What I Am Loving These Days

Well, it's been three weeks since my last post, so I suppose I'm supposed to have something witty or important or both to say.  Since I don't, I figured I would just share with you some things I am happy about/thankful for/interested in these days.  Since I probably will be too lazy to post something else before Thanksgiving, I thought it would be a perfectly festive topic.  Here we go.  Brace yourself!

1.  Mike and the kids, family, friends, blah, blah, blah... all of the predictable ones.

Now that we've gotten that out of the way...

2. Brickbreaker - I am completely addicted to this silly game on my Blackberry but I am AWFUL at it!   I play it while I'm on the phone on hold.  I play it while stopped at red lights.  I play it while my kids are swinging on their swing set.  I even dream about it.  I hate when I end up catching the "Flip" bullet - I die every time.  I love the "laser" bullet.  I end up just shooting through everything in order to advance to the next level.  But, alas, I've never made it past the 10th level.  I hear other people bragging about getting up to level 30-something.  Bastards!

3. Fall smells - I love the crisp scent of Fall in the air.  It smells fresh and earthy from the leaves on the ground.  We live down the street from a campground so we can also smell the campfires wafting over here.  This time of year, it is lovely.  Plus, I have pumpkin pie scented reed diffusers all over my house.  I can also see the beautiful (although this year, not so much) colors in the trees as the leaves change.  I love everything about Fall.  My grandmother used to say that she didn't like Fall because that's when everything dies.  Having been a student for so long and then working for several years in higher education, the Fall was always the start of everything for me.  I love the anticipation of Thanksgiving and Christmas.  I love the smells and the colors.  I love the temperatures.  I love it all.

4. Auburn has a shot at the BCS Title - For the first time in a long time (maybe ever?), Auburn has a chance of playing for the national championship.  I realize a lot has to happen between now and the end of the season, but it's been exciting to be an Auburn fan again.  We have a Heisman candidate for the first time in a long time, too.  I said it's great...to be...an Auburn Tiger!

5.  There is a video I've seen on a couple of different websites that shows a woman solving a Wheel of Fortune puzzle after only revealing one letter.  What I love about this is that I DO THAT ALL THE TIME!  I can do it with no letters revealed!  Why is this news?  I should totally be on that show, but then I'd have to suffer the humiliation of having been on that show.  She's now recognized as a genius (by Wheel of Fortune standards, but still...) and here I sit, solving puzzles without the recognition I deserve.  But still, even in my anonymity, I have still been shown by this video that I am, in fact, a truly special person who can solve the hell out of some Wheel of Fortune puzzles.  Yay me!

6. Oprah's Farewell Season - Okay, I am not the "crazy Oprah lady" who goes out and reads all of her Book Club recommendations and purchases all of her favorite things.  I think she's self-important (even though I know she is very generous) and an alarmist, but I also think she adds a lot of value to our world.  I am loving her season so far!  She has reunited the cast of The Sound Of Music after 45 years!  She has interviewed George W. Bush and made him appear as a reasonably intelligent person.  She spoke with Lisa Marie Presley about her bizarre relationship and marriage to Michael Jackson.  She even made Ricky Martin seem interesting. 

7. The book One Day by David Nicholls - The last really good book I read. We meet a couple the morning after the first day they've met.  Each chapter takes you to that date exactly one year in the future so you can see how their lives and their relationship progresses over time.  I found myself dying to get to the next chapter so I could see what their lives were like.  Very well drawn out characters and an interesting way to take you through the story of their relationship.

8. Okay, number 1 on my list really already encapsulates this, but I am loving the way my girls are relating to each other these days - They fight a lot of the time, but they also have these little conversations that are just so ridiculous and sweet.  They correct each other and tattle on each other and show consideration for each other make each other laugh.  They are best friends and I am fortunate enough to get to be in the same space with them.  They make me proud every day and make me realize how much I would have missed if I hadn't decided to have children.  I'm a lucky gal.

9. New music on my I-Pod - Every now and again I get into a music slump where I've worn everything out on my I-Pod and desperately search for new music.  I have been in one such rut lately, but have happened upon a few new things that have made me happy.  (Let me clarify - it's "new" to me, not new music.  I don't listen to anything new.  I'm too lame for that.)  Crooked Fingers - a new find for me, old Traveling Wilburys stuff, Violent Femmes stuff from my high school days, Duquette Johnston - a guy who went to my high school and graduated the year after me, and Kings of Leon who I have just recently discovered.  I'm excited to listen to my I-Pod again!  Oh!  And I also found Goody two Shoes by Adam Ant and added it to my workout mix.  Jealous?

10. Finally, Conan debuted on TBS last night, so all is right with the world.  Oh, how I have missed my sweet, sweet Conan! It was great to have him and his ridiculous sense of humor back on the air.  His ratings were good and he's gotten mostly positive reviews.  I, of course, think he is a genius and the funniest of all of the late-night hosts.  Welcome back, Coco!

Well, sorry for the boring post.  Perhaps some stupid reality show person will be in the news too much in the days to come and I'll have some fresh material for you.  Happy Tuesday!