January 2nd, 2017

1000 Things We Like: the fourth thousand

Fred reminded me recently that 2017 marks the 15th year since we did our first 1000 things we like, a list we made in 2002, and then again in 2007, and again in 2012 of things that we like. I can’t find the post that explains the original ethos, so here it is again: I once read a novel, title and author now lost to the mist, that was about adult characters but had two teenage girls in the background. The girls were making a list of 1000 things they liked, and this was thought to be silly and dismissible by the adult characters. But I thought it was great–what a revolutionary act it would be, to work that hard at simply being pleased. And I liked the “we” too–the collaborative act. Fred and I were the spearheads of all three lists so far, but anyone we knew could and did contribute, and we got a lot of great and varied ideas about what is likeable. The exercise itself, as well as the specific liked things, brought a lot of joy, at least to me!

As I’ve mentioned, I wasn’t crazy about 2016 and I’m feeling a lot of trepidation about 2017 as well, so let’s dive right into the good stuff–won’t you play 1000 things we like with us? Here’s how it works–the rules are pretty simple and more for clarity than anything:

a. Send me some things you like–in the comments of this post or subsequent ones, as an email to rebeccabooksATexciteDOTcom, or any of the varied social media I am on. I’ll number the items appropriately and run them on the main blog, and credit you however you like (let me know!)
b. No sneaky negatives–no “when other people DON’T step on my feet” or that sort of thing. It has to be an extant thing that you genuinely enjoy.
c. Don’t worry about going through old lists unless you want to–some things will repeat and that’s fine (we have had “little staplers” several times on multiple lists). And don’t worry about contradicting other likes, either–if someone else has already liked “eating the frosting first” you can still have “saving the frosting for last” as well. Both are likeable, and “we” is a multitudinous thing.

And just to get things kicked off, here’s a few likes from me, which taken together form a summary of how my holidays were, or at least, the highlights:

1. Better news than expected
2. Merengue
3. How driveway salt works, every time
4. Tom Stoppard
5. Record players
6. The tiny brush you use to clean the needle on a record player
7. Billy Galecki
8. Spooning a cat and he actually stays
9. My parents
10. My brother
11. My cats
12. Thai food
13. Waiting patiently at the airport gate with a good book
14. Being picked up at the airport
15. Pink squares (a very sugary type of bake-sale treat, I can’t really explain them)
16. Scrabble
17. Hugs
18. Overheard song
19. When children are pleased I’m paying attention
20. Christmas tree lights
21. Spice racks
22. Balloon animals
23. Dirty jokes (when I get them, anyway)
24. The game “Things”
25. Having zillions of in-laws
26. Olive Garden
27. That Seventies Show
28. Marriage
29. the TTC
30. Holiday cards
31. Old friends
32. The playground next to my building
33. Being home