Specific Things I Like
"Instructions for living a life:
Pay attention.
Be astonished.
Tell about it."
– Mary Oliver
"You make things holy by the kind of attention you give them."
- When people say "bada bing bada boom"
- Seeing a friend's handwriting for the first time, especially if it's bad
- Sharing an umbrella
- When people chant SPEECH SPEECH SPEECH and then someone actually gives a speech
- When dogs or kids enter the elevator with me
- When songs have specific people's names in them
- Hailing a cab
- Parents who take their kid's thoughts seriously and talk to them like adults
- Going on dates at the grocery store
- Niche references to books, movies, shows
- Going to the movie theater early to watch all the trailers
- When people use the name / birthday of someone they love in their passwords
- The concept of "retiring a jersey/number" to honor a player
- Rocking chairs and cushy recliners
- Finding random notes or receipts in used books
- The word "tutelage". Also "hijinx"
- Old school pencil sharpeners
- When my friends sing the wrong lyrics to a song
- Personal dedications on public benches
- Tucking friends and family into bed
- Bus drivers honking when they recognize each other
- Wearing mismatched socks
- Really poetic and deep lyrics hidden in party / dance songs
- Learning the meaning behind tattoos
- Unique dedications and epigraphs in books
- Watching kid's school talent shows / performances
- When songs sample real life recordings
- When people argue over who gets to pay the bill
- When people serve their companion food before themselves in a restaurant
- Surprise emails and letters to your friends who you text regularly
- Goofy dancing
- When animals from different species become friends
- Drinking orange juice out of mugs
- Bloopers - the word and the concept
- Passionate sign language experts
- Seeing kids on their parent's shoulders
- Having strong tan lines (especially sock tan lines)
- Adults in fancy clothes riding scooters
- Recognizing when I've adopted certain terminology or mannerisms from someone else in my life
- When pets are named after different animals or random objects
- Wearing Indian clothes
- Seeing people in Indian clothes
- Widespread pranks
- Using walkie-talkies
- Seeing the employee of the month
- When people run in sync next to each other
- Watching people embrace at the airport
- When doors have bells above them so you can tell when someone enters
- When animals infiltrate buildings
- The phrases "sweet on you" "I'm charmed"
- When people loudly whistle "whoo whoo" for applause
- Moving shoulders up and down and nodding and going "huh" "huh"
- Dangly earrings
- Pens that are attached to desks (like at banks) so you can't accidentally steal them
- Wearing big hoodies and storing things in the hood
- Segways
- Calling my friends dummy affectionately
- When people say "Shabaash"
- Purposely misquoting famous lines to get people's reactions
- When people store pencil/pen on their ears or in their hair
- When people run with their backpacks - looks goofy but cute
- Random thunderstorms or rain in the summer
- Calling people Boss, Chief, Guru, and related synonyms
- Walking into a full house of family, especially during the holidays
- When bus drivers re-open the door for someone who barely missed getting on
- When dogs are carried in bags and just their head sticks out
- Dates at furniture stores
- Adult field trips