Dearest friends, it is my birthday today. I was born on a Friday some time ago now, which makes me loving and giving, according to that old nursery rhyme – no big deal. Like many folks after a cancer diagnosis, birthdays bring a complicated feeling. I’ve now spent five birthdays in the grip of cancer treatment, and that feels kind of depressing. But I’m also here, celebrating another birthday, unlike many of my peers- so it feels worth celebrating, perhaps even more so than before.
So here I am, and I’m going to present to you a slightly different format than before. I’m just going to straight up tell you a list of my favorite things, and my hope is to incorporate more of these things into my life as the year goes on. I’d love you to share yours with me as well. Comment below or send me an email at christina@cactuscancer.org.
My favorite things to eat:
- Pasta in any form
- Black and green olives
- Kosher dill pickles
- Fresh herbs but especially thyme
- Salads made with arugula
- Lemon zest on desserts
- Any mocktail that’s like a gin and tonic
- Strawberry basil lemonade
- Paneer masala
- Shakshuka
- Sourdough bread
- Matcha lattes made with almond milk and honey
- Warm raspberry preserves on vanilla ice cream
- Corn chowder
- Dips, especially spinach and artichoke dip
My favorite things to see:
- The teen romcom classic 10 Things I Hate About You
- Peaceful protest
- Flower and lavender farms
- Videos of babies and baby animals on instagram
- National Parks in the United States
- Photos of silent and pre-code film stars
- The 1991 masterpiece film Hook
- My dog, especially when she’s asleep
- A houseplant that perks up after watering
- Street fairs
- Season 3 episode 13 of Parks and Recreation (“The Fight”)
- People wearing fancy attire in random public places, like a post-prom trip to the diner
- Pride flags flying in my town
- Cottagecore inspiration
- Art restoration videos and side-by-sides
My favorite things to do:
- Go to museums
- Have a spontaneous dance party
- Sing in harmony with friends
- Mentor actors
- Read outside on a warm day
- Open the windows in the summer and play a record
- Buy really special gifts for people
- Attend a play or musical
- Sit by bodies of water
- Harvest things from my community garden
- Have a picnic for no reason
- Send and receive snail mail
- Freshen up my home decor seasonally
- Do whatever I’m doing all-out, super seriously
- Stay in bed, drink tea, and cuddle my dog
I hope you have a weekend filled with your favorite things.
Christina
