Some years have stronger “Best Of” lists than others, and 2016's list is not a strong one. But here's what I've got for this year.
Best Television: Stranger Things
By far the strongest entry on this list, Stranger Things is the best TV I've seen in years. Better than 2015's Daredevil, better even than 2014's Orphan Black. I just rewatched the entire series while doing household chores, and my opinion holds. Seriously, if you haven't seen it, go watch.
Best Movie: Captain America: Civil War
One of the main reasons I waited before posting this Best Of is because I'd wanted Rogue One or Arrival to be better than Civil War, but neither was. Rogue One was pretty good, Arrival was a bit better, but neither was as good as Marvel's 2016 blockbuster.
Best Book: Uprooted, by Naomi Novik
Uprooted was far better than I'd expected. There was something very novel about the book's big enemy being an evil infectious enchanted forest - I really enjoyed it.
Best Vacation: Disneyworld
We'd saved up for years, and finally took our Disneyworld Trip this year. It was the first vacation we've ever taken that wasn't with extended family or to visit family. We hit Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, and the girls got to wear their Halloween costumes early. And Lia and I took second place in a dance contest, which was unexpected and fun.
Best Video Game: Sentinels of the Multiverse (PC)
Because honestly, I didn't play much in the way of video games in 2016. When I did, I'd play something that I could squeeze into the 10-15 minutes of free time I might have. If I had more time, I was more likely watching a background show like Dark Matter or The Roosevelts while painting Warmachine miniatures like this or this or this.Best Accomplishment: Finishing Shoveling that goddamned three yards of bark mulch
Yes, we had three yards of bark mulch dumped in our driveway this summer, and yes, it took us months to get through that pile. But we did it.