Jubilee – Ward Moore
43. VALIS – Philip K. Dick
44. The Lathe of Heaven – Ursula K. Le Guin
45. The Complete Roderick – John Sladek
46. Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said – Philip K. Dick
47. The Invisible Man – H. G. Wells
48. Grass – Sheri S. Tepper
49. A Fall of Moondust – Arthur C. Clarke
50. Eon – Greg Bear
51. The Shrinking Man – Richard Matheson
52. The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch – Philip K. Dick
53. The Dancers at the End of Time – Michael Moorcock
54. The Space Merchants – Frederik Pohl and Cyril M. Kornbluth
55. Time Out of Joint – Philip K. Dick
56. Downward to the Earth – Robert Silverberg
57. The Simulacra – Philip K. Dick
58. The Penultimate Truth – Philip K. Dick
59. Dying Inside – Robert Silverberg
60. Ringworld – Larry Niven
61. The Child Garden – Geoff Ryman
62. Mission of Gravity – Hal Clement
63. A Maze of Death – Philip K. Dick
64. Tau Zero – Poul Anderson
65. Rendezvous with Rama – Arthur C. Clarke
66. Life During Wartime – Lucius Shepard
67. Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang – Kate Wilhelm
68. Roadside Picnic – Arkady and Boris Strugatsky
69. Dark Benediction – Walter M. Miller, Jr.
70. Mockingbird – Walter Tevis
71. Dune – Frank Herbert
72. The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress – Robert A. Heinlein
73. The Man in the High Castle – Philip K. Dick
74. Inverted World – Christopher Priest
75. Cat’s Cradle - Kurt Vonnegut
76. The Island of Dr. Moreau - H. G. Wells
77. Childhood’s End - Arthur C. Clarke
78. The Time Machine - H. G. Wells
79. Dhalgren - Samuel R. Delany
80. Helliconia - Brian Aldiss
81. Food of the Gods - H. G. Wells
82. The Body Snatchers - Jack Finney
83. The Female Man - Joanna Russ
84. Arslan - M. J. Engh

100 Sci-Fi Books One Must Read

A list I got by way of Byzantium's Shores, who got it from here. Bold is for the ones I have read, italic for the ones I would like to read but have not yet. I do not own many sci-fi books nowadays that I have not already read so I will skip that part of blogging tradition. My comments on certain titles are in parentheses.

The Postman –- David Brin
The Uplift War -– David Brin
Neuromancer –- William Gibson
Foundation –- Isaac Asimov
Foundation and Empire –- Isaac Asimov
Second Foundation –- Isaac Asimov
I, Robot -– Isaac Asimov
The Long Tomorrow -– Leigh Brackett
Rogue Moon -– Algis Budrys
The Martian Chronicles -– Ray Bradbury
Fahrenheit 451 –- Ray Bradbury
Something Wicked This Way Comes –- Ray Bradbury
Childhood’s End –- Arthur C. Clarke
The City and the Stars –- Arthur C. Clarke
2001: A Space Odyssey –- Arthur C. Clarke
Armor –- John Steakley (?)
Imperial Stars -– E. E. Smith
Frankenstein -– Mary Shelley (I used to own this book but I had to sell it.)

Ender’s Game -– Orson Scott Card
Speaker for the Dead –- Orson Scott Card
Dune -– Frank Herbert (I actually owned this book once but I had to sell it before I ever got around to reading more than the first chapter.)

The Dosadi Experiment –- Frank Herbert
Journey Beyond Tomorrow -– Robert Sheckley (I have read a lot of Robert Sheckley short stories but I have never heard of this book before.)

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy –- Douglas Adams
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? -– Philip K. Dick
Valis –- Philip K. Dick
A Scanner Darkly -– Philip K. Dick
The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch –- Philip K. Dick
1984 –- George Orwell (Who has not read this book? Do not most people read it in high school or college?)

