The List….and how our brains work

My 40th birthday (gasp, wheez, faint) is rapidly approaching.  Ava asked me to write a list of my 40 Favorite Things – do you see the theme here?  Below is the list in black, Ava’s comments in red, my comments back in green, and then Isabella’s in blue.  I’m posting it here because I was requested to do so by a constant reader (god bless her, really!)  The point is, you can really “hear” us in these comments.  Enjoy.  Or not.  Normal people may not find this amusing in any way.  I will not think less of you.

1.My husband He’ll appreciate the top billing.wish i could say the same 

2.My kids

3.My family

4.Books – all books – every genre

5.Movies – especially action and 80’s teen movies (Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink [apparently anything Molly Ringwald was in.] ) I hate molly Ringwald, I’m surprised you don’t hate her since we look like her. It used to bother me back then, but now not so much. When I was in high school I worked at a movie theater, believe me I heard it 2 or 3 times a night.  I can’t watch her act now that she’s an adult.  She’s very annoying and not very good. I have an eighth grade picture of myself that you would swear is molly ringworm, I mean Molly ringwald

6.Buddha & Kwan Yin (the female representation) ditto Kwan yin sister!

7.Ganesha – the Remover of Obstacles, Patron of Letters – often represented with a broken tusk in his hand to write with – “patron saint” in Hindu religions for writing and writer’s block.  Besides, he’s an elephant (see #36) I have him next to my bed…i might need a different kind of elephant for other problems…

8.Cookies – store bought then Oreos, home made then Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip You like store bought cookies better than homemade? NO – but if I’m going to eat store bought cookies I want them to be Oreos.

9.Ice Cream – chocolate chip from Baskin Robbins or cheese cake with Heath bars from Marble Slab Creamery  We should go to Marble Slab for lunch on Friday.

10. DisneyLand – NOT DisneyWorld I want to go to Disneyland in Dec.I want to go to DisneyLand now. I never want to go to Disneyland again…

11. Good Friends Shouldn’t you just have put my and Ava’s names here? Yes, probably.  I think we should rank higher…at least over disneyland : )

12. Shoes – pretty shoes, comfy shoes, cute shoes, all shoes. horribly uncomfortable shoes, shoes for the sake of shoes…

13. Coach purses.  I think the skies just parted…AMEN! , in the non-jesus-ish amen sort of amen. the more i type amen the more it looks like hymen. interesting…

14. Tiffanys – the pretty blue boxes.

15. Wine, Hard Cider (Ace Pear!) and Lambic

16.Sleeping late on 1000 thread count sheets

17.Giggling

18. Writing Number 18?  Your talent has ranked it otherwise.

19. Shopping – see above re: shoes, Tiffanys, Coach

20. Hawaii – especially the North Shore of Kauai – Napali Coast, Hanalei, Princeville

21. Cruises – especially to the Caribbean – St. Lucia, St. John & Antigua

22. Mexican food – cheese enchiladas mmmmmmmmm.

23. Puppies – all fuzzy sweet puppies – especially ones with long ears and big feet who sleep on the table and make a racket while you’re on the phone. And forsake me for my husband.  I swear he’s in love with the man.

24. Pirates – the cool, sexy ones.  Not the Somali type.  See next entry.  See next entry…

25.Johnny Depp – mmmmmmm  Johnny is mine, sorry.  I will call him and see if he can come to your party but you’ll have to keep your hands to yourself.  The birthday girl gets extra privileges doncha know  He’s all yours ladies.  I am saving myself for the very specific, battle-encrusted, skirt-wearing, dreadlock-bearing whats-his-name from that one movie. Crap, I think I have Alzheimer’s.

26. tattoos – I know, but they really are addictive What happens when the girl wants a tattoo?  I’ve been telling her that tattoos and ear piercing are EXQUISITLY painful.  She totally believes me, at least for now.  and I can’t talk my daughter into one for anything…

27. Pedicures & red polish

28. Red Vines – super fresh – I like to tie them in a knot and put the whole thing in my mouth at once.  Sounds like something in a Sherrill Quinn book : )

29. Godiva Chocolate – although usually I don’t get that much of it because either The Bandit or the Dog eats it.  Chocolate will kill your dog but not your kid. Well after they’ve eaten my chocolate, I often want them dead.

30. Presents.  I LOVE getting presents. I have witnessed this euphoria…2 years ago, she opened the presents while the people were in the backyard, before it was present time, then she pretended she had no idea what was in the gift bag when they all came back in and she “opened” them. It was a sight to behold…

31. The Muppets.  That includes Sesame Street.  Especially Grover, Snuffelupugus!, The Swedish Chef, Bunson Honeydew and Beaker, Fozzie Bear, Stattler and Waldorf – really, why limit yourself.

32. Bruce Springsteen – The Boss – Favorite songs of all time – Thunder Road and Born to Run

33. Live blues – one of the best concerts ever was Buddy Guy at the Cajun House in Phoenix

34. My iPod

35. Massages – best if followed up by #27

36. Elephants  WHY? They are matriarchal, they have amazing nurturing abilities, the species is fascinating is so many ways and they look cool.  The African ones are bigger and cooler looking than the Asian ones.  Remind me to tell you a really amazing study they did once.  Blew my mind.  Elephants are one of only two animal species besides humans who will tend to the sick and infirm.  (African weasels the other one, but they are icky and don’t have trunks.) Also, they call the females ‘cows’, which is how i feel right now. well, except for the lactating part.  thank god. as in the the godless wonder of a god, not actually god.

37. Lady Bugs

38. Winning – at anything I’m competing for and just in general.  And you make fun of me! I’m only making fun of you cause you’ll lose to meWith my feeble, diseased brain, I thought this said WHINING. I was laughing and ready to contribute that I, too , am a champion whiner. but nevermind.

39. Sea food – alive they freak me out, but dead and with butter, dear God, Lobster, Crab and Shrimp.  I didn’t know this about you. didn’t know what?  That I love to eat them or that I’m afraid of them when they’re alive?  Seriously, they’re very scary looking.  Very spider like. i wont mention any of this to my vegetarian daughter. she would have nightmares of a buttery mouth savoring seafood.

40. Heirloom jewelry – specifically my Great Grandma’s wedding ring – I wear it every day.  On May 31, 2017 it’ll be 100 years old.