10 Random Things I Love

Some weeks ago, I introduced myself a bit by revealing a few of the things I absolutely abhor. Now, I thought that I'd contrast that with ten of the things that make me happy.

1.) Learning about serial killers

I'll turn your butt into a lampshade! Seriously, I will.

Is it weird? Yes, but this is honestly one of the things I am most interested in, and I have a lot of random knowledge about them from Ed Gein to John Wayne Gacy to Ted Bundy to Ottis Toole and more. I have this fascination with serial killers and what makes them who they are. I would never do it personally, but if Biography, or American Justice, or 20/20 is on and detailing this stuff, I set a reminder on my cable box, and I watch, boyhowdy. I should be a criminologist.

2.) Making playlists

I love music: listening to it, discovering new stuff, even making it at one point. What I like to do is make playlists, and I have some good ones, including "Focus Music" for when I needed to do homework or grading, "Nuptials" for the deep in love wedding songs (sometimes I get in those moods), "The Pillow Playlist" for those sensual moments, "The Quiet Storm" which is a staple playlist for the human being, and even "Unemployment Dreams" which is filled with encouraging songs to keep me from going crazy as a person without a job and an unknown future. I make GREAT playlists which are available upon request. I really don't know why I'm not a DJ.

3.) Shoes

SHOEGASM!!

If there's something that gets me going more than a fine man, it's a good pair of shoes. If i had money, please believe that I'd be known by first name at DSW, Nike, Payless, Footlocker, and any other place one can purchase fly kicks. Even images of a nice pair of sandals can send shivers up my spine and make my mouth salivate. Isn't that what shoes do to normal people? Of course.

4.) Muppet Treasure Island

Cabin Fever, ahh!

While some people say that their favorite movie is Schindler's List or Avatar or some other melodramatic, action-filled, thought-provoking tearjerker/Best Picture Oscar winner, my favorite movie is that literal treasure Muppet Treasure Island. Although a certain someone is a hater and endlessly insults such cinematic majesty, I find the film completely awe-inspiring, hilarious, and panacean.

5.) Hula Hooping

Double-dutch bus my ass!

I shocked and amazed some of the people in my life when I decided late last year that I was going to learn how to hula hoop by any means necessary. It took a while, considerable patience, and dogged resolve, but I made it happen. Now, I'm a hula hooping queen and try to do it every day, usually when I'm watching television or jamming to a song. When I would get nervous and queasy almost every day before I went to teach last spring, I'd hula hoop in the morning, and it calmed my nerves. A 7.99 cure from anxiety and hypertension? Win!

6.) Coloring

One of my original works

Coloring is another thing I find completely calming. I haven't done it in a while since I don't have the kind of markers that I want, but maybe I'll get back into that because I sure have a whole bunch of Velvet posterboards that haven't been colored yet.

7.) Baking Brownies

It took me twenty years of life to figure out that one of the things I love to do is bake sugar-filled goodies for other people, with brownies being my specialty. And people seem to love them! Sure, how hard can it be to follow the directions on a box, but there's something more, I believe. Time, precision, and love and can anything that tastes good that much better.

8.) Jeopardy

Daily Double cuz I aint a punk!

I love Jeopardy, and I'm pretty good at it. Granted, I don't think I know enough random information to go on and win, but I do pretty well in my bedroom at 3:30. I think I'll be ready for it in about 5-7 years. Plus, it keeps you on your toes.

9.) Books

Books is the co-conspirator with shoes to the murder of my bank account. But I don't regret it in the least bit. I'm a writer, so, of course, I love to read. I don't do it as much as I want to and that I should because I spend a bit too much time on the internet and watching television, but I've managed to get through 3 books this past summer, and I plan on doing more. And I don't just read fiction; I make sure I balance out reading for fun with reading for intellectual enlightenment with nonfiction/sociological works. Eff a Kindle; flipping through pages is a Godsend.

10.) Mario Kart for the Wii

It's probably good that I don't have a Wii because I'd probably end up as a hermit with no concept of reality. Playing this game last spring is probably one of the reasons why I wasn't turning things back on time to my students. Whatever; it was worth it because this game is fun as hell. Was I addicted? Maybe a bit, because that was all I could think about at night when I was grading and lesson planning. It got so bad that I even settled for playing it on the N64, only to realize that the graphics suck and ain't nothing like the real thing, baby. Marvin Gaye.

And Koopa Troopa is a still a cheatin' ass bitch.