I’m an odd amalgamation of free-spirited, crunchy-granola-earth mother and Type-A, follow-all-the-rules list maker. It makes for an interesting life. Lists relax me, they release some stress, and in many cases they’re actually pretty fun. So because I really need to start this week on a calm, relaxed note (Novel-writing and Thanksgiving baking in the same week? I shudder at the thought!), here are some of my fun lists.
Things I Miss About Autumn in the East:
- The smell of wood smoke when I step outside.
- Leaves in bright colors.
- Hiking amongst said leaves.
- Flannel sheets
- Hot soup as a necessity to warmth.
- Boots, gloves, hats, scarves.
- Hay rides and bon fires.
- S’mores at said bon fires.
- Watching White Christmas and Meet Me in St. Louis with my mom.
- That cozy evening feeling when it’s cold and dark outside.
- Watching Big Ten football with my dad.
Writing Necessities:
- A hot beverage, preferably tea.
- Candles
- Solitude
- White noise or calming music. (Damien Rice, various classical artists, Explosions in the Sky, and Norah Jones are among my favorites.)
- A handy thesaurus, just in case.
- Being totally ready: hair done, teeth brushed, dressed as though I were going to see people, etc. (I’m always more productive this way.)
Things I Miss About Being a Kid:
- Getting lost in a book all day because I had nothing else to do or worry about.
- Not caring about what other people thought.
- Discovering amazing things, like science and literature and art, for the first time.
- Halloween. It was so much better as a kid.
- Being innocent to the world.
- Visiting my grandparents.
- The exhilaration of Christmas morning.
- School. (Not even kidding!)
- The comfort of having my parents in charge, not me.
- Having my own room
Things I Liked as a Kid that Make Me Smile When I Remember Them:
- Barbies; Beanie Babies; Doodle Bear; Polly Pockets; the game Trouble; jump rope and tag at recess; playing dress-up; running through the sprinkler; the Columbus Zoo; tea parties; finger painting
- The Muppet Show; Reading Rainbow; Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood; Bill Nye the Science Guy; The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show; Letter People; Shelly Duvall’s Fairy Tale Theatre
- Muppet Treasure Island; The Wizard of Oz; Pete’s Dragon; Chitty Chitty Bang Bang; Babes in Toyland; The Sound of Music; Mary Poppins; Brigadoon
- Nancy Drew; The Wind in the Willows; Charlie and the Chocolate Factory; Rabbit Hill; Dusty Mole, Private Eye; Alice in Wonderland; Heidi; The Twenty-One Balloons; Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH; From the Mixed-UP Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
Things I’m Excited About:
- Thanksgiving: parade, food, all of it!
- Christmas!!!
- The Hobbit movie
- Getting a Christmas tree on Friday.
- Colder weather
- Skyping with my family this week.
- Finishing this novel. NaNoWriMo, I am ready for you to be over!
- My birthday
- The bubble bath I’m taking tonight.
- The book I’m reading. Deborah Harkness is just fantastic!
Lovely Little Things 