2011 has been another controversial year. We've seen ups, downs, and in-betweens. There will always be an argument about who and what deserves to be the most remembered, highly regarded of the year. I know I'll never forget 2011, and especially these faces. I know you won't.

Here's a top 10 of 2k11 that I feel confident standing behind.

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10. My Uncle Frank and his new live-in girlfriend Francine

Uncle Frank had a huge year this year. No one thought he could top his 2k10, especially after being promoted, but due to a series of fortunate circumstances, he is finally going to be able to retired AND he finally found a nice woman who he will be settling down with. If any one deserves some one to love him, it's definitely Frank. The two have great chemistry, that's for sure.

Some say that Frank did things the wrong way, utilizing loopholes in the local scene, but you have to admire his courage and relentlessness to make a better life for himself and Francine.

9. My dad's friend Ray and his son Raymond Jr.

It has been a really tough year for my dad's friend Ray and his son 'Junior.' After an unfortunate deep sea fishing accident, they lost Ray's wife Jenna. Ray hit the bottle very hard for about a month. He ended up with a DUI and his son was placed in custody of the state. Ray went to AA, got his life together, and started the small business of his dream. Right now, he has the 3rd highest grossing independent plumbing service in the greater Minnesota area. He transfered Ray Jr. to a private school, what his mom always wanted. What a year for Ray!

Many critics say that Ray didn't deserve to be in the top 10 after falling so low in the first half of the year, but when you take a step back and look at his entire body of work, slotting him at #9 pays homage to a year worth celebrating.

8. Dr. Michael Moorehouse, Academic Dean at my community college

Michael Moorehouse has turned his community college into a powerhouse, helping 70% of enrollees achieve the Associate's Degree of their dreams. He recently implemented a Criminology department in collaboration with the local police force and was voted one of the Commmunity College Academic Deans to watch by AcademicDeans-Dot-Info Magazine.

Some say he went over the line for suspending student Hector Vasquez on his third strike after a parking ticket, but that's the way Moorehouse is turning things around. He truly believes in what he is doing, earning him a #8 spot.

7. Pamela Karam

Pamela works at the front desk of the building that I work in, and greets me every morning with a smile. She has four young children and was recently abandoned by her husband. That doesn't mean she's given up. She had the courage to ask her boss for a raise, even if it meant more responsibility. After creating a solid reputation with the office for 10 years of service, she was able to get a 12% raise, which is completely unheard of in the industry.

Pamela proves that it pays to be loyal.

6. Luke & Betty Cho, co-owners of Garden Inn Cleaners

You'd be surprised how difficult it is to get a pressed pair of pants in this town, especially without the chemicals that can actually harm your skin and respiratory system. Luke and Betty Cho changed the game 35 years ago when they moved to America and started Garden Inn Cleaners with ancient secrets from their Vietnamese homeland. With an established customer base who trust the quality of their work, they are the proud owners of the #1 dry cleaners in town. Even though it is 10 miles out of the way, I still go to Garden Inn. One time they lost my Dockers slacks but they even had the decency to reimburse me with a $50 gift card to Macy's.

Luke and Betty are happily married with 3 sons, all currently attending Stanford. Yes, they've been around a long time, but they still bring their A-Game.

5. Joseph Katzenbury

Joseph had been paying off his house's mortgage for the past 30 years, and finally sent in his final payment in July of this year. Boy, was he tired of that place. He was able to break even on the sale of his house despite the crummy market, clearing around $76k for his 3BR, 2 bathroom house. He paid off his credit card debt and moved into the town home of his dreams. Although the space is smaller and he did have to have a garage sale to liquidate some of his possessions, the space is just right for him. He even had the Geek Squad from Best Buy install a flat screen TV on the wall. You can find him there during baseball season, watching his favorite team, the Boston Red Sox.

We could all learn a lot from Joseph Katzenbury.

4. Megan Vermes and Esperanza Holland

Megan and Esperanza have been friends since kindergarten. They've some how been in every grade together, and even went off to college together at the University of Maryland. Both majoring in English and Creative Writing, they have decided to go on to a law school in town. This picture is of Megan and Ezzie celebrating in Cancun after the completion of their degrees. They deserve it after years of hard work, but more importantly, years of being true friends.

3. The Staff at the Little Caesar's Pizza in the strip mall by my house

It's way harder to find a quality pie than you realize. I'm talking pizza pie. The innovation behind the Little Caesar's business model is that at any moment, you can go into their restaurant and pick a pizza that is hot and ready to go. The staff at Little Caesar's is always helpful and accommodating. If I need a pizza cut into squares, they are ready to make the proper incisions. I'm no foodie, but I'll be darned if you don't think the menu item 'Crazy Bread' is one of the best breadsticks in the world. Even better than the free ones they give away at Olive Garden.

Congrats to the staff at Little Caesar's on another great year, showing us what pizza should be.

2. Leonore Delmar

Some people say that Leonore Delmar works too hard, but you don't know what she's been thru. She grew up in a series of foster homes, worked 3 jobs in high school, put herself through college, and was granted a full scholarship to the School of Public Health Master's Program. Right now, she is trying to change the menus at schools across the country in order to reduce costs, but also help the children to develop healthier eating habits. An obese woman herself, Leonore is trying to keep children from eating their feelings in the same way she has felt like she had to.

Some say she's crazy, some says he's a dreamer, but you can't deny the progress she's made in 2k11. I haven't seen her higher than #14 on most lists, but if you really sit down with her and listen, you'll understand why she is a human to watch in the coming years.

1. Gary Plunkett

Gary Frickin Plunkett. What else is there to say? He dominated headlines this year by grandstanding at city council and school board meetings, but there was a purpose behind what he was doing. Sure, we all know Gary, and he's always been there for us. When my family was poor, he would often deliver a turkey and a can of cranberry sauce for us to celebrate Thanksgiving. I'm not biased, though.

This year, Gary purchased a new F350, the truck of his dreams. Although the gas milage could be better, it's a price to pay for a ride that he truly loves. Yes, he and his wife did get divorced, and he was rumored to have been cheating on her. That doesn't make it right, and it doesn't make it wrong--that's not what I'm trying to say. My argument is just based on the time between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2011, Gary Plunkett made the biggest impact possible, no matter what happened in his personal life.

It's just weird to be in the whole blogging scene, and we focus so much on everything that isn't important. Gary is a perfect example of this phenomenon. Sure, we throw Gary Plunkett's name into headlines to get hits, we analyze his intentions and his way of life, and we do our best to discredit him on any level. But that doesn't stop Gary Plunkett from doing what Gary Plunkett does. Even making this list would make Gary shake his head because he's not in it to be #1. He's in because he's Gary Plunkett.

Take away the distractions, the headlines, the controversy, and still, no one came close to Gary Plunkett. Next time you see him drive by in his F-350, take a deep breathe and understand that you are in the presence of greatness.

Who was ur #1 of 2k11?
Was Gary Plunkett overrated?
Did Little Caesar's get shafted?
Can Leonore Delmar keep growing as a person?
R u going to go to Garden Inn Cleaners?
Can Pamela Karam continue to grow or has she reached her ceiling?
Will Ray relapse? Will the state take away Raymond Jr again?
Do blog critics overrated Gary Plunkett?
Who will you remember in 2k11?
Who was 'left off' this list?

Gary Plunkett

Gary Plunkett is one of 2011's uplifting storis and bright spots according to blogs, websites, and other luminaries.

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