Slaughterhouse Five –- Kurt Vonnegut
Cat’s Cradle -– Kurt Vonnegut
The War of the Worlds –- H. G. Wells
The Time Machine –- H. G. Wells
The Island of Doctor Moreau -– H. G. Wells
The Invisible Man –- H. G. Wells (What sci-fi buff has not read Wells at some point in his or her life?)

A Canticle for Leibowitz –- Walter M. Miller, Jr.
Alas, Babylon -– Pat Frank
A Clockwork Orange -– Anthony Burgess
A Journey to the Center of the Earth -– Jules Verne
From the Earth to the Moon –- Jules Verne
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea -– Jules Verne
Old Man’s War -– John Scalzi
Nova Express –- William S. Burroughs
Ringworld –- Larry Niven (I started this as part of my reading for a sci-fi reading group of which I was once a part but I never finished it.)

The Mote in God’s Eye -– Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle
The Unreasoning Mask -– Philip Jose Farmer
To Your Scattered Bodies Go -– Philip Jose Farmer (Wait! Only two Philip Jose Farmer novels on this list?)

Eon -– Greg Bear
Jurassic Park -– Michael Crichton
The Andromeda Strain -– Michael Crichton
Lightning –- Dean Koontz (Not really my favorite Dean Koontz novel but I can see why some might want it on the list.)

The Stainless Steel Rat -– Harry Harrison
The Fifth Head of Cerebus –- Gene Wolfe
Nightside of the Long Sun –- Gene Wolfe
A Princess of Mars –- Edgar Rice Burroughs
Cryptonomicon -– Neal Stephenson
Snow Crash –- Neal Stephenson
The Stars My Destination –- Alfred Bester
Solaris –- Stanislaw Lem
Doomsday Book –- Connie Wills (Only one Connie Willis book on this list?)

Berserker -– Fred Saberhagen
Time Traveler’s Wife -– Audrey Niffenegger
The Word for World is Forest -– Ursula K. LeGuin
The Dispossessed –- Ursula K. LeGuin
Babel-17 –- Samuel R. Delany
Dhalgren -– Samuel R. Delany
Flowers for Algernon -– Daniel Keyes
The Forever War –- Joe Haldeman
Star King –- Jack Vance
The Killing Machine –- Jack Vance
Trullion: Alastor 2262 -– Jack Vance
Hyperion –- Dan Simmons
Starship Troopers -– Robert A. Heinlein
Stranger in a Strange Land -– Robert A. Heinlein
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress -– Robert A. Heinlein
A Wrinkle in Time -– Madeleine L’Engle
More Than Human -– Theodore Sturgeon
A Time of Changes –- Robert Silverberg
Gateway –- Frederick Pohl
Man Plus -- Frederick Pohl
The Day of the Triffids -– John Wyndham
Mission of Gravity –- Hal Clement
The Execution Channel -– Ken Macleod
Last and First Men –- W. Olaf Stapledon
Slan –- A. E. van Vogt
Out of the Silent Planet -– C. S. Lewis
They Shall Have Stars –- James Blish
Marooned in Realtime –- Vernor Vinge
A Fire Upon the Deep –- Vernor Vinge
The People Maker -– Damon Knight
The Giver –- Lois Lowry
The Handmaid’s Tale -– Margaret Atwood
Contact –- Carl Sagan
Atlas Shrugged –- Ayn Rand (I know. I should be ashamed but I am not. Besides, I once saw this novel in a relative's book collection and was always curious to find out what he saw in it. Mind you, I have read books that are better. A lot better.)

The Fountainhead -– Ayn Rand
Battlefield Earth -– L. Ron Hubbard (??? What the heck is this doing on the list?)

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court -– Mark Twain (I am not sure Twain belongs on a list of sci-fi books either but at least he -- unlike Hubbard -- is worth reading.)

Little Brother -– Cory Doctorow
Invasion of the Body Snatchers -– Jack Finney
Planet of the Apes -– Pierre Boulle

100 Quotes Every Geek Should Know

It's time once again to play "Name That Quote"... with your host Tonio Kruger.

