Okay, here’s my question:
Would you all mind if, every once in a while over the next couple of weeks, I share some of my favorite things with you?
I’m not going to have tons of time. In fact, I may have very little of it—in which case I could wrap up some special treats—foiled paper, beautiful bows—and give you periodic peaks—sort of, my special wishes for while I’m away.
Because every reader is a gift and every comment a surprise--
Now, I won’t literally be “away”—just preoccupied with moving out of Haiti and home to Kentucky:
me, one disaster-response refugee, two dogs, and a whole house full of stuff.(Good God, the task is daunting!)
So—
Today, in honor of this get-the-hell-out-of-Haiti-favorite-things series, I offer you—
(steel drums playing)
a medium box calico paper butterfly bow—My absolute, favorite movie as a child,
The Sound of Music and (appropriately enough)—
“My Favorite Things”—(now, aren’t you surprised!)
What was your favorite movie as a child?
And, what’s one of your favorite things?
Okay–I apologize.
I woke up to this morning to, “You mean to tell me you build up a readership, and then you throw your audience my “Favorite Things!”
She insists this was a throw-away post, that I would have been better to post nothing.
So, I promise–no more soft posts! I will write, write, write–even through the move! I’ve got a monster in the bed next to me insisting, I don’t dare let you down again–especially if indeed “every reader is a gift and every comment a surprise!”
Sara won’t stop mockingly singing “My Favorite Things!”
Kathryn M. McCullough 
Sounds like the logistics of moving are your area of expertise??? Tell Sara we’ll indulge you a few while you pack up and move out over the next two days….
Jungle Book- I loved the music. Those monkeys were so crazy- snake so scary. But the music- I dug it….
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Sara says not to indulge me for a minute! I can do better! (Okay, Sara, enough already!)
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“The Red Shoes,” a film about a ballerina, because that’s what I was absolutely, positively, 100% going to be when I grew up.
And little Golden Books and small, colorful vinyl records.
Tell Sara we all need posts like this every once in awhile. They are like passing something in a store or hearing a snippet of music and thinking, oh, I remember when I was little, I….
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Oh, Renee, thank you————- It was just an effort to pause, take a deep breath, but still connect. I love the way you expressed this. Thank you.
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This was not a throw-away post! 🙂
I love the Sound of Music too. My favorite movie as a kid was The Wizard of Oz, though I watch it now and realize it is scary!
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Thank you, Terri! I love you for saying this and will pass along your words of wisdom to my disapproving partner! Have a great weekend, my friend!
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You take care and travel safely back to Kentucky.
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Thanks so much, Kim. We are desperately sad but still trying to make the best of a painful situation. Have a great weekend!
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Oh, Kathy–
do what you can, and stick to the things which bring you joy–even if it means the writing is fewer and farrer (har) between…
I had TOO many movies I loved, growing up…
Sound of Music was one of my faves, although I secretly harbored intense jealousy for one of the younger Von Trapp girls…thinking “it should have been me!”
funny–I popped in my VHS copy and watched it the third day home with my Brown Eyed girl after she was born…her first movie! no wonder she loves musicals.
blessings
jane
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Actually it’s my father who imparted his love of musicals to me. He used to take us to New York once or twice a year to see Broadway shows. So, so much fun!
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What? How can anyone accuse you of writing a fluff post? Blogging is just as much about relationship building as it is about writing. Pieces like this will help your reader know who you are.
Personally, I’d like to hear more about your favorite things. What’s wrong with passing joy to one another?
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Amen, Maura!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you. I think Sara is sad and a bit discouraged, and my efforts to brighten the mood fell on deaf ears. I guess that in and of itself is a window on my world, as well–the mourning, the loss–leaving Haiti sooner than seems right!
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Don’t beat yourself up to post, post, post. This is not a throwaway, it is the post of a busy woman. Moving is hard. Moving overseas is about 1000 times harder. I accept your gift graciously.
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It is soooooooo damn hard–hard to believe how hard! And I just did this a year ago. Yikes!
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I didn’t see a lot of movies when I was little, but I remember seeing “Herbie the Love Bug” and “Bedknobs and Broomsticks” in the theatre…
One of my favourite things: thick slices of homemade bread with butter…
Happy moving!
Wendy
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I actually didn’t see very many when I was a kid either. And I am sooooooooo with when it comes to bread and butter! It is the best!!!!!!!!!!!
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No such thing as a throwaway post, unless it goes something like “I’m bored and I’m not sure what to write today.” Give yourself (and Sara) some credit! I, for one, am not going to stop reading your blog just because you have a very busy and very stressful time ahead of you, which could mean less frequent or intensive posts. We’re all people, and I think I speak on behalf of many (if not most/all) of your readers when I say don’t sweat it! We’ll still be here whenever you manage to post. 🙂
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Thanks, Dana. I’m glad you plan to stick around, and I will try to make it worth your time to stop by. The fact of the matter is that I really love blogging and want to do a good job–but then that’s my approach to almost everything. I tend to believe it’s best to give the most you can to every task. I’m a bit of a perfectionist. Alas——————- Hope you and Marty have a great weekend!
