People who write regularly seem to enjoy putting together {best of} lists. Especially around the new year. You know, best songs of 2014. Best books. Best movies. In times past, I posted a blog entry every Friday entitled Flapjack Friday Faves. That was back when I made my kids pancakes every Friday morning. And I took the time throughout the week to put together such lists, links to articles, and various other tidbits I personally felt interesting and compelled to share with the world.
Over the holiday break, my son reminded me how much he and I like the song, My Favorite Things. He prefers the John Coltrane version. I like it as well, but I’m also alright with Julie Andrews, as in The Sound of Music…. Instead of being introspective and sharing with you, dear reader, about my personal issues of compulsiveness, I am dedicating this blog entry to some of my faves. Not just from 2014. Some are recent, as of today. Some are from times past. Anyway, you get the point. Or you’ve stopped reading because you honestly want to read about my struggles, problems and insecurities. Sorry, not today. 
The best book I read in 2014 was The Goldfinch, by Donna Tartt. It’s long. Mind you, 775 pages long. Incidentally, it won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, although some literary critics deemed it less than worthy. In a world where it seems James Patterson publishes a book per week, I say “back off, literature snobs!”
Why did I enjoy the above mentioned book? It revolves around a boy [who sometime in the 700+ pages grows up], his relationship with his mother, the art museum they frequented, and a painting.
Which brings me to one of my favorite places…… The Cincinnati Art Museum. During 2014, I visited it three times, the first two with both my kids, the last with just my son. We’re art museum type people, my kids and I. So, perhaps you can see why I would enjoy a book revolving around a boy, his mom, art, etc. The Cincinnati Art Museum is home to a van Gogh…..Undergrowth with Two Figures. And there’s just something fascinating to me about standing right smack in front of it and thinking about him painting. In case of confusion, by him, I mean van Gogh. There is no admission fee and in my opinion, the CAM is one of the best things going in the tri-state area.
I am not only a museum person, but a shoe person as well. My favorite Goodwill find of 2014 was my Doc Marten boots. I was also gifted a pair of Converse, which was fantasticisimo [yes, I realize that’s not truly a word]. My shoe goal of 2015? Locate a pair of Christian Louboutin’s at a thrift store…..which will be highly unlikely beings this particular pair is $675 and this is not the type of merchandise one finds in a Lexington, Kentucky Goodwill. But guess what, I’d buy them no matter the size. If I actually found them at Goodwill. Collector’s item and all that….. 
My favorite song of the week: Let It Fall, by Over the Rhine. It’s on their newest album, Blood Oranges in the Snow.
New favorite decorating addiction: spray paint. I simply cannot get enough. I spray painted a floor lamp, a desk, multiple picture frames and I know there’s more but I cannot think of it right now during 2014. In 2015, watch out. Once the temperature allows, I’ll be back out there, in my backyard, items lined up and ready to be colored into something beautiful. Okay, that’s dramatic…..but I enjoy it, so there.
Favorite sports moments as of late? It’s the stories that get me. The personal stuff. Kevin Durant’s speech in which he mentioned his mom. A football camp my workplace did with the University of Kentucky football team and the kids in our after school program. The realization that the University of Kentucky football player who did an internship with us will forever have my cake pan with him as I made him a birthday cake and he forgot to give the pan back. My son explaining to me over and over [because I’m slow, not because he’s ill equipped to explain] the differences between Barcelona and Real Madrid soccer fans. Oh, and the 2014 Winter Olympics because it helped my daughter and I get through some rough days.
Recent favorite foods…..cilantro pesto, sweet potatoes, almond butter. I’ve discovered I truly enjoy pistachios. My youth team coworkers and I began “Taco Tuesdays” during 2014. That’s got to be listed as a favorite food happening and one I can see continuing for years to come.
Favorite modes of exercise? I ran more miles in 2014 than I ever have, I’m confident of that. I participated in a 10k and two 5Ks. Plus I began attending a boxing class at my YMCA. And I purchased my own boxing gloves. Thanks to the boxing class, I currently know more hip hop songs than I ever have. I {started from the bottom} regarding that genre. [if you don’t get that reference, I suggest you GOOGLE started from the bottom.…]
Other favorites worth mentioning:
the color turquoise
John Green books
the music of JohnnySwim
Ellie Holcomb when I want to listen to worship music
street art….oh my gosh Lexington has upped its game
the Farmer’s Market
photos of cathedrals my daughter posts from the Czech Republic
attending my son’s guitar classical guitar recital at the University of Louisville [he did one as a freshman….which isn’t so common…..proud of that boy]
walking CJ the beagle around Castlewood Park
the Ansel Adams book I purchased at Half Price Books….in which I, so far, have cut out two photos and framed them
sitting in a bank, signing the papers to refinance my house, during which time the bank was robbed [yes, the robber was eventually caught]
verse that got me through 2014…..Exodus 14:14
and finally, all the pins on my Pinterest quote board: Something to Say
Upon a Sunny Day 