A few of my favorite things

The past week has been really rough, both with the language, homework, teaching, and with my host family. I had a bit of a problem with my host family - a combination of misunderstandings and differences in personalities. I think the major problems have been resolved now, but it was really stressful for me. Thank you to James for translating when all communication broke down. I wasn't too happy, so I made a list of a bunch of things that make me happy for whatever reason (or sometimes no reason). I figured that other people might like to see the things that make me happy, even if some of them are weird. In no particular order, here is my list of happiness.

1. Watching airplane contrails
2. Bridges
3. Anything with water - see below
4. Rivers
5. Waterfalls
6. Lakes
7. The Ocean
8. The smell and sound of the ocean
9. The sound of rain
10. The smell of rain
11. The feel of rain, but only if it is not cold winter rain
12. Castles with moats
13. Riding the train
14. Watching people sleep (especially on the train ^^)
15. Sleeping on the train and waking up just in time for my stop
16. When someone says just what I was thinking
17. A clean whiteboard to write on
18. When the whiteboard markers actually work
19. Teaching an enthusiastic class
20. Going off on tangents
21. Cobblestone streets
22. Streets filled with tiny shops
23. Decorated drain covers (planning to post my picture collection later)
24. Walking down a street that is playing music
25. Those days with perfect temperature
26. Eating good food at a new restaurant
27. Spending time with friends
28. Annin dofu - Almond gelatin mixed with fruit cocktail. Delicious.
29. Carbonated candy
30. Having Calpis ready-made in the fridge
31. Turning on the TV and seeing a show I like
32. Getting a letter
33. Watching clouds
34. Airplanes
35. Understanding a difficult Japanese conversation
36. Succeeding at a new challenge on my own
37. Weekends
38. Adorable elementary school kids
39. Going on walks
40. Plants that are actually green
41. Driving in the car at night
42. Looking down on city lights from up above
43. Watching stars
44. Fireflies
45. Beautiful Sunsets
46. Having a class I teach go well
47. Making new friends
48. Being random
49. Mountains
50. Paying less for something than I thought
51. Having a song I like on the radio
52. Listening to music with other people (this is when some of the best conversations happen)
53. Funny Japanese commercials
54. Sliding doors
55. Wood floors
56. The smell of wet wood, or wet asphalt
57. Purin (Amazing Japanese pudding with not-sweet caramel at the bottom)
58. A cold drink on a hot day
59. Walking barefoot on grass
60. Finding a coin on the ground
61. Getting an email
62. The beach
63. Talking to my family on Skype
64. Receiving presents
65. Walking through the shrine at night (a little like walking through a graveyard, but better lit)
66. The smell of incense at Buddhist temples (ceder?)
67. Heights
68. Having an adventure (sometimes even getting lost)
69. Playing the piano
70. Playing my flute
71. Watching random movies online (usually not in English)
72. Learning words in other languages
73. Garlic rolls
74. Multi-lingual hymn night with roommates (miss you guys!)
75. Reading, even if I've read it many times before
76 trombones led the big parade
77. Quoting from places that other people may or may not understand. See above.
78. Roller coasters
79. Ice cream
80. Chocolate, dark or with fruit flavor.
81. Staying up way too late to have ridiculous conversations
82. Using complex words that people don't usually use in normal conversation.
83. Sidewalk chalk
84. Cooking
85. Water slides
86. Thunder
87. My fuzzy socks that I thought I would never like when I first got them
88. Flip-flops
89. Starting new classes
90. Waking up early and being productive (doesn't go well with number 81)
91. Driving past the store named "The Jolly Pasta". I don't know why, but it makes me laugh. I have all sorts of associations that come with the word "jolly," and none of them go with pasta.
92. Sidewalk chalk
93. Little animal figures carved out of wood or stone to use as bookends
94. Tunnels (this deserves to be much higher on the list if it were in order)
95. Hiking
96. Frisbee
97. Picnics
98. Biking
99. Windy days
100. Humidity
101. The smell of wood
102. When the song in my head matches the window wipers or the turn signal
103. The smell of orange peels
104. Mist
105. Running down stairs, usually several at a time
106. Laughing for no reason at all
107. Fans (the kind that blow air)
108. Fans (the kind that ask for my autograph, especially those under age 12)
109. Knowing my way around a place in the dark or with my eyes closed
110. Watching a new movie for the first time

The End. I might add more if I feel like it.