46 Thoughts for My 46th Year

In honor of my 46th birthday and, in keeping with tradition, here is a list of the 46 thoughts that are top of mind right now:

1.  No matter how old you are, White Castle at 3AM is a terrible idea.
2. You can never have too many pillows.
3. If you teach your dog to bring you the leash every time she wants to go out, she will bring you her leash CONSTANTLY.
4. Socks with sandals defeats the purpose of sandals.
5. Some people thrive on their ability to make everything about them. Your auntie's best friend's, nephew's cousin might have gotten shot last night and these people are going to be wearing black, in mourning and posting about it all over social media.
6. Diet Dr. Pepper is apparently going to be the death of me. I don't know that I am ok with that but I just can't break up with my drink.
7. Speaking of breaking up... there are only two things more difficult that breaking up with your man: breaking up with your hairdresser and breaking up with your best friend of 30 years.
8. Best friends know more than your mom and your man.
9. I don't know what it is like to FEEL 46. I have to think about how old I am when people ask.
10. I do sometimes wish I could go back 20 years and do a few things differently but for the most part, I am looking forward to the future.
11. Greeting cards are such a rarity these days. Folks send wishes via Facebook and Instagram and Snapchat. This year, I am going to get back to sending cards with nice little notes written inside. I might even send some cards to people I don't like.
12. I'm not a player, I just crush a lot.
13. Speaking of crushing, there is this man right now who turns my head and ignites my brain. He is the total package.
14.   I have a dear friend who uprooted her life and move to Los Angeles to follow her dream. It is inspiring. 
15. On the cusp of having my first story published in 20 years, I am as excited as can be.
16. There are few things I cherish as much as just hanging out with my elderly parents on a Saturday night watching a Hallmark movie. (That might be a confession too.)
17. More than ever, we are living in a time when setting aside our own needs is integral to creating a better future for the next generation.
18. We must find reasons to love more often than we find reasons to be disgruntled or impatient or angry.
19. Acknowledging the NORMAL of others doesn't mean we understand it or even that we agree with it. Acknowledgment makes it real. AND THEN comes understanding.
20. Birthdays have become less significant in recent years but I hope I have at least 40 more in store because I have so much more to do.
21. While I admire people who stay in the same career for years, I could never do it. I am always thinking about what is next.
22. Brussel sprouts are more than just tiny cabbages.
23. If I could do one thing for the rest of my life, it would be to work as a public speaker in large venues, in front of lots of people, talking about MANY different things.
24. And if I could do two things, I would also have all of my books published and ranked on the popular market.
25. 46 years is often unfathomable since, at one time, I thought I would have lived most of my life by the time I was 30.
26. Teaching has given me an unmatchable experience and tremendous insight into what a significant handicap insecurity is to change and success.
27. Remember when your days were jam packed with playing games you made up with your friends in the neighborhood? Me too.
28. Love comes in many forms and not always in the way, the package, or the time you expect it.
29. Nothing cures sadness like a trip on the open road.
30. It's ok to like mainstream music and movies and television shows. You don't have to be unlike everyone else to be cool.
31. Embracing change is scary, even to those who have no idea they are afraid.
32. Sometimes, I think we act out of some ancestral memory that's buried in our DNA.
33. Everyone should read more.
34. Everyone should also disconnect from the world more.
35. I would LOVE to have a man in my life who makes me laugh, gives me butterflies when he walks into the room, and who smells like a hard day's work.
36. I believe in balance in a relationship. 
37. I am scared to death of truly putting myself out there when it comes to finding love.
38. When a ship has sailed, it's best not to stand in port waiting for it to return.
39. Volunteering and traveling are the two best ways to gain a firm understanding of the world.
40. Politics have never changed the world. That is your job and my job.
41. If your dog barks in the middle of the night, it's best to make sure nobody is stealing your car.
42. Failure is ok as long as you try again.
43. Pedicures and massages sustain me.
44. Do not call me in the middle of the night and expect to get a little booty. Do call me in the middle of the night if you have cake to share.
45. Napping totally messes up my day but my resolve to avoid them is fading as I get older.
46. This year will bring great things.

Here's to 46!