Like Oprah, but for poor people.

in Random Crap

I’m not sure if she still does it, but Oprah used to do a thing where she picked all of her favorite things for the year and then did a show about them.  I was thinking of doing the same thing, except instead of things that millionaires love, it would just be things that make me happy that I spent an extra few dollars on.  Mostly because every time I use these things I think “Holy shit, I’m so glad I have this and I wish I could give this stuff to everyone in the world.”  I can’t though, but what I can do is tell you the stuff that I’ve been happiest about finding and you can do the same thing in the comments and then we can all find awesome cheap or free stuff that we love.  Also, this post isn’t funny.  Sorry if you were coming here for that.  But to make it up to you I’m giving away a gift certificate with enough on it to buy pretty much everything I’m going to talk about.  (As long as you live in America.  If you live somewhere that doesn’t have Amazon I’ll just paypal you the amount.)  Also, I’ve been given absolutely no compensation to write this and the people and products I’m writing about have no idea I’m doing this and some might actually be sad for having been linked back to such an irreverent band of misfits, but they can just suck it because I love them anyway.  The bastards.

So, things I love that are worth spending money on or that are totally free anyway:

Allie Brosh.  Her blog is fantastic and free and she has a book coming out in a few months which is wonderific.  She sent me a copy and I literally shot juice out of the hole in my stomach from laughing so hard.  I also told her she could use that as a blurb.  Because I’m a giver. 

J. R. Watkins Coconut Sugar and Shea Body Scrub.  I have super dry skin and this exfoliates with sugar and then the shea butter stays on your skin.  It’s the only thing that doesn’t disappear immediately on me.  (You can usually get it way cheaper at Target.)

A bath sheet.  It’s like a towel, but bigger, and when I dry off I feel like I’m at a fancy hotel drying off using the duvet (until laundry day when my two bath sheets are in the wash and I have to use a beach towel.)  I’ll know that I’ve finally “made it” when I can afford a whole set.

Neuro Sleep.  I have no idea what’s really in it but it makes me sleep better than rum, and that’s saying a lot.  I have one every few nights and my insomnia has gotten slightly less horrific.

TARDIS Beach Towel.  I know.  Two towels in one list?  Who needs that many towels?  Me and Douglas Adams.  That’s who.  (You can sometimes get this cheaper on ThinkGeek.)  The awesome things about this is that when you’re at the pool you can tell all the cool, slightly nerdy people who will be fun to sit by because they all go “OHMYGOD, I WANT THAT.”  The other people look at you like you’re a total dork.  It’s okay to pee in the pool if you’re standing near those people.

Little Snowie Shaved Ice Machine.  It’s pricey at a little over $200 but we’ve used ours almost every day for years and years.  We don’t buy the syrup because it’s expensive but we eat them plain, or with fruit juice, or with booze drizzled over the top.  My favorite is Amaretto and Chamboard when we’re flush, or Strawberry Hill when money is tight.  Also, when it’s really hot you can make a laundry basket full of shaved ice, put on your bathing suit, and have snowball fights in the yard.  Our neighbors hate us.

Neil Gaiman.  I’m a voracious reader and could probably write a million paragraphs on all the books you should read, but I’m most grateful for the day (a million years ago) I went into the comic shop and was disappointed to find the latest issue of Strangers in Paradise hadn’t arrived yet.  The guy behind the counter looked at me as if to size up my worthiness and after a few seconds came out to introduce me to Neil Gaiman’s Sandman.  He had me start on book 4 (Season of Mists) and I devoured it and reread it 20 times until I could save up enough to start from the beginning and collect them all.  Sandman is my Catcher in the Rye and it saved me from a dark place by showing me I wasn’t alone.  I owe that guy behind the comic counter more than he’ll ever know.

The Suicide Hotline.  I realize this is a weird one, but I struggle with mental illness and one day I had urges that I was really afraid of.  My shrink wasn’t answering and I was afraid I was really going to hurt myself.  The girl on the other end of the line listened and gave me actual pointers on how to avoid the self-harms issues I was struggling with. I still use those coping mechanisms she gave me.  It saved me from myself, and it was free.

Jenny Lewis in all her incarnations. People are rediscovering her now and that’s awesome.  My ideal party would be me, her, Amanda Palmer, Regina Spektor and Miranda Lambert all in my bathroom with a karaoke machine and a bartender and some illegal fireworks.   Rabbit Fur Coat is one of those CD’s I buy over and over because I always lend it out to people when they’re struggling.  This song as well is rather healing for me.

Stephen Parolini ~ His blog is Counting on Rain and he’s one of my favorite writers ever.  He writes amazing, dark, beautiful short stories for free.  He doesn’t post often, but when he does it’s always something incredible.

Levar Burton explaining how not to get shot by the police.  Yeah.  This one isn’t a happy one, but I used this dozens of times this week to help people explain that just because you don’t see racism doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.  There were lots of other great commentaries out there this month, but there’s something about the guy who raised us on Reading Rainbow talking about his fear for his life that makes most people at least pause and think a bit about the world as it is, and as we want it to be.  And that’s a good thing.

Venture Bros.  So good.  Impossible not to like.  Gateway drug to Archer.

 Independent book stores ~ It’s ironic that I’m linking to Amazon here for everything, because Indie book stores are my kryptonite.  Not only do they have awesome, weird stuff that you won’t find in mainstream stores, but they also are amazing resources for readers who need suggestions.  You can sometimes make friends with your local book-monger and ask them to compile a reading list for you based on your likes.  Their books are sometimes a bit pricier, but it’s worth the extra few dollars and if it weren’t for Indie Book Sellers my book wouldn’t have nearly as loud of a voice.

What Should I Read Next.  You know when you read an amazing book and you wish you could find another similar to it but you can’t?  Well, now you can.  Type in the book you like and “What Should I Read Next” will give you a list of books similar to that one.

Doctor Who.  You either hate it, or it changes your whole life and you spend nights waiting for David Tennant to tell you that you’re the key to saving all the kittens in the universe.  It’s ridiculous and silly and requires an enormous willing-suspension-of-disbelief, but some of the most beautiful moments on TV come from Doctor Who.  You can watch it for free on Netflix.  Start with the 2005 reboot.  Watch through episode 10.  If you don’t like it you can at least say that you tried and now you can spend your free time looking for the soul that you seem to have lost.

 Microwave slippers.  I have arthritis so my feet hurt a lot.  I pop these in the microwave and slip them on in bed to sleep in when I’m having a super rough day.  I feel ancient just typing this but I can’t live without them during the winter.

Okay, your turn.  What have you discovered that you now can’t live without?  Just leave it in the comment section and at the end of the week I’ll pick one random person to get a $350 amazon gift card so you can buy everything on this list.  Except Neil Gaiman.  You can’t buy a person.  That’s illegal, you guys.

UPDATED:  Alright, it’s the end of the week and I usually just send an email to the person who wins or announce it on twitter, but when I read the comment selected by my random number generator I really felt I needed to share it.

From Dangerous Lilly:  I don’t think I have a shot at winning it, but if I did I wouldn’t keep the gift card. I’d give it to my best friend. Because she’s amazing, and life handed her a big bag of suck lately, so she’s always on the brink of poor but can’t do a thing about it til after her transplant and her kids drive her nuts half the time. So yeah. I’d like to give her something awesome but she won’t let me if it’s from my own pocket. I have things that make me happy, that I can’t live without, and most of them cost money so…. I’d rather share the love.

I seriously adore you people.  DangerousLilly, check your email.

3,332 thoughts on “Like Oprah, but for poor people.”

Read comments below or add one.

  1. A few years ago I bought a really good sewing machine (Husqvarna/Viking) and now cannot live without – or your blog!

  2. Kinder Eggs!!! Seriously little chocolate eggs with a toy inside… that you could totally choke on.. but only if your in America ’cause everywhere else sells them, or just doesn’t love their kids as much, or their kids are brighter… either way.. tough to get her but just delightfully weird toys that make no sense to me but are just. so. cool.
    annnyway.. Thanks for new links and yeah I’m all about OD’ing on netflix episodes of Doctor Who… everyone should be so lucky to find something they love as much. Also… surfing youtube videos at 3am! free, unless you count the cost of internet services. Go go gadget kittens!

  3. I can’t live without Sherlock Holmes. He is like my Dr.Who. He takes me on magical adventures in Victorian England and beyond. Without him I would prooooobably die a horrible death. Woohoo fictional characters!

    and a hair straightener. because my natural hair is out.of.con-trol. no joke.

  4. Tea. For reals, hot or cold. I can drink this stuff by the gallon. LOVE IT

    Sunglasses. nuff said

  5. Lemons. They make everything taste better. Melatonin to help me sleep. My husband because sex is fun and there’s no weird issues when you have a solid playmate.

  6. My immersion blender. I love it- I hide all kinds of fruit and veggies in my kids food now! Ha!

  7. Well, you already did Dr. Who and the Venture Brothers so all I can add is Torchwood and Top Gear. Not the icky American Top Gear but the honest to God Jeremy is such a delicious asshole British one.

    I also love my re-runs of Lovejoy. It’s Ian McShane before he got all deadwood.

  8. The best $100 I ever spent was on our memory foam mattress pad. Ours came from Sam’s Club, but they’re easy to find. I can’t believe how much better we sleep!

  10. My 1200 thread count sheets. There’s just nothing so comfy and soft as all those happy threads snuggling me to sleep.

    Wow, that sounded a little horror-movie-ish, didn’t it?

  11. I can’t live without chapstick. The plane jane blue label is always with me. I have them stashed everywhere! Also knitting, it keeps me calm and gives my hands something productive to do besides strangle people.
    Side note; I’m so happy to see so many knitters here.

    Also this list just makes me smile, I have a lot of the same loves and it makes me happy to know I’m not the onlyest one.

  12. I just found the classic book ‘Click Clack Moo: Cows That Type’ for my son and it’s a lifesaver! He and I both enjoy reading it over and over. I’m also hooked on anything by V.C. Andrews because the lives the girls in her books have make my life feel so better.

  13. Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me. And knitting – “I knit so I don’t kill people” has its days!

  14. I love the TV series Castle. I discovered this show last year and have *almost* gotten through to the end of the most current season. The writing and acting are amazing, but the biggest thing about this show is the way the show makes me feel. I’m almost always in a happier, more cozy place after I finish watching. My husband and I are working our way through the episodes one by one, savoring them like chocolate truffles. Plus, Nathan Fillion. Even without twine.

  15. I love my “Not Your Mother’s Beach Babe Texturizing Sea Salt Spray”! All I have to do is spray it in my hair and scrunch it up!

  16. My Kindle. MUST HAVE. It’s not even the Kindle Fire. I don’t need yet another device that does all of the same stuff as my laptop and phone. It’s just the basic Kindle Keyboard and it’s much like my security blanket. I panic if I can’t reach into my purse or onto the side table and touch it at any given time. AGH! It’s out of reach. *curls up in ball* help.

  18. I love poring over the books that are on sale so hard that the book store must be trying to get rid of them.
    Because they are cheap and it seems like nobody wants them, they often exceed expectations (which are close to zero).

    “The Sleepwalker’s Introduction to Flight” (by Sion Scott-Wilson) is one of my favourite rescued books.

  19. Ok, in addition to the Sandman series, I cannot live without having a copy of Neverwhere on my Nook and bookshelf. Hands-down my favorite NG novel ever.

    Ditto a copy of The Timetraveler’s Wife by Audry Niffenegger. http://www.amazon.com/Time-Travelers-Wife-Audrey-Niffenegger/dp/0547119798/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1374536671&sr=8-5&keywords=audrey+niffenegger The River Song/Doctor arc was in part inspired by this book. Love love love it.

    Anne Rice’s twitter and facebook feeds. She’s smart, interesting, engaging – she will make you think about the world. Oh, and also tag her assistant Becket – he’s just started writing about his former life as a monk and he’s fantastic. Oh, and a Whovian. https://www.facebook.com/annericefanpage and https://www.facebook.com/ibecket

    The great jewelry from missing pieces studio on etsy, especially this: http://www.etsy.com/listing/150426860/doctor-who-tardis-necklace-blue-police?ref=shop_home_active&ga_search_query=tardis and this http://www.etsy.com/listing/153819161/doctor-who-keychain-keep-calm-variation?ref=shop_home_active&ga_search_query=tardis , although she does have quite a good selection of non-Whovian goods as well.

    My great Adizero feather running shoes. Which I don’t love for running but I do use for walking all over the place. I have bad knees and feet and these shoes are fantastic and light. I posted the amazon link but there are more choices of colors cheaper from Adidas direct – their website is down right now. http://www.amazon.com/Adidas-Adizero-Feather-2-0-Shoes/dp/B008LZF1IW/ref=sr_1_4?s=shoes&ie=UTF8&qid=1374537263&sr=1-4&keywords=adizero+feather

    And finally, for those of us with bad knees – my patella strap – keeps my knees from over-straining when I run and helps with my arthritis. I like this one but there are plety of good ones: http://www.amazon.com/Pro-Tec-Athletics-Patellar-Tendon-Medium/dp/B0010VUMB0/ref=sr_1_5?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1374537506&sr=1-5&keywords=patella+support

  20. A sturdy, cardboard, paper, magazine, really anything within reach to fan my hot flashes with.

  21. It took a year of looking scraggly, but my red bee balm is so red and so happy, it made my summer.

  22. 1)Silk Dark Chocolate Almond Milk: For being a healthier choice for something sweet, it’s a dang tasty beverage that hits the spot.

    2)The films Drop Dead Gorgeous and Connie & Carla. Those are my go to films for guaranteed laughter.

    3)Wellbutrin: After a really scary year leading up to letting that bitch Depression take over and cause a picture wrap for me, this has helped pull me back and give me the strength to fight back and kick my depression in the junk with a rusty soccer cleat (metaphorically anyway).

    4)A/C: Living in the trailer park section of Hell by way of Africa with a detour through a swamp, (or it’s legal name Florida) stepping into the artificially made indoor Arctic climate is like riding a unicorn that farts rainbows through a field of confetti and cotton candy.

  23. For me, I love theater books. Scripts, books on acting, anything to do with theater. I can’t live without these, and am building quite a collection. They’re not that expensive either. (Okay, at this point, the sheer number of them is making this an expensive collection.)

  24. Holy shitton of comments! Anyways…

    My short list of things that are cheap or free that I can’t live without:

    The $4 shower head I buy from Walmart everytime we move into a new place. It doesn’t have any fancy settings, but it has full coverage (no trying to rinse your body with a stupid ring of water) and is the best, especially when you’re broke.

    My library card. I never have enough money to buy books as fast as I devour them, but it doesn’t matter because LIBRARY! Also, when I was going through my awful divorce, and I was broke and alone, I rented so many cheesy romance movies and fantasy novels from the local library (for free!), and it made me happy and helped me through the misery that was my life.

    Craigslist, especially the free stuff section, and Freecycle.org. I have found and given so many great things!

  25. Crayola colored pencils. I can use them to make patterns and transfer notes. I can use them to make pretty pictures. I can use them and color things for my girls. I print off coloring pages off the website and color. It has to be crayola because the cheaper ones break with very little pressure and the colors are wonky. I’m sure the uber expensive ones are lovely too, but I can afford the Crayola.

    Books. I like books. They have always been my lifesavers in difficult situations. Just to be transported to another time, another place for maybe a half an hour, helps keep my last tendrils of sanity anchored. It gives me a point of connection with my kids, that I am able to read books I loved as a child, and new ones we discover together.

    NOT TO SUCK UP… but being able to read your website. You’ve helped me so much. Thank you.

  26. A meat pounder. No, seriously. I have this GoodGrips meat pounder/tenderizer that had changed my life. I can’t believe it took me till my 30s to learn that if you pound a chunk of meat to a uniform thickness, IT COOKS UNIFORMLY. I no longer fear you, undercooked chicken, for you are no more.

  27. Puzzle books. The variety ones with all kinds of logic problems, crosswords, cryptograms, sudoku and lots of others. Since my kids/husband/job don’t allow me more than 10 minutes of peace at a time, I don’t get to read real books anymore. Puzzle books make me feel like I’m not a complete idiot, but don’t require hiding in the closet with a flashlight.

  28. Someecards. Seriously, I could be in the worst mood in the world and something on there will make me crack a smile. It’s a beautiful thing.

    Sherlock, BBC episodes. Uhm, hello, Benedict Cumberbatch.

    Samaritans (samaritans.org). UK people can call, but everyone else can email and get a response in ~12 hours. If you’re in full crisis mode, call 1-800-SUICIDE instead, but when you’re just dwelling on the same shit over and over again, it’s incredibly freeing to write it down and send it off to someone and know you’ll get a response back that isn’t judgmental. Seriously, sometimes all you need is validation that your feelings are overwhelming (just me?)

  29. Chocolate is an important food group. I have recently discovered UnReal candy at Target. It is awesomely delicious and doesn’t have all of the chemicals and preservatives regular candy does, we love it! Also, Crunch Bars have come out with Girl Scout Cookie favors for a limited time. The Thin Mint and Peanut butter ones are amazing! I don’t eat chocolate everyday, but these make me happy when I do indulge.

  31. Two things I don’t want to live without.
    1. My Kindle Fire. Because it has enabled me to read again after several eye surgeries and diminishing vision.
    2. My 13 yr old puppy, Manny. Because he has saved my life multiple times.

  32. My cat, cheap booze and a cute boy to snuggle with! And ghost stories.

  33. – Community Coffee http://www.communitycoffee.com
    – Sandalwood & Ginger room/body/linen spray and candle from The Body Shop
    – Clinique Black Honey lipstick. It’s been around forever but it’s a classic for a reason. Even if the rest of my face isn’t done I can put on the lipstick and look fresh. It’s also inexpensive for a dept store cosmetic.
    – BBC America
    – blues jam. find one in your town. it’s good for the soul.

  35. I’m a nanny to 5 kids and I occasionally stay with them when their parents are out of town. I’d die without the Playplace in McD’s. Srsly. It’s free (ok, cheap since I buy them a drink) and they play forEVER without needing me. Also? I can indulge in a sweet tea, my drug of choice.

  36. My Nook from Barnes and Noble, I love to read and being able to have my entire collection on one device is amazing.

  37. Reading this was exactly what the doctor ordered today. I am off and running on things I love lately.

    Boomerangs: a line of thrift shops that specifically supports Aids research: they get really cool stuff from their supporters, mark it really cheap so it is fun to indulge in shopping. I can make my Christmas budget $5 a person and be as happy as if I had spent $50. It supports a great cause, plus it reuses things that would otherwise be either in the way or trashed.

    Pinterest; this indulges my collector spirit without filling my house with more crap.

    ThisIsMyJam.com: a great way to share the music you love with other people and discover new artists through other posts.

    Raw Chocolate recipe: virgin coconut oil, real cocoa powder (not hot chocolate mix), maple syrup and cashew butter. Vary with sea salt, etc. I stir these together, pour the mixture onto wax paper and have a chocolate bar in five minutes. Best of all, no turning on the stove.

    Microfiber washcloths that remove makeup with water. Reusable, gentle on hyper sensitive skin.

    Taking myself and my dogs through the splash pads fully clothed during the last heat wave.

    Grocery stores that will steam your lobsters so you don’t have to heat up the kitchen,

    The Core Program: Fifteen Minutes a Day That Can Change Your Life, by Peggy Brill. When I remember to do this simple routine my body feels about 15 years younger.

  38. I’m adding the the Kindle users. It’s one of my “would save in a fire” items. It’s an old school model (no stinkin’ Fire for me) with a luscious leather Cole Haan case on it. The case was stupid expensive, but it’s just so yummy, and keeps getting better with age

  39. Two cheap things I can not live without….
    Take5 Candy Bars… Salty, chocolate goodness in a relatively small package.
    candy crush…. stupid puzzle game but it stops me from murdering the children.

  40. So, is it weird that I was JUST making a list in my head yesterday of things I love? I do that. Make lists. Real ones and mind ones. It’s probably a wee bit bizarre, but so am I, so whatdya gonna do.
    This is what I love right now: Nestle Crunch Girl Scout Cookie Bars. I thought I loved the thin mint best, ’cause duh, it’s Thin Mint. Then I had the caramel coconut. Holy mother. Then I ate the peanut butter one. Now I can’t decide which one I like better. I know, first world problem. I love Beecher’s Flagship cheese like I gave birth to it. Cougar Gold is another cheese I pee myself for. Gardening. It’s the best damn free therapy known to the human race. Dean Martin. Because his voice is like butter and cooking with Dean on the stereo takes me to my happy place. (I have three kids, it really doesn’t take much.) Wine. Red wine in particular. Every day at 5:00 I pour the first glass. Today, I started an hour early. See the prior comment in parentheses. Bacon. I do love pork products. I will be partaking in a BLT tonight with fresh mozzarella and basil. And red wine. Reaching: A Memoir. An amazing book, written by an amazing lady, who I hope someday to have the privilege of meeting. Okay, that’s all the secrets I’m giving up for free. I’m gonna do a post this week with more. I have to leave ya hangin’ a little, right? Off to cook that bacon……

  41. I think this a great idea because:
    1. I love lists
    2. I’m finding cool stuff
    3. There are other people who are weird and like the same stuff as me!

    I couldn’t live without:
    1. Coffee (Dark and Black) *not the same thing
    2. A Contigo coffe thermos because I drink a lot of coffee (I live in WA state) and I’m clumsy and work with kids.
    3. Ghirardelli’s Dark Chocolate (refer to #1)
    4. Dickens, Charles Dickens
    5. My favorite poet Amy Lowell
    6. NeilMed Sinus Rinse and Allegra Allergy Med (in order to have the ability to taste said coffee and chocolate)
    7. Origami paper. There is something therapeutic about the repeated folding.

  42. Ugh, this depressed me when I realized I don’t even know anymore. I can’t find anything I’ve done for myself lately. I used to love reading and my purses and movies. Finding some new books and time to read would be great!

  43. The Shedding Rake, I have Rottweiler and Beige carpet. The fur just lays across the carpet like a nasty sheen. The shedding rake is the only tool that really gets a ton of hair off before it goes to the floor.

    Also Mud boots and Crocs, even though many times they are ugly to look at. They are on the feet and we are out the door, just like that.

  44. Allrecipes.com is my go-to when I’m looking for a new way to cook something. I look for the most-reviewed recipe with the highest rating and then read through a bunch of the comments to make sure everyone has not made the same crucial change that makes the recipe work. Who needs expensive cookbooks?

  45. I think my favorite discovery has been these notepads I use for work. They are lined on the front and on the back they have grid paper. I make lists with them but they are so expensive (considering they are notepads) I ask for them when our office orders supplies and they order them without asking any questions. I honestly use them for work. And birthday lists. (They’re Tops Docket Gold 77102 Project Planning Pads with wide margins). So much better than yellow legal pads!

  46. Dark chocolate sea salt caramel (Ghirardelli squares preferred), or Justin’s Dark Chocolate peanut butter cups.

    Best PMS food in the history of the monthlies.

  47. I’m not the first to say it, but, really: internet! Also pharmaceuticals, and insurance to pay for them.

  48. So… I’m 25 and I can’t live without my “bobby” which is a cloth diaper turned security blanket. I’d be sad without a lot of other things, but I can’t sleep without my bobby.

    I can’t believe I’m putting that on the internets! Eek.

  50. I have two:

    The first is my Magic Bullet (No people not THAT magic bullet..get your fricken mind out of the gutter!) I am trying to lose weight and it is so easy to clean and use that I really have no excuses to NOT make them.

    The second is this: http://www.salazonchoc.com/products/organic-dark-chocolate-with-sea-salt-organic-cracked-black-pepper I have a dairy allergy (cannot have anything cows milk) and finding GOOD chocolate that I can have is hard. The best part, the flavor is so strong, I cannot eat a ton of it at once (see above weight loss issue) but it is DELISH!!

    Also, a special request…IF I win, please take the card and send it this Christmas to someone on your list who needs it. While I would LOVE the money since I may be making a cross country trek soon, there are far more people at the holiday time that could use it and that kind of money could make a Christmas for a large family.

  51. Girlswithslingshots.com — an online comic I can relate to!!

    And also my Keurig. My one yuppie affliction. Also, it can make cup o’ noodle.

  52. Wil and Anne Wheaton. On Facebook and twitter.

    Also the Stuff You Missed In History Class podcast and the Stuff Your Mom Never Told You podcast. And Garrison Keillor/A Prairie Home Companion/News From Lake Wobegon.

  53. Trader Joe’s dark chocolate peanut butter cups. Crazy cheap and their life saving properties are well documented in the library where I work.

  54. My son loves hard boiled eggs. I am forever forgetting to boil them the night before, or getting distracted in the middle of cooking them until the smoke alarm goes off. Because I’m a mom like that and I am always doing about 87 things at the same time and none of them particularly effectively. And then I found this http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007M2BN0/ref=oh_details_o03_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1. It is an egg boiler SHAPED LIKE AN EGG (which of course is the best part). So instead of having to pay any sort of attention you just put in some water, put in some eggs, stick it in the microwave and forget it. Like seriously, for like an hour after it is done cooking you’re still good to go. Truly makes the process of boiling eggs so easy I can actually come out looking like mom of the year when there are eggs in the fridge in the morning. Just don’t grab it out too soon without pot holders because that shit is HOT.

  55. Netflix. So much Netflix. It kept my kids entertained while I worked on my senior thesis about porn. And when I find myself in a dark place, there’s always something to entertain me. And at $8/month, it’s a steal.

  56. Stuffed weasels. (Uh, not the taxidermied kind.) If you Google “stuffed weasels,” I have the first two picture results, and they both have stood up to extended snuggling.
    Clorox wipes, lemon scent. They don’t have bleach but they have some other antibacterial ingredient. I grew up spraying Windex on counters, then wiping with paper towels, and wipes were a major revelation for me.
    Dr. Bronner’s.
    Paula’s Choice and beautypedia.com.

  57. Soda Stream water with Crush Singles to Go, because I am an orange soda addict and this tastes even better than orange soda!

    Sansa Clip Zip mp3 player with an added 32 gb micro sd card — 36gb player for about $50. Loaded with my favorite podcasts, The Morning Stream and <a href="http://www.2g1b.com2 Guys, 1 Brain. And a lot of audiobooks. It gets me through hours and hours of custom cookie making (which I do for a living) and helps me fight my wicked insomnia at night.

    And I, too, can’t live without my Kindle OR my Kindle Fire… both are loaded with books, movies, comic books, and everything else that keeps me from dying of boredom during slow work days :).

  58. Can’t live without my kindle! Between that and my library card I’m set for life!

  59. Head Slick. I recently discovered this stuff and it’s making me think maybe sometime this year (or next) I might wear capris without thinking my legs are gross and stubbly. (It’s cheaper elsewhere.)

  60. I can not live without my Kindle!! It goes everywhere with me. It contains my calendar, my e-mail, half of my job, Pandora, and Candy Crush. My life goal at the moment is to save enough to be able to upgrade to a bigger, HD version.

  61. I can’t live withoutymy dogs, my cat and my husband. Oh, and massages. Loooove a good massage.

  62. I love books. Actual books. So it may sound strange, but I have fallen head over heels with my Kindle. I love having so many great things to read right at my fingertips. And the free daily book offerings introduce me to new authors that I don’t know if I would have found any other way.

    Hot baths with a good book – and generally a cat or two perched on the end of the tub. Those will only get better when I have a deeper tub and have engineered a way to keep the water as hot as necessary to finish the book.

    Tabletop = Wil Wheaton + guests + board game. Basically, about an hour of awesome every week. And, this has also resulted in a vastly expanding collection of board games. (Friends always ask where we find them!)

    Munchkin games. Fun family time – with backstabbing involved. Great way to pass an afternoon, especially if you go for more than 10 levels.

    Cards Against Humanity – with good friends. Let your inner depravity out. (And, if you don’t care about having liquid proof cards, you can even print them out from the website for free!)

    Geocaching. It’s a high tech treasure hunt. You can take on as easy or as difficult a challenge as you wish. We love getting out for hikes and finding new places in our neighborhood. It’s sometimes surprising how many little locales you wouldn’t otherwise know were there!

    TopGear (BBC version only). I am not a petrol-head, but I do love the stunts these guys pull with cars… Kind of like a live blooper reel. (Which I also love.)
    And, of course, The Doctor. Because. That’s all there is to it. =)

  63. As so many others have shared:
    Friends, family, Internet
    Burt’s Bees lip balm, especially the tinted kind
    Pumpkin spice coffee (I live for it all year)
    eggnog (same)
    Goodreads.com
    Bath and Body Works pink grapefruit hand soap
    Diet Coke with lime
    Sally Hansen Hard-as-Nails
    Books, and any method to read them, esp. libraries

  64. Roku! It let me turn off the cable and save money, but still have access to lots of distracting television, like the entire many seasons of In Plain Sight.

  65. My Kindle Paper Bright. I figured out how to use it to borrow library books and it changed my life. My subscriptions to Mother Jones and The Week and Utne Reader. Lush bath bombs and massage bars. They smell so good and are made of really good stuff. Cupcake Sauvignon Blanc for after work. My yellow stuffed moose. An internet ready DVD player. Blue Bunny Birthday Cake Ice Cream Sandwiches (for after the wine, lol). And of course, your book, which I read when I’m blue and need a laugh. And when I need to remember I’m not the only weirdo out there.

  66. Astronomy Picture of the Day ( http://apod.nasa.gov/ ). A different astronomy-related image every day. A lot of them end up as my phone’s wallpaper. Today’s image is the Earth and Moon, as seen from Saturn.

  67. Butterscotch blondies. (Google the recipe from Cooking Light, laugh at how they called it light, and make it with salted butter, 3 eggs instead of “egg substitute”, and add another 1/4 cup of flour. They’re like crack in a pan.)

    Stila smudge sticks eyeliner in Turquoise.

    Sanuk Yoga Mat flip flops.

    Kindle deals of the day.

  68. So, good thing I came back to finish reading this to find out about the giveaway… I got so excited about the tardis towel that I immediately went to amazon and put it on my wish list along with several other dr. Who products I hadn’t yet discovered.
    Now, things I am thankful for;
    1.doctors, both western and eastern. Without them I would be dead, not to be morbid, but seriously. I have a super rare autonomic nervous system disease and bipolar2 disorder. Fun times.
    2. Colloidal silver. Antibiotics in metallic form. 🙂
    3. My beautiful, sweet, ridiculous, Great Dane Margot. She’s my suicide hotline.
    4. Photoshop. Enough said.
    5. Mother Nature, when I’m not getting hives from it. I’m constantly inspired as an artist. Seriously, sometimes I go outside and am just overwhelmed by it.
    6. Haagen Daas chocolate chocolate chip ice cream.
    7. 8tracks.com awesome music site. Connect with other users, explore your mood, find new and unique music. So worth it.

  69. Things that I can’t live without.
    1. The Body Shop Tea Tree Blemish Fade Night Lotion. This keeps my skin in check like you wouldn’t believe. (The whole Tea Tree Line is an addiction
    2. A Smartphone. Totally missing mine at the moment. Can’t wait until I can have it back.
    3. My kindle and/or books. Seriously, reading is needed in life.
    4. Let’s face it, most BCC Dramas (this includes Doctor Who, Torchwood, Sherlock, and Downton Abbey)
    5. Skype/VOIP. Let’s me talk to my love when I have to go home…or when I move back my family/friends in the states.

  70. Free and easy…Burying myself in laundry fresh out of the dryer. 🙂 Even better when the laundry is sheets!

  71. A lot of my answers are already on your list — especially Doctor Who and Neil Gaiman! I’m super disappointed he’s not available in the giveaway. 😛

    I would add Arrested Development, which is hysterical and has jokes so subtle you only notice them the second or third time through.

    Also DVD commentaries, because I’m a huge nerd and want to know all the juicy behind-the-scenes details of my favorite movies/TV shows.

    And my Tardis hat, which cost me $40 on Etsy but was worth every penny for the old guy who stopped me in the grocery store right after I got it and asked why the hell I was wearing a phone box on my head.

  72. The thing I can’t live without or get through the day without is hand soap. I wash my hands a ridiculous (crazy person) amount of times during the day and I love having different types of soap to use! My favorite right now is from Rite Aid and smells like lemons. It’s amazing!

  73. My new favorite thing is Brownie Brittle. I love brownies, but especially the crispy corners. Brownie Brittle is all crispy corner sheets in a bag. You can get them at Costco for a lot cheaper than the grocery store. OMG, they are amazing.

  74. Fanfiction. There is something incredibly awesome about everyday people writing stories about the characters we all know and love. Fanfiction.net is my addiction, I am usually writing something, and if not I’m reading somebody else’s something.

    Also I saw you mention Archer… Check out Frisky Dingo, same people, just as awesome.

    Love you Jenny, you’re the best!

  75. Flavored bubbly water. It’s cheap, has no sugar, and delivers the burn I crave. I love all the citrusy flavors the best – your mileage may vary.

  76. Honestly? Skullcap tincture. The herb relaxes and quiets your mind and body without the hangover/headache/tiredness, etc. LOVE.

  77. Cinnamon pop-tarts without icing, bubble baths, cheap notebooks and expensive pens, and YOU!

  78. OK, I didn’t buy this for myself, but it was one of the best gifts ever. My co-worker got me a bamboo back scratcher as a joke birthday gift one year. She said it was $0.99. Under a buck, y’all. I had never indicated a need for a back scratcher, yet somehow she nailed it. I have it hanging from my headboard in my bedroom. I told my family members that they were welcome to use it, but that they must stand next to my headboard, use it, then hang it back up. Things have a tendency to walk off in my house. It worked! It’s still there. I use it almost every day. It’s the little things, people. Everyone should have one. When I am queen of the world, I shall decree that everyone gets one. You’re welcome.

  79. My huggie pillow. It’s old like 20 years old. A high school graduation present. Kind of an odd one but I still sleep with it every night. I refuse to think of how much dust mite poop comes out of it every night as I lay on top of it.

  82. Beano and luxury sock yarn. Magnetic notepads that stick to your fridge. Central air conditioning. New Balance shoes for supa-wide feet.

  83. I love post-its, dark chocolate, chillin’ in my snuggie and fuzzy socks. I also just recently joined the Netflix and Dr. Who is in my queue. AND I love my chair. I got it for myself for my birthday last year and It was totally worth the ridiculous amount of money I spent on it.

  84. I LOVE Trader Joes coconut body butter – cheap!

    I also love the Yes to Carrots line – it’s not the cheapeast out there, but it’s reasonable.

  85. I can’t live without a laser pointer, which I use to tire my cats out before bed time. If I don’t use it they stomp all over the bed alllll night!

  86. I can’t live without a sketchpad and/or notebook with me at all times. It lets me be creative, and make lists, and generally keeps me feeling like a sane human, even though I’m pretty sure I’m not one.

  87. I am stuck on my tablet. I am on it all the time. My other must have that I cannot live without is lint rollers. I usually have at least 2 or 3 around the house. I have 2 shedding ass dogs and am constantly covered in dog hair.

  88. Electric WIne Bottle opener!! I really is so much better than the manual ones.

  89. Well, you already have Dr. Who everything on your list…so My Harry Potter DVD’s. Believe it or not, they got be through my divorce.

  90. Magnetic Poetry – Doctor Who or Harry Potter themed that I got off Etsy – it’s fun to combine the two and make two worlds I want to be a part of collide.

  91. Those paddle-shaped jelly ear buds, because they are the only ones that don’t hurt my ears;
    The crazy public domain section at Feedbooks, because it’s hilarious, awful and awesome;
    and Sleepytime tea, iced down.

  92. I can’t live without coffee! It’s one of the few luxuries I allow myself. Also, books. Books of all kinds – they have been my method of living a thousand different lives. (By the way, do you read Christopher Moore? If not, you OWE it to yourself to read him. Start with ‘Lamb: The Gospel of Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal’ – I am 100% sure he will be bloggess-approved!).

  93. Kaiser Permanente has, on their website, free downloadable affirmations and guided imagery. You don’t have to be a member of Kaiser, either, to access it. I give this resource to all of my clients (I’m a psychologist) and its FREE, so if you hate it, you’re not out anything! I downloaded all of it cuz I don’t know when they’re going to pull it down!

    https://healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/health/care/!ut/p/c5/dYxRjoIwFADPsifoq7s18AmCYqFFFgqkPwTRNBIQzNaiPf2yB9iZ38kgiVbvrbmpVt-mezugGslts6d56vvYg5SkBI6MHFy65RuICapW5V8D_-ABokiqYTqvtwq-GtE7yxTn4yL6MuO5MnHYp_atqc019Z-JOA4iaNo-nOaEEfoSTabqErSVmNUlBptbZmvBgxL45Rt-ij2GZLfoogNuuxf73G0ubvaQfhWN9Cm8IARdMMPx29JCmBPunNmJvEOgZqMRj6bxiubRPY2O9_ELtkfb4Q!!/dl3/d3/L2dBISEvZ0FBIS9nQSEh/

  96. I love handmade soaps. A friend bought me some years ago to thank me for referring her for a job assignment, and I’ve never gone back to conventional soap again.

  97. Things I cannot live without:

    Urban Decay make-up – seriously, I spend so much money on their stuff AND I enable my bffs until they hate me – not really, but if they weren’t squealing with glee, they would TRY really hard to hate me.

    Bubblewrap – Sorry, but because my 120 lb Labrador is actually AFRAID of the popping noise, this is a necessity in my house.

    My phone, tablet, etc. – LOVE LOVE LOVE my Samsung products. I want a Samsung computer like a girl wants a damned pony.

    Plus I want a pony, dammit.

  98. A subscription to magnatune.com (you can also listen for free). Good, amazing, unusual, odd, sometimes, dare I say it, bad music from a company that lives up to its motto: “We are not evil.”

  99. I can not survive without yarns and knitting needles. My sister calls me Grandma, but I don’t care. Without them, I would probably kill someone on a weekly basis. There’s nothing better in life than knitting with good yarn and watching Doctor Who (yes, I wait daily for David Tennant to show up and tell me I’m the key to saving all the kittehs in the universe)

  100. Cake Camp! It is three days of classes for cake decorators in Las Vegas. I just got home from it this morning and I am SO inspired and ready to start making cakes with all of the new techniques I learned!

  101. Baby blankets or receiving blankets. I get them at yard sales. I buy ones really broken in and soft. I’m a massage therapist and I always have people lay their heads/faces on the baby blankets for extra comfort. Plus it’s really good karma, I figure, to put your head where a baby’s head once was. You can also use them at other times when one needs a super soft cloth, like when I’m suffering from a depression flare-up. Sometimes it’s nice to put my whole face into a baby blanket and weep. (I keep the massage ones and the weeping ones separated, of course.)

  102. another kindle-r here! it’s seen better days, but as someone who used to carry three books and a magazine just on my daily commute, having all of those things on one small device is a godsend.

  103. I love my kindle and ebookshabit.com. I have so many free books, there is no way I can read themall

  104. Vodka martinis & green olives. Mmmmm they keep me happy. Never knew what I was missing before. I also find swiffer cloths to be extremely useful. And your blog because it makes me laugh & helps me realize that everyone is going through shit, it’s how you shovel yourself out of it that matters.

  105. For me, my splurge is the really good dairy-free ice cream from Trader Joes. It is more expensive than regular ice cream, but it will not come back to haunt my digestive tract like a regret boomerang.

  106. Folgers 1/2 decaf 1/2 caff coffee
    Cigarettes
    & 1/2 a Klonopin
    BBC Period films & tv series all on Youtube, whenever I want!!!

    in that order. It helps keep my adrenal tumor in check.

    P.S. The slow Loris that you posted ~ creeps me out but made me laugh when the person lifted up the box and handed it a rice-ball. o m g.

  108. I actually love my Ped Egg. Bought it on a whim years ago thinking it wouldn’t work, but it’s delightful. I used it recently so it’s fresh on my mind.

    Also, while I’m on maternity leave, my husband and I have fallen in love with both Orphan Black and The West Wing. Thank goodness for cable and Netflix. How did people survive maternity leave without them? (I have twins, so I spend many hours on the couch nursing)

  109. I bought a pair of Rainbow sandals that have a double layer between the foot and the ground. I’ve never really spent ‘real’ money on sandals, but these are by far the most comfortable sandals that I have ever tried on. They actually have arch support, for one, and enough padding between the foot and the ground that you don’t have to feel every little rock that you might walk over.

  110. I love Neuro, too! I drink the Neuro Trim one and I pretend that it’s making me magically skinny.

  111. One of my absolute favorite things is my iPad because it helps me easily and quickly access other favorite things like pictures of my family, books, Portlandia clips, Dr. Who episodes, Pinterest, and your blog. 🙂

  112. I love my Oil of Olay cold cream. It’s cheap, it works and it smells divine

  113. and (last but definitely not least) your amazing, thoughtful and gallblasting funny excerpts of your life on thebloggess.com.

    thank you!

  115. I like Sally Henson’s Salon Effects. They can come in houndstooth and keep me from shewing my nails. Houndstooth is the best pattern ever.

    I also like Udi’s gluten free Snickerdoodle Cookies. They are like real cookies but they don’t make me sick.

    Moon Hooch. They are a band and I saw them open for They Might Be Giants. You can buy their album at Amazon and you can go watch them on Youtube. Really. They are banned from a subway platform in Brooklyn because they would busk and people would just dance on the platform and not get on the train. Listen to this and see if it doesn’t make you happy.

  116. I live in the cold winter state of Wisconsin and I could live without my mattress warmer. I’ve had electric blankets before but they don’t even compare too the mattress warmer. It’s been years since I bought it and I hope it never dies.

  117. Second Yoga Jeans! They are probably as pretentious as they sound but they are so comfortable its like having your legs and ass wrapped in a hug. All. Day. Long. Also they come in a variety of fantabulous colors! So bright and happy making!

  118. My latest discovery is Revlon BB cream. I don’t wear a lot of makeup but it’s really light and kinda perfect.

  119. I would say Tang because I drink it when my family drives me bat-shit crazy. I tell my husband that I drink it instead of drinking wine every time they are working my nerves because otherwise there are days that I would walk around loaded. Plus, I figure Tang is doing just as much damage to my liver as booze, so big deal.
    But if I were to be more socially acceptable (and honest) I would have to say it’s my phone. That little devil is constantly in my pocket so that I can play Wordament, look up recipes, figure out how to birth a calf and most importantly, settle arguments with my husband by looking stuff up on Wikipedia. Love you, love your blog. Love Tang more.

  120. Ooh my addi Turbo circular knitting needles are keeping me from hating an amazing but difficult project. I didn’t think they could be that much better than regular needles but they so are.

    My Crane cool mist humidifier kept me from dreading waking up last winter because for once I knew I wasn’t going to wake up with all of the moisture sucked out of my face.

    Plus Sartori cheese. Oh my God do I love cheese.

  121. Mini Koosh Balls. I didn’t have one as a kid and it seemed like EVERYONE else in my class did. Now I have…a few… I take a Koosh with me to meetings to stroke like a cat (I do not do very well in meetings. THAT IS NOT BECAUSE OF THE KOOSH!) I try to land it on my forehead when I’m stressed (WHAT? It feels neat, and forces me to concentrate on something else.) I use them in emergency juggling situations (THEY COME UP! STOP JUDGING ME!)

    *coughcoughcough* Ahem. Moving on. Chocolate milk in the freezer. I make a glass of chocolate milk, stick it in the freezer, and stir vigorously every fifteen minutes to a half-hour for an hour to an hour and a half. It’s not a milkshake, but it is tasty.

    My Sonic Screwdriver Pen which I keep in my purse and was totally worth the price just to see my sister try to use it without breaking into giggles. Also useful for checking for Vashta Nerada under my desk.

    Todd in the Shadows. I’ll put him on as background when I’m browsing. He does in-depth pop song reviews, one-hit wonder retrospectives, and the occasional music related movie review. He does not like stupid. He does not like boring. He does not like…”rapey”. He REALLY does not like Chris Brown. He DOES like pop songs, and that’s why he’s so hilariously hard on them. His filming/sound quality has gotten better over time. I don’t follow pop music, so I kinda use him to keep somewhat up with what’s going on. Check out one of the top ten worst of YEAR videos for a decent look at what to expect from his full-length single song reviews. If you don’t like critics, stay away from the reviews, but by all means check out One-Hit Wonderland Kung-fu Fighting or I Get Knocked Down. He makes no qualms about loving them and does a great job giving them context.

    Analogue clocks. The passage of time seems more real compared to digital.

  122. The American Cancer Society. It’s free and gave me increditable support during a tough time in my life. I give back to them anytime anyway I can.

  123. Netflix! I’ve discovered so many wonderful things through it, but namely Doctor Who!

  125. I love that my dog wags her tail in a circle. and I agree with others that it has been my pleasure listening to your stories and hearing that it’s okay to just air your shit out. Xos

  126. Are you sure I can’t buy Neil Gaiman? That would really make my life better.

    Number one thing that perks me up has to be books. I used to be a voracious reader, but I stopped when I got behind my reading for work in an attempt to make myself do that reading… it has failed and I should just give up and go back to reading my fun stuff.

    I love cookbooks, but hate that I have no time to make stuff. Part of me wants to quit my job and cook/bake things all day long.

    Stupid little toys that my kids love always get me. I love buying them little things to play with (and of course books, they both have way too many books already).

    Chocolate is the only other thing I can think of. I eat too much of it, but when I want chocolate, nothing else will do.

  127. art by ‘Henry.’ If you’ve spent any time in Seattle, you’ve seen his murals. He’s whimsical, dark, light, twisty, colorful and kind. He also does custom work.

    We just recieved our custom-made family of four…sasquatches. Completely rad.

    his website is ryanhenryward.com

  129. My favorite things are Terry Pratchett, my dogs, and crystal lite mojitio mix

  130. Reuseable ice cubes. They take up way less space in the freezer and now my Pepsi doesn’t get watered down.

  131. liquid sublingual melatonin. I suffer from absolutely horrific insomnia, and this is the only thing that works without giving me massive stomach upset. I took the pills for almost a year before I heard of this stuff, but they always made me really nauseous. Now I can get delicious orange-flavored sleepy syrup and no tummy ache. I order it off Amazon, too, so when I forget I can still get it with 2-day shipping most of the time.

  133. I love Allie Brosh, and I’m so glad she’s back. I needed her.

    I bought one of those plastic travel cup that look like to-go cups for five dollars at Walmart and honestly I’m pretty sure it’s the bests purchase I’ll ever make in my life. Five bucks. And the receipt for it says “CHILL ZEBRA”, so I kept it and when I think I’m going nuts I think about my Walmart receipt yelling at me to CHILL, ZEBRA.

  134. I love my Kindle and my spoonulas from Williams-Sonoma. I hope you are doing well with your recovery from surgery.

  135. The at-home recipes for Red Lobster Biscuits and KFC Chicken.

    Why do I even need to go out anymore?

  136. I can’t actually say I’ve “discovered” it, because of course it’s been around for decades, but good Lord do I love libraries. They should start paying me to advertise, I talk about my love of them so much. I get books, movies, workout DVDs, music CDs, and audiobooks (on my mp3 player and on CD when I’m going on a long road trip), all for free, on pretty much a weekly basis.

    I also adore my apple peeler/corer/slicer because I can make an apple pie with it in only 10 minutes. I make SO MANY PIES now!

  137. A good set of tweezers, Vaseline Intensive care lotion, sweatshirts at their new super-soft state, Spotify, Google maps, books that automatically hook you, Augusten Burroughs, Conan, Ellen, concerts that give you chills, prismacolors, Kleenex with lotion, general tso’s chicken.

  138. I’m an avid reader as well and when e-readers came out, it was like I won the lottery. No more carrying around ginormous heavy books (I love fantasy novels, and they can be pretty big)! They all fit on my e-reader! Mine’s a simple Kobo from Chapters book store up here in Canada 🙂 I tell everyone, it’s the best thing I’ve ever bought myself 🙂

  140. Books. Not the electronic kind…the kind that sit on my bookshelves and take trips to friends and family. I couldn’t survive without books and Barnes and Noble is pretty much my paradise.

  141. My e-reader and the public library’s epub books!! You can borrow books and read them, and then they just magically disappear off the e-reader in three weeks! It’s so great, you never have late fees and you never have to leave the house.

  143. Upbeat top 40 radio stations I howl along with when driving in my car. Coffee – especially if it’s made for me by someone else. My camera. My amazing family and friends. And quiet time.

  144. I finally had to stop reading the awesome lists, as I would never get to post my list……

    1. http://www.ariva.com/lhecocatrtr5.html – L’anza Healing Color Care Trauma Treatment. I have red streaks in my hair along with Blond. This stuff is AMAZE BALLZ, It says that it keeps the color 107% long and it does not lie. My hair can grow out over an inch and I still have RED steaks, not pink or brown – RED- I get compliments all the time.
    2. NOOK COLOR – yes we had to replace the battery already. BUT, this thing keeps my house from becoming a book horders home. My husband eats up a book like every 3 days. If he can make a book last longer I sigh in happiness. We got $175 in B&N cards for Christmas, yeah, they were gone by February.
    3. Vanilla Coke- new favorite and what is even worse- I now live in KY where they don’t have it. I keep taking trips back to Michigan to stock up.
    4. Terry Pratchett- I love his books and I’m soooo sad that he is having brain issues. Each time a new book comes out I expect it to be the last. Oh but I am so happy to read it.
    5. IMDB- I taught my students to use it and get blamed for that on a regular basis.
    6. Reese’s Peanut butter cups. It’s even more poignant now that my hubby is allergic to peanuts so I try to avoid them, sometimes I just need to hide somewhere and eat them.
    and lastly 7. Thigh High Socks, mostly just ones that managed to get over my knee. I have a whole story about why, but just to say – I went searching at all the DSW’s at the end of the season and snatched up every pair I could find. :~)

    Love your blog. Stay well.

  145. I just got into Instagram after resisting for the last year or so. Because I needed another way to be up in my friends business. I still think the filters are dumb, but it’s fun to upload random crap that people bitch about seeing on FB.

    Totally unrelated, I’m also way into ZPalettes, which are these magnetized makeup palettes that you can fill with whatever makeup you want. So if you’re like me and gave one palette that you use 3 shades from, and another mostly two, you can tear those palettes apart and put just the colors you want together.

  146. I am currently obsessed with Navajo pottery, especially horsehair pottery. When the pot is still hot from the kiln, they put horse hairs on it in a design. The heat turns the horsehair to carbon and creates black designs that look like marble. It’s really cool. I’m studying Art History in university and people have some horribly racist beliefs about Native American arts, so I’ve been studying them so that I can change those attitudes.

  147. I love my Hamilton Beach Brew Station coffee pot. I can’t afford a Keurig and I certainly can’t afford those little K-cups. I’m a tree hugger and I hate all the packaging anyway. My Brew Station brews a pot of coffee and keeps it hot without burning it for TWO HOURS. It has an internal storage tank or something like that. My first Brew Station sat on my counter for about 7-8 years before it developed a leak I couldn’t seem to get rid of. I just bought my second one. Only downside: The smaller version makes a sliiiiiiiight hissing sound when it’s not. Not terrible, but the 10-cupper was quieter.

  148. My little town has 6 independent book stores. I don’t even really need to buy anything at them for them to make me happy (but I do).
    Fluffy towels, Whole Foods brand lip balm, the Let’s Pretend this Never Happened audiobook, my kitties, bright toe nail polish, books about the history of weirdly specific things/eras, and lime flavored selzter water.

  149. The Container Store…it’s my happy place. Even if I don’t buy anything, it’s just so organized!

    The Bloggess, of course! The best free thing.

    My antifreeze-filled ice cream scoop (from The Pampered Chef). It melts the ice cream as you scoop, yo!