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But, but…her royal highness of audience-pleasing, Oprah, has an entire episode dedicated to HER favorite things! And it’s the most wonderful show with the most-highly-sought-after tickets. It’s so popular, of course, that she’s made it secret when she will tape her “Favorite Things.” So, I think that’s proof enough that a “Favorite Things” post/episode/text message is absolutely appreciated audiences-wide. 🙂
As a child, my favorite movie was The Princess Bride (okay, okay, it’s still my favorite movie as an adult, lol). And I actually blogged about one of my new favorite things last night–high-fiving Annie! 🙂
Do what makes you and your blog happy, Kathy! Happy bloggers make happy blogs make happy readers. (And, no, I don’t mean that every entry has to be positive…just as long as it’s something you’re happy writing. :))
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I thought about Oprah when Sara said the post should be tossed. However, I think Oprah’s “Favorite Things” episodes are so popular because of the give-aways. Doesn’t she pretty much give every member of the audience a sample of each item she loves?
Either way, I may do a few more of these–but about things that I really, really love. I think that would be fun and meaningful all around!
Take care, Amanda, and have a great weekend! Greetings to Robert, too——————–
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Haha, okay, okay, true…the give-aways are pretty enticing. But couldn’t we say that you gave us a sample of Sound of Music in this post? 🙂 And I gave my readers a picture of the adorable Annie to smile at. It’s all the same. Totally! 😉 (Hey, our give-aways are better because readers don’t go home later and find out that they have thousands of dollars in taxes and insurance [http://money.cnn.com/2004/09/22/news/newsmakers/oprah_car_tax/] to pay on their new treats! ;))
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I love it, Amanda! YES! That’s a great way to look at it!
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Bit behind on my reading…favorite things is fine with me. 😉
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Cool! Thanks, Charlie!
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PLEEEZZE post some of your favourite things!
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I’ll see what I can do. Take care, Cheryl————–
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I see nothing wrong with a soft post every now and then. Not only does it give you a break, I’ve noticed that sometimes (my) readers need a break. It gives everyone space to breathe a bit and relax. 🙂
“The Sound of Music” is one of my favorite movies. I first saw it at Radio City Music Hall in New York City when I was a kid. But my favorite from my childhood is “Mary Poppins.” I so wanted a nanny like her to ride in on the wind and change my world. 🙂
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How fun, Robin! I agree. Readers, I think, especially need a break on a blog that is as intense as mine–they need to see the normal side of me, as well–the everyday, this-is-what-I-think-about side. Mary Poppins is another good one!
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Sorry–forgot to add–how cool that you got to see The Sound of Music at Radio City Music Hall–that must have been a great memory!
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Kathy, a post is a post is a post. And I agree with Maura – you are building relationships with all of us, and that’s important. I love to learn more about you, about what bothers you, what frightens you, what you like and what you don’t … as far as I’m concerned, you can post as many of these kinds of posts as you like. I won’t stop reading. (I might be a bit behind in reading this week, though…)
Mary Poppins was my favourite movie as a child, with the Sound of Music a close second.
Sunshine xx
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Mary Poppins was also Robin’s favorite–and a great one at that. I too loved it.
Glad you don’t mind these kinds of posts–though I can’t imagine how busy you must be starting a new job————————
Hope you are able to catch your breath over the weekend!
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Hey, we all need to do that “throw away” post once in a while. And my favorite movies as a child were Song to Remember, the biopic of Chopin starring Cornell Wilde — it’s what introduced me to Chopin and the Polanaise in A Flat that still gives me chills, decades later, whenever I hear it, and Bandit of Sherwood Forest, which I watched endlessly because it was on the Million Dollar Movie one week, also starring Cornell Wilde. Between the two, I fell helplessly in love with him.
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Glad you don’t mind a soft post. But I have not seen either movie–thanks for the recommendations! Always good to hear about something wonderful you’ve not yet seen but have to look forward to! Hope you are having a great weekend—————————–
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LOL, I was somewhere between five and nine years old, Kathy, so don’t take that as a recommendation for now! I haven’t seen either movie in decades and have no idea how I’d react to them as an adult. Favorite adult movies include the original three Star Wars movies, When Harry Met Sally, and, more recently, the animated movie Up.
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Those are also good! But the ones you described the other day sounded really interesting. I think kids are good at recognizing what works.
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Did you know this is the FEATURE post in the MOVING tag section…. HAHAHA!!! Your “throw away” is one of your best to the powers at Word Press. And- it also happened to be a great interactive post. And it got a lot of thought from all of your loyal fans. Have a great move… enjoy some boiled peanuts for me. I’ll be in KY in mid- July- if you’re still there I”ll meet you for lunch!!!!Wouldn’t that be a HOOT!!!I”ll bring the Nose.
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Okay—this is really, really funny! Unbelievable really. But then I thought my piece that was Freshly Pressed was far from my best work–one I kind of threw together at the last minute. Weird!
I would love to have lunch. Chances are I won’t have left yet for our new location. Sara usually goes ahead of my by at least a month or two. It’s a date–you and the Nose! How fun!
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