A Few of My Favorite Things: Short List

Talking with my friend, HW, today and we were discussing this list of things we would like to do. That got me thinking about a list of my favorite things. I wrote one in a notebook once. I still have the notebook and looked up the list. The original list was written in 1994. I was 14 at the time. Some of the things on the list are still some of my favorite things. So, here is some of the original list with some new things added, because hey, it's been a few years:

The smell of new pages in a brand new book.
The place where a book takes me.
A poem
A compliment
A smile
Cream Soda flavored Dum Dum lollipops
Jelly Belly Jelly Beans
Dawn & dusk
The colors in a sunrise
The colors in a sunset
Fresh cut flowers
Birds chirping
The warm sun on my face
The sky ten seconds before it rains
The rain on my windowpane
Soft, fuzzy blankets
Fluffy pillows
Soft, fuzzy stuffed animals
A good conversation
Making someone happy or making them feel better
"The Crow"
A purring cat
New fallen snow, before it is touched
A warm fire
Making snow angels
The sound of laughter
Gram's cookies
Pap's home cooked meals
Gram's gardens
Hugs
Catching snowflakes on my tongue
Music
Dancing
Just being held
My birthday
Other people's birthdays
Looking at the stars on a clear night
My friends
Long walks
The bright autumn leaves
Dancing or walking or kissing in the rain
Thunderstorms
People watching
Warm, breezy days
Curling up with someone to watch a movie
Cuddling with my cats
Having my hair played with
Oversized sweaters
Watching people open presents
Throwing surprise parties
Bonfires
Lounging in a hammock

Something In The Air

The recent weather has seemed to kick start me. My two favorite times of the year are Spring and Fall. It's those times when the weather is just perfect. Those times also always stir up in me this desire for change.

I've recently been unhappy and mopey, which is totally not my usual self. Through most of December, until a few days ago, I had been walking around in this haze of complacency and depression. Just doing what I needed to in order to stay under the radar. People can't hurt you if they don't realize you're there. Or something like that.

Then Thursday happened. I woke up, the sun was shining, and then weather was perfect. One of my best friends was coming to town for the weekend, so I opened all the windows in the house and started cleaning. When I was finished, I just had this sense of renewal. It was like I swept all of this winter's crap right out of the door. I sat on the porch, enjoyed a glass of wine, and for the first time in months felt like myself again.

Since then I have been on this kick where I have been changing things in my life. I NEED a difference. Because I don't want to continue on like I have been. I signed up to go to POSSCON, I have been tutoring a student in Java, been working on an old computer, exercising every day, changing my diet, hanging out with friends that I haven't hung out with in a while, etc.

All of these things because why not? That's the fun in it. What else am I going to do? I have the free time. There's a saying "If you can't love yourself, then how the hell are you going to love somebody else." I need to love me again. One day at a time.