Picking the year's biggest story: A playoff

 I believe in competition. I also believe I can fly and that children are our future, but those are both future columns.

This is about competition. Unlike most year-in-review news stories, I don't just issue rankings. I hold a tournament: December Madness.

I've picked the top eight stories of the year, based on how they affected me – meaning you may not agree. But that's the beauty of the playoff: It ends debate.

The winner of this tournament will be the year's biggest story!

Let's get started.

QUARTERFINALS

Highway project milestones vs. Mrs. Brad surgery

The Highway 12 expansion through Jameson Canyon finished late this summer, simplifying the Napa-Fairfield commute. Also, the long-awaited Interstate-680/Interstate-80 interchange project (at least Phase I) started, resulting in a screwy lane swerve. Those were important, but Mrs. Brad had an internal organ removed Dec. 1, which affected me more. Without going into detail, let's just say I can no longer shout "you've sure got a lot of gall!" at her. Mrs. Brad's surgery advances to the semis.

Madison Bumgarner wins World Series vs. Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 disappears

The Giants won their third World Series in five years because their young pitcher won two games and saved a third, an epic performance that earned him Sports Illustrated's Sportsman of the Year honor. Meanwhile, hundreds of passengers and a huge plane disappeared, leading to months of speculation about their whereabouts and one extremely mistimed column making light of it. The Giants made me feel good, the plane taught me a painful lesson about satire. Bumgarner advances.

My career change vs. California drought

In October, I left regular journalism and moved to a new job in a new city. Meanwhile, there was no rain for most of the year, then downpours in December. Which do you think affected me more? I'm selfish. My career change advances.

My novel is published vs. Ebola outbreak

In February, my novel, "Not Quite Camelot," was finally published. It was nice to see it in print and people were extremely gracious about it (looking for a late Christmas present? It's on Amazon!). Later in the year, the Ebola virus killed thousands in Africa and threatened to become the pandemic we've feared and Hollywood has foreshadowed. I'm selfish, but not that selfish. Ebola outbreak advances.

SEMIFINALS

Mrs. Brad's surgery vs. Madison Bumgarner wins World Series

Let's look at it this way: I love Mrs. Brad, but other people have had that surgery. Nobody's done what Bumgarner did: Six relief innings just two days after a complete game. In Game 7 of the World Series. Sorry, Mrs. Brad, but Bumgarner advances to the finals.

My career change vs. Ebola outbreak

Both became big in October. Both resulted in people suddenly feeling worse. But my career change didn't keep health officials up at night trying to find a solution, it only kept my new boss up trying to find a solution. Ebola spreads (pun intended) to the championship round.

CHAMPIONSHIP

Madison Bumgarner wins World Series vs. Ebola outbreak

Ebola threatened the security of our country. It changed the way people travel. It promoted some potential breakthroughs in treatment. But Bumgarner had the most epic World Series performance of my lifetime and helped the Giants become the dominant team of this decade. Of course, it's MadBum's world. His World Series performance was the biggest deal of 2014. (Start playing "We are the champions" and release the confetti!)

Brad Stanhope is a former Daily Republic editor. Reach him at bradstanhope@hotmail.com.

Time for annual Solano County quiz

 It's almost Christmas, which means one thing: It's time for the annual "How Well Do You Know Solano County" quiz.

That's right! Time to see how well you know your home county. Time to see if you can remember details about the region.

Write down your answers to the following 20 questions, check them against the answers provided and see how well you score. Good luck! (Which is what "Benicia" means in Spanish, if you're not too specific about accuracy.)

THE QUESTIONS

1. What five counties share a border with Solano County?

2. Which two Solano County cities have been the capital of California?

3. Solano County is named after Chief Solano. What was his real name?

4. Name the four interstate freeways and six state highways that run through Solano County.

5. There are two general aviation airports in the county (not Travis Air Force Base). In what cities are they located?

6. In what year did a Republican presidential candidate win Solano County in a general election?

7. Within 10, how many rainy days (more than 0.01 inches of rain) are there in an average year in Fairfield?

8. Two products of Fairfield high schools were taken in the first round of last spring's NFL draft. Who were they and from what schools?

9. Vacaville has the highest per-capita concentration in the world of what, according to its daily newspaper?

10. What 2014 candidate for governor of California was from Solano County?

11. What is the only city in the county with more men than women (112 men for every 100 women)?

12. Rank Fairfield, Suisun City and Vacaville in terms of median household income in 2000 (the last year for which it's available).

