[ 15 things that make you smile ]
1) Hearing a song I love on the radio
2) My cats when they're sleeping
3) When I get the waitress who remembers my name
4) Having a little extra money at the end of the week
5) Checking my mail
6) Getting a seat on the train
7) Anthony Rizzo's joie de vivre
8) Hearing from my niece
9) Having time for a nap
10) Hotel rooms
11) Passing a happy dog and owner on the street
12) Blue skies
13) Payday
14) A good hair day
15) A really sharp pencil with a good eraser
[ 14 things that make you frown ]
1) Feeling too full after a meal
2) Coming home to a bad smell (I have cats, so ...)
3) Throwing food away
4) When people don't use their headphones while listening to music on the train or in the office
5) Commuters who take up a seat for their stuff
6) Hauling my laundry down four flights of stairs, only to find there's no machines available
7) When I get home from the grocery store and realize I forgot to buy something I needed ...
8) ... or bought something I already had (as in, how many bottles of barbecue sauce do I really need?)
9) Still getting zits at my advanced age
10) Bullies
11) Worrying about money
12) My friend John's attitude these days (and I bet my bossiness makes him frown, too)
13) Fox News
14) Having to replace appliances (like my refrigerator and microwave!)
[ 13 things you see every day ]
1) This blog
2) My cats
3) The train tracks
4) The big tree outside my living room window
5) My day-of-the-week pill case
6) My Cubs mug
7) My briefcase
8) The TV
9) My briefcase
10) My phone
11) The cats' food and water bowls
12) My wallet
13) My keys
[ 12 things you have always wanted to try ]
1) A nice wig, so I could change my look without growing my hair out
2) The Marie Kondo method, Konmari
3) Negroni, because it was Jackie's favorite cocktail
4) Crossing Abbey Road
5) Watching a live TV show in person (like Colbert)
6) Taking a cruise
7) Skydiving
8) Cross-country skiing
9) A cross-country train trip
10) Ballroom dancing
11) Singing lessons, so I wouldn't be ashamed to do karaoke
12) Be patient enough to do my own nails ... and have them look really nice
[ 11 objects that mean a lot to you ]
1) My grandmother's Cubs jersey
2) My grandfather's ceramic jewelry box
3) My "Give Peas a Chance" Beanie Baby, because my mom gave it to me
4) My books
5) My ticket stub from Sir Paul in concert
6) My letter from John Kerry, signed in fountain pen, thanking me for working on his 2004 campaign
7) A refrigerator magnet my nephew made for me in art class when he was very young
8) My yellow ceramic egg paperweight
9) My "My Intent" necklaces
10) My little portable DVD player
11) My shower radio
[ 10 places you have been ]
1) Hollywood
2) Graceland
3) Paris
4) New York
5) Hot Springs
6) Atlanta
7) Colonial Williamsburg
8) Washington DC
9) Las Vegas
10) Key West
[ 9 of your favorite foods ]
1) Rib eye steak
2) Barbecue ribs
3) Eggs over easy
4) Wheat toast, buttered with strawberry jam
5) Pizza
6) Lox
7) Hot chocolate
8) Ice cream
9) Cheeseburger
[ 8 things you would rather be doing ]
1) Listening to the Beatles
2) Reading a good book
3) Swimming (I suddenly want to swim, but it's such a hassle to get to the pool and change and then change back and dry my hair and, oh, I have to remember to wear my glasses and not my contacts)
4) Going to the movies
5) Binge-watching Downton Abbey
6) Getting a facial
7) Laughing with my oldest friend
8) NOT worrying!
[ 7 things you would take to a deserted island ]
1) A generator of some sort
2) My laptop so I could write for pleasure
3) My iPod
4) An impressive supply of Coke
5) Sunglasses
6) Sunscreen
7) Books
[ 6 things you wish you never had to do ]
1) Worry about money
2) Buy stuff that's not fun (like toilet paper and light bulbs and dishwashing detergent)
3) Attend boring meetings
4) That part of the church service where you introduce yourself to the people sitting nearby
5) Using the ice pack on my back like my chiropractor recommends
6) Taking the stairs when my arms are full and the escalator is broken
[ 5 people that mean the world to you ]
1) John
2) Henry
3) My niece
4) My nephew
5) My oldest friend (I really miss her these days)
[ 4 of your biggest fears ]
1) Plane crash
2) Losing my independence
3) Homelessness
4) Losing John
[ 3 words to describe how you feel right now ]
Almost done here!
[ 2 things you're excited for ]
1) Finding out who the new Cubs manager will be
2) My niece's birthday is coming up
[ 1 thing you want to say to someone ]
As long as there's tomorrow, there's hope.
