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marathoner452You can write the list all at one session, or you can stretch it out over several. If you reach 100 and think of more things to add, go for it!
Background note: sometimes I do assign this list to my writing classes. I have two goals in mind:
1. enjoyment- this list is really fun to write, and it makes you think. It's also wonderful to reread when you're having a bad day.
2. Practice at writing specific details. Beginning college level writers often are not detail oriented. They'll write things like, "She was so pretty I fell in love with her right away." Well, great, she was pretty, but I, the reader, still have NO idea what she looks like. Or "The streets in my town were lined with beautiful trees." That is a good start at giving readers specific details. However, if we just knew what kind of trees, we could really picture the scene. (Imagine a new street for each of the type of tree I list: live oaks, palm trees, sycamore trees, willows, crab-apple trees in bloom. Quite different, aren't they!)
So, the "list of 100 things that make you happy" assignment makes the writer think smaller- more details!
As I tell them, this list is quite easy to write once you start thinking specifics. You can write that music makes you happy. Fine. But if you want to reach 100 items, you'd better expand on that one topic! You can then write what type of music, what specific bands and/or artists you like, what specific songs you like, who you love to see in concert, under what circumstances you *especially* like to listen to music (Item #32- driving down the road with the radio blasting out "Rambling Man," by the Allman Brothers.)
Background note: sometimes I do assign this list to my writing classes. I have two goals in mind:
1. enjoyment- this list is really fun to write, and it makes you think. It's also wonderful to reread when you're having a bad day.
2. Practice at writing specific details. Beginning college level writers often are not detail oriented. They'll write things like, "She was so pretty I fell in love with her right away." Well, great, she was pretty, but I, the reader, still have NO idea what she looks like. Or "The streets in my town were lined with beautiful trees." That is a good start at giving readers specific details. However, if we just knew what kind of trees, we could really picture the scene. (Imagine a new street for each of the type of tree I list: live oaks, palm trees, sycamore trees, willows, crab-apple trees in bloom. Quite different, aren't they!)
So, the "list of 100 things that make you happy" assignment makes the writer think smaller- more details!
As I tell them, this list is quite easy to write once you start thinking specifics. You can write that music makes you happy. Fine. But if you want to reach 100 items, you'd better expand on that one topic! You can then write what type of music, what specific bands and/or artists you like, what specific songs you like, who you love to see in concert, under what circumstances you *especially* like to listen to music (Item #32- driving down the road with the radio blasting out "Rambling Man," by the Allman Brothers.)
100 things that make me happy
1. Running 15 miles on the NCR Trail on a chilly autumn afternoon, then coming home to a bowl of veggie chili with cashews and my sister Heidi’s homemade wheat bread.
2. Spending a steamy August night on my dad’s hand-built sailboat, but first spending the evening sitting on the deck reading Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises by the lights on the dock and drinking an ice-cold beer.
3. Capsizing a 15 foot sailboat on a sticky-hot July evening while sailing with a Special Olympics athlete and not minding a bit that my lip gloss has floated off in the process of righting the boat and climbing back in.
4. Defending my St. Mary’s Project entitled Slavery and Freedom in Key West and St. Mary’s County against my college professors with some degree of success, and having my friends tell me afterwards that it sounded like I was defending a dissertation.
5. Using the St. Mary’s River as a sort of ice bath after a long run in spring while making my weekly phone call to my grandparents in Michigan.
6. Watching Deena Kastor run the marathon race of a lifetime at the 2004 Athens Olympics while glued to my living room couch. Talk about inspiration, coming from nearly last place in the first few miles to a bronze medal.
7. Having middle school boys flirt with me by telling me my handmade scarf makes me look cute in the middle of a winter weather preparedness presentation.
8. Taking a long nap after having gotten up at 5 am for a long midsummer run with Team in Training.
9. Anytime I have access to Key Lime Pie (and yes I capitalized that on purpose), especially if it’s made with real key lime juice bought in Key West.
10. Eating breakfast on Key West so close to the beach that you can run from the white sand beach to the turquoise waters while you’re waiting for your fresh-squeezed orange juice, granola over yogurt, and fresh fruit.
