Almost every time I set foot in a Barnes and Noble, I have to poop.

It’s like clockwork. The smell of books, the muffled conversations, the 2000’s Pop Slow Jams playing in the background. The combination provides a perfect digestive environment.

Why am I talking about bowel movements in America’s only surviving bookstore chain? Great question.

The short answer is, I haven’t written a blog in a year and I needed an opening line that would get your attention.

The long answer is, this year has been a doozy. Spotify’s privacy invading software created this End-of-the-Year wrap up that accurately describes both my music taste and general demeanor in 2022:

Passionate Lighthearted Angst. I couldn’t have said it better myself.

2022 had it’s fair share of change, loss, heartache, stress, and unexplained neck pain.  Because of that, it’s been increasingly important for me to notice and appreciate the little things. As I said goodbye to 2022, I decided to create a list of things that made me laugh, brought my comfort, and/or brought me peace in a year where I frequently used the phrase, “…or I could just scoop my eyes out with a melon baller”.

My Favorite Things of 2022:

1. Sweatpants with loose, elastic waistbands that can be comfortably pulled up to the base of my rib cage while I sit on the couch watching a romantic comedy
2. Romantic Comedies
3. Completing every item on a check list
4. Making a check list with a couple things I’ve already done so I can cross them off right away
5. A new Christmassy throw blanket
6. A well-timed Marco Polo or Facetime
7. Cooking a surprisingly good dinner with only items that I already had in my refrigerator
8. Warm socks that don’t make my feet sweat
9. Fireplaces
10. Jigsaw puzzles of winter scenery
11. Cheese Spreads; specifically Port Wine and Wisconsin Sharp Cheddar
12. Being greeted by a one-eyed dog wagging his tail
13. A broken in Carhartt beanie
14. Loose, 90’s high-rise jeans
15. Putting on a large, well-worn Bulldogs Football hoodie after a long day
16. Ocean sounds
17. Brene Brown quotes about feelings
18. Adele’s 30 album
19. A glass of water after eating a large serving of my favorite ice cream
20. Getting a hug from the right person
21. Not getting a hug from the wrong person
22. When I see that I have an unread work email and it ends up being Jimmy Johns offering me a free cookie
23. Eating whipped cream from a can
24. Watching the TV show ALONE from the comfort of my living room
25. Monochromatic sweatsuits
26. Finally being able to touch my toes after consistently stretching for what felt like way too long
27. When the gummy hits
28. A perfectly scented candle
29. Charcuterie boards
30. When the first thing I try on in the morning looks good
31. Sexual fantasies about numerous characters from the show Ted Lasso
32. Sleeping through the night and waking up after 7AM
33. Waking up in the morning to realize I didn’t get murdered in my sleep like I was certain I would the night before
34. The moment right after I almost fall going 18 mph on my road bike but manage to catch myself
35. When I am coming to a complete stop on my bike and can’t unclip my shoes from the pedals, so I slowly start to tip over, falling in what feels like slow motion, and thinking about how funny it must look to the car driving by
36. Kayaking early in the morning and seeing a muskrat swim from one side of the river to the other with a leaf in its mouth
37. How my hair feels after I wash it for the first time in a week
38. The first week after getting my mustache waxed
39. The Midland Farmer’s Market
40. Getting a card
41. Taking long walks after work and guessing who lives in the houses I pass based on the condition of their garden and yard signs
42. Finishing a book with a great ending
43. Flannel sheets
44. Fall colors
45. When a hard conversation goes doesn’t end in a catastrophe
46. Going on Macy’s website and seeing the Martha Stewart bath towels I like are on sale for $6
47. Having all my laundry washed, folded, and put away on Sunday evening
48. When my pee is clear because I finally drank the recommended amount of water
49. Midday naps
50. When family comes to visit, and I can take them to all my favorite spots
51. Hearing a new Midwestern saying that I’ve never heard before. This year’s favorites include, “God willing and the creeks don’t rise”, “It smells like the south end of a north bound cow” and “Why are you hunched over like a dog shitting barbed wire”
52. Totally derailing a work meeting when my joke lands
53. The “Cooking Mix” that Spotify “picked just for me”
54. Lip singing my favorite songs to myself in the mirror or to an audience at the company Christmas party
55. Buying a couple bouquets of flowers and making my own arrangements
56. Posting a blog after a 13-month hiatus.
57. A successful trip to Barnes and Noble

So there you have it. It’s not a comprehensive list, but you get the gist. These are just some of the little things that I’m thankful for this year. And you know what Brene Brown says about gratitude:

“Practicing gratitude is how we acknowledge that there’s enough and that we’re enough” (#17)

Happy New Year, Everyone!!!

See below for photo evidence that I did things in 2022

P.S. If you’re bothered by the list ending on a weird, arbitrary number like 57 and you’re wondering if I did that on purpose, I’ll say this. Does a bear shit in the woods? Better yet, does a 32-year-old woman shit in a Barnes and Noble?

Yikes.