Okay, actually this is a list I borrowed from Byzantium's Shores, which got it from somewhere else. The official name really is "100 Quotes Every Geek Should Know" and while I have my own list of such quotes -- which I may or may not post at a later date -- I will go ahead and post this one. Bold is for the ones for which I know both the name of the original source and the name of the character citing such quote in such source; italic is for the ones I just know by source. Please feel free to copy the list for your own site.

1. “Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony.”

2. “Three rings for the Elven kings under the sky, seven for the Dwarf lords in their halls of stone, nine for the mortal men doomed to die, one for the Dark Lord on his dark throne, in the land of Mordor where the shadows lie. One ring to rule them all, one ring to find them, one ring the bring them all, and in the darkness bind them. In the land of Mordor where the shadows lie.”

3. “I’m sorry, Dave. I’m afraid I can’t do that.”

4. “Spock. This child is about to wipe out every living thing on Earth. Now, what do you suggest we do... Spank it?”

5. “With great power there must also come -— great responsibility.”

6. “If you can’t take a little bloody nose, maybe you oughtta go back home and crawl under your bed. It’s not safe out here. It’s wondrous, with treasures to satiate desires both subtle and gross; but it’s not for the timid.”

7. “Five card stud, nothing wild. And the sky’s the limit”

8. “If you think that by threatening me you can get me to do what you want… Well, that’s where you’re right. But -- and I am only saying that because I care -- there’s a lot of decaffeinated brands on the market that are just as tasty as the real thing.”

9. “We’re all very different people. We’re not Watusi. We’re not Spartans. We’re Americans, with a capital ‘A’, huh? You know what that means? Do ya? That means that our forefathers were kicked out of every decent country in the world. We are the wretched refuse. We’re the underdog.”

10. “If I’m not back in five minutes, just wait longer.”

11. “I’m going to give you a little advice. There’s a force in the universe that makes things happen. And all you have to do is get in touch with it, stop thinking, let things happen, and be the ball.”

12. WE APOLOGIZE FOR THE INCONVENIENCE

13. “Some days, you just can’t get rid of a bomb!”

14. “Bill, strange things are afoot at the Circle K.”

15. “Invention, my dear friends, is 93% perspiration, 6% electricity, 4% evaporation, and 2% butterscotch ripple.”

16. “Didja ever look at a dollar bill, man? There’s some spooky shit goin’ on there. And it’s green too.”

17. “Alright, alright alright.”

18. “Heya, Tom’, it’s Bob from the office down the hall. Good to see you, buddy; how’ve you been? Things have been alright for me except that I’m a zombie now. I really wish you’d let us in.”

19. “Never argue with the data.”

20. “Oooh right, it’s actually quite a funny story once you get past all the tragic elements and the over-riding sense of doom.”

21. “Fantastic!”

22. “I must not fear. / Fear is the mind-killer. / Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. / I will face my fear. / I will permit it to pass over me and through me. / And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see
its path. / Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. / Only I will remain.”

23. “This is the way society functions. Aren’t you a part of society?”

24. “Okay. You people sit tight, hold the fort and keep the home fires burning. And if we’re not back by dawn… call the president.”

25. “No matter where you go, there you are. ”

26. “Do you know of the Klingon proverb that tells us revenge is a dish that is best served cold? It is very cold in space.”

27. “Ray, if someone asks you if you’re a god, you say YES!”

28. “Greetings, programs!”

29. “I guess you picked the wrong god-damned rec room to break into, didn’t you?!”

30. “I find your lack of faith disturbing.”

31. “Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no substitute for a good blaster at your side, kid.”

32. “Try not. Do, or do not. There is no try.”

33. “It’s a moral imperative.”

34. “Talk with your mouth full / bite the hand that feeds you / bite off more than you can chew / dare to be stupid”

35. “Well, let’s say this Twinkie represents the normal amount of psychokinetic energy in the New York area. Based on this morning’s reading, it would be a Twinkie thirty-five feet long, weighing approximately six hundred pounds.”

36. “This episode was BADLY written!”

37. “Worst. Episode. Ever.”

