The DecaAwesome List

For the week of 1/11 to 11/17

For those of you just joining me, this is a top-ten list of things that have made my week. In no particular order (although the first one is particularly awesome)...

1. My sister. It was her birthday yesterday. There is no one on this earth who could ever be what she is to me. She is part of my heart and soul. She knows me in ways no one else does. She's seen me through everything. She taught me how to read when I was a very teeny little Hero. We're very different, yet we think the same. We'll make the same joke at the same time in response to something. And this still happens, even though I haven't lived in the same state as her for nine years. We don't talk as often as we should, but she's always there with me. She's the voice in my head, Bud Abbott to my Lou Costello, she's Han Freakin' Solo, a force to be reckoned with, a ridiculously talented artist, and the one person I'm sure I want to grow old with.

2. Burt's Bees tinted lip balm. When you just don't feel like dealing with lipstick, but you have to put something on your chapped lips, this is the perfect solution. A hint of color, moisture for the lips, a tiny little tube to stash in your pocket. I use the shade called Papaya. Oh, Burt, you are the man.

3. Gettin' organized. At last count, I have thrown away nine bags of crap, made up three Goodwill bags of clothes (plus two stacks of books), and shredded a ton of stuff (the shredder actually began to smoke at one point. I think it was trying to tell me to take a break.). I can see the top of my desk for the first time in months.

4. Gettin' in shape. I have gone running (well, for me it's more like a combination of jogging and walking) just about every day for the last two weeks. I'm not seeing any big changes yet, but it's not about that. It's about not being a blob any more. And thanks to all of the folks who say they haven't noticed that I've turned into a blob. I hope to continue fooling you until I am at my fighting weight again.

5. Having a workout buddy. My roommate comes running with me sometimes, and when he doesn't, he encourages me to go. When I come back, red and sweaty, he tells me I should be proud of myself. I need that kind of acknowledgment and encouragement, you know? Also, Cat and I are going to try to make a workout date for every week. This way we can catch up with each other and get back into shape.

6. My job. Yes, I complain sometimes. Yes, sometimes I don't want to go. But man, I have to admit it is a pretty damn sweet gig. It's tough, but so rewarding, and I have slightly more job security than a lot of people I know. Also, I've made some really good friends not just with my colleagues, but with some of my former students.

7. Christian Bale. I've seen three of his movies this week: The Dark Knight, American Psycho, and Equilibrium. He is such a rockstar in all of them. I don't particularly find him all that hot. But one has to be attracted to the slick smoothness and utter grace of his movements, especially when he's fighting.

8. Chinese food. One of my favorites. I'm meeting a friend for dinner at this place in Los Feliz and their Lo Mein was to die for. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

9. Venice Beach. My roommate got a biography of Jim Morrison for x-mas, and we've both been reading it. It's inspired us to go to some of the places where the Doors played or hung out, and we discovered that--you'll never believe it--it's still 1967 at Venice Beach. The nightly drum circle is like a freakin' time warp. Next time I go, I'm bringing an instrument to play. Then I'm gonna write some environmentally conscious poetry and maybe hitchhike cross-country like a Dharma Bum. Or, you know, not.

10. The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest. On the last page of every issue of the New Yorker, they have a cartoon with no caption. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to come up with a clever caption for the drawing. Usually, I am clueless as to what would even make sense for the cartoons, but every week they find three finalists for the previous week's cartoon. And at least one of them is laugh-out-loud funny. My recent favorite (didn't end up winning, btw) showed two business men at work. one of them sporting a cooked turkey under his arm. The caption read something like, "I am useless without my morning turkey." And I don't know why, but I've been laughing out loud at that for weeks.