  150. One good, comfortable, soft cardigan sweater. I wear it in the winter when it is cold out, and in the summer when my husband has the air conditioning turned up so high that penguins are showing up in my bedroom as if to say “S’up man?” and when I’m feeling slouchy and when I’m feeling blue and when I’m having that time of the month cramps that make me want to hide in the closet, and when I’m sleepy and just because I’m home from work and want to prove it to myself by not wearing my work clothes. Yeah, maybe it’s because I’m over 40 now, but a cardigan sweater. I swear, everyone needs one. Go buy one. You’ll thank me!

  152. I can’t live without science-fiction. I studiously avoided anything that had even a whiff of sci-fi in high-school because I didn’t want to be a nerd (except for Star Trek Next Generation because, you know, Wil Wheaton). After marrying a total geek, I have come to love all things sci-fi, even the really crappy stuff because it’s all pretty awesome really.

  153. The back up camera on my car. It came with the navigation system, or I wouldn’t have spent the money for it. I will never again own a car without one. It’s nice to know I’m not backing over some kid who has run behind my car (especially as I get older and turning around seems harder and harder).

  154. Audio books on my iPod. I’m not a huge music person, but the old “books on tape” totally make mundane/border-line drudgery totally acceptable. After reading above I think I *need* a Kobo or Kindle for my vacation.

    My Keurig machine. We all like different types of coffee in my house. This saves compromising – and who wants to compromise at 6:30 a.m.? (Who can)?? I will be packing mine for my vacation. Don’t judge me.

    Post it notes. Am I sad that I love them? I use them for everything – especially as bookmarks. I will use them on my vacation when I am reading on the deck or the beach.

    Google Maps. Not sure how I functioned before they existed. For sure I got lost more. Especially on vacations.

    Vacations – short or long. But you probably intuited that.

  155. My Granny’s recipe book. Handwritten recipes that I love with little notes about where she tried this recipe or comments like: “we made this together for that Christmas Eve!” She’s passed on, but I love looking at her words on a page, every recipe means something to our family, and represents hours her and I spent in her kitchen.

    I love so many things on your list! I’d be happy to receive anything!

  156. Nivea. Because I have been living under a rock for the last too many years,

  157. Two things I use every day: coconut oil (I love that I can use it on my face and it doesn’t make my breakouts worse) and my body pillow (I literally can’t sleep in an empty bed).

    Free stuff: Podcasts! I’m fortunate to work in a lab that lets us listen to things while we work and there are podcasts for everything! I love Stuff You Should Know; My Brother, My Brother, and Me; Stop Podcasting Yourself; Judge John Hodgman; Throwing Shade; Mugglecast & Alohomora (because I’m a super Harry Potter dork); Snap Judgement; America’s Test Kitchen Radio… I think I would have gone insane after a week without these people talking to me all day.

  159. Nordstrom. They carry women’s shoes in size 12 and don’t mock you for needing them.

  160. I have to go back and read these, because I either already love them, or I suspect I could. But that will take all day, so here are mine, and apologies for duplicates.

    Site: I go back and reread this every year or so, because it makes me shrieklaugh, even in my horror. http://www.thesneeze.com/steve-dont-eat-it/
    I also have complete snickerfits watching the series An Idiot Abroad.
    Song: Riverside, Agnes Obel. I am mesmerized by this one right now. It’s like sleepwalzing, and I find it sad and hypnotic and utterly serene. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjncyiuwwXQ
    Timewaster: This puzzle site, there are several sizes per game, and a huge database of games. Two favorites: http://www.puzzle-bridges.com/?size=11 and http://www.puzzle-nonograms.com/?size=4
    Books: so many. Annie Dillard’s Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, George R.R Martin, Patrick Rothfuss, so many great classics out there.
    Fast-dry topcoat that makes whimsical polish experiments possible, because you can have something else, set and dry in 5 minutes when you top off with this. http://www.amazon.com/Seche-Vite-Fast-Nail-Ounce/dp/B00150LT40/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1374539875&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=seche+vite
    Crispy snack. You never thought coconut could be crisp, but they have it down! Link to see what they look like, but they have them at Whole Foods. http://www.amazon.com/Danielle-Crispy-Roasted-Coconut-2-Ounce/dp/B002VZUW0A/ref=sr_1_1?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1374540329&sr=1-1&keywords=danielle+coconut+chips
    Also:
    Cerignola olives (huge, mild, meaty, nutty flavor)
    Castelvetrano olives (very mild and buttery. Yes, buttery)
    Chobani vanilla Greek yogurt (slightly sweetened, tastes fantastic as a fruit dip. Any kind of fruit.)
    Torani syrups (because Italian sodas or cremosas are wonderful, easy, and feel so special),
    Ciao Bella gelato in Key Lime Graham flavor. They get it just right. Not too sweet, perfect pie crust note.

  161. Things I can’t live without:

    Doctor Who…swoooooning over David Tennant

    My Nook – with about 8 books going at any 1 time

    Memoirs of a Geisha – both in book and the movie adaptation…this was my “aha” moment. How to make beauty from tragedy; how to pick yourself up when everything is crumbling around you; how to be a strong woman…beautiful, colorful language that pops out of the page but translates so well onto the screen.

    My mini version of Beyonce – she makes me laugh when times are tough

    My otterbox for my phone – saved my phone more than once from a shattery demise

  162. My list is a really weird but so am I so here we go….
    Magic Shell on orange sherbert. I once saw a guy in the line in front of me with just magic shell and rasberry sherbert and I said nothing, I think he may have been my soul mate.
    Googly eyes- no matter how bad things are googly eyes make me smile every time. My sister gave me a package of 2,000 of them and I keep a small bag in my purse for googly eye emergencies. You’d be amazed how they come in handy.
    Discovering a new fabulous author, my brother introduced me to Aimee Bender and I was wondering how I survived without reading her before.
    Iced coffee- as long as it is above freezing out I will probably be drinking iced coffee, I think the caffeine gets into your blood faster that way.

  164. Let’s see…
    Failblog.org its hilarious and cheers me up sometimes when I need to see something funny.
    Strawberry scented hand cream from bath and body works, my hands are so dry so I use it constantly and it smells good enough to eat.
    http://www.bathandbodyworks.com/product/index.jsp?productId=17818676&cp=12586965.12587140.4191873
    My brita hard sided water bottle, I carry it with me everywhere, and its filtered so I feel better about filling up at the mall or park water fountains.
    http://www.amazon.com/Brita-Sided-Filter-Bottle-Violet/dp/B00AB8NON6/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1374541423&sr=8-6&keywords=brita+water+bottle

  165. I am in love with that song now, thank you.

    I wouldn’t want to go without Infusium shampoo and conditioner. My hair is almost knee length, and very curly, it does not tame easily, but with that shampoo and conditioner I can run a brush through my hair straight out of the shower, almost no detangler needed. The extra expense is worth the 15 minutes of hair brushing it saves me every morning.

    I’m also in love with Fruit of the Earth 100% aloe as a hair gel. It holds my flyaways (which are legion) in check, but it doesn’t look like I’ve used any product at all, and my hair still feels satiny.

    Method makes a soap that comes out of a mickey mouse shaped dispenser that smell like lemonade. Every time I wash my hands I think of the happy parts of childhood summers.

    My very favorite things in the whole world are, without question, my hearing aids, a pair of Hansaton Cemia Minis. I’ve had them for 15 months and they don’t cease to amaze me. I had forgotten what it was like to be able to fully engage in conversation without putting most of my concentration into reading lips. Music sounds amazing, some instruments can bring me to the verge of tears they are so overwhelmingly sensory. The hearing aids themselves are black with a silver wave, and they make me think of classic racecars.

  166. A soft, oversized comfy tshirt. To lounge in on those days when it hurts too much to get out of bed, and to sleep in.

    Cheese. Tillamook Cheddar is my fave.

    Dark chocolate.

    A book. I’ll read most anything, and love my ancient Kindle and the Kindle apps, but lately I’m really into YA, and sci-fi/fantasy. Something that will take me away from the world for a bit.

    Also, the internet and kittens. Or any animal pics really. Because sometimes you just need to look at something fluffy and cute.

  167. My Keurig. I got it as a gift from my parents and it is a.m.a.z.i.n.g. Have 22 months apart, it has been a life saver for instant caffeine. Also, the hot water makes for an even better bottle warmer. Win on two fronts.

  168. Hmmmm…I can’t go without those that mean much to me, normalizing conversations other girlfriends, and seeing folks choose good. After all that twatishness, I really dig trashy books, dark chocolate in the freezer, good music, cava, and amazing blogs. I love this one.
    Other authors that I would recommend (other than the incomparable Jenny) would be Laurie Notaro and Sarah Vowell.
    Cheers!

  169. OMG Strawberry Hill…I like that whether it is cheap or not. In fact, I could use a glass or two or three…wait, I digress. Ok, I just got a Kindle Fire and the thing is great but I covet my real books and oh, my CD’s. YES!
    Let’s see…I get the whole suicide hotline, although not had to use it but for those that need it. I will however go with happy pills, yep, I am certainly happier with them than without.
    Hmm…oh yes, Snoopy anything and the Minions! LOVE THEM!
    One last thing, the hand-made quilt made by my Great-grandma that I inherited from my Grandma.

  170. Since coming to love Doctor Who, I have thought maybe there should be a charity to help those who haven’t watched it. That and it would help pay for me to turn my car into a Tardis

  172. For cooking I’ve discovered I can’t live without my mincer, mostly for garlic, because it’s so quick and easy.
    And gooey butter cake cookies, the easiest cookies for someone like me who is baking challenged to make, and it helps that they’re so delicious people go crazy for them and I get awesome credit.

  173. The things I need to live are simple, same for everyone. As I’m unemployed and pretty much homeless, I’m more appreciative of them. Right now, friends are topping the list. They are giving me places to stay, which is top priority. But there are other things, little things, that are pretty damn awesome, so here are some…

    -Probiotic supplements. Basically acidopholus and whatever other ones get mixed in to whichever one I bought. Keeps my tum from hurting all the time, and I guess they’re good for general health, too.
    -Nail polish. Especially shimmery and/or glittery colors.
    -Music. I could name specific artists and bands, but the truth is there are so many I love, and it almost doesn’t matter who I name now, it changes every day anyway. I just love music. But I’ll tick off a few, for good measure: Amanda Palmer, The Manic Street Preachers, David Bowie, Regina Spektor, Justin Timberlake…
    -Books. Same as above, there are far too many to list, but I’ll throw a few out that are at the front of my brain. I just read Neil Gaiman’s newest, which is lovely…Stephen King is a favorite, I tell everyone to read The Dark Tower series, and I just read Lisey’s Story which was heartbreaking…Charles de Lint’s stuff, the Game of Thrones series, Harry Potter, His Dark Materials…
    -Facebook. Yep. It’s terrible and addictive, and it’s the best way to keep in touch with friends from all over the country and world.
    -This blog and Allie Brosh’s blog. Make me laugh, make me feel less alone in my particular brand of crazy, make me feel better, and that’s something.
    -Doctor Who. Just started watching it a few months ago, finally, with Eccleston’s incarnation, and now I’m hooked! I even started Torchwood too, just last week.
    -Threadless.com and their wide assortment of shirts. I own a bunch, and when I get a job I will buy more. Some are nerdy, some are beautiful, some are creepy, but they’re all cool.
    -A battery-powered facial scrubbing brush. Mine is from Beauticontrol, but I imagine they’re all pretty much the same. I use it every night with Simple face wash, and I swear my skin is clearer, lines are less noticeable, pores are smaller…
    -Hot dogs. I just like them, and I’ve been eating a lot of them lately, and they are good.

  176. I glad I’m not the only one recognizing the glory of Dixon Ticonderoga pencils.
    Also anything peanut butter is perfect. The venture bros make me happy as shit, too! So does Dr. Who. My TARDIS lunch box functions similarly to your beach towel.
    Oh, and there’s this beautiful feral cat that’s adopted us and lives in our swing set. Her name is Grettith and she is the sweetest thing ever. She’s fixed and healthy, and we’d bring her inside if she’d let us, but she’s too smart for traps.
    And finally, having a beard. I gotdamn love this thing. It totally disguises that I have the weakest chin imaginable and I can play with it.

  178. My kindle? Good Penn State Creamery Ice Cream… my kids (but no one else can buy them so I don’t know if they count for this list, altho you had Neil Gaiman, so they MUST count). I also can’t live without my friends that have dogs. Because of them, my kids are mostly satisfied and I don’t have to buy my own dog… yet.

  180. You are so right about the bath sheet. I bought one recently at Ikea, that is enormous….I mean, I stand a *cough* willowy 5’3″, and am you know…voluptuous and this towel wraps around me and quite a bit more. Probably the best $20 I ever spent. I want one in ever color. And it’s one of those things that I have claimed as mine and mine alone.

    The next two require a visit to the doc but have restored my brain function….and I am giddy about being able to think and get stuff done again. (Pernicious anemia is a vicious thing….) B-12 injections once a week=LOVE and celexa (so I can get out of bed and be happy!!)

  181. Science fiction. Also, my cat’s fluffy tail. Especially now, since I had him shaved for the summer because it’s so hot, and they left a puffball at the end of his tail and I can’t stop fiddling with it.

  182. I frequently drive 4 hours or more a week, so one of my favorite things is audible.com. I download audio books and listen to them as I drive. I frequently listen to them on my Kindle (I own both the keyboard and Fire HD 8.9 models plus my kids love their Kindle touch models). So — I love audible and kindle.

  184. Frosty Frog slushies while on vacation in Hilton Head.

    Netflix

    Buycott App for my phone

    Remote open doors for my minivan. In fact, I am a little bitter that the children get their doors opened automatically and I still actually have to pull the handle…

  185. I can’t live without my knitting. My yarn and needles allow me to relax and be creative. It’s fun to look at all of the patterns and yarn and plan what pretty things I want to knit next.

  186. This is yet another type of towel. I can’t live without my Aquis Hair towel. My hair takes forever to dry and by using it it allows me to sleep in a little bit longer every day.

  187. I love my mandoline with a ceramic blade even though I chopped a fingertip with it. I cook from scratch because of food allergies in the family, and I couldn’t live without it – I’m a little scared of it right now, but still using it!

  188. I’m a big fan of Biscoff Cookie Butter. That stuff is the shizzle. I take a jar to work, and will eat a spoonful, just to help me forget that the douche in room 10 just threw a shit-laden bed pan at my head.

    I also have an unhealthy attachment to blue gel pens. Extra fine point. If I see one laying on the desk, that sweet little thing is going home with me at the end of the shift. To join the hundreds of brothers and sisters I have already rescued. I leave the black pens alone. That’s not racist.

    And probably the one thing that I could not live without…butt wipes for grown people. Why would you use something dry to clean your cash and prizes? You wash everything else when soiled, why should your secret garden be any different. Wet wipes…never leave home without them!

  189. My Keurig. My iPad (it houses my reading apps, facebook and music). Bath & Body works body cream (way better than hand lotion). My 24 oz. Starbucks double walled cup (not for coffee, for booze or soda). Satellite radio. Goes w/o saying family and friends.

  190. My favorite perfume buy Clinique is their Happy Citrus, it’s a wonderful and they only put this out around the holidays. my Canon Rebel camera, love it so much. taking photos makes me happy. The Scy-Fy channel, gotta have it. Hockey, my fav sport to watch or play.

  191. I can’t live without the Apple TV in my bedroom. For the longest time, I was very anti-TV-in-the-bedroom. Hello, my insomnia is bad enough, I don’t need the siren song of all my unwatched shows calling to me at night. But the first time I had one of my Down Days, I curled up in bed with Lay’s potato chips and watched A Christmas Story. All day.

    …completely worth it. Now, I use it all the time and I’m not sure I could sleep without it. I drift off to Fifth Element more often than not.

  192. This is really nice of you, Jenny! I recently listened to your audiobook, which kept me on the gym treadmill longer than I usually would without something funny to listen to, and then I found your blog.

    Here is my list:
    (1) Pie, because life is just better with pie. When I reached a milestone birthday, I had a pie party.
    (2) Books, because they totally work as wall insulation, too. Kidding, I love reading them. Especially books by Adam Rex, including my all-time favorite, THE TRUE MEANING OF SMEKDAY. Also, he illustrated a book by Neil Gaiman, CHU’S DAY. And he has a little stuffed mouse under glass just like the one on the cover of your book.
    (3) Pilot G-2 07 pens, because they just make the ink flow.
    (4) Public gardens, like the one at the Huntington. Or Central Park. Places you can lose yourself in and ramble forever.
    (5) Museums, for pretty much the same reason. Hello, Unicorn tapestries.

  193. The Pitch Perfect DVD. It is now my go-to movie to cheer me up when I’m having a panicky-stabby-hide-myself-stab-all-the-things day. Funny how a movie about teen angst and A capella can help me get out of my head and back into my life. Second runner up? Sister Act (1&2). Singing nuns!

  194. Belle and Sebastian (the musical group, but the cartoon was awesome too). Their music always makes me smile, particularly all the innuendo in “Step into my Office.” I will forever be in debt to my brother for sending me that song.

  195. My Silicone Baking Sheets…..LostOne…It Just Disappeared, So One Day I NeEd To Buy Another….

  196. I’m a texture person (as in foods, not just general feeeeelings), so I can’t stand chunky salsa or slimy slivers of onions floating around in my soup. Ewwwww. Point is, I adore my cuisinart immersion blender. Like, when I go visit friends, I take it with me.

  197. I have a small child… I recently bought a Boba carrier and I use it dai, ly! It is the most amazing kid type item!

    Non baby.. um We got hulu and I started watching downton abbey… Love it

  199. Holy shitballs! People be needing books, alcohol, coffee and lip balm all up in here!
    I’m too needy and lazy to list everything I can’t live without but I have gotten super
    swell ideas from your followers. Love you Jenny Lawson!

  200. For my big ol’ 40th birthday this past year, a relative (still don’t know exactly who) bought me a scented wax warmer shaped like a sock monkey. That was awesome enough, but they included a package of scented wax squares to put in the warmer. The scent was called “Maid Up” and came with the tagline, “Your mother doesn’t live here (but it can smell like she does.)” THEY WERE RIGHT. This stuff makes your house smell like someone just came in and cleaned the entire place for you without you knowing it. There’s even the tiniest hint of bleach under the lovely fresh laundry and the-scent-of-wildflowers-drying-in-the-sun-being-gently-breezed-through-your-open-window. I KID YOU NOT. I’ve been on a hunt to find more of this stuff and until I do, I’ve been hoarding what I have left, cutting the last square into tiny pieces and using just the littlest bit to keep the scent going. I can’t live without this stuff. I CAN’T SPARE A SQUARE.

  201. Things that I return to again & again:

    Jane Austen, especially Pride & Prejudice and Sense & Sensibility. But really, I read all of them at least once a year, usually in August when it’s hot & humid and gross and my brain doesn’t work and all I want to do is pretend I’m sipping tea in a crisp white linen gown in a cool, green English garden. Bonus round: Pride & Prejudice, the TV miniseries with Colin Firth. Perfection.

    Christopher Moore, especially Lamb and A Dirty Job, but really all of them. Can turn around the worst of days.

    Buffy The Vampire Slayer on Netflix. There are approximately 800 episodes. Totally bad-week-marathon-worthy.

    Newish things that I am so, so happy I got:

    A really big, sturdy wooden cutting board. Makes cooking that much more pleasant. I’m grateful for it every day. http://www.catskillcraftsmen.com/Boards/1326.html

    T-shirts from Marine Layer in San Francisco. Splurgy, but oh-so-comfortable and made in the USA. http://www.marinelayer.com/

    And? Twitter. I’m so in love with Twitter that I should marry it. The GOP warned us this would happen, y’all.

  202. Nail polish. It’s my new eight dollar crack. I have too much time on my hands and don’t know how to paint my own nails so nail polish is keeping me in recovery and making the insomnia tolerable. Maybe one day I’ll get better at it.

  203. Funny, I already have the towels, including the TARDIS one, and microwave slippers! I have cocoa body scrub, but a different brand!

    Other things:

    My lap top and iPhone, although I really should unplug more often!

    I love Lilla Rose flexi hair clips. I wear one almost every day because I’m too lazy to style my hair. They are pretty and don’t snag your hair like the clasps on other clips. I don’t even sell them, I’m just a satisfied customer!

    Mad Men! I started watching the series about 3 months ago and find it very relaxing! Takes me out of my own reality, sort of like a sophisticated, retro soap opera!

    Cracker Barrel. Total comfort food!

  205. My SodaStream. Like your shaved ice machine, it may seem like a splurge, but nothing gears being able to gorge myself on bubbly water he never I want for almost free.

  206. I can’t live without soda, sparkly nail polish and my stupid cats. Oh man, I would *prefer* to not live without my Kindle – but I can make do (sigh) with a library card if necessary. And chocolate. I cannot live without chocolate chip ice cream.

  208. Okay, this is really sad. Everyone loves such cool stuff, and the first thing that came to my mind was microfiber rags. Rags. I like rags. They’re neat. They clean stuff. Like really, really well. Dang it, I hope I win this, so I can get some ACTUAL cool stuff from Amazon and not be “the rag lady” anymore. I’ll get something awesome and impractical … like $350 worth of decorative thumb tacks. But not a cork board. That would make them useful.

  209. My Kittens, I didn’t have pets for a very long time, but now I have kittens and wonder how I survive with out them. I have a pair of them. They play together which brings me joy to watch them play, when I am down I can hold them and I feel better. Even more importantly when I am having a stressful day I can tell them anything and they don’t judge me.

  210. Can’t live without my running shoes. My daughter probably wouldn’t be living if I didn’t have them either… Some days they’re the only thing that keeps me from committing murder. And because I use them frequently, I also can’t live without Epsom salt baths and a foam roller since I’m not rich enough to have a massage therapist on call.

  211. So grateful for my freezer full of grassfed beef. It’s a pretty steep investment up front, but it comes out to really good beef at low cost. Half a cow feeds three of us all the beef we need for a year. If I’m going to eat cows, I like knowing that it’s only one per year.

    I didn’t know about this one till 30 or so minutes ago, but this comment thread is ranking right up there among things that I love.

  212. Books! I’m obsessed, seriously. I have a huge stack I need to read but I can’t help buying more every time I go into a bookstore. Also tea, I’ve recently developed a love for flavored teas. Tea of Life is a good brand, I normally find it at target. Eastern Shore Tea Company is really good too, my favorite so far is the Chocolate Strawberry tea.

  213. I’m on the same page as Kelly R…. audiobooks make my life. And as a college student, I’ve found that it’s WAY easier to get everything done when you can listen to your homework while cooking dinner, for example.

    More specifically, LibriVox (librivox.org) is the cat’s pajamas. They have a ton of audiobooks that are totally free because they’re all in the public domain and read by volunteers. And it is awesome.

  214. ok so my suggestion is a game like Apples to Apples for horrible people…. so most of the people reading this blog will likely LOVE it… if they don’t already have it like me. So basically twisted sense of humor is a must. =O)

    http://www.cardsagainsthumanity.com/

    the game is Cards Against Humanity. It is a freaking blast….

    not recommended for kids….

  215. Beeswax candles. They don’t release weird chemicals into the air, they smell good, and they emit negative ions that cleanse the air. Love them.

  216. If I had to give up all of my possessions (other than basic necessities like clothes), I could do it, as long as I had access to a library. Other than that, I love my bike, and I would automatically choose a bike to be my one “unnecessary” possession if I were to be moved for work and could only take one personal item.

  217. And making food for people I love. Wether it’s the fruit cup I just diced for my girlfriend, casseroles during thanksgiving, dinner for my household, or the drinks I make at work, sharing food made with care is my very favorite way to express love and friendship, and I do it as often as I can.

  218. PBS (free!) or Netflix streaming – waaaay cheaper than cable, and a place to go when I can’t stand normal consciousness anymore. Lemon curd mixed with plain greek yogurt as a fruit dip. Frozen damp washcloths when the heat gets unbearable – so awesome!

  219. It’s really weird that just today, a close friend I was having lunch with noted that she found it really funny when I said “So SUCK IT!” and that I’ve said it for years but she’s never picked it up (as friends sometimes do with each other’s lingo) and then here you go and write it in this blog. Yep, totally irrelevant and probably will be construed as ass-kissy, but I thought I’d just mention it.
    Things I have discovered and can’t live without? This blog (Jesus, I’m really NOT an ass-kisser, despite appearances). My daughter (although I didn’t really discover her, our social worker did, so don’t disqualify me from the prize, which by the way CAN be used in Canada, as I have actually purchased items from Amazon.com and they have arrived…eventually). My 3 cats (I did discover each of them at animal rescues, but I know that answer won’t hit the target because so many other people have already said their cats.) Vaseline (for my lips. On my face. The other lip balms don’t last as long on my lips. Damn, I didn’t discover Vaseline either.)
    Ok, it’s becoming obvious that I haven’t discovered anything that somebody else hasn’t already discovered, except this bizarre fact that makes me laugh in a gross-out kinda way: If you stick your finger in your ear for those deep ear itches, your cats will lick the residual goo off your finger right afterwards. They dig it. Try it with your cats. It’s a cool party trick.
    I’ll shut up now.

  220. I cook a lot, so I can’t live without my Garlic Zoom….
    I have a child loose in the house, so I can’t live without Lysol wipes….
    I don’t have time to catch TV shows when they air, so I can’t live without my DVR and Netflix…
    I live in the deserts of West Texas, so I can’t live without Fresh® ‘Lotus Youth Preserve’ Face Cream…
    I have an anxiety disorder and I have to make time for myself to unwind, so I can’t live without books to temporarily take me into another reality…
    And last (but not least) Twitter, because it puts me into directed contact with my favorite writers (oh yes, I’m talking about you here, Jenny)…

  221. I keep reading comments and thinking, “YEAH! That’s awesome too!” — but one thing nobody has mentioned is Graeter’s ice cream, made in Cincinnati, Ohio, and available to the US now that they’ve expanded their distribution. I’m sharing the love, y’all.

  223. Beads. I got into making my own jewelry a couple years ago, and it’s one of the few things I can do to calm my mind when it gets into that frantic-I’m-about-to-have-a-really-bad-panic-attack RIGHT NOW mode. I can pull out my box of beading stuff, find a couple things that catch my eye, and play around with them to make something unique until my brain switches back into its more normal mode.

  224. Rewards/Savings Cards and apps! I’m an AVID couponer and I go nuts paying full price for anything, so if I DO have to pay full price, at least I know that by using some of my apps and cards I’m at least saving up points for the things I’m buying! My favorite right now is this one : http://get.shopkick.com/arrow13524 It’s like a mini scavenger hunt and it keeps my kids well behaved and quiet in the store because I let them scan the items. Plus I get points for purchasing and just walking into certain stores. I then can cash the points in for gift cards and stuff that I use at Christmas to….”help Santa”. (Although right now, it’s all about me 😉 I’m saving for a gift certificate to Tiffany & Co. I need a little treat)

    Also – Toddy Clothes They are this super awesome microfiber cloth with cool designs. I’m a glasses wearer and I HATE when they are smudged. But I have a 4 year old. So they are always smudged. This wipes them clean away in seconds. Plus its awesome for cell phones and nooks.

  227. Pinterest…I love to take multiple fun DIY crafts, combine them, and create something fantastic.

  229. Yankz Lacing Systems for all my sneakers… because if I’m going to be motivated to do anything active enough to necessitate wearing sneakers, I don’t want to be derailed by the tedious effort of actually tying my shoes. I need to just slip them on before I change my mind

  230. Freezer pops. I’m pregnant and the weird little human I am growing hates all sweets, except freezer pops. So helpful in the humid Midwest summer. And don’t worry, I won’t send you pictures of my weird little human once it comes out.

  231. I can’t live without “The Killing.” Best show on tv. I have given up all my other shows. Let’s face it, “True Blood” and “Dexter” have totally jumped the shark anyway.

  232. Hazelnut coffee creamer. I could drink it without the coffee.

    My keurig coffee machine.

    My son. But he’s not so much a commodity that can be shared.

    The Internet. All of it.

  233. My list? My Lypsyl lip balm. I use a CPAP machine at night, and the Lypsyl keeps my lips moist at night. Without it, the air blowing into my mouth and nose would cause me to get chapped lips.

    My Pyrex glass teapot. Not only is it beautiful, it brews wonderful tea, especially loose leaf and flowering teas.

    My Pandora One subscription.

    My subscription to Renaissance Magazine.

    Books!!!

  234. McSweeney’s Internet Tendency. Fabulous writing, a quick fix for those without a lot of time, and the funniest thing on the internet after the Bloggess.

  236. Holy. Mother. You have so many comments already. I can live without it, but it has changed the way I think about things… http://www.amazon.com/Motley-Fool-Have-More-Think/dp/0743201744 I am a teacher. I have very little money because of student loan debt, and this book has really made me less stressed about money. I never ask for help, I never like to admit that I have debt aside from student loans, I spend too much on beer and things I’m sure I could live without… this book has been awesome. And it’s so easy to understand. I feel like recommending it to people I don’t even know.
    I enjoy your blog and such.. keep up the good work!

  237. Love this list! The first two things that come to my mind as favorite things are both food items (yup, I LOVE food!):
    Trader Joe’s Cookie Butter. Ah-mahz-ing. I can eat that stuff straight out of the jar.
    Also, Talenti Sea Salt Caramel Gelato. Perfection!

  239. So many of these comments are making me go “ohhh hey I love that too” and other comments are helping me explore new things. I fear if I make a new list of tings I love it will be really REALLY long!

  240. I know your blog isn’t political, but I can’t believe you didn’t mention hoodie sweatshirts. Even in July, and even in Texas.

  241. Game of Thrones. The show, the books, the maps, the vinyl Funko dolls and all the delicious time i spend with my coworkers talking about it. And the GoT personality test which says I am like Tyrion Lannister. I am short, and funny, and I do drink, but beyond that I wouldn’t be caught dead in his outfits and my dad didn’t have my first wife killed. Not many people seem to be mentioning TV shows, so maybe I’m missing the point. (Or maybe I stopped scanning the comments after the first two billion). I would use the money to download GoT and other TV shows I love to tkae my mind off everything I really should be thinking about.

  242. Midnight PM is amazing for when you wake up in the middle of the night and can’t go back to sleep. You can chew them, no water required. Plus, no valerian, which gives me nightmares that make the Saw movies look like a kindergarten play.

  243. Passion Fruit Grapefruit sorbet from Yogurtland. It’s hot as fuck here, but a bowl full of that makes me feel less like I’m going to bake to death.

  244. The SCA. It’s not exactly cheap, especially if you get super into the crafting and costuming, but without it I wouldn’t have found my own little tribe. They feel closer than family, even if I only see some of them once or twice a year.

  245. Dream Cream from Lush is the best, most luxurious body lotion I’ve ever used. It’s relatively costly but sooo moisturizing.
    I also love my microwavable beanbags. Perfect for my upper back injury or budding tension headache.

  246. It’s a good thing there’s not a ‘Like’ button under each comment or I’d’ve spent the day clicking madly away. Thank you to every single person who took the time to post.
    C.O. Bigelow lemon lip balm at Bath & Body.
    Bigelow Tea’s Constant Comment. Yes!
    …and whoever posted the Demeter Fragrances – Wow! that one sent me off on a spending spree.
    Ravelry? But of course! Isn’t a yarn stash beyond life expectancy the most current, politically correct form of alternative home energy conservation measures?

    So, to post what others have not… (along w/Amazon links so you can look, not necessarily the best/cheapest source) in no particular order…

    Burt’s Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream (http://www.amazon.com/Burts-Bees-Lemon-Butter-Cuticle/dp/B0027KXUN0/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1374530622&sr=8-3&keywords=burt%27s+bees+lemon+butter+cuticle+cream) There’s a tin in every room of my house.

    Neutrogena Norwegian Hand Cream (http://www.amazon.com/Neutrogena-Norwegian-Formula-Cream-Chapped/dp/B005C4WPUW/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1374530558&sr=8-3&keywords=neutrogena+norwegian+formula+hand+cream) Really! The little tube costs less than $3 and the tiniest of smears on the back of each hand at bed time & after getting dressed in the a.m. and OMG!

    Contigo Travel Tumblers (http://www.amazon.com/Contigo-AUTOSEAL-Stainless-Insulated-Tumbler/dp/B001RMIWJ6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1374530648&sr=8-2&keywords=Contigo) I love to take the one I tote to work and quickly turn it completely over to demonstrate to folks how it never even drips. Leak proof. But the best thing of all about these is that they keep hot drinks hot for hours. Not tepid mind you: HOT! I’d get busy at work & every other travel mug greeted me with lukewarm liquid by the time I got back to it. No more. It’s a miracle. Works even more efficiently for cold things, but it was the heat keeping, leak thwarting that made me a convert.

    Lavender Simple Syrup. Make your own. Google it. Your house will smell amazing while you’re brewing your concoction but if you don’t have the time or inclination to do that, then Torani makes a lavender syrup. (http://www.amazon.com/Torani-Lavender-Syrup-750-Bottle/dp/B00C2UCB2G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374530680&sr=8-1&keywords=Torani+lavender+syrup) Add a glug of this to a tall, iced green tea. Nirvana.

    Litter Locker II or whatever its latest iteration is. (http://www.amazon.com/Litter-Genie-Disposal-System-White/dp/B007IHY5CM/ref=sr_1_5?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1374530854&sr=1-5&keywords=litter+locker+ii) If you think your current method of storing used kitty litter is not unpleasantly aromatic you’re fooling yourself. The Litter Locker is basically a re-branded Diaper Genie. I have one cat. Two weeks without having to dump the Litter Locker. Truthfully, odor free.

    Sonic Ice. If you live near a Sonic Drive-In you prolly know what I mean when I say, Sonic Ice. It’s not crushed, cubed, shaved or whatever’d; it’s Sonic Ice. Did you know you can buy big bags of Sonic Ice at Sonic for $1.99. Make it your last stop before immediately heading home to cache your treasure in the freezer but it’s far superior to anything you’d pick up at the grocery, etc for a party.

    Like tea? Like Girl Scout Cookie Thin Mints? You’ve got to sample Stash Tea’s Chocolate Mint Wuyi Oolong Tea. (http://www.amazon.com/Stash-Chocolate-Tea-18-Count-1-2-Ounce/dp/B001HTI4WO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1374529902&sr=8-2&keywords=Stash+chocolate+mint+tea) I linked to a 6-count deals at Amazon because once you try this tea – think Thin Mints w/o the guilt – you’ll be like the local thin mint tea pusher, pressing a tea bag into every tea-loving friend’s hand with the admonition, “Just try it…” You’ll run low quickly.

    Pens. My boss told me it was his all-time, favorite pen. It was the only pen he couldn’t live without. If his pen went missing, all work had to come to an immediate halt until it could be located. I ordered spares and secretly stashed them away for those emergency situations when the pen truly vanished. (A broken sibling pen once became encased in red Jello by a merry prankster. Bedlam ensued. I knew better.) But you know what? My boss was right. The. Best. Pen. It glides. It caresses your hand. It’s fat enough that there’s no finger fatigue. It’s the pen that we shall never be without. I truthfully carry mine around with me if I need to leave my desk lest someone ‘borrow’ it and walk away with it. It doesn’t break the bank. Even The Walmart carries them if you search diligently enough. (http://www.amazon.com/Pilot-Retractable-Platinum-Metallic-36272/dp/B0000AQOA1/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374530529&sr=8-1&keywords=pilot+dr+grip+gel)

    The Brain Scoop. No, it’s not for serving up brains. It’s Emily Graslie and she shares her delight and glee at the discoveries found within the Chicago Field Museum. Be sure and check out the video series called “The Chicago Adventure”. Who knew there were seals with teeth like THAT?! (http://www.youtube.com/user/thebrainscoop)

  247. My Nintendo DS cuz I get to play really fun Lego games on it. And Marissa de los Santos whose lyrical style of writing allows her readers to savor her every word and truly appreciate the joy of reading again. And fan fiction cuz sometimes it’s so bad it’s hysterical (but makes great subject lines on emails)!

  248. Lip Balm – I swear, I think better and faster if I’m in the process of repeatedly applying lip balm than if I’m standing around with slightly dry lips. And since I like to pretend I’m an ethical force to be reckoned with, I usually bu Burt’s Bees lip balm in a multi pack. God forbid I run out!

  249. My favourite thing right now is my iPad because even though it’s an old one, it lets me draw stupid pictures and those stupid pictures make associate editors sometimes take a second look at your pitch and then you get to write for a magazine.

    But it’s not cheap. The iPad, I mean. My drawings are pretty cheap. And also ridiculous. Still, it’s one of my favourite things.

    Also, dark chocolate caramels with sea salt. Because duh. Even Jesus loves those, and I know some Baptists who don’t think Jesus likes anything.

    (He totally does, though; he throws the best parties, too, and you never run out of wine. He’s still working on his tequila technique, though. You can’t expect him to just be good at everything all at once, y’all. Damn.)

  250. Oohh my god… you really going to read through all of these? The daily mail web site… everything crazy in the world on one web site. Including an occasional grizzly Adams reference. The only other thing: the rock we move every night to cover the crack under the fence that the neighborhood opossum uses to get into our backyard when we are trying to read or hang out at night. I would have said broom… but we broke that trying to help him find his way out. Which reminds me, I’ve got a rock to move.

  252. Big, bold, smoky red zinfandel. Because wine.
    Creamy havarti cheese. (with wine)
    Cotswold cheese. (with wine)
    My Victorinox kitchen knives.
    Xanax for flying.
    Maxalt for migraines.
    And mostly my girls: couldnt live without the girls in my ‘hood Susan and Corene

  253. i love my track ball mouse. it’s way too expensive to justify but i love it so much.

    and there’s a free bookstore here in baltimore, md called ‘the book thing’. it costs gas money to drive to there, but otherwise you take what you want free of charge. all they ask is that you sign your name, the number of books/magazines you took and then leave a comment. when you’re finished you can return your books and get more. unless you’re a book hoarder like me. then you just go back for more.

  254. I just decided that I can no longer go on without Neuro Sleep. I need to try this stuff really soon, although the receding purple nebula I stare at when I close my eyes probably thinks its a bad idea.
    I have a nice towel. But I do like the sound of a Tardis Towel.

    yours most sincerely,
    John aka “eubieland”

  255. I am seriously addicted to “lip chap”. (Normal people call it lip balm.) My favorites are Eos, Yes! To Carrots, Burts Bees and Badger Balm. I have them everywhere. In my purse, next to my TV spot, at the head of my bed, in my bathroom. Yet I would give lip chap up if I had to choose between it and books. Without books, life would be so sad.

  258. THings I cant live without. My Kindle, ice cream, my yorkie, chocolate, my family.

  259. I love my SwitchFlops and on vacation I discovered KGB (kahlua, grand marnier, baileys) ice cream, unfortunately they don’t deliver. It was awesome!

  260. My favorite thing is that apricot scrub from CVS. I don’t even buy the “fancy” $3 version anymore. I just go straight to the store brand $1 apricot scrub. Can’t live without it.

  261. The Sally Hansen cuticle pen. Makes my nails look nice even when they are super dry and craggy. Also, L’oreal’s new lip gloss because it’s super sparkly and probably not appropriate for my age. 🙂

  262. I received a free sample of Bumble and Bumble Thickening Spray with a Sephora order and fell in lust! It’s the first thing I’ve found in a long time that helps fatten up my very fine, naturally curly, thin hair. I am one of the cheapest persons around when it comes to beauty products and I keep shelling out $28 for a bottle of this stuff!

  263. Well there are obvious things like a microwave(which we really need a new one, but my boyfriend insists that his grandma’s old one works great, yeah… great if you love radiation seriously stand in front of that and my hair blows in the wind. I try to keep the cats out of the kitchen when I use it just in case)
    Red wine and aged cheddar
    Also my tablet, saving my butt during school by making books or cost effect and much lighter!

  264. String! I love making friendship bracelets. They keep me from setting small fires everywhere.
    I also can’t live without the public library. Free books. Woot!

  265. Yarn and my knitting supplies in general.
    Hard cider.
    Books.
    These are the things that keep me sane.

  266. This isn’t a little thing, but I adore my Kindle. I’m a huge reader, so being able to haul multiple books everywhere is great. I still buy my most favorite-est books paperback, but reading, even for a few minutes while waiting in line, is a lifesaver.

  269. My chiropractor, my Asics, and my sunglasses. All things I thought I didn’t need and was proven wrong.

  270. RIght now, my Teva Mush flip flops, they’re squishy and comfortable and my feet enjoy them a lot, Also Mountain Dew in mass quantities from the time I wake up until 4PM, then water. My e-cig that my dear husband bought me for my birthday. I have not had a cigarette in 23 days…go me!

  271. my cousin, who is 14 months younger than me, and my best friend.
    several other friends who have supported me through thick and thin
    my three cats
    chocolate chip pancakes
    sleeping late and
    reading good books

  272. I can’t live without my three-year-old son, Internet access, my dvd collection which includes everything Joss Whedon has ever done, my comic book collection filled with Neil Gaiman, Vertigo titles, and ElfQuest, and my books which are all I have ever needed to escape from my day-to-day life.

  273. As lame as this sounds, my favorite thing is my y-peeler for vegetables. I cut my self using a regular knife, I cut myself with a potato peeler (I don’t know how). But I can peel a whole potato with my y-peeler in like 2 seconds! I might be the most boring person ever…

    By the way, love your blog. My best friend and I crack up over you!

  274. OMG this list is awesome! Yes. All the yes. All the things!!! Love it.
    I also hope you are feeling better. Sorry your innards tried to murder you, I’m glad you fought back.

  275. You. Cannot live without you. The fact that you like Doctor Who and rum only further proves my point that you are the most awesome woman I have yet to meet.

    I promise I will not stalk you or show up at your house. I will just hope to meet you at a book signing someday, because I know you are busily writing a second book, right?

  276. The neurosleep looks intriguing! I take melatonin but maybe I’ll try this next time!

  277. Amazon Prime. I’ve been a member for years, just for the savings on shipping, and then they started adding all kinds of other cool shit that makes it worth way more than the annual fee (to me, anyway).

    My Frieling Stainless Steel French Press – the one time I hired a cleaning service, one of the nice ladies broke my glass French press. The second one managed to break itself all around the base, sending a lovely cascade of hot semi-coffee and grounds all over my kitchen. Plus, it keeps the coffee hot longer – it’s no Thermos(tm) but at normal coffee consumption rates, every cup is hot.

  278. This. I smiled the whole scroll down.

    Demeter Fragrance Library’s “Thunderstorm.”

    Also, little spoons.

  279. They’re nothing special, but my knitting needles. Or my craft supplies in general. There have been a few too many occasions in my life when I needed to entertain myself on the cheap side, and for the hours I get out of it, knitting/crocheting/chainmaille (which is hell on then hands, but a lot of fun) are all worth the price of admission.

    Audio books – especially Neil Gaiman’s. If you (general public) haven’t heard “Anansi Boys,” you should download it immediately. The reader is incredible and does wonderful accents. And most of Neil Gaiman’s other books are read by Neil Gaiman, who makes everything a worthwhile thing to which to listen.

    Netflix. Again, for entertainment purposes and bang for buck, it’s worth a lot. I like to rewatch things, too, so I’m always watching something on Netflix. (Foyle’s War, guys – it’s great!)

  280. The upgraded MapMyRun app trainer. The coaching feedback tells me to speed up or slow down as needed, and always tells me good job when I hit my desired pace.

  281. I cannot live without my Mane Message hair ties. They don’t leave a crease in my hair and they look more professional than regular rubber-bands. I also recently discovered the Cut & Run series. And now I cannot live without the books or their community of fans.

  283. Things I love:

    First and foremost, You. Not that you are a “thing”. Really, it should go without saying but everyone needs to hear they are loved. That is why I said it.

    Of course I have “deep” things that I am thankful for (my wonderful husband and son to name a couple) but I think this was geared more as a “things we love” post and not a “people we love post” so I’m trying to keep it light.

    Things on Youtube that crack my ass up:
    Convos with my 2 year old – especially the cookie and pants episodes
    Man vs. Toddler by BeratsandBereta
    Bad Lip Readings
    Epic Rap Battles in History

    Stuff:
    Heated mattress pad
    Window a/c unit (often used in conjunction with the heated mattress pad. Earth be damned. Don’t judge).
    Rosebud Salve for my lips and other scaly bits. It used to just come in a tin but at Sephora, they sell it in a lip gloss applicator tube now. It rocks!
    Tweezerman Tweezers – these really grasp those little stray hairs and pulls them right out!
    Generic Benadryl – these Georgia mosquitoes are chewing my ass up!
    Iced tea with fresh mint
    Kindle and my oh so many books
    IPhone – mostly for pics/videos and checking FB. Oh. And making phone calls.
    The Internets
    Locoid Rx cream for my son’s eczema
    My lava rock bracelet from spoke-nfor.com. This guy makes awesome custom bracelets using bicycle spokes and cool beads.
    Etsy (there are so many AMAZINGLY CREATIVE people out there).
    Regretsy
    Pinterest (even thought it makes me feel like a shitty, inadequate wife and mother)
    My DVR. I have a love affair going with my DVR. How else could I keep up with wonderful shows like The Killing, The Walking Dead, True Blood and my guilty pleasure of the”Say Yes to the Dress” franchise?!

    My Birchbox, TestTube and Ipsy subscriptions.

    There are so many other things and I could go on but then I would be sounding more and more like a needy bitch who wants a lot of stuff! Or is it too late for that?

  284. I hate vacuuming and have cats, which is a bad combination. I bought a Roomba and HOLY SHIT, it was totally worth the large amount of money – I have no idea how i lived without it. IT VACUUMS FOR ME.

  285. Hmm, I think I’ll have to agree witha few others and say my public library – otherwise I could never support my paperback habit 😉

  286. My favorite things this week were:

    Creating a treasure map for my 2 year old son. My dad made me cry when he saw a photo of him wearing a hot pink Dora the Explorer hat- he told me that I was a terrible mother and was going to ruin my son. After I hung up on him, I let my kid wear my hot pink skirt that he loves, his Dora hat and his backpack and we made a treasure map so he could explore his little world wearing whatever the hell he wanted.

    Filthy Farmgirl soaps. I found them at the Farmers Market and totally laughed myself into a seizure when I saw the names of some of their stuff. EPIC. http://shop.filthyfarmgirl.com/

    40 gorgeous fresh flavored bagels for $10 at my local grocery store.

    Buying a walker for my 5 month old and seeing him cruise around the entire house in it, completely independent of mom and dad.

    It’s been a good week. Despite the fact that we have started watching Mad Men, and my affinity with Don Draper really makes me want to cry.

  288. I cannot live without my dirty white smashed teddy polar bear that I’ve had since I was born (23 years) named Ashley Chicken. (please, don’t even ask me about the name)
    He was given to me by my great grandma when I was born and he has been my pillow since my mother re-stuffed him when I was 14. Now he’s just my sleeping companion, and he will continue to be so until the day I die.

    Yes, yes I am weird. lol My boyfriend reminds me of this fact everyday.

  289. Not exactly cheap, but worth every penny: my favorite thing that makes me happy every time is the maid service that cleans my house very 2 weeks. Totally saves my marriage (I am a slob and my hubby is not) and it’s so wonderful to walk into a clean house at the end of a long day and know that I didn’t have to do any of the mopping, vacuuming, scrubbing or sweeping involved.

    Second favorite right now is vinho verde. Because wine. And because my favorite bottle is just $7.99. Hard to beat that price! I mean, without getting into the rotgut class of wine.

    I’m not sure I could get either of those on Amazon, but I’d be happy to try the other stuff on the list if I win. 🙂

  291. I love my Ryka slip on shoes, great for my old knees and back. Plus my Soda Stream machine. Have you tried this? Most excellent for flavored seltzer and they have Kool Aid grape and cherry flavorings that make grape and cherry soda! Makes me feel like a kid again.

  292. Fage Greek Yogurt and maple syrup. It fills me up, tastes good and makes me happy (and reminds me of my trip to Greece). Plus it is quick!

  293. Doughmakers Great Grand cookie sheets. But only if you love to bake perfectly browned cookies on oversized sheets (more cookies at once, yay)! BTW, I just moved and these don’t fit into my new oven. Will have to buy the next size down (fewer cookies at once, boo).

  294. I cannot live without my Norwex body cloth (wow, I sound like such a nerd). Seriously though, LOVE it! I use it everyday and on my nasty dirty kids too!

  295. I almost forgot. One critical thing is my anti-depressant and anti-anxiety cocktail that has been finely tuned over the years. I hate having to medicate but I would literally not be here if I didn’t.

  296. My husband’s Thai beef salad. Before I met him, I had no idea this existed. In the 19+ years that we’ve been together, I have him make it at least twice a month. He must love me.

  297. I love Bath and Body Works Hand Sanitizer – I took students to China last summer and it made it possible for me to function there (with this thing called a squat toilet – look it up, I’ll wait…yep, that’s pretty much all I used for 17 days…now you see what I’m talking about). It was a little piece of home whenever I smelled it and it only costs a dollar (except when they have the big sale, then it’s only .50!)…

  298. My husband and I are always different temperatures. Most notably, I am always freezing, especially in the frozen hell that is upstate New York in the winter. We discovered that the Sleep Number bed folks make a heated mattress pad with dual controls so one side of the bed can be deliciously toasty roasty and so so so warm, and the other side can be slightly-less-frigid-than-the-frozen-hell-that-is-upstate-New-York-in-the-winter.

    A few years ago he got me one for Christmas, and I think it saved our marriage (not that it was ever in any danger, mind you. It was kind of like saving you from an awesome concert by giving you a fishbowl-sized frozen margarita at the concert).

    Every night we turn it on about 30 minutes before bed. When I slide in to the tropical paradise of my side of the bed, I reflect that I could not survive without my favoritest of things, or the fantastic bed warmer that he bought just for me.

  299. http://www.popcornopolis.com/ I’ve discovered I really can’t live without this stuff. we are *kinda* popcorn snobs and this is by far some of the best I’ve tasted (and I’ve tasted a lot of popcorn). I pretty much will devour all the flavors. it’s the gateway to all kinds of horrifyingly fattening carnival food (minus the carnival).

  300. I am adding that sugar scrub to my list of things to try for my ridiculously angry legs. Along that vein, I cannot live without men’s razors. Seriously there is no razor made for “women” that I can survive without the top 3 layers of my skin tearing off and me screaming bloody murder in pain and razor burn. They don’t make it 2 inches along my legs before being thrown at a wall in frustration. So hopefully your recommended sugar scrub can help with the exfoliation and moisturizing that I need to make shaving less painful 🙂

  301. My shazam app. Finally I can know what that great song on the radio, it keeps it stores it for me PLUS look up the lyrics so i dont have to mumble along anyore. I love that app.

  302. Personally, the one thing I can’t live without is probably stupid to most people, but to me, it’s my everything. I have one simple, plain, silver ring that I wear on my pinkie. It was given to my Great Grandmother, by her Mother, and she in turn gave it to me when I was little. My Great Grandmother was my best friend growing up, teaching me about the wee folk, and dancing with me underneath the willow trees, in the soft glow of fireflies. She told me stories about her childhood in Ireland, and all about the Fae she believed in. My grandmother inspired me to write at a young age, and she cultivated my creativity to an absurd degree. Without her input in my life, I would never be who I am today. So now that she’s gone, and all I have is her simple silver ring, it’s the most precious item I own. It let’s me keep a little piece of her with me, always.

  303. The TV shows that make me happy are Firefly and Dr. Who. Authors are Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett, and Robin Hobb. Items that I like and recommend are:
    Honda cars and motorcycles because they are very reliable.
    Skagen Titanium Mesh watch because it fits all occasions and is thin and rugged.
    Leatherman Micra multi tool. It is small and useful in an office. Not everyone needs enough tools to build a boat with them all day long.
    eBay and Amazon Prime.
    Publix store brand Vienna Finger clone cookies. Better than the real thing.
    Vanilla.