11. Drinking Mai Tais with Erin at the Tiki Bar on Solomon’s Island in Southern MD during Senior Week while learning that Mai Tais make your toes look funny.
12. Margarita snowballs at the Aloha “bo-snall” (snow ball) stand after a Westminster Road Runners Twilight Series race in the summer.
13. Any long conversation with a friend I haven’t talked to in months, where we talk about nothing and everything just like we used to over 2 hour dinners back in college.
14. Driving my old running routes in between the wedding and reception of a former college roommate.
15. Getting a free massage after a marathon, especially one as hilly as Baltimore.
16. Beating Batgirl in the Baltimore Marathon 2005.
17. Bagels at the Bagel Stop in Cockeysville with the NCR Trail Snails after a long run.
18. Running 54 miles in a week at the height of summer and coming back for more.
19. Wandering around the Inner Harbor with one of my fellow VISTAs, Laurie from Southern MD, after a typical Maryland lunch of crab cakes and fries.
20. Finding out that even one of the kids from my disaster education presentations is safer because of something they learned from me working at the Red Cross. (I’m still waiting on that one.)
2. Spending a steamy August night on my dad’s hand-built sailboat, but first spending the evening sitting on the deck reading Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises by the lights on the dock and drinking an ice-cold beer.
3. Capsizing a 15 foot sailboat on a sticky-hot July evening while sailing with a Special Olympics athlete and not minding a bit that my lip gloss has floated off in the process of righting the boat and climbing back in.
4. Defending my St. Mary’s Project entitled Slavery and Freedom in Key West and St. Mary’s County against my college professors with some degree of success, and having my friends tell me afterwards that it sounded like I was defending a dissertation.
5. Using the St. Mary’s River as a sort of ice bath after a long run in spring while making my weekly phone call to my grandparents in Michigan.
6. Watching Deena Kastor run the marathon race of a lifetime at the 2004 Athens Olympics while glued to my living room couch. Talk about inspiration, coming from nearly last place in the first few miles to a bronze medal.
7. Having middle school boys flirt with me by telling me my handmade scarf makes me look cute in the middle of a winter weather preparedness presentation.
8. Taking a long nap after having gotten up at 5 am for a long midsummer run with Team in Training.
9. Anytime I have access to Key Lime Pie (and yes I capitalized that on purpose), especially if it’s made with real key lime juice bought in Key West.
10. Eating breakfast on Key West so close to the beach that you can run from the white sand beach to the turquoise waters while you’re waiting for your fresh-squeezed orange juice, granola over yogurt, and fresh fruit.
11. Drinking Mai Tais with Erin at the Tiki Bar on Solomon’s Island in Southern MD during Senior Week while learning that Mai Tais make your toes look funny.
12. Margarita snowballs at the Aloha “bo-snall” (snow ball) stand after a Westminster Road Runners Twilight Series race in the summer.
13. Any long conversation with a friend I haven’t talked to in months, where we talk about nothing and everything just like we used to over 2 hour dinners back in college.
14. Driving my old running routes in between the wedding and reception of a former college roommate.
15. Getting a free massage after a marathon, especially one as hilly as Baltimore.
16. Beating Batgirl in the Baltimore Marathon 2005.
17. Bagels at the Bagel Stop in Cockeysville with the NCR Trail Snails after a long run.
18. Running 54 miles in a week at the height of summer and coming back for more.
19. Wandering around the Inner Harbor with one of my fellow VISTAs, Laurie from Southern MD, after a typical Maryland lunch of crab cakes and fries.
20. Finding out that even one of the kids from my disaster education presentations is safer because of something they learned from me working at the Red Cross. (I’m still waiting on that one.)
21. The smell of the woods in the rain, whether it’s in my neighborhood on a nightly run or in the Smoky Mountains camping with Outward Bound.
22. Strawberry-banana smoothies made at home in the blender.
23. Making double batches of red beans and rice.
24. Watching The Perfect Storm during a thunderstorm.
25. Panera’s passion fruit bagels.
26. Blueberry muffins.
27. Any kind of seafood.
28. Spending the better part of the day driving to Ocean City just to get a few hours on the beach eating Thrasher’s fries for lunch and frozen custard for dinner.
