A few of my favorite things

 
One of the weird things about me is that I forget about myself. That may seem strange to my readers, as I'm writing about myself here an awful lot. However, this forum is the exception. My life is not my blog, though I talk about my life here. Most of the time, I simply disappear. Maybe we all do this to some extent. Anyway, as a fun excuse to write, I thought I'd post a few of my favorite things (and strangely enough, somehow Taylor Swift shows up yet again). Here they are in no particular order.

 
Food - I've always thought food was pretty bomb. When I was a baby, I was eating food. In fact, I still eat food. I eat food almost every day! Though the importance of food has become pretty basic (as in, I need it to live), I still think food is pretty great. While there aren't any "floor lunches" with meats and cheeses and breads and olives and other stuff from Zingerman's anymore, I still get down for some boiled peanuts and pistachio ice cream and whatever else I can buy. Someday I'll get back to making good food for myself. 

 
Sex - I don't even have words. Sex is so good. I wish I could have sex every day, but I don't have a willing partner. And I'm getting old. So probably a limited-time offer there. It's something perfect God created to be enjoyed. And he gave women twice as many nerve endings in their genitals, so he must really want women to enjoy sex (or he thinks men are pretty dumb so they need all the help they can get). Mostly, I miss making someone happy in a very tangible, visceral way. And the opportunity to safely collide (many, many times) with someone is so great. It's like bumper cars with your clothes off.

Physical touch - This is separate from sex because it's so much more. It's the little nudges in the kitchen or the passings in the hallway when you "accidentally" touch. It's the full-on bear hugs, the pats on the butt, elbows in the ribs, hands on the knees, holding hands, grazing fingers, touches on the shoulder, whatever. It's all very special and it says, "I love you so much I want to feel you. Oh, and you're mine. Don't you forget about it." 

Crap TV - TV is pretty crappy. I'll watch whatever. I have a wide range of interests, so it's really hard for me to not be interested in whatever's on. I watch what my son watches. I watch what other people have on. If I watch something by myself, it will probably be something dark and scary, so please take the remote from me and watch something else, preferably crappy and lighthearted so I don't stab myself with the remote or cry a lot. Or both.

Nature - The outdoors — in all its variety — is beautiful and perfect. I don't care where I am or who I'm with, I love the outdoors. As I've gotten older, I'm more of a witness and less of a participant. I'd much rather take a walk than innertube down a river. I'd rather take a hike than carry a rifle and backpack. I'd rather take pictures than take anything home with me. Unless it's a mermaid. In that case, I'm bringing her home. And we're gonna cuddle. And she will teach me the language of dolphins. You, in the back, don't make a joke about crabs!

My son - He's weird like Dada. He may be even weirder. He remembers things I forget. Sometimes he pees outside the toilet, which I don't like. But he's learning. And he reminds me that life is to be laughed at, even if you fall five times on the ice and your butt hurts. It's still funny. And he reminds me that things change so fast and life goes by in the blink of an eye, so enjoy it while it lasts. He also loves dinosaurs like I do. And crying at his Legos.

Music - I still like music, though I don't listen to it as much as I used to. My tastes have changed, as well. I listen to way too much Taylor Swift for a man of my age. Or for a man of any age. It's cause for concern. While I no longer listen to Snapcase or Rollins Band or Sick of it All, I still remember the great hole those bands filled in my life and all the nights they kept me going. These days, it's whatever's on the radio that I'm listening to. Or some ancient CD I dug up. Or a strange mix on a memory stick I've made. I've always favored traditional songs. Nothing too fancy. Just pure heart in the shape of chords, drums, and lyrics.

Making light of myself - This is a full-time job. I love laughing at myself. Sometimes with a straight face. I like making jokes about other people, too, but I don't want to seem like I'm picking on them. Thus, I am the best thing to laugh at. Unless it's someone falling. Because that's always hilarious. My son has taught me to laugh at everything, but he thinks his Dada is especially funny. Even stuff that isn't supposed to be funny, like, "Clean up this mess! Why did you pee on the floor again?!" 

While I've seen some pretty wild changes in my life over the years, my core personality is the same. I still like many of the same things, though I've aged into a mellower version. If you feel like you've lost touch with yourself, write down some of your favorite things and reacquaint yourself. You're welcome.