  304. My awesome wine bottle opener. It is a less fancy version of this one. http://www.amazon.com/Metrokane-Vertical-Rabbit-Corkscrew-Cutter/dp/B001B60TQC/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1374546354&sr=8-6&keywords=Wine+bottle+opener

    Cast iron skillets. We use ours so much that putting them away just means putting them back on the stove top for the next meal we will fix in it.

    My bed. We finally got a new one a few months ago after suffering way too long with the old bed. My hips don’t ache like they used to!

    Books, but then that is a given because I love to read AND I work in an awesome used book store.

    Music. I love playing ukulele, singing, and listening to music. Usually not all at the same time.

    Huh…and here I couldn’t think of anything! Lol

  306. They make mini snickers ice cream bars. Seriously, this has made my whole year. They are just as good as the regular ones, but I feel like I can eat like 3 or 4 but it’s cool. Cause they’re MINI.

  309. My favorite free thing is dog-shaming.com. Whenever I am having a bad day, I just go look at that and at least then I can think to myself “well at least my dog didn’t cover the house in garbage today…” or something else like that. Also they dogs often make cute faces. 🙂

  310. My current faves: Handmade pottery coffee mug – makes my coffee seem to taste much better. Public Library. Blueberries in season. Capital Cities album “In a Tidal Wave of Mystery.” Stitcher’s Revolution embroidery patterns (etsy).

  312. Ottlite Makeup Mirror – Good quality mirror, good lighting, and can use when I’m not wearing contacts.
    Cerave Moisturizing Cream Tub and Hydrating Cleanser – Everything feels so much better,when I remember to use it.
    Smartbitchestrashybooks: I like romance novels (otherwise known as brain candy), and they tell me when books I would be interested in are on sale…now I just need an equivalent site for mysteries.
    Psoriasis meds: Because going without sucks…as does psoriasis even if it is one of the better autoimmunes to have
    Cherry vanilla Diet Dr. Pepper cuz it tastes as good as real thing to me.
    Tex-mex–my comfort food

  313. OMG – Doctor Who – if it doesn’t make you sob at least once a season, you’re probably really a Cyberman or Dalek.

    My Keurig – not really cheap, but I’m hopeless at making a pot of coffee and it’s cheaper than having the fine people at Starbucks make me coffee every day. Our broke once and I thought I was going to cry and then Bed, Bath, and Beyond replaced it for free, WITH A BETTER ONE, even though it wasn’t under warranty anymore.

  314. My favorite new discovery is microfiber. I bought a very small microfiber handtowel and use it as a handkerchief during the summer. It absorbs all my face sweat and then dries like instantly. Lifesaver during the summer for those of us who don’t sweat gracefully.

  315. I didn’t list it above because it sounds so girly, but I really love my Uspa Bidet toilet seat. Especially on cold mornings.
    If you decide to start a hate list, add automatic spelling correction for me.

  316. My two favorite things today are:
    Dryer sheets (I can put them under my coffee syrups to keep the ants out
    Every Jasper Fforde book ever
    My flying pig ornament (it reminds me that anything could happen)

  317. The internet! LOL
    (I CAN live without a cell phone, facebook, twitter, etc… because I’ve never had either…….)

  318. My android phone, my iPad and a stuffed plush toy pony. Pony sleeps with me every night and helps me “parent” myself

  319. My iPhone 4s. I keep it in my back pocket all day.
    I have a small farm. My kids can reach me. Their school can reach me. I can check if it’s going to storm or freeze, so I know how to prepare the garden or animals. I can set reminders because after 3 kids and getting older, I’m scatterbrained. I can read something funny when I need a laugh. I can keep in touch with people I care about.
    And most of all, when those special little moments happen in life, that show its beauty, I can snap a quick picture right there. My camera roll is full of random life: candid kid shots, pretty flowers in my yard, little chicks brought home from the farm store, big-earred calves at my fence, cowboys shopping at the supermarket, gorgeous sunsets, weird bugs, places I’ve visited, etc. It’s magic, in my pocket.

  320. My iPad: making it possible to check my email, facebook, watch movies and play games while laying flat on my back in bed. Blooper reels on DVD’s. Google- seriously, what did I do 10 years ago when I had an important question?

  321. Things I love: Gel nail kit. I hate paying for manicures & I’m pretty good at polishing my own nails. I love that they are dry when I’m done. Fancy coffee creamer. Pandora rings. Fan with a remote control.

  323. Fluevog shoes. I have about 75 pairs currently and I love them all. They make my feet happy and that happy feeling goes straight to my brain, soul, heart. Love them!

  324. Okay, this is my second entry and I own that. I’m the one who responded before that I have to drink LIDOCAINE and DONATELLA for a rare esophageal condition, and if for no other reason than I can spell 3 really rare words in this sentence so far, I should win the free stuff. But I need to add a P.S. (don’t sound that out phonetically because it sounds really rude.) So, here are my ADDITIONAL reasons I should get the free stuff: Not only do I have the aforementioned rare esophageal spasm situation (SO MUCH FUN. You should try it.), I also have severe asthma. When I laugh A LOT, I get an asthma attack and have to go to my armory (dangit I wish I could have thought of a better word) of “rescue” medications on top of my usual $1000 a month regular asthma stuff. AND I READ YOUR BLOG AND LAUGH MYSELF INTO AN ASTHMA ATTACK, knowing full well ahead of time that it’s going to happen. The second additional reason I should get the free stuff is because if I do, I would totally give it to your other reader who said she’d give it to her friend who has fallen on tough times if SHE won it, on the condition that the free stuff would go from me to her to the friend in need. I, too, have a friend whose life has been really sucky……but that other gal posted the idea first and I would totally like for the 2 of us to give the free stuff to her friend. There. The ball’s in your court and thanks for being charmingly disturbed. It is so validating to know I’m not alone.

  325. I am not poor but couldn’t afford anything on Oprah’s list e v e r, my favorite things that I don’t want to ever live without are – i’m another cat person, so yes, my cat who I have a love-hate relationship with. I love him even though I hate where he pees, gotta have coffee and am spoiled by a Keurig (i didn’t buy it), my son who is so much smarter than I (I’d wonder if he was mine if I didn’t go through 20 hours of labor and then an emergency C-section), my daughter who is so talented (again, she passed through my body but boggles my mind that I can claim her as mine), my luck and my thrift store – where all of my designer clothes come from. This of course is not necessarily in order, oh, and this may sound wierd, but i love books and writing – and this is the wierd part- writing in pen on a not quite ripe banana is just the best writing surface! I write little fun notes to my fiance on a banana when i make his lunch and he brags that he gets “banana mail” and his co-workers rag on him about it, and even as I’m writing this it sound so stupid, but it’s like writing beautiful caligraphy… except on a banana. i’m embarrased to send this, but i’m going to anyway. Bananas are cheap, writing is free and banana mail is apparently awesome.

  326. The Walking Dead, which I came to very late, and which has literally changed my life. Oh, and Twitter, because Norman Reedus. Those microwave slippers sound fabulous!

  327. <3 my bath sheets and my comfy robe. I really want some comfy terrycloth slippers though.

    Oh and York Peppermint Patties.

  328. That JR Watkins scrubs is AWESOME. It’s the only thing that stays on my skin and doesn’t result in massive breakouts or itching. I have three in my shower right now. Just ’cause.

  329. Streaming videos of good tv shows, specifically The Office from beginning to The Wedding, which took me through some down, rough times during sequential recuperations. Also because now I can scare (or scar?) my kids with The X-Files too. And watch Dr Who. And other important things like that.

  330. Aveeno hand lotion – I probably use it 50+ times a day. Even after moving from the desert to the Pacific Northwest, I still desperately need hand lotion.

    Coffee – especially now that we aren’t seeing the desert sun every day.

    Amazon and Amazon Prime – we seriously use this at least once a week, some times more often than that. It’s so much easier than loading up the baby and driving 35 mins to Target.

    Cheese – we love it and our diet would be significantly lacking without.

    The local aquatic center – It’s so nice to be able to get out of the house with the baby and find some adults to talk to.

  331. Holy Megablog Batman! Thanks for the tip about where to start Dr Who, with so many episodes on Netflix it’s hard to know where to start.
    Walking is the best exercise ever, and it’s free!
    It’s going to sound kind of weird but here’s two things I love. First my Waterpik, once you use one you’ll never want to give it up. Second, Neil Med Sinus Rinse. It’s like a warm shower for your nose and sinuses.

  332. I have this great potato peeler shaped like a monkey. Its arms are lifted over its head, holding the peeler. You hold it around it’s fat little belly. I have Carpal Tunnel, so gripping small things can be a real challenge for me. This monkey peeler sits just perfectly in my hand & its the best peeler ever! And I only paid $7 for it.

  333. I’m in love with my mini Black and Decker Orb hand vac. It’s tiny and round and sits discreetly on my kitchen counter. It is the perfect thing for quickly cleaning up spilled sugar, excess flour, crumbs from slicing crispy crusts and all sorts of annoying kitchen messes. Saves from having wet counters and wads of pasty paper towels when all you need to do is quickly vacuum something up. It’s much smaller than most hand vacs so you can leave it out just where you need it.

    http://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-ORB4810-Hand-Grey/dp/B005YXEBP8

  334. I’ve been trying to lose weight for a few weeks and my new favorite addiction are those Mio water bottle flavoring things. I love that I can drink sweet tea and koolaid without worrying about the calories.

  335. Some things that I love (besides this blog and all twitter craziness):
    Cool Whip Frosting from the freezer – it’s light and cold. Way better than ice cream.
    Creole tomatoes – perfect this time of year
    Sunsets, esp when I’m walking the dog and enjoying the quiet
    The cheapest bunch of flowers from the grocery store
    LED lightbulbs – they are super energy efficient and the light is beautiful. It’s not as bright and harsh as compact florescent bulbs.

    Thanks for the opportunity to reflect on these favorites. It was fun and really made me appreciate the small things.

  336. these are a few of my favorite things..
    *chromebook- replaced my loud crazy computer that overheated itself and my house, it was super loud!
    *smartphone- lived in the early 80s, where people didn’t have any of this shit! everything’s awesome on it.
    *keurig- no matter how long i live, i will never tell the difference between shit coffee and good coffee, all tastes the same to me. now at least, my guests won’t complain as much.
    *dune- for when my family feels manipulative and hateful. a holiday read!
    *dyson- makes me look like a neat person in less time than it would actually take for me to be or become one. sucks up legos and bugs and all sorts of breakfast cereal and doesn’t die! otherwise, i’d have to pick that up, you know, with my hands. and bending.

  337. Books. I cannot live without books. They make my world go ’round. <3 Love being transported to so many new and exciting places and being submerged in so many life stories.
    If I could only pick ONE thing to do for the rest of my life, it would be reading. 🙂

  338. High thread-count sheets. Seriously. If you, like me, had only ever had the Wal-Mart 150/300 count sheets, try going up to an 800/1000 count. They’re super smooth, and just get softer with every wash.

    A stick blender. So much easier than trying to pour hot soups and sauces into the blender, perfect for doing small batches, and mine has both a whisk and a mini food processor attachment. (Also, if you don’t prefer the texture of meat chunks, try blending your lasagna meat sauce slightly. It’ll make it nice and thick.)

    Benefit’s Benetint lip and cheek color. It’s a liquid blush! It’s a lip stain! It’s both!

    Clinique’s Almost Lipstick in Black Honey. Looks good on a large variety of skintones, semi sheer, a nice classy shade.

    Ginger beer. Reed’s is good, as is Sioux City. If you’ve only ever had the pale, weak ginger ales, these things will knock your socks off. Would probably be great for clearing up a stuffy nose.

  339. Kaki King: http://www.kakiking.com She is a musical genius with the guitar. Her music is amazing, but actually watching her play is phenomenal. If you’ve seen August Rush, then you’re already familiar with her music, and she really does play like that.
    Ukelele: some friends were playing their ukes backstage at the Vancouver Folk Music Festival this weekend and managed to convince me to buy one. I already know one song!

  340. Dr Who, is an obvious first. I sometimes turn on a random episode and just sit back and relax, because without fail, it makes me laugh every time.
    My blender has also recently become a life staple, as it is my way to make Bailey’s Frappes. Yes, you read that right. Bailey’s. I’m not sure why Starbucks hasn’t capitalized on that yet.
    One final thing – I love to read and the Harry Potter books are my go to. I love the feeling of being able to escape this world and getting lost in those stories is one of the best feelings ever.

  341. Miranda Lambert’s music… and I love the fact that she’d be a guest at your ideal party, because my ideal party would definitely include you and her. I’d probably opt to take the fireworks out of the bathroom, though.

  342. keurig coffee maker

    the “jar pop” jar opener. because weak grip. http://www.amazon.com/Cedar-Fresh-Jar-Pop-Colors/dp/B00020BHP0

    freezer jam

    the flagship Half-Price Books in Dallas. or maybe inter-library loan

    a correctly-sized bra – I seriously want to stop women on the street to proselytize. I just can’t think of any way to tell a perfect stranger that their bra doesn’t fit that doesn’t end with me arrested… http://www.epbot.com/2013/04/everything-you-never-knew-you-needed-to.html

  343. Podcasts. They’re awesome and funny and free! My favorites are Pop Culture Happy Hour, Professor Blastoff, Throwing Shade, Savage Love and Judge John Hodgeman. They are made of awesome.

    Books and audiobooks. Because books = life.

  344. As far as “can’t live without” goes, I suppose it’s probably the Internet. Which kind of sounds pathetic at first, but think about it: entertainment, news, and it’s probably the most affordable means I have of maintaining something that vaguely resembles a social existence. Without it I’d be just another crazy shut-in with a far too large collection of something absurd like used moist towlettes or taxidermied insects. (Does insect taxidermy? Or would it be like fish where they just build the whole thing from scratch because real fish scales fall apart too fast?)

  345. No question, my wife. Without her, my life is darker, and I only exist. With her, my life is worth living, and there is joy in my life. She will never know how much she means to me, because words will never express it.

  346. Porcupines! I am a zoo docent and am fortunate to be allowed to walk an African crested porcupine, Homer, once a week and educate the public him and his species. I also get to fraternize with a prehensile-tailed South American porcupine, Barbee, and tell people all about her and her kind. When I am not at the zoo, I take walks in the Bosque (cottonwood forest) and delight in pointing out porcupines up in trees to unsuspecting strangers–spotting porcupines in trees (or on the ground in the early morning) makes my day instantly 100 percent better cuz PORCUPINES ARE COOL.

  347. Bota Box chardonnay….it keeps me from having to go to the liquor store so often…

  348. I meant to say “does insect taxidermy even exist” in that comment, but realized it wasn’t actually typed out just as I clicked Submit. Oops.

  349. counting crows – seriously. the words, the music, the everything
    chookaloonks – the positivity has helped so much
    your blog and book – this and the counting crows are pretty much the only things that kept me going for a few years there. literally.
    george r.r. martin – getting lost in winterfell makes me less sad (is that fucked up or what?)
    stephen king – it’s like coming home…to an incredibly fucked up house filled with scary ass shit
    my nook – being able to read anywhere without having to carry 6 books has been nice, and they regularly have sales on their books
    my camera – it’s not cheap, but even when all i had was a point & shoot, my camera has been my outlet

  350. Vibrating cock ring. I am not kidding. I want to give one of these to each of my married friends, and brighten their lives from that day forward, but they would all think I was fucking nuts. Then they would go home and use it, and their marriage would be saved.
    Hard to believe, you can now by stuff like this at Target, right next to the condoms.

  351. For the record, I will totally be your bartender, FREE OF CHARGE, for that party because the awesomeness it promises would be payment enough. In addition to my eight years of bartending experience, my credentials also include the fact that my roommates and I had a slushie machine in college and frequently made rum slushies, and I can make a Bushwacker that will get you drunk in half a glass. Just keep that in mind.

    My can’t live item is the quilt my mom had made for me when I graduated from high school. It’s made of patches from tshirts of school plays I was in and pieces of my Catholic school uniform. I almost dumped my boyfriend when he suggested I get rid of it because it’s starting to fall apart after a decade of loving use.

  352. Lisafreemontstreet Youtube channel/blog. Great for all styles (hair/makeup) vintage. There’s something to be said for channelling the poor man’s Rita Hayworth while waiting for the Doctor to invite you into his Tardis.
    Also, Belle Blossoms – vintage styled hair flowers and more to go with said Rita Hayworth hair. ”
    Orange is the New Black” original series on Netflix.
    Doctor Who always. Got me through a horrible bout with the flu recently.
    Jungle Red nail polish by Nars. Apply while watching “The Women”, one of the best screwball comedies ever made.
    Cary Grant.
    Cowgirl boots.
    Hendrick’s gin.
    Zoolander (especially when one’s husband wins the walk off at the local art house cinema’s quote along of said movie.). (Yes, I am bragging. My husband is awesome.)
    Did I mention gin?
    Did I mention Cary Grant?
    Did I mention The Doctor?
    Sephora liquid liner – reasonably priced and available in a multitude of colors.
    Hacking one’s Nook into an Android tablet.
    I also should mention Juliet. (getjuliet on etsy) She makes crazy beautiful dresses, bloomers, etc. out of old slips/lingerie or from scratch for really reasonable prices.
    Punk Rock.
    Also, and I really don’t want to suck up, but this blog makes me realize that I am not alone. I’d really like to get together and compare meds someday.

  353. Cannot live without my corn Chex cereal! Sounds stupid, but its delicious.

  354. I am with you on the bath sheet! I could wear mine as a long dress, and it’s the most comfortable thing I own. Ummmm…I mean…I don’t wear it OUT or anything. Just in. And not when we have company, because that would be weird. But, yeah, I love my bath sheet. I don’t know how my husband makes do with just a towel.

    By the way, I thought of you a couple of weeks ago when we were at a B&B and up sauntered this polydactyl cat. I turned to my husband and said, “See, this is how cats plan to take over the world. First, thumbs. Then, the world. I’m glad it’ll probably take a few more decades before it happens, though. I like to cuddle with them.” The polydactyl cat opened one eye (it had lain down in the interim of my monologue) and looked disinterested. The next day, I attempted to pet the polydactyl cat, but it wouldn’t let me until later in the afternoon. I then found out that there were two cats: one had thumbs and one didn’t. The be-thumbed one didn’t let people pet it (plotting? no fraternizing with the enemy? just some guesses…) and the un-thumbed one did. So I thought I was petting the future ruler of the world, but I was just petting its sibling. *sigh*

    (Oh, and I’d love to get Warehouse 13 on DVD. Seriously. It’s good.)

  355. Hands down one of my favorite things to be given ever was our mosquito zapper. It’s a metal tennis racket that with a push of a button becomes an electrified mobile death sentence for Mosquitos. I am not a typically driven by violent impulses person, but my childhood spent with baseball size swelling mosquito bites (think eyelids and those fleshy behind the knee creases) really built a vendetta against the tiny buggers. I feel like I am channeling my internal Antonio Banderas out to take down the all the corrupt drug lords in Latin America. But with Mosquitos. And a tennis racket.

  356. Turtle night light. I know it sounds stupid. But I gave it to my ex-boyfriend for our anniversary once (we started dating in the winter and had this thing about going stargazing but it was too cold blah blah blah) and this turtle seriously projects the stars onto your ceiling. And I feel really horrible for saying this, but I wanted it back when we broke up. More than the computer and printer I’d lent him. It was just awesome. And that’s not something you can easily just up and buy yourself, you know? If he gave it to me, it’d be like, well, I broke up with him, and it’s not like I can just throw it awayyyyy. The link is below. All of my children will have one.

    http://www.amazon.com/Cloud-Twilight-Constellation-Night-Turtle/dp/B000BNQC58

  357. iPod
    Sleeping beauty mask
    Tea
    Yarn
    Laughter
    Cats
    good hair days
    Loreal lip stain

  358. Louise Penny’s murder mystery series set in a small sleepy village in Quebec. I get them from the library, so they are free (unless you count my average overdue fines of about $3/book, but really, that is more of a donation and I am a patron). Chief Detective Armand Gamache teaches us all about how folks decide to kill! (All while sipping cafe au lait and eating brioche).

  359. I was going to say Red Rose teabags because a day never goes by without me using one or two or five. But then as I was starting to comment on my phone I realized I had to use my phone. I use it to call people, I use it to text, I use it for my internet, for my email, weather reports, googling anything and everything, my camera, calender, (alarm)clock. Oh-sometimes I use it as a telephone! AND…to keep up with theBloggess!!!

  360. Chapstick. If I ever am on that tv show Survivor and you are allowed 1 thing to bring, that would be it. That, and a bunch of books. And the internet. I`m thinking I would probably suck being on Survivor…..

  362. Stephen King books–because I can read one and remember what I felt when I read it for the first time

    Red wine–because hot tea just won’t cut it some days

    Manual transmissions–because what else is your right hand and left foot going to do while you’re driving?

    Migraine medication–because sometimes I need to actually function as a human, not as a moaning lump on the couch

    Solitaire–because I am the kind of person who made the US Government eliminate solitaire on all of their computers

    Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab perfumes–because they are amazing (even their names are fantastic)

    My KitchenAid stand mixer–because I never had a stand mixer until about a year ago. I never knew what I was missing!

  363. I love most of the things on your list, but the thing I couldn’t live without is fiction books. Just in general. I had to suspend my love for them for most of my first year of law school and it just reinforced that I need to read to be able to be a person when I’m with other people.

  365. My 31 organizing utility bag I carry it every day it can fit books folders magazines everything that I need to carry with me everywhere and has pockets galore as a mother five-year-old and twin3-year-olds it is a lifesaver. I also have one that I carry work and use it instead of a briefcase. Bonus they are pretty.

  366. Moby wrap. They are particularly good since once your baby is tied to you, it is harder to mistake them for another baby…

  367. I can’t live without my ice-pack. It is one of those squishy ones that lives in the freezer and I have a little fuzzy sleeve it goes in. I have pain issues and I ice myself all the time. My back, my hips, an ankle, or sore knee – you get the picture. One of my favorite uses for it is putting it on top of my head when I’m too hot and too cheap to turn on the air conditioner. Yep, I ice my brains, people.

  368. I’ve tried the other Neuro drinks – Bliss, which is supposed to make you happy, and the Sonic, which is supposed to help with concentration. I don’t know what’s in ’em, or how they do it, but they work. They are $2/each at the local grocery, and I will be trying the sleep one on your recommendation.

  369. Robert Jordan books. I was sooooo sad when he died after I had invested well over a decade of my life reading his books and he hadn’t finished them yet. The last book just came out this year and with it came the biggest whirlwind of emotions ranging from bittersweet to blissfulness.

  370. Hiking and jigsaw puzzles. They both keep me sane and are cheap! Well, maybe not the gas to get to hiking, but you know 🙂

  371. Lately? Crayola Crayons… I’ve rediscovered them and am doing that crayon melting thing from pinterest like crazy… thank goodness I just picked up another job to support my habit… 😛

  372. I totally totally love First Aid Beauty products…I’m not that into makeup and looking all fancy and whatever, but I got hooked on Sephora because I could order the (freakin expensive) perfume that my mom got me started on and have slowly added to my order each time through their free samples they send out. Freakin Sephora marketing geniuses. Anyway…one of the samples I got from them and loved was this FAB skin cream, I have psoriasis and have always had sensitive skin anyway – but their stuff is awesome, I’ve been using their skin cream for a long time and recently treated myself to the face wash – it’s fantastic 🙂

  373. Clinical strength deodorant. Seriously. I am a sweater, and this stuff nixes stinky pit sweat. I wish my skin wasn’t so sensitive, or I would use this stuff for boob sweat and tramp stamp sweat, too.

  374. My kindle is probably my most treasured possession. I don’t know what I would do without my precious.

    I absolutely cannot be without at least one tube of Soft Lips lip balm. I keep them strategically placed throughout the house. I’m always a little sad when one accidentally goes through the wash. Gone before its time.

    My Conair Infiniti hair dryer. I find the sound of a hair dryer very soothing. Bonus, reading my kindle while drying my hair. That’s probably my favorite time of day.

  375. I totally couldn’t live without the little tape-thingie-with-a-cord that goes in my car’s tape deck and plays the music on my phone through the car’s speakers. And my car. I love my car, even though it’s old enough to have a tape deck and has 320,000 miles on it. When I bought it, it only had 3. We’ve been a lot of places together. 🙂

  377. My electric heated throw blanket. With RA and Fibro, something always hurts and usually my whole body feels better when I rotate between lying on in, lying under it, and rolling up in it like a burrito. It has paid for itself many times over in my happiness and lessened aches and pains. Those slippers sound awesome, but I just invested in my first pair of Ugg boots and those are pretty damn awesome, too.

  379. It would seem I cannot live without sweet tea….the one thing from the south that rubbed off on me. 🙂 Oh and a hair tie, clip, comb, something…..while I hate my hair hanging down on my neck when it is hot, I can’t imagine cutting it off to make things easier.

  380. Ghiradelli Sea Salt Soiree Dark Chocolates (or if I’m working on the cheap, the 72% pure chocolate bars from Aldi)
    Bergmont essential oil (because it’s citrusy and happy but with a dark note that I love)
    a mortar and pestal (because how else do you make anything yummy)
    my e-reader (so I can read 1,000 page books without break my purse straps-which has happened to me. More than once.)

  381. A few years ago, I visited a friend who loves to cook, and she was using a set of cute colorful nesting prep bowls. I found my own set, discounted, in red, and they’ve been one of my fav things in the kitchen ever since. I loooove these little prep bowls. I measure spices into the littlest one, peel garlilc into the next larger one, then maybe some bell pepper strips, and the largest one fits a portobella mushroom chopped. They nest satisfyingly, they measure, and sort and everything. Cuuuute!

  383. This is silly, but the Comixology app. I hate going to comic book stores (mostly because I find that most of them are universally unfriendly to girls) and this eliminates that need and I still get to pay for comics, and read them. And they don’t take up a whole bunch of room. I love it. It’s rekindled my love for comics:)

  385. I love bath sheets! They make me feel like I’m so spoiled by having all this extra towel to wrap around. I’m also extremely fond of my electric blanket.

  386. I asked for a handheld vacuum this year for my birthday. I know, thrilling stuff. But I love this little thing. It’s way easier to get all the dog and cat hair tumbleweeds that try to take over on a regular basis; handy for cleaning the couch my husbands parents bought in 1988 (which is comfy, but seriously needs to be upgraded…but it was free and is comfy. So yeah. Maybe, eventually?) so my Eureka EasyClean 71B is the bomb!

  387. Singing, especially in the car. Sad songs, happy songs; old standards, musicals, alternative, classic rock and a few pop songs. If I can get to karaoke, even better.

    Duran Duran, any album. I mostly listen to goth/industrial music but when I need a good pick me up I return to old reliable. Duran Duran makes me so very happy and seems to cut through even the darkest depressive times.

    The song “In My Mind” by Amanda Palmer. Required listening. In fact anything by Amanda Palmer written or performed.

    Dancing, even it’s just in the livingroom. I do japanese folk dance but enjoy all kinds of dancing. I love going to our favorite moroccan restaurant because the belly dancers always invite me to dance with them. I used to swing dance regularly and took flamenco, belly dance and ballroom before I had kids. If money was no object I’d spend every day taking a different class. I miss going dancing in night clubs but the kids love to have impromptu dance party moments and will put the dance channel on while we boogie around the livingroom. Love those moments.

    Doctor Who, most specifically the 4th and 10th Doctors. I can watch those over and over again. I love the 4th doctor episodes with Leela the most. Blink and The Girl in the Fireplace are two 10th Doctor episodes that get constant play, especially when I’m down.

    Torchwood. Great mix of action, adventure and sexiness. And Captain Jack Harness. Mostly Captain Jack Harkness.

    My favorite Adult Swim shows; Venture Bros., Lucy The Daughter of the Devil and The Mighty Boosh. There is so much awesome in the song Tundra from The Might Boosh.

    Classic movies that we can watch over and over again. Caddyshack, Better off Dead, One Crazy Summer, Clerks, Ghostbusters, Trading Places, The Goonies, Back to the Future, Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, Duck Soup, Some Like it Hot, The Big Lebowski, Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, Office Space, Down Periscope, Swingers, Coneheads, Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension, Addams Family Values, Muppet Treasure Island (or any Muppet movie), Top Secret, Austin Powers, Galaxy Quest, Army of Darkness, Dude Where’s My Car, Talladega Nights, anything Monty Python and many other.

    Trader Joe’s Candy Cane Joe Joe’s. Unfortunately they’re only out around Christmas and I can’t seem to buy enough boxes to make it through the year until they come out again.

    Writing, it changed my life. Started back up in middle age when encouraged by someone I hardly new at the time but admired. Now I have a whole new life and some amazing friends.

    The internet, twitter and facebook. I found amazing people like The Bloggess and Allie Brosh who remind me that depression lies and we’re all going to make it through this together. I have friends all over the world who remind me I’m not as crazy, or as fat, or as dorky, or as lame as depression and the negative thought loop in my head tries to make me believe that I am.

    That wonderful moment when you realize there are lots of little things that make you feel good, more than you ever imagined or could write in a blog comment.

  389. High Heat Silicone spatulas and Air Popper popcorn makers. I received both for my wedding and have been giving them out as gifts ever since. I can’t live without them!

  390. Some inexpensive things that make me happy =)

    The Bloggess’ blog. Have you read it? if you haven’t, you should. A wonderful writer with funny stories like no one else has and a very quick witted husband who chimes in perfect repartee (when he’s not screaming at Jenny for not picking up the phone or bringing back another taxidermied animal).

    Tazo Awake Tea – OK it’s not fancy gourmet tea but I LOVE the blend of TAzo’s Black Tea. It’s deep, malty and rich. Perfect for the morning. I mix it with creamed honey and it makes me happy.

    L’Occitane Verbana Lotion or any body oil with essential oils – I know i said inexpensive but I got this from a hotel I was at and i LOVE it. I love the relaxing lemony scent and my skin soaks up the lotion without feeling sticky. My new thing is moisturizing so I’m also into body oils of any sorts that have a mix of essential oils. My skin needs it!

    Coffee — Good, strong, bold, medium intense coffee.

    Sateen sheets – it doesn’t have to cost a thousand dollars. My set from JC Penny’s was very reasonable. I sleep on my bed every day (yes, that’s right, I sleep every day! Shocker!) so I believe in investing in a good bed and having nice comfortable sheets. There’s nothing like having a long or crappy day and that moment you reach your bed, you feel the soft welcoming sheets.

    Warm Showers with L’Occitane Revitalizing Shower Gel– when ever I’m stressed or need some time to get away from the thousands of thoughts running in my head, I go get a warm shower, if I can. If I’m stressed out at a meeting or public place, it becomes difficult to take a shower. Again, I got the L’Occitane shower gel in a hotel toiletry pack. and I love it and use it sparingly.

    Chocolate & Ice cream — Chocolate and/or ice cream always make me feel better. I always have some of both in my fridge. You should too. I love chocolate truffles, dark chocolate, hazelnut praline chocolates. For Ice cream, my go tos are Sorbets, Haagen Daz, gelato, ben and Jerrys.

  391. Dr Who of course.

    Air

    And my guitar, music makes all things better

  392. My Keurig. The caffeinated goodness it provides is sometimes the only reason I manage to get out of bed on dark, cold, rainy Monday mornings.

  394. my itty bitty book light. I love to read. Love. To. Read. My husband used to complain about having the lamp on when he was trying to sleep. the itty bitty book light might have saved my marriage. it’s that awesome. but that shaved ice machine might give it a run for its money. if I could make authentic NOLA snowballs with that gizmo I might lose my mind.

  395. Thousands of comments later, I must add mine. In the winter, my skin gets really dry and I feel like I am going to scratch it right off. This is the ONlY thing that works

    http://www.amazon.com/Aveeno-Soothing-Relief-Moisture-Fragrance/dp/B001FZGTJA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374552934&sr=8-1&keywords=Aveeno+baby+cream

    Yes, it’s baby cream, but I use it for myself. Now, in warm weather, my skin is not as dry, but I still use it on my elbows, legs and heels. I haven’t had cracked heels since I started using this at bedtime three years ago.

  396. I can’t live without my dogs. They save my sanity on a daily basis. Also, I want a cow so I can churn butter in my kitchen aid mixer. I recently found out you can do this, and I am strangely fascinated by it. We found a bobble headed metal donkey for $20 at an art fair. We adopted him and named him Clive. But my absolute most favorite thing ever is my Kindle. I carry 300+ books with me everywhere I go, and it is awesome. Yes, your book is on it. My teenager read it, too (she has 6 medical disorders). I have to thank you. Because your ability to find humor in all your own medical issues helped us to find the humor in hers. Laughter really does heal. And just because it is too awesome, there is a Star Wars house around the corner from us. It looks exactly like that bunker they are trying to blow up, only bigger. My husband won’t let me have it. Probably because he knows he would come home from work one day to find Yoda with a light saber painted on the garage door.

  397. My kitchen aid mixer. I use it for box mixes, ricing potatoes, making marshmallows, or my homemade apple sauce. I don’t know what I would do without it.

  399. I want to read every post but I need to try and sleep. After I order some Neurosleep!

    My list:
    -Books, my kindle, bookstores, library. Basically any and everything to do with reading
    -Dohm sound/white noise machine – I take it with me everywhere. I can’t sleep without it.
    -Sanuk yoga mat flip flops
    -Garnier Fructis Curl Shape Spray Gel – makes my hair more curly instead of super frizz
    -Topo Chico mineral water – It’s helping me cure my diet coke addiction.

  402. This list makes me SO happy because I LOVE Jenny Lewis and Allie Brosh and bath sheets!!!

    I would recommend listening to Matt & Kim when you want to have a ridiculous dance party in your car while you’re stuck in a traffic jam. I also recommend Bluette laundry Bluing for white socks, undershirts, and towels because it uses the magic of blue to cancel out the ugly yellowish tint and makes everything look super white!

  403. Books in general, but especially those by Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett, Charles De Lint, and P.G. Wodehouse; Cary Grant screwball comedies and “Some Like It Hot” – I rarely watch a film more than once or twice, but those are things I consistently rewatch year after year; ditto the Hugh Laurie/Stephen Fry “Jeeves & Wooster” series.

  405. I don’t think there’s anything in my life I absolutely couldn’t live without, but there are quite a lot of things that are definitely worth having around. A few of my favourite things right now are my fountain pen (not particularly fancy or expensive, but it’s so nice to write with, and makes me feel clever every time I pick it up), my tea-pot (a recent birthday present that is the perfect size for one, pours beautifully, and is a joy to look at), and a cheap second-hand table that I decoupaged into a thing of absolute beauty which makes me smile every time I walk into the room.

    Actually, there is something I couldn’t live without, but you can’t buy it: my friends. I’ve had a pretty rough year, and they’ve stuck with me through all the hard times, and been there to laugh with me in the good times. I reckon the ultimate test of friendship is helping to move furniture in the rain and sleet on one of the coldest days of winter, and then STAYING OUTSIDE IN THE RAIN EVEN LONGER to deal with my ex’s new wife while I ran inside to hide because I couldn’t cope with talking to her. My friends do that sort of thing for me. They are wonderful people.

  407. Audiobooks from the library. Hulu plus so I can watch stupid tv until I finally fall asleep. This blog to remind me that I’m not alone in my depression and anxiety and that good days happen. Thanks for making a difference in my life.

  408. My Kindle – it keeps me sane.
    My hearing aids – I can’t believe how much I’ve missed out. I was diagnosed with a hearing loss at 15 but my parents couldn’t afford hearing aids. It took me 30 years to get them and they are a miracle I appreciate every day.
    My air conditioner – hot flashes suck in the winter, but when the temperature is consistently in the upper 90s to 105, they’re torture.
    The Internet – it gives socially awkward introverts a safe way to interact with strangers.

  409. A cushiony shower mat makes me happy. Not one where you feel every blasted suction cup like a pebble in your shoe… but a nice squishy mat that tricks me into thinking my shittastic rental condo’s bathroom is a little more spa-like.

  411. I can’t live without lotus tea. It was one of the last things I picked up when I was in Vietnam, and it is truly the most calming tea possible. I save it for the days when it’s hard to force myself out of bed, or at the end of a really epic self-care day.

    Actually, I don’t know where to buy it anymore – I left United Noodle in Minneapolis behind when I moved for a job – so, if anyone knows where I can order it on the interwebs, you’d be my hero.

  412. I have a long list, but most recently it’s my perfume. Brazil Nut from Body Shop. I want to lick my arm, even more than usual.

  413. America’s Funniest Home Videos. No matter how bad of a day I’m having, Tom Bergeron introducing a baby tasting something new makes everything better!

  414. I have a very short list of things that have recently made me very happy.

    The first is my brookstone memory pillow. I have such a hard time sleeping this pillow is just beyond the realm of awesome. I have the purple one for side sleepers.

    The second is two fold. United airlines for getting me to Texas to be with my fiancé and cheddar’s croissants. How do they get them so yummy?

    Third bath and body works glitter body spray. Smell good and glitter? Perfection. Especially when the light catches the glitter built in entertainment value

    Lastly, my husky. He is better behaved than most children and without a single drop of sarcasm can out swear a sailor. When he gets to talking and calls someone an asshole and they just blink. It makes my day

  415. I can’t live without my girl friends. They listen yo my concerns, Squee along with my excitements, and encourage my passions.

    Also, loud music I can belt along with in my car.

  416. Man, I wanna go to your karaoke party.

    Things I Can’t Do Without:

    +1 (okay, probably more like +1001, but I don’t have the strength to read through all the other comments here) for Hyperbole and a Half. Cake *is* the only thing that matters.

    Echoing you on the Doctor Who love, as well, though I’m much more a Classic Whovian. I met my husband of 22 years through a local DW fan club, that’s how important this show is to me.

    Seconding Technogeisha on Duran Duran, then and now. “What Happens Tomorrow” from their 2004 album Astronaut quite possibly saved my life.

    My facehugger. I’m not going to call it by its actual name, because I imagine you get more than enough spam on this blog without my help, but when I tell you how much better I sleep now that I wear it at night, you’ll know what I mean.

    My new incredibly awesome bespoke gear belt that my friend made for me for Burning Man (and conventions, and any other excuse I can think of to use it). My ladyboner gets a little bit bigger every time I add something to it. It’s the gloriously purple thing in the pictures here, and he can make one for you, too:

    https://www.facebook.com/DogBoysForge

  417. My 12-hour Claritin Allergy pills. I work outside so I would die without this in my life (or at least feel like my nose was trying to explode).

    Arbonne Sea Source Re-Mineralizing Body Lotion. Expensive? Yes. Fabulous? Of course. Best body and face lotion ever (approx $45 Canadian a bottle) and it has lasted 3 months so far.

    My Sleep Apnea C-Pap machine. It keeps me breathing all night long and the sound is so comforting. I love having my own private air that no one else is allowed to breath, especially in hotel rooms. And it keeps me from ever accidentally eating spiders at night, cause that shit happens while you sleep!

    And books!!!! Real freaking books people!!!! I just love to hold them in my hand, and buy more book shelves (in my dreams someday they will all match) and to lend them to my friends! Nothing is as good as the smell of old books.

  418. I love my ereader – I didn’t think that I would, I thought that I would be all “oh REAL books are SO MUCH better” – but the reality? I used to have to plan my day every morning – look at the current book I’m reading, how many pages are left? Do I need to carry a *second* book today? Will i have long lines to stand in today or places where I’ll be waiting? And vacations – the last vacation without my ereader, i brought 15 books with me – in my suitcase – in addition to the 4 in my carryon – and I still ran out.

    Now – I *always* have my ereader, and it always has lots of books on it – and I’m never caught without reading material.

  419. My Top 10 List:

    1. My husband. He makes my life better every day. And since you can’t have him….

    2. My Tempurpedic Mattress Topper. I have Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, which means my arms are always falling asleep, pins-and-needles, cramping hands, cold hands, etc. I used to be unable to sleep more than 4-5 hours at a time, before the pain woke me up. The memory foam topper helped enormously. As did:

    3. Elavil. It took FIVE YEARS of insomnia before my doctor casually mentioned that chronic pain = insomnia, and studies showed that the old-school anti-depressants apparently help the brain in transmuting “pain” signals into something else that allows for REM sleep. I’ve been taking 10 mg of Elavil for 7 years now, and it’s a f*cking miracle drug for me. For the first time since my 20’s, I can roll over and go back to sleep, even once my brain kicks in. Also helping with the sleep is my:

    4. Warm Things pillow, $25. https://warmthingsonline.com/product/PG-PI
    The degenerating neck loves the new pillow. I now take it with me when I travel. Yes, I’ve become “that” person.

    5. Our Big Green Egg Griller/Smoker. We bought it last year, and have embarked on a journey wherein we learn to grill. So far, we’ve mastered tri-tip, corn, planked salmon, steak, and a whole turkey (Thanksgiving! It was awesome!). I used to joke that my DH would be perfect if he cooked. 🙂

    6. My iPod – I’ve always loved music while working, and now I can have it wherever I am. No more scratched or broken discs, tapes, changing out or swapping sides…Incredible.

    7. Our new house. We moved East about 60 miles, into a climate that is warmer than where we used to live (today there was a 20 degree differential). Very much less creaky these days, since the warmth makes such a difference. It’s on the water, and I love the more suburban life over the crowded, angsty, hostile urban landscape that we endured for 25 years.

    8. My Cuisinart. I used to have enormous fatigue with food and kitchen prep. The Cuisinart makes it all doable, without pain or strain. AND it’s dishwasher safe.

    9. Bliss Foaming Face Wash. It’s a miracle cleanser. ?

    10. L’Occitane shea butter hand cream. It takes my cracked, bleeding cuticles, and turns them into something publicly presentable.

  420. Bath & Body Works: I go ape shit for things that smell good so I’m always stocking up on lotions, hand soap and purfumes. Love their country fresh line and the apple body lotion. SO yum!

    Books: I have shelves and shelves of books to read a Kindle full of books to read and I still get books from the library. I wish I could just sit around all day and read, read, read!

    My sound machine: I can’t sleep without it. The sound of crashing waves helps me to sleep every night and keeps me there. I don’t hear anything over it so I don’t wake up a million times. Except to pee. Can’t help that!

  421. Oh, yeah – and my KINDLE. Holding 4 ounces instead of a book has made a huge difference. As you say, when traveling, NOT having to lug along 20 lbs. of books is a miracle.

  424. I can’t live without my new Pumpin pals attachments for my breast pump. I just had twins (5 weeks ago) and they are mostly eating expressed milk and these parts are making my boobs way less painful ALL DAY LONG than the crappy Medela ones.

    Silly things, but you know, my boobs not hurting is important.

  425. My kindle fire. I thought I would hate it, and now I’m completely addicted to it. I still buy paper books that I want to add to my collection (yours, for instance) because I’m a nerd like that, but I’ve learned to love my kindle.

  426. http://www.amazon.com/Till-We-Have-Faces-ebook/dp/B004H1U2M4/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1374556508&sr=1-1&keywords=c.s.+lewis+till+we+have+faces C.S. Lewis’ Till We Have Faces. I’ve gone through depression when a book I was reading ended, but this is the only book where I literally mourned, full-on mourned a character. The character didn’t die, she just ceased to be once the book had ended, and I couldn’t handle her not existing any more. Never have I been so affected.

  428. My pain/anxiety meds. I know it’s not glamorous or exciting, but I completely hyperventilate and freak out if I don’t know where they are. I have to count them compulsively before I go on trips in order to make sure I can *kind of* sleep which I have a hard time doing away from home.

    That and tv. I am thinking of having a Doctor Who themed birthday. I think it will be a surprise. To everyone else, since only my husband likes it. That way I can make everyone wear something Whovian and they can’t get mad ‘cuz it’s my birthday.

  429. Definitely Doctor Who, and The Big Bang Theory. Books, books, and even more books. My rabbit, who helps me through all of my problems. Also, I have hair curlier and longer than River Song’s, so I can’t live without my mega-sized bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and Wen [a substitute for shampoo and conditioner-it’s a little pricey, so I just use it as a leave-in conditioner.

  430. Dermalogica Stress Relief treatment oil. At the end of a long day I use it to give myself a hand, neck and foot massage, or I put some in a bath. It really does help me calm down.

    My old battered copy of Wuthering Heights. I read it at least once a year.

  435. Bella Terra exfoliating gel. Quite expensive if you get it through the website, but reasonably priced on eBay and at the kiosks in shopping malls if you know how to bargain with the vendors. If you ever used and liked stuff that makes dead skin roll off instantly (like “Pretty Feet and Hands”, I think it was called…) this is like that, but on crack.

  436. Burt’s Bees Lip Balm – The original. I’m addicted. I keep one by the bed, one in my purse, and at least one backup in my dresser.

    My Kindle Fire – I never have to be without hundreds of books and I can download virtually any book in seconds.

    Tumblr – Been blogging there for over a year now and I love it. I love the gifs, I love the anonymity, the fandoms, etc…

    Thanks for the giveaway!

  437. The internet is definitely #1, both for practical reasons (work, friends/family) and non (twitter, porn, youtube). I’ve recently discovered Dr. Who and am stupidly addicted. Yay/sob! ^_^; I also require flavored water (staying hydrated is hard, man!), and the occasional ice cream. And a very cold bedroom for sleepses. 😀 That’s probably the mandatory list!

  438. I just bought a roku box and that is probably the coolest gadget I’ve seen in a long time.

  439. My list:

    * Chocolate. Dark please!
    * Coffee. With chocolate please!
    * My Keurig. Love that thing. It delivers to me upon demand, choco-coffee bliss.
    * Sweet Tea Mio
    * My tablet. Samsung Galaxy X Tab II
    * My memory foam with cooling

  440. Three words: hot glue gun. Something I have scoffed at repeatedly over the years. I now realize that there are very few issues in this world that cannot be made better with one of these magical creations…I shit you not. It’ll set you back less than twenty bucks for a decent one and I can pretty much guarantee that once you see that baby in action all your troubles will melt away like tiny warm drops of goo.

  441. 1-Once Upon A Time, loving it! 2-Our Kindle Fires with Free time for the kiddos. We are able to have quiet-ish time and their learning has skyrocketed (I have 2 1/2 year old twins). 3-Ziploc perfect portions, ok it’s lame, but to save money I buy my chicken in bulk and it is super easy to use and saves me a ton of time. 4-My new Paul Mitchell clarifying shampoo, it has totally changed my hair and it’s wonderful!

  443. Things I can’t live without:
    My kindle(s), I even name them!
    Ereaderiq.com – tells me when kindle books have price drops (it will also tell you Sandman #1 is FREE y’all!!!!!)
    Teavana tea – seriously! hot, iced, it’s all I drink since I gave up soda
    Good yarn (knitting keeps me sane, Cephalopod, Knitted Wit, & Blue Moon make great colors)
    Red wine
    GPS & my backup camera (and my whole darned Prius!)
    Shikai skin care (borage line)
    Urban Decay makeup – bright colors make me smile!
    And…. my wedding ring!

    And your blog and book…. both get me out of a funk so I can be a productive citizen. Seriously could not live without you…. and David Thorne who I discovered through your page. Oh, that Simon!!!!! =0)

  446. Pen and paper, books (when times were not the most desirable, it always helped to have something clever and funny to read, like your book, Craig Ferguson, Tina Fey, Stephen Fry, David Sedaris’s, all really helped), random stupid things my friends send me simply because they thought of me when they saw it, because again, that makes me laugh and, to be cheesy and shit, feel kinda loved.

  447. My Kindle Fire is the single best technological device I’ve ever owned. Now I don’t even have to drive to the bookstore. INSTANT GRATIFICATION.

    Netflix. It rocks my socks.

    My first paperback copy of The Princess Bride. It has seen better days but it is absolutely precious to me.

    My Deadwood DVDs. Improves my vocabulary every single time I watch the series.

  448. Also – Avon Foot Works Cracked Heel Relief cream. Nothing else worked to prevent/heal my superdry skin. This works so well I can wear sandals for days at a time – impossible before I found this product!

  449. I totally love reading, but I realized the other day actually that my all time favorite book that I come back to over and over and over again is actually my pie book. I got it several years back at a Barnes & Noble, and it’s titled 500 Pies & Tarts, by Rebecca Baugniet. It doesn’t just have dessert pies, it’s got TONS of different recipes, for crusts, desserts, entrees, appeteasers, and everything I’ve tried so far has been GREAT. I don’t think I’ll ever make every single recipe in there, but I love it so much. It’s a really satisfying book to use, cuz it’s a little square book, hardcover, and it has awesome pictures. Seriously, it has the BEST apple pie recipe I’ve ever tried out (and trust me, I LOVE apple pie, so I’ve tried a LOT of variations) AND my dad’s favorite pie ever is a pear and blackberry galette, which we learned from this book.

    Also, my husband. For all the standard reasons, and all the weird, abstract reasons. He’s saved me in so many ways, so many times, and he’s amazing, and I’m looking forward to spending the rest of my life with him, and someday down the line I’ll have my very own comparison picture of this-is-us-now and this-is-us-20-years-ago!

    And your blog. You’re totally amazing, and awesome, SO DAMN INSPIRING. When my best friend showed me your blog, you’d already been writing for quite a while, but I seriously went back and read every single one of your posts. And I maaaay have been kind obsessed for a while because I was reading your work every free minute I had for AGES. But I finally calmed down, haha, now that I’ve been caught up on your writing for a while. But you made me (and no many other people, I’m sure) feel like I was special. In some ways, YOU are the red dress all of us get to wear whenever we read your blog. (Although I admit that sounds like ‘I’m wearing a dress made out of shed hair and skin from the Bloggess’, and I don’t mean it that way…) but seriously. I’ve lost a lot of animals over the last…almost 6 years, and I’ve battled depression every single time. And every time I lose another animal, it gets worse. It’s SO hard to pull out of it. But one thing that helped me during one of the worst bouts I had was emailing you, and I totally came off as a needy, desperate, obsessed creeper, because I really was desperate, and in a very dark place with no easy way out, and I didn’t expect a response, but YOU RESPONDED. And that was one thing that helped me. It was still a really steep climb out of that hole, but you helped. I had another massive bout of depression just a couple months ago when one of our rats passed away, and that was the toughest one yet. It actually redefined parts of who I am, which is a terrifying thought. In the long run it’s a good thing, because I’m here, I recovered, I’ve been depression free since May, which is amazing, and now I know myself better.
    But I really mean it. The pie book is just something I really enjoy. But things I couldn’t live without? People. My family, my husband, my friends, you.
    Thank you.

  450. Aspirin is cheap and plentiful and it makes me happy to know that when my bad ankle acts up I can take a couple from the Giant Aspirin Bottle and go about my business.

    Also, the St Louis zoo is one of the best in the world and it is absolutely FREE. OK, it’s free if you don’t mind parking a block away and walking. The parking lot is $10/day. I finally splurged on zoo membership so I could get free parking. Just a few visits to exchange stares with the marmosets, and the membership has paid for itself. I love, love, love the zoo.

  451. One of my most favourite things ever to use are essential oils. I know, that sentence was horrible, but I am counting all essential oils as one item.

    I have asthma and am allergic to everything (my doctor describes me as being allergic to outside) as well as excema, and all of these things are irritated by perfumes and other scented products. Think about it: almost every product ever is scented. Laundry detergent, facial cleanser, dish soap, hell, even doggie poop bags! So I always like when things smell nice but don’t make me dead and/or itchy.

