top ten

Foreword: Jesus, salvation, grace, church, God, the cross, and anything else having to do with my faith will NOT be on this list. Like air or gravity: it should be a given that these things (that Jesus) would be on my list. That, like air, without Jesus there would be no list. And so, be at ease, if I were doing THAT kind of list- Jesus would certainly be #1. But He will not appear on my frivolous, secular MUST HAVES...(at least, not tonight)

10. Crayola: crayons, markers, colored pencils....it doesn't matter. I love the colors. I crave the colors. The reality that there are so many makes me happy.

9. Cookies: But not just ANY cookies- warm, fresh, out-of-the-oven cookies. Preferably chocolate chip!

8. Cool, cloudy days: A guy that I went out with in college told me that he loved cloudy days. That, in fact, he preferred them to sunny days. I didn't understand what he meant then. I thought he was crazy. But now- I know EXACTLY what he means.

7. Crocs: There is certainly nothing pretty about these shoes, but I am all about comfort over fashion. My favs are the Beach or Mary Jane styles. Any color will do!!

6. Escape Pod / Podcastle: Which are sci-fi and fantasy podcasts respectively. Talk about a boost to my imagination~ it is so much fun to have a story read to you and the voices filled in. It is so amazing how many different stories are out there waiting to be told.

5. the first step to a new journey: I have been doing this one A LOT this year. There is so much anticipation and HOPE in that first step. That feeling, that rush in itself can be intoxicating. It can be a literal journey: like going to ATL with Kevin or NYC with Mom. OR it can be figurative journey: facing my weight problem and doing something about it, confronting an old lover and finding out what went wrong, submitting a 2 weeks notice without another job to go to...

4. Dave Matthews: or more acurate pleasure-gasms from listening to Dave. (Pleasure-gasm being similar to orgasm in that there is an all-over flush of pleasure in the moment of immersion into something- just not into THAT something). Dave and I go back a long way. I think he was my first, independent musical love (independent, meaning that at the time I was introduced to Dave, there wasn't anyone else in my life that was influencing me to listen to him.) Dave, Tim, and the band do something for me that no one else can accomplish. The lyrics...the music...the jams sessions...the live performances....(sigh). Just awesome. Significant Dave moments are scattered throughout my life. Dave provides a soundtrack for so many dear memories. Will never get enough. Will always wonder at the freedom in Dave's voice. Will always feel amazed at Tim's ability to pull sounds from his guitar. Will always miss LeRoi.

3. gal pals: not just any gal pals (although I am not trying to belittle any of them!) I am speaking particularly of the kind of gal pals that love you even though you are losing a fight with Coconut Oil Hair Conditioner. The kind of gal pals that you can pig out with...the kind that challenge you to reach for more, to never settle for what you have, who love you even when you are a fashion disaster, who get tattoos with you, who encourage you to create, who aren't scared of your creations- you get the idea.

2. Jason Mraz: And I mean all things Jason- his music, his videos, blogs, pictures, his ideas, his lifestyle, his home, his lyrics. I aspire to his level of word play. I envy his avacado farm. I sing harmony with him on almost every song: to the tormented ears of all people, especially people at work. His writing is amazing. I hope to be that adept one day. I hope to see him in person one day...

1. chapstick: moist lips are important. Cracked lips, dry lips, flaking lips are BAD! Chapstick = moist lips = kissable lips = kisses = long kisses = long, wet kisses (which would be the next number on the list, but sadly, I have run out...)