38. “Goonies never say die.”

39. “Nothing shocks me –- I’m a scientist.”

40. “Bright light! Bright light!”

41. “The Road goes ever on and on/Down from the door where it began/Now far ahead the Road has gone/And I must follow, if I can/Pursuing it with eager feet/Until it joins some larger way/Where many paths and errands meet/And whither then? I cannot say.”

42. “Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together… mass hysteria!”

43. “If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it?”

44. “Wait a minute, Doc. Ah… Are you telling me you built a time machine... out of a DeLorean?”

45. “Don’t call me a mindless philosopher, you overweight blob of grease!”

46. “I’d just as soon kiss a wookiee!”

47. “But one thing’s sure: Inspector Clay is dead, murdered, and somebody’s responsible.”

48. “I know kung fu.”

49. “This is your receipt for your husband... and this is my receipt for your receipt.”

50. “Your soul-suckin’ days are over, amigo!”

51. “I don’t believe there’s a power in the ‘verse that can stop Kaylee from being cheerful. Sometimes you just wanna duct-tape her mouth and dump her in the hold for a month.”

52. “Would you say I have a plethora of piñatas?”

53. “Never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line!”

54. “There is no Earthly way of knowing… which direction we are going. There is no knowing where we’re rowing, or which way the river’s flowing. Is it raining? Is it snowing? Is a hurricane a’blowing? Not a speck of light is showing so the danger much be growing. Are the fires of hell a’glowing? Is the grisley reaper mowing? YES! The danger must be growing for the rowers keep on rowing AND THEY’RE CERTAINLY NOT SHOWING ANY SIGNS THAT THEY ARE SLOWING!!”

55. “Time... to die.”

56. “Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds”

57. “Check, please.”

58. “So say we all.”

59. “After very careful consideration, sir, I’ve come to the conclusion that your new defense system sucks.”

60. “I am a leaf on the wind, watch how I soar.”

61. “No matter what you hear in there, no matter how cruelly I beg you, no matter how terribly I may scream, do not open this door or you will undo everything I have worked for.”

62. “Ahh, a bear in his natural habitat: a Studebaker.”

63. “He’s dead, Jim.”

64. “Who’s gonna turn down a Junior Mint? It’s chocolate, it’s peppermint -- it’s delicious!”

65. “Bring out your dead.”

66. “My name is Inigo Montoyo. You killed my father. Prepare to die!”

67. “Why a duck? Why -- a no chicken?”

68. “Redrum.”

69. “Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows."

70. “We’re going to need a bigger boat.”

71. “Oooh, ahhh, that’s how it always starts. Then later there’s running and screaming.”

72. “Greetings, my friend. We are all interested in the future, for that is where you and I are going to spend the rest of our lives. And remember my friend, future events such as these will affect you in the future.”

73. “Gentlemen, you can’t fight in here! This is the War Room!”

74. “These aren’t the droids you’re looking for.”

75. “Take your stinking paws off me, you damn dirty ape!”

76. “You maniacs! You blew it up! Oh, damn you! Damn you all to hell!”

77. “Klaatu barada nikto.”

78. “Monsters from the Id.”

79. “ET phone home.”

80. “What... is the air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow?”

81. “We thought you was a toad!”

82. “Face it tiger, you just hit the jackpot!”

83. “You don’t have to be a gun.”

84. “Danger Will Robinson! Danger!”

85. “Yeah, well. The Dude abides.”

86. “All things serve the beam.”

87. “You can’t fool me! There ain’t no Sanity Clause!”

88. “Like the fella says, in Italy for 30 years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder, and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and the Renaissance. In Switzerland they had brotherly love - they had 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock.”

89. “And I said, I don’t care if they lay me off either, because I told, I told Bill that if they move my desk one more time, then, then I’m, I’m quitting, I’m going to quit. And, and I told Don too, because they’ve moved my desk four times already this year, and I used to be over by the window, and I could see the squirrels, and they were married, but then, they switched from the Swingline to the Boston stapler, but I kept my Swingline stapler because it didn’t bind up as much, and I kept the staples for the Swingline stapler and it’s not okay because if they take my stapler then I’ll set the building on fire…"

90. “Michael, I did nothing. I did absolutely nothing, and it was everything that I thought it could be.”