29. Putting so much vinegar on boardwalk fries that I need an extra cup and several layers of napkins to keep the fries from spilling everywhere.
30. Going over a Class V rapid whitewater rafting with Outward Bound.
31. The feeling of a commercial airplane taking off.
32. Getting a dozen red roses on Valentine’s Day.
33. Nailing a handbell piece with lots of bell changes.
34. The pink, flowery, “hippie” seat covers in my car.
35. Changing the oil and oil filter in my car with only a little help from my dad.
36. Driving somewhere new.
37. Getting lost and then getting found again of my own volition.
38. Running barefoot.
39. Fresh snow.
40. Receiving a phone call from someone I haven’t heard from in months and months.
22. Strawberry-banana smoothies made at home in the blender.
23. Making double batches of red beans and rice.
24. Watching The Perfect Storm during a thunderstorm.
25. Panera’s passion fruit bagels.
26. Blueberry muffins.
27. Any kind of seafood.
28. Spending the better part of the day driving to Ocean City just to get a few hours on the beach eating Thrasher’s fries for lunch and frozen custard for dinner.
29. Putting so much vinegar on boardwalk fries that I need an extra cup and several layers of napkins to keep the fries from spilling everywhere.
30. Going over a Class V rapid whitewater rafting with Outward Bound.
31. The feeling of a commercial airplane taking off.
32. Getting a dozen red roses on Valentine’s Day.
33. Nailing a handbell piece with lots of bell changes.
34. The pink, flowery, “hippie” seat covers in my car.
35. Changing the oil and oil filter in my car with only a little help from my dad.
36. Driving somewhere new.
37. Getting lost and then getting found again of my own volition.
38. Running barefoot.
39. Fresh snow.
40. Receiving a phone call from someone I haven’t heard from in months and months.
41. Fluming, otherwise known as sticking your head under an ice-cold waterfall, preferably done after a sticky hilly run at the Outward Bound base camp at Green Cove, North Carolina.
42. Eating whole-grain pancakes cooked over a camp stove on the out islands of the Bahamas.
43. Having a stable, supportive family that’s behind me no matter what.
44. Getting up early when I don’t have to.
45. Getting lots of livejournal comments. (hint hint)
46. Flavored water “on the rocks” in one of my many pint glasses after a hot, sweaty run.
47. Anytime I get to eat at Bahama Breeze.
48. The first really warm day of spring.
49. The first flowers of spring.
50. Having someone around who cares about me enough to drive 500 miles one way just to run the last 9 miles of a marathon with me.
51. Dried tropical fruit.
52. Fresh pineapple.
53. Running outside barefoot in fresh snow to throw snowballs at the house.
54. Early morning long runs in Miami from Vizcaya over the Rickenbacher Causeway to Virginia Key and Key Biscayne.
55. Calling my friends from Miami in the middle of the winter to brag that I’m currently barefoot with my toes in subtropical waters.
56. The Carnaval Miami 8k through Little Havana with heaping platefuls of chicken and rice paella at the end.
57. Bright yellow mashed potatoes in a Peruvian restaurant where no one speaks English.
58. Dim sum in Chinatown in DC.
59. Showing up your tour guide in a museum because you know more about Chinese history than they do.
60. Running the streets of DC in the Marine Corps Marathon one weekend, then walking them with your Chinese history class the next.
42. Eating whole-grain pancakes cooked over a camp stove on the out islands of the Bahamas.
43. Having a stable, supportive family that’s behind me no matter what.
44. Getting up early when I don’t have to.
45. Getting lots of livejournal comments. (hint hint)
46. Flavored water “on the rocks” in one of my many pint glasses after a hot, sweaty run.
47. Anytime I get to eat at Bahama Breeze.
48. The first really warm day of spring.
49. The first flowers of spring.
50. Having someone around who cares about me enough to drive 500 miles one way just to run the last 9 miles of a marathon with me.
51. Dried tropical fruit.
52. Fresh pineapple.
53. Running outside barefoot in fresh snow to throw snowballs at the house.
54. Early morning long runs in Miami from Vizcaya over the Rickenbacher Causeway to Virginia Key and Key Biscayne.
55. Calling my friends from Miami in the middle of the winter to brag that I’m currently barefoot with my toes in subtropical waters.
