21 random things I love

Per the topic, these are all random, goes-without-saying things (in no particular order) that I love.  Though it goes without saying, I must mention that I will assume that those who know me know that inherently, my family, friends, dogs, and Widespread Panic are at the top of this list.  Because they are not random, however, they are not on this list.

1. Intervention and Hoarders (reality TV shows on A&E):  I like Intervention a whole lot more than Hoarders, but I think it's safe to say that a large part of me enjoys these shows because watching these poor people who are in various stages of awfulness in their lives make me feel better about my own.  Is that bad!?
2. 80's hits:  I will always have a special place in my heart for the music hits of the 80s.  My girlfriends and I had many a dance routine to everything from Bobby Brown to Debbie Gibson.  Some of my greatest memories come flooding back to me when I hear such a song from my past and can recall every word to most songs from the 80s.
3. Quotes:  I try to read at least one new (new-to-me) quote a day.  And some days, I even write them on the wipe-off board at work to share the wisdom or humor that is worthy of repeating.
4. Fake tattoos:  Though I have a few real tats, I really love wearing a fake tattoo that is exceptionally large or noticeable - especially when I'm going to WP shows, music festivals, etc.  The great things about them is that they aren't a permanent mark but they are a great expression of yourself.  They give you that little surge of rockstar-feeling, and I would wear one every day if I could.
5. Helping people:  Whether it be volunteering for a worthy cause or simply paying a stranger a nice compliment, I honestly get pleasure from putting a smile on someone's face.  You never know what kind of day a person is having, what thoughts are crossing their mind, or what terrible fate may await them in their near future.  Sometimes something as simple as kind words in an elevator can change a person's day and remind them that they are important.
6. Toe socks:  yes, the silly ones that are basically gloves for your feet.  While they take some getting used to, I thoroughly enjoy wearing them - especially because they allow me to wear my Chacos (sandals) even when it's cold outside.
7. Fall season:  while I like summer and winter, I LOVE the fall and the spring.  Basically, I love the milder seasons.  Extreme heat and extreme cold get old fast, but unfortunately, those extreme seasons seem to last longer every year.
8. In accordance with #7, I simply adore camping.  Whether it's light-weight backpack camping or full-on-bring-all-the-amenities camping, I love to be in the woods, surrounded by nature and hearing the sounds of wildlife and the trees blowing in the wind.  The icing on the cake - the crackle of a campfire.  Just talking/writing about it makes me want to go now!
9. DVR:  I despise commercials, so I have officially eliminated them from my life through the use of a DVR.  Aside from the obvious of not having to be at home at a particular time to catch your favorite show, it's absolutely great to be able to hit the fast-forward button when that annoying Aflac duck invades my nightly news.
10. Cups with lids/straws:  I remember as an early elementary age student, I loved to still drink from "sippy cups."  There was just something about being able to lay in bed with your cup turned sideways/upside down without spilling and being able to drink from a 'nozzle.'  Now, as an adult, I am in love with my Tervis Tumbler/s, complete with lid and straw.  I can't explain the pleasure I get from it, but I can just say that it makes me happy.  That's why I have over 8 Tervis Tumblers, I suppose.
11. My car:  I have a 2006 green Subaru Outback wagon that I got in mid-2005.  It has over 125,000 miles on it, but I still love it just as much (if not more) than I did when I first got it.  The beauty of a wagon is that it has the perks of an SUV (extra storage space, seats fold down for the doggies) but it gets the gas mileage of a car.  Plus, my model has a sunroof that is half the length of my car.  I can't imagine ever having another car (and I plan to drive this one until it dies), but if I do have another car, it will either be a new Outback or another wagon (Volvo Cross-Country, if I'm lucky).
12. People who stand up for what they believe in.  Even if it is something that I don't agree with, I have respect for people who aren't afraid to support what they believe - especially when they aren't just "following the crowd".
13. Hammocks:  I love the old school rope knit hammocks (my mom has a really great one in her huge backyard overlooking the lake that is her backyard), but I was recently gifted with an ENO hammock (double nest, to be exact) and it is absolutely wonderful.  So far, I've only used it on my recent trip to Mexico, but it is outstandingly durable and you can pretty much always find a place to put it up.  I plan on doing some hammock-camping in the upcoming spring and my ENO hammock will be something that remains in my car so that I always have the option to put it up and hang out, read a book, or take a nap wherever I go.
14. Water:  hot, cold, mild.  Drinking, swimming, bathing.  I love it all.  It makes sense that my sign (Scorpio) is a water sign.  My wish when I die is to have my ashes spread in Greers Ferry Lake, as I grew up on that lake and have many great memories (as well as our family having a current house on that lake) there.
15. Trashy humor:  I have always had a love for humor (dark, dry, you name it), but I have in the last few years developed an intense appreciation for humor that is borderline (if not over-the-line) offensive.  As long as it is not racist or judgmental to a specific group of people, I'm willing to attempt a laugh.
16. I love to laugh.  Giggling is good, but the kind of laughing that you just can't stop, the kind that causes your face to hurt from laughing so hard, the kind that makes others laugh even when they don't know what you're laughing at - it's good stuff.  Contagious.
17. Meeting new people.  Don't get me wrong, I have a great group of friends - many of whom I've been friends with since childhood.  But I think you can never have too many friends.  My lifestyle (specifically traveling to see Widespread Panic) has opened up a world of opportunities to meet new and different people from all over the world.  I can (and have) make conversation with a stranger in a bathroom line and end up being friends with the person because we discovered we had a lot in common.
18. The feeling I get at around 5:10 on a Friday afternoon.  There is nothing better to me than walking out of the office knowing that I have nothing to do (or just as good, something fun going on that weekend) until Monday.  The cycle of feelings changes throughout the weekend, but at the very end of the workday on Friday, the amount of weekend-time is at an all time high and the possibilities for the weekend are endless.  I live for Fridays.
19. Being appreciated and showing appreciation.  This tends to make me think primarily of work.  I currently work in a thankless job, and while I don't perform my job duties for recognition or even for thank-yous, it is especially nice to hear from time to time that there is someone out there who appreciates the hard work that I put into my job.  I try to remember the same thing and show appreciation to those who do things that may go unnoticed.  Appreciation goes a long way (and that's a two-way street).
20. The excitement that my dogs exhibit when I get home from work.  While much of their excitement is directly related to the fact that the know they're about to get food and treats, I like to believe that they are also simply excited that I am home and they are glad to see me.  The love of my dogs is such a wonderful, no-strings-attached, exciting love that it keeps me going at times when I feel like nothing I do is right or appreciated (see #19).  Every single day when I pull into my driveway, I can count on - without a doubt - Moby being in the front bedroom of my house, chin on the windowsill, awaiting my return.  And although he knows it's me, he barks at the front door until I've unlocked the door and made my entrance.  What a great feeling of acceptance.
21. Singing.  Though I may not have a great singing voice, I've always been a song-lyrics-fanatic and I love to express myself through singing.  Specifically when alone in my car or in the shower.  I have to refrain myself from singing while at work when indulging myself in loud music at my desk.  I know that I think I sound better than I actually do, so I'm doing the world a favor by keeping my singing to myself.  But I'm also doing myself a favor by singing my heart out whenever I can - because it makes me a happy (and a much more tolerable) person.