100 things

My writing book suggested to help find inspiration; make a list of one hundred things that you love.  hmm..seems easy enough.  It encourages to write the obvious (chocolate) and not so normal (watching a squirrel run through branches).  It is supposed to be an exercise to help you include things that you love into your novel. 

I highly suggest making this list.  It was a great reminder to all the little things that I love about everyday life.  Those small, gratifying moments that are so simple but oh so sweet.  Here's my list to help you think about yours:

1. Brandon's neck smell
2. Booboo's slobbery, spitty, open mouth kisses
3. hoodies
4. hot tea
5. our bed comforter
6. books with beautiful writing
7. turning right on red
8. car seat warmers
9. hot showers
10. blue moon beer
11. sun on my face
12. the smell of fall
13. screen doors
14. swings
15. close-up pictures
16. facebook comments on my photo albums
17. laughing
18. my sisters' laughs
19. my mom's hands
20. my dad
21. toast & jam
22. rubber boots
23. chunks of chocolate/cookie dough/brownie/etc in ice cream
24. learning
25. watching movie trailers online
26. sharpie markers
27. sifting through books at the library with NO or FULL intent of buying them
28. fireplaces
29. roasted asparagus
30. ranch dressing
31. people that can pull off wearing bulky rings
32. Holy Cross church
33. clapping or keeping the beat along to music
34. "peace be with you" at church
35. public transportation
36. the cheers & noises at live sporting events
37. marching bands
38. the feel & tingle of someone unexpectedly reaching out to touch you while they're telling you a story
39. the phrase "kindred spirits"
40. spending time with Stephanie Morem
41. zodiac signs
42. the stars on my son's ceiling from his nightlight
43. christmas lights
44. the sound of gravel under boots
45. spooning
46. laying in B's nook
47. a fresh, clean calendar
48. spell check
49. learning new functions in excel
50. photos set to beautiful music
51. books on my night table
52. paperbackswap.com
53. re-discovering this writing notebook after so long
54. waking up a few minutes before the alarm goes off
55. Bullet's tracks all through the snow in the backyard
56. teaching at PS27
57. my study abroad experience in Costa Rica
58. getting the mail
59. receiving Christmas cards
60. physically crossing things off of a to do list
61. long, untangled, beautiful hair on a woman (or me!)
62. my Lisa's gram's boiled icing
63. occasionally, a glass of milk
64. watermelon
65. JUMPING into water
66. hot tubs
67. watching Law & Order SVU on marathon while staying in a hotel
68. pizza
69. margaritas & guacamole from Pequenas in Brooklyn
70. dancing wild
71. thank you prayers
72. a good cry
73. worn in sneakers
74. HGTV
75. movies that make me want to google their reviews after watching them
76. Wegmans
77. covering up with a blanket
78. muting TV commercials
79. actually, just being in charge of the remote
80. quick & easy cooking
81. recycling
82. string cheese
83. my own handwriting
84. organizing & planning events
85. being in charge/bossy
86. starbucks chai lattes
87. short fingernails
88. men's cologne
89. using a q-tip almost immediately after getting out of the shower
90. blush
91. a full gas tank
92. traditions
93. watching people change their minds about something they never saw from another point of view
94. meaningful lyrics
95. being thought of as funny
96. champagne
97. the way I say "sham-pag-nay" in my mind while I spell champagne
98. the notion that things exist that we don't know about yet
99. falling in love
100. empathy