An Incomplete and Growing List of the Most Important Things in My Life (During Various Eras)

Finding box turtles in the woods, keeping them for a few days, and then releasing them

Getting British Knights high tops before the first day of school

Winning

Deciding to run track instead of playing softball

Making up a dance to “Ice Ice Baby” alone in my basement

Being captain of the team

Peanut butter and bananas

Wearing shorts to school every single day, even when it’s below 20 degrees

Not smoking

Getting past level 25 in Tetris

Running really, really fast

Working at Jersey Freeze

Deciding not to take AP History so I could be in Mr. Koba’s class instead

Being the first one in and last one out of the pool

Getting good grades

Getting a GUND stuffed animal named Muttsy

Running really, really far

Memorizing all 21 counties in New Jersey in alphabetical order

Remembering how great it is to read books when there’s not an exam about them

Remembering to get spinach for a green smoothie

Watching Clue with my cousins

Getting published

Impressing other people’s parents

Going to the beach

Campaigning for Barack Obama

Not wearing dresses, makeup, or heels

Finding a job

Eating dessert sometime around 9:30 P.M. every night

Getting my license

Correcting people when they sing the wrong words to a song I know

Being able to quote Billy Madison

Strangers thinking I’m funny

Reaching out to people who are grieving the loss of a loved one

Going to grad school far away

Getting a perfect score on every spelling test

Learning to bake bomb chocolate chip cookies

Being the tannest