"E"verything

Thursday, February 5, 2009

This post necessitates another confession.

I love memes. I will pretty much do any one that gets sent to me by e-mail. Or any survey. I have been a part of the "25 random things about me" activity on Facebook. I'm not sure why. I think it mostly because I get hopeful that other people will do them as well, and then I get to read their responses. Which I like, more that doing the meme.

I have wasted a lot of time doing them by e-mail and on Facebook. So far, they haven't touched my blogs.

Until now.

See, I've been in kind of a writing rut. I've just been reading Jane Austen and watching cooking shows and building block towers with my boys and not much else. I've scribbled down some notes in the small notebook that is always in my purse, but nothing inspiring. So I'm hopeful that writing anything, even a meme, will help jump start some creativity.

I first came across this one on my truly favorite blog. The ABC game. The blog author assigns people who leave comments a letter of the alphabet. And then you make a list of 10 things you love that start with that letter.

My letter was E.

Here is my list.

1. Edward Cullen: Let me just get this one out of the way. It almost seems too easy. Edward is by far my biggest literary crush. I've had others, but nothing like this (I know, that is what all the girls say.) He's got looks, money, chivalry, and immortality. He could also kill you. But, really, that's trivial. (So, now I sigh loudly, and move on.)


2. E-mail: I haven't written a real letter to someone in the longest time (well, asides from thank you letters from my residency interviews, but that doesn't really count.) E-mail is cheaper (it's free!), I don't have to worry about my handwriting, and spell check (one that isn't my husband looking over my shoulder saying, "I don't think that's how you spell that.") is included. I do still send birthday and Christmas cards the old-fashioned way. But not letters. And everyday, it is exciting to open one of my three e-mail accounts and see who has "written" to me today.


3. Entertainment: Meaning movies. And TV. I love movies. Before we had kids, my husband and I went out to the movies all the time. And then, when the people around us started giving us dirty looks because of crying babies, we rented. We don't rent as much as we used to, but I still love movies. Especially those with happy endings.


4. Education: Anyone who knows me knows how I feel about education. After all, I have spent 21 years of my life so far getting one. I feel that everyone deserves the best and should have the support system in place to help them succeed. And no, I don't think that everyone needs to go to college. Just practically everyone. I think about how much I knew after high school and think about people entering the rest of their life with that frame of mind and it scares me. Education isn't just about books and experiments, it's about teaching someone how to think for themselves, analyze new ideas that come their way, and sort out truth from the clutter we are bombarded with. I especially feel that in these times, nothing gives you job security, life security, like a good education. Okay, I'll get down off my soap box.


5. English Authors: Austen, Bronte, Dickens. I love classical English literature. The characters are intriguing, the plots emotional. And the social commentary running through them all speaks to me. These are the books that I keep coming back to. (I love Russian and American authors too, but maybe just a little less.)


6. Exploring: I love to travel. And after making a comment like that, people always ask, "So where have you been." To which I have to say, "NO where!" That's not exactly true. I've been to Vancouver Island, all over the West Coast, to nearly every national park west of the Rockies, to Washington DC, Florida, the Bahamas. But I haven't even touched the list of places I really want to go. Virgin Islands, Venice, The Great Wall of China, Kenya. It's mostly been a financing issue. But my parents installed in me when I was very young a love of always needing to find out what is just around that bend in the road.


7. Espresso Machine: When I first started medical school, my husband because sure that I was personally financing Starbuck's growth. After all, nearly $4/cup, daily (if not more) can really add up quick. So, during my second year, he bought me an espresso machine. Which I use to make my girly vanilla cappuccinos or caramel lattes. I can have my daily influx of caffeine with nearly none of the financial guilt. I'm sure the machine paid for itself within three months.


8. Elvis: I confess, I do. Although I am more of a fan of early Elvis, when he was in black, with his well-groomed hair, and not so much a fan of late Elvis, with a paunch, and tight white leather and rhinestones, and sweaty chest hair. If I had been a teenager when young Elvis performed, I would have been screaming like every other girl. There is something about his voice that is the silkiest, richest voice ever. Everything is romantic when Elvis sings it.


9. Emily Dickinson: She is my absolute favorite poet. When I was in high school, I tried to write like she did. I would read her for comfort, for peace, for inspiration. Maybe that is what I should be doing now.


10. End of the day: Our days are hectic. I roll out of bed and hit the ground running. Both my husband and I usually have very demanding schedules. Add two small boys with schedules and needs of their own and things can really get crazy. But after all the craziness, after teeth-brushing, and story-reading, and song-singing, and one-more-time-bedtime-kisses, the house is quiet (and even miraculously, sometimes, clean-ish). Everything that needs to be done is done. Then I can curl up with my book, or on the couch with my husband. We may talk, or watch a movie, and just enjoy being together. There is just us.


So that is my ten. It was surprisingly hard (I came up with a list of ten "E" things that I hated much easier than a list of things I liked: 1. E. Coli, 2. Ear Infections, 3. Engine Troubles, 4. Eczema, 5. Economy at the moment, 6. Ear wigs, 7. Elections, 8. Energy bars, 9. Emergency Room, 10. English measurements (can we please use the metric system!!)).

So, if you have a secret fondness for memes and want to play along, just leave a comment and I will assign you a letter. Although, you will have to check back on the comments to find your letter, since that is where I will post it. You can write on your blog, or on Facebook. Let me know where, and I will find it and read it.

Because, really, that is my favorite part.