91. “Now I have a machine gun. Ho ho ho.”

92. “Gimme some sugar, baby.”

93. “Well hello Mister Fancypants. Well, I’ve got news for you pal, you ain’t leadin’ but two things, right now: Jack and sh*t… and Jack left town.”

94. “Kneel before Zod.”

95. “Shall we play a game?”

96. “Daddy would have gotten us Uzis.”

97. “It’s 106 miles to Chicago, we’ve got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it’s dark and we’re wearing sunglasses.” “Hit it!”

98. “Make it so” / “Engage”

99. “Ya Ta!”

100. “End Of Line”

Ten+ Movies I Could Watch Again (and Again)

"Borrowing" an idea from one of my favorite bloggers, here's a list of movies that I can watch over and over again. (Of course, this list could very well change next week.):

1. Airplane!
2. Men in Black
3. The Unbelievable Truth
4. The Lady in Red (The Pamela Sue Martin flick. Not the Gene Wilder film.)
5. 42nd Street and the rest of my Busby Berkeley holy trinity
6. Shall We Dance (The Fred Astaire version, of course. Not the Jennifer Lopez version.)
7. Raiders of the Lost Ark
8. Modern Times
9. Time After Time
10. The Shop Around the Corner

It’s Over

I won’t pretend that this will be the most popular list on this theme but it includes my favorites so I’d like to think it qualifies as a worthy contender. Isn’t it pretty to think so?...

I. The Obvious:

"Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

"Forget it, Jake. It’s Chinatown."

"Nobody’s perfect."

"Buck up - never say die. We'll get along."

"The stuff that dreams are made of."

"Always look on the bright side of life!"

"That'll do, pig. That'll do."

"You maniacs! You blew it up! Ah, damn you! God damn you all to hell!"

"I don't have to see it, Dottie. I lived it."

"You be careful out among them English."

"Roads? Where we're going, we don't need roads."

"There’s no place like home."

"Some men get the world. Others get hookers and a trip to Arizona."

"Thank God for that. For a moment there I thought we were in trouble."

"I used to hate the water..." “I can’t imagine why."

"That was the boogeyman."

"There's a lot to be said for making people laugh. Did you know that that's all some people have?"

"Tomorrow is another day."

"We belong dead!"

II. The Not-So-Obvious

"Closer than that, Walter.” “I love you, too."

"How do you know they'll print it? You can take a walk. But how far if they don't print it?” “They’ll print it."

"That son-of-a-bitch stole my watch!"

"Shhh!….Listen….Bombs!"

"I have to believe in a world outside my own mind. I have to believe that my actions still have meaning... even if I can't remember them. I have to believe that when my eyes are closed, the world's still there."

"Hogarth, you stay. I go. No following."

"All right, you great git, you've asked for it. I'll cover the world in Tastee-Freez and Wimpy Burgers."

"Better keep the doors closed and keep out the drafts as Dr....Starr used to say."

"He was madly overacting, as usual, but you must admit he knew how to make an exit."

"Allow me to introduce myself. I'm the Invisible Man."

"Alex, will you come in, please? I wish to talk to you."

"Boy!"

"I live inside the weak and the wounded."

"Yes, smaller than the smallest, I meant something, too. To God, there is no zero. I still exist!"

"Oh, I suppose not. Only, which three books would you have taken?"

"Never. Oh, never. Nothing will die. The stream flows, the wind blows, the cloud fleets, the heart beats. Nothing will die."

III. Images

Poor Diane Keaton getting the door closed in her face in The Godfather.

Michael Corleone remembering his father's birthday in The Godfather, Part II.

The mirror scene at the end of All About Eve.

Amy Irving’s dream in Carrie.

The aftermath of the shootout in Cutter’s Way…

The aftermath of the shootout in Blood Simple.