56. The Carnaval Miami 8k through Little Havana with heaping platefuls of chicken and rice paella at the end.
57. Bright yellow mashed potatoes in a Peruvian restaurant where no one speaks English.
58. Dim sum in Chinatown in DC.
59. Showing up your tour guide in a museum because you know more about Chinese history than they do.
60. Running the streets of DC in the Marine Corps Marathon one weekend, then walking them with your Chinese history class the next.
61. Grooving to the Weather Channel elevator music with Coleen when we lived together back during my sophomore year of college.
62. Finally getting my own business cards. *I’m a ‘Community Disaster Education Associate,’ in case you were wondering.*
63. Oatmeal prepared as follows: one packet of maple sugar oatmeal, ½ cup of regular oatmeal, a handful of dried tropical fruit or dried pineapple, and a little soymilk after it’s done cooking (with the appropriate amount of water, of course).
64. Eating oatmeal as described above on a chilly winter day in my dorm room while reading No Finish Line by Marla Runyan, a blind athlete who’s competed in the Olympics and run competitive marathons.
65. Finishing a run just before sunset and stretching on the hill next to QA while watching the sun set.
66. Cake-flavored ice cream with a blue icing ribbon and chunks of super-sweet cake batter blended in. (You will have my undying admiration if you can find someplace other than the St. Mary’s College cafeteria that serves this, or if you are a current student at St. Mary’s who will let me use their blocks so I can get some.)
67. Pop rocks that sparkle at the back of your throat.
68. Several nights in an enormously fancy hotel that gives you warm chocolate chip cookies on check-in, lets you use their treadmill for 10 miles straight, and, better yet, which AmeriCorps VISTA pays for.
69. Scrimmages, the “VISTA bar” next door to said hotel in Wilmington, Delaware where we all hung out after we were sick and tired of being trapped in a narrow meeting room in said hotel all day.
70. The fact that none of the pictures from Senior Night at the Green Door turned out. No pictures, no evidence.
71. The thought of crossing a marathon finish line with a 3:40 or less, a Boston Qualifier.
72. Anything lime green.
73. Consuming 4 slices of key lime pie in just a little over 24 hours.
74. Pollo Tropical in Miami, a fast-food restaurant that served rice and beans and key lime pie.
75. Turning 16 on the boardwalk in Ocean City. 6:34 am.
76. Watching all but the ending of Chicago on Michelle’s battery-powered laptop after Hurricane Isabel knocked out the power back in September 2003.
77. Wanting everything I get on Christmas, as opposed to getting everything I want.
78. Counting the number of NYC marathon runners until Michelle threatened to throw me in the Central Park pond.
79. Going for a 15 mile long run with Michelle on her bike back when I was training for the Marine Corps Marathon in 2002, my first marathon.
80. My final Spanish Dance class in Miami, where we danced the 4 sevillanas as our final exam. Too bad the pictures didn’t turn out, because that was the moment when I knew spending a semester in Miami had been worth it.
62. Finally getting my own business cards. *I’m a ‘Community Disaster Education Associate,’ in case you were wondering.*
63. Oatmeal prepared as follows: one packet of maple sugar oatmeal, ½ cup of regular oatmeal, a handful of dried tropical fruit or dried pineapple, and a little soymilk after it’s done cooking (with the appropriate amount of water, of course).
64. Eating oatmeal as described above on a chilly winter day in my dorm room while reading No Finish Line by Marla Runyan, a blind athlete who’s competed in the Olympics and run competitive marathons.
65. Finishing a run just before sunset and stretching on the hill next to QA while watching the sun set.
66. Cake-flavored ice cream with a blue icing ribbon and chunks of super-sweet cake batter blended in. (You will have my undying admiration if you can find someplace other than the St. Mary’s College cafeteria that serves this, or if you are a current student at St. Mary’s who will let me use their blocks so I can get some.)
67. Pop rocks that sparkle at the back of your throat.
68. Several nights in an enormously fancy hotel that gives you warm chocolate chip cookies on check-in, lets you use their treadmill for 10 miles straight, and, better yet, which AmeriCorps VISTA pays for.
