Favorites

I hardly ever pick favorites. I don't really have favorite movies, favorite songs, favorite artists or even really a favorite food. I usually say it's because I'm fickle. I change my mind too quickly to pick a favorite. But now, maybe its more related to fear or laziness. Why can't I just hammer down what I like best and stick with it? What happens if my favorite changes? Can't I just say I have a new favorite? Is that better than not picking one at all? Isn't one of the joys in life to have a favorite something and relish in the enjoyment of getting it, hearing it, seeing it?
So here is an exercise in favoritism- where I try to pick some different favorites, just one of each. Okay maybe sometimes two... finally*.

Favorite Song-
I thought about this a lot today in preparation for writing this post. I finally picked one. "You Can't Always Get What You Want" - The Rolling Stones. Maybe its because every time I hear it I think of my Dad's story about hearing it played on the radio for the first time. He was young, rebellious, out on the beach smoking with his buddies and the DJ garbled over the airways something about a new one from the Rolling Stones, the soft instrumental introduction and then "I saw her today, at the reception..." They were silent listening to it, and then the cops busted them. No one allowed on the beach after dark, especially not a bunch of "kids" smoking. As they drove away they turned the radio up as Mick sang, "You can't always get what you want..." Maybe because I can listen to it over and over and not get sick of it. But mostly because its a damn good song and certainly good words to remind yourself of.

Favorite Movie-
For a really really long time my favorite movie was Empire Records. I watched it constantly. In high school we got a used Nordic Trak from friends and I would come home from school, get on it and watch 40 minutes of the movie, until I finished it and then I'd just restart it. My brother would just sit and watch it with me, and we would have contests to see who could speak along with the movie the best- really it just became us yelling over one and another. To this day I can't watch the movie with other people because I uncontrollably just speak along with it and it drives them crazy. I haven't watched it in years, so maybe its not my favorite anymore? But I really don't know what to replace it with. There are so many movies I can watch over and over, so many movies I get excited to see are on TV even though it means commercials and I could easily just pop my DVD in instead. There are so many classics I haven't even seen and could probably easily become a favorite. So for now I'll stick with Empire Records. It holds some great memories of snow days or sick days or any old day with my brother, yelling out the script in each others face without even watching the actual on screen action.

Favorite Book-
How do you pick? I find this one to the be the hardest. So many books touch me, and always in a different place and way. I could read something that totally blows my mind and feel so passionately about and two weeks later finish another book that totally blows my mind in a completely different way and satisfys me even more fully. But, I think the book that may have affected me the most was "She's Come Undone." - Wally Lamb. I would wrap myself up in a chair in my living room for hours and just sob as I read his words. I would often, probably every other sentence, turn back to the author bio just to make sure it was actually a man capturing these emotions so truly. I was in high school when I read it, maybe only 14 or 15 and just starting to truly expand my literary repertoire and yet, to this day, I'm not sure any novel has given me the same feeling as that one. I never wanted it to end. He so beautifully captured her passage through life, not only her coming of age, but her coming out of the coming of age and just being. I would cancel plans, or not care if I was stood up for plans if that book was in front of me, and when you're 14 or 15 and a freshman in high school- what you do on Friday night is everything. I remember sitting and waiting for some guy friends to come over one Friday night, what was to be the highlight of my week, hanging out with my crush and his cool friends. I picked up the book to pass the time and they never showed up. But I didn't care. At any other moment I would have been absolutely crushed. Sure, I've read many many amazing books since then. And some honorable mentions are deserved.
"The Hearts and Lives of Men"- Fay Weldon
"One Hundred Years of Solitude"- Gabriel García Márquez,
"The Unbearable Lightness of Being"- Milan Kundera,
"Everything that Rises Must Converge" - Flannery O'Connor
But in the end, I believe it was this book that gave me the understanding that a novel can change you, can make you more whole, and it opened me up to that and deserves the favorite spot.

Favorite Flowers-
I've always loved Gerbera Daisy's. The vibrancy of their colors matched with the simplicity of a daisy appeals greatly to me. I feel warm when I see them. I want to fill rooms with their colors, matching decor the yellows, fuschias and reds.
They are by far my favorite flower. However... there is a strong contender in the Peony. Their soft, subtle grace and beauty. How they explode with layers of petals in bright pinks and white. And their smell. It fills a room so smoothly and isn't overbearing like the Lily can be. I love how peonies fit so perfectly in rounded glass vases, like they are meant to put in small vases and set on coffee tables, counters, bedside tables and on bathroom counters.

Favorite Food-
So this is a really really hard one. But I have to pick, so, it will have to be pasta, all kinds with all sauces. When I'm in one of those moods where you're hungry, but tired and bored and just don't know what you want, its always Pasta that sates me. I love it. The carbs, the fats and dairy's you can mix it with. I sometimes am happy when a stomach bug has its grips on me and I can only eat pasta... what a great excuse.

Favorite Athlete-
When I got home last night, Matt said, "Okay, I loved your post (He's always trying to get me to pick my favorites) but I have some questions. I want to know more." So he asked me who my favorite athlete is. First I picked Drew Bledsoe because it was he who got me excited about the Patriots and ultimately made me become a football fan. But since he's not a very good athlete anymore, I decided to pick someone more current. It was actually easy, David Ortiz. Yes, yes, I'm a Red Sox fan. I grew up in NH, and went to school and lived in MA for 8 years and come from a family of Red Sox fans, its in my blood. People marvel at how a Yankees fan and Red Sox fan can make a relationship work, well we're living proof, but that's off topic. I've always loved Big Papi. He's a fun player to watch, sure he can only hit, but when he does, man it is good. He's very likeable too, that smile, his size, he's like a big teddy bear. And, one time I touched his fur coat when he was celebrating his birthday at a bar I was at. Sigh. I to this day want only for him to pick me up and bear hug me. So he is definitely my favorite athlete.

Favorite TV Show-
This was a toss up, and I ended picking a current favorite and a syndicated favorite. The Office is my current favorite, although really it would be one of the reality competition shows I watch but I figured I had to pick a "real" show. I really enjoy Steve Carrel, I think The Office is a witty and fun show, and I got a bit choked up when Jim came into the conference room and asked Pam out to dinner. YAY. My favorite syndicated show is Friends. It was close tie with SATC, but Friends always gets me. I've watched that show since high school and still enjoy every minute of every episode I've watched 30 times. I would get excited for Monday and Tuesday night TBS marathons when they were on. There are sometimes still episodes that I've missed pieces of and I get so excited when I'm watching something I don't remember seeing before. Sometimes I even think, could this really be an episode I've never seen before?? But then I see something I recognize and remember, there is no way I've not seen an episode.

*As I think of new favorites I will add them to this list so it truly becomes a collection of my favorite things