Vincent Price singing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" at the end of Dr. Phibes Rises Again!.

The final shot in Spellbound.

Warner Baxter celebrating his "success" in 42nd Street.

Gwyneth Paltrow emerging from the surf in Shakespeare in Love.

The top men in Raiders of the Lost Ark.

The sled burning in Citizen Kane.

The cane in the window in Miracle on 34th Street.

Linda joining the club in Holiday.

The final car ride in Harold and Maude.

The marble game in Men in Black.

Jean Arthur looking at the coin in Only Angels Have Wings.

The finale of The More The Merrier.

IV. Musical Numbers:

Well, there's this:



And on a lighter note...



Ochi chyornye to you all too.

Memes

Christmas Meme
It's Over
100 Quotes Every Geek Should Know
100 Sci-Fi Books One Must Read
100 More Sci-Fi Books One Must Read
Ten Things I Love About Old Movies
Ten+ Movies I Could Watch Again (and Again)
Twenty "Worst" Chick Flicks

Ten Things I Love About Old Movies

"Borrowing" an idea that one of my favorite bloggers "borrowed" from another blogger, I submit for your disapproval a quick list of at least ten things I love about old movies.


1. Cutting-edge technology.



2. Modestly dressed women.



3. Newspapers.



4. Glamorous wardrobes for women.



5. Chess games.



6. Coin collectors.



7. Silhouettes.



8. Street lights.




9. Respectful depictions of law enforcement.



10. Respectful depictions of contemporary political leaders.



Plus to echo the Siren's words...

11. Scenes with women behind screens.

Twenty “Worst” Chick Flicks

Yet another idea “borrowed” from Byzantium's Shores: a list of the alleged twenty worst “chick flicks” of the last twenty years and my thoughts on the same:

20. Autumn in New York.

I haven't seen it.

19. The English Patient.

I haven't seen it.

18. Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood.

I haven't seen it.

17. The Notebook.

I actually did see this. I'm not going to pretend I liked it (after all, the main plot twist is given away in the trailer) but I was more moved by James Garner's performance than I expected to be. So I can't say I hated it either.

16. Dr. T and the Women.

I haven't seen it.

15. Sweet November.

I haven't seen it.

14. You've Got Mail.

The only good thing about this movie was the soundtrack album and the fact that it inspired me to rent from the local library a copy of the 1940 original The Shop Around the Corner. Then, of course, there's the fact that the plot of this movie just doesn't work as well as the plot of the original. After all, Jimmy Stewart didn't scheme to eliminate the store that was his would-be girlfriend's livelihood. And Nora Ephron never quite convinces me that it was a good idea for Meg Ryan to forgive Tom Hanks for doing just that. And as much as I loved The Godfather, I could not help but find Ephron's “all men quote The Godfather” routine to be forced and unconvincing.

13. The Princes of Tides.

I haven't seen it.

12. Georgia Rule.

Mi last ex-novia talked me into seeing this but I fell asleep halfway through the movie. What little I saw didn't exactly inspire me to stay awake.

11. Crossroads.

I haven't seen it.

10. The Bridges of Madison County.

I did see it. I was bored to tears. But at least I got a lot of chances to look at my watch.

9. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.

I haven't seen it.

8. Fried Green Tomatoes.

I haven't seen it.

7. How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.

I haven't seen it.

6. Beaches.

One of my former novias was into the theme song for this movie. But I wasn't. Perhaps because -- you guessed it -- I haven't seen it.

5. Sleepless in Seattle.

I actually liked this movie, though I suspect it was more due to the Jimmy Durante song that played during the opening credits than its not-so-imaginative take on romance. At least I remember liking it more than You've Got Mail -- not that's saying a lot.

4. Dirty Dancing.

I liked it fair enough, but I never loved it the way some people seem to do. I liked the soundtrack fair enough, though I'm fairly sick of hearing The Contours' song “Do Ya Love Me” thanks to this movie.

3. Steel Magnolias.

I haven't seen it. Yes, I know. I should be ashamed.

