A Few of My Favorite Things (Not Whiskers on Kittens)

This is a Listicle Friday post. It’s the prompt for Week 2 of the newly formatted Finish the Sentence Friday writing community. I’m cohosting with Kenya Johnson of Sporadically Yours. This week we’re sharing 10 of our favorite things.

I don’t much care for whiskers on kittens as I’m unable to breathe if I’m anywhere near a cat. Don’t get me wrong – I’m sure whiskers on kittens are adorable if you can snuggle them without needing a Hazmat suit, but they’re not one of my favorite things.

Here are 10 of mine, in no particular order except for #1 (at the end), because that is my favoritest of favorite things.

Favorite Thing 10: A Flexible Life

While there are days I’m overwhelmed and have no idea how to fit in all the things, one of my favorite things is having a flexible life. I haven’t always had one.

When my husband and I met, I was married to my job. I took phone calls from Asia at 1:00am and my computer was always open.

Today, I work part-time, volunteer at Tucker’s school, and sure, part of me misses having a more demanding career, but my life now is a flexible one.

Favorite Thing 9: Uggs and Flipflops

I’m not good at self-bragging. I’d even go so far as to say I win at being terrible at it but that sounds too close to bragging, so I’ll go with stinking at self promotion. But not stinking the best at it because again, best = bragging.

When writers publish content on other sites, or perform in shows like Listen to Your Mother, we’re asked to submit a bio with credentials.

In each bio that has room for it, I conclude with “… and she almost always leaves the house in either flip-flops or Uggs, depending on the weather.”

If you look near the two exits of this house, and my closet, there are more flip-flops and Uggs than regular-people shoes.

While I was shopping for Christmas gifts this year, I was sure Robert wouldn’t remember to get me anything, so I ordered these gorgeous Uggs for myself:

I wrapped and hid them under the futon in the basement (shhhhh – that’s where I hide all of my gifts).

But then, I had a work meeting during winter break and Robert ended up staying at home with Tucker right before Christmas.

They went shopping.

For me.

(They did well, by the way, and my gift is also on this list)

When Tucker mentioned they went shopping, I thought “UH OH,” and didn’t bring the Uggs upstairs to sit under the tree.

I brought them upstairs a few days later, because what good were they doing anybody hidden under the futon downstairs?

Robert said “Whose Uggs are those?”

Duh. Like they’d be anybody else’s. I explained my story about the Christmas gift and he probably didn’t roll his eyes. I looked away, so I’m not sure.

But aren’t they pretty???

Favorite Thing 8: Flip Flops

See above. My favorite are Reefs. I once saw a pair in Hawaii that I didn’t get, thinking that the fancier sandals I purchased were more worth the money. I wore the fancy sandals three times in twice as many years before giving them away. They hurt my feet. Flip flops never hurt your feet.

Favorite Thing 7: Shared Moments with Friends

The moments you’re almost physically ill from laughing. Others when you’re doubled over in grief. The sharing of those extremes with other people is what makes us human. It’s in the minutes and hours so powerful and unique that there is not a word that exists to describe them.

Obviously, I wish that none of us grieve, or experience loss. But the grief and the loss leads to looking for butterflies. It leads to looking into our selves and somehow more beyond ourselves than anything else sparks.

Favorite Thing 6: Apple Products

I’m addicted, although bitter because of that time when they almost supposedly went out of business and I wanted to buy stock to show my support.

My dad told me that was an emotional reason to buy. That I should use brains for stocks and not heart. I figure he owes me $$millions$$ today.

Favorite Thing 5: Lovely Sheets

I lived most of my life sleeping on crappy cheap sheets. I was only introduced to nice sheets on a business trip and realized that out of all the things in life to be cheap about, where we spend five to nine hours each day wasn’t one of them.

I love Egyptian Cotton sheets, linen sheets, and any that are soft but crisp at the same time. Thread count matters!

                      

Favorite Thing 4: Amazon

Yes, they’re talking over the world and I want small business to win and to matter but it’s hard to not acknowledge that they’ve won on convenience, free shipping, and having almost everything at the ease of a click.

I don’t enjoy malls any longer (which is weird, they were my hang-out spot in high school) and being able to order Uggs and books and everything else… Well.

Favorite Thing 3: A Foreplay-less Massage

Don’t get me wrong. Massage as foreplay is fine. Lovely, even. But sometimes, a girl just wants a massage.

One day, we went to Kohl’s and Tucker and I sat in these Homedic massage chairs while Robert looked for socks or whatever. This was my surprise Christmas gift, and it’s become one of my favorite things.

Favorite Thing 2: Outside

Maybe it’s from growing up hiking and camping, or maybe it’s an introvert thing, but I love being outside (unless I’m nesting in my sheets reading or doing nothing). There’s something about the sky and stars that reminds me that there’s a whole world out there.

Women, like me, sitting in a kitchen or on a stoop. Having more in common than not. Having thoughts that feel like dough, or lava.

1: My Son’s Voice

I vividly remember waking up when Tucker was three or four years old. I’d heard, clear as blue skies, his voice. At that point, I’d never heard his voice but for a few random “ah’s,” a “Mommy” here and there… but never in a sentence. In my dream, he spoke a sentence, and it was magic.

I woke, thinking “HE SPOKE!”

Once I realized it was a dream, I felt utter loss. Defeat, even.

The letdown of dream-realization was thick and real. I sat in the dark and wondered whether I’d ever hear my son say “I love you too, Mommy.”

Until I did. I do. I hear his voice today (he even says “I love you, too”) and it’s music.

Sure, there are days when hearing “I’m bored!” make me want to stab my kitchen table with a fork, but hearing my not-so-little little boy’s voice will forever be one of my favorite things.

Also? He’s FUNNY. That’s another of my favorite things. Favorite thing 11, if you will…

 

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This has been a Finish the Sentence Friday post, in the new format. Also, if you click on a product link here, it may be an affiliate link which means that at no extra cost to you, I’ll earn a few cents toward my next pair of Uggs, or, more likely, a cup of coffee.

Next week’s FTSF prompt is a Stream of Consciouness post, where we will be writing for 5-minutes on the optional prompt “Winter.”