I Wish

Have I said this before? That's my favorite song, period. "I Wish" by Stevie Wonder is so special to me, so creative, so much a part of me that if I were stranded on an island and could only take two songs, I'd just take two copies of that song in case one got messed up.

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Taken from the one and only Ulitave: http://www.livejournal.com/users/ulitave/

Step One

- Make a post (public, friendslocked, filtered...whatever you're comfortable with) to your blog. The post should contain your list of 10 holiday wishes. The wishes can be anything at all, from simple and fandom-related ("I'd love a Snape/Hermione icon that's just for me") to medium ("I wish for _____ on DVD") to really big ("All I want for Christmas is a new car/computer/house/TV.") The important thing is, make sure these wishes are things you really, truly want.

- If you wish for real life things (not fics or icons), make sure you include some sort of contact info in your post, whether it's your address or just your email address where Santa (or one of his elves) could get in touch with you.

- Also, make sure you post some version of these guidelines in your blog, or link to this post (it'll be public) so that the holiday joy will spread.

Step Two

- Surf around your friendslist (or friendsfriends, or just random journals) to see who has posted their list. And now here's the important part:

- If you see a wish you can grant, and it's in your heart to do so, make someone's wish come true. Sometimes someone's trash is another's treasure, and if you have a leather jacket you don't want or a gift certificate you won't use--or even know where you could get someone's dream purebred Basset Hound for free--do it.

You needn't spend money on these wishes unless you want to. The point isn't to put people out, it's to provide everyone a chance to be someone else's holiday elf--to spread the joy. Gifts can be made anonymously or not--it's your call.

There are no rules with this project, no guarantees, and no strings attached. Just...wish, and it might come true. Give, and you might receive. And you'll have the joy of knowing you made someone's holiday special.

What do you wish for?

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1. A 3/4 length black jacket, size 40 (I'm 5'11", 155-160 lbs, so I could be a medium or a large really... I like enough room in a jacket to accommodate a sweater underneath). Nothing awfully heavy, as I have a fine Navy pea coat that'll handle severe weather. Here's a nice one: http://www.smartbargains.com/go.sb?pagename=prod&sourceid=qIa2Q4VOvQJ2AnKvQpIB&prodid=1010232461&aid=74&siteid=0041070402&isrw=2&catid=47&deptid=10

2. I want Joel Hodgson. I mean, I want the primary creative mind behind Mystery Science Theater 3000 to entertain me again. Not just by being a name in some credits, or maybe popping up on HBO in some scattered something... I want to see him flexing that remarkable talent of his for ME, man!

3. I want a UFO greatest hits compilation with "Lights Out" on it.

4. I want new boots in black. Maybe some new Noconas. Size 10.5

5. I want a Houston Astros NL championship cap. Something fairly tasteful, without a whole explosion of insignia. Size 7.5, but adjustable is cool. I like that stretchy stuff too. http://shop.mlb.com/category/index.jsp?categoryId=1452770&cp=1452353

6. I want Lanvin Vetyver cologne, sold by http://www.vermontcountrystore.com

7. I want a Les Paul that doesn't weigh too much. http://www.gibson.com/products/gibson/LesPaul/StudioLite.html

8. I want black clothes. Black black black. Anything. I had dandruff for YEARS and couldn't wear black. I got rid of it, finally, and I love wearing black. A black long-sleeve t-shirt is perhaps the greatest piece of winter clothing. I look good in black, damn it.

9. I want a bootleg of the Paul McCartney show we attended Sunday night.

10. I want a new receiver; ours only has Pro Logic (that's how old it is), and it's crapping out. http://www.crutchfield.com/S-eZitPnp7o0t/cgi-bin/ProdView.asp?g=10420&I=158STD698B

(Sorry for the ugly links... posting from the Mac as I do, I can't put hyperlinks in for some reason.

I can be reached at briankelli@yahoo.com

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I had a wish come true.

I took Judo for a month, as you may recall. It was January of this year. In my month there, I broke my pinky toe, wrenched my back while practicing a throw on a 220 lb black belt, and had a five-day dizzy spell after some tumbling drills.

The Sensei was pregnant at the time, due in several weeks. She was high-risk, supposed to be on bed rest. But she hobbled into class a few times to lie on the sidelines and chime in where necessary. After I left I wondered what happened to the baby.

Tonight as I ran at the rec center (six miles--thank you, thank you... please return to your seats), the Judo class was going on. I recognized some of the faces. And at the end of class as the students sat in a circle for a little wrapup, I saw a baby crawling from student to student. Easily a 9-10-month-old kid.

For that moment, I am thankful.

Have a good Thanksgiving. Be safe, know that you are loved.