2. Ghost.

It was okay. My sister liked it more than me. In fact, she cried at the end. I'll admit to liking it better than Jacob's Ladder, which was written by the same guy. But I didn't like it the way my sister liked it.

1. Titanic.

My middle brother once told my mother that as much as he liked this movie, he was certain that she was going to love it. He was right. I liked it well enough, but not as much as other people. And the whole Rose Dawson exposing herself -- er -- posing in the nude for the man she loved seemed like such a male-oriented fantasy that I'm still surprised that so many women take this film seriously. It's not quite deserving of the backlash against it, but then it's not quite deserving of the endless worship which prompted the backlash.

Christmastime Is Gentle on My Meme

I don't normally do this sort of thing but since the Byzantium's Shores site is tagging everyone who reads his site with this meme, it's only fair to assume that I've been tagged as well. Here goes:

1. Favorite traditional Christmas song: This changes all the time. It used to be “O Come, All Ye Faithful,” then “Silent Night,” then “Away in a Manager” and “We Three Kings of Orient Are.” Current favorite is “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” but that could change. I remember singing all these songs with my mother and my siblings when I was still a teenager so it's tempting to say all of them.

2. Favorite contemporary or modern Christmas song: I devoted not just one but two posts to this category last year around this time. My current favorite: “Christmas Wrapping” by the Waitresses. But another part of me also loves Mariah Carey's Phil Spectorish take on “All I Want for Christmas is You” as well as Vince Vance and the Valiants' '50s-ish take on the same title. If I wanted to be really mischievous, I'd add Nancy White's “It's So Chic to be Pregnant at Christmas,” but I'd rather not give my bride-to-be ideas.

3. Least favorite Christmas song: This varies every year. This year, however, it appears to be Wham!'s “Last Christmas,” a song I used to like the first few times I heard it on the radio until they started playing it almost every single day. I've heard it played more times this past month than I did all throughout the '80s and '90s.

4. Christmas song that makes you cry: “Happy Christmas (War Is Over)” used to make me cry back in the early 1980s. So does “Christmas Wrapping” if I consider the fate of the lead singer for a long enough time. After my father died a few years ago, I found it almost impossible to listen to any variation on “All I Want for Christmas” without tearing up. But I've gotten to the point where I can actually listen to the song with dry eyes now.

5. Real or artificial tree: My bride-to-be is pushing me to get an artificial tree next year and given my druthers, that's probably what I'd get this year. However, this year I will have no Christmas tree of my own. So my answer is “none of the above.”

6. Favorite Christmas edible treat: Do tamales count as a Christmas treat? Actually, my Hispanic relatives like to make them for New Year's Eve but I suppose they could count as a Christmas treat.

7. White lights or multi-colored: Oh, multi-colored, most definitely.

8. How many Christmas parties will you go to this year?: Not that many. I plan to celebrate Christmas at least three different times this year: once with mi mejor amiga, once with my mother and my siblings, and once with mi novia's family. So that's kinda like a Christmas party, right?

9. Favorite act of friendliness to perform during this season: My last act of charity was giving a loan to a family member without any expectation of ever getting paid back. As much as I'd like to do, I doubt I'll be going out of my way to perform any similar act this year. I feel I'm doing well just to conduct myself in a civil manner without giving in to the stress of the holiday season.

10. Favorite sounds of Christmas: Christmas carols. Christmas bells. The crunch of people walking through newly fallen snow on a day in which I don't have to go to work. The laughter of kids on Christmas morning.

11. Favorite things to wear: I have no favorite things to wear.

12. Favorite Christmas movie/ TV special: How the Grinch Stole Christmas is always a favorite. So is the original version of Miracle on 34th Street.

13. Favorite Christmas episode of a TV series: For some odd reason, I'm partial to the Blackadder Christmas Special. Perhaps because it's such an obvious antidote to the more saccharine holiday specials one so often sees this year.

