Sixteen Things That Rocked About 2016.

No one can argue that 2016 had two bolts sticking out from it’s neck. In other words, it was a monster of a year.

Yes, my punnery is truly wondrous to behold, thank you very much. I know many of us are still reeling from a tumultuous few days during which the Reaper collected some of our best and brightest, but as cold as it sounds, life goes on. (It’s life’s best quality, in my humble opinion.)

Now let’s do this thing!

ONE)  Stuart didn’t die.  Of course, this is only good news if you’re Stuart, but he was insistent he be included somewhere, and he signs my paycheck (sort of) so I had little choice but to acquiesce to his request.

TWO)  I didn’t die.  So I got that goin’ for me. Which is nice.

THREE)  I didn’t become a celebrity.  Which is actually a good thing, as it explains why I’m still alive. Seriously, what the heck was 2016’s problem? If this keeps up, next year the Kardashians will be the only celebrities left.

FOUR)  The Book Outlet had their annual Boxing Week sale.  As a ginormous bookworm, this is my real Christmas. I scored two-dozen graphic novels and biographies and my daughter? Well, I don’t even want to tell you how many boxes she walked away with…

(For the record, she did the walking, I did the carrying.)

FIVE)  My 5×5 series exploded this year!  Fortunately, no one was hurt. But this really was a milestone year for The Hook. Shantelle Bisson and that guy she’s married to. Murdoch Mysteries showrunner Peter Mitchell. Dozens of CBC personalities. There were literally so many cool folks that dropped by the blog to chat this year to recount here, in fact.

SIX)  The 5×5 series branched out to conquer “new worlds”.  Super-cool television weather guys. Writers of both the TV and print variety. Talk show hosts. Even an adult film star. This was the year I managed to con convince all sorts of folks that my blog is a cool place to hang out in the blogosphere. Let’s just hope I can keep it up. The variety of blogging guests, I mean…

SEVEN)  Tweets like this:

Celebrities – and the chaos that seems to emerge from their antics – are worth their weight in gold. I’m not going to comment on whether or not Sarah Michelle Gellar should be flogged or given a pass. I’m just glad she did this; it was awesome. Humanity’s honest mistakes are far more entertaining than its successes, in my books.

EIGHT) Boy George is still alive!  Until Buffy the Vampire Slayer gets confused again, that is.

NINE)  I met one of my idols.  And he turned out to be even more down-to-earth and cooler than I ever thought he could be, considering how much he’s accomplished in life. All kidding aside, chatting with this cat is an experience I highly recommend.

You just knew I wasn’t done with this pic, right?

TEN)  Meeting one of my idols ignited a firestorm. (Sorta.)  Allowing Kevin Smith to snap a pic with me (he begged, so what could I do?) ruffled some feathers at the hotel. It passed immediately but in the end, it forced me to reexamine this blog’s focus. 

I’ve always respected guest privacy by being vague, frustratingly-so at times, but the risk of reprisal from a traveler has always hung over my balding head. And while I could have stayed the course and risked a battle down the road, I pulled back and focused on 5×5 interviews, travel tips and other assorted virtual literary shenanigans.

And it’s worked out great so far. I don’t know about you, but I love it when a seemingly-bleak situation turns around, especially when it turns in my favor.

ELEVEN)  My daughter graduated high school and got into university.  I knew I shouldn’t have blinked…

But seriously, there’s a lump in my throat typing these words; she’s grown up too fast. We can complain there’s enough time but the truth is, time is a gift we never truly appreciate or enjoy until it’s gone. And my daughter is the greatest blessing I’ve ever been given and every moment with her is a gift I feel unworthy of.

TWELVE)  I was in moving pictures!  Granted, it was my colleague Tim Moran’s proof-of-concept short for his project, Talk Show Host, and it was a brief appearance. But I had a blast.

It’s safe to say Ryan Reynold’s status as the Number One Bad Boy of Canadian actors is safe. For now.

THIRTEEN)  My wife still hasn’t kicked me to the curb!  Trust me when I say it took a lot of effort – and even more luck –  to win my wife’s heart, though it was certainly worth it. Sadly, the only problem with achieving your heart’s desire is living in fear of losing it afterwards. I live with this fear every day.

Well, this was an uplifting entry, wasn’t it?

I know it’s hard to believe, but our first encounter wasn’t quite this smooth…

FOURTEEN)  A golden age of fandom.  All new installments in the Star Wars universe. (Though one was set in the past.) Magnificent, thought-provoking Doctor Who escapades. Amazing comic book adventures that reshaped entire universes. Kick-ass action/fantasy/comic flicks. The CW’s Arrowverse. (With episodes directed by Kevin Smith, no less.)

I’ll say this: 2016 was a heckuva year to be a nerd.

FIFTEEN)  Travelers: The Good, The Bad and The Ultra-Cheap.  No examination of any period of my life would be complete without at least a mention of the thousands of guests I frequently encounter as a bellman. Whether they’re shamelessly flirting with me (at least cougars are never boring), tipping me appropriately or throwing me a handful of change for an overloaded luggage cart, the travelers that enter my orbit all leave a lasting impression on my consciousness. 

The challenge me. They inspire me. They make me question whether humanity is fit to continue on its journey. They’ve helped make me The Hook I am today.

SIXTEEN)  Fill in the blank!  This space is for you, my dear friends. Feel free to share at least one of your personal 2016 milestones in the Comments section. You know you’ve had a few. Never say I’m not a giver, people…

And that’s all I have for you today. And for that matter, for this year. Be good to yourselves and try not to overdo the New Year celebrations. Hangovers suck.

See you in the lobby in 2017, kids…