On a positive note, for once

In the movie Amelie, my favorite scene is where young Amelie gets revenge on her neighbor by cutting out his cable. She sits with a radio on his roof, and every time his favorite futbol team gets close to scoring a goal, she pulls his cable wire so that he can’t see it. He screams and flails about. I smile. As I said to a friend, “I am a naughty gnome,” mostly ineffectual but craving to cause chaos.

My friend’s favorite part of Amelie is when she lists people’s favorite things, no matter how odd they are, like plunging your fingers into a bowl of dried beans. Of course, I don’t remember this scene at all because it’s always the naughty bits I remember, but how it affected my friends is inspiring me.

Here are some of my favorite things:

Drinking water poured from gallon jugs of purified liquid absence—it tastes deliciously like nothing.

Kissing my husband goodbye—so much sweeter than hello because it pines.

Watching my dog roll over on her back and wag her tail at my husband’s feet, no matter where they are in the house or what he’s doing.

The smell of new electronics—the scent of potential.

The third track on my Sleepy Time CD I burned to put me to sleep every night. I know it’s a good night when the last thing I hear is track three.

All of my retired Puffalumps. I love you, and I’m sorry I loved you to pieces. I’m even sorrier that Fisher-Price no longer makes you.

Waking up just a little bit when my husband comes to bed.

Tell me what you love--those little things or those odd things that fit so perfect.