13. Rank Fairfield, Suisun City and Vacaville in terms of population density (people per square mile).

14. Name the two members of the House of Representatives who represent Solano County.

15. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, what are the oldest and youngest cities in Solano County, based on the median age of residents?

16. In what year's census did Solano County's population surpass 100,000?

17. What was Solano County's leading crop (by money) in 2013?

18. Within 1,000, how many active-duty Air Force personnel are stationed at Travis Air Force Base?

19. How many Solano Community College campuses are there in the county?

20. Which was the last of Solano County's seven cities to legally incorporate?

ANSWERS

1. Contra Costa, Napa, Sonoma, Sacramento, Yolo.

2. Benicia, Vallejo.

3. Sem Yeto.

4. Interstates 80, 680, 780 and 505. Highways 12, 29, 37, 84, 113, 220 (6 miles on Ryer Island).

5. Vacaville (Nut Tree) and Rio Vista.

6. 1984 (Ronald Reagan).

7. 60.

8. Jason Verrrett (Rodriguez High School, San Diego Chargers) and Deone Bucannon (Vanden High School, Arizona Cardinals).

9. Electric cars.

10. Cindy Sheehan is from Vacaville.

11. Vacaville, due to the presence of California State Prison, Solano and the California Medical Facility.

12. Suisun City ($60,848), Vacaville ($57,667), Fairfield ($51,151).

13. Suisun City 6,752 people per square mile, Vacaville 3,233, Fairfield 2,798.

14. John Garamendi, Mike Thompson.

15. Rio Vista is easily the oldest city with a median age of 57. Suisun City (33.0) narrowly edges Dixon (33.3) and Fairfield (33.7) as youngest city.

16. 1950.

17. Walnuts.

18. 7,200.

19. Four: Fairfield, Vacaville, Vallejo, Travis Air Force Base.

20. Fairfield, in 1903.

SCORING

16-20: Winner. You get a blue ribbon from the Dixon May Fair.

12-15: Also-ran. You can go shopping at the factory outlet stores in Vacaville.

8-13: Poor. You can take a drive to the Interstate 80-Interstate 680 interchange.

7 and below: Solano Sad.

Brad Stanhope is a former Daily Republic editor. Reach him at bradstanhope@hotmail.com.

Make your Christmas lists, check them twice

 It's the most wonderful time of the year . . . for lists.

While Santa makes his list of who's naughty and who's nice and Tony Wade makes his list of what he wants, why don't you join me in making lists of the best parts of the holiday season?

There are plenty of top-five lists to be made this time of the year and I'm the man to do it:

Best Christmas movies

5. "Home Alone." I first watched it while I had bronchitis and laughed so hard I almost threw up.

4. "A Christmas Carol." The 1951 version, with Alastair Sim as Scrooge. There have been myriad other renditions – some good, some horrible.

3. "Miracle on 34th Street." The Natalie Wood 1947 film still stands up. Whether it's the strong female lead by Maureen O'Hara, Wood's charming turn or the believable performance as Santa by Edmund Gwynn, this is a winner.

2. "It's a Wonderful Life." Sure, it's syrupy and there are some breakdowns (if Mary never meets George, her personality is totally different?), but there isn't a better scene in film than when they gather around the tree at the end and sing "Auld Lang Syne."

1. "A Christmas Story." No film gives us more cultural Christmas touchstones than this. "You'll shoot your eye out." "Fra-geel-aye." Chinese food for Christmas dinner. Red Ryder B.B. guns.

Best sacred Christmas song

5. "O Little Town of Bethlehem." Great old-school lyrics, with solid theology.

4. "O Come All Ye Faithful." This is fun to sing and allows you to belt it out – even if you have a bad voice.

3. "O Come O Come Emmanuel." This is about 1,300 years old! And it sounds beautiful.

2. "Silent Night." Is there a better song to be done by a large group of people a capella? I think not.

1. "O Holy Night." If you want to get chills, just have a really good singer sing this straight. It doesn't need riffs and runs. It's a beautiful song that talks about Jesus' birth.

(By the way, did you notice that four of the top five have the word "O" in them? Last time a top-five list had that happen, it was "top five men named Oscar.")

Best secular Christmas song

5. "Santa Claus is Coming to Town." My favorite version is by Bruce Springsteen, singing with joy.