    I use essential oils for many things (a few drops on some cotton balls keep drawers and rooms smelling nice, a few drops in some distilled water and alcohol is a good alternative to perfume) but my favourite use for essential oils is a body scrub I make. I have made it for people for Christmas gifts, and they keep requesting it every year. What I do is fill a jar with a mixture of sea salt and epsom salt (more epsom, less sea) and mix that with a nice moisturizing oil (like almond, or even olive oil) so it becomes the consistency of wet sand. Then I add a few drops of essential oil, mix, and voila! The salts scrub the crusty excema and the oils moisturize.

    Essential oils should always be in a dark brown (or sometimes green) bottle, that’s how you know they’re the real thing and not some synthetic crap. I always have wild sweet orange because it smells so cheerful (also, because it’s usually the cheapest!) but I also like magnolia. And the bottles last for EVER because you only ever use a few drops at a time. Which is good, because I am too poor to always be buying essential oils, and also because my anxiety can be pretty bad, so the less I leave the house, the better.

  452. Ever heard of “Seattle freeze”? Me neither…at least not until 1.5 years AFTER I moved up to Seattle from Los Angeles and got really sad that I couldn’t seem to make any connections up here with any of the seemingly endless number of super-nice strangers despite trying to get involved with the community and volunteering and stuff. So I — and I am almost ashamed to admit it — live an die by my smartphone so that I can stay connected in any way to my friends and family. Um, also, Dark-Chocolate Covered Marshmallows from Trader Joe’s. But those are strictly medicinal.

  453. BBC America. We came into an extra $15 a month and decided to spend it on getting the extended cable service so that I could watch Doctor Who and my kid could watch Top Gear. Now he’s watching Dr. Who and I’m watching Top Gear. Oh … are there other channels that came with that? We hadn’t noticed. I’m not sure we’ve noticed there’s any other cable channels at all, actually…. Best. Fifteen. Dollars. Spent. EVER!

    And Top Gear’s Jeremy is cute. Just sayin’…..

  455. A Better Son or Daughter will either make me feel better or burst into a sobbing wreck, depending on what state of mind I’m in when I hear it. Glad to see another fan of Jenny Lewis, but I agree that *almost* all of her incarnation are brilliant. Maybe I need to give it another try but I do not like Jenny and Johnny one bit.

    In addition to Jenny Lewis (who would also be on my favorite things list), mine would include:
    The following YouTube Videos (which are FREE :D)

    Let’s Talk About Something More Interesting is a great anticomedy duo. Here are the girls interviewing Hannah Hart:

    While we are on lady comedy duos, Garfunkel and Oats are a singing lady duo I love. Here’s a song about handjobs:

    Also Maria Bamford. Really anything she touches I love.

    For things that aren’t funny/awkward ladycomics:
    -Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
    -A glass of red wine while taking a Lush bubble bath
    -Going for a swim at sunset
    -Tom Waits. Always even better when paired with a good scotch and/or cigar.
    -Drives down the PCH (or whatever scenic roads are in your area)
    -Snuggles from a kitten
    -FAB face wash/moisturizer. Great if you have dry/sensitive skin or Rosacea
    -Urban Outfitter Tights
    -FOUND Magazine

  456. Tiger Balm. I have back/shoulder muscle issues and a treatment of Tiger Balm every night makes it so I can make it through work most days.

    Ice cream. Any kind of ice cream.

    Zoya nail polish Pixie Dusts. They’re sparkly and textured and the colors are beautiful. When I’m having a bad day I can put this on my nails and just seeing them makes me feel a little better.

    George Foreman grill. It makes fast and easy meals when I don’t really feel like putting a lot of effort into cooking.

    Modern Family. This show makes me so happy, it’s funny and touching and infinitely rewatchable.

  457. I love kitchen stores for the dream of owning every wonderful gadget in them. I try to leave without buying anything. It doesn’t always work. One thing that I bought that I love and think everyone should own is a garlic roller. Not one of those silly tubes where you roll the paper off the garlic, but this little wheel of blades inside a palm-sized clear wheel, that actually has little wheels on the bottom. Pop the garlic cloves in, close it, and then pretend you’re driving one of your child’s toy cars around the kitchen. You end up with lovely minced garlic, and it’s much, much easier to clean than any garlic press. http://www.amazon.com/Chefn-Rolling-Chopper-Arugula-Meringue/dp/B003KRR0K8/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1374562637&sr=8-4&keywords=garlic+mincer

  458. mine’s really lame, but i love my kindle. i use it more than i use my phone.

  459. Not to sound insane, but I would love just about anything from the USA right now, we are living overseas due to the military right now and sometimes I feel so homesick I could roll into a ball and fade away 🙁 I have to watch totally cheesy tv to feel better but sometimes it makes me even more homesick, so I have to have a mass cuddle on my couch with my boys and my dog, that can make me happy 🙂

  460. Sock clips. Seriously people, if you hate laundry you need sock clips. Take off socks, clip them together. Shove in washer and dryer, or use the handy hook to hang them on the line, then stick them straight in the drawer until you’re ready to use them. No more pairing socks, ever again! What more can a girl ask for? (Except maybe a monkey butler bearing a mojito, admittedly I’d prefer that)

  461. Hmmm… Most of what I buy are books and records (my catnip), so I’m not really sure what to say here. Imma go with twinkle lights. I know it’s very adolescent and probably silly, but when you are in your bedroom sitting by a lamp, you are in your bedroom sitting by a lamp. When you have your room lit up with omnidirectional twinkle lights, YOU ARE IN A MAGICAL WONDERLAND WHERE THERE ARE PROBABLY FAERIES AND PETER PAN AND CRAP. The ones I like best are about five dollars for 7ft on amazon, bright as all heck when the batteries are new, and really, ridiculously pretty. I also like those drink umbrellas. Yes, I am easily pleased.

    Also included in my catalog of things I am a sucker for would be DVDs, wind chimes, and any sort of small, nerdy paraphernalia, e.g., dalek salt and pepper shakers or a Nendoroid petite.
    (Your picks are pretty great, btw. Love the TARDIS towel)

  462. As a Brit, it would have to be my teapot! Lots of tea with much less effort!

  463. I was genuinely happyfied by the idea of your ideal party!!

    I would recommend everyone the books of John Green, (although I am aware that you Americans are super into him already), especially Paper Towns, Looking for Alaska and The Fault in our Stars. I’m so happy that my future children will grow up in a world where _this_ is YA books. Also, everyone should read more YA books. I think we sometimes forget that people’s smiles can be super important for your survival. Young adults don’t.

  464. Amazon Prime. Because free shipping + streaming movies + an ebook rental a month (even if most of the options are shitty) is pretty awesome.

    The West Wing. Because CJ is basically the most awesome character of ALL TIME.

    My TARDIS cookie jar. Because it makes TARDIS-y sounds when I eat cookies, combining two awesome things in one.

  465. Almost everybody made a list. Now I feel like a slacker. Dammit. Okay, okay. LIST. Let me think:

    1. psych meds. (That is one that everybody should be grateful I have. Promise. Depression and anxiety and… well, I’m just not a nice person without them.)
    2. My Family 2.0. I kind of got a shitty pre-installed family, so I upgraded. We’re a bunch of people who only have a mutual admiration and love for each other in common, but they’re my family more than some of the genetic adjuncts I was born in possession of.
    3. Fiddle Faddle. Cheap, terrible for you, tasty. It’s what cracker jack always wanted to be.
    4. Cheese. All the cheeses. Shit. I’m out of cheese.
    5. Neil Gaiman. No, I’m not cheating off your list. I just genuinely love his stuff and Ocean at the End of the Lane was one of the most — gah. Just… if people haven’t read him, they need to. Now, if possible.
    6. Audiobooks. I have nightmares, but if I put on an audiobook, it narrates at me all night and keeps some kind of theme that’s less terrifying than what my brain will barf up if I let it.
    7. Writing. I have always done it and will always do it. If my brain won’t let me, I’ll draw until I can. If I can’t do either, I’m probably already in a locked ward.
    8. Twitter. Is that stupid? I don’t care. Twitter has been awesome, especially lately. Because of Twitter, I can live in Stupid Rural Arkansas and still actually get to talk to Neil Gaiman, Cory Doctorow, Maureen Johnson, you and a bunch of others. And even when I don’t actually get to engage in conversation with the famous people, I get to talk to a really incredible cross-section of society about all kind of nerdy stuff and it’s awesome.
    9. There is no entry 9.
    10. Vodka Klonopin Smoothies™ — these don’t exist and really shouldn’t, but I tend to refer to them whenever I take my klonopin, which does exist and allows me to exist around other people without wanting to stab kittens.

    Yeah. Now I have a list. *fistbump*

  466. A book, or my Kindle, in my bag when I leave the house–it’s a sort of security blanket.
    Non-stick cookware. I love cooking, but hate washing dishes.

  467. My dog. Sometimes he’s my real handle on reality when I’m having panic attacks, and sometimes I think he might be a good fur coat, but mostly the former. I suppose I should throw my iPhone in there with him. He’s my snuggles and kisses when I’m in the panic, and my phone is my connection to family and friends who reconnect me with the part of my brain that knows I’m being a little nuts. Also Barry’s tea. I got addicted to good black tea when I was studying abroad in Ireland (we didnt have a coffee maker in our apt) and now its my morning jolt instead. Must needs my tea! Give me some tea, a book, my dog and a phone and hey I’m set.

  468. Well I love that you just introduced me to http://www.whatshouldireadnext.com/ – this is my new favourite site.

    I also love baby wipes – they are great for everything (I don’t have a baby – too messy and noisy) but these are great for cleaning hands, cleaning off make up and just general awesomeness. And cheaper than real make-up wipes.

  469. Things I’m absolutely not me without:
    A notebook and pen
    A bucket size cup of coffee
    Shitkicker boots
    Big turquoise rings
    My batshit cat (http://arlocat.tumblr.com/)
    My cameraphone – which is used more as a camera than a phone
    …and sarcasm. A missing persons notice would go up if I lost that.

  470. Swimming, I don’t think and the darkness is chased away for a while.

    My psychiatrist and my psychologist, they are helping me save myself.

  471. These really sharp scissors. It sounds stupid but I brought them with me when I moved to Thailand and anytime I’m struggling to open something, I’m like “wait a tick… I’ll just use my wonderful really strong scissors” One time I cut through ten pieces of paper with them and saved myself at least twenty minutes of teaching prep time in doing so. Some people get excited about iphones? I get excited about scissors.

  474. Audiobooks read by the author. I have RA as well and when i’m stuck in bed with a flare it is like having the author come over to read me a bedtime story. Except I don’t have to neurotically clean beforehand to make a good impression 🙂

  475. Audiobook read by the author.

    I too have RA and when I’m stuck in bed with a flare, it is like having the author come over to read me a bedtime story, without all the neurotic housecleaning beforehand to make a good impression 🙂

  476. I just need a sense of humour and right now, David Thorne’s book is looking pretty much like THE thing!

  477. Comic books.
    Doctor Who.
    A pair of comfortable shoes. (A bellman’s greatest asset next to his razor-sharp wit.)

  478. Gotta be Him Indoors. Nearly 40 years and we’re still putting up with each other’s crap because life is so much better when we have each other. After that soppy note, books (real or e). When finances get tough and we run through the things we can do without buying, it’s at books I start hyperventilating.

  479. Rite Aid interdental toothpicks! I was never much of a toothpick type but my husband is and always keeps them around. Then he brought home these little crack sticks. They slide between your teeth and stimulate your gums. I now have: one container in the upstairs bathroom, one in the downstairs bathroom, one in my car and to show how truly addicted I am, I bought a little plastic bottle in just the perfect size to keep them in my purse. Not only do they get ever speck of food from between your teeth but it feels so so good to your gums, mine now crave them. And yes, I do feel like a hick and now have exposed that to all of you but trust me on this!

  480. Well you already said bath mats and Doctor Who, which are definitely two of my favorite things. I also love My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic (another love-it-or-hate-it show, but to me it’s about the only thing on TV that’s about love and tolerance and respect). I’m also a huge fan of Allie Brosh, Jen Yates, and of course the fabulous Jenny Lawson, who have all shown me that it’s okay, and even normal to be a little broken inside. I have dealt with my anxiety issues so much better since finding this blog and theirs. Also, I’m always toting around my Nook. Books are important to me, and Robert Jordan and Stephen King among others helped get me through the darkest days of my childhood.

  481. Well, I was going to read all of the comments before posting mine, but it looks as though people are posting faster than I can read them.

    I was so worried when I started reading this, because I thought you were going to let someone buy Neil Gaiman and keep him all for themselves. Never mind the illegality, that’s just unfair to the rest of us who need our fix of Gaiman.

    Anyway, other stuff that I love: Twinings nettle and peppermint infusion. I was getting headaches every weekend and that (plus a bit of depression) was stopping me from going outside from Friday to Monday. I decided it might be caffeine withdrawal, because I drink coffee and tea all week at work, but then don’t have any at the weekend. I switched to some caffeine -free drinks and no more headaches! The nettle and peppermint is the best one.

    Lego. I had lego as a youngster, but only had about five or six sets and they didn’t go well together (I think I had a petrol station, a spaceship, a car that was bigger than the petrol station, and probably one of those boxes of random bricks that don’t quite have enough to make anything cool). It all got thrown out in my teens. A year or two back, I saw some in the shop, bought it on a whim and started playing with it. The pieces have got so much better, more interesting shapes, and now I’m a grown-up with a job, I can afford to get the sets I want! Don’t have enough long blue strips? I’ll just buy some more, rather than wait for Christmas only to receive a fire engine. There’s no blue on a fire engine, Aunt Betty!!

    Plus Doctor Who, books and the Bloggess, of course.

  482. I can’t live without my children… but you can’t buy those either.

  483. 1. My kindle-my 900sqft apartment can’t accommodate all the books I want to buy.
    2. Melatonin-take that lack of sleep!
    3. texting on my iphone-I can talk to my husband daily even though he is in Japan on deployment
    4. anything funny on the internet. When I get home from a crappy day at work, being able to browse and look at stupid things makes me laugh.
    5. Pride and Prejudice-I can reread that love story every day
    6. Coffee-gets me going in the morning.
    7. Music of course.

  485. I believe in chocolate and “Never Sniff a Gift Fish” by Patrick McManus. I don’t even like the outdoors, but this book made me laugh out loud as McManus describes he adventures as a young boy in the wilderness. Bonus: it is very kid-friendly and completely appropriate for reading aloud at family campfires. It’s hard to find a humor book that everyone from young children to grandma and grandpa will enjoy.

  486. My Kindle and butterscotch squares from See’s Candies. Both make me happy. Just in case you didn’t see it – Neil Gaiman’s Sandman #1 is free right now on Amazon in the e-book section. 🙂

  487. Really appreciate the list – I plan to try a few of your suggestions!

    Lots and lots of other things I can’t live without but what I will mention is something unique, and cheap. I thought inexpensive was a parameter, but maybe it doesn’t matter 🙂 Anyway – in my quest for better, more economical but highly functional face care, I stumbled upon AHAVA’s Time to Clear Eye Make Up Remover, 4.2 fl. oz. It’s only about $16, and it works so great whilst being gentle and non irritating at the same time. No more rubbing my eyes trying to get the waterproof liner and such off, this stuff does it in one or two gentle passes. SCORE! So happy I found this and hope they NEVER stop making it.

    http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008CQAOOQ/ref=oh_details_o04_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

  488. Ooooh, I love lists! I am SO with you on the bath sheet! Things that I love:

    Hair cuts – even if they look bad, it’s worth it just for having someone else wash my hair for me.
    Homemade bread – you get to beat the crap out of something and it’s tasty, even though it’s probably more expensive to make it yourself than to buy bread.
    My bookshelf – My bookshelf. I yearned for one for years, and I am SUCH a sucker for storage.
    Fresh flowers – In summer I can’t leave the house very often because of hayfever and a phobia of flying insects, so I’m stuck indoors… but fresh flowers make the inside feel a little bit more like the outside for a while, and that’s nice.
    My friends – I had a huge panic attack on Sunday whilst on my way to work, and everyone was so wonderful and kind to me, I felt so bad for making them worry. They’re invaluable and I don’t know what I’d do without them, AND I hardly had to pay them to get them to like me. Bonus.

  489. I love the Blogess for laughs, my husband for support and my dog for unconditional love.
    With your microwave slippers…if they are filled with wheat please don’t wear them to bed there has been a number of fires in Australia from people with wheat filled warming things placing them in beds and them starting fires. Don’t want to lose you!

  490. Gum and mints. Preferably sugar free… but my dentist looves me.
    Also I need a camera on my person at all times. Cell phone cameras have made this much easier 🙂

  491. My Pebble watch – total geekish consumerism, I know. It is awesome to check my wrist when receiving a call or text message to see if I need to answer/respond, rather than having to grab my phone.

  493. I’m a simple girl with simple needs. I can’t live without my chapstick and my cats.

  494. Holy cow, more than 2400 comments! I tried reading them, but stopped at about 200. 🙂
    Things I love and can’t live without, not in any ranked order:
    -Cats–a home doesn’t feel complete without one or two. And other animals, too, especially giant dogs, but I live in an apartment and have a cleaning-crazy husband (a blessing, most of the time!), so my dream of sharing my home with a Great Pyrenees is very far away, and I’m pretty sure I can’t buy them on Amazon.
    –ice cream, especially Breyer’s chocolate. I know, Breyer’s isn’t one of those expensive frou-frou brands, but it has EVERYTHING that makes ice cream great (cream, sugar, chocolate) and no other crap. But the doc just told me I have high-ish cholesterol, so my ice cream intake may have to be limited from now on, waaaaaaahhhhh
    –gosh, this list of good things has turned into good things that I love, but the limits that life puts on having toooo much of them, lol, ok back to the real list
    –my iPhone and now, my iPad. They are NEVER far from my hands. Camera, web browser, social media, oh, and a phone. We even have an app that acts like a walkie-talkie!
    –And the Internet. How did we ever live without it? Because of the Internet, we can love our smart phones and tablets, etc, even more!
    –librivox.org–free books to listen to when I drive, or clean house, or knit. They’re read by regular people, volunteers, which cheers me into believing that we can all make small differences in the world.
    –free books on the Internet in general–Gutenberg.org, librivox apps for smart phones and tablets–I’ve discovered and rediscovered the classics, which I never really knew we’re SO good.
    –eBay, which feeds my love of wrap dresses, and SILK dresses, I.e. Diane Von Furstenberg, at an affordable price. They make me feel wealthy and beautiful.
    –National Geographics. Nuff said.
    –PBS, repeat nuff said!!
    –the BBC, in all its forms–radio and tv programs that have kept me sane while abroad and at home!
    –Anti-acids like Prevacid, Prilosec, etc. they have saved my life and I seriously can’t live without them.
    Thank you Bloggess, for giving us the chance to review things we love. Most of our lists are full of things, items, but we really are showing how much we all (humans) need each other (even if in small doses, sometimes).
    Xoxoxoxo

  495. Very much YES to the Lavar Burton piece. I’ve used this in class this week, and with friends, when discussing the Zimmerman trial.

    Two things I can’t live without: Lois McMaster Bujold books, especially her Vorkosigan series. Good solid sci-fi fantasy, with compelling characters all around. Miles, the MC of most books, is the best fictional character since Sherlock Holmes, imo. But Bujold also has these insights into human nature — love, loss, family, PTSD, sexism, society … seems she always has something wise to tell me that speaks to exactly where I’m at. Have re-read the entire series, oh, five or six times now.

    And Kingdom of Loathing (kingdomofloathing.com). A silly and yet oddly addicting free online ‘adventure’ game. Mostly stick figures and puns, particularly satisfying if you’re the sort of geek I am, and thus, get the pop culture references — Dr. Who, Red Dwarf, They Might Be Giants, Zelda games. It’s my mindless wind-down at the end of a long day.

  498. Potato vodka. It’s the only alcohol I can drink that doesn’t make me crazy. And a journal to write in every day. And my vitamix.

  500. Strangely, this conair donut thingy that rolls a ponytail into a bun. Boom! Hello waking up 40 minutes late Monday!

  502. Heating pads! The best thing ever for my sore back.

    Doctor Who, Sherlock, chapstick, slightly less than the cheapest lotion that makes your legs so soft, and colored mascara!

  503. This year: I can’t live without my Really Useful Boxes. They’re clear, sturdy, they stack, and they have cute latches. It’s weird but moving to a foreign country – its handy when I can find my stuff. In boxes. That are clear. See the cycle?

  504. Funny t-shirts. As a serious introvert I’ve found that wearing funny t-shirts (mostly from Threadless.com) is the best way to meet people who don’t creep me out. They have helped me to connect with lots of friendly non-shy people with slightly warped senses of humor who are out there and who I probably would be too shy to interact with otherwise. I don’t even care that people look at my chest a lot now.

  505. I cannot live without my Moleskine dayplanner. Is that a dumb answer? It just saves me so much stress every day.

  506. Aside from those microwaveable cake in a bowl miracles that Better Crocker makes, I’m pretty sure I fell in love with Goody Spin pins. I would never pay full price though, so I found them at the dollar store and there has been one holding up my butt-length hair ever since. It’s beautiful.

  507. Dark Chocolate, vanilla bean ice cream – alone or together
    Coffee with real cream (fresh ground coffee from a coffee press)
    Any book by Patricia Briggs.
    Sharon Shinn – Twelve houses books
    Being inside and listening to the rain or a really strong thunderstorm
    My cats who are both cuddly and hilarious. My house is completely free of any paper bag monsters.
    My 18 year old Border collie who is still happy when the family is all in one place and when visitors come because he knows they have really just to visit with him.
    TED talks – I love that I can just request humorous ones on days I need to laugh
    Stumbleupon – a search engine that can be random or will allow you to follow one things like ravens
    baking
    ceramics – throwing on the wheel with music blasting- you have to be centered yourself and it takes up all the room in my brain so thoughts have stay with the clay

  508. Bloggers (theblogess.com and http://www.themavenofmayhem.com are my two faves)
    Geek and Sundry (especially The Guild and The Flog … Felicia Day, please bring back The Flog)
    Jane Lui
    Libraries and the books they house
    Netflix

  509. My itouch with a camera! I’m not fancy enough to need a smartphone, but I do like being able to take pictures and play games where ever I am. 🙂

  510. I want about 4 years without coffee… That rediscovery changed my life 🙂

  511. OMG that what should i read next is so much better than good reads! thanks so much for that info!

  513. The Pilot Dr. Grip. It’s a pen. It’s a roller-ball pen that clicks. That’s right: Click AND rolling. Like a miracle. Like a narrow cylindrical implement of happy. (That sounds dirty, but it’s not.) It’s beautifully shaped, it writes smoothly, and it doesn’t need a cap put back because CLICK.

  514. Jasmine green tea pearls that bloom in a ho mug of water. Special bonus if you can read the leaves when you”re done. Love them!

  516. There’s this website where you can listen to coffee shop noise (http://coffitivity.com/) for free which is great because you can work on your laptop half convinced that you’re presentably public when really you’re home alone. And I won’t be leaving home for a while because a few days ago I realised I plan too much and my life lacks spontaneity and then I spontaneously bought a baby rabbit and she’s very small and I’m afraid if I leave her she will die. It’s also great because ambient coffee shop noise has been proven, honestly it has, to increase creativity.

    My favourite gadget at the moment is something I’m not going to tell anyone about because I’m embarrassed by how much it cost me. It’s a Roomba floor-cleaning robot. It has immeasurably changed my life. I use it every day. My floors are wonderfully in clean in a way I simply never thought they would be because it’s just true that there are always more interesting things to do than mop floors and it’s so very hard to convince yourself that something isn’t true which you know to be true. I love the sound of it washing away at floors somewhere else in the house, it sounds like a dishwasher somewhere behind the scenes of the ambient coffee shop.

  517. I’m a kitchen gadget whore, so…my pineapple corer and my corn stripper. Get your mind out of the gutter and look them up. Good stuff 😀

  518. These $9 reusable bags from the market near my house– they roll up to fit nicely in my purse and can hold $75 worth of groceries.

  519. I signed up to get a free knife on the internet. The first one cost 6.99. The next dozen or so were around $50 – $90 each. I never called to cancel the knives…but seriously…they’re the best knives ever. I am so glad that my phobia of talking to people on the phone got me great knives that I can’t live without.

  520. Books . . . actual, physical books. While I love the convenience of my NOOK, nothing beats a worn, beat up paperback that I have read so many times that it automatically opens to the passages I have read and reread hundreds of times. While I am always respectful with books that I have borrowed from a friend or the library, I abuse the hell out of my own books (but I prefer to think that they are well-loved).

  521. This has been mentioned in a few posts, but Burts Bees Lip Shimmer. I have almost every color. And Bobbi Brown is my cosmetic goddess. Love her products. I have very sensitive skin and her cream blush is the only one that doesn’t make me break out.

  523. I absolutely love my stand mixer. My life would be very sad and empty without it.

  524. The only “thing” I can think of that I can’t live without is my husband, but there’s only the one so that doesn’t really help anyone else very much; he would be happy to make any of you a kick-ass cup of coffee from our Rancilio Silvia coffee maker.

  525. Love my BFF who makes me feel better just by hearing her voice. She’s the only person I’ve ever met who shares my sense of humor and she can make me laugh until tears pour down my face in about 3.5 seconds. We’ve gotten each other through the best of times (2nd marriages that work) and the worst of times (cancer, mental illness, and death).

  527. I have chronic migraines, which means the vast majority of days, I’m curled up in a dark room with my iPad waiting for the drugs to kick in. So, my iPad has become a lifeline. I can adjust the brightness so that I can look at something or just listen to some quiet music. It saves those few shreds of sanity I have left.

    I love to make things. I started a Stampin’ Up business and I have been making cards like they are going out of style. My Mom is just getting started with a Stage 4 cancer battle and I have seen how much homemade cards mean to her, which makes me love making cards, and teaching people how easy it is to make them, even more.

    Plus… Doctor Who, Patrick Stewart, my camera, dulce de leche shakes from McD’s, Sharpies, Thirty Rock, dogs, chocolate cake with peanut butter icing, Avengers, Dr Horrible and my family. Not necessarily in that order.

  528. I love you. I reread the Beyonce original post when I’m down or angry. You help me remember that there are other misfits in the world and I am not alone (cue Michael Jackson). Also that I’m not the only one who cannot work GPS because it’s stupid. And a person’s reaction to your blog is how I know whether I just found a new best friend.

    PS: I totally don’t want the gift card. Just wanted to say thanks for being here and doing what you do every day. Well, most days.

  529. Shout Colour Catchers…because for some unknown reason I am always attracted to buying white clothes that have some crazy red stripe or red collar or something red on it…and then if I don’t use a colour catcher when washing them I end up with a pink streaked shirt that no one ever wears again.

    Disposable bibs….because no mom should have to carry home dirty bibs from a restaurant or an outing just to have to do more difficult laundry

    New socks…nothing feels better

    Sharpie markers…just because

  530. It’s awful, but hands down- I dont know how to function without my Iphone. Ive got candy crush for my games, the Kindle App to read, all my music and a way to call someone- all wrapped up in 1 package!

  532. Doctor Who for sure; smoking pork before adding it to green chile; my newly tiled shower (did it myself – not perfect – but I’m still proud); a battery-operated string trimmer; bacon pancakes (make pancakes, add bacon before you flip); you and this blog – I could live without but I wouldn’t want to. You’re marvelous!

  533. I can’t live without chocolate. I know i’m addicted and I don’t care.

  534. I meant REVLON lip stain…and rum. *smacks forehead* Who the hell forgets rum?

  535. My Kindle and my steam mop. Seriously, my kitchen floor never came clean before the steam mop.

  539. There are just Too. Many. Great. Things! on this list. Wow. I need a couple of lifetimes just to try them all.

    My must-haves:
    Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups. I try to limit myself to one or two a day, but there are days I look forward to those two little mouthfuls ALL DAY LONG.

    My Nook. I can have all the books in the world with me at all times. Love.

    Terry Pratchett.

  540. Things that make me happy – and I can’t live without – those cheap carabiner clips – effective at keeping young kids out of the liquor cabinet (won’t deter teenagers though) but still allowing me to get in without having to search for a lost key so that I end up breaking the lock/door again. 😉

  542. The Tardis Towel, oh to wrap myself in blue goodness! The microwave slippers, I now live in Minnesota, fuc*ing feet are always freezing! The Shea butter stuff, also Minnesota dries the fu*k out of my skin. I love you, you are totally my hero or heroine, what is proper? Who knows or cares……

  543. Hmmm, so many things but coffee is big on my list. Like if I get stranded on a deserted island it better be one in a tropical region with coffee plants. I’m harvesting and roasting those things.

    Lemi-shine because it’s the only thing that gets the hard water here off dishes in the dishwasher.

    Someone else mentioned Pride & Prejudice and I just have to add the annotated version of it. I read it every year and it makes me happy.

  544. I need pomona’s universal pectin. I work for a school district ( i know it shocks me too) so I have summers off, which is awesome, except when it is not. 11 weeks of unstructured time + depression + self harm issues + anxiety/panic, aka, worry about every freakin thing even if other’s think it could never happen, = DANGER. People like me do well with structure. So I pick my weight (not really but close) in berries and any other fruit I can get my hands on and I make jam and jelly. I have already made 20 different kinds and school doesn’t start again till sept. 4th. This pectin makes it OK not to use a ton of sugar, or you can use honey or maple syrup instead. I like to taste the fruit and all the crazy concocktions i come up with. (it is spelled better that way, anytime you can squeeze a cock in a sentence with the word come. jeez… i need pectin. and fruit.

  546. Coffee, netflix streaming, and NPR podcasts. I feel like if I owned it, the Little Snowie would also be on my list 🙂

  547. You’ve list so many that I totally love – agreed on Neil Gaiman – I was that lonely weird girl that hung with the nerds in high school – I didn’t get their facination with Marvel superheros but found that feeling of coming home when I discovered the Sandman comics, the Death subseries, and from there some other dark story lines like Constantine, The Crow, Grendal etc. Every so often I pull out my old comic box, pull out the plastic sleeves and relive my formative teen years.

    An agree on those microwave slippers – I discovered them last year, promptly bought my sister and mom a set as well. They have been a life-saver for me as being diabetic I’m starting to experience issues with circulation and cold in my feet (I’m always careful with how hot I make them), but combined with an unfinished basement through the winter in southern ontario and a hubby that constantly runs the air during our humid summers – I totally love those things – they even double as heating pads when my old neck injury flares up, and I love the lavender scent mine came in.

    What else I can’t live without – Argan oil for my hair and Shea butter for my skin (I have dry skin like yours, and frizzy mixed race hair).

    As well, I can’t live without a glass of cheap fruit wine or kalhua in my coffee while soaking in my jaccuzi tub. When we bought our house, the kitchen was crap, the space too small, but we were sold on the tub! It is my spa retreat!

  548. Pinterst-Ok I could probably live without it, but I have found so many awesome things on there. New recipes (and yes I’ve actually made most of them), new crafts (and yes I’ve made some of them), new projects (which I haven’t actually done), and awesome things to make you laugh, cry, and make you feel good. It’s just an awesome place to find all the awesome things on the internet in one place.

  549. Wow, when you are like the 2500 reply, you have to wonder if anyone is even going to read it. But anyway, here goes:

    Mike Tompkins – because it should be illegal to be that talented.
    My iPad – Because for the first time in history, I can fall asleep on my computer and not worry that I’m shorting out the keyboard with drool.
    Warcraft – Because, well, it’s less mind-numbing than TV and it staves off boredom. And the storylines are pretty intense. Just wish I could play it on my iPad.
    Netflix – For those times when I’m too depressed to even play Warcraft.
    Game of Thrones – Hottest. Guys. Ever. (Better than True Blood! There, I said it.)
    Hot in Cleveland – Betty White, I only hope I’m that sharp, funny, and active at 90. You go girl!

    And, of course, You Jenny. Life would be a lot more boring without this daily dose of happiness.

  550. I can’t live without books. Actual, physical books. I love the feel, the smell, the weight of books. A kindle just doesn’t do it for me.

  551. This isnt a product as much as a life hack, but I love eating frozen grapes. They are tangy and sweet, plus it keeps the grapes “good” even when they arent as crisp as I require for regular consumption.

  553. Definitely Doctor Who, as well as Avatar: The Last Airbender (the Nickelodeon show).

    Our awesome local indie radio station, 99.7 WEXT (you can listen online–check them out!)

    nail polish in bright or metallic colors, especially Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear (has no formaldehyde)

    Dreaminol (http://www.amazon.com/DreamQuest-Nutraceuticals-Dreaminol-30-Tablet/dp/B001VGD2YI) helps me sleep deeply when I’ve been having insomnia issues, but it doesn’t make me groggy

  554. Books, i need books. i really need wrist guards, so i can do some yoga with out crushing the base of my hand…but i have yet to find the right ones…

  555. The BBC series “Broadchurch”. I fell in love with David Tennant even harder than before. And that’s saying a lot! Helped ease the Doctor Who withdrawal for 8 beautiful episodes…

  556. Allie Brosh came into my life when my husband adopted a new puppy and I thought I was going to give the puppy back to the shelter. Then I found her post about her “special” dog – I laughed so hard, I cried and my puppy seemed like an angel (and also a little “special”). She is DEFINITELY one of my Oprah’s favorite things.

    BTW – does everyone have one amazing dog and think, “Oh, dogs are awesome, we could give another dog a good home.” – then, you adopt the second dog and he/she is a disaster? A walk-into-doors, run-in-circles-and-pee-indoors kind of disaster? I got one of those, too.

  557. My coping mechanisms: This blog. Killing things on World of Warcraft (I suck at the game, but it’s better than killing real people). Craft projects. Long walks with headphones and music. Letting my husband filter people from me when I’ve had enough (ok, so that is probably some form of codependency, but let’s not split hairs.

  559. The One Dollar Chocolate Dipped Ice Cream Cone at McDonald’s. Enough said.

  560. Allie is my soulmate. What can’t I live without? Noosa yoghurt. Tv series on DVD. Burt’s Bee’s Lip stuff.

  561. I’m completely hooked on listening to podcasts in the car, especially Radiolab and This American Life. I used to read a book a week, but with a three year old I don’t get much time for reading these days. This way I can at least listen to something intellectually stimulating on my daily commute, so Nick Jr, Disney Jr, and Sprout don’t completely rot my brain.

  562. One of those apple slicer dealies. Picked it up at the grocery store and I love it! Toss a little peanut butter on the apple slice and I’m in snack heaven 😀 …well, when there isn’t any chocolate around, that it 😉

  563. Tea. Can’t live without good ol’ English Breakfast tea. Oh, I know most people feel this way about coffee (poor misguided fools…lol), but a good cup of tea can’t be beat. In the winter, I just want to crawl into the cup and live there until spring. I can’t live without it. Well, except for that time I did live without it….once, about 15 years ago, when I was trying to treat my depression naturally and read that giving up all forms of caffeine would help. And I didn’t drink tea for 2 years. And it didn’t help. I wrote a poem about how much I missed tea. Oh, those were dark days. Thank goodness I came to my senses.

  564. My happylight. Best $65 I ever spent. I work in a windowless office in a largely windowless building with little opportunity to get outside and every.single.day I would get a headache early afternoon. With the happylight, no more. Well mostly. Except for the one I have now. But I woke up this morning in my well lit bedroom with that one, so I have to blame my preschooler who refused to sleep last night for that one.

  565. The Waterstones Oxford Street Twitter feed has got to be my all-time favourite free thing. So funny, and filled with useful facts like “Book fact: Books are not just for propping up wonky tables or swatting flies, many of them contain entertaining and well-written stories.” Whodathunkit?

  566. Your blog is my FAVORITE WEB FIND EVER!!

    As for material things – well….my iPhone is pretty far up there but I didn’t discover it so it’s kind of not the same. However, I did discover Instagram and Pinterest….long before any of my friends who are now junkies so I like to claim those finds as my own!

  567. Monistat anti-chafing gel as foundation makeup primer.
    Figure that might get a laugh, but it works amazingly, and is CHEAP!

  568. This album:
    http://www.amazon.com/Give-Up-Postal-Service/dp/B000089CJI

    All in one nice neat package you get:
    – an album you can listen to from start to finish weekly for 5 years straight and never get sick of
    – more of the awesome Jenny Lewis
    – the world best breakup song
    – the I’m better off without you song for when you are done crying over the breakup song

  569. 1. Gay Pimpin’ With Jonny McGovern. Free podcast. NSFW. I’m kinda tempted not to put anything else on this list, just to underscore the wonder that is Jonny McGovern.
    2. And while we’re on the NSFW theme….DUDE we are 2450 comments in and not one person (as far as I can tell from word searching, haven’t gotten through all the comments yet) has called out a favorite sex toy. Fine then, I’ll be that person. 🙂 Find one you really like. (Puts on her Martha Stewart voice) It’s a good thing.
    3. Olive oil soap. Not to be combined with item 2 on this list! Maybe I shouldn’t have listed this after that….I just… really like olive oil soap. Any soap that you really like is good I suppose. Being clean feels great. So maybe I’ll amend this to just soap?

  570. It’s weird, but I’m completely addicted to the MLB atbat app on my phone. Listening to baseball completely calms me down.

    And it makes guys who think girls know nothing about baseball STFU when I can speak intelligently about current baseball stats.

  571. All of my books, because they transfer me to somewhere else…which makes me happy!

    My laptop, it really saves my butt occasionally.

    My homemade laundry soap, cleans better than any other soap on the market, and only costs about 4 cents a load

    My sleep mask, seriously helps me sleep on restless nights.

    My google voice phone, it allows me to talk to Canada for free, so I get to talk to my best friend all the time!

  572. My rain barrel makes me feel like I’m helping the planet every time I get water for my plants, plus plants just love rain water and thrive with it. And the DVR, I mean really, what a beautiful concept.

  573. Coronation Street. I know, weird, but whatever. It’s the best show ever.

  574. Oh I couldn’t live without my ipad. I have no idea what I did before I had an ipad – perhaps just stared vacantly into space!

  576. i wish i could live with less, maybe i should put my debit card in the freezer. i seriously can’t think of one thing because i think i need it all. i probably don’t.

  577. Okay – so it silly and such – but I love Bodyglide. I started using it for running – but honestly, its like perfect on every hot summer day. Definitely a summer essential to me and makes me so my much comfortable and therefore so much happier.

  578. My water bottle. I recently went a week of actively trying to drink more water (a gallon a day), and I was AMAZED at how much healthier and energized I felt. Now I carry my water bottle with me everywhere.

  579. Dove’s body scrub – but I’m going to find that sugar and shea butter you listed.

  581. Pete the Cat. I don’t have kids so I’m always at a loss on good shower/kid gifts. I met an artist at a local art fair and he wrote a kids book about a black cat he adopted (in the book he is blue). In one of the books he wears white shoes but walks over strawberries which turns his shoes red. He walks on a bunch of different things which changes the color of his shoes. It’s a cute book and I include a Pete stuffed animal. Everyone so far has loved it.

  583. Root Touch-up! So easy to use and saves me bundles from having to run to the hairdresser to get my gray covered every couple of weeks.

  585. I love this list and would have many, many of the same things on mine. Others:
    Cheesy black velvet paintings by my friend Chris (http://hellochrishenry.wordpress.com/). I have a ton, and every time my eyes alight on one, I become happier.
    Christopher Guest’s “Family Tree.” That TV show makes me giggle like a little kid.
    any book by Charles de Lint. His books are magical but still feel real and always make me happy.
    Sparks McGee
    They Might Be Giants – I’ve been listening to their music since I was in junior high, and it still makes me smile.
    mint chocolate chip Talenti gelato
    1950s fashion
    a good hair cut
    Nicholas Cage’s face on other people/things
    the ocean and redwood trees
    camping in the desert
    anything from Navarro Vineyards and Winery
    light roasted Ethiopian Yirgacheffe
    sleeping in on Sundays
    films by Charlie Kaufman
    films by Wes Anderson
    Doctor Who
    British Top Gear
    tweets by both Anne and Wil Wheaton
    and your blog, of course.

  586. Some TV shows I could not imagine having missed, starting as a child with Dark Shadows and Bewitched, through Hill Street Blues, Saint Elsewhere’s, The West Wing, Star Trek Next Generation, Northern Exposure, Battlestar Galactica (2003-07), and Firefly. I’m pretty sure I’ll really need to add Doctor Who to this list as soon as I watch 9 and 11 at least.

    Mint M&M’s. AWESOME. But I can’t buy them anymore because I hurt myself, eating them.

    And, dogs. Any dogs, but especially rescue dogs. They rescue us, when we rescue them.

  588. AO3 (archive of our own). I love fanfic with a fierce love that only a 32 year old librarian can explain with shrieks of joy RIGHT IN YOUR FACE. Plus, you can download the stories to your kindle! Also, Tumblr and Gwynnie Bee.

  589. Amazon kindle. My mom finally convinced me to join the 21st century by buying me a kindle and I love it. I download books for free from my library. My first kindle book…The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. Another favorite thing, a truly lovely book that made cry with it’s power and simplicity.

  590. My favorite things
    My library Card , it gives me access to my very favorite things Books and movies 🙂
    Cherry favor Chapstick , can’t leave home with out it.
    Dr. Who a life is not lived with out marathon watching of David tennet dr. Who 🙂
    Spending time with my family , their the best and great up lifter when got the blues .
    Blackberries , there just magical the taste , smell. Just perfect magic.
    Chocolate chips bananas cookies
    The idea of Paris, since i have not been there, so just keeps me going.

  591. The Kindle app on my phone – for some reason I would never bother to pull out my actual Kindle, but my phone is glued to my hand so I’ll actually read books there.

    Pastry chef Stella Parks’s Bravetart blog (http://bravetart.com/). She makes fancy baking look doable, or at least delicious (serious food porn here). Plus she’s funny and nerdy 🙂 I will be buying her cookbook the minute it is available.

    Alison Green’s Ask a Manager blog (http://www.askamanager.org/). Great, sensible advice for job-hunting, workplace issues, and managing – really, great for anyone who has a job or is trying to get one. Some really good commenters too.

    My cats. Constant source of love, exasperation, and amusement. I’d take home every furry shelter critter if I could!

  592. Coconut oil! There are so many things you can do with it. Really get a bang for your buck!

  593. Ocean Salt scrub from Lush – exfoliates and moisturizes and smells like a margarita!
    The library – so I never run out of things to read (like Neil Gaiman)

  594. My body pillow. I don’t know how I did without it for 40 years. I cannot sleep without it now!!

  595. I love the idea of what should I read next but I can’t remember the name of the book I really loved (Yep, my memory is that bad) so i’m stuffed. And I can’t do without my dad. My dad is the most amazing person for finding a bargain & saving money, like, evah! And he always cheers me up because he is a real extreme pensioner. He rides a motorbike, has just taken up power boat racing & best of all he works as a life boat man on the North Norfolk Coast which is all voluntary so he risks his life to save others at sea all free of charge.

  596. Espresso pillows from Trader Joe’s. It’s chocolate and toffee and caffiene, all in one highly portable and tasty package.

    Unless you leave them in your car in the summer. Then they all melt together and you have to use the letter opener in your office like a chisel to pry them apart when you are dying for a caffiene fix. And of course that happens just as your boss walks in . . .

    But that’s another story altogether.

  597. Smith’s Rosebud Salve – it comes in little tins and I keep at least one in every room of my house (2 in the living room so one is always accessible no matter which end of the couch I’m sitting on), one in my desk at work, and one in my purse. It’s the best lip balm ever and is also good for random dry patches on elbows, etc.

  598. I can’t live without my Tumblr. Like the cup, not the blog. I don’t know why but as soon as I bought its the only thing I drink out of, just like a three year old.

  599. I love almond butter. I often eat it out of the jar for appetizer, main meal, and dessert. I also love Octavia Butler. I often eat almond butter while re-reading her novels- there is proof of this by the pages that are stuck together, which makes me love my copies of her novels that much more.

  600. I totally just finally finished your book (I’ve got a lot going on, like school and writing and acclimating to my new medical condition which, for privacy reasons, remains undisclosed until we find a town crier of our own) and I can’t live without your humor! But, no brown nosing intended. I also can’t live without Facebook, because I get all my news there and would be lost without trolling all my friends’ lives. And I can’t live without REAL bookstores, that sell real books, in PAPER, that I can hold and touch and smell. And read. Don’t forget that part – cause I’m not some deviant who goes to bookstores to molest books.

  601. Oh dear Jebus, “microwave slippers”!!???!?!?? How did I not know these existed? Since it’s butt-ass cold up here at 8890 Feet, Colorado (37 degrees this morning), my feet are cold year round. Ima getting me some. Also, love The Doctor more than anything…love!

  602. It’s a bit out of season to be mentioning this in July, but one of my favorite things in the world is my Vornado Heater Foot Rest. It makes me happy when skies are grey…

    I would post the Amazon link for it, but unfortunately, they discontinued it, so the scalpers on Amazon are now offering them for like 4X the original price. (Might still be worth it, though.) And if anyone from Vornado is reading this– Please bring them back!!!

  603. A friend introduced me to loom knitting about a year ago. Aside from making me feel good about making beautiful and useful things for kids in the foster care system, it has helped my concentration and gotten me free of online games.

  604. My kindle, Ian Somerhalder and my cool towel. And your blog because you say lady garden and it makes me laugh.

  605. I wonder if Neil Gaiman would come read for me for an hour if I rented him with the $350 gift cert? Yes? No? Probably only get 15 minutes for that price.

  606. Christmas lights. Their twinkly beautifulness is welcome anytime of the year. Cheap, beautiful, and who doesn’t look better in low lighting!?!

  607. Boyfriend just bought me a Kindle Paperwhite for my birthday….and I never knew what I was missing. Even though I had an iPad with a Kindle app, it’s just not the same. When he left for two weeks he asked me if I had gotten another boyfriend, and I said, yes, his name was Kindle. It’s lightweight, and not eye-straining, and holds ALL the books. I am officially an ereader believer.

    Um…also there’s my IKEA comforter/duvet. If you have never had one, you should totally get one. They are totally the softest, warmest, most comfortable comforter I have ever had. I am one of those weird people who doesn’t like a top sheet, so I just am tangled in this comforter all the time, and can stick my feet out of the covers or tuck them in and I’m just engulfed in the fluff. But it’s also hypoallergenic I think. So win!

    I’m also thinking about buying a headache hammock from Amazon. It looks like it could be helpful on those terrible migraine days.

  608. Mine’s really stupid, and it’s not “new” in any way. I cannot live without chicken salad. Or the new Shovels & Rope CD. But it has to be a certain kind of chicken salad, NOT sweet, and no superfluous crap like fruit. Nuts are fine. The standard version of the Shovels & Rope record is fine too, and also does not benefit from added grapes or mandarin oranges.

  609. I love the public library. Ever since Borders went out of business and I don’t have an employee’s discount on books anymore, this is one of my favorite places! That and Half-Price Books! And Amazon!

    I am a lipgloss/chapstick junkie. Seriously, I feel naked without it. I love ELF brand at Target. They have really cute colors of a not super sticky lipgloss for $1 and they last a long time. I even found them at a local grocery store.

    I have a love/hate relationship with my ipad..you do not want to know.

    Nalgene water bottles….amazing and virtually indestructible. I have dropped my numerous times, scratched it and even melted the top in the dishwasher but I still love it….and it’s bright pink.

    My Droid Razr….seriously, what did we do before smartphones?

    Love your list! Jenny Lewis is AMAZEBALLS!

  610. So many things!
    Coconut oil for everything: deodorant, skin care, essential fatty acids, sunscreen, cooking and baking, &c.
    Bold ballpoint pens.
    My jump rope.
    Like a plain old lacrosse ball to knead my knotted up muscles, or this foam roller: http://www.amazon.com/Trigger-Point-Performance-Revolutionary-Roller/dp/B0040EGNIU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1374594241&sr=8-2&keywords=foam+roller
    This casual, comfortable dress: http://athleta.gap.com/browse/product.do?vid=3&pid=906110022
    And the giant bean bag chair in the family room

  611. I can’t live without my microwavable wheat bag – but now I see the slippers you can’t live without and I think I’ll need those as well 🙂
    I also can’t live without books (especially ‘Let’s Pretend This Never Happened”!!) – they’re my life!

  612. I can’t live without my cheapo lighted shower head. It changes colors with the water temperature. I love to turn off all the bathroom lights while I’m taking a shower. The colored lights shining down on the water just soothes my soul. Very peaceful. Except for the rare times it decides to rapidly flash between the colors like I’m on some strange dance floor.

  613. Black, elastic hair ties. I always have 1 around my wrist or in my pocket. If for some reason I forget it, I have a mini panic attack and will resort to using writing utensils to pin my hair into a messy nest of some sort.

    Also, Pinterest for recipes, fashion and crafting ideas. There’s not enough time or money in the world to try everything I’ve pinned!

  614. I love Mabels Labels. I have to put them in my kids clothes so I know who gets what. Otherwise I just have to hold it in the air and ask “Who’s shirt is this?”

    I also love the public library because otherwise I would spend my entire paycheck on books or never read anything because I’m cheap. Same goes for the radio.

    And lets not forget chocolate. I can get by without a lot of things, but not chocolate.

  615. I used to live in the city where I walked and walked and walked and nothing beats a good pair of boots for getting through the rain, snow, people stepping on your toes on the bus, etc. I used to have some amazing boots by MIA, but I’ve since splurged on some Frye boots. Very comfortable and I feel like I can conquer the world in them. Also, a good notebook for writing and sketching, nice pens or markers, and my knitting or crocheting. These are nice things that I used to only save for special occasions, but then I realized that I was happier just using them for my everyday projects; their intimacy with my daily life makes them even more special.

  616. I can’t live without my car. Not in the boring way of I need it to get to work. I need it to blow off steam and drive off my frustrations. I live in Kansas, the world of big skys and roads that seem to go to no where. Sometimes I need to just hop in and roll down the windows, blast some music, and stare in awe at the sky.

    I also can’t live without my kids, who are willing to go along for the ride anytime I need to do this, and will sing American Pie at the top of their lungs right along with me. And they know all of the words to the 8 minute, full version. I’m so proud.

  617. Apparently I’ve been stuck in the 80’s watching My So Called Life on repeat, because my husband just recently re-introduced me to the awesomeness that is Judge Judy. We now have a post-work ritual of flopping on the couch and watching two episodes before dinner. Also, I finally discovered pod casts like 6 months ago and now I don’t know how I went jogging without them. Maybe in the next decade I’ve finally get on the twitter band wagon.

  618. I am completely addicted to the Grampa’s Garden Body Shawl – http://www.grampasgarden.com/hot-and-cold-natural-therapy-pacs/body-shawl.html You can heat it in the microwave – it’s perfect in the winter so you don’t have to keep the heat as high, it’s great in the summer if you are like me and freeze in air conditioning, even if everyone else thinks the temperature is fine. Great for pulled muscles, cramps, etc. But really, it’s a life-saver for me with my migraines. The weight of it on my head and the way it can conform to my eyes – I seriously am not sure I could make it. I wear out about one a year. Greatest thing ever!

  619. I am kind of sad, but I can’t live without my IPhone, my escape from reality, my dog and husband, bacon cooked on the grill, new socks for running and Starbucks.

  620. Super fun! I love my Fiskars garden tools. They make my life SO MUCH easier. It’s the little things.

  623. Like many others, I love Burt’s Bees lip balm. However, I’ve recently become addicted to Crazy Rumors Mocha lip balm, it’s like a dessert on my lips. And it is vegan.

    Jenny, you really need to get a chlorine filter for your shower. I was the same, using tons of lotion and still having dry skin, then I got a chlorine filter. My skin is much better now. And I rave about it so much that all my friends now have them as well. You can get them from Amazon.

  625. My leopard print fleece blanket I made with $4 of fabric. It keeps me warm, keeps evil away, and looks incredibly stylish.

