The importance of simply sleeping in

Photo mojo. Yes, there is such a thing. For me, anyway. And this past weekend I lost it. I didn't want to go out, I didn't want to face the crowds in downtown Austin for SXSW and had little to no energy to think about taking photos. 

So I slept in and relaxed. A lot. Which I really needed, apparently. While cozying into my couch, moping and thinking, ohmygod how am I ever going to take another photo ever again, I came across this adorable video about a little girl who goes around taking photos of her favorite things. Quite simple really.

And that's all it took. My photo mojo was sparked once again.

I took out a pen and started listing my favorite things. Here are a few.

My cat, Katie. This cat...drives me crazy sometimes. She will immediately lick any limb or finger that happens to poke out from underneath the sheets in the morning. And most of the time it is very, very early in the morning. Any time I sit down, my lap is considered fair game. And my couch is, for the most part, her scratching post. But for being such a tiny creature, this cat has the biggest heart and is constantly asking me to open mine. I think about the day when she will pass on and it makes me love her all the more. She is my little partner in crime and we look out for each other.

(And I realize how silly it is to list my cat as a thing. Know that I think more of her than that. But not having her on this list felt strange. So. There. She is just...my favorite.)

Mobiles. I purchased this one in Costa Rica after searching the markets in San Jose for one that was handmade (many of them look alike). It was my last day in Costa Rica and I had popped into a restaurant that I thought was not Costa Rican. All I wanted was something other than a meal with rice and beans or casado. Which is delicious, don't get me wrong. But I had been eating casado in some form or another almost every day for two weeks. Of course, the restaurant I popped into turned out to be traditional Costa Rican and I ended up with a plate full of...more casado. So, I shrugged my shoulders, grabbed my fork and relished every bite.

Stripes. I can't explain my obsession with stripes. I just know that I love them and they make me happy.

Windchimes. My sister moved into a new house last year. In order to make it feel more like home, she put up windchimes and twinkling lights. Growing up we had several windchimes outside our house that made beautiful sounds every time a thunderstorm blew in or the wind picked up. Personally, I own only one or two, but I love buying them for my sister and seeing them every time I visit her.

Some of my other favorite things:

Yellow cake with chocolate frosting
Red wine
Butterscotch candies
Men's forearms
This is Just to Say by William Carlos Williams
Fresh bread
The smell of soap and skin

What are some of your favorite things?