69. Scrimmages, the “VISTA bar” next door to said hotel in Wilmington, Delaware where we all hung out after we were sick and tired of being trapped in a narrow meeting room in said hotel all day.
70. The fact that none of the pictures from Senior Night at the Green Door turned out. No pictures, no evidence.
71. The thought of crossing a marathon finish line with a 3:40 or less, a Boston Qualifier.
72. Anything lime green.
73. Consuming 4 slices of key lime pie in just a little over 24 hours.
74. Pollo Tropical in Miami, a fast-food restaurant that served rice and beans and key lime pie.
75. Turning 16 on the boardwalk in Ocean City. 6:34 am.
76. Watching all but the ending of Chicago on Michelle’s battery-powered laptop after Hurricane Isabel knocked out the power back in September 2003.
77. Wanting everything I get on Christmas, as opposed to getting everything I want.
78. Counting the number of NYC marathon runners until Michelle threatened to throw me in the Central Park pond.
79. Going for a 15 mile long run with Michelle on her bike back when I was training for the Marine Corps Marathon in 2002, my first marathon.
80. My final Spanish Dance class in Miami, where we danced the 4 sevillanas as our final exam. Too bad the pictures didn’t turn out, because that was the moment when I knew spending a semester in Miami had been worth it.
81. Reaffirming my commitment to train hard for running races.
82. The money in my wallet I got in the Bahamas.
83. My first night in the Bahamas, where I got to eat rice and peas for dinner, meet my Outward Bound traveling partners, and fall asleep to pounding tropical music.
84. Authentic Mardi Gras beads.
85. Windsurfing on 9/11 to forget about what just happened.
86. Sitting out on the Townhouse Greens lawn on the 1-year anniversary of 9/11 with Michelle, Christine, and I looking for the quilted designs on the quilt my grandma made me for high school graduation.
87. The blanket my grandma made me for college graduation.
88. The beach houses on South Beach that that blanket reminds me of.
89. Running barefoot on South Beach.
90. Donating a blanket to Project Linus.
91. Having a Red Cross volunteer who works in the locksmithing business who can get you back into your car for five bucks when you lock the keys in there during an ice storm.
92. Fellow Red Cross workers who wait with you for the locksmith to get there and let you into your car.
93. Not worrying about needing to run during an ice storm because you planned ahead for it and ran the night before.
94. Knowing where the flashlight is when the power goes out.
95. My bright yellow fishy slippers.
96. Buying a new Jimmy Buffett CD.
97. Steam heat and humidity. Yes, I want you to hold me to that come July and August.
98. Digging a set of steps into a slippery clay hill on an Outward Bound Swap-Ya.
99. Having a sense of purpose in life.
100. Life.
~Bethany82. The money in my wallet I got in the Bahamas.
83. My first night in the Bahamas, where I got to eat rice and peas for dinner, meet my Outward Bound traveling partners, and fall asleep to pounding tropical music.
84. Authentic Mardi Gras beads.
85. Windsurfing on 9/11 to forget about what just happened.
86. Sitting out on the Townhouse Greens lawn on the 1-year anniversary of 9/11 with Michelle, Christine, and I looking for the quilted designs on the quilt my grandma made me for high school graduation.
87. The blanket my grandma made me for college graduation.
88. The beach houses on South Beach that that blanket reminds me of.
89. Running barefoot on South Beach.
90. Donating a blanket to Project Linus.
91. Having a Red Cross volunteer who works in the locksmithing business who can get you back into your car for five bucks when you lock the keys in there during an ice storm.
92. Fellow Red Cross workers who wait with you for the locksmith to get there and let you into your car.
93. Not worrying about needing to run during an ice storm because you planned ahead for it and ran the night before.
94. Knowing where the flashlight is when the power goes out.
95. My bright yellow fishy slippers.
96. Buying a new Jimmy Buffett CD.
97. Steam heat and humidity. Yes, I want you to hold me to that come July and August.
98. Digging a set of steps into a slippery clay hill on an Outward Bound Swap-Ya.
99. Having a sense of purpose in life.
100. Life.