4. "All I Want For Christmas (Is You)." Mariah Carey's 20-year-old tune is the most popular Christmas song in the past half-century.

3. "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year." Andy Williams was the king of Christmas songs. This was his pinnacle.

2. "Do They Know It's Christmas?" People think I'm joking when I say how much I love this 1984 tune that raised money to fight African hunger. I'm not. I love it.

1. "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." Originally performed by Judy Garland, in "Meet Me in St. Louis," this has been covered by nearly everyone. My favorite is by the Pretenders. Soulful, sad and evocative of a sentimental farewell.

Best Christmas traditions

5. "The 25 Days of Christmas" on ABC Family. Whether it's a cheesy movie or one of the great Rankin-Bass presentations, this signals the holiday season has begun.

4. Children's pageants. Hard to find if you don't attend church, so go to church at least once this year.

3. Getting a tree. To me, the "war on Christmas" is really a "war on real Christmas trees." NPR reports that 80 percent of trees are now artificial – meaning four-fifths of us are weak. But if you still buy a real tree, the tradition of going and getting it is always memorable.

2. Visiting Santa. I love watching the combination of terror and thrill for kids when they see Santa. Especially the terror.

1. Helping others. No time of the year brings more generosity for the less fortunate than Christmas. Whether it's feeding the homeless, contributing to The Salvation Army or doing good for people in our lives, it's the best tradition.

1A. Christmas lists. See above.

Brad Stanhope is a former Daily Republic editor. Reach him at bradstanhope@hotmail.com.

My aging home is full of sacred spots

 Here's an underrated part of living in the same place for a long time: Sacred places.

Not sacred in a religious sort of way. More like in a "remember when we used to . . ." way.

Spots that look like a backyard or entryway to someone else.

Mrs. Brad and I have lived in the same house since 1992. That's the month that George Bush and Boris Yeltsin decreed the Cold War was over. Bill Clinton wasn't president yet. Our oldest son was just learning to walk. Our youngest son wasn't born.

They're now 24 and 21. (Our sons. Not Clinton.)

In addition to the obvious benefits of staying in one place – paying down the mortgage, knowing your neighbors, not going underwater during the Great Recession – there are a growing number of places that harbor great memories around Casa de Stanhopes. Maybe it's because the boys are older and the memories come easier. Maybe it's my getting older and more sentimental.

Whatever it is, I find myself looking at our mature California pepper tree and remembering when it was a stick and served as the backstop for kickball games I played with the boys during my dinner breaks.

I look at the corner of our house and remember when our dog, the beloved Vida, used to sit on second base during those games. Second base is now the corner of our house after we added a second bathroom.

I look at our driveway and remember our oldest son staggering down it as he learned to keep his balance while our neighbors (who were the age Mrs. Brad and I are now) stood and laughed.

I see the bathroom, which we turned over to the boys after adding the one off our bedroom, and wonder how four people shared that one toilet and shower for 15 years. I also wonder about when Mrs. Brad remodeled the bathroom: We thought a day without a toilet could go smoothly.

I look at the aforementioned entryway – which is about 6 feet deep – and remember games of dodgeball and a made-up game called "entryway ball" that I played with the boys as they learned to duck, dodge and discovered that Dad could create a complicated scoring system that assured that he would always win.

I see the full backyard and remember when Vida tore our new store-bought swimming pool to pieces and then raced around the yard when we came home to find it littered with plastic.

I see the basketball hoop – now bent and beaten by years of abuse – and recall when Mrs. Brad and I huddled in the early April wind to assemble it after our youngest son's birthday as both boys eagerly watched through the sliding glass door.

There are plenty of bad memories – when we all got stomach flu at the same time, when the ceiling fan slapped me upside the head at full speed, when we dealt with unpleasant, scary issues. But that's the thing, at least for me.

After more than 20 years living in the same house – in a neighborhood, by the way, where there are a few people who have been around longer – the good memories outweigh the bad.

We expanded our house, put on two new roofs, added flooring and changed out our dishwasher about five times. We bickered, laughed and complained that it was too small. But it's our only house, the place where our sons grew up and the only home in which our youngest son has lived.

For a 1,200-square-foot tract home, it's sure full of memories.

Brad Stanhope is a former Daily Republic editor. Reach him at bradstanhope@hotmail.com.