Some of my Favourite Things

1. Google – In my job and in finding ways to avoid doing any work at all I have learned how to use google and other search engines to track down just about everything under the sun. In the past I am ashamed to say that I have used that knowledge to cyberstalk old boyfriends and old school friends to see what kind of dirt I can dig up. It is quite fascinating what you can find out about a person on the internet and most of the time they don't even know it is out there.

It is also a great way to dig up info on another interest of mine: CELEBRITIES!!! I have even signed on for automatic alerts so I get to know the minute Brad Pitt coughs, when Lady Gaga collapses on stage, when Janet Jackson decides to flash any body part, when Hugh Grant decides to spit on a photographer etc. Oh how exciting! And of course I get on the phone pronto to share with Ann my fellow celeb-stalker.

2. OPRAH! – I love everything about her! Next to my mother I must be her biggest fan in Africa! She is all I ever want to be and I have prayed in the past to be reincarnate as her child; forget the fact that I have to die first ….. I really, really want to get on her show at Christmas so I can get all the free crap she gives away on the "Oprah's Favourite Things" episode. I will love all the cool free stuff. It would make Christmas shopping so much faster! Forget the fact that I’ve never been to the States and was bounced when I applied for a visa.
3. Sleeping & My bed – I am lazy like that. I only get out of bed because I have to. My father has called me ‘amerlia’ (when the Muslim ladies are locked in their bedrooms prior to a marriage ceremony or something along those lines) in the past cos I have spent about 3 days in bed before with the TV remote control in hand:

·         Waking up and knowing its my day off; rolling over and going back to sleep

·         Waking up and realising its still day off; thinking about getting up; rolling over and going back to sleep a little longer.

·         Waking up and wooowwee it still day off; stretching and considering getting up; rolling over and saying to myself....bad bad girl; reaching out and feeling for the remote control; rolling over again and dreaming of some guy in bed with me

4. Anything Funny – music, movies, men etc. I have always gone for men with great senses of humour. Never mind that the funniest of my exes treated me the worst as well! I still have warm and funny memories of our time together. If I had to pick one thing to be remembered for it would be my sense of humour. I don't think I was funny when I was younger, but as I have grown up I have honed my smart-ass skills and developed a desire to not take anything too seriously. The best compliment I can get is when someone tells me I am funny.
5. My Husband’s bottom – it is super cute, just the right consistency, not too soft, not too hard and the shape/slope is simply divine. And I particularly love squeezing it when we are in public. I used to enjoy the look on his face when I did that but now he’s gotten used to it and it’s not generating much drama. Alas!
6. Piccolino Restaurant – this is an Italian restaurant in Manchester and I think they make the best Chicken Caesar pizza in the whole wide world! The dough is soft and nice; the parmesan is spread liberally all over plus fresh green lettuce. It’s just like a proper Chicken Caesar salad on the best pizza crust ever!
7. The sounds of my neighbour's awful little dog yapping and yapping and yapping - I can’t believe I am typing this because it used to annoy the shite outta me when we first moved into our house but now it kinda makes me feel better because it's like this ongoing absurd annoyance that interrupts whatever bad thing I'm going through right then and makes me smile and even laugh because it's so ridiculous and life goes on anyway.
8. Apple crumble and custard – need I elaborate?
9. Really bubbly baths with Radox; the green one – I used to do that a lot but miss it now since we only have a shower at home!!!! Argh!!!!
10. I love the happy and carefree look on my Mom’s face when my dad is around - I have to put up with her moaning and sometimes slightly depressing attitude when he is not in town. It is a refreshing change when he’s around and they hang out and go away for dirty weekends.
11. I love waking up and realising its only 3am and I have at least another 2 hours before I have to wake up
12. A quiet Sunday at home with the husband, a good book and Midsomer Murders on TV
13. I like knowing that I have at least 20 different food choices within a 5 mile radius when I’m hungry – hey I love food ok?
14. The sound of my granddad giggling when my mom tickled him during his last days in hospital. Good memories that tear me up ….

I would have loved to end with: “And finally the best thing is laying down at night and knowing that I tried to make a difference that day to someone, if it's just a smile to a stranger or a kind word to someone who was down. If we all did that what a world we could possibly live in.”

But I would be lying if I said that cos all I ever care for is good health for my family (cos I really don’t have the cash to bury a parent or sibling now), food in my belly, a happy husband and digital TV!