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Personal best. What 2013 did for me.

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For all its trials, hardships, wars and woes, 2013  still managed to inject some wonderful stuff into our busy, pressured lives. So, with 2014 snapping at our heels, this would be an appropriate moment to celebrate the things which enhanced the human condition in the last twelve months. Particularly if that human happens to be me.

Ladies and gentlemen, a ripple of applause please, for the 30 best things about 2013.

1. Emmerdale: why must we endure the annual 'Stenders vs. Corrie showdown, when the most enjoyably addictive soap isn't set in Salford or Walford, but the Yorkshire Dales?

2. Arcade Fire: a band who have managed to sneak up on me with exquisite stealth and then explode in my ears with the quite brilliant 'Reflektor' album. The title track is especially stunning.

3. Twitter: still the leading source of banter, debate, entertainment, humour and breaking news the world has ever enjoyed. Unlikely to change, regardless of the continued popularity of that other thing.

4. David Bowie: simply marvelous to see the old boy refusing to play by the rules, and knocking out intelligent, unexpected music in his seventh decade.

5. Cornbury: the unbroken sunshine certainly helped; but this is still the discerning punter's summer festival of choice. Great facilities, beautiful setting and a quality line-up every year.

6. Gravity: at last, a proper movie. Tiny cast, massive location and thrilling from beginning to end. Raises the bar for the whole industry.

7. Grayson Perry: I'm no fan of modern art, much less ceramics, but this wag in a baby dress is endearing, witty and smart in almost every setting. A national hero in the making.

8. Danny Baker: pleasingly healthy again, Danny still leaves other radio presenters twirling in his dust.

9. The Aldi campaign: a masterclass in transforming something a bit grubby and low-rent into a brand brimful of good humour and good value. Every execution is a winner - and there were many of them.

10. A decent summer: a happy reminder that Britain can match Florida and Greece for sunshine, albeit very occasionally. It was like 1976 all over again for a while there.

11. On The Brink by Hank Paulson: head-spinning account of the financial meltdown of 2008, written by a man handed the unenviable task of saving the world.

12. John Lewis Christmas window displays: a simple idea (building animals out of products) brought to fruition with care, character and unrivaled creativity. Selfridges must have been spitting.

13. Rewind The Film by Manic Street Preachers: time, I think, to admit The Manics are now the best rock band in the UK by quite some distance. An effortlessly accomplished album, full of emotion and invention.

14. BBC4: worryingly, some stuffed suits had a plan to close this outpost of fascinating documentaries and tremendous vintage music. Fellas, this is exactly why we pay for the BBC.

15. Peter Capaldi: although the peerless political comedy of 'The Thick Of It' is now behind us, the announcement of Capaldi as the next Doctor brought a smile of agreement to a thousand faces.

16. The House I Live In: hypnotically involving and fiercely insightful documentary dissection of America's relationship with narcotics. Should be required viewing for every politician, law-maker and cop.

17. Equal marriage: common-sense and compassion in action. And not a moment too soon.

18. Paul Mason on Northern Soul: who knew one of the BBC's best journalists (now at Channel 4) was a lifelong devotee of Northern Soul? Well, thanks to his warm and authentic film, we all do. And that's a very good thing.

19. Public Service Broadcasting: what would it sound like if somebody layered World War Two, morale-boosting samples over hooky, indie instrumentals? Pretty fabulous, as it turns out.

20. Tinned pears: the prince of all fruits, and the only one that tastes better from a can. Have eaten a lot of these this year.

21. Ruts DC: I had almost forgotten this sequel punk band until I caught their stripped-down and watertight set in early December. My gig of the year (alongside Steely Dan in New York).

22. Jim Carter: feels as though he's been on our screens and in our ears for a lifetime. And now, as Carson the Downton butler, receiving the global recognition he deserves.

23. Commander Chris Hadfield: astronauts have always had respect and allure, but thanks to the tweeter from space and his space-station Bowie cover, they're now very hip too.

24. New by Paul McCartney: without notice, Sir Paul hits a purple patch and slings out an album packed with Beatles-quality material and clearly enjoys it enormously.

25. Modern Life Is Goodish: Dave Gorman brings his Powerpoint comedy exclusively to the Dave channel and produces one of the few, genuinely funny shows of the year.

26. Obamacare: not quite embedded in US society yet, but is obviously an enormous step towards the equitable and just health system America has lacked for so long. The perfect legacy for the country's first black President.

27. Gogglebox: a show which films regular folk watching the week's TV would be awful wouldn't it? Incredibly, it is actually the most amusingly unmissable thing on the telly this year.

28. Russell Brand: he ought to be intolerably annoying (and to some he is). In fact, his impish charisma, and winning audacity feels strangely essential.

29. Sad Angel by Fleetwood Mac: outrageously overlooked, and almost perfect comeback single, proves Lindsay Buckingham  is one of the world's most underrated artists.

30. Pussy Riot: astonishingly brave, neo-punk, feminist activists are jailed for challenging a brutally conservative regime. Triumph ensues as they are freed for Christmas.

Happy New Year, everybody.

Magnus Shaw is a blogger, copywriter and consultant

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