100 Things I Like

I found a list like this on Busted Stuff and thought it was an interesting project. It took a lot longer than I expected it to -- 100 is a bigger number than I thought it was.

So, after a long period of contemplation, sitting on my fairly uncomfortable bed in Miami Springs, I present to you, in no particular order:

100 THINGS I LIKE:

1). Snuggling with my cat, Lucius, and feeling his soft, white fur tickling against my skin.

2). The Amazing Race in all of its cheesy music and petty arguments. It's a travel show and high speed chase all in one.

3). John's hands - in all five senses.

4). Cheesecake.

5). Velveeta Macaroni and cheese with tuna fish. I know, I know . . . white trash roots comin' out.

6). Applause on both sides - standing on the stage looking into the blinding lights, hearing the people on the other side, and clapping my hands together until they hurt.

7). Puns

8). Blue humor: The Family Guy, South Park, Monty Python, Jackass . . .

9). Scotch on the rocks

10). Campari on the rocks. With a lime.

11). Playing along with Jeopardy. Knowing the answers is even better.

12). Clothes fresh out of the dryer.

13). Ice Cream. Any kind but mostly Chocolate Fudge Brownie from Ben and Jerry's or Cake Batter ice cream at Coldstone.

14). Making food for guests.

15). Sweet tea (like my daddy makes).

16). Spaghetti a la papa.

17). Modal Beech sheets, especially when a little breeze flies under them in the morning.

18). BCBG

19). Inside jokes with friends and coworkers.

20). Family stories that make us all break into hysterical laughter no matter how many times they are repeated ("maybe the old fool would like a pickle!)

21). Shoes, shoes, shoes

22). Hugs and Kisses (especially from my honey)

23). Office Depot

24). Nordstrom Rack

25). The fact that I can see my best friend, Laural, for the first time in a year and a half and we can spend the evening eating bad takeout and watching a shitty movie on television and have a TERRIFIC time.

26). Getting a clean score for the next opera I'm doing and sitting down with it for the first time.

27). Spending the day wandering around New York.

28). Sudoku

29). Logic problems and Mah Jong Solitaire

30). Playing Trivial Pursuit with John. Someday I will win.

31). Learning words in other languages (swear words and slang especially)

32). Being understood in another language.

33). Old Bookstores (especially buying an old book on a whim)

34). The Hard Rock Hotel in Chicago

35). Traveling overseas.

36). Orange

37). My Apple iBook

38). My Canon portable bubblejet printer.

39). The final moment in Britten's "Death in Venice."

40). Philip Glass

41). Law and Order SVU

42). My chenille throw and matching pillows

43). iTunes and being able to listen to every song before I buy it.

44). Chinese dragons

45). Baby animals

46). Dancing like a rock star in front of my full-length mirror.

47). Harry Potter. (though Hermione's the hot one)

48). Ruling the rehearsal roost. Directing.

49). Singing showtunes in my car.

50). My green and orange score bag. It holds everything I need to rehearse.

51).Kiehl's, especially their Coriander Bath and Shower Liquid Body Cleanser

52). "Aureole" choreographed by Paul Taylor

53). Jacob's Pillow

54). Eyeore

55). Reading John Grisham on a long plane ride.

56). The smell of something sweet baking (oatmeal cookies especially)

57). Jack and Karen (on Will and Grace)

58). Dirty Dancing and The American President when I can't sleep or have the flu.

59). Barak Obama

60). Rubbing my legs together immediately after shaving.

61). Getting a greeting card in the mail.

62). A giant chili burger and fries

63). Sugar snap peas

64). Getting flowers - any flowers from anyone any time.

65). Giving gifts to people and watching their face when they open them.

66). Collecting people's birthdays and calling/emailing/sending a card to surprise them.

67). Mozart's "Le Nozze Di Figaro"

68). Coldplay

69). The Orchestra Tune before any performance.

70). Talking for hours with John, on the phone, in his arms, at the dinner table, on the front porch, in the car . . .

71). Spontaneous road trips.

72). Planning vacations.

73). Making lists (yeah, yeah. . .I'm a dork).

74). Netflix

75). Newcastle Brown Ale

76). Benicio Del Toro, Natalie Portman, Johnny Depp, Shannyn Sossaman (partially for their acting skills).

77). Cookbooks, especially those recipes you seek out over and over where the pages have a little dough or sauce on them that sticks them together.

78). The Indianapolis 500 and "Gentlemen Start Your Engines!" and "Back Home Again in Indiana" sung by Jim Nabors.

79). Sushi - California rolls, Rainbow Rolls and Crunchy Rolls

80). Sleeping In

81). Chai Tea Frappuccinos at Starbucks (Oh, I wish it wasn't so...)

82). Sharing a dessert at a fancy restaurant

83). Long walks at night -- especially when it's just a little bit nippy outside

84). Everything feline . . . and Cat Woman

85). Spiderman

86). Juvenile Literature

87). j'aime parler francais!

88). The Container Store

89). Old black and white photographs: family photos as well as famous journalistic pics.

90). Getting my hair shampooed at the hairdresser's

91). A hot dog and junior mints at the movies

92). Looking out over the ocean - so incredibly vast!

93). The Talking Heads

94). Literature Anthologies

95). Edna St. Vincent Millay and other female poets

96). Political films

97). An updated version of an older opera or play when done meticulously well.

98). The Olympics: Figure Skating, Gymnastics, Skiing, Relay, Luge, Swimming, Ski Jump and the last ten minutes of the marathon

99). Rollercoasters

100). Starting a new project - those initial preparations and planning