50 Things That Make Me Smile

            Here's the Sequel to my previous post! In no particular order, here are 50 things that make me smile...

1. The fake mustache I carry in my wallet. You never know when you'll need one.
2. Shelter, Edge of Seventeen, and Beautiful Thing. These movies are really great to watch when coming out. They've helped me define who I am and who I am not as a gay man.
3. Ugly, tacky sweaters. I don't own one, but I want to.
4. Quiet mornings.
5. Rainy mornings.
6. The West. I've lived on the East coast for a few years now, and it's really beautiful and green... but I miss mountains and deserts and how brown California gets.
7. Dreams where one is a student at Hogwarts.
8. BYU's International Cinema. I'll never say no to free movies. My favorite are the Japanese films.
9. Singing in/Listening to the BYU Men's Chorus. I really hope I can audition back into Men's Chorus in January. Singing with them is one of the few things at BYU that genuinely feels spiritual to me.
10. The theatre. I fell in love with every aspect of theatre in high school. If I don't decide to follow through with applying to the Media Arts program, the theatre is where I'll go next.
11. Eating peanut butter and chocolate chips. In a bowl. With a spoon.
12. Mixing peanut butter and honey in my oatmeal. Don't knock it until you try it!
13. The feeling of inspiration that comes with writing, singing, acting and composing.
14. The Book Thief and I am the Messenger. Markus Zusak is one of my favorite authors. Check these books out if you haven't read them; you'll be a better human for it.
15. Philmont Scout Ranch. I didn't like my troop that I hiked with, but I loved the place. The mountains, plateaus, and forests are beautiful. Plus, you can see a bajillion stars and satellites at night.
16. Ghost stories and urban legends. Even though they scare the crap out of me.
17. Sticky rice. I love all Asian food, especially Thai, but sticky rice is the BEST.
18. The Phantom of the Opera. I mean the movie. I saw the Broadway show after the movie came out. I was second row, right under the chandelier and to be honest, it was a rather soulless performance.
19. Music boxes. I like the simple, tinny sound.
20. Christmas caroling. I don't really like being caroled at, but I love singing Christmas songs.
21. Doodling and Scribbling. I can actually draw pretty well, but I don't have the patience for it.
22. Wooden, yellow pencils with pink erasers.
23. The feeling one gets on the First Day of School.
24. Glee. Brittany and Artie and the Magic Comb; that was precious. I'm also a huge Sue Sylvester fan.
25. Regina Spektor. Right now, I only have two of her songs, “The Call” and “Us.” I need more.
26. Clothes that fit perfectly.
27. John Williams is the Man.
28. The fact that I predicted exactly where HP7 Part 1 would end the moment they announced HP7 would be two movies. I know no one cares, but I feel so cool.
29. When I know someone was touched by something I performed/wrote.
30. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. This one is my favorite Indiana Jones movie. Whenever I can't decide what movie to watch I fall back on this one.
31. Architecture.
32. The city of Chicago.
33. Hunger. I kind of like being hungry sometimes because it reminds me I'm alive. Is this weird?
34. Mountains. I'll take mountains over the beach any day of the week.
35. Little kids. The last couple of months I have been an unofficial Nursery worker in my ward. I love every minute of it.
36. Playing the piano for Primary. The children are hilarious, and it's way better than being in Elder's Quorum.
37. The name “Skandar.”
38. Documentaries. And David Attenborough's voice.
39. Writing my notes for school in fancy, extravagant cursive.
40. Being gay. Seriously; it's such relief to know I'm not broken.
41. Writing poetry. Sometimes thoughts are best expressed poetically.
42. Sitting in a chair upside down.
43. Being short enough that I can still kick my legs if I'm sitting on a normal-sized chair. It's hilarious, and I laugh every time.
44. President Thomas S. Monson. He's an excellent speaker, and has a great sense of humor.
45. Sitting by a fire.
46. My sideburns. They are frequent offenders of the BYU Dress Code.
47. Sony's 'Epic Movie' commercials.
48. Davy Jones and General Grievous. I'm a geek, and I love these villains.
49. Friends who think it's fun to cook me dinner.
50. God is really cool, no matter what religion says about Him.

Happy December everybody!