Top Ten Things That Brighten My World

Top 10 Things That Brighten My World

By Pat Cunningham

Face it: it’s a werewolf-eat-vampire world out there (at least for us paranormal fans), but there are plenty of great things to brighten your day. Here are some of my favorites:

10. Bravo’s reality lineup – Project Runway and Top Chef in particular. Any show that promotes talent, creativity and imagination gets thumbs up in my book. You have to admire somebody who can create a wearable dress out of Twizzlers. And who doesn’t love Tim Gunn?

9. Barnes & Noble bookstores – mainly for providing all those armchairs and sofas for the financially challenged among us. It’s like the library, but with a bigger selection.

8. Rail trails – I don’t know about you, but I live in a hilly area, which makes walks and bike riding a challenge. Rail trails are level. You can go five miles without breaking a sweat. Ditto for New Jersey’s boardwalks. Just watch out for bikers if you’re on foot and vice versa.

7. The Mummy Returns – I can’t name another movie that has so many cute guys in it. Brendan Fraser. Arnold Vosloo. Oded Fehr. And, for about 10 minutes or so, The Rock. (The part at the end doesn’t count because he’s CGI.) Oh yeah, and I like the story, too.

6. Stephen King – for keeping me from sound sleep for 30 years. Thanks a lot, fellah.

5. Computers – technology couldn’t eliminate typing, but it did away with retyping. Nothing beats a computer when revision time rolls around. And with email, I not only save postage, I don’t find thick manila envelopes rolled up and jammed into my mailbox any more. Now I can delete rejection letters, which allows for a measure of satisfaction.

4. Harrison Ford – the reason I saw Star Wars 47 times. He’s gotten a bit craggy, but oh that sexy smile. (Excuse me, have to go watch the Raiders trilogy again.)

3. Caffeine – my drug of choice, the chemical without which no writer can function. If I don’t think I’ll make it to midnight on New Year’s, I have a cheesesteak and a Coke around 5, then wait for the carbs and caffeine to hit my system. Try this, it really works.

2. Checks from publishers – the best kind of validation there is. Not only do you have a physical object to wave in the faces of family members who told you to go get a job, but you can spend it on –

1. Chocolate – need I elaborate?

That’s my Top 10 list. What’s yours?

REMEMBER: HUGE IMPORTANT NEWS!!!

Pat’s short story the ‘SNAKE IN THE GLASS’ will be featured in the #7 issue of Beneath Ceaseless Skies, NEW YEAR’S DAY edition.
How wintery cool is that for all those hibernating serpents? And kewl for all the humans who want to curl up with a great story this winter.

Pat, Harrison Ford and chocolate...I couldn’t agree more!!! Computers, yeah, okay...lots of good there...but, I’m waiting for the really good Star Trek and beyond ones.

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~ http://savannakougar.com ~