2011: Year of The Pursuit of Happiness (Sports)

By: Luke Florence

"The pursuit of happiness is a most ridiculous phrase: if you pursue happiness you'll never find it." - C.P. Snow.

With movies dominating the majority of 2011 on The King of Arguments something had to get left behind. Unfortunately, sports became the victim. It's been more than a year since I last posted about anything related to athletics at all. Some of my newer visitors have no idea that I started this blog so I could do just that ... write about sports.

Who knows if 2012 brings any more or any less sports-related posts. I can't predict the future (even though that's exactly what I attempt to do in this column). What I do know is that 2011 was the year my favorite teams (Irish, Browns, Bulls, Penguins, and Indians) were all on the pursuit of happiness.

Some came closer than others.

2011: Year of The Pursuit of Happiness (Television Shows)

By: Luke Florence

When thinking about what 2011 brought me in terms of television programming, one word came to mind.

Strange.

For the first time in four years my favorite television show was no longer around (LOST). For the first time in four years I didn't have a must-see show. For the first time in four years I simply didn't have a television show. And it felt ... strange.

After LOST went off the air in May of 2010 I took a break from TV. It wouldn't have been fair to try and watch another show after riding such an emotional high LOST provided. The best way to move on, for better or worse, is a combination of distance and time. After enough of both had passed I decided it was time to dive back in to see what television had to offer.

2011: Year of The Pursuit of Happiness (Books)

By: Luke Florence

There's something about a good book that is unparalleled in terms of entertainment value. A good book at it's best is pure creation on two fronts. One on side there is the author, the original creator who put the pen to the paper and allowed the world a glimpse inside their mind. On the other is the reader, the receiver, who takes those words and creates their own images and ideas to coincide with the words they are digesting.

In 2011 I read eight new books which took me to different places - some good, some not so much - but all of which taught me something about myself. A book doesn't have to be good to teach a lesson.

2011: Year of The Pursuit of Happiness (Movies)

By: Luke Florence

As 2010 turned into 2011 there was one song that I was listening to more than any other. It was Kid Cudi's "Pursuit of Happiness." I thoroughly enjoyed the beat, Cudi's rap style, and the message surrounding the song. So, when it came time to slap on a label for 2011, I figured Cudi's tune would be a perfect fit.

It's been a while since I've done a year-in-review post. To be exact, it's been three long years. In the past I've recapped the seasons for my six favorite teams (Bulls, Browns, Indians, Penguins, and the Irish) and then given awards for my favorite movie, favorite sporting event, etc. This year we will do things a little different.

In separate posts, I will discuss 2011 from differing angles. This first one will be my look back at movies, with subsequent posts covering television shows, books, my personal life, and of course, my sporting teams. All will lead to a more comprehensive and in-depth look at 2011 and my pursuit of happiness.

Seems fitting that we start with my 2011 review of movies due to the fact that I spent the last seven months on this blog recapping my favorite 100 films, we might as well keep that movie momentum moving. Will any film released in 2011 crack my top-100? What was my favorite film of the year? Or my favorite individual performances? Only one way to find out.