  626. Terra Chips. I am *so* late to the table on this one, but holycraptastic they’re delicious!

  629. Longtime reader, firsttime caller (or something like that). I know you get tens of thousands of “I thought I was the only one who….” notes, but i really thought I was the only one who watched the Venture Brothers. I’m WAY happier than I should be to find out that’s not true. I also love Archer, but I’ve been able to get a few people into that. *Side note: I work with someone named Benoit. In case you don’t remember the episode, search youtube for ‘archer benoit balls’. There is a nice 30-second compilation. We do this every time someone here says ‘Benoit’.

  630. I recently discovered a basic truth in life (at least, a truth for me): You cannot be in a bad mood while you’re helping people who appreciate it. I discovered this while volunteering for the 2013 Alström Syndrome International conference in May.

    So this year I discovered that I can’t live without the capacity for helping others! And hats— I’ve really come to love hats. I think I worked so hard to get same-sex marriage approved in Maine just for an excuse to buy a top hat for my ceremony.

  631. I’m always amazed by our similar tastes and opinions — So if you could just send everything on this list to my house, I’d be pleased as punch __ Or at the very least ALL THE WHOVIAN THINGS. Rabbit fur coat is one of my all time favorite records. Cheers.

    OH and do you remember Jenny Lewis on golden girls?? She was meant to be a favorite of mine.

    I so love those old ladies.

  632. Beaches. I just went and spent a day at the beach for the first time in years (maybe since I was a little kid). Not only did I rediscover I love to swim in big lakes, but I was warm, surrounded by fun people being nice to each other and found tons of fantastic little stones that I’m going to use to sculpt a fairy home for the garden.

  633. Chocolate covered espresso beans are happiness wrapped in a hug. I don’t get them often but I love them!

    Books of course, I absolutely loved The Night Circus! I also just read Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman and freaking loved that as well. The radio production of that book on BBC was super cool too. I am trying to figure out what to read of his next, so any suggestions would be appreciated!

    Basically, anything that can bring me some inner peace. That is all anyone wants, right?

  634. One of my favorite baby items we ever got was a pair of booger tweezers. Ya know, for when the snot sucker didn’t work… Japan comes up with the darndest things!

  635. One more thing -buying yourself a nice expensive lunch makes everything better. No? I just treated myself to a $17 lobster roll IN DC (not Maine) for lunch and I think the rest of my day will smell like roses – or at least lobster.

  636. http://www.target.com/p/room-essentials-7-pattern-water-nozzle-green/-/A-13005161#prodSlot=medium_1_23&term=garden+hose

    Growing up, we had the basic hose nozzle. On or off. How hard do you squeeze is how much water came out. I bought one of these 10 years ago because they were out of the basics. I love this nozzle. A gentle “shower” for the closeup plants, use the “full” setting when stuff is far away. Use “flat” to wash the car, use “mist” to squirt the kids. Its more expensive than the basic model, but seriously, is your budget *that* tight that you cant afford a $5 nozzle?

    And I’m going to agree with “Christian and the Pagans” from Marie up there. Great song about awkward family holidays.

  637. Good cheese and olives. Not the crap that comes in a block and is made in a factory, or the olives that come in a jar — because the stuff that comes in cans is most certainly *NOT* olives. The stuff you get at a cheese shop, full of flavor and texture and that reminds you that food can and should be delicious.

  638. I’m not trying to suck up, but honestly, your blog. It helps and I’m grateful for you for sharing everything. This list was great, probably the most real “favorite things” list I’ve ever seen…no bullshit, no paid endorsement, no unrealistic luxury items…just stuff you really love.

  639. Baby wipes. I had no idea how wonderful these things were until I had a child, and now I make sure to tell all of my childfree friends about the many benefits.

  640. Things I cannot live without (not including people):
    My puppy
    My kindle
    Young adult novels
    bad tv shows
    Mexican food

  641. Hmmm, let’s see…

    This eyeliner in amethyst. It’s dark enough that it doesn’t scream purple, and it makes my brown eyes pop. http://www.marcelle.com/en/make-up/eyes/eyeliner/2-in-1-retractable-eyeliner

    This kitten fostering website: http://www.love-and-hisses.com/ Robyn is funny and currently has a litter named after House Stark from Game of Thrones. Some of her own cats (the permanent residents as she calls them) have hilarious names (Stinkerbelle, Miz Poo, Sugarbutt) She’s also a great storyteller, check out this post: http://www.love-and-hisses.com/?p=1195

    Pinterest! http://pinterest.com/

    Muse. I saw them in concert twice this year. Once in my hometown, and once in Barcelona (they happened to be there at the same time as I was, and there was still tickets available) http://muse.mu

  642. Amazon Prime. Seriously, two-day free shipping made me way too lazy to go to the store for just about anything, AND it includes e-book lending and videos. I’d never leave my house again, if I could get away with it.

    Also, YouTube. You really CAN learn to do anything on YouTube.

    BRB, gotta go macrame, or something.

  643. Chocolate chip cookie bars. Make your usual chocolate chip cookie recipe, but use a mixture of dark chocolate, butterscotch and white chocolate chips. Put it all in a 9 X 13 inch pan and bake! If the kids find them, tell them they’re not for children because they have alcohol in them.

  644. I love all these. I swear; reading the comments to these posts is like getting double or triple post-magic every time ^.^

    Have to add: I love making video compilations now! Addicted to cutting scenes and lines from Doctor Who and melding them together to music; like this one for the 7th doctor It’s theraputic and just puts my mind in a happy place. Even if sometimes I do end up with whatever music I’m working on stuck in my head on loop for weeks 😉

    Also, as a woman with short-ish arms and a REALLY deep pantry (the guy who built our townhouse complex must have been part orangutan) I LOVE my simple, grab-and-reach claw thing. It has suction cups on the ends so I have like an 80% chance of not dropping the jar of sauce or whatever too!

    One last thing for now: hand held bug zappers! They look like clunky, gaudy, electrified tennis rackets. They run on simple battery power and are fabulous for making sure the house is free of those tiny fruit flies or even mosquitos that a fly swatter misses!

  645. Right before I found out the father of my children was having an affair we splurged and purchased a lovely memory foam topped bed at Macys. I slept better on that bed than I ever had in my life. Until I found out about his infidelity and then I moved out taking only the contents of my children’s bedrooms–so I guess I am living without the bed–but I wish I wasn’t, it would probably help me sleep!

  646. Turbie Towels. So weird, I know, but I have long hair and it keeps my wet hair off my shoulders and back while I’m lotioning or getting dressed or whatever after a shower. Lush solid shampoo is amazing, particularly for traveling. Also, Trader Joe’s dark chocolate covered pomegranate seeds. They’re actual pomegranate seeds. Fantastic.

  648. i do yoga, and i got a mat sized yoga towel. my yoga life changed. it is SO MUCH BETTER.

    also, a scrubby sponge (like for cleaning pots) for the shower – to scrub your armpits to get all the deodorant off. it would drive me bonkers to get that stuff under my nails, but it doesnt come off just with gentle washing – you have to scrub. so i use a sponge and don’t have to touch it, and it is amazing!

    also a cat feeder called a ‘tiger diner’ that is like a ceramic upside-down bowl with holes in it, so the cat has to fish out the pieces of food one by one. the cat has totally stopped barfing from eating too fast.

    yay!

  650. Baby oil to shave my legs. Nothing new on the earth and I’m probably the last to find out about it, but WOWZA the end of razor burn and dry legs!

  651. My cool-gel pillow. Stays cold while you sleep..seriously it’s like Jesus kissing your face at night…Everyone should own one! 🙂

  652. funky monkey freeze-dried fruit, especially jive-a-lime.

    pedicures – they’ve only become a habit for me in the last few years. cheaper than a podiatrist to take care of ingrown toenails, and the result is much prettier. plus massage chairs.

    a new book to read (one solid recommendation is usually enough to get me to buy a book).

    different varieties and flavors of honey.

    cute cat dishes.

    bathroom fishies – as different and unique as possible.

    jasmine tea (it’s hard to be in a bad mood while smelling jasmine).

    coconut oil, for everything hair and skin-related.

    body pillows – have had one for a few years and have no idea how i slept without one before.

    amazon cloud player – what a great, free service.

  653. The movie, “Love, Actually”. It cures what ails and even some things that don’t.

  654. Here’s all I could come up with…Trader Joes unsweetened almond milk, my Braun immersion blender, my treadmill, my new Kindle Fire, and husband #2-he totally rocks (cause he puts up with me!).

  655. Sitting here bawling and throwing things and trying to figure out how I am going to get myself pulled together in time for work and you ask what my favorite things are? It’s so like you to calm me down, thanks!

    Could not live with out my son, my brother, my audible account, the bloggess, and summer (Canadian)!

  656. Oh and loving Rilo Kiley, have that shit on repeat right now, thanks for that!

  657. Cherry chapstick. And this week, while I nurse my daughter back to health, Netflix instant.

  658. My Alegria Paloma shoes…I stand for 8 hours on concrete at work, and these shoes are the only thing that keep me from crying (or cutting off my own legs from the pain)
    Also my S-hook massager, for working on those knots in my back and shoulders. It’s awesome.
    http://www.amazon.com/The-Backnobber-Pressure-Positive-Company/dp/B0010B8CGM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1374600456&sr=8-2&keywords=s+hook+massager
    Oh, and Neil Gaiman reading his book “The Graveyard Book” Best bedtime story ever.

  659. I am not proud of this, but I bought one of those flex-able hose thingies that they show on TV and it makes me insanely happy. I got to donate the two 75-foot and probably 10 lb. hoses in the front and back and buy two pretty pots (about 10″ tall) and the hoses fit into them and look pretty! Plus I feel like a 3 year old with a new toy every time I water the plants outside. I am unsure yet whether I will still be happy with it in 6 mos or a year. I am hoping to remember to put them inside once it gets all freezy-cold again so they don’t get destroyed.

  660. B-12. Delicious little pink sublingual pills that keep me from drooling on my desk every day. For real….vitamins but especially that B-12.

  661. I can’t live without my iPod & my Audible subscription. I don’t know what to do with myself if there’s not some kind of “noise” in the car while I’m driving. I have enough music on my iPod to listen for years before repeating a song. I love my music. And if the music isn’t on, it’s an audiobook. I love a good book, but don’t always have the time to spend reading. This way, I can listen in the car, etc. And, yes, sometimes I set the sleep timer and let a really great narrator read me to sleep.

  662. slippers… doesn’t matter what kind… just something warm and comfy to wear around the house… or to bed…. and sometimes to the store-don’tjudgeme!

  663. I’m going to be completely honest about my stalkerish tendencies and say that I have routinely stopped back by hyperboleandahalf to see if Allie had come back. That girl is the shit. For real. Apparently I can’t live without her either.

    Also, I only came upon your blog because she was gone and I was clicking all her links hoping to find her hiding somewhere -like behind the knife wielding nazi spider, or simple dog… .

    I landed here and found a new addiction.

    I cannot wait to get her book.

  664. Holy Shit there are alot of comments on here. I tried to add one the other day, but it was impossible to do so. Thank you for the email by the way. I have yet to hurt myself!

    So… Your blog is most definitely on my list. As is our Lawsbian community on Facebook. They’re my family now. In the past year I’ve even met two of them in person. Most recently Amber can to visit and hold my baby… which, after reading your most recent post, I know that you don’t really want to see, mostly because yes… she does look like most other babies, except she’s kinda skinny cause I can’t get her to gain weight, and I think my zoloft is causing that, which only makes me more stressed, which makes me need to take more meds, which makes it harder for her to gain weight and it’s a horrid vicious cycle and this is an awfully long sentence that I’m sure I should have ended a while ago, but I kind of want to keep it going now just to be aggravating.

    So yeah… My guilty pleasure is you and my fellow people who love you. Thank you for bringing us together.

  665. Only just started reading your blog after picking up your book at my local indie and loving both =) I probably should stop reading posts at work; my office is like a library and I can see people peeking over the cube walls to see what I’m snickering about.

    Things I’ve discovered lately:
    Carbon fiber knitting needles. Because really, what nerd could learn that someone has made -knitting needles- out of stealth jet skin material and not need to own that?

    Ben Aaronovitch’s Peter Grant book series. Magical police procedural choc full of dry British humor and pop culture references. Aaronovitch used to write for Doctor Who and that totally comes through in this series.

    I was just introduced to Glitch Mob and I’m finding them totally addictive.

    Also, if you haven’t heard Murder By Death, I think they’d be right up your alley. Surprisingly (given the name), they are not a death metal band. Listen to “As Long as There is Whiskey in the World”.

  666. Can’t live without Moscato in the Summer, Pride & Prejudice (with Colin Firth) in the Fall, warm slippers in Winter and claritin in the Spring.

  668. Yorkshire tea–so much better than the regular kind I used to drink, Doctor Who and York peppermint patties. Also cheese. Who wants to live in a world without cheese?

  669. Brownie Brittle (I’m eating some right now), a particular pair of polka dot socks I wish I could find more of, my Built NY lunch bag, silly putty, time-management iPhone games. I have a crazy addiction to time-management iPhone games.

  670. two things have made me really happy in the past few months:

    the dresses from eshakti. summer has been too hot, too humid for pants, and they’ll custom-size a dress to your measurements for a nominal ($7.50) fee. it’s free the first time you order, though. the dresses wear well and wash well (i have only ever gotten the machine-wash ones; can’t attest to the dry-clean only ones), and i am stalking the hell out of their late summer/fall new styles to figure out what ones i need to own other than ALL THE DRESSES.

    moroccan argan hair oil. it is the first thing i have ever tried that has stared humidity down and refused to let my hair get … unkempt. this so far is my favorite trio (shampoo, conditioner, oil) that i have tried: http://www.amazon.com/Organix-Moroccan-Shampoo-Conditioner-Pentrating/dp/B008RBTGSQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1374601853&sr=8-2&keywords=organix+moroccan+argan+oil

    (sorry, i do not know how to shorten that, for i am tech-dumb)

  671. Mrs. Meyer’s geranium air spray – LOVE IT. Yardley of London Rosemary and Lavendar Shower Gel – it just makes your feel amazing. Girl and Fig Tuscan Fig candles – I buy in bulk with no shame. And yes – now obsessed with my pocket hose. Long live informercials!

  672. Harry Potter. The books, not the movies. (no judgement, the movies have just never done it for me.) When shit goes bad I dive right in. I’ve read that series back to front more times than…well, a lot of times. When everyone else was complaining about how looooooong the books were getting and jaysis doesn’t she have an editor I was like oh how fabulous, more time THERE and less HERE.

    Also: Nutella.

  673. Arc Thrift Stores! (Sadly only in Colorado – but your local ones might be nice, too) I love shopping there for clothes. So many brands in one place and swell sorted. I hate to shop and hate even more to spend money on Clothes. I can get nice, hardly used, great brands of clothes for less than $8 for each piece! And the kids clothes are awesome, too.

  674. I love:

    •Combat-Ready Lip Balm (by Skincando): This lip balm is seriously awesome. It’s tingly (which I love), peppermint flavored, and made with both Shea butter and extra virgin coconut oil. It isn’t mooshy, fake-tasting, oily, or too girly. So my boyfriend loves it too! It was originally made for troops deployed in harsh weather so your lips don’t crack, so it really does its job, keeping your lips smooth and wonderful! It costs $10 which makes me die a little inside, but luckily I am no one of those people who loses lip balm when they’ve only bought the tube a week prior. If you are one of those people, then hopefully you’re rich or have a different and more cost-effective lip balm you already love.

    •Digi-Piggy: I recently found out about this adorable, convenient, and practical LCD digital coin counting bank. It is shaped like a pig! Seriously, this makes me so happy. They come in both white and pink (for the girly girl in you) but I think they need a floral one, just because I love ugly-cute stuff. Sue me. The Digi-Piggy counts accurately and holds tons of coins. It’s awesome for really everyone, I’m 19 and I love it, my mom’s 46 and she loves it too. They’re affordable at $14.95, but you can find them cheaper on amazon usually.

    •Youthberry and Wild Orange Blossom (loose flavored White Tea, from Teavana): I am an extreme tea enthusiast and really adore fruity teas. And although I am not sure I could ever choose one tea inparticular to rule all other teas, this tea is freaking dreamy delicious and makes you feel like you’re drinking 100% joy of faries extract (this is not a real thing, technically, but I think it describes this tea well). My boyfriend buys it for me for Christmas and I always squeal in excitement. It is quite pricey and can be bought by the pound, so it is better to ask for it as a gift from someone who really loves you and won’t mind spending a little extra. Plus it lasts forever and you can share it with that special gift-giver (but probably not with anyone else because we are all selfish little elves inside and this tea is heavenly).

    •Extra Virgin Coconut Oil: Don’t even get me started on the uses of the ever-practical coconut oil (brush your teeth with it, butter your toast with it, use it in any kind of cooking/baking, wash your face with it, moisturize your body with it, get stains out with it, clean sharpie/marker/paint/pen off skin with it, take it as a supplement, give it to your pets to keep them comfortable in their skin and glossy-coated, use it as lip balm – just to name a few)… I swear buy coconut oil. My boyfriend used to tease me about it being magical, then he started using it, um yeah, he has been converted to coconut-oil-ism. You can buy it pretty much everywhere, but I get the big tub of it at Costco, much more cost effective and it lasts forever.

    I love lots of other things but these are my very favs.

    Bloggess – you are so witty, I love it! My mom and I read your posts together and almost pee our pants. Thanks for what you do!!

  675. I got so focused on music and trying not to go overboard and list 100 things I forgot two movies that I think everyone should see:
    Penelope, an amazing fairy tale about accepting who you are. I watch this over and over 🙂
    http://www.amazon.com/Penelope-Christina-Ricci/dp/B0011N1WE8

    Dream for an Insomniac because it’s cheesy and sweet (although also a little crazy) and if for no other reason the quote that goes something like “There are too many mediocre things in life to deal with, love shouldn’t be one of them.”
    http://www.amazon.com/Dream-Insomniac-Ione-Skye/dp/B00000F1YS/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1374602259&sr=1-1&keywords=dream+for+an+insomniac

  677. Belly dancing. The classes cost money, but what I have discovered has been invaluable. Not only am I coming to love this crazy curvy body of mine (complete with tummy rolls and massive stretch marks from having all the children) but I have found a strong sense of community with my fellow dancers. And the costumes are awesome. If you ever get the chance, get yourself a 25 yard skirt and twirl around…you won’t want to wear anything else!

  678. Calvin & Hobbes cartoons. They’re going to release that Bill Watterson documentary in November, they say. I’m so excited.

  679. Kayaking. The way seals look at you like maybe they want something, but then you remember they’re wild animals and you’re like “aaaaah don’t comes so close!” Until they disappear under the water, because then you just remember how much they look like aqua-spaniels and wonder if maybe you should start carrying sardines in your pocket so they’ll follow you home.

  681. This is an awesome list. I was either nodding my head furiously in agreement or just being really excited about finding something new. Like What Should I Read Next – omg, I’ve needed this for so long! So, to answer the question posed, I totally can’t do without your website. Seriously, I needs me the laffs you provide, as well as the reassurance that I’m not alone in my struggles.

    Besides that, I can’t live without my Magic Mouse, A/C and caffeine.

  685. Kiehl’s Lip Balm #1: It took 10 years of trying various lip stuffs to find the perfect one, but we’ve now spent 10 joyous years together.

  686. Moon+ Reader ebook reader app for Android. Whether it’s on my phone, my Nook, or my Nexus 7, whatever book I’m reading is ready to pick up and read. It makes reading such a pleasure that I miss it when I have to read something on paper.

  687. Things I can not live without:
    My children and my Partner
    My own cats
    My work with Vancouver Orphan Kitten Rescue (I foster pregnant mamas and volunteer as wel)
    Coffee..strong coffee with lots of sugar and real cream
    Sweet stuff of any kind
    Music..also of any kind
    The Bloggess, Wil Wheaton, Game of Thrones, Big Bang Theory, Walking Dead

  688. So, I was going to read everyone’s comment and try to come up with original things, but there was too much to read and I’m too impatient and I want to write mine… Sorry, I’ll try to go back and read everyone else’s later! I promise… Sort of.

    Tom’s of Main Simply White Toothpaste because it doesn’t have formaldehyde in it like crest which freaks me the hell out.

    Aveeno Calming Face Lotion because it has 15 spf, makes my face less red and blotchy, and it doesn’t burn like a son of bitch when I put it on (most others do).

    Patron Tequila in the mini bottle. It’s two little shots of perfection and only $7, plus you have a cute mini bottle to give to the kids to play with.

    Acorn Street Yarn Shop in Seattle. It’s quiet. It’s homy. It has a great selection. The people there are nice and helpful.

    Libraries… They just rock.

    Old books. I love the feel of the pages and the way they smell.

    Therapy and Lorazapam. They really help with that whole sanity thing.

    Thrift shops… They are awesome.

    Burts Bees Almond Hand Cream. Long lasting, really softens skin, and your hands smell so good you want to eat them most of the day.

    World of Warcraft. It’s a total waste of time, but when the the real world is making me nuts it’s nice to have a fake world to run away to.

    Finally, Jenny, TheBloggess.com. You make me laugh, you make me cry, you inspire me, and make me realize that I’m not alone in my insanity. I get all of that from you for free, but let me tell you, it’s priceless! You are an amazing gem. Not some stupid over-priced flawless tiffany diamond. You are better. You are an opal. Cloudy, but full of amazing twisting colors, you sparkle but are supremely fragile.

  689. Journal (the leather one that fits in my purse and may be my one luxury item I cannot give up replacing as needed regardless of how many diapers we need to buy)
    Brandon Sanderson for Mistborn
    Dresses that hit the natural waistline then flare out (makes me feel pretty 🙂 )

  690. Yoga – it has been my rock for the past 16 years and has gotten me through all the wonderful things life throws at you when you least expect (and, may I add, are totally unprepared for)
    ZeFrank1 on youtube – his voice is amazing and coupled with his sarcastic humor he creates unnecessary and completely hilarious skits.
    Convos with my 2-year old on youtube – just watch it.
    and finally, the knowledge that I am not alone in this world dealing with mental illness, divorce, single-parenting, working too much and the constant struggle with money. Connecting with others has allowed me to grow, evolve and come to terms with the fact that I am perfectly awesome in my fucked-upness!!!!

  691. I’m like comment 3000 which means I am so not going to win- but anyhoo my daughter wants a Dr. Who Lunch box for school this year and I just want to buy e-books and a new pair of running shoes to not run in.

  692. Rembrandt fresh mint toothpaste – it’s pricey at around $8 a tube, but the taste – and more importantly, the way it makes your mouth feel – is incredible.

    Lip exfoliant. The first time I tried it I thought, “why would you spend money on a body-specific exfoliant? What a waste!” but I promise it’s magic.

  693. New balance running shoes. They are amazing. Other than that, I love Essie nail polish.

    Thanks for the giveaway opportunity!

  694. Tea. Cannot live without tea. Hot tea, cold tea, sweet tea. Constant Comment is one of my favorites for hot, Luzanne for cold and sweet.

  695. Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series…sigh…best books on my favorites shelf. I can pick up any of them and start reading and be happy. But read them in order, if you are new to them, and be prepared to be transported…

  696. 1) Pinterest
    2) Blogs: Your blog, plus ANIMALS TALKING IN ALL CAPS, Suri’s Burn Book, Rachel Held Evans, Sarah Over the Moon, and Hyperbole And A Half.
    3) Vincent Van Gogh’s work
    4) Matchbox 20
    5) Bailey’s Irish Dream milkshakes (vanilla ice cream, heavy whipping cream, and Bailey’s)
    6)Arrested Development, Psyche, and Dirty Jobs
    7) Hugh Jackman
    8) The “True Facts” video series on Youtube by Zefrank1
    9) Art books, many styles and periods, but particularly the abstract expressionists.
    10) The Harry Potter book series

  697. I love my neti pot. The only sad thing is that no one wants to see when particularly spectacular blobs come out of my nose.

  699. The Graham Norton Show and Sharpie Markers! I can hardly have a day without the two of them.

  700. My kindle fire. I LOVE to read but always hated reading anything longer than a blog post online. Turns out it’s much more enjoyable than I expected. Can’t live without it. And playing Temple Run 2 on it is pretty fun, too.

  701. I don’t know it’s proper name (and I’m too lazy to look it up) but it’s a corn shaver thingy from Pampered Chef. My goofy husband and daughter don’t like to eat their corn on the actual cob. They love corn on the cob, but we have to cut the corn off the cob and then they eat the pile of corn. Isn’t that just like corn out of the can? Or out of the frozen bag? Fortunately my son follows in my footsteps and actually eats it on the cob. This cool tool from Pampered Chef easily takes the corn off the cob and you don’t have to worry about cutting yourself using a knife, or not getting all of the corn off, or getting too much of the husk, etc. 🙂

  703. This may be stupid. But now that I have one, I can’t live without my ipad. let me explain. I am also a huge reader. AND, lucky me, my library has this kick ass system where you can download books, and audio books for FREE! Now I don’t have to talk myself into going to town to check out a book 🙂 BTW, the library is my second favorite place.

  705. Judge if you must, but I couldn’t live without my Snuggie! I wear that thing all the time! I keeps my arms warm while I read or do school work. It is definitely a must in my life!

  706. My purse. It’s large enough to carry tons of stuff that I just can’t get myself to leave at home, as well as jam things into it while I’m out.

  707. I *really* need a new laptop…just ‘cuz my old one is so old that it could almost qualify as Steampunk…

  708. Cheap books. also, the dark chocolate espresso trail mix from target. that is so awesome.

  709. Chocolate + Banana + Peanut Butter on a tortilla. It’s my go to comfort food and I justify eating way too often by telling myself bananas and PB is good for me. It is right?

  711. Mapmywalk Android app. It has magical GPS things that tell me where I walked, how far, how many minutes, how many calories I burned, how big the hills were, blah, blah, blah. I use it for my walks at work, walks after work, just all the time really. And it’s free! But they send you a ton of junk email, so maybe block that shiz.

    But the BEST part is that when I walk my dog in the evening I put the phone in the dog’s hiking pack (like a reflective backpack for the dog, ’cause yeah, I’m walking but I’m not going to actually CARRY anything) and the mapmywalk lady will tell you when you’ve walked a mile, two miles, etc. and your current pace, but it totally sounds like my dog has a robotic voice that is talking to me. I always thank my dog for the information.

  712. I can’t live without my hula hoop. It has kept me sane during my divorce.

  713. the NYT on-line — almost every morning I prop myself up on pillows and read the NYT before getting out of bed; now, if I could only get my husband to bring me a cup of coffee…

  714. Dansko shoes. I *love them. They’re pricey, but last forever and are amazing for high arches and insteps.

  715. I, too, love Hyperbole and a Half. (Though I have yet to meet someone who doesn’t.)

    But for sharing stuff, and preferably stuff that’s on the cheap? I really like the Girl Genius web comic.

    I also really like my toaster oven, but I think they’re more or less the same. Except my parents have a fancier one that can roast a whole chicken or something, and the brand of which I can’t remember, so that’s not terribly helpful. Sorry.

  716. Hmmm… my favorite thing that I can’t live without… let’s see.
    1. Netflix. I loathe commercials, and I love being able to watch almost whatever I want whenever I want.
    2. Used Book stores… y’know, the ones that smell like smart people are in there? I love the smell of books and just simply can’t come around to reading books on a device.
    3. My laptop; until it was stolen from my house during a robbery a couple of months ago. Life has been hard without it.
    4. Tattoos: my current favorite one on my body simply says “SURVIVE” on my right wrist. It is a daily reminder of the first thing on my to-do list.
    5. Jameson. At night before bed, to unwind and talk about my day with my guy, we pour a glass of whiskey and just relax. I love those moments.

    That’s my list!

  717. Audiobooks. I have horrible work-induced ADD. I go to work, try to do my job, and getting distracted by Pinterest or necessary-seeming Google searches about the nutritional benefits of beets. As soon as I put in my headphones, my over-active brain is soothed by calming voices and doing two things at once.I get so much more work done, and so many more books read.

  719. The library, and hugs – two things that continue to make my day. Not necessarily together… though to receive a hug in a libray might be nice.

  720. cupcakes… i cant live with out cupcakes, you have to rip off the bottom part and put it on top pf the icing and make a cupcake sandwich- cupcakes never cease to brighten my day

  721. I can’t live without Fluff (like the kind that goes with Peanut Butter to make a Fluffernutter sandwich) and my boyfriend, who just went back home yesterday, over 1,000 miles away. But the sandwiches are the more available item.

  723. -DCT by Blistex. It’s like crack but in chapstick form. It’s fantastic. On several occasions I have written to Blistex to tell them how much I love it. I’m sure I’m on a list somewhere.
    -Dr. Pepper. But only half a can a day because apparently soda kills. But I guess it kills slowly because I’m still here. And I’m addicted.
    -My dog, Pepper. Pure coincidence that he’s named Pepper…it actually has nothing to do with Dr. Pepper but more that we’re not terribly creative in the name selection department. But I love him despite the fact that he pees on my curtains and snores a little.
    -Peeking on my kids while they sleep. Because when they sleep they are sweet and innocent and represent everything that is right about the world.

  725. We bought a Roku box and linked streaming Netflix to it. 259 episodes of Murder She Wrote just waiting to be watched?? Yes, please!

    Seriously, this thing has thousands of TV shows and movies, fitness channels, history, news, everything you can think of. I would die w/o my Roku.

  726. When I’ve had a really crappy day, I pull out your book and read a chapter or two. Makes me laugh to the point of wheezing and I then have to use my inhaler. Good times.

  727. My knitting needles & yarn. Keeps me occupied in all sorts of down time and I have a great product at the end! Oh, and my Burt’s Bees chap stick.

  728. Your book. Let’s Pretend this Never Happened. I bought it at a book fair in Gaithersburg, MD ( I think you were there). It was on the table next to Jen Lancaster’s books and i just love her writing, so i picked it up on a very expensive whim and it has been the best decision I’ve ever made. After devouring it in one sitting on the beach with my family, everyone asked me what was so funny as i could not stop guffawing loudly. Eventually I started reading stories and excerpts out loud and, slightly out of context, so they all agreed I should leave the beach go back the house to read by myself as my laughter was disturbing their peace and quiet. Since then, i have passed my copy on to no less than 10 people in my office all who agree that you are outrageously hilarious. This book has set the bar high and it is my number one recommendation to every single person who has the gall to say, ‘I just don’t know what to read’. The answer is always, ‘Let’s Pretend this Never Happened by Jenny Lawson’. Thank you, your book is one I do not think the world can live without. You are my Neil Gaiman.

  729. Blueberries in season, apples in season, best to go pick your own if you are lucky like me and live somewhere (New York State) where those things actually grow. Farmer’s market next best place.
    The Beach. Any beach.. anywhere. As long as there is water, sand and sun, its good. Make sure to bring extra sunscreen (slather it on BEFORE you even get in the car and re-apply, re-apply, re-apply), cold stuff to drink, book(s), cool beach towel(s) and sunglasses. Oh.. and a hat. Hats are cool, gotta have a floppy, big-brimmed beach hat.
    Thunderstorms. Love them, especially sitting on the porch. They used to scare the bejeezus out of me when I was a kid, but now I love them.
    (BTW, I agree totally with the bath sheets, Aveeno and books)

  730. Knitting. It has saved my life more than once. Calms me down. Distracts me just enough so that I can sit through long meetings (think PTA) and as a bonus, at the end I have a thing that I can either keep or give away. Also, it keeps my hands busy which helps keep the stress eating under control.

  731. It’s ridiculous, but Method Clementine Kitchen hand soap. I have a 5 yo and a 14-month old home with me all day this summer. Things get crazy and messy. The bright scent of orange makes me happy, cleans sticky hands, and often, deodorizes. It’s the little things.

    Oh. And booze.

  733. My blog – it’s a great expression – even during those times I feel like shit. I can be honest about everything and that’s really damned freeing.

    I got this in the white husky and it really helps with the Lupus – http://www.dreamessentials.com/product-102/warm-whiskers-heatable-neck-wraps

    Every single flavor of these – http://www.belvitabreakfast.com/ – ‘Cause even when the thought of food makes me wanna puke, I can still eat a couple of these. They taste like cookies, but they’re nutritious and crap. The chocolate and blueberry are my favorites.

  735. I can’t live without my Kindle and my library. If I was on a desert island I would have to bring them along. My kindle because no matter where I am I have lots and lots of books to read if I need to/get bored/have to wait longer in a line than I want to/etc. etc. My library because I read voraciously and own a ton of books and if I bought every book I read I would a) be broke and b) be a book hoarder.

  736. Trying to think of what I can’t live without but all I can think of is what I can’t be a MOM without. So here it is:

    PBS Kids: I had the “No TV” mantra until I realized I’m not a saint and tv is a godsend for making meals more elaborate than crackers and apple juice. And peeing on my own. And for occasionally going back to sleep on the couch because don’t judge me. My kid sounds like a genius spouting things he learned on PBS and I seem like an stellar mom instead of one who turns on the tube while I get my shit together.

    Gerber cloth diapers: I didn’t use cloth diapers (see “I’m not a saint” above), though I intended to. So I had all these cloth diapers and found they are the BEST at everything else. Burp cloths, napkins, cleaning rags, they wipe dew off slides at the park, they make great hats, bandit masks, capes- these things are my 100% favorite and I have used them every damn day since the kid was born. He’s almost three.

    California Baby and Ella’s Kitchen products: The first are skin care products (shampoo/body wash, lotions, sunscreen, bug spray). Not cheap, but not guilt inducing since they’re organic and amazing. Never used the lotion on the kid, but I got it as a gift and used it on myself every day: glorious. Whole family uses the bug spray. Ella’s Kitchen are mashed-food packets. They are the only prepackaged food for the kid that I was jealous of. So damn tasty. And organic. So I guess this entry wasn’t really Oprah for poor people, because those things are pricey. But I’d buy them when I could because it was so worth it.

    OOH! I thought of some for me.

    Watermelon: It’s summer, I’m pregnant. Enough said.

    David Mack’s “Kabuki”: OMG seriously. If you haven’t read this graphic novel series, go get it now. Every book was a different style and theme and every single one was gorgeous. We all seem to have our “this saved me from the edge” material. The Alchemy was mine. I honestly might not be here if I hadn’t found that book exactly when I did. And now I’m crying, lol. Anyway, the first book is all ninjas and mafia (with awe-inducing art); if that’s not your thing, stick with it. The later books on philosophy and art straight up blew my mind.

    My king-sized pillow: To me, body pillows seem like overkill, but regular pillows are so… head-sized. When I need a comfy down-filled cuddle, the king-sized pillow is the way to go. I may just go give it a squeeze now!

  738. Wooden jelly spoons. They keep the jelly from melting into that weird watery stuff that grosses me out. Apparently jelly reacts to metal spoons and “melts.” Wooden jelly spoons are awesome and I can buy them from a local artist. Bonus.

  739. My iPod, I know it wasn’t cheap – but I have misophonia (or 4S) and my iPod has saved me from hurting myself and others so many times I can’t even count anymore. It’s like living in a world where everyone is out to torture you – by eating peanuts with their mouths open and clanking silverware on every plate ever. It’s hard, but my iPod has become my ultimate coping mechanism and I wouldn’t know what to do without it.

  740. Coconut oil. I use it for cooking AND for making coconut-lime sugar scrub. I feel like a fancy Laura Ingalls Wilder when I make my own beauty stuff AND I have soft, fresh skin.

  741. Burt’s Bees lip balm. I wear it so much that my husband won’t kiss me unless I wipe my lips off first. Sometimes I put on extra and then pin him and orally assault his face until he hurls me off of him. There’s nothing funnier than listening to a 185-lb., bearded, broad-shouldered, grown-ass man scream like a little girl while he vigorously rubs his mouth and spits into the sink.

  742. Deb Talan’s CD “A Bird Flies Up” – she is one half of the Weepies. I adore her voice and her music.

    Netflix, because how else would I have the X-Files and Doctor Who?

    A little Facebook game called MouseHunt. It seems totally inane, every 15 minutes you sound a horn and *maybe* catch a fictional mouse, split up by locations and traps with names like “Reaper’s Perch”. I’ve met friends through this game and had a blast, and even in the worst of times it gets me through the next fifteen minutes, which is something.

  743. Every time I click on your site and see you have a new post I get this ridiculous giddy feeling. Just glad to see you’re ok and always curious as to what you’ll write about. That’s gift enough for me. Thanks for being awesome.

  744. Allie Brosh’s posts on depression are some of my favorite things on the internet. Also the ones about the simple dog, because I identify with the simple dog. I am definitely going to buy her book when it comes out.

  745. I know a million people have responded with amazing things and I’m probably reiterating a lot, but I just gotta put my two cents in:

    Earl Grey Tea:
    I have a tea cup with a little chalkboard section on it and I write, “Tea. Earl Grey. Hot.” and feel like a BAWSSS every time I Picard it up.

    Glitter:
    I actually used to hate glitter and how it got all over my shizz every time I used it until I realized it was just little reminders of awesome. Embrace it.

    Doctor Who:
    I think we all know why

    Sherlock:
    second verse same as the first (one about Doctor Who)

    Mascara:
    any mascara. if I had to live with only one make up item, it would be mascara. It just makes me feel put together.

    Fresh fruit:
    especially cherries and strawberries when they’re just perfectly ripe. Nothing better.

  746. I cannot live without my body pillow. My children got it for me for Mother’s Day about 7 years ago. I love to travel but the one thing I hate about traveling is sleeping without my body pillow. Other pillows just don’t cut if for me. I also love my heated mattress pad. My dad got if for me a few years ago and it keeps me nice and toasty at night.

  747. I discovered vodka tonics and Rockband and now I cannot live without them. Every chance we can we ditch our children at grandma’s house and rock.

  748. I am addicted to Pinterest. I love to make crafts and bake and Pinterest has a plethora of ideas!

  749. * Cherry Cola because I’m from Canada and we don’t get it here (except for one small convenient store in one building I used to work in in downtown Toronto) It makes me so happy when I find it!
    *Doctor Who also – because of you I started watching it and am addicted although time constraints aren’t allowing me to get through it too quickly. I’m on Season 2 of the reboot. It’s amazing and peculiar and perfect.
    * http://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/120035436/handstamped-personalized-jewelry-gift-38?ref=shop_home_feat This seller on Etsy because she makes amazing kick ass bracelets that you can get personlized however you like and also saved the day in a crisis for me when another seller let me down!
    *Puppy dogs. Because obviously.

  750. Today has kind of sucked so it’s good to take part in an exercise of things I love. I love Vietnamese summer rolls and could eat them daily. I also love Nailtiques to make my gross peeling nails look halfway normal and not like I just clawed my way out of a well. I also love Urban Outfitter blanklined notebooks. The notebooks work well for lefties (lefties know what I mean) but sometimes it’s hard to find designs that look appropriate for a 30-something in the work force. Also when I am mbuying them, I assume everyone in the store thinks I am a narc like from 21 Jump street. And I like it.

  751. Gabapentin for my Trigenimal Neuralgia. God bless the person who invented this! This disease is called the Suicide Disease; and I can fully understand why.

    “True Blood”. Got hooked on this and watched all 5 seasons from Netflix. Now have to wait for all of Season 6. It took a while to get past the nudity; but now it doesn’t faze me. I DO want someone to stake Sookie though.

    My Kindle. Best invention ever! I love being able to buy a book at 2:00 am. At 7:30 this morning I finished a book; and then finally went to sleep for the “night”. (I do NOT like the price of books. Why should e-books be so expensive?! There is no printing, binding, distribution, etc. A total rip off!)

    My little grandson. There is only one, and you can’t have him. He is the only reason I get up in the morning.

  752. Watching reruns of the single season of Firefly over and over and over…

  753. Biscoff cookie spread. The crunchy kind. I love to dip bananas or apples in it. So yummy!

  754. I cannot live without epsom salts. I’m on my feet all day at work running around (I’m in charge of the paint shop for an events company) and I’m now three-and-half months pregnant so my feet are getting ready to do even more work. A lovely foot soak with epsom salts after a long day is insanely helpful in keeping me from wanting to just hack them off at the ankles.

    I’ll be super excited if I win Amazon money, but a lot less than I could have been if Neil Gaiman himself was actually available for purchase. Le Sigh.

  756. The West Wing. I’ve watched this series all the way through at least 6 times now. My wife bought me the DVD set, which is pretty pricey, but the complete series is on Netflix now!

  757. Oh how I love you for the link to the What Should I Read Next sit. LOVE IT!

    My list in the moment is: the healing balm from the Honest Company. It’s pricey and I can’t afford much on their site at one time, but that product is amazing. It’s cleared up my eczema.

    Library books that I can borrow on my Kindle. I tend to feel like the Kindle is the best invention ever for someone like me who is allergic to paper and ink. Free books are the best.

    Trader Joe’s dark chocolate covered PB cups. Which I’m down to about three of and I’m counting days until we get our first TJ’s in the state of Colorado.

    Netflix and specifically How I Met Your Mother reruns. I’m up to season six right now. I’ll be sad when it’s done.

    Otter Pops, because it’s 9 zillion degrees in Denver right now. I’m not sure who is currently eating more of them, me or my four year old.

    My blankie (yes I’m 33 and have a blankie) from Sharper Image. It’s one of those NAP ones and it’s so soft.

  758. Morphine – pretty self explanatory
    My cats – because they love me no matter what
    My kindle – brand new to it but so far it ROCKS
    My mom – I know it sounds corny, but she really is my best friend

    And Amazon – seriously, with Amazon why would anyone leave their house? And it can be challenging to drive on morphine. ..

  759. I agree, bath sheets are one of the best inventions ever. I can never go back to a small traditional tile, although I’m itching to try Turkish towels…. Only if they’re bath sheet size

  760. I love your list! Very good free stuff on there too.

    * super-absorbent hair towels save so much blow-drying time
    * libraries are the best
    * Simply Grapefruit juice
    * good lip balm

  761. Music. I have to have music.

    Writing. My version of purging.

    Books. My means of escape. I tend to be fond of German fantasy writers like Michael Ende (Neverending Story) and Cornelia Funke (Inkheart trilogy, Thieflord, etc.).

    Etsy. So many beautiful things just waiting to be made into more beautiful things!

    My Fiance. After 27 years I finally found the person who actually makes me happy. Honestly happy.

  763. When my youngest daughter was born I discovered Moby Wraps. I found one on sale and it saved my life because I could carry my baby, take care of my other three children plus the six daycare children I watched, and still get things done around the house.

    On a darker note, due to recent horrible events I have discovered Klonopin and honestly could not live without that right now.

  765. Pretty pens to write with at work – I need color in my life
    Dry erase markers – I’m always drawing on the windows at the office. Some days I’m amazed I’m still employed.
    My oven – Sometimes you just need to chop something. And then eat it.
    The Half-Price bookstore – I have piles of books so tall I can’t reach my bookshelf.
    Playdoh – Because.
    Netflix. With the Doctor.
    Bouncy balls/squishy toys – to throw at my computer monitor. My boss loves me.

  767. I just discovered Amazon Prime. While it’s a bit pricey at $80 a year, I get free shipping on all my packages through Amazon and I get a ginormous selection of free downloadable TV and movies, which is totally bitchin’ because I don’t have any cable since having a baby and having to funnel my entire life savings into diapers and nipple cream. Seriously.

  768. My sewing machine. Sewing is cheaper than therapy. Not really, but that’s what I tell my husband.

  769. Stella Rosa Rosso sparkling red wine. Semi-sweet, served chilled, it’s SOOO good and doesn’t give me heartburn like most other reds. I’d like to have it on tap, in my fridge, always.

  770. Get Fuzzy comics by Darby Conley – I buy the page a day calendar every year so I can read two strips every day!

  771. Eyebrow pencil. I just got married, and the woman who did my make-up introduced me to it. Seriously, just pencilling in some eyebrows completely opens up your eyes. Plus I can get away with going longer between waxing!

  772. Hulu, Leonidas Chocolate, Joanna Trollope books, tequila, provolone cheese, my bread machine, audiobooks, Nikon D-40, Little Grey Rabbit books and travel… (sung to Louis Armstrong’s It’s a Wonderful World).

  773. At a certain hour of night, I feel like I might die if I don’t eat trader joes black bean dip and honey wheat pretzels. With sour cream, if I am feeling dangerous.

    Reading. I like a sequence of literary (reading The Interestings now) and post -apocalyptic YA (read the Uglies trilogy in 3 days before that)

    Box wine.

    My broom and dyson vacuum. I can’t control my life, but I can [try to] control the kitty litter on my floor.

  774. Robert Earl Keene – Merry Christmas from the Family

    This will cure the blues, for sure

  775. Funny cat pictures.
    Any of buzzfeeds “X photos to restore your faith in humanity” lists. I bawl like a baby.
    David Sedaris’ ‘Me Talk Pretty One Day’
    A daily laugh–thanks for being that so often

  777. Stuff life wouldn’t be the same without… my Contigo autoseal water bottle, Burt’s Bees lip balm, L’Oreal Infallible eye shadow in Sahara Treasure, MAC lipstick in Lady Danger, Manic Panic hair colours, and my super cute gold Toyota Echo 😀

    Thanks, Jenny!

  778. I cannot function in the winter without my electric mattress pad. When it’s twenty below zero outside (and only slightly warmer inside) there’s nothing better than crawling into a toasty bed and feeling the cocoon of warmth envelope you.

  779. I guess I have had a KitchAid mixer on my wishlist for years and probably the only way I will ever get one is with someone elses $$. When I am spending my own money it is always books there are just so many endless possibilities. Thanks for all the great suggestions!

  780. My Augusten Burroughs books. When I feel down, I read a story or two. When I can’t sleep, am bored, annoyed, drinking, need to pass a few minutes, feel like hoarder, and almost any other reason. They are always my go to books for traveling as well…

  781. The iPhone app RunPee – it tells you when it’s best to use the restroom during movies & gives you a summary of what you miss while you’re gone. It also tells you if there’s anything after the credits. It’s wonderful for anyone like me, who has a teeny tiny bladder!

  783. I can’t live without my burts bees lip balm and my Clinique “Happy” perfume. It’s the ONLY thing about me that’s happy all the time….

  784. So one of my favorite things when I’m sad is to google models falling. there is an endless supply of runway walks with models biting it. Nice…not at all. Guarenteed to make you laugh abso-friggin-litely. Also the link below I laugh harder at the commentators than the models b/c these gentlemen are after my own heart, for real.
    http://youtu.be/CvPkUMRE7yg

  785. I can’t live without my ipad. Thankfully I got it as a gift because I never would’ve bought one for myself but now that I have one, I can’t be without it. I’m thinking of having it surgically attached to me.

    I use it for everything except anything I need Word for or something along those lines. I have my kindle app on here and a library app that I enter my library card number in to borrow books and that’s probably what I use it most for. My fiancé and I are long distance right now and FaceTime has been awesome.

    If you’re on the fence or trying to decide between ipad or a kindle fire or something,get the ipad. It is awesome!

  786. Doctor Who, of course!

    Also my birdfeeder and bird ID guide. I’m OBSESSED. It’s a little weird. But watching the birds makes me happy and as a bonus, I feel like Snow White.

  787. Dark chocolate covered graham crackers
    Hudson Bay Blanket
    Cashmere socks (I know, I know, completely spoiled, blame my wonderful dad)
    Timex Watches
    Petfinder – without it I wouldn’t have my adorable 2x abandoned golden pooch

  788. My Nikon d40- It is the most basic of basic dslr, but it is my therapy. I will walk around the yard taking pictures, then spend another hour editing and playing with filters. It is quite distracting and relaxing.

    Crocs- Not the ugly ones. My favorite pairs are the ones that look like Converse Chuck Taylors and the ones that look like pink Sperrys. Only the bottoms are the super comfortable, non- back ache, croc-rubber. And NO ONE KNOWS… ah-mazing.

  790. Things that make me happy no matter what:
    1. Dexter- I can’t get enough of this serial killer.
    2. Fall Out Boy – love their music; LOVE the lyrics
    3. Apple martinis – nuf said
    4. Mexican food!
    5. Organix Moroccan Argan oil shampoo- OMG
    6. Hydro Silk razor blades – smoooooth
    7. Cats!!
    8. Robert Pattinsons smile – you can’t see that grin and not smile back

  792. Books. The seemingly-endless variety of worlds I can escape into is mystifying. Also, reading seems to be the perfect hobby for me as an introvert.

  793. I’m reading all of these fabulous comments, and my head is humming “…these are a few of my favorite things….” Which reminds me that I really do love The Sound of Music. That long opening shot of Julie Andrews spinning on the hillside always makes me smile.

    I adore my daughter, even though she’s very 6, and a little like Eloise. So the love is total, but not without its complexities. I adore my Newfoundland, Lovey, with no complexity at all. She is my sweetness.

    On the retail side, Mexico Helados Minis are the bomb! The come in this box of 18, in pineapple, lime, strawberry and watermelon. 30 calories and 8 grams of sugar, and soooo cold and delicious. Those, and slices of chilled, ripe watermelon make summer heat so much more bearable.

    Also, water is awesome. I love watering my garden, filling the wading pool for my dog and daughter, swimming in the pool, swimming in the river, wading at the beach (I’m in Oregon, we don’t swim much in out part of the Pacific!)

    Thanks so much for your wonderful blog – it’s the focal point for a beautiful community. I’m sorry for your struggles, and deeply grateful that you turn them into humor and compassion that you then share with the rest of us. You rock.

  794. I LOVE SO MANY OF THESE THINGS!
    Especially Neil Gaiman and Jenny Lewis.
    Also, I’ve always wanted a bath sheet. I don’t know why I’ve never gotten one for myself. Normal towels are nice for super skinny girls, I guess, but I am not one of them.

  795. Alo Refresh water with cantaloupe and cucumber. Holy ratballs. Stop what you’re doing and go get some.

  796. I have a random little plastic thingy that I paid like fifty cents for three years ago and it slices an orange peel open without cutting into the fruit. I swear to you, I am a grown adult and I cannot peal an orange without this thing. How pathetic is that?

  799. First I’d like to say that I am an avid reader of your blog and I’ve found many other fantastic blogs because you endorsed them. That wasn’t me sniffing your bum or anything, I just never comment and thought I should at least say SOMETHING about it. Anyway, I can’t live without my family. My husband and his daughter who I know see as my own, as I’ve raised her since she was 3, are expecting an addition to our family in November and we just can’t wait! I have no idea where I would be without their constant support and love. I think I’d probably get the Tardis beach towel, because I am a big whovian but to be honest I’d use the gift card to help get some much needed baby items!

  800. Charmed – even though its ridiculously cheesy and poor acting, the stories and characters helped distract me at my worst with Chrons disease. Helped me sleep and calm my anxiety. I love those Halliwell girls

    Mint – scent, gum, the herb, anyhting mint because I constantly struggle with nausea and motion sickness while also having a phobia of vomiting.. Mint makes everything better.

    Mashed potatoes with melted blue cheese whipped together mmmm

  801. I can’t live without cats, apparently. I was down to one super geriatric slumber-beast of a cat and had to get him a kitten companion. Now we have 4.

    I also NEED Bausch & Lomb Sightsavers glasses cleaning wipes because I can’t stand dirty lenses and the hem of my shirt just doesn’t cut it.

  802. I can’t live without Pride & Prejudice. Both the Colin Firth mini series and the film with Keira Knightley. It makes me feel better whenever I am sad.

  804. The very first thing that came to mind is Twizzlers Hershey chocolate licorice. Especially when it’s soft and warm. I can (and have) eaten the entire bag by myself in one day.

  805. Doctor Who
    Indigo Girls
    Bloopers
    My convection toaster oven – it is hard living alone, so my tiny little oven makes me feel special when I am only cooking for myself!

    And of course your blog!

  806. Lusa Organics Booty Balm
    So what if this stuff is for a baby’s butt. It is great on my butt too! And sunburns. And cuticles. And hand lotion. And dry skin.