14. Eggnog or hot chocolate: Neither of these are all that good for me, but if I had to choose, it would be eggnog. Of course, ponche (Mexican fruit punch) wouldn't be a bad alternative. Nor would apple cider be unwelcome.

15. Favorite Christmas book: Dickens A Christmas Carol, natch. And a certain Connie Willis book, as well.

16. Christmas books on my “to read” list: Terry Pratchett's Hogfather is on my “to re-read” list, thanks to a recommendation on the Shanna Swendson site. And I probably should re-read A Christmas Carol while I'm at it.

17. Peppermint or cinnamon: Canela (cinnamon) most definitely.

18. What's on top of my tree: I don't have a tree. But my mother's tree used to have one of those pointed ball-in-the-middle-of-a-spike ornaments at its top but now it has a star. My bride-to-be would probably prefer an angel.

19. Traditional Christmas meal growing up: Either turkey or ham. If not tamales.

20. Online shopping or traditional “go to the store” shopping: Traditional, natch. I occasionally order things online but not for Christmas.

21. Something received as a Christmas gift as a child that you still have: Memories?

22. How many Christmas cards you have mailed so far: At least fifteen.

23. Favorite source for Christmas idea: ???? I'm not sure what this means. The Bible?

24. Coordinate/themed or hodge-podge tree decorations: I wish I had the fashion sense to pull off the former but it's usually the latter by default for me.

25. What's at the top of my Christmas list: Not much as far as material goods are concerned. Indeed, all the fuss over Black Friday has made me less than eager to make any sort of wish list. And most of what I truly want are things that one can't buy in a store: for example, the good health and good fortune of my friends and family. I'm not just saying that to sound like a goody-goody. It's true.

26. Roles you played in Christmas plays/pageants: I never was one for the Christmas play/pageant thing. My middle brother still gets kidded for his role in one back in grade school so it's probably just as well.

27. Wrapping paper or gift bags: Usually both, depending upon the length of time I have to devote to wrapping presents. Ideally, wrapping paper. With ribbons and bows.

28. When do you put up the tree: In my mother's house, we used to put it up after Thanksgiving. But lately it seems like we're lucky if it's up before Christmas Eve.

29. When do you take the tree down: You take Christmas trees down? Seriously, we usually take it down after New Year's Eve.

30. Do you have a nativity scene: I should, but I don't. My mother does, though.

31. Hardest person to buy for: My future in-laws. And my brother-in-law. Of course, most of my siblings say that I'm very hard to buy for.

32. Easiest person to buy for: Mi novia. She's very vocal about what she likes.

33. Worst Christmas gift you ever received: I don't remember receiving such a gift. My mind has mercifully erased such a gift from my memory, if in fact I ever received such a gift at all.

34. When do you start shopping for Christmas: Sunset at Christmas Eve, doesn't everybody? Seriously, I usually start the first week of December. Christmas shopping in November just seems creepy to me.

35. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present: No. I once gave one of my siblings a cassette tape that was already in my collection as a birthday gift but I've never recycled Christmas presents.

36. Travel at Christmas or stay home: For many years, my family traveled to Detroit each Christmas. I often miss these times even though winter travel on a bus, train or even airplane isn't all that great. However, now I usually stay home.

37. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer: No, but I can come close. And at least I always remember Rudolph.

38. Open presents Christmas eve or morning: Ideally, Christmas morning unless we're visiting someone else's house. Then it's Christmas eve.

39. Most annoying thing about this time of year: The way holiday weather and holday traffic combine to make driving to work an even bigger pain than usual. Plus the way jerky people fail to stop being jerky people during a season which theoretically should have no jerky people.

40. What I love most about Christmas: I love a different thing each year. Christmas snow -- if I don't have to shovel it or drive in it; Christmas lights; Christmas decorations; Christmas songs (if they're songs I'm not yet burnt out on), and so on. Being with my friends and family, as corny as it seems, is the one thing I love most.

If you've read this far and you haven't been tagged yet by this meme, then you're tagged now. And that goes for all of you who read this blog -- all three of you....

Feliz Navidad!