Saturday, January 03, 2009

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

I liked 2008. I have finally structured my life so I do very little that I don't want to do. In fact, I do very little, which is just the way I like it. This quote from Eudora Welty really resonates with me: "I like to wake up ready to go and know that during that whole day the phone wouldn't ring, the doorbell wouldn't ring--even with good news--and that nobody would drop in. This all sounds so rude. But you know, things that just make a normally nice day are not what I want."

Things that just make a normally nice day are not what I want either. But even though I like to be reclusive, I do enjoy some contact with the outside world through instant messaging, select phone calls, and blogging. Blogging is my favorite thing from 2008. It's been my favorite thing for the last four years.

Here are more of my favorite things from 2008.

Barack Obama. Frugality. Tina Fey. Writing to missionaries. Reading. Not finishing books I don't like. Watching Law and Order. All my sisters on Facebook (even Erin). Wondering if high school reunions will survive the social-networking era, and hoping they won't. The Dog Whisperer. Ballet flats.

Finding out the first woman admitted to MIT was named Ellen. What a beautiful name. Who thought of that name!

Funniest Book I Read this Year: Diary of a Wimpy Kid. My kids have never seen me laugh so hard. "Want to see my secret freckle?"

Best Heart-Softening Moment: Realizing that Donald Rumsfeld (who I don't like) was in the Pentagon on 9/11 and that he was probably really scared.

Most Interesting Book: The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes - and Why

Favorite Bum to Wipe: Hugh Clark

Favorite Band: Vampire Weekend

Favorite Unsung Hero: Steve Winwood

Most Startling Realization: When I'm in a public restroom with Ellen talking to her and calling her "Lady" or "Little Lady," people don't know she's in there with me and probably think I'm talking to myself and that must sound really weird. I need to stop doing that.

Biggest Calendar: Stendig

Best Movie Genre: Super Hero

Most Repulsive Person on TLC: Half Man Half Tree.

Most Wonderful Person on TLC: Michelle Duggar!

Most Demanding Teachers: Sam and Maggie's

Most Hated Responsibility: Grading packets of third grade homework for Maggie's teacher.

Most Normal, Smart, and Well-Behaved Kindergartner: Ben Faulconer (Surprise!)

Number of iPhones We Went Through This Year: 5

Grains of Rice it Takes to Desiccate an iPhone: Immeasurable

Least Favorite People of 2008: Liars, cheaters, and ne'er do wells.

Most Clever Entrepreneur and Re-Financing Genius: Christian Faulconer

Here's hoping 2009 brings more stuff I like.

17 comments:

Heidi said...

Wow, you have a lot to be grateful for! And I don't care if you don't like visitors. My favorite thing is showing up and making you talk to me for hours at your house.

Sean and Steph said...

Wow... I just purchased an iPhone, and I'm quite curious to find out how you went through 5... and what the rice had to do with it :)

Kerry said...

Whoa. That is a lot of iphones!

Phoebe said...

The Eudora Welty quote rings true to me, too, which surprises me. I think I am becoming a recluse as I age. I hope I don't turn into JD Salinger.

grannybabs said...

Phoebe - a recluse - I think that's an oxymoron or something.

But I can identify with Ms. Welty - sometimes you just "vant to be alone!!"

Kacy said...

Christian dropped one in the toilet. Supposedly putting the phone in rice helps dry it out, but it didn't work so he replaced it. I had one with a battery that wouldn't charge so that one was replaced. Between the two of us we go through a lot of phones.

Lisa said...

Hugh Clark's bum is the cutest in town!

KT said...

I'm a total recluse. Pretending I'm not home when someone knocks gets me through my days. Also, losing my phone.

hanner said...

Phoebe is totally a recluse; she is the only Terrill sister NOT on Facebook. (She calls it "adultery.com.") Even Barbara and Harry are on the 'book! Can you believe it??

Rynell said...

Gotta love Eudora Welty! That's a quotable quote that resonates with me too. No one ever comes over when my house is clean, I get plenty of unexpected "drop ins" the rest of the time. I either need a maid or I've got to ignore the doorbell. Maybe both?

I liked your best of 2009 list. That's a lot of iphones.

Vern said...

Startling realizations are so important! If anyone ever tries to tell me otherwise I'm going to have them read this.

Julie K said...

How weird is this? I was thinking of Eudora just 2 days ago, remembering how much I adore her short story Why I Live At The P.O. and I thought, "I wonder if Kacy likes Eudora?". I'm going to now assume you do. Your opening paragraph pretty much sums up my entire outlook on life.

Michemily said...

Pretty sure I have a post of the exact title of yours scheduled to be published in the next few days. How funny. However, it's just some random links I liked instead of favorites from 2008. Like your blog!

bonny with a Y said...

now that we can be so social on our own terms i think reclusivity (probably not a word)is the wave of the future. i personally am fond of it. but that's why i live on a lonely mountain, or maybe i'm reclusive because of the lonely mountain living.

anyway you are lucky to have an iphone - i long for one, but at&t doesn't work in my neck of the woods.

and hannah - bruce agrees with phoebe that FB is "adultery.com" ;)

Carrie Ann said...

Hmmm. this explains so much.

Julienne said...

Amen to Tina Fey.
I'm surprised about Ben and school.
I'm shocked that you grade papers (Richard should have people grade papers for him.)
I hope to read the book you mentioned.
I'm curious what your refinancing was (we got a sweet interest rate last month.)
I'm glad you like to blog (because I love to read your blogs.)

abelnap said...

Kacy--I never see you anymore. Not even in your cute vehicle dropping kids off at school. And it makes me sad. Why did you have to move away to a big house on the other side of the tracks?