    And I’m pretty sure it cures cancer.

    Or not. I might have made that last bit up.

  807. Have you listened to the director commentary from A Knight’s Tale? If you’ve just watched the movie without the hilarity which is Brian Helgeland & Paul Bettany getting progressively drunk, then you haven’t really watched the movie. Go. Go now.

  809. I can’t live without my daughter. She’s 16 months old and cracks me up every day. Also my Ergo for carting her little ass around. My iPhone for taking 5638257352749664537486753547656343759 pictures of her. Also my Nook. Any e-reader, but my Nook is my baby, I named him Bearchips from an Allie Brosh post. And my lab. I teach high school and AP chemistry and now I am the head of the Chemistry Department (population: two) and I have access to neat-o chemicals and equipment. 12 MOLAR HYDROCHLORIC ACID YO. LETS FUCKN TITRATE SOME SHIT.

  810. The library. I don’t know how people exist without it. I check out books, magazines, dvds, CDs. I download audiobooks and books to read directly to my iPhone. For FREE.

    CDBaby, I find a lot of fun groups listening to music on there. Also, Songza.

  811. Audiobooks and podcasts. I’m new to podcasts, but they remind me of radio back in the 1970s–except there’s no Carlin’s 7 Words censoring to get in the way, and if you’re an accent whore (why, yes, I am–hello Scotland!) you can have your pick on demand. I’m subscribed to Jen Kirkman’s “I Seem Fun” because I relate to a lot of her material & wish I had a friend like her. My favorite ep so far is “Believing in Ghosts”.

    I look back on my former audiobook-snob self and cringe; if you have a great reader (particularly a voice that “does it” for you), the book itself doesn’t even have to be good. In the great reader/great material department, see Frank Langella reading “Dropped Names” and any of David Tennant’s Doctor Who audiobooks. He’s done Christopher Brookmyre’s “Quite Ugly One Morning”, too, which is quite funny and lets DT go full-on Scottish brogue with the slang. I also recommend Edward Petherbridge reading “Strong Poison” (if you can find it, mine’s on cassette) and Bruce Boxleitner reading “Killshot”. There are days so shitty that I come home, crawl into bed and just let the sexy voices read to me. Just for me.

    I’m glad you’re in this world, Jenny.

  812. I have an auto-immune thingy called ankylosing spondylitis and when it flairs up, it can just about cripple me. One thing that really helps me (besides massive amounts of ibuprofen) are Thermacare wraps. I can wrap one around me and it lasts for as long as 12 hours. I have boxes of them in my nightstand and buy more whenever they go on sale. My saddest day was when they cut down the size of the part that gets hot — and Thermacare people, if you are reading this, I still think it was a douchy move — but I’ll keep buying and using them, because nothing else works as well. I should really buy stock in the company.

  813. My king-size bookcase headboard that is beside my regular full-size bed. With insomnia as bad as I have, I spend a lot of time just relaxing in bed trying not to worry about sleeping. Or not sleeping. With this ‘side board’ I have everything I need to help me relax within reach. Books and kindle, crocheting, my Layd-Back Bed-Desk(which I also adore), and many more things that help me relax and become drowsy. It’s really a God-send. Wind-chimes. *ALL* of them! ;-)I have almost 30 of them all over my house, deck, porch, and yard. Veggie Straws: a low-calorie snack that makes me not miss potato chips and such. Swimming. The only form of exercise that I really, truly enjoy. If I had my own pool I would be in complete heaven! MIO: 0 calorie water flavoring. Yummy! Red kitchen things. They just make me happy! Wow, I didn’t realize how many things I’m really grateful for! I could probably go on, too!

  814. Besides the obvious things, I can’t live without cheese. Squeaky, fresh cheese curds or any variety of cheese thereof.

    And room darkening shades in the bedroom. Like, really nice ones so that you don’t know when it’s daylight outside. Those have saved me and my husband. 🙂

  816. Trader Joe’s sunflower seeds
    Italy trips
    White noise in the bedroom
    My dachshund
    A good Canon camera
    My husband

  817. I’d be a lot less (and probably a lot more) sane without my children’s hugs. Yes, they drive me crazy at times, but they really can be a balm for the soul. And when they do drive me crazy, I can’t live without my friend, Nina, or my belly dancing.
    Doctor Who.
    My animals from the unfortunate animal of the month club.
    Pinterest.
    My iPad.
    The other 23 hours of the day, I can’t live without my antidepressants, anti anxiety meds, and my list notebook.

  818. Can I put down my cat’s favorite thing? It’s the “Da Bird Cat Catcher Cat Toy by the maker of Go Cat Feather Toys” (on Amazon but no link because I’m too used to having my comments rejected when they have links), and both of my cats love it. It is their favorite toy, they go crazy for it.

    Also my Kindle. I pretty much can’t stand to read paper books anymore, and I have five Song of Ice and Fire books on it, which is like 5000 pages but it still weighs practically nothing and fits in all of my purses. I also have about 150 other books, but still.

  819. I love my potato masher and my offset spatula and my chicago cutlery chef’s knife. They all make cooking so much easier.

  820. River Song (nuff said)
    Coconut oil- it has to be a cure all for pretty much everything. Zoe Keating, if you havent heard of her, imagine cello mixed with electo house music= AWESOME Check her out, here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYrcXX4nWOA

    I love anything organic that can bring us back to mother nature- us humans are a bit disconnected with mother earth, we should fix that, and make the planet a much better (FUTURE) place. (No, I’m not a tree hugger, I just think it’s an awesome thing)

    My dog.

    I like that i just discovered this site, and that I will keep coming back to it.

  821. L’Occitane %15 Shea Butter lotion. See ya, sandpaper ass! I’m obsessive about soft skin and I will never love another after finding this magnificent potion. (I also would never in a million years be the person that I was before I had my son, my third and most magical child. He has made me into someone that folks actually like being around but I didn’t want to say that first because it was about a baby and everything)

  822. So, I have the hips of a dangerously unstable 70 year old woman who has birthed too many elephants and ran for 7 years straight. Hence, ouchy painful bursitis that flares up all the mother fucking time. One year for christmas my cousin made me a microwavable bag of rice I use as an anti ouch pad. It is the best thing ever. It’s better than prescription pain pills to make the ouch go away so I can function. It also acts as my source of body heat in winter as I don’t create my own.

    Also, Doctor Who. Because emotions in a good way.

  823. I feel like I understand so much more of the universe once my husband and I started watching Doctor Who. David Tennant forever!

    I really like my prescription sunglasses. And my Clarisonic makes my face baby-butt smooth. I’m a happy girl.

  824. If you see this, then HUGE kudos to you – I gave up reading them all individually around the 550 mark… not enough time! So I say yes! to Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett, A Wrinkle in Time, Jasper Fforde, tervis tumblers, MST3K, kindles, and a host of other things.

    My special bests are Firefly (and the movie Serenity); brilliant sic-fi and a cast you just really wish you could hang out and party with. There are lines and scenes and whole episodes that get me EVERY time I watch. Also The Princess Bride – a true soul mate will always say ‘as you wish’ when you ask for something (and I’m in the minority who loved the book, too). And Toffifay – a hazelnut wrapped in creamy ganache cupped in caramel with a dark chocolate top knot, plus a cool container of crinkly plastic that makes you pop each cup out of its nest before you can eat it.

    And to you, I found you just in time. My husband is probably clinically depressed and making us both pretty miserable a lot… he just gets growly and bitey when I try to address it, so I’m enduring for now and waiting for someone he will hear to say it to him at the right time. I’m thankful for the good days, and the rest of the time I keep saying to myself ‘depression LIES – he may be listening to the lies, but he’s not an asshole, he’s sick!’ which oddly enough does help (a little). Thank you so much!

  825. I love Mr. Clean Magic Erasers – or Walgreens brand or whatever is on sale. Those things get anything clean!

  827. Atmosklear: The best odor eliminator I’ve ever found. I use it in my home and in my alterations shop. Pet odors, smoke, mothballs; it works on them all.

  828. As stupid as it sounds, I can’t live without OPI Nail Envy. I just feel prettier with longer girly nails, and this stuff is the only way that I can get them.

  829. I bought a Krups convection toaster oven to make frozen pizza in under 5 minutes. Freaking amazing. An an automatic Super Feeder for my cat (http://www.super-feed.com/ I bought a “blemished” one because I’m cheap. I can’t tell a difference).

  830. My Soda Stream. Not even for soda, just for carbonated water. I LOVE carbonated water but hate the idea of buying it in disposable plastic bottles. Now I can have it all the time in a reusable bottle!

  831. Nekot cookies-they are these peanut butter crackers that I snack on….I don’t think I’ve missed a day without them in a few years.

    Peppermint oil-I rub it on my temples and neck when a headache starts until I decide it’s migraine med worthy.

    Books-electronic or traditional….I’ll pretty much read Anything

  832. There are so many things, but I’ll only name a few:
    God. Yeah, he’s pretty awesome.
    Books. I need them. They are my escape. I have more books than furniture.
    Hiking. Best anti depressant/ anger management ever.
    Roller coasters. I love them. They scare the crap out of me, and I usually lose my voice from all the screaming but I love them. I am going on a roller coaster road trip in five days for three weeks and plan to ride 93 of them.
    Writing. It’s my voice when I don’t have one. It got me through my depression, taught me how to speak up. Writing is everything.

  833. There are so many things, but I’ll only name a few:
    God. Yeah, he’s pretty awesome.
    Books. I need them. They are my escape. I have more books than furniture.
    Music. I can’t imagine a day without it.
    Hiking. Best anti depressant/ anger management ever.
    Roller coasters. I love them. They scare the crap out of me, and I usually lose my voice from all the screaming but I love them. I am going on a roller coaster road trip in five days for three weeks and plan to ride 93 of them.
    Writing. It’s my voice when I don’t have one. It got me through my depression, taught me how to speak up. Writing is everything.

  834. The furminator. Seriously. The best cat brush for furry kitties (and to clean up those dry vomit spots on the carpet).

  835. Really nice cotton sheets….that I had to buy on sale with a coupon…and still cringed a little. But seriously, there is nothing as awesome as getting into bed with clean, nice sheets. It’s almost as good as being in a swanky hotel!

  837. Terry Pratchett novels, JoAnn coupons, cupcakes, kraft mac n’ cheese, excuses to be geeky (like cons and blogs), Netflix/Amazon Prime, my therapist, who uses terms like AFGE, (Another Fucking Growth Experience), argyle socks, Geeky T-shirts…I think I’m going to stop now before I embarrass myself by hitting a character limit with my needs…

  838. Dark chocolate with sea salt. WITH SEA SALT! Who thinks of these things? It’s absolutely fantastic and the sea salt makes the dark chocolate flavor burst on your tongue.

  840. I can’t live without air, water or food. My family and home are my second indulgences. Then BOOKS. I must escape and must have books.

  841. I want to win! Pick me! Pick me!
    BTW, LOVE your blog. You are my suicide hotline. 🙂

  842. It’s my chi straightener. My hair is a curly, frizzy and dry hot mess. I use it everyday and I can’t live without it…

  843. Tea cups and coffee mugs and colourful plates.

    Orange juice and coffee.

    Cookbooks.

    String instruments.

    Books, chocolate and so much stuff others wrote and I haven’t even read it yet.

  844. Two years ago we bought a lake house, where I spent a recent weekend reading your book and startling my family by laughing out loud with alarming frequency. (Full disclosure: I feel bad that I waited to buy your book until it came out in paperback, but I feel good that I purchased it at FULL PRICE from an independent bookstore). I cannot live without the wall-mounted bottle opener we bought for said lake house. Well, I probably could, but it would be nowhere near as fun.

  845. My sleep mask! It makes living next to a brightly lit parking garage no problem at all 🙂

  846. My kindle has been life changing. I always liked to read, but now, I just -devour- books. AND I was able to clear out my bookshelves and convert to digital books, so when we moved, I had 3 boxes of books instead of 30. Whew!

    And yeah, Doctor Who totally changed my life. Saved my life.

  847. I really can’t get by without my iPod. Whenever I’m having a bad day, slipping into a corner by myself and listening to the right music won’t necessarily make things okay again, but it definitely fills me with enough hope to get me through the day.

  848. I put it off for too long, but finally ‘splurged’ on rain boots for my walks to work. Every time I wore them, I wondered why I waited so long. They were functional in keeping me and my clothes dry, but they were so FUN too. I admit to hopping through some puddles like a 5 yr old.
    My husband likes it cold, so our house thermostat is set very low. I couldn’t survive winter without our dual control heated mattress pad; it is wonderful.

  849. David Lebovitz – that man is a freakin’ genius when it comes to homemade ice cream! Love!

  850. My husband and I both love to cook, and after a few months together we realized that we both use an inordinate amount of garlic (but since we love it and each other kissing is no big deal – just delicious). We purchased a garlic press and I love it! Saves so much time, but we can still use fresh instead of bottled.

  852. Hmm, let’s see.

    I can’t do without my Matrix Biolage Volumatherapie Shampoo & Conditioner and accompanying Volumizing spray. My hair is fairly fine and I need all the help I can get.
    I also have some pretty serious Netflix, Pinterest, and Twitter habits. (All three happen to feed my Doctor Who obsession)
    My recipe for Paula Deen’s White Chocolate Cherry Chunkies. They’re my Christmas cookies. I make them every year and give them away.
    Songza playlists. Especially the “Walking on Sunshine” playlist. Brightens my mood instantly and I can’t help dance when it comes on!
    And I’m kind of attached to my blog. Just because it allows me to express myself without judgment. Very cathartic.

    Just to name a few. We could be here a long time.

  853. Overflow drain cover. Oh my god the baths!!! Up to my neck in hot water right now, as a matter of fact.

  854. * my Kindle. It was a gift, but it has become my go-to entertainment – I can read books (not quite as good as the paper kind, but more portable!), listen to music, watch Netflix/Amazon Prime, play games & look up random crap on the interwebs. It has been a sanity saver during marathon late night/early nursing sessions
    * Doctor Who. I love both the old stuff & the new stuff and for entirely different reasons. There aren’t many Doctor Who stories I wouldn’t watch again!
    * closed-captioning. No more having to turn the volume up & down a million times every time the air kicks on. I can watch something at night without distracting or waking up the baby. Real bonus: I don’t have to turn to my husband and say, “What did s/he just say?” No more missing plot points!
    * LUSH bubble bars. I don’t take a bath often, but these things are amazing. They smell awesome and make a million bubbles that last until the water is cold and I am well past the point of prune-y.

  855. My Kindle Fire. It’s my everything. I’m the most obsessed with it. It truly makes all things possible for me. The two pairs of shorts that I’ve found that are neither hooker short nor granny long. Blue Bell Ice Cream specifically Red Velvet and Cotton Candy (YUM), but really any of the flavors. And my air purifier, without which my cat allergies would probably have already killed me. OH AND this: http://www.amazon.com/ProActive-Frogg-Togg-Chilly-Blue/dp/B003YF7W22
    It smelled funky at first but it really works and is ohmygod amazing. Because I just moved back to Texas and it’s hot.

  856. http://www.TheWoodsCoffee.com has the best Monster Cookies in the world, and I have many more than I should. I don’t think you can get them anywhere but Whatcom County, Washington. Sad for you all, but awesome for me!!

  857. Mostly my Ah-bra and cooling sun burn spray. I am quickly falling for Keurig as well after using one in a hotel.

  858. Boom Chick a Pop popcorn. It is so so good. I eat it for dinner many times and I don’t feel sick afterwards like I do when I eat movie theater popcorn. I usually eat about a half bag in one sitting.

  859. As a knitter, I have no idea how I found patterns before Ravelry.com.

    And iced tea. I can drink gallons, as long as it’s brewed, cold, and preferably Lipton. And don’t add any of that lemon or sweetener to it.

  860. My kindle. According to family legend, I learned how to read at a very young age whilst in the hospital with mono. I was upset that my brother & sister went to the Bozo show without me, so the nurse taught me how to read, and I’ve been doing it ever since. Seriously, family snorkeling in St. John’s? I’m on the beach, under a tree, reading a book. I probably go thru 5-6 books a week, it’s so convenient to carry all of them in one little tablet, especially when I travel.

  861. YES. Everything azzy23 at comment 47 said. Teared up reading it.

    “Our best friends never have fewer than four feet”, Colette.

    + daily checks on the Bloggess for latest posts 🙂
    + the library that is far too close to my house to be safe. The pile of unread books continues to grow…but I love it!
    + nervatona calm, natural anxiety relief tablets that dissolve on your tongue. Saved me from hiding in bathrooms and gets me out of the house on frazzle days.
    + my pillow that I will cry if I ever lose it is so crazy comfortable and helped with my neck problem and headaches
    + silky lingerie, lifts the spirits to wear sumpin purdy
    + my blow the budget cashmere jumper. Best. Buy. Ever.

  862. I double <3 the Venture Brothers and Archer!

    Emerita Pro-Gest. When I start feeling stabby, a little of this overnight saves lives. And a smidge of my sanity. Do your research first, though, please.

    Little Green Cars. Seriously, they have been singing in my head for about two weeks now. I'd say "Make it stop" but I LIKE IT. Trigger warning needed for some, perhaps. The songs have dark lyrics but mad beats & gorgeous harmonies. Big Red Dragon is particularly awesome, for me, anyway.

    The Kopecky Family "Heartbeat". When I need to be happy, it's this.

    WNKU has led me to 2 out of the 3 on my list. It should be first on the list being free AND influential, but then I would have to rewrite this comment. I'm lazy. And possibly comma-challenged.

    20 Feet from Stardom. See it when it is at a theater near you. Or, you know, wait for Netflix. Write it down either way, dammit!

    Also, the word motherfucker has been very handy lately. Just sayin'.

  863. Baby goats. If you’re not lucky enough to have some of your own like I do, YouTube is full of videos of baby goats that will make you smile and forget your troubles for a while. Baby goat therapy is my go-to method of stress relief.

  864. SciFi & Fantasy. I don’t think I’d have survived my childhood without it.

  865. My latest love is simple really, but it warms my soul and completes my night. I’ve taken to putting a hit of milk in my hot black tea… Heavenly.

  866. Holy cow! I’m on my phone and it took me, like, 20 minutes to scroll all the way to the bottom of the page to leave a comment…. Here are some if my current cant-live-with outs:

    1. Fels-Naptha. It’s, like, 89 cents and its the most amazing laundry bar/stain remover on the planet. Seriously.

    2. B&N Nook. Currently reading your book.

    3. Little girl tankinis. My kids are in swim lessons right now and it is sooooo much easier to take them potty in a tankini than a 1-piece. Even my 4-year old agrees.

    4. Chocolate milk. Pregnant. Need it.

  867. Cinnamon sticks and vanilla… if i’m having a crappy day i just put these in a pot with water and the fragrance relaxes and soothes me. Bonus is it makes the house smell nice too.

  868. My real answers would probably be my family and my dogs, or something boring like that. So we’ll stick with the superficial and fun!

    Goodreads. I worked at Borders for seven years and this become my substitute book-fix when Borders went out of business…writing reviews, making recommendations to strangers looking for suggestions, occasionally winning an ARC from their giveaways page. That and the library.

    Roadside America for planning random weird free tourist sites to visit whenever I go anywhere.

    Stracciatella Gelato from Haagen-Dazs and their new chocolate, vanilla peanut butter ice cream bars. Ok, maybe I CAN live without those…but now that I know they exist, I sure don’t want to.

  869. Topping my list is the library (it is the only way I can support my reading habit). Oh and most of what everyone else wrote, I’m feeling very covety tonight.

  870. Not sure if this qualifies as something I “can’t live without,” but I always wanted a whiter smile (shallow, yes) and the regular Crest white strips that you leave on for 30 min never seemed to work for me. I couldn’t tell if anything had changed. But recently I tried the ones that are super strong (you leave them on for two hours, and you’re not supposed to use them more than a handful of times or something), and they’re really something! I’m smiling bigger now.

  871. Yorkshire Gold tea. It’s sooo good, smells like aromatherapy, and it’s soothing and invigorating at the same time. Also, right now, fresh berries. Don’t need amazon for that–just some local farms with good prices, and about an hour to pick ’em.
    Love your list!

  872. I cannot live without my microwaveable heating bag. (It’s got corn or beans or something amazing in there, with some smelly essential oils.) I get stomach aches often, and that bad boy saves me. The heat makes the pain disappear and plus, it somehow makes me sleepy. So, I use it every night.

  873. Re-usable cloth maxi pads I found on Etsy, tried them and bought more. It feels no different than my regular underwear and they really absorb without leaking. (some sellers sell ones made for thong undies as well.) I also found someone selling these great bib’s for adults. I use them myself because I apparently eat like cookie monster. I plan to buy more on my next paycheque. It has saved my new tops from becoming my old tops in a matter of days. I can still wear them! I love the bath sheets too. I also only own 2 of them so far.

  875. The internet. Definitely.
    I don’t know how people used to do without it.

    When it goes down in my house we all go in to crisis mode until it starts up again.

    The other day we were trying to decide if the power went out for normal reasons or if someone neglected the bills. I said I thought the electricity bill was more important than the internet bill. My dad said he would never miss an internet payment (and he hasn’t… but it’s on autopay). If there’s no electricity at least you can get faster browsing on your phone (which could be charged elsewhere). That’s when I realized – if you don’t have the internet there isn’t really any added bonus to having power.

    And, for everyone with deep answers, don’t hate on how shallow mine is. The internet has saved my life. More than once. I think without it the chance of me being institutionalized goes from possible to more than probable. So yay for the internet.

  876. My bed. I’m not even sure how it happened: some secondhand sheets, a hand me down memory foam topper, a lovely bedspread that I bought from my cousin. And suddenly I have the best bed on the whole damn planet. I forget this every day, typically around 11 PM when I’m supposed to be going to sleep. But I am thankfully reminded at whatever ungodly hour I finally decide to crawl under the covers. In fact, I’m going to go remember it right now.

  877. Red Blossom Tea Company. http://www.redblossomtea.com/ They are out of San Francisco and are this amazing family business who personally source all of their teas from China and Taiwan. Seriously, amazingly high quality product at a decent price, with both really accessible stuff and higher end aged/specialty teas. Without them, my dissertation would not be happening. Or at least, it would be happening even slower than it is currently…

  878. My most recent life upgrades: using an epilator instead of shaving, a big fluffy terry bath robe instead of a towel, Cards Against Humanity instead of Apples to Apples.

  879. This is kind of dumb, but…my rice cooker. (Which was actually a hand-me-down from a lady I used to sort-of work with, so it’s my _free_ rice cooker, which is even better.) How did I go for so very many years without a rice cooker??? I got it two years ago, and I eat so much more rice (and other grains) now than I ever did before, because it’s suddenly not an enormous hassle to make them (I realize that is mostly my own little mental block issue, and not the actual truth of a regular stovetop rice-cooking experience, but still — I avoided cooking rice almost all the time for YEARS, seriously).

  880. I can’t live without libraries. Having FREE access to all of those books?? And the other services they provide? I can’t imagine going through life without ever going to a library. It’s probably the best thing to ever happen to me. And I’m not saying that just because I used to work at one 😉

  881. I’ve discovered baby facial recognition software!

    Kidding.

    Actually, I hate to admit it because it’s super dorky but I discovered that cooking with my crock pot is cheap and easy and delicious. Especially beans? It’s easier to cook dried beans in the crock pot than any other method.

    =)

    I’m nerdy and I know it.

  882. I love my Marna Panda skillet. It’s heavy duty and has the cutest panda face ever imprinted on it. It makes cooking even basic things like eggs or pancakes fun.
    Other things that bring joy to my life (besides my boyfriend and friends):
    my Doctor Who Adipose stress ball
    a tiny foot tall LED replica of the Elephant Super Carwash sign (it’s pink and very 50s) in Seattle
    my Uglidoll cookie jar (the head comes off to reveal cookies inside!)
    my taxidermied duck that I got for seven bucks at an estate sale. His name is Ignatius and he’s posed in such a way that it looks like he’s flying over my television.

  883. I cannot live without the following things:
    Tofurkey. Can’t help it. Love it. Yummo.
    My Streets album from Savatage. I’ve been a fan of the band for over 20 years. Fabulous.
    The In Death series from J.D. Robb. Yep, I’m a weirdo.
    The four seasons of Lie To Me with Tim Roth. AMAZING show!
    There’s more but that’s enough for now! lol

  884. fluffy socks — they make such a wonderful cozy indulgence st the end of a long day. Simple, cheap, and satisfying

    Peet’s “Xiao’s Blend” herbal tea — it’s a mix of chamomile, peppermint, and rosehips

    A CSA subscription — fantastic local produce and less time grocery shopping!

    A Swiss ball — use it for exercise, to sit at your desk, to bounce your baby gently, or as a makeshift ottoman to go with a rocking chair

  885. It’s a bonus that the little snowie kinda looks like K9.
    Also, you Americans do everything bigger so a bath sheet over there must be HUGE!

  886. Hyperbole and a half is how I found this blog. On tough days I re-read some of my favorite posts from both and they help. They’ve helped quite a bit and I don’t think I would want to be without them. A good cup of tea, and cake of almost any sort also have a vote.

  887. My Adesso wireless keyboard with built-in trackball. The bottom is curve to fit over the top of my legs so I can type with it in my lap and don’t need to keep my limited desk space in front of the monitor clear for a regular keyboard and mouse.

  890. I can’t live without Dr. Who and Hydrogen Peroxide, Dr. Who because what girl doesn’t dream of being whisked away from it all by a time lord and Hydrogen Peroxide because I hurt myself a lot and its less painful than rubbing alcohol.

  891. Camelbak Eddy water bottle… doesn’t spill, reminds me to stay hydrated and goes everywhere with me 🙂

  892. Babybel cheese is my “luxury” item. I have 5 kids, and don’t EVER (I mean EVER) spend any money on me. But on my trip to Costco I get the giant pack of Babybel cheeses. In the afternoon I let myself have one, and have a moment of feeling all fancy eating the little tiny cheese you have to take out of it’s own personal wax. For about 30 seconds, it’s all about me and a little decadence. That’s either the sweetest or saddest thing you’ve ever read.

  893. My samsung tablet, as it gives me kindle (oh how I love kindle and buying new books when I already have at least 20 I have yet to read), movies, tv on the go, clothes shopping at 2am when I can’t get to sleep and your blog!

    My GHD Eclipse hair straighteners, as without them I look like Phil Spector x 20.

    And my Jack Russell baby, Archie. In fact he should be number 1 on this list, as he makes me feel like the most special, loved person in the world and keeps me sane.

  894. I would say the fact I can now use Whataburger Ketchup on ALL THE FOODS makes me happy.

    And I agree completely about the Neuro Sleep, I haven’t slept so well in a long time.

  895. my contigo coffee mug – it’s spill proof! It’s seriously changed my life – I’ve dropped it multiple times and my precious morning coffee is safe 🙂

  896. My Frenchie pup. http://www.frenchbulldogrescue.org/

    Hardboiled eggs. I’m on an eating plan, and it’s the fastest, easiest way to get the fat and protein count right like 6 times a day (but I don’t eat that many…). Such a perfect little package.

    Another vote for the Kindle Fire. With this case. http://www.amazon.com/kate-spade-new-york-Sprinkle/dp/B005WDVNV0/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1374670050&sr=8-8&keywords=kindle+fire+kate+spade+case

    Iced coffee. From anywhere. With almond or soy milk or really anything that turns it milky and sweet.

    This post and comments. Best. Ever.

  897. Two things: Chapstick (only original, NO flavors) and those oil absorbing facial sheets. I buy generic ones at Target instead of Clean & Clear since I buy so damn many of them.

  898. Hi Jenny! I love your blog and learn SO MUCH from you. The one thing I cannot live without is an herbal pack from Nature’s Sunshine called “Stress Pack.” I was able to go off my anxiety medications because of it and it feels so wonderful to be just on an herbal supplement to curb my anxiety-prone condition. Coffee is my other vice. I don’t drink (I’m allergic to alcohol… yeah) so coffee and my herbal pack are my two must haves in life. I am totally going to try the Neuro Sleep if I am selected to win this Amazon giftcard! That is one thing I still struggle with: a good night’s sleep. 🙂 Blessings to you for being so vulnerable with us and giving voice to all of us who have been imprisoned or are imprisoned by social anxiety and general anxiety issues. You are loved, Jenny!

  899. I can’t live with out B5 liquid hydrating gel for my face. I get so dry, especially in the new england winters and this makes me feel like my face isn’t cracking. I love your list and put some of the items on my wishlist on amazon in case you don’t pick me! 🙂

  900. My 110 lb yellow lab, seriously could not imagine being without her. She is the most wonderful loving part of my day, and yes I do have children! Without her my panic attacks and depression would ruin my ability to care for my family…..
    Oh and also a Keurig coffee maker- such a great day starter.

  901. I can’t live without sunblock! Even though I still burn anyway. *sigh*

  902. It’s kinda sappy but my husbands hugs are what I can’t live without! Especially on rough days they help me keep going and are totally free!

  903. My big old chefs knife, perfectly weighted and an exact fit for my hand. That’s not weird or dangerous or anything else that could be misconstrued from that statement…

  905. I suppose saying that I can’t live without books is a cop-out, because that isn’t a single thing, but I am quite seriously more likely to forget my purse or my keys than my book when I leave the house. And if I find myself without reading material on the tram, I get quite stressed!

    The other thing would be my slow cooker – the whole thing where I can come home from work and dinner is waiting for me is absolutely *magic*.

  906. Definitely Lubriderm shea and cocoa butter lotion. I have the driest skin that ever was dry, and if I go on an overnight and forget the lubriderm, I get very antsy. It doesn’t just soak in like water, but really moisturizes all day. Plus this one smells delicious and not mediciney like some lotions. And under $10! Love.

  907. Things I can not live without…

    public library- endless supply of books, videos, music and recommendations

    carmex moisture plus (reg and tinted)- so good and cheap… found on sale at CVS

    Orbit sweet mint gum- i drink a lot of coffee/ ice tea and then have to talk to a lot of people.

    Organix moroccan argan oil lotion- smells great(not like suntan lotion), and a little goes a long way.

    olay face brush- didn’t think I would like it, but I use it everyday

    public library- endless supply of books, videos, music and recommendations(already said, but I love the library)

    ipad mini- I mainly use it for games(stress relief!), but I have been know to research things on the web, read email and sometimes pay bills.

    Queen Helene green clay mask/ green clay scrub- I feel I truly owe this for deceiving people into not seeing all the miles on my face.

  908. Greek yogurt – but only in the Greek Gods brand. I’m trying to eat better, especially eating for my PCOS. When I crave sweets or desserts, I take some of the plain yogurt and cut a fresh nectarine into it. The sour plain yogurt and the sweet of a fresh nectarine is the best thing I’ve ever had. I could eat that combination 8 times a day. I wish Greek Gods would make a gallon tub of yogurt. I would eat the SHIT out of that.

  910. Ugh. So much great stuff.I feel so much pressure right now. But really, it’s lame but the thing I “discovered” in the last couple of years is the public library. I mean I went a lot as a kid, but then I started taking my kids and, guys, they have all this free stuff. I mean like books, yes, but really kick as programs. Maybe my library is just awesome, but want to learn Farsi? For free? No problem. Want your kids to do Kindermusick or Gymboree but don’t want to pay for it? They have all the same stuff. So really. The library. Check it out (had har har)

  911. Wow, this list is intimidating.
    LOVE independant bookstores and mom and pop places in general, but also have to admit that
    Amazon Prime combined with Suscribe and Save would make my list. IT COMES RIGHT TO YOUR DOOR. Working full time with Twins in diapers and an hour commute, the time and money saved has helped save my sanity, but if I’m being totally honest, it probably hasn’t saved me too much in the money department because, IT COMES RIGHT TO YOUR DOOR.
    Joss Weadon would also make the list. The man is a genius.
    I think I really need to try that Neuro Sleep, I can’t remember the last time I slept well.

  912. So many good ideas here. My partial list:
    my dogs, who keep me company and keep me active.
    the internet, which has saved me money many times. And made it way too easy to find things to buy.
    Books – mostly mysteries and science fiction
    peppermint oil – to sooth the ache in my neck from hunching over a computer
    Lay’s Kettle-cooked potato chips.

  914. Okay, pretty much Neil Gaiman. Ocean at the End of the Lane is EPIC! So there’s that. Tea. I can’t live without tea. Iced tea is my absolute fave. I drink mate every day. But I don’t drink it out of a gourd like in Argentina and Uruguay. I make a really strong tea and turn it into a latte with almond milk. Just this weekend, on Amazon I found out I can make mate in a coffee press. This information has CHANGED MY LIFE! Fantastic cup of mate every day since!

  915. I can’t live without my Ikea skillet. Because it makes the perfect egg every time. And it only cost around $11.00.

  917. My son – The light of my life. And his Aspergers makes me look at the world differently than I always have.
    Books – I can’t imagine a day without reading.
    The Walking Dead tv series – Norman Reedus, need I say more?
    Russell Stover Dark Chocolate Raspberry Whip Eggs – Only available at Easter, but the best treat ever!

  920. I never get anything free, so even getting a stuffed dead mouse for free would be exciting. 😛

  921. Disneyland. That place is my antidepressant. Our family has been trying to heal for the past two years and I swear the second we walk onto Main Street, everyone chills the hell out and has a nice time. We’re pretty conservative with our money, but I will sell a kidney to keep our annual passes. Not my kidney though. I think I’d rather get a little commission after really committing to the sale of someone else’s kidney. I need mine.

  922. Ooh! I’ll have to check out the microwavable slippers…I’m a big fan of my “Bed Buddy”. Just a tube filled with buckwheat, but it’s soothing powers on my neck when warmed or cooled make life much better.

  923. Yeah. My French press. Those huge wine glasses that hold quite literally an ENTIRE bottle of wine. It totally makes it ok, because you know…It’s JUST one glass. Peppermint essential oil for headaches and my carpal tunnel syndrome. a Bluetooth headset for my iPhone so I am slightly less likely to get into a car accident. I say slightly less because I am still a horrible driver. That’s what would be on my favorite things list. 🙂

  925. Totally addicted to your blog. And tried to listen to your book on cd while driving. Big mistake. You know how you can’t keep your eyes open when you sneeze? Really. Impossible. Your brains will blow out your ears or something like that. Well, it turns out you can’t see very well to drive when you’re laughing so hard the tears are running down your face. Missed a few red lights that way. But all’s well! Just a caution to others.

    What can’t I live without?
    — internet/computer. I’d so much rather interact with people via email/IM/Facebook than on the phone.
    — my portable heater in my office. Why is it that we wait all year long for summer to get here. And when it finally does they crank up the AC in the office so it feels like winter again?

    Love your stuff, Jenny! Thanks for being so irreverent. Now I don’t feel quite so guilty for being that way myself.

    Julie

  926. I can’t live without my twitter. Seriously it is bad. But as for as for a thing? I can’t live without the library because I love reading but am broke.

  927. My MST3K Collection: I began recording the show during it’s second season, back in 1990, after my uncle introduced me to the show before Thanksgiving dinner (and football). I was immediately in love with the idea of people making fun of movies and just HAD to watch it as often as possible. Over the years, and barring power outages due to stormy New England weather, I recorded nearly every episode until the last one aired in ’99 (a dark, dark day for me). In the subsequent years, I have done a little “tape trading” (tho I upgraded to getting the first season on fan-recorded DVDs years ago) to nearly complete my collection–I don’t consider having them on one’s hard drive as “owning” them, however. I buy each boxed set as it becomes available (in fact, I received the newest set Tuesday–#27!) and meticulously go over my list of episodes every time I get a new set, just to double check whether the TV gods have gifted me with a long sought-after episode. Only 11 left to acquire…
    It’s been my favorite tv show for 20+ years, and I still pop in an episode at least once a week and have a good time with Joel, Mike and the bots.

    My Birkenstocks: I bought these 20 years ago, as an 18th birthday present to myself, and have worn them so often the leather is as soft and supple as a baby sea lion. A few years ago, when I needed to get them replugged (new cork put in) and re-soled, the clerk at the shoe store had never SEEN the style that I presented. Apparently they stopped making that style years before. He was amazed and I felt old. I’d never replace them, tho, they’re too comfy. Okay, sure, just the leather straps are all that is left to the original pair, but it’s reeeeeeeeeeeeally soft leather.

    My old pair of Etnies: No I do not have a show fetish, but these Etnies sneakers are so damn comfy, I can’t get rid of them. Etnies are skater shoes (for the folks who don’t know), and while they keep the same style NAMES, each year, new versions of each style come out. These are a super comfy pair that I got about 10 years ago that I love so much, I only wear them around the house. I’m afraid that they’ll get wet outside and start stinking and I’d HAVE to throw them out. As of now, they don’t smell, and are as comfy as a pair of new slippers.

    Socks: Brand new socks are the BEST. My girlfriend loves to give me a hard time about how often I buy them, but it’s the little things, and I like soft fluffy socks.

    My cel collection: I’m a nerdy girl, I love animation, I even aspired to be an animator until the tide shifted from hand-drawn to computer animation. My love for creating cartoons died when that shift occurred, however my love for the medium remained strong. I have several cels, all from favorite anime series of mine, and I could never part with them. It’s always nice to thumb thru my books or look at my walls and day dream about the “good old days” of animation.

    Seltzer water: I just love it. Polar seltzer, raspberry lime or orange vanilla to be specific. I rarely drink regular soda, being more of a water or tea girl, but when i want the bubbles, I grab a bottle of seltzer and enjoy.

    My smartphone: I can listen to Sirius all night at work thanks to my handy dandy Droid, I can’t imagine life without it, because frankly, I hate the crap that the guys that I work with like to listen to.

    Books: Because I love to read.

    My tea infuser: I buy a lot of tea from Teavana, thanks to my girlfriend taking me to one of their stores, and some days nothing beats a nice glass (or mug) of tea.

    I could list a ton more, mostly because I’m a gamer nerd and can’t live without certain nerdy things, but I fear that I already sound too nerdy.

  928. *The bath oil by a company called Booth something – you can find it at Ride-Aid.

    *Those Best American Short Story compilations that come out every year. They really are the …best.

  929. My Kindle and Carmex chapstick. Couldn’t live without either. 🙂

  930. Udi’s gluten-free products. I don’t eat much processed food but when I do, Udi’s is wonderful.

    Chaco’s sandals.

    Fresh, organic produce. Hurray for gardens!

    Jennifer Crusie and Charles de Lint books

  931. I can’t live without books. Which can be considered ironic because it took me a very long time to learn how to read. I resented books when I was a child and didn’t understand how my entire family had a love for reading and I couldn’t figure it out. However, thanks to the patience of one of my classmates grandmothers and to finally finding a genre of books that I enjoy I was able to join my family and their love of reading. Although we may differ on the genre of books that we like to read. Currently I am reading Fear and Loathing at Rolling Stone: The Essential Writing of Hunter S. Thompson (which I picked up at an indie bookstore in Ottawa, called Black Squirrel Books, it is an amazing store). I am also reading Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill. Something else book related that I cannot live without is the website goodreads.com, it is absolutely fantastic and encourage book lovers to check it out!

  932. I wasn’t going to comment, because I just felt awkward trying to get something for nothing, but then you mentioned SLOW LORIS!

    My Aspergers boy loves slow lorises. He’s drawn pictures of them. He’s fond of all toothless mammals and peacock mantis shrimp, and ugly yet awesome creatures that most people don’t like. He knows almost every species of bird, too.

    He’s hard to live with sometimes, medication is a savior formus, but I couldn’t live without him.

  933. I can’t live without my iPhone. When I dropped it in the toilet and had to be without out for 3 days, I felt like I had an appendage missing. I lost every to do list, grocery list, shit I need to remember list. Apparently I don’t own an alarm clock either – didn’t realize until I couldn’t use my iPhone to croon sweet nothings to me in the morning. I had to stand in long lines without anything to entertain me. I had to MapQuest everything before I left my house. I was bereft without my iPhone.

  934. I can’t live without Paper Mate liquid flair medium point pens. They write perfect and are the right size, not too skinny not to fat, to write with. I love to use them in a variety of colors when I am color coding my calendar for the month!

    And Spotify… It is so much better than paying for music, when you can just listen to whatever whenever for free on your computer. One of the best inventions ever.

  936. I can’t live without Penzeys spices: http://www.penzeys.com/. You walk in and it’s like Heaven for your nose. They have a sandwich sprinkle that’s probably just grated MSG (I’m not really sure in what form one might find MSG), but it is the tits. They also have a chicken taco blend that, particularly when added to ground venison, is the most delicious thing on the planet.

  937. sex.
    co bigelow mentha lip balm stick…like chapstick, only a zillion times better!
    twitter.
    my couch.
    movies / the theater.
    bonfires.
    smiling.

  938. A skoy cloth. They are amazing. I don’t understand how one square, flat, spongey thing can clean everything, but it does. I’m pretty sure that they are made with unicorn hair.

  939. Ginger Beer! Non alcoholic and waaay better than ginger ale. I little hard to find where I live, but worth the effort.

  940. melatonin tablets. i do a lot of traveling for my job and I usually have to go to work as soon as I arrive, so these pills help me get over jet lag much faster. they’re the only thing that’s ever worked for me. could be a placebo for all I know, but who cares?

  944. If I’m being obvious, I can’t live without coffee (which ticks off my husband to no end), but alternately, I can’t live without: my coffee-hating husband, my dogs, my crazy family, books (fiction, please), reading blogs (I’m slightly obsessed), super fun friends, Clinique All About Eyes gel formula…I could go on.

  945. I can’t live without:
    Chocolate. Only the dark, wonderful kind. Preferably with nuts.
    My portable heater for my room. I snuggle up to it with a blanket in the winter.
    Did I mention chocolate?
    Oh yeah, and my cat. He’s OK I guess. But I like chocolate better, because chocolate.

  947. This totally makes me sound like a kiss-up, but I can no longer live without my copy of Let’s Pretend This Never Happened. It’s true! I get awful panic attacks at night and when I start feeling like I can’t breathe (which is a lot) I pull out this book and start reading. After a chapter or two of laughing so hard my sides hurt, I realize, “Hey she get’s me!” and I feel better. So that’s my thing. Even if I don’t win, thanks for being there for me(but it would be nice to win). 🙂

  948. I cannot live without books. I love books. E-books, paper, or online somewhere in cyberspace. I. Love. Books.

  949. Current things I can’t live without:
    Dr. Pepper! I wish that I could be like all the cool people & like coffee, but I hate it, no matter how it’s made! So I get my caffeine fix from DP.
    My smartphone! Seriously, how did we live without these things?!?
    My Baggallini cross body purse! It hold everything I need it to. I have several purses & this is my go to purse for everything.
    AC! It’s hot in Texas & I don’t know how anyone could survive without it!
    I’m sure there’s more, but I’ll keep it short 🙂

  950. This is weird, but if you even remotely think you might maybe like feta cheese, you owe it to yourself to try a brand called Valbreso. If your grocery store has a proper cheese section with fancy pants cheese that doesn’t come in a zip top bag, you might be able to find it. So good.

  951. Free audiobooks (or ebooks) through the public library via overdrive … regular books too, but it’s nice to stay in pajamas if you want to!

  953. The cakewrecks blog–because it makes me laugh every morning.
    Your blog, because it’s funny and thought-provoking.
    The pioneerwoman’s blog, which helps me make better food than I’ve ever cooked.

  954. My husband has had a Kindle for years and I’ve never used it, but I just discovered that I can check out library books on it. Game-changer! No more forgetting to take back the piles of books on your nightstand for six months! Now I just have to remember to delete the books from my account, which is much easier as it doesn’t involve me getting in the car and driving somewhere.

  955. It’s stupid, but my husband is something I can’t live without. I know I’m still in that blissful “newly wed” phase, but still. I struggle with my weight, and though I’ve lost a lot of it and keep losing, I still end up hating myself and my body — but only when I see myself in a mirror. When I’m around him, he makes me feel so beautiful. With him, I am gorgeous. He says he’s never going to die – he’ll have his brain transferred into a robot so he can live forever. I suppose, then, I can’t live without a robot-husband, either.

    Otherwise..books. ‘The Empty Crown’, ‘Moving Zen’, ‘Totto-chan: The Little Girl at the Window’ and ‘Perks of Being a Wallflower’ are books that I read and reread until the spines fall apart and they no longer smell like print and paper but like my hands. They’re my friends and they never fail to center me or make me smile. And Harry Potter. Always Harry Potter.

    Soft bedsheets. You spend over a third of your life sleeping, or at least in bed, and I love, love, love sinking into bed and nuzzling my head against those soft soft sheets. Even on nights when I can’t sleep, I’m still wrapped up in softness. It’s like being inside a cat’s tummy, if cats were inside-out so the fur was inside. Then again, hairballs, so maybe it is like a cats tummy. If I ever shrink down to kitty-food size, I’ll let you know.

    This super-absorbent hair towel. I have thick hair and I don’t *want* to spend an hour trying to blow-dry it (I am ashamed – I don’t even know HOW to blow-dry my hair.) It’s thin but slurps up all that water and then my hair can dry in normal-person-time, not omg-it’s-been-six-hours-how-are-you-still-damp-time.

    And Harry Potter. In all its forms. Specifically the character of Snape. It’s hard to put into words how much I adore that character, and have since the first book. Maybe it’s the years at being taken only at face value, the reminder that inside someone there is so much *more* is precious to me. I don’t know. He’s amazing, the entire series is amazing. I will never grow out of it. Ever. (Even if the neighbors do look at me a little funny)

    My stupid cheap ren faire dress. It’s green and silver and cost me more to fix the sleeves for my fat arms than it did to order off of ebay. It falls to the floor and makes me feel confident and clever and lovely. No one has dropped to their knees in worship yet, but that doesn’t stop me from spinning around my kitchen in it.

    *whispers* And my mixer. I love my kitchenaid mixer. I mean, my god. That thing is amazing.

  956. Hmm…what can’t I live without.
    I’m sure others have put witty, urbane comments but since I am blanking on what ‘urbane’ even means I’ll just put a ‘blah’ comment.
    Three pillows.
    No reason why, no story about Grandpa and his famous three pillows and the President or Uncle Ned and his ‘saved buddy Mike with three pillows and squirrel underwear’
    just
    Three Pillows

  957. The Welcome to Night Vale podcast. It just makes me so happy getting to spend time in that strange creepy world. Free on iTunes! Download it! THE GLOW CLOUD COMMANDS YOU.

  958. TED Talks and Stuff You Should Know podcasts along with long-ish bike rides.

    The frother stir-y thing that makes it like you have a latte at home, but with way less effort and cleanup.

  959. Crocs! I know they are ugly and dangerously slippery on wet floors but they are so lightweight and comfortable! I have been suffering from a very painful heel spur for over a year and now that my foot is healing, I can wear Crocs again. I still can’t go barefoot (even inside my house!) so these shoes are a nice change from the sneakers and orthodics that I have been having to wear.

  960. Catch 22. I love a good book that can make me laugh, cry, cringe, and hoot all at the same time, and this is such a classic. Also, Neil deGrasse Tyson. I love that guy.

  961. Red Vines. Not that Twizzlers crap, Red Vines. And I don’t share it with anyone. Nope.

  962. Drawing a blank of things I love but I wanted to enter! Oh I know, It’s a 10 hair care products are my newest thing, they tame my big frizzy mess o’hair! also the tumblr site, suri’s burn book, love her snark! she reminds me of a grown-up Jennie Lawson! thanks for doing this!

  963. This cherry pitter from Lee Valley:

    http://www.leevalley.com/en/garden/page.aspx?p=64173&cat=2

    I LOVE cherries but I hate accidentally biting down on the stone and the process of spitting them out. It really used to dampen my enthusiasm for eating this amazing fruit but this pitter actually works and means that I can eat cherries with no risk attached and put them in fruit salad to oohs and aahs of friends and feed cherries to my kids without having to put them in my mouth first.

  964. My grocery trolley. It’s one of those folding wire rolling carts and it is mostly responsible for me handling the transition from having a car to not having one without an issue. The mile home from the grocery store is waaaaay easier when I can load the groceries into a cart instead of carrying them in a hiking pack, and I don’t need to make multiple trips when using the trolley. Bonus: The trolley holds exactly my weekly budget for groceries.

  965. Terry Pratchett books have saved me from a lot of dark times in my life. Also my dogs and cats, because they make me get up and do stuff when I do not want to!

  966. A few of the things that make my life worthwhile: a blender, Anthem cherry cider, Talenti coconut gelato, down pillows, NPR, thrift stores, Grocery Outlet, Dr. Who, Firefly, M*A*S*H, books, board games, kitty snuggles (and now I sound like Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music…)

  967. Something I have discovered that I just can’t live without? Dr.Who and my kindle fire my father bought me for Christmas. I never thought I could enjoy e-books as much as I have been. I think I have about 80 books downloaded and waiting for me to read. I thought I lost it one day and had a minor panic attack.

  968. Lip balm, specifically Burt’s Bees. I have freakishly dry lips, and I exacerbate the dryness by chewing them when I’m thinking or nervous, or concentrating, or basically all the time. So I go through the Burt’s like crazy.

  969. Sweets – ice cream, cake, cookies, pie. I just can’t seem to break the sugar/carb habit.

  970. Stories, both other people’s and my own. I don’t think I could stay sane without being able to explore the world through the tales we all tell. I’m grateful to you for finally convincing me to watch Doctor Who, and for your book and blog. You’ve helped me more than you can know. Thank you.

  972. I couldn’t live without Joss Whedon. I love that man! I love all the things he creates. Seriously Buffy and Firefly are the best things ever!

  973. Ice cream. Life is not worth living if I don’t have ice cream. All cotton sateen sheets are my biggest indulgence/greatest need in life. Something about sliding into bed and having soft cotton sheets smelling fresh from the laundry helps to banish my insomnia. Or it’s all mental. Which wouldn’t surprise me.

  975. I love your blog! I don’t have anything to add to the list though. I can pretty much do without most of the crap I have………….

  976. Smooth McGroove’s acappella video game covers on youtube

    Unflavored sparkling water, preferrably Crystal Geyser

    Netflix

    Amazon Prime

  978. Some things that I love:
    My Kindle Fire!
    Books written by Ilona Andrews, Larry Correia, Rachel Vincent and Patricia Briggs(I really could go on and on and on and on…)
    TiVo
    Beautiful beads to make necklaces, earrings and bracelets
    Crazy colored pens like lime green, alien purple and insane fuchsia
    My iPhone
    Diet Pepsi
    My comfy couch
    -and-
    As many beauty products I can get my hands on because I need all the help I can get!!

  980. i love my movies and tv shows on dvd. I rarely watch anything live (except for masterchef….) so pick me so I can get more movies!!!!

  981. My Keurig. People can say what they want about the quality of the coffee or the cost or whatever else, but there have been days I wouldn’t have made it to work without this handy little invention. Hell- there are days I wouldn’t have successfully opened my eyelids without this handy little invention. I NEED it.

  982. My dog is my Xanax. Giving him a belly rub is the highlight of the day. On the more prosaic side, I’m obsessed with my powder sunscreen.

  983. My cheap, plastic 7″ android tablet that I don’t have worry is too expensive to break yet holds a few hundred books, checks email and web browses if there’s wifi nearby. And no, my phone can’t do all that, because I have an auditory processing “issue” and hate the telephone machine so mine is from 2004.

    End-of-season gardening clearance. Enough bulbs and rhyzomes to make me smile in January for $4. So what if 10% fail? I’ll have all these pretty flowers and my neighbors will be insanely jealous. Or would be if they every said, “Hi” but I get the feeling we ruined the neighborhood for them.

    Derby skates. My daughter started and wanted someone on the rink with her. Now I’m up to to twice a week, lost five pounds and feel like I’m not always just a lazy, depressed lump. Just the rest of the time, when I actually am one.

    And this, because it makes me cry with happiness that people who were once institutionalized and committed suicide just for being born different can now be themselves, have a normal childhood and find love: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/23/transgender-teenage-couple-arin-andrews-katie-hill_n_3639220.html

  984. My local grocery store sells handmade salted caramels for 99 cents and they are my happy place. Also my awesome sleep mask that blocks out all of the light. Without that I would never sleep again.

  985. I am so bummed because I can almost guarantee I won’t win this, but so excited because a small part of me holds out hope!
    Seriously, your blog is the only bright spot in my day sometimes. So $350 to buy cool stuff to make it easier to have a crappy month sounds good.

  986. This makes me so sad because I can pretty much guarantee I won’t win. But so happy because I still hold out hope that I might.
    I love Neil Gaiman’s books with a passion, but Orson Scott Card and Simon R. Green sit in places of honour on the same shelf as his.

  987. Palmer’s cocoa butter. The only moisturiser that can transform my horrendously dry elbows from rough as a badger’s arse to something vaguely resembling human skin.

  988. My TiVo suggestions. So many things I would never have thought of on my own. And you, of course!

  989. A packed travel bag for bathroom items. My favorite, and one that just so happens to carry a lifetime warranty (they will send you a new one FREE if yours breaks down EVER) is this one from LL Bean:
    http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/73882?productId=879642&subrnd=0&qs=3016887_pmd_google_pla

    The awesome and clever things about it are (1) the hook (you don’t have to take up counter space when you travel – just hook on sturdy towel rack and (2) the removable mesh inner part that holds your shower stuff , which you can hook on the shower rod.

    I have obviously spent too much time thinking about it, but what is truly awesome for me is I keep it packed all the time. I use travel size containers and refill when needed, but basically I can grab it and go and don’t have to worry that I forgot my contact solution or whatever.

  990. Rosebud Salve. You can put it on chapped lips, dry patches, tame flyaways, it smells good, it’s not greasy, the tin is cute, it rules. The end.

  991. I have way too many things that I can’t live without. First, are my dogs and cats. Second is books of all kinds (biographies, mysteries, sci-fi, history, etc). Fourth, my CSA and FruitShare boxes. Fifth, Doctor Who, which I started watching on PBS with the third Doctor when I was about five. Can’t live without my Doctor’s.

    As for actual products, the furminator is my latest love. It works fantastic on the cats, and I have so much less hair blowing around. Also, my croc flip flops, which still aren’t the best looking but are super comfy.

  992. I simply can’t live without books. I read as much as I possibly can. I love fantasy, particularly from a woman’s pov.

  993. Things I would give up if you threatened my family. Probably.

    ~Body Dew Silky Body Oil
    ~The books of Terry Pratchett, John Scalzi and David Eddings
    ~Doctor Who/Firefly/Buffy the Vampire Slayer
    ~Andes Mints

  994. I just can’t live without books, preferably from the library I’m so fortunate to live close to. They’ve gotten me through difficult, painful times and happy, relaxing times and I will always, always read. And not on a digital reader thingy, either.

  995. I couldn’t live without eBay. It’s my thrift store for clothing! You must know your measurements, however.

  996. First, I LOVE Jenny Lewis. Rilo Kiley is one of my favorites!!

    This is something I thought was frivolous but it turned out to be something we use every day: silicon lily pads.

    http://www.chefsresource.com/charles-viancin-extrasmall-lilypad-silicone-lid.html?gclid=CKip3-r7yLgCFSNyQgodiEUADQ

    They can go over any bowl of left-overs so you don’t have to find a lid, and you can also cover stuff in the microwave so your food doesn’t explode. You can also cover food to keep it warm before dinner, or to keep out flies. (yuck.)

  998. Kind and funny people. Again, you can’t buy them on amazon, but they make the a**holes (who are a minority but a vocal one) bearable.

  1000. I started watching Doctor Who because of you and it changed my life. I can’t even imagine how different my mind would be without BBC America. But the one thing I can’t live without that is so amazing is VINEGAR. How lame is that!? But as a germaphone who is afraid of unnatural chemicals, it’s perfect for making every bit of my house (and me) squeaky clean and germ free! I started cleaning with organic homemade cleaners a few years ago and it’s changed my life. I’m kind of a looser-weirdo, but The Doctor always makes it better.

  1001. I love our white noise machines. Best. Invention. Ever.
    We live in a side by side duplex, and the noise from the neighbors used to keep our kids awake. Now they sleep through everything.

  1002. I recently discovered Coconut Oil. It is some seriously awesome stuff! You can put that shit on everything & it’s cheap. Great as a moisturizer, hair treatment, shaving cream substitute, great on sunburn and you can cook with it.

  1003. Things I can’t live without?

    Nicole Drying Drops – Oh my gosh, best Christmas gift ever! They are little miracles in a curvy bottle.

    Rubbing alcohol – Soak a washcloth with it and rub down everything glass, all the knick-knacks, plumbing fixtures, glass, mirrors, sinks, etc. Leaves things sparkly for pennies.

    Crocs sandals – Don’t care what anyone thinks, my feet hurt all the time so I wear what feels good. See also: Uggs.

    Netflix and Amazon Prime. We can watch period pieces to our hearts content.

    Decor Steals. Love their deal a day site. I’m always finding more stuff I NEED for my house.

    My hardwood floors. They were one of the big compromises when we built our house. I wanted dark walnut handscraped hardwoods. He wanted the blonde ones which looked like a gym floor. We went with maple in a cinnamon color. It’s gorgeous!

    Talenti Gelato – Oh my gosh, I’m not an ice cream person, but I AM a gelato person!

    Our central vac. So glad we went with it.

    Outback Steakhouse new mini milkshakes – and I don’t even like Milkshakes!

    George Foreman Grill. As much as I detest a bunch of little kitchen devices, this one has a space on a pull-out shelf in my kitchen.

    TED talks. Especially “The Power of Introverts” and “Your Elusive Creative Genius”

    Winning! But not like Charlie Sheen. I love it when I win a sweepstakes prize or giveaway prize. It really needs to happen more often. 🙂

    Leonard Cohen. He’s brought me a lot of happiness.

  1004. I’m behind on a lot of things because I just moved back from Africa; I found the tv show Chuck waaaaaaaaaaay after everyone else and I take those dvds around the world with me.

    x10 Cellars Muscat Blanc is delicious and local to Texas and not expensive, so that also makes it onto my list.

  1005. Definitely Doctor Who, that show’s gotten me through some pretty rough spots.

    I Kill Giants by Joe Kelly–this comic is one I give to people to show the incredible stories that can be told through comics. It’s seriously beautiful and powerful and awesome and I pick it up whenever I feel like I’m struggling.

    Burt’s Bees Hand Salve–amazing stuff and is the only thing that makes my trashed hands feel better after a long day climbing.

    Talenti Sea Salt Caramel Gelato–Oh my god, I could eat this every day…

  1006. My dreadlock. I only have one and he is named Ric. He is 6.5 years old and has a half year seniority on my boyfriend. In all matters.
    I have a hair twirling situation/disorder, but if I channel my twirling impulse to just messing with my dread, it becomes a constructive habit, because dreads become better and more robust the more you fondle them. Also, instead of looking like your run-of-the-mill, hair-twirling psychopath, I feel like I look more like an enlightened gypsy queen channeling the magical powers of my magical hair knot.

  1007. Cookbooks! It’s an addiction…. Especially baking ones with lots of pictures

  1008. Love your list of favorite things! I couldn’t live without my Kindles.I read everywhere. I am learning to love Feedly since those google bastards took away my google reader. I still love you, Google. Just bring back my google reader.

    Unfortunately I couldn’t live without my migraine medicine. Well, I could – but life would suck. So I’m very thankful for that.

    And I couldn’t live without my camera. It keeps me sane and lets me tell my story in a way that I never could with words alone. <3

  1009. First off your ZZZZ-juice … get some Melatonin pills, but they have to be SUB-LINGUAL (as in dissolve under your tongue). That and a Valerian pill = sleeping like the dead.

    Here’s my list of “CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT”:

    1. Pentel Slicci Pens from Japan. Amaze-balls smooth ink in a SUPER-fine (0.4mm!) tip. Find ’em on eBay for the best price … close runner up are Stabilo pens from Germany.
    2. BBC’s “Top Gear” and “Call the Midwife” … weird dichotomy of shows, but they are both so, so good.
    3. Cheesestrings … I love good, expensive cheese, but it’s not lunchtime at work without a Cheesestring. I know, I’m not 8-years-old anymore, but there’s just something about Cheesestrings …

    “Brock, say ‘SCUBA'”
    “SCUBA. Yeah, that is weird.”

    “Lana. Lana! LANA! LANA!!!!”
    “What?!?!?!”
    “Daaaaangerzone!!!”

  1010. I can’t live without my Salt sunglasses!!! Makes me look good even when I’m dying on the inside. I appreciate ANY item that can do that.

  1012. My Turbie Twist! I don’t always have my towel falling off my head anymore.

  1013. Dorky answer, but completely true:
    Bodywash.
    I tend to like the Yuzu one from Shi-Kai. It is not annoyingly smelly and my dry, ultra-picky skin does not freak out when I use it, unlike so many other things.
    However, just not having to fumble around with bar soap is the part I like best. I don’t need to clean up that gross not-quite-soap gloop that always resides in the bottom of any style of soap dish/rack/block/grill/bedbathandbeyond nightmare. Also, no creepy hair-on-the-soap issue. You can loan your bottle of bodywash to a friend and it comes back to you without feeling, uh, tainted. That’s right, some people think bar soap is self-cleaning and use it directly on all the cracks and folds. I am not okay with that.
    Bodywash. Less creepy than bar soap. Love it.

  1014. I couldn’t live without your book, Jenny. A friend gave me a copy the week after my mother died following a short but heroic fight against leukemia. I never thought I would laugh again; your book made me laugh and kept me from going to a very dark place, one I have visited before and don’t much care for. I have bought it for other friends when they are going though something difficult. You’re a life saver. Or a Lifesaver. I like those a lot, too.

  1015. I can not keep up with my keys. I have a Grundtal magnetic knife rack from Ikea. It’s near the door and I put my keys on it as soon as I walk in. And then I can actually find them when I need to leave for work in a timely fashion. If I remember to put them on the magnetic strip. I also think I need to get one for work.

  1016. I cannot live without Coffee. Seriously. My daily routine falls to shite when my system is uncaffienated. I’ve gone so far as to chew grounds like tabacky when we’ve run out of water.(we live with a well, that crap is undrinkable)

    I cannot live without Showtunes. When I have really, really bad days, or when I’m feeling any kind of lonely, I sing them to myself until I’m belting them out around my house. I did a homemade rendition of Suddenly Seymour to my deck as I was painting it, and scared the neighbourhood cuz I didn’t notice people at the hardware store behind my house.

    Pinterest. Never have I simultaneously learned so much and wasted so much time on that site. And I actually put about half of the pins I see to use, which is pretty impressive for me.

    Youtube. One channel to rule them all, and on the internets, bind them.

    My children. They are what keeps me grounded and full of whimsy at the same time.

  1017. Chai lattes made with real tea bags not that fake sugar syrup. Craft supplies-all types but especially cotton fabric and yarn and of course my knitting needles and sewing machine cuz yarn and fabric are no fun if you can’t turn them into awesome.The trail system we put in on our little bit of paradise-I hate to admit how much money we have sunk into these trails but every day I go for a walk in our own private park and it doesn’t matter how crap the day was, it melts away. The bears and deer like our trail system too so there is always the surprise factor as well as the serenity that the trails can inspire. Books because they are books-who can live without books and my purple sofa where I spend a lot of time enjoying my chai lattes, reading and crafting and just hanging out.

  1018. Latte flavored coconut water. Sooooo good and it has caffeine. Score.

  1019. I love your blog and I love your book!! I have read that book 4 times already!
    I really have to much to list but I just can’t live without music and books! or my family ,lol, but music/books is an everyday thing in this house!
    I also have a new fascination with craft paper since I redid my kitchen floor using an idea I saw on Pinterest and it looks so freaking cool! I definitely recommend it!! I have gone bananas with putting craft paper on everything now! If I won I would totally do every floor in my house with the craft paper technique,lol, and also buy lots of books and music!!

  1020. There are many things that I can’t live without, product wise, but for starters:

    An iced venti caramel Macchiato sub Hazelnut (this is how I survive summers home with kids)
    Books. Any books.
    Good bread. A favorite is Dave’s Killer Bread in Good Seed. I also love home baked breads.
    Biotin (keeps my hair from falling out. Love stress)
    Pickles
    Dark chocolate

  1021. My Burt’s Bees chapstick. My Kindle (on which I have a zillion of Neil Gaiman books). My ancient iPod (the one with the clicky wheel). My dog, Jack Jack the Wonder Dog. This list could really take on a life of it’s own if I don’t stop.

  1022. You made me a little sad just now. I scrolled down the list of “free or really cheap” and saw “Neil Gaiman” and my heart leapt thinking I could buy Neil Gaiman or maybe a small clone of him and instead it was about Sandman. Don’t get me wrong, Sandman probably saved my boyfriend’s life growing up and I’ve read it half a dozen times myself…sadly though, it doesn’t amount to the idea that I could have my own personal Neil Gaiman. Who wouldn’t want that? He could tell me bedtime stories in his marvelous accent.

  1023. Douglas Labs sublingual melatonin 3mg. Knocks me out like a brick to the head, whereas other melatonin brands won’t even touch me. I have no idea why this is. I suspect magic.

  1024. This list is awesome. Much better than any list Oprah ever made.
    3 things I can’t live without~
    Burt’s Bees Grapefruit lip balm, it’s seriously the BEST
    Netflix
    Sadly, my iphone.

  1025. Some of my favorite things are books by Kristan HIggins, gummy bears (seriously addicted to any gummy candy), Diet A&W and the book 11/22/63 by Stephen King. That’s what I’m reading right now! I love that he went back to the world he created in It. Oh and i love hip-hop but I don’t tell many people that.

    I also love this blog. I’m umemployed right now, but even when I was employed, this was one of the few blogs I kept up with on a regular basis.

    I also love cheesy reality shows. Just to make my life feel so much better!

  1026. I love the lavender soap from Trader Joe’s. It makes me feel like I’m rich when I use it every day. But I’m not rich and it’s cheap. I just feel like I’m using fancy schmancy expensive French soap. The only thing that sucks is that it leaves little bits of dried up lavender on the bottom of my shower. Smells so good though, totally worth the mess.

  1027. My friend Caroline, who, when we met on the phone through a mutual friend (she needed a place to stay during her visit), knew I wasn’t some ancient boring old lady with a million cats because I mentioned the Bloggess.

    Doctor Who, Sherlock and all things BBC because it’s the best damn television on the planet.

    My dachshund, Basil Noodleworth, who was on sale because of a wonky kink in his tail. Best $100 I ever spent.

    Terry Pratchett (as I saw posted as well above), Terry Goodkind and all manner of Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and zombie books.

    If I keep thinking, I’d be here forever, but that’s a good list.

  1028. I can’t live without chapstick. Especially Maybelline Baby Lips. They are three dollars at any drugstore and come in several shades and scents. The scents are amazing. Fruit punch, cherry, grape, mellon, peach and more. Oh and they are also tinted so I can wear them and not look like a zombie if I really didn’t do my makeup today.

    Oh and I also can’t live without Starburst Jellybeans. Sadly they only come out during Easter time. I have attempted to find them online but I have failed. You can not eat just one and before you know it half the bag is gone.

    Hope you like some of my favorite things.

  1029. I cannot stop eating sugar free popsicles. It has been so hot up here in Vermont (up until about 3 days ago) and the only way to cool off (since I have no air conditioner in my room) is with these amazing, fantastic ice blessings.

  1030. Totally can’t live without my library card! I don’t know what I would do without the awesome library down my street; I don’t have the budget to keep up with my love of books.
    Also Natural Ice Cherry Lip Protectant; I buy it in sets of 12 and keep it everywhere.

  1031. I have a serious addiction to buying all sorts of Bento lunch boxes. Big, small, shaped, plastic, metal…they are all so freakin’ cute!

  1032. Your blog. Seriously. I got a divorce 4.5 years ago and the young age of 28. And 2.5 years ago I spent time in a mental ward due to “bad behavior”. I figured I would never be loved and I was a total spazz. Then I was turned on to your blog… And not only was it free! (Cause I was dirt poor and now paying quite the mental hospital bill), but I got to read about someone who thought like me… And I could smile and cry along!! I’ve been hooked every since. I love your stories of you and Victor! Gave me hope and confidence that someday I might find someone who would “put up with me and my quirks” and low and behold… I got engaged two weekends ago. :-). Still have my “rainy days” but the “happiest” I’ve been in a long time. And still a huge fan!

  1033. My ipod. or let’s say, I can live without it, but I’m pretty sure commuting without an aural buffer would lead me to kill someone. PLUS there is nothing better than listening to the sex song from Avenue Q surrounded by tourists.

  1034. My KitchenAid mixer. Because cookies aren’t really that hard to make now.

  1035. i Love 6″ cake pans. For some reason my family can’t eat a whole cake. With these I can make 2 small ones, which is awesome.

  1036. The Dresden Files books by Jim Butcher. Not only is the author a fantastic person, but I found his books in my indie bookstore when I was flat broke and pretty lonely. They made me laugh, thy made me cry, and I have fond memories of saving jars of literal couch change so I could buy the next paperback.
    The other thing I can’t live without, as a parent, is Netflix streaming. SO MUCH MONEY saved by not buying DVDs, or paying for cable, and my 6yo still has fun cartoons to watch WITHOUT the obnoxious toy commercials.

  1037. Sherlock? Have you watched Sherlock? The BBC version? Anyone who loves Doctor Who will love Sherlock. It is known.

    (Love it, but it’s a bit triggering for me. I have to watch it only when I’m in a good place mentally. ~ Jenny)

  1039. TreSemme conditioner, perfect for depression. I know I’m not alone in that self maintenance becomes a very low priority when I’m depressed, so I throw my hair up in a ponytail and then sleep on that ponytail and don’t wash my hair for three weeks.

    It gets to the point it itches, and a while after that eventually I’ll reluctantly care about myself enough to wash it.

    And when that point comes, you need a conditioner that can break down the knots, the sometimes sheets of hair that should have fallen out over the last month but have got tangled up in your hair now. TreSemme conditioner is perfect. It’s thick, stays on your hair, is fast at making it all slippery so you can finger-comb the rats nest out. It goes on sale often and comes in big bottles so you don’t feel bad using a big wad of it.

    I’ve tried a dozen, and TreSemme is the best depression-hair conditioner.

  1041. Lip gloss. :-/ I absolutely love lip gloss, especially shiny, glimmering, shimmering lip gloss. Right now my fav is from Bath and Body Works, but I have quite a collection and a tube in every coat and purse. I have a hard time thinking if my lips are dry. Simple, but effective! Better than ginkoba.

  1042. This is awesome, when you click on any of the links you posted, in the “customers who viewed this item also viewed these items” section, all the other things you suggested are listed!

    The thing I can’t live without, now that I know how to do it, is yarn. I learned to knit a few years ago and now I have yarn pretty much everywhere!

  1044. Liked your post. I like many of your favorites. I just bought shaved ice today for my son and his three friends. I got one too of course – with ice cream. Then my car broke down. Luckly I didn’t have my two little ones with me too. We also broke down in front of a car dealership at lunch time. They gave all the kids cold water, popcorn, and hot dogs. Thanks!

    I also liked your post on Independent bookstores. My 13 year old son and I are self-published authors. Our book, Mason Davis and the Rise of the Storm Makers, is available online at Amazon. I am thinking of trying to find an independent bookstore too. We don’t have one in our town though.

  1045. Oh! I can’t live without Mary Roach’s book Stiff, and …. my battered, VHS copy of Wayne’s World. I LOVES it. 🙂

  1047. Peanut butter M&Ms. I want to simultaneously punch and hug the inventor. Stupid yummy candy.

  1048. The book The Secret. It has gotten me through more rough times than I know.

  1050. My Vitamix (well not exactly cheap but when I consider I use it one-three times per day!) and my full set of Sex and the City DVDs. And of course the Bloggess blog to make me laugh and keep me sane.

  1051. Kombucha – Seriously, where have you been all my life? I have to limit myself to a few times a week in case there are some freaky side effects.
    Lizard Lips lip balm – one by the bedside, one in the purse, one in the car, one on my desk…
    Television Without Pity – reading the recaps makes the TV shows I love that much better
    Paypal – just brilliant

  1052. Books. Any books. All books. If not for books I would quite possibly have lost my mind as a teen. No exaggeration.

  1054. My mesh basket tea strainer! Loose tea is amazing, tea bags are terrible. I can’t drink a cup of tea that tastes like bag. Think about it.

  1055. My Keel’s ‘Simple Diary’. Because it’s yellow. And a diary. And really simple – but amazingly fun to do every night.

  1056. toast with nutella and sliced banana. I approximate the cost at $1.10, if you lay the nutella on thick, but the value is can-turn-your-whole-day-around.

  1058. First thing coming to mind is my kindle. I broke my leg in April and have spent three months reading ALL THE BOOKS while I recuperate. Kindle kept me sane.

  1060. Seaweed snack packs. If you haven’t tried one, you may be dubious, but it’s crispy little salted squares of seaweed that I tell myself are healthier than chips. I may be lying to myself. I don’t know and I don’t want to know. They’re yummy though.

  1061. I love my microwave popcorn popper. Requires no oil, just popcorn (the cheap stuff in a bag). I pop it, spray it with spray butter and salt to taste. Easy and yummy. Hubby uses nacho cheese powder on his popcorn.

  1062. Since most of my belongings are currently in a boat on their way overseas, I don’t really own much at this point. The things that I can’t live without are as follows:

    Netflix
    A bed (up yours, air mattresses!)
    Clothes
    Bristol paper drawing pad
    Prismacolor colored pencils
    My macbook
    Beer
    My ukulele

  1063. Thermos brand travel coffee mug that ACTUALLY keeps coffee hot for 8 hours!
    And my salad spinner. How did we wash lettuce before these???

  1064. I have trouble getting my brain to shut up sometimes, so getting to sleep is difficult. I was looking into getting one of those sound machines, but then found an app called Sleep Pillow that allows you to not only to pick sounds to play, but you can mix them together as well. My favorite mix (and these are my names for them as they don’t seem to have names for the sounds, just pictures) is Gently Lapping Ocean paired with The Clothes Dryer.

  1065. Burt’s Bees Lip Balm I keep it in my nightstand drawer and put it on right before I go to sleep (for kissable lips I tell the hubs). If I forget it when I travel I lay awake forever trying to fall asleep!

  1066. I need Barbara Kingsolver in my world, each book is written with love. And not to be a suck-up but i love the rawness, the honesty and the twisted mind of the bloggess.

  1067. I have so many things I’m always happy I spent a few dollars on; one I’m consistently grateful for are nice sheets!! I love getting into bed at night and having nice, high-thread count sheets on my bed. I am not saying they have to be super expensive, not by any means. But if we’re going to spend half our life in bed, might as well make that bed as comfy as possible, right? Anyways, I’m always grateful I splurged for the higher thread count sheets.

  1068. I suffer from daily chronic migraines, so the IceKap, made in Victoria, BC is a WONDER. I can tighten it up and you can get extra ice packs so when it’s bad, you don’t have to wait for the packs to refreeze.

  1069. Oh! I forgot to say, I used to work at a National Suicide Hotline center in my area. I am ALWAYS so grateful to read positive things and encouraging words about work done there; it is often so difficult to know what to say, so to read your great words are awesome. I’m sure the girl who talked to you that night would be so grateful to hear that, if she could (who knows, maybe she totally reads your blog!) It’s a difficult job, but it could also be so rewarding. More often than not, it was rewarding. I only left because I started law school and was not permitted to work (which included volunteering). Your words of appreciation for the Hotline totally makes me want to go back and volunteer again.

  1070. I love, love, love the music of the celtic band “Great Big Sea”. I work in a bookstore and put this on during my shift every chance that I get. It never fails to make everyone in the store happy and tapping various body parts – some people are even inspired to dance a bit!

  1071. I believe that the biggest thing that I cherish – this might sound cheesy I know – but it’s support from those around you – you never know when other people just need some one to listen – it can make some ones day just telling them that you love them or appreciate them. I’ve suffered from horrible depression for years and I try to remember every day that there are people out there that do care – you just have to be patient some times.

  1072. I can’t live without online shopping. i understand the need to shop locally, but living in a small town, not everything is available locally, and sometimes i just don’t feel brave enough to battle the anxiety enough to venture out.

  1073. I gotta few:

    — Kiehls Ultimate Strength Hand Salve
    — Lanolin-Agg-Tval Swedish Eggwhite Soap
    — Aveda Toning Mist

    And you’re right, “Better Son/Daughter” is an amazing song, and is one of my anthems.

  1074. * Cards Against Humanity. This game should carry a warning. It can be dangerous for your health because you’ll be laughing so hard you may not notice organs escaping.
    * Mental Floss magazine. Subscriptions are pretty cheap, and the information contained within will pretty much always inform, amaze, amuse and entertain.

  1076. There are so many things in my life that I feel inseparable to. my “i’d die without it” item is Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion. Maybe it sounds silly, but seriously this is the best lotion I have found. I have this problem with picking the cuticles and surrounding skin of my fingers when I am upset or anxious, stressed, or preoccupied….pretty much I pick my fingers a lot. Of all the lotions I have tried to heal my skin Aveeno is the only one that works quickly. I can lotion my hands before bed and the next day all my bad fingers are healed! Its phenomenal and worth the couple extra bucks. http://www.aveeno.com/product/aveeno+daily+moisturizing+lotion.do

  1077. * Nickel candy – Yes that’s right those 5 cent candies at 7/11 are one of my favourite things in the world. I get like 2 or 3 bucks worth and eat them all in one sitting…..
    * Milk – i also enjoy drinking a lot of milk. It’s my coffee as i don’t drink coffee, my day hasnt really started until i’ve had a glass of milk.
    * My dogs – i love my dogs more than anything in the world, they help me through tough times and are my bestest buds
    * Burts Bees lip stuff – I always get really dry lips and Burts Bees is the absolute best and the only that truly works for me.
    * Sweatpants – I love sweatpants, of course right now it’s like a sauna in my house so i’m not wearing them but for about 10 months of the year i practically live in my sweatpants when im at home(i refuse to go out in public with them… i do sometimes walk the dog in them though) Walmart has the best ones, im not even kidding you here, they’re like 10 bux and sooo soft and comfy i have 3 pairs and probably going to get like 3 more.
    * TOMS – They are soooo comfortable and i live in them in the summer. Unfortunately when the rain comes theyre not soo good cuz theyre canvas
    *Sneakers – i love shoes in general, but especially sneakers
    * Pedag shoe insoles – I work in retail standing on my feet anywhere from 8 – 10 hours a day solid and these insoles are a lifesaver with the added support
    *Noxzema Triple Clean Anti-Blemish Pads – These are amazing, whenever i feel/see a breakout coming i wipe my face with one of these and its gone the next day

  1078. Warm Bodies, the movie AND the book (AND the music video parody, incidentally) – manages to be a modern fairy tale, a commentary on the alienation of modern society and a legit zombie movie all at once. Plus, it gives me the chance to use the phrase Zom Rom Com, which I totally made up myself!

  1080. my two furbabies who come running out to the sound of the garage door opening and roll around on the floor wanting their tummies rubbed. some folk just don’t get it. My sister says “why is thomas writhing round like a maggot?”

    number 2: a good strong coffee with vanilla, the best in the world made by the lovely Olivia with a smile and wish for a great day

    number three: my husband’s beautiful smile and dimples and his ability to make me laugh every single day

    number 4: books, ahhhhh, books, my escape, my solace, my portal to other worlds

    number 5: that feeling when you go the mail box and there is real mail inside

    number six: marshmallows

    number 6: sleep….esp stolen nana naps, the best!

    number seven: having a massage, hard not to drool with pleasure, so relaxing, yum

  1081. My camera. Taking up photography let me brach out of my shell, meet new people and be creative. I was never able to draw so the photos are what I see in my head and being around people that don’t mind when I throw giant tentacles in the tub with them for my B movie themed stuff is awesome. They get me. 🙂

  1082. I TOTALLY HAVE THE TARDIS BEACH TOWEL! And one of the Exploding TARDIS from The Van Gogh episode!

    A product I’m super glad I found?
    http://www.amazon.com/Royale-Ceramic-Purple-Classic-Straightener/dp/B003G9LO8E/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1374751016&sr=8-5&keywords=royale+hair+straightener

    Holy crap, these are cheap now. A friend bought me this Royale hair straightener for like 100 bucks or some crazy exuberant amount I would never feel un-guilty about spending on hair stuff. But It’s literally a lifesaver. You gotta understand that my hair is monstrously frizzy. You know Magenta from Rocky Horror? I look like her (in fact, I play her…and I don’t have to use hairspray.)…if you have no idea what I’m talking about, just think frizz. Gigantic. Triangular. Frizz. But this straightener totally fixes it. IT has fancy technology crap I don’t understand. Something about nanoparticles of silver which somehow also cleans your hair because silver is a natural antiseptic (who knew!?) and it uses far infra-red heat, and apparently doesn’t singe hair.

    I don’t know about all the techno-stuff about it. I know that it makes my hair smooth and shiny and nice and flat no matter what state it’s in when I start and I love love love love love it.

  1083. I thought I knew what I couldn’t live without, but after reading these comments, there are now a lot of things I can’t live without. 🙂 I can’t live without books and my crochet hooks. They help talk me down from the ledge when I need it.

  1084. I could not live without my yarn and knitting needles.
    Books (and my Sony Reader)
    My two sons, even though number two son is driving me to the brink at the moment
    My dog, Buster
    4Head levomenthol stick; I seem to have a permanent headache and don’t want to take pills unless I absolutel have to; 4Head doesn’t cure it, but it makes it a little easier to bear.

  1085. I’m really happy to pick up so many ways to deal with headaches from this! Mine are terrible and nothing works, so I’ll try some of these things (coffee shots, 4Head thingies). Sad that everyone has so many headaches, however.

    OK – my list:
    1. My dog. I rescued her the day I started college 9 years ago and she has been the best companion ever since.
    2. My iPhone. I know. But it’s true.
    3. Plushies. As an adult, I can still (somewhat) reasonably collect stuffed animals if they’re “art.” BOOM.
    4. Smashbox foundation primer. This is the shiiiiiiiiiiit. I use the redness correcting one and it WORKS, y’all!
    5. Eos lip balm. That shape!

  1086. Well, it’s not exactly something I can’t live without, but the fact that the weight machines at the gym sound like the TARDIS when you go really fast makes me very happy. And makes me do more weights. So I might live longer. So maybe I can’t live without that. Or at least, I live better with that and my pants are two sizes smaller.

  1087. As ridiculous as it sounds the one thing I couldn’t live without is my little glass guardian angel statue. Its a cheap little thing from a charity shop but its stuck with me through several moves, failed relationships and years of depression. I’ve struggled with self harm for half of my life and I truly feel the occurrences would have been much more often if it wasn’t for this cheap trinket I wasn’t even looking for at the time!

  1088. Can’t live without… well I’d really like to round out my Gaiman collection of books, already got the Sandman in Graphic Novel format (now also called Illustrated Novella’s – effin hipsters).

  1089. cheap long islands and dancing until 3am at the local dive bar! 🙂

  1090. Turbie Twist Hair Towel. An amazing invention and easily findable at Bed, Bath & Beyond. Save your weekly coupons and get one! No more wet hair dripping all around the house and it makes you look sorta fancy while you’re drying your hair. Very Hollywood.

  1091. Pilot Frixion Extra Fine Point clicker pen. They are fantastic and make my life happy. Not too scratchy, the ink flows nicely but it’s a 0.5 nib instead of the leaky thick gel pens. Comes in many colours, and best of all… it’s erasable. Like, properly erasable, not like the pens in the 80’s that were “erasable” but really just tore up the paper. Anyone that appreciates pens really needs to try these.

  1092. I’ve found that I can’t live (or, more accurately, my co-workers would rather I not live) without showtunes. Most people use coffee or some sort of caffeinated beverage to get going in the morning. I prefer listening to gay Mormons singing about turning off their urges and claiming that they are Africa. I’d much rather be in a fantasy musical fairytale than in another episode of the office. It takes the edge off.

  1093. MT Washi tape – it’s this cute rice paper tape from Japan that’s all over Etsy and I have an addiction. To making everyday items prettier and to anything Japanese.

    This giant rubber ducky – http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/02/travel/hong-kong-giant-duck
    It makes me smile EVERY TIME I look at it.

    Basically anything that is just to make us happy and has no real point – Christmas lights, Balloons, candy (x 1000)

    The new EOS lip balms that come in balls and that you don’t have to touch to put on your lips.

    My iPhone that keeps me connected to my friends and fam after me and my husband moved to a small town.

  1094. i can’t live without my library or british candy. Doubledeckers and Flakes. . . nom. Also can’t live without dinosaurs or Olivia the Pig.

  1095. After I read your post, I looked at my Amazon wishlist. It included an ice cream maker, a kangaroo water bottle with storage compartment (naturally), a home and office label maker (my OCD wants this like WHOA), Homeland season 2 (not out yet but I don’t have HBO and I can’t wait to see what happens after season 1!) and Downton Abbey Season 3 (no spoilers here, but OMG), and an indoor culinary herb garden starter kit (random, I know, but I live in NYC and don’t exactly have a backyard). I’m a library girl personally, so I get all of my books there (also a voracious reader–I highly recommend “I Capture the Castle” by Dodie Smith). Don’t know if Amazon carries red wine, but that should be at the top of my list. Lastly, cinnamon tea (add some honey, yum) and organizers/planners and recycled water bottle pens (they’re awesome you all, check them out). Also, I like parentheses. Ooh, and Snuggies/Slankets. Need a new one–the dog has commandeered the old one for himself (can’t live without him either, the little shit).

  1096. Lip scrub from Lush, I always bite my lips ad this exfoliates and makes them soft again. My little splurge that I love!!

  1097. i can’t live without your blog, and it’s free so…… double bonus!

  1098. I just discovered the joy of owning a food processor! I’ve been married 21 years and raised 2 girls and never owned one. Just got a fancy schmancy one for my birthday in May and now I’m wondering how I ever lived without it! Silly, I know. But true!

  1099. Luther. I think it’s bullshit that people in the UK get to see the new season before Americans. But I guess that’s what we get for the Revolutionary War.

    Sugar Advanced Therapy Lip Treatment. It costs a million dollars, but it’s worth every penny.

  1102. What makes me happy these days is dairy free sweets. I’m nursing and my son has a milk allergy. No chocolate or cheese! Kill me now!! But almond milk ice cream and Enjoy Life chocolate chips and a few other jewels I’ve found have been a fairly decent substitute.

    Also I just got a bread maker. I have failed to make an edible loaf yet, but feel like I’m doing something good when I’m putting in the ingredients and it makes my house smell yummy. So that makes me happy.

  1103. nail polish! glitter, shimmer, matte, what have you, painting my nails is fun and makes me feel put together.

  1105. deep steep body lotion is the best, yummy, good for your skin, and moisturizing. I get it online at vitacost for an affordable price.

  1106. What can’t I live without is a damn hard question…here goes nothing:
    1. chicken poop chapstick…no, no chicken poop included, but I love the name and it keeps my lips moist
    2. Natalie Merchant – her voice mesmerizes and I truly would follow her to the ends of the earth
    3. Vodka…360 brand, peach and meyer lemon are my favs
    4. Xanax…you don’t need me to explain why
    5. Trashy books, the dirtier the better
    6. Bathtime with my love…nothing like my short self in an average size tub with my 6’4 man. It’s our time to unwind, and talk about our day with no inhibitions…
    7. a good concert in a small venue. Something about just being in a personal space with a band who truly loves what they are doing
    8. Ice cream…im addicted

  1108. wearing new socks for the 1st time, the musty smell the furnace makes the 1st time you turn it on in fall, nostalgia, seeing my daughter read some of my favorite books, wonderfully terrible lifetime original movies, Alabama Shakes, Dawson’s Creek (Don’t judge me)

  1109. Magic Eraser by Mr. Clean, Mix & Chop by Pampered Chef, Triple Paste for baby’s diaper rash, Sons of Anarchy, leave-in conditioner, kick-ass music.

  1111. I love the incredible lampwork beads that Carrie Hamilton makes, and the jewelry that her mom, Judy Hamilton crafts. Their “lucky penny charms” are my current favorite, but I’ve bought earrings, pendants, bracelets. It’s my own little addiction to beautiful things. 🙂 From time to time, Carrie has a jewelry sale — this is her current one:
    http://beadtree.net/big/june2013_jewelry3.htm

  1112. I couldn’t live without my little brother’s friendship, reality television, cheap champagne, sunshine.

  1114. I just recently attended a Lindt Chocolate party and my purchase arrived. I can not live without Lindt Dark Chocolate 70%. YUMMMMMMMMY

  1116. Trader Joes Orange chicken — TO DIE FOR and quick/easy. Even the kids love it. Winner.

  1117. I love Bath & Body Works – I have an addiction. They have targeted their marketing and emails perfectly and know exactly how to get me with the 1, 2 3-here is 30% off b/c we love you offer and I am sold. I buy lotion, cream, body butter and wash, candles, scented oils and hand soap. I could re do my kitchen if I stopped buying eucalpytus scented everything.
    Oh, and generic dark rum. It beats a Meyers any day, at least the one at my local grocery store.

  1118. Your question brings me back to childhood when we would ask each other, “what 3 things would you take if you were on a deserted island?”

    1. Natural Ice lip balm. I grew up with this stuff and honestly think I’m addicted. It’s like crack for my lips.
    2. Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry Touch sunscreen. This stuff protects my face without the shiny, greasy, smelly after effect. It’s one of my go-to beauty products all year long.
    3. Noxema face wash. The refreshing tingle I feel as I massage it onto my face let’s me know it’s working…or burning my face…either way, it’s doing something!

    How depressing that my biggest concern on a deserted island appears to be my beauty. Perhaps I’d be better off taking some reading material, paints or crochet items to help pass the time!

  1119. David & Leigh Eddings the authors of The Belgariad & The Mallorean

    http://www.amazon.com/The-Belgariad-Set-Books-1-5/dp/0345340442/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1374773358&sr=8-2&keywords=the+belgariad

    This is the book series that changed my life because it is the book series that made me fall in love with fantasy. There is nothing terribly original about it- it is a pretty cut & dry good vs evil epic fantasy. It is just so well done that this is the one series I find myself rereading at least once a year (if not more). But reading this is what lead me to thousands of other stories and what I like to think of as a readers imagination….which has been a blessing in my life.

  1120. Thank you for making this list, Bloggess! Sincerely, thank you.
    One thing I can’t live without is music to help me calm down enough from my stress to focus on my work, and that’s where Pandora and now Spotify save me when my iTunes playlist feels tired. And thanks to you, I have a new artist to explore on Spotify, thanks!!

    Another thing is the work of Terry Moore, and it makes me squee anytime you mention Strangers in Paradise. I highly highly highly recommend you check out his latest series Rachel Rising (if you haven’t already) because I think you will dig it deeply. I’ve met Terry Moore many times at conventions, always fangirl freaking out on him, and he’s always the sweetest, most humble man you ever could meet.

    And to end on a girly note, I can’t go anywhere without a tube of this stuff: http://www.sephora.com/sugar-lip-treatment-spf-15-P57002 (for me, Plum or Passion, but there’s a new color out, squee! must go try!) It’s a little pricey for lip balm, but it takes a really long time to use an entire tube. Plus the stuff is really nice quality and pretty.

  1121. Suave Cocoa Butter lotion. I’ve been splurging for Palmer’s Tummy Butter and Stretch Mark cream since I got pregnant, but Suave has the best all-over body lotion, and I’ve been using it every day for years. It’s super cheap at Walmart, and a “Family Size” huge pump bottle lasts me about 3 months or longer. For a splurge, again I go with Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Hand Cream, in the small tubes. I’ve found them anywhere from $3-10, and I always stock up when I find them for cheap.

  1122. My Kindle. Seriously. I don’t remember what it’s like to actually turn pages or have to remember where I left off when the cats or kids pull out my bookmark. I would probably spend the whole $350 all on books.

  1123. Sungold tomatoes, and yoisthisracist.com. And you, Allie Brosh & Heather Armstrong. You all help me laugh & cope.

  1124. I can’t live without my Bose headphones. You can lose yourself in music, or NPR, these headphones erase everything in my world except whatever I’m playing. They are my saving grace.

  1125. In my kitchen, I have this hand mixer with attachments (mini chopper, stick blender, and dough hooks) that is probably the greatest gadget I own. I’ve had it for years, and it’s probably discontinued, but this is pretty close:
    http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-CSB-79-200-watt-Immersion-Attachments/dp/B00AN9UJ68/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1374774040&sr=8-6&keywords=hand+mixer+with+attachments

    Otherwise, BioFreeze (http://www.biofreeze.com) is something I _cannot_ live without.

  1126. I can’t live without my Kindle. Didn’t think I would like it as much as I do. I still like a real book, but love, love, my Kindle…..

  1127. Memory foam bath mats. Every time I step out of the shower it’s like my feet are getting a hug. Sometimes when I’ve been walking a lot I take an extra minute to just stand on my bath mat.

  1130. I love my Keurig 🙂 I could live without it, but I am not sure my kids/husband could live without me having it HAHA

  1131. I cant live without the following:
    Larabars, my phone (and I hate that, but its true) teva mush flip flops, and yoga pants- that way I can pretend like I haven’t yet given up on life and wear my pjs in public.

  1133. Even though I only use it once a year it saves me from tons of anger while trying to can tomato juice—-that’s the Jack LaLane juicer. I seriously almost cried after using it the first time and reducing my time by 4 hours and my kitchen mess by 1 million percent. Thank you Jack LaLane.

  1134. We could not survive trips to the zoo, rugby games, or pretty much any day long activity without our Radio Flyer Wagon. We get compliments on it every time we take it out. It’s not cheap, but its ease of use with 2 kids has been priceless. This is the one I have, but they make several cheaper versions. http://www.radioflyer.com/wagons/ultimate-classic-wagon.html

    Sorry to be so late to the party. I wish I could read everyone else’s, but seriously, there are over 3,000 of them!

  1135. My DVR.. How the heck did I survive without it?! Also, Oribe dry hairspray. It smells like baby angels and gives my limpass locks much needed volume!

  1136. Doctor Who – wait, you said that. Okay, Neil Gaiman, for which my love and appreciation deepens with of his posts – wait, you said that too. Hmmm, coffee. I hated it even through college, when I worked at a bean emporium the size of a Claire’s Boutique, but my brain doesn’t start up until I get at least half a cup down. And books.

    And Dylan Moran. Definitely can’t live without him. Last night during a very science-y conversation at a friend’s house (brain structure redundancies that circumvent damage from cancers, embryonic stages of mammals, and thinking in binary) MY brain kept interjecting with Dylan-isms. 🙂

    And no matter how many times I see cantaloupe written, I think it’s spelled wrong. I want to put an e in there, not an a. Go figure.

  1138. My Pampered Chef microwave saucepan. Awesome for frozen veggies or soup or sauces, cheap, and can double as a bowl when you’re too lazy to pour your dinner into a new bowl.

  1139. I can’t really live without my nighty night t-shirt. I have one I sleep with. I’m 30. Judge away. But I’m pretty sure you’re not going to so I feel comfortable sharing this with you.

  1141. My library card. I’m way to cheap to buy books, but I love to read, so I spend a lot of time in the libraries in my town.

  1142. I’ve discovered that I can’t live without lip balm. This actually started back in high school, to be honest, but it’s an all encompassing absolute need that I question whether or not I have some sort of problem.
    It can be any lip balm, with the exception of cheap chapstick/anything that feels like I’m rubbing candle wax on my lips, but my lips CANNOT be dry. At any point in time. It seriously makes me go all panicky and I get super sweaty when my lips are dry and I cannot immediately apply lip balm. I’m the girl in front of you in her car, swerving all over the freeway because no, she’s not texting, she’s looking for one of her 10 tubes/tins of lip balm in her gigantic purse. I’m the girl who wakes up in the middle of the night because her lips feel dry to re-apply. On the bright side, I have super moisturized lips. On the other side, I’m slightly insane.

  1143. As a fellow sufferer of severe depression, discovering your blog and Allie Brosche’s blog was amazing at the least. You two are so relatable and comforting, reading your words have helped pull me back into the light when I can’t find my way out of the darkness. I have reread your book several times and am looking forward to Allie’s. Never stop writing!

  1144. This comment section is INSANE, but in case he’s not up there somewhere I’ll mention Hugh Howey. Damn, that man can write.

    Also, since you brought it up, I need to thank you, Jenny. I always knew in my heart of hearts that Doctor Who is a thing that I would love, but never got around to it because no cable and limited internet access. Until recently. I knew I would be housebound with major pain, so I miraculously found the first series if the reboot at Giant-Megastore-of-Evil-and-Savings. I got that shit home and ate it whole like a bag of potato chips. It totally triggered the obsessive part of my personality and I’ve been eating, sleeping, living Doctor for weeks now. It was something I always wanted to experience but I mostly got around to it because of your constant praise if the show. I am SO EFFING OBSESSED AND IT’S ALL YOUR FAULT. So thanks again 🙂

  1145. “Spa” sheets from Costco. So comfortable, no matter the season. Only trouble is that I need another set and I haven’t seeen them in store lately!

  1146. Love this list… can’t wait to check them out

    A few things I can’t live without…

    To state the obvious… my family, good margaritas and good friends…

    My Kindle (I have both a Kindle and the Kindle app on my iPhone) I read constantly and love that I can download a new book when I’m ready. And I love the free ebook websites… I’ve found some really great books that I probably wouldn’t have chosen on my own.

    My iPhone. I hyperventilate when I accidentally leave the house without it.

  1147. I can’t live without the internet. I know that sounds silly, but if I’m having a bad day that is access to my friends in different countries, access to youtube (and Hannah Hart/Mamrie Hart/Comedy), and Netflix. It’s a perfect distraction, communication tool, and social interface.

    But if you’re going for something not so damn obvious, I can’t live without my memory foam pillow. I have arthritis too, and while the meds work most of the time, my neck is always sort of painful. That pillow makes everything better.

  1148. Amazon.com!!! It has been amazing with cheap textbook rentals for school and just about anything else needed in life you can get off of Amazon.com.

    Swiffer products – totally makes cleaning easier!

    Command Strips – I mean seriously I could not live without these things – I can never decide how/where to hang up stuff and with these I can change my mind and no hole is left 🙂

    Laptops – so not exactly a cheap item, but I really do not understand how we lived without them….or the internet for that matter lol.

  1150. I love you, so very much. I cannot tell you how many laughs, or even cries I have had while reading your blog.

    Here are a few of my faaavooorriiiiteee thhiiinnnggsssss (I sang that, yes.):

    E.L.F. Cosmetics – available at Target or http://www.eyeslipsface.com/ They are super cheap, but speaking of what I have used, they are excellent products, especially if you are on a tight budget or it pains you to spend the big bucks on make-up.

    BB Cream – also make-up… great for the lazy/busy. I use Garnier’s brand. It is SPF, moisturizer and foundation all rolled into one. I love it. It makes my complexion look great and I only have to put one thing on my face.

    Framboise Lambic – a deliciously fruity (raspberry, in this case) beer. I like it nice and cold… so good.

    UncommonGoods.com or Ten Thousand Villages – because arty, fair trade, and unique things are fun! 🙂

  1151. Chapstick! (I know, definitely not a new thing) I can’t live without it! All kinds. I’m pretty sure most of them put something in them to make you addicted and keep coming back for more… but it’s working, I guess. Good one, Chapstick makers. Good one!

  1153. Onesta hair care products – they are organic and make my hair fabulous and the shplooshy stuff keeps my hair from getting all frizzoid in the florida humidity.

    Otter box – I have one on my phone and after TWO glass replacements, the kid has one on his ipod touch. Best. case. ever

    Alpacas – I drive by an alpaca ranch a couple times a week and they are my favorite non-people. Except my cat. because, he’ll stab me in my sleep if I don’t say I like him better.

    V8 Fusion energy drinks – I pretend it keeps me alive. Don’t tell me it doesn’t. You’ll kill me.

    Anything sparkly – obvious reasons.

  1156. Berry Bowls – these are INGENIOUS and cost less than $10 at Wegmans (while we’re at it, I’d like to add Wegmans to the list) – anyway – they let you cut up strawberries on Monday and they’ll still be good on Friday!!!

    Other than that, I’d have to say Netflix, because not only do I get unlimited adventures with #10, but also it gives me Firefly, Fringe, Sherlock and Supernatural – all of which help keep me happy even if I’m way too old to be a fangirl!

  1157. Maybellline Baby Lips tinted lip balm – the grape one. There’s hardly any smell to it and not much color, but it’s enough to keep my lips moisturized and make me look less dead in the mornings. And it’s cheap!

  1158. Can’t think of just one at the moment but I’d say I can’ t live with out anything that makes me laugh…like you and your Blog! 😉 <3

  1159. My humidifier. This year I had been getting sick even more frequently than usual so I went to the doctor and she was like you have really bad allergies. I was like, but I have a sore throat and a fever! Apparently if you have terrible allergies your mucus (which is apparently basically acid) drains down your throat when you sleep and burns you. Then your body thinks “Oh crap I am being burnt!” and kicks into defense mode as if you were actually sick, which then makes you actually sick. It is very confusing, but she said to get a humidifier and take mucinex and it worked like a charm! I bought the red dragon/dinosaur/alligator. http://www.amazon.com/Crane-Adorable-Ultrasonic-Humidifier-Gallon/dp/B000GWJD0A/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1374789644&sr=8-6&keywords=humidifier

  1160. The Doctor Who thing is happening to me right now. Avoided it for years clearly because I was not ready. Now its 2-3 hours of the good Doctor every night. One day it will run out but TODAY is not that day.

  1161. Spotify. Seriously, how did I live without this? I don’t even really care that I don’t technically own most of the music I listen to anymore.

  1162. My kindle fire. I take it every where so when I’m stuck with somewhere I’m not bored. I can usually find free internet, but if not I still have a ton of books, games and songs!

  1163. We go camping a lot in the summer, I can’t live without the solar powered water bottle cap over on thinkgeek. http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/b4ad/#tabs It turns your water bottle into a light during the night and then back into water in the day. Seriously, if that’s not magical I don’t know what is.

  1164. Well, you, obviously, but I also have recently found the lady who created Sassy and Jane magazines! She has a blog with awesome articles about all of the stuff they don’t put in magazines. I love it. Between this blog and Jane’s blog, I feel like there is hope for the future, especially for those of us who don’t fit into the typical female mindset (not that you are not female, obviously, I feel like I am talking to my idol and I am saying nothing but stupid inane things that don’t matter and that will offend you even though I know it won’t because I bought two copies of your book, because I wanted the final chapter in the paperback). I am an English teacher and that was a horrible sentence. Anyway, it is awesome to find a tribe, and you should check out Jane.

  1165. The Killers CD, Battle Born. I have it on repeat in my car and it helps to keep me from screaming and crying on a daily basis.

    I love your blog. You help keep me from screaming and crying too.

  1166. I can not live without MoviePass. It’s like Netflix for the movie theater. I pay $39.95 a month and I can go to a movie each day, every day of the month, so it basically pays for itself after 4 movies. I’m a compulsive shopper, so these days when I get a hankering to buy stuff I don’t need, I go to the movies instead.

  1167. My favorite things are:

    My Kindle Fire. http://www.amazon.com/Kindle-Fire-Amazon-tablet/dp/B0083Q04IQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374797738&sr=8-1&keywords=kindle+fire

    These awesome headphone cable thingies so I can listen to music from my phone through my car and kitchen radio speakers. http://www.amazon.com/NEEWER-Auxiliary-Retractable-Samsung-Stereos/dp/B003MX4D0U/ref=sr_1_cc_3?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1374798088&sr=1-3-catcorr&keywords=car+audio+cable and http://www.amazon.com/Scosche-Universal-Cassette-Adapter-players/dp/B000EC3GDC/ref=sr_1_2?s=wireless&ie=UTF8&qid=1374798144&sr=1-2&keywords=casette+car+adapter

    Diet Coke. Lots and lots of Diet Coke.

  1168. So funny you wrote about your favorite things, this past Christmas I made my own “Lindsay’s Favorite Things” collection for my friends. I gave out a bottle of Thymes Gold Leaf bubble bath, some chocolates, vintage pink Shiny Brite ornaments (because everything is better in PINK!) , and a paperweight from an Arizona ceramic artist Duly. I am obsessed with his pieces.

  1169. My Nook– I definitely prefer books with pages, but when we moved overseas, I couldn’t bring our library of 1000+ books. I could, however, bring an e-reader. We’re even able to check out e-books from lending libraries, which is good, as I read an average of 5+ books/week. Also, my back is less out of whack from carrying books in my purse.
    My cats– we actually shipped them halfway around the world when we moved; we don’t have kids, and they make any place feel more like home than anything I can hang on the walls.
    My medication– because “crazy” can mean “zany fun”, but it can also mean the vacuum hose that sucks color and warmth out of the world.

  1171. You have an excellent list. I love a lot of those things too. You might want to try:
    Xanadu- the best worst movie ever. http://www.amazon.com/Xanadu-Magical-Edition-Olivia-Newton-John/dp/B001JV5BEE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374798369&sr=8-1&keywords=xanadu

    Witchhazel. Specifically Medicated Superhazel. The name is awesome and nothing works as good upon being eaten alive by mosquitos. http://www.thayers.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3&products_id=12&zenid=aupq7c4brvf04lp47pvu69mcv1

    Palomino Blackwing 602 Pencils. These are magic and probably made from rare black, unicorns. http://www.pencils.com/all-brands/blackwing/palomino-blackwing-602-12-pk

    Choco-banana skewers from M&M. I’m too lazy to make manna from the gods from scratch. http://www.mmmeatshops.com/en/products/product.asp

    Narwhal tights. Because I’m a nerdy, pirate. http://www.etsy.com/listing/103197788/pirate-printed-tights-plus-size-extra?ref=shop_home_active

    Vaginal Fantasy book club. http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/62938-vaginal-fantasy-hangout Because they introduced me to a lot of new reads including Gail Carriger’s Parasol Protectorate. http://www.amazon.com/Soulless-Parasol-Protectorate-Gail-Carriger/dp/0316056634

  1172. Biscoff Spread, in crunchy. It’s pretty much the greatest thing to ever exist.

    I guess if you want something that’s actually useful, I very recently tried Feetures socks for running and they are incredibly comfortable and they do not ride up or down on the ankle, which is a problem I’ve always had with regular old socks.

    But seriously, though, that Biscoff. Think I’m gonna fetch me a spoonful right now.

  1173. My fat dachshund, Bella.

    Also, sharpie pens (the medium ones), my feather pillow and lifesaver gummies.

  1174. Your blog is one of my most favorite things. My sister-in-law showed it to me back in the days of the Big Metal Chicken’s infancy. We have laughed and shared so much since then, including the honesty that comes with suffering deep depression and heavy anxiety. Thank you for helping me know that my insane mind is not alone and that laughter truly is a healing medicine!

  1175. Right now, Crayola Fine Line Markers are less than a dollar at Walmart (I know, it’s evil, but… 94 cent markers.). They make everything better.

    If you have a Big Lots near you, look for Epielle Cleansing Tissues. They’re about a dollar, and they do an amazing job. It’s been balls hot here lately, and it’s fantastic to be able to just wipe away the sweat and ick and be clean in like, ten seconds. Plus it works really well to remove makeup, if that’s a thing you enjoy.

    Goo Gone Mess-Free Pens are *amazing*. Sometimes they’re hard to find and they can be a bit expensive, but they’re everything you could ever want for removing sticky things from other things.

    Also, if you want the best super glue, try the one made by Gorilla. Actual Gorilla glue is great for some things, but not most things. Their super glue, though? That’s fantastic stuff.

  1176. I have recently discovered I can’t live without chia seeds in my morning smoothie. If you like gelatinous little blobs – this is the miracle food for you!

    Thanks for the chance to win!

  1177. 1. My OXO hand held mandoline. It frees up more time for my laziness.

    2. People who can keep straight faces through just about every situation.

  1178. I finally gave up trying to read each post but MAN you people are inspiring!
    I’m also a Doctor Who fan. One of my favorite things is sitting out on my back patio watching the Doctor on my Kindle Fire. It makes me so freaking happy.
    David Tennant’s smile.
    Bigelow half & half tea lemonade. I seriously drink a pitcher or more a day. It has just the right amount of sweetness to it http://amzn.com/B006OCANJQ
    Books and my Kindle Fire more and more every day. I have carpal tunnel and my Kindle keeps my hands and arms from aching. Plus there are so many free or cheap books out there, it’s amazing! Since I read a book about every other day, this keeps my costs WAY down.
    My Dutch oven. http://amzn.com/B000N501BK I dunno, I guess I just like its heft. When I’m feeling down, I cook some amazing shit in this thing.
    My hand blender. See above lol. Food therapy!
    My cats. They give me so much love and laughter.
    Your blog – when I’m feeling blah or down, I come here for a good laugh and cry.
    Dansko shoes! When I have to be on my feet all day, these are my solution for not having feet in extreme pain.
    The Granville Island Hat Shop. Every time I go to Vancouver B.C., I simply MUST visit the Granville Public Market. This hat shop makes me giddy. I can’t always afford to buy a hat but even just trying them on makes me grin from ear to ear. They’re beautiful. http://thehatshop.ca/

  1179. I can’t live without my Kindle. Or my Keurig One Cup coffee maker. I live alone and I HATED making a full pot of coffee. So much coffee just went to waste because I wasn’t drinking it or because it sat on the burner too long. My Keurig fixed all of that nonsense. I love it.

    My Kindle goes everywhere with me since I travel a lot. I got an Amazon prime account just so I could borrow books whenever I wanted from the Amazon lending library.

  1181. Netflix – Seriously though. I share an account with about 5 other people and finding something to watch at 4 a.m. when I can’t sleep helps me not lose my mind.
    Voxer – It’s an app. It’s beautiful. It’s a walkie-talkie. That’s all. I hate calling people, phone conversations give me anxiety and texting takes too long and is very limiting. Sending a short voice message that is un-interruptable and doesn’t have to involve awkward silence nor me directly responding after they do is BRILLIANT.
    Total Results- It’s hair stuff. My hair is naturally thick and frizzy. And I bleach/dye it on a regular basis along with punishing it with heat. This is the /only/ stuff I have ever tried that actually makes my hair NOT look like straw!

  1182. +My library – I love that place.
    +Chapstick, the blue sunscreen one not the nasty black/pink one.
    +Aveeno, it’s the best lotion I’ve tried so far!
    +Floyd, my weenie dog. He’s the best snuggler ever and everyone needs someone to snuggle with.
    +My sewing machine, it’s the starting point of over half my gifts to my friends and family.
    +Pinterest, because obviously, it’s pinterest aka the most fun invention ever. Those animal pics, I die.

    Also, love you love you love you 🙂 Thanks for being you!

  1183. My black dog, he is the best dog in the whole world.
    A bed, after working nights I realize I can sleep absolutely anywhere.
    Music.
    chapstick.

  1184. – A live, flowering orchid plant for my kitchen island. $10 at the grocery store and lasts a long time!
    – CoffeeMate Sweet Cream coffee creamer in my one cup of coffee
    – Hummus with pita chips
    – Cover Girl Lash Blast Mascara
    – Gel soccer shoes which I wear inside the house in the summer in place of slippers
    – Hanes cotton No Ride Up panties (TMI!) from Target
    – Scrapbooking supplies
    – FREE downloadable fonts

  1185. Banana Babies, so I can have dessert and still pretend I’m being healthy. And pickles for when I need something salty but still want to pretend I’m being healthy. I’m not sure what it says about me that the two things I can’t live without are phallic symbols. And food.

  1186. wen cleansing conditioner
    laura geller baked balance n brighten
    the library
    entertainment weekly magazine
    beer

  1188. I like so many things. Like so many.
    To name a few:
    1. my baby boy (not for sale) – but seriously he’s amazing & so is his Daddy
    2. my kindle and my books – I’m a sucker for hard covers because they’re so pretty
    3. dark chocolate – preferable cacao
    4. muk luk slipper socks – because I always have cold feet
    5. a good cardigan or sweater – because the rest of me is always cold too

  1189. Starbucks & dark chocolate. Order is interchangeable, depending on mood

  1190. So many amazing things on this list! Can we go a step farther though with Neil Gaiman and Doctor Who and give the episode of Doctor Who written by Neil Gaiman it’s own category of amazingness? Also, the free thing that a friend introduced me to that I can no longer live without is Groove Shark. It’s a free music sharing/streaming service that allows you to create a playlist and look for new music to try and they’re always re-evaluating and adding new services. (In the good, not screwing with things that already work kind of way.)

  1191. welch’s fruit snack bags. like the little bitty ones, for a kid’s lunchbox.
    popcorn made the old fashioned way. boo microwaves.
    half-priced books $1 section.
    fresca.
    netflix.

  1192. You can’t buy a person?!? Well what fun that? I thought if I put some of the people I can’t live without, you might get them for me ; ) Butch Walker, Kip Moore, Gary Allan.

    Okay, can’t live without…I can’t live without a lot of things.

    Dutch Cocoa Somersaults.
    Late July Dude Ranch Chips.
    My dog Rainey..named Rainey because I live for the rain!
    Sweet Tart Chewies, but only the yellow and red ones, the others can take a hike.
    MUSIC, MUSIC, MUSIC. I am a downloading fool!! All week long!
    Nature…especially Lake Tahoe.
    Costco.
    People who are real, honest, vulnerable! Those who tell the whole story, both sides…the good and bad. Those who make you think.

    Thank you so much for being so kind, so funny, so generous, so YOU!

    Jen

  1193. Allie Brosh.

    That is what I can not live without. I first read her when you linked to her about depression…it was so spot on to my thoughts and how things have been for me that I was scared…and delighted at other people get it.

    Then you referenced her again as being funny–which the depression post was in some places–so I started reading again from the beginning. I have not stopped laughing, can not get any work done because I am reading them all, have to do tons more laundry from almost wetting myself laughing, and am sort of scared of what will happen when I run out of posts to read. Which at the rate I am going could be tomorrow.

    So I totally would love to win the gift card…and yet totally feel like I have won just by reading Allie’s blog. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

  1194. Things I can’t live without Amazon Prime. Seriously, I rarely shop in stores anymore because I can get almost anything delivered for free in two days. Also, Seinfeld. I can barely find anything I like on tv but that show is still my staple. I know these aren’t much, but they are two things I can’t live without.

  1195. These things called wet bags. I use cloth diapers on my kid, so you need a nice, waterproof place to throw those suckers. But these wet bags are super useful. Swim lessons? Through it all in the wet bag. Poof. No dripping. Kid throws up in the car? Throw that mess in the wet bag. Gone. They’re wonderful, really.

    Also, Dr. Who. For many, many years now. I can’t figure out why he’s so late to pick me up.

  1196. My I husband bought me an iPad for my birthday and I have become reacquainted with my This American Life addiction.

  1197. The moms group I belong to. I have found my people there, and we laugh so much sometimes it makes me pee a little. Sewing. There’s something about taking fabric and making it into something that thrills me, even when I don’t always get it quite right. Xanax, because my thoughts and night time don’t always get along. Jogging. I am overweight, super slow, and slightly asthmatic, but I’m doing it. And in my mind I look like an Olympian.

  1198. Wireless headphones so I can watch TV after the kids are in bed and not worry about the sound keeping them awake or waking them up. Also when my husband is puttering in the kitchen for his late night snack, the headphones make my TV viewing immune to his banging and clashing.

  1199. My holy grail hand lotion/cream is Herbacin Kamile hand cream. My hands have been in a committed relationship with HK for over 10 years. You can find it on drugstore.com in a a few different sized tubes.

  1200. Badger sleep balm… On my lips, elbows and cuticles before I go to sleep. Lovely.

  1201. Things I can’t live without: (or don’t want to)
    My dog – he’s weird, neurotic and not very cuddly sometimes. He’s a pain in the ass and can be irritating and difficult to love. I think he may be the male dog version of me. Except I’m not scared of a plastic bag blowing down the street.
    Irish breakfast tea – all day long
    my gym membership & my trainer – he is expensive and roughly 12 years old, but even when I’m exhausted and lazy and want to sit on the couch eating cake, I still go (because it’s costing me so much damned money) and always feel better afterwards.
    All the seasons of Cabin Pressure on iTunes – yes, I am the crazy person on the bus laughing to herself. John Finnemore is a genius.
    Any movie in which Alan Rickman speaks a lot – he has the loveliest voice
    My sewing machines – because I would go crazy if I didn’t have at least a couple of projects going on at any given time.
    All my nieces and nephews, but especially my nephew P who is mildly autistic and is the cleverest, funniest little boy. He sees the world in such a different, more linear way, and I know our lives would be less interesting, less lively if he wasn’t exactly as perfectly himself.
    Also, anything made by YumEarth, especially the lollipops.

  1202. My favorite finds for the last yearish. Book: Night Circus a beautiful magic competition/love story plays out in the most awesome circus ever imagined TV: Lost Girl it’s a good faire bad faire show from Sci Fi Canada and it’s awesome Web:The Bloggess because it’s been a really rough couple of years and a friend gave me your book to cheer me up and I found more of my tribe, Humans of New York for his wonderful pictures and storytelling abilities, Kickstarter/Indiegogo because they are awesome crowd funding sites were you can give $1 to whatever to fund artists, authors, movies, artisans, etc and get awesome rewards from the creators.

  1203. Currently my favorite things include Cerave lotion, recommended by my dermatologist for my hyper dry skin (with added acid-y stuff to get the flaky crap), Olivella shower gel because it is super gentle and just smells like soap, anything I have made from http://www.howsweeteats.com/, because they are easy and work every. single. time., and Aussie Moist Conditioner because it is cheap and lets me rock my curls without breaking the bank.

  1204. There’s a new candle co/line out called Diamond Candles. They make nice scented soy candles, but each candle has a ring in it. The ring can be worth as little as 10 bucks or as much as 5,000. For some reason I find this incredibly exciting, probably because it combines two of my favorite things: gambling and a scented candle. (Also, I swear that company is not paying me to post this. I just want to share my excitement because it’s such a great ‘hook’ and makes a fun gift, to myself or to women I know.)

  1205. I can’t live without podcasts. I have an ancient ipod touch and I cracked the screen almost immediately after purchase. But hell, I use it everyday, when I’m cooking, walking the dog, cleaning, yardwork, etc. I rarely listen to music… it’s almost always podcasts (or audio books,) but I feel like my brain is getting a workout even when I’m doing something tedious like hanging laundry on the clothesline.

    My favorite podcast is The Pop Culture Happy Hour. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129472378

  1206. What I (and now my children) can’t live without is Aquaphor. It works as a non-addictive lip balm, excema curer and lotion. I feel as though it is my equivalent to the dad in Big Fat Greek Weddings Windex use. I put it on anything hurting on my kids bodies and it usually works. Also, wine, because wine.

  1208. My Big-Comfy-Chair with my homemade fleece blanket. It’s like sitting in a chair and getting a hug. Feeling blue? Make a cup of tea and sit in this chair. It makes life better.

  1209. Hmm, what couldn’t I live without? Half of your list, definitely. Allie, and the Doctor, and indie bookstores and bath sheets (and oh, when they’re still warm from the dryer…!!!). I think I’d have to add thrift stores (it’s like a treasure hunt every time, and sometimes I pretend I’m a pirate), and Ninja blenders (for real, it’s the brand name. How much more awesome is it to tell people that your Ninja made your awesome smoothie?), and, honestly, the online community of geeks and freaks and oh-so-much-oddness. I feel at home, y’all. Thank you.

  1210. Anything written by Christopher Moore. Most especially “Lamb.” I can’t even say how many copies I’ve bought since I keep giving it away to make more people into his book slaves.

    Picture frames. I have pictures of my family and friends all over my house. It helps me realize that I’m never alone.

  1211. Qtips. I am obsessed with Qtips. If I were on a deserted island, my lack of Qtips would lead to my insanity (that and the lack of food and clothing and that sort of stuff). My ears would feel so dirty.

    Now I also want to try your towels that you love too! Who doesn’t love feeling like they are at a fancy hotel? Ha. That made me laugh how you said that you will know when you’ve “made it” when you are able to buy an entire set of the towels. For me, I will know that I’ve made it when I can buy dozens of the same pairs of socks (20+ pairs of the same black socks and 20+ pairs of the same exact white socks. I HATE MATCHING MY SOCKS WHEN I DO LAUNDRY. I just realized that this probably isn’t that expensive for me to do…but I can’t bring myself to do it because then I would have to throw all of my other non-matching socks away (which seems wasteful and that seems like something that only a really successful person would be able to afford to do).

    Wow…I had too much coffee this afternoon.

  1213. I have major love for gel highlighters and eos lipbalm. Gel highlighters aren’t as precise as ink, but they are a lot of fun to play with. Oh! Also, complaint form post it notes. They are awesome and the people I work with keep each of the ones I give them.

  1214. My favorite things. The Death Star teaball makes my daily cuppa amazing. The tea, by the way, can be any kind, but I love a good cup of jasmine tea. The Norwegian comic artist Jason has a story called “Tell Me Something” which has no words but tells a beautiful story through simple pictures, panel by panel. Any episode of the (now off the air) tv show 30 Rock never fails to make me laugh. And kittens and mittens and all that singing-while-twirling et cetera stuff.

  1215. I can’t live without my Apivita After Sun lotion. It smells yummy and soothes my skin after being outside all summer.

  1217. I’m finding I can’t live without my microwave egg poacher. http://www.amazon.com/Nordic-Ware-Microwave-Cavity-Poacher/dp/B00004W4UR/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1374838842&sr=8-14&keywords=egg+poacher I pretty much only like my eggs scrambled or boiled, both of which take work and pans or pots. Then my husband was all “poached” and I was like “what?” and then we found the microwave poacher and now I can’t imagine making eggs any other way ever ever again. I make my husband a couple of homemade “egg mcmuffin” style sandwiches before he leaves for work and make myself a couple poached eggs with toast and life is good.

    Also, I can’t live without The Doctor. And I am forcing my husband to suspend disbelief with me. I may or may not leave episodes of Doctor Who running while I do practically anything. I fold laundry with The Doctor. I do dishes with The Doctor. He finds me very boring, but I find him amazing. Doctor Who wins all the hearts.

  1218. Podiobooks. Serialized audiobooks for free. Seriously!!! I am an executive assistant and a mom and a wife. Which means I have a lot of NEEDY ppl in my life. When one of those groups iritates me to the point of wanting to rip their heads off, I listen to a chapter of an audiobook. Or I plug into the stereo at home and listen while I cook, do dishes, laundry etc and say a lot of SHHHHH Mommy’s listening to her stories!…go play in the playroom or run like fools outside! If you’ve never tried them, Shadowmagic series is AWESOME and Nathan Lowell’s is AWESOME (I know, that’s a lot of awesome and I feel guilty for not being more witty but I have to be me and today ME is on painkillers and antibiotics).
    No joke, just try a chapter. For us introspectives, if we can get lost in a space opera adventure AND get the laundry done at the same time, I think its a win-win.

  1219. You, Jenny! I don’t think I could live without your blog. Also, my Minnetonka moccasins, my Kindle, Amazon, dark chocolate, Payday candybars, and of course my family and friends, just to name a few.

  1221. I echo the bath sheet love. Can’t take a shower without them.

    Also: Flannel pajama pants (I even wish I could wear them in the summer)
    Laurie Notaro’s books
    Life is Good t-shirts

  1223. Ginger Ale. Canada Dry, not Schwepps, blech!
    Nivea facial cream with Q10 that, according to my boyfriend, makes me smell like an old man.
    The $35 computer speakers that blast music through the living room.
    My Neil Gaiman collection 🙂

  1224. I can’t live without my zoo membership to the Columbus Zoo because I know that I can go and see either interesting animals or horrible people that I can later mock. I can’t live without Dove Peanut Butter Promises because, well if I have to explain there is a problem… If you are looking for a great book series and enjoy urban fantasy, I highly recommend the Horngate Witches series by Diana Pharoah Francis ( http://www.dianapfrancis.com/horngate-witches-books/ )… So there we go, place to visit, food to eat, and books to read.

  1225. This is amazing!! I have learned about so many things that I need to try! The Thera Cane Massager, What Should I Read Next, Bath Sheets, soooo many authors and shows, etc. And I’m a lip balm addict but I’ve never tried Burt’s Bees! I know, I know. Soon to be remedied!
    Most of my things I’d hate to live without are along the same lines as most of you. My computer, my kindle, chapstick, my heated blanket (better than a heated matress pad, cuz I can have it at the computer, on the couch, wherever), coffee, etc.
    The only other things I can think of off the top of my head are work related. Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom and Onone Perfect Photo Suite. I’m a photo editor and they are my joy AND my bread and butter.
    Also, http://www.creativelive.com/ is fantastic for anyone who wants to learn creative skills and how to turn those skills into a successful business. Okay, that description makes it sound boring, but really it’s fun and fascinating! It’s free online seminars on a huge variety of subjects. Everyone should check it out! (And no, I don’t work for them.)
    Thanks for this Jenny! I just wanted to let you know that your book made everybody on the bus look at me funny because I couldn’t stop snarfing at my kindle as I read your book. So ya, thanks for that too!

  1226. The Italian movie Bread and Tulips. I discovered it last week Friday and have watched it 5 times since. It makes me happy and was comforting during a stressful time. I’m completely enchanted by it.

    Also Harry Potter books, a really good cup of tea, the smell of the air after a rain, a hot bath and of course Jenny!

  1227. The Bugle podcast. I seriously laugh so hard when listening to it that mothers have rushed their children to the other side of the street to get away from the crazy lady. http://thebuglepodcast.com/

    And for the slight twist on the Doctor Who theme, I’m going to say the friends I watch Doctor Who with. We are all quirky and f-ed up in our own unique ways, but that doesn’t matter when the Doctor is on. Then we’re just whovians. Fantastic whovians.

  1229. GOBSTOPPERS! A $0.99 box from the CVS across the street turns my day right around. Also, my at-home gel mani/pedi kit; no more lost hours at the nail salon on a bi-weekly basis!

  1230. i don’t know what i can’t live without. well, i do, but it’s not a tangible thing. i can’t live without happiness and the feelings my cats give me when they snuggle me. i can’t live without feeling loved and worthwhile. i can’t live without knowing that someone cares that i come home at night. i went for too long without these things – i never want to me without them again.

  1231. Cannot live without: (actually, I probably could, but life wouldn’t be as much fun!)
    It Cosmetics Hello Lashes mascara
    Beauty Blender makeup sponge
    Fresh lip treatment
    Laura Geller lipsticks
    Avon Smooth minerals pressed powder
    Bare Minerals mineral veil
    Yes it’s all makeup because I am a super-vain beeyotch!

  1232. There are really only two things in life I couldn’t do without – my Reef flip flops and Diet Coke.

  1233. Dear Jenny,
    I love you, and I love Allie Brosh, but I haven’t read any Neil Gaiman yet. Should I start on Volume 4 or go from the beginning? I’m usually a start at the beginning kind of girl.
    Yoga and dark chocolate make me very, very happy. I haven’t tried both at the same time, though. Not sure how that would work out.

  1234. Tea. Tea makes everything better. Whether it’s fancy herbal minty-chamomile or just a bag o’ lipton, I can’t live without tea.

  1235. Victoria Secret Pink Underwear (Pink the brand…not pink the color. :D). They are amazing…and not too expensive. They have them on sale all the time.

  1236. Apart from doctor who and cinnamon rolls? (Since I have had to cut down on both and hold myself back from daily indulges in both…)
    I would be lost, entirely and hopelessly, without my phone–not for the usual Facebook and texting, but for the note-taking and voice memos. I use them more often than even I believe, and I would have created a damn fine history of the past four years at university through those notes if some scumbag hadn’t of stolen my computer in my last quarter.
    The notes on my phone are kind of like a diary of the inner monologue, but one that I can pull out in any and every situation with ease. Unless I’m swimming. Or in the shower. Or, you know, saving the world. Then I just have to try to remember.

  1237. I know some people think they must be gross (the people who haven’t tried one), but I am gaga over my neti pot. Take THAT, pollen allergies!

  1238. Water coolers. This is probably not the most important thing I can’t live without, but it’s especially important during this heat wave. I just recycle one of my old water bottles, and fill er’ up! It’s almost as gratifying as getting a refill at the soda fountain.

  1239. I can’t live without Pop Culture Happy Hour, from NPR. It’s an awesome podcast that comes out once a week and gives me some of the best recommendations for media.

  1240. Animals (live ones), carmax, Spotify (have not bought a CD or paid for individual digital songs for like, two years now), Iphone, BOOKS, moscato wine (I like Castello D’Poggio) , diet Snapple, black-licorice flavored saltwater taffy, my kids, goodreads, carbs, STAR TREK (TNG is my favorite), my camera, Amazon, my mom, my friend Brie, the yellow triangle-shaped Toblerone, v-neck shirts, Dropbox, The Daily Show, Project Runway, and The Venture Brothers (IGNORE ME!)

  1241. I’ve been trying to think of things that haven’t already been posted, but then I realized I’ll never read all of these! Do you actually make it through all these comments? Part of me hopes you do, and part of me hopes you are outside dancing in a field in a red dress (because that’s how you look in my head). 🙂

    I love the internet. Really really love it. For everything! Shopping, learning, pretending to be connected to people I haven’t seen in years, etc.

    I love going to thrift stores, but they have to be organized. My favorite Goodwill was seriously unorganized yesterday (sizes out of order! The horror!) and I left feeling quite dissatisfied.

    Office supplies and organizational gadgets. I don’t use any of them well, but I love them all the same.

    Disneyland. It is my happy place. I would go every single day if I could. Twice.

  1242. My keurig, even though i’m not a huge coffee drinker, it makes hot chocolate too!

    YellowBox flip flops.

    The Pistol Annies first album. My husband calls it man hating music, but it’s sooo good for the soul.

  1243. I love books but can’t carry around hundreds of them without attracting police attention and/or pulling out my back, so the item I love most is my Kindle. I still buy hard copies of books, especially the ones that I love so much that I want to share them with others, but i LOVE my Kindle.

  1244. Hmm…I can’t live without my husband! Okay, okay, material things….I know! My Badger Creamy Cocoa Butter Lip Balm. It works great!

  1246. things I cannot live without? My iPad (I’m materialistic that way) and cocoa-coated almonds. They’re slightly less bad for you than just chocolate, but with a satisfying crunch!

  1247. I’m a baby Whovian (only seen ep’s from David Tennant to present in Netflix time) but I’m a rabid fan already. ThinkGeek, aka the Great Geek Money Sink, has waaaay too many great Dr. Who items. Some day I may possess them!!!

  1249. I can’t live without MUSIC – Spotify/Pandora/Songza . Music is my fucking life force! If i don’t have it, I get sad. If I get sad, I get angry that I’m sad. When I’m angry I hurt people’s feelings and then I get sad again.

  1250. Ticonderoga Noir pencils. Yes, it’s a little lame, but since I am a math teacher I get maybe just a little too excited about school supplies. These are the best pencils EVER. You know how a lot of pencils have lead that breaks as you are trying to sharpen them? Then you end up sharpening the ENTIRE pencil down to a nub before you get the lead to stay intact? Or it breaks after you’ve written like two sentences? (Maybe it’s just me.) These don’t do that. Plus they are shiny holographic silver, and the wood part is black. Really cool looking. Okay, I know that’s more than you ever wanted to know about pencils. I’m done.

  1251. eos Lip Balm. I only recently discovered it but man, that is some crazy awesome stuff. My particular favorite is the sweet mint because on hot days, it actually feels cool like I just took an ice cube away from my lips. It’s awesome.

  1252. Truvia. Artificial sweetners freak me out and they will probably figure out one day that even stevia makes rat testicles turn into radioactive prisms or something but I gained 25 pounds when I started antidepressants and sweet beverages were the first thing that had to go. Truvia is the only non-calorie sweetner I have found that doesn’t taste like total ass.

  1253. The Twist and Shout mop. I’ve been with A LOT of mops in my day, and this one’s the best. The spinny action wrings out the mop head without getting my hands wet, the microfiber head gets my floors perfectly clean, and the head detaches easily and is machine washable. I love it. Now if I could just get someone to sweep…

  1254. I love how just as I’m getting into The Sandman, this post mentions it. It’s my first experience reading comics and I was hooked almost immediately!!! Definitely worth it to anyone interested, whether you read comics frequently or not!

  1255. Merlot, treasures I find in Ann Arbor, and my friend Dottie who lends me her most fantastic books. It was nice thinking about this. Thanks.

  1257. Netflix! I’m not sure why you would even need a television, when you have internet.

  1258. Oh lord, my list of “things to try” just got unmanageable but infinitely more amazing!
    Current favourites:
    1.Justin’s Maple Almond Butter…I drove 2 hours and crossed the border to buy 6 jars and turn around…I have a problem
    2. TV sitcom gag-reels on youtube to make me snort with laughter
    3. 70’s TV show theme songs and cheesy movies also free on youtube (I may or may not have watched Little Darlings and listened to the theme song from Welcome Back Kotter recently)
    4. Ishmael…really all of Daniel Quinn’s books
    5. Hawaiian Tropic…will not protect you but will remind you of the days before you knew better ( I spray it on top of the SPF 40…”DAMN YOU”, knowing better!
    Also, not to be (or maybe to be) a kiss up but…your book! So, so funny and I bought it in bulk for Christmas gifts!

  1259. My progressive prescription glasses. Seriously, I am blind as fuck and only in my mid-thirties. Being able to see what jackass is standing in the door of my office, the ridiculous spreadsheet on my computer screen, or read the teeny-tiny handwriting of my co-worker without having to change glasses or look like a little old lady is pretty freaking great.

  1261. I neeed those book sites! I am forever searching for what to read next!

  1262. Water bottles? I’ve realized I’m addicted to carrying a water bottle everywhere now. I THINK I don’t need it much, I just sip from it here or there, but as soon as I FORGET it I’m unbelievably thirsty. So I vote water bottle.

  1263. I absolutely can’t live without this microwave heat pack I bought at a hospital craft fair. The fabric pattern is balks of yarn and somehow has the perfect amount of filling. The fabric is worn through in spots from being microwaved so many times.

  1264. You MUST watch Frisky Dingo. Archer was Adam Reed’s (one of the Frisky Dingo creators) followup to the tragically cancelled Frisky Dingo, and although I like Archer just fine, I still pine for the extra insanity (delightful, hilarious insanity) of Frisky Dingo.

  1266. Oh, dear, this is … too good. I have actually been rationing my reading of the comments, little bit by little bit, as though someone would do with Halloween candy (someone not being me), trying to savour every last bit. I love reading what everyone loves!

    – Sodastream machine, because when living abroad I realised we North Americans were missing the boat on readily-available fizzy water, and, it’s just so delicious and fancy!

    – Zoloft. Because. Just because. I know no one judges here.

    – my running shoes, because when I am running regularly, I feel kinda like a superhero, read, I just feel good and am grateful that my body works enough for me to do it ,and then I go in turbo (caloric) burn after and that’s very fun

    – Elizabeth Arden 8-Hour cream . . . I love the salve-y smell of it, the colour, the efficacy!

    Something that is free? I LOVE love love when the traffic lights are flashing, because they are not working correctly, and everyone has to stop and pretend like it’s a four-way stop. Does anyone else love that?! I also love sunshowers, because they are my two favourite kinds of weather, working together, a thing of beauty. I also love the Pinterest (because I’m so creative), and this is pretty cool too: http://fuckyournoguchicoffeetable.tumblr.com

    Thank you, Jenny. Thank you, other friends through the magic of the Interwebs!

  1267. I hope it’s not too late…. I realized I can’t live without lotion from Bath and Body Works. Why is it so much better than anywhere else?

  1268. The thing I discovered a few years ago and would NEVER give up (seriously, if they said they were going to stop making it, I’d buy every single bottle I could get my hands on) is called Sudden Change 3 Minute Under-Eye Firming Serum. I arise every single morning looking like I’ve been on a 3-day bender, and I don’t even drink. A couple drops of goodness, and all is right with the world. Seriously, this stuff works so well that, when I first tried it, I swore it was taking off my fingerprints. And it’s relatively inexpensive, too. Just never dab/swipe more than three times, ’cause it will be dry by then! o_0

  1269. I don’t think I could live without my recipe program. I use it SO much. I would go into cardiac arrest if I couldn’t get to it.

  1270. You know, I couldn’t think of anything that I love and want to share with other people that they might actually want – you know, that isn’t only important to me for sentimental reasons. Then it hit me: I would always, always recommend you, and Allie Brosh, and Regina Spektor and Amanda Palmer. You and Amanda have taught me so much about how to be the person I want to be, and to be happier with my lot and my the best of it (because all things considered it’s pretty fantastic – I don’t have any medical conditions, mental or otherwise, for one thing!). And…well, it’s all a long line of giving, because I found you through Allie Brosh, then through you I found Amanda Palmer, and through her, Regina Spektor and Neil Gaiman and a great new friend I’ve been able to meet in real life.

    Anyway, can I come to your bathroom music party, pretty please? Promise I won’t be (much) trouble.

  1272. Lush (http://www.lush.co.uk) Totally love Lush since I was first introduced to it by a Brit 15+ years ago.

    And Ravelry, the Facebook of knitting, but way cooler.

    Pretty much love everything on your list, too!

  1273. Shopping trips to the Asian supermarkets. After the necessities of produce and meat, I can wander the aisles looking for new-to-me food to try.

  1274. Running, yoga, reading. Wally Lamb, Donna Tartt, you, Laurie Notaro. Music…Heartless Bastards, Bonnie “Prince” Billy, Ane Brun, Fiona Apple, Amanda Palmer, CocoRosie. Yummies…peanut butter M&M’s, guacomole, dark chocolate, apples and almond butter. My library. People that wave when you let them get in front of you in traffic. Softcups. Fuzzy blankets. Fuzzy faces.

  1275. So, this is such a late comment, you’ll probably never see it- but anyway..
    While perusing destinations for my mother, I came across this gem http://trundlemanor.com/Tour/TTour.html
    You’ll note that they allow smoking and drinking and that nothing in the manor was tortured or killed by the proprietors. Donations only, and they’ll accept bizarre medical equipment instead of cash!

  1277. My Neighbor Totoro. It’s my favorite movie. I think it’s impossible to watch it and not smile. If I’ve had a really bad day, that’s the movie that I sit down and watch and it makes everything better. The world doesn’t seem so mean and dark.

  1278. I can’t get through the work week without Starburst – the “fave reds” bag. Specifically, the fruit punch and strawberry flavours. Cherry is acceptable. Watermelon gets passed on to co-workers.

  1279. Three things that have helped me during this hell year:

    Babel, by Mumford and Sons (particularly I Will Wait)
    http://www.amazon.com/Babel-Mumford-Sons/dp/B008NW67E0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374950582&sr=8-1&keywords=babel

    Wild Things, by Clay Carmichael (I’m a children’s librarian and recommend this book to kids going through tough times)
    http://www.amazon.com/Wild-Things-Clay-Carmichael/dp/1590789148/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1374950690&sr=8-7&keywords=wild+things

    Very Cherry Jelly Belly Jelly Beans (goddamn but these things are delicious)
    http://www.amazon.com/Jelly-Belly-Cherry-Beans-Pound/dp/B003J9Q9ZY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374950769&sr=8-1&keywords=very+cherry+jelly+belly

    Runner up: Cotton Candy Jelly Belly Jelly Beans http://www.amazon.com/Jelly-Belly-Cotton-Candy-Beans/dp/B003J9USLK/ref=sr_1_1?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1374950820&sr=1-1&keywords=cotton+candy+jelly+belly

  1280. Stephen King’s “On Writing” and Nicholas Sparks’ “Advice for Writers” page on his website. Link: http://www.nicholassparks.com/for-writers/craft

    You can be a good writer, or even a great writer, but all great writers are first readers. It takes a LOT of reading to be a good writer. That is where Stephen King’s “On Writing” and Nicholas Sparks’ website came into play for me. A former professor recommended Mr. King’s book and I stumbled upon Mr. Sparks’ website by mistake when I was looking for resources for freelance writers. The book cost me $6.00 on Amazon and the website is a free resource.

    Something else FREE that I recently discovered was Sophie Lizard’s blog and the wealth of information she shares with her readers via email. She WANTS to help freelance writers to become successful bloggers and even make a living doing it (like her). Link: http://beafreelanceblogger.com/how-to-write-concisely/

    I’ve always dreamed of being a professional writer. There are a lot of reasons I haven’t been able to do that (yet) but I keep hoping it will happen someday. These are just some cheap/free resources I have used (and continue to use) to help me hang onto the dream. Enjoy!

    As for other stuff: I paid about $20 (I think) for this AWESOME rubber thingy that goes over the top of your pots and pans to keep them from boiling over. I got it at Pampered Chef. (I LOVE the Pampered Chef.) It may seem like a lot to spend, but I can’t remember the last time I had to clean up that crusty crap out of my stove burners after boiling pasta! Here’s a link: http://www.pamperedchef.com/our_products/catalog/product.jsp?productId=41514&categoryCode=CW

    Also, I don’t know how familiar everyone is with Maurice’s clothing stores, but I am IN LOVE with them. They carry women’s clothing, including short-length pants (a must-have when you’re only 5’2″ tall) and it all comes in sizes 0-24. I would guess at least 60% of the clothes I own are from there (maybe more). They have these amazing parties called “Splurge Parties”. I had one. The host gets 30% off her entire purchase (in addition to sale/clearance prices) and her guests each get 15% off. I spent $425 on $750 in merchandise!!! I saved over $320. I had an amazing time. In addition, you $10 off every time you spend $200 and they send out a ton of coupons. Here’s a link to their website: http://www.maurices.com/home/index.jsp

    Hope everyone enjoys one or all of the resources I have shared. Happy Saturday!

  1281. OMG someone up thread mentioned “A Confederacy of Dunces”. I have looked in every used bookstore on the whole island of Phoenix, and I cannot find it. (I MUST have it used. New is a ridiculous thought.) I am about to steal the copy from my library. I LIVE IN NEW JERSEY! Oh, and I love the loose tea from The Devotea! (thedevotea.com)

  1282. I have been really sick for awhile and dealing with serious family drama on top of that (which is why I probably got sick in the first place, because everyone knows that stress is a fucking killer), and I am just catching up with Jenny’s blog. I scroll down and see that there are 3276 comments attached to this particular post, and I think Holy Shit!! That’s like the most comments I’ve seen. And I think, she must be giving away a car or something. Then I read the post, and it’s an Amazon gift card which is better than a car, because you don’t have to pay fucking income tax on an Amazon gift card. And you don’t have to have collision and comprehensive on an Amazon gift card. I also realize that there is NO WAY that anybody is going to read 3,277 comments, and anyway, everything in the world (mostly) that people can’t live without (breath – did anyone claim that? Because, I can’t live without that!) has already been spoken for (probably).

    But, in getting sick and held hostage by family stuff for over a month, it’s been that long since I wrote anything, and I can’t live without that – putting words on a page. So besides catching up on TheBloggess.com, which is a third thing I can’t live without, I am here doing three of the things I can live without. Reading The Bloggess, breathing, and writing words on a page.

    Thanks, Jenny Lawson. Thank you very much.

    P.s. Speaking of Neil Gaiman, one of the things I missed in the past month by being sick was going to Cambridge, MA to hear Gaiman speak and read from his new book, The Ocean at the End of the Lane (which EVERYONE should read, it is so beautiful). My son went to a lot of trouble to score me the very last ticket to that event, and then I couldn’t fucking go. You know what would be really cool? If Amazon had a time-turner thingy like in Harry Potter. I would totally use the gift certificate to buy that and go back and see Neil Gaiman.

  1283. Tiny notebooks. Whatever brand you like, from moleskine to those cheapo ones you can get in Wal-Mart for a buck. Something about being small makes them easier to write in. Maybe because I’m terrified of other people reading what I write (I don’t know why, my handwriting’s atrocious, so no one but me can discern it, no matter how big the notebook is). Tiny notebooks are wonderful for jotting down ideas or keeping yourself occupied when you’re not allowed to play on your phone (hello, receptionist job). Collect them, keep them with you, and be amazed at the ability of your own mind to entertain itself.

  1285. Downy Wrinkle Release Spray- Until I can convince everyone to embrace a wrinkled lifestyle, this makes it possible for me to fit in with society. I never have to iron and can show up to work wrinkle free with just a few sprays to my clothes as I walk out the door. This is particularly helpful on the days when I pull my shirt out of the dryer it has been sitting in for several days. Seriously guys, you HAVE to try this!!

  1286. Hmmmm things I can’t live without………
    this super fuzzy ass blanket that I got for Christmas last year. I actually got the same one a year prior but my 4 yr old figured out its magic and commandeered it so I had to ask for a replacement.
    Polarized sunglasses. For years and years I have bought the cheap ones which looked cute but didn’t do shit, I never understood the hype till I splurged on a good pair.
    The blog crappypictures.com one of my go tos when I need to know my children are not the only ones out of their fucking mind.
    Finally, my record player and records cause everything always sounds better on vinyl

  1287. So last Xmas my husband asked for an electric hot pot. At first I thought this was another sex joke but after googling the shit out of that phrase I realized that he basically wanted an electric kettle. Except the one he wanted was $110. Yeah, I laughed right in that dude’s face. Luckily his mother loves him unconditionally and bought it for him as a combo xmas/birthday gift (he has a January birthday).
    Anyway, long story short, I can not imagine living without that thing now. I absolutely LOVE it! We use it several times a day for all manner of things. Instant oatmeal, tea, pasta, rice, coffee, you name it.

    Here is a link to the one we bought and I recommend it highly!
    http://www.amazon.com/Zojirushi-CD-WBC40-4-Liter-Electric-Champagne/dp/B00114Z464/ref=sr_1_3?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1374958862&sr=1-3&keywords=zojirushi

  1288. “What should I read next?” just changed my life. Seriously.

    Also, I’m super jealous of your boozy snow cone machine.

  1289. I seriously can’t live without my non-stick aluminium foil! Now I never have to deal with the top layer of cheese of whatever I baked peeling off when I take the foil off the top. Best invention ever! I love your blog!

  1290. My fleece blanket from Ikea. It is super lightweight so I can put it on my lap (or arms) to keep the sun from burning them on a long road trip without making me hot; but it is warm enough to use while sitting outdoors at a campfire or my husbands lacrosse games.

  1291. Imdb. We use it all the time. Saves me from wondering where I’ve seen that actor before and driving myself crazy for hours!

  1292. Aside from your site, because you’re my spirit animal. I’d have to say that I can’t really live without Spotify. I never thought that I’d use a music program, but now I don’t have to pirate music, and it’s all right there on my phone/computer all the time like MAGIC. It’s wonderful. I don’t know what I did before I started using it, aside from having way too much space being taken up in my computer for music files.

  1293. Oh, the things I love. I could go on for days.

    I super love straws. I know, that seems kinda weird. We all drink out of them at restaurants, but folks, buy some for your casa. I HAVE to have them now. AND its better for your teeth to drink sugary/carbonated things from straws for obvious reasons.

    John Green. I adore him. MY heart knows no bounds when it comes to my love for the green man. I know that he has a big following, but if you enjoy YA, you will love all of his works.

    BuzzFeed. It’s a great time sucker. I suffer form crazy insomnia and it tends to help me relax before bed and has made a difference in how long it takes me to fall asleep. I have the app on my phone, it is free! 🙂

    And one more, Sally Hanson Insta-Dri Top Coat. I have close to 200 bottles of nail polish and nothing makes me feel as good as I feel when I have a fresh manicure that I didn’t have to drop big money on. The only problem with said addiction is that I HATE waiting on my polish to dry. HATE IT. This is where this top coat comes into play. It dries your polish so fast, its crazy. Within 2 minutes I can pretty much go do anything. It also dries to almost a varnish on top. It makes even the cheapest of polishes look great. I am super frugal, and so I don’t have a whole lot of China Glaze, Essie, or Orly. Most of mine are Color Club, Sally Hanson, or L.A. Colors. Sometimes the cheapies work just as well as the expensive ones. The biggest difference is that the more affordable polishes tend to chip faster, but I change my polish so often (2-3 times a week) that it doesn’t make a huge difference, especially with the SH top coat!

  1294. 1) ipod…..although currently it is partially broken. :'(
    2) my furry toddler pest. except when he whines because i haven’t walked him.
    2a) sometimes when he howls at me i howl back, and then i smile (because he’s panting) and he STOPS BREATHING for a sec or two and we just stare at each other.
    2b) whenever i sing he cries along!
    3) the human anatomy, mainly musculature. it’s an obsessive fascination.
    4) OMG LISTS AND ORDER AND PUTTING THINGS WHERE THEY BELONG!!!!!!!! BUT FUCK CLEANING–dusting/vaccuming/whatnot– JUST MAKE SURE THE FURNITURE IS LINED UP NICELY!!!
    5) tangible books. as much as it would save me in $ and space to put everything on my tablet, holding the words in my hands takes away everything else.

  1295. Cerave lotion with sunscreen. Trader Joe’s jojoba oil. Melatonin. Expensive sheets–I don’t know how expensive, because they were a christmas present from my stepmother–but they have changed my life. Down pillows, a lot of them, from Ikea so not expensive, but perfect. My absurdly overpriced Maui Jim sunglasses. Smartwool socks. Huge furry bathrobe from LL Bean that makes me look like Cookie monster. The laptop I’m typing on. My Honda Fit which I bought new (!) and which has never broken down and even if it did it’s under warranty, oh my god.

  1297. ZITE App, readers feed, on my iPad, because that’s how I found your blog, your audio book and a ton of delightful and entertaining reads.

  1298. (I honestly can’t remember if I’ve posted a comment earlier or not. I know I meant to.)

    If I had to pick one thing I couldn’t live without, it would be my online friends and family. People who know and love me unconditionally, and never fail to make me smile.

  1299. Honestly my puppy Roxie…. But she is not for sale. She totally helps me come down from the roof top with the shotgun… She is the one that with her wet nose and kisses helps me forget the dumbasses of the world.

  1300. Okay, I have to admit that I’m kind of out of the loop when it comes to anything written for grown-ups, because I’m kind of stuck in Toddler Land over here. Before your post, I had never even heard of Neil Gaiman (even though I had heard of Coraline … because, you know, any type of “kid” hype can still reach me). But wouldn’t you know it? The very next day after I read about him in your post, he was on an episode of “Arthur” that my son was watching … AND HE WAS A CAT! So, if you want to see Neil Gaiman as an animated cat, doling out writing advice, here it is:

  1301. Joss Whedon. There are around nine billion comments at this point, which means people have undoubtedly already said this, but his Much Ado About Nothing is glorious. I’m going to see it twenty more times before it leaves the theater.

  1302. Glo-sticks. I buy them for party decorations, science experiments with the kids, Christmas toss-in gifts, everything. I seriously keep ten tubes of the bracelet connecty ones at the house, and restock when they get low. $350 would buy a virtual crapload of glo-sticks. (And a literal one, too.)

  1304. Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab perfume oils. I have several that I really enjoy, but one I often dribble a drop or two on on before bedtime is TKO. It’s lavender goodness is divine.

    Suzanne McMinn – (http://www.chickensintheroad.com) A romance writer, turned farm girl that moved her family to West Virginia. Her blog is definitely a fun one to read for anyone looking to try an new direction or adventure.

  1305. I have Crohn’s Disease, so much of what I love is the stuff that makes me not totally sick anymore. Stuff like:
    Remicade:
    I get infusions every 6 weeks, but I don’t spend the rest of my life on narcotics or in the bathroom, so… Super awesome stuff. I’d rather not need it, but, since I do, I’m awfully glad it exists.
    Biocera Water Filter:
    I don’t even know what alkaline water is, but I do know that I actually drink water if it’s alkalined & this kind of water doesn’t make me vomit. Yay! to water that is not vomit-inducing!
    Water Kefir from the Kefiry:
    It makes me feel better. And it’s delicious. And local. And made by people, that I can talk to.
    Pony falls;
    Benefit’s “They’re Real” mascara; and
    Stila’s Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in hot pink:
    Instant glamour in hardly any time at all. No matter what I feel like, I can look glamourous, quickly. That gives me a sense of self-confidence, even when I feel like crap. #punintended #crohnssucks
    My trusty 00 Honda Civic:
    Freedom in a metal box, even when I can’t go anywhere, I know it’s there.
    My laptop:
    Connection & community in a box.
    My sewing machines & tools:
    Artistic expression & sense of completions available here.

  1306. Origins Body Wrap, except that they might not make them anymore. Or they might call them “Hugs” now. But there are a bunch of rip offs available on Amazon. I heat up 2 every night and take them to bed with me. They help my back muscles relax, so i can sleep.

  1307. Warmth, silence and the ability to be still. (Bonus points if you recognize the quote)

    Can’t live without my books — including my beloved nook. Finding out that I can get library books online without leaving the house is fantastic. Also love the Philidelphia Free Library, though I don’t live in Philidelphia because for the low price of $35 I can have access online to their enormous collection.

    Also love Green and Black’s Mint Chocolate. Or any chocolate really. I had to give up chocolate for a month in an attempt to see if it was a migraine trigger for me (it wasn’t) and I realized that a chocolate free life is only barely worth living.

    Also dog parks. I’m lucky to live in a city with a good collection of dog parks. There’s nothing like seeing a whole lot of happy dogs just being dogs, and it’s enough space for my greyhounds to get out and really run.

  1308. There’s a pricier version out there, but the fur-go-pet I got at Menards has changed my life. It’s a dog/cat brush that gets out the undercoat. It is AMAZING. Completely changed how much cleaning I have to do during shedding season, and the critters love it. Nothing compares.

  1309. Congrats to Dangerous Lilly! We can all want things, but, when what you want is to give to someone who needs, is a beautiful thing. I wish well for your friend and I hope she buys something for herself.

  1310. Reading the winning comment made my day.

    Seriously. So much love.

    I think I’m gonna grin for like a year.

  1311. My ancient hardcover copy of “The Portable Dorothy Parker” is always close by my side… so much misery and mirth in one potent little volume.

  1312. OMG, Archer is one of my favorite things of all time. That being said, David Wong is currently up on my list too…his books (all 2 of them) made me laugh so hard it was like candy for my imagination.

    Oh…and a good cheap chardonnay (PKNT is a good cheap one).

  1313. Hi Ms. Lawson. “Longtime listener, first time caller.” Just wanted to add to the comment about LeVar Burton’s response to the Zimmerman verdict. As I’m sure most people commenting here also know (since readers of this blog seem to be very intelligent and culturally-savvy), Burton is also well-known as Kunta Kinte, the protagonist of the 1977 TV miniseries adaptation of Alex Haley’s “Roots.” That story in and of itself deals with the history of a black family once owned as property (and horribly mistreated) by white slave-masters. So I think Burton’s filmography (besides Reading Rainbow) also adds another dimension worth considering in his commentary on racial dynