These are a few of my favorite things

1. Clementine oranges. Because you can peel them easily with your hands, and they don't have seeds, and they are the perfect level of citrusy sweetness.

2. Tanqueray-and-tonics. Because they have the most supreme balance of astringent juniper flavor and mildly sweet tonic water flavors. And also because they induce a different feeling in me than other liquor drinks do... I get the most lovely feeling of relaxation and acceptance. Not a wild disregard of my natural inhibitions, mind you... just a welcome relaxation, acceptance of life, and an enhancement of my emotions.

3. Witbier. Because it is an aesthetically pleasing beer; a light, cloudy gold, with beautiful sediments floating around. And because it's made with coriander, which is delicious.

4. Pinewoods treefrogs (Hyla femoralis). Because they are tiny, brown treefrogs that initially seem very unassuming and plain. But then you can ask one if she'll allow you to pick her up and discover her treasure. And she might say no at first, but after a few moments of coaxing and a promise of a gentle touch, she will allow you to scoop her from her tree branch. And when you do, you can pull back one of her hind legs so that it's fully extended. And what a beautiful golden treasure they display! Superb flecks of what looks to be 24 carat gold line the inside of their femur! Absolutely stunning, and it leaves me a little breathless every time I see it.

5. Babies. Because they know nothing but love and because they smell nice. And because every part of them is soft, and when I touch them I remember a sweeter time of innocence. And because when I give a baby a bottle, he likes to hold his sweet little head right next to my breast because it feels more like real nursing. And then he starts getting really sleepy as he's sucking on the bottle, and his eyes get heavy, and he starts to nod off, and the milk dribbles out of the side of his mouth just a little, and onto my shirt, and before I know it, he's drifted off. And then I take the bottle out of his mouth, and I sit very, very still, and I let him sleep on my chest and tummy, and I listen to his little breathing and I think that maybe there is still hope for humanity.

6. Live Music. Because it is a time of raw vulnerability for the performers and the performees, and it instills a sense of community in me on the same level that many other people get by attending a religious service.

7. Bald Cypress Trees. Because they are relics of what used to be the majesty of the cypress swamps of Florida, before everything was cut down and sold for timber or mulch. And because their finely compounded leaves romantically rustle when a welcome breeze whispers through the wetland. And because they are bright green in the spring, dark green in the summer, copper in the autumn, and bare, abstract sculptures in the winter.

8. February in Florida. Because orange blossoms impart a heavenly fragrance along I-4, the azaleas are a riot of papery pink blooms, the jasmine sugars my nose with the most sensual flavor in the evenings, and the wild ginger sings to me with its faerie blossoms when I walk by it in the gardens.

9. Maps. Because they remind me how big the world is. And how small the world is. And that I am neighbors with you.

10. Reading Books. Because I have one continuous stream of thought when I read a book; such a welcome relief from juggling 5 open windows on the computer and an internet browser with no less than 8 tabs open.

11. Getting my eyebrows threaded. Because I look phenomenal afterwards, and because I like the women who thread them for me.

12. Getting a professional massage. Because it is absolutely trans.cen.dental.

13. Talking to someone who listens. Because I have something to say and I like when someone else recognizes that.

14. When I make a meal in which every dish complements the other ones, and all the dishes get done cooking at the same time. Because then I get to share that meal with people I love and we get to partake in one another's souls.

15. When my eyeshadow matches my outfit. Because... duh. Awesomez.

16. When someone pays me just the right amount of compliments; not so many that it's creepy, but not so few that I wonder if I'm doing something wrong. Because I like when there is an unspoken connection.

17. Walking into an ecosystem and being able to name almost every plant or tree in it, with both the scientific and common names. Because... again, duh. Awesomez.

18.  The Beach.  Specifically, Florida beaches.  Because they are sunny and hot and have the best sand.  And there are sea urchins.  And the water temperature is perfect.  And the waves are perfect.  And I get really wonderfully hot and sandy and sweaty, and my feet get exfoliated because of walking through the sand and the waves.  And my skin looks phenomenal afterwards because of the saltwater and the sun exposure.

19.  The Mountains.  Because of all the reasons opposite of the beach.  They are sunny like the beach, but they are chilly unlike the beach.  And they definitely have no sand -- they have entire majestic rocks that haven't been blasted to bits by constant water beatings. And I don't get hot at all; I have to wear long sleeves, but I like that.  And my feet don't get exfoliated by any stretch of the imagination; however, I get to wear hiking boots and I love those.  And most importantly, I totally touch God when I'm in the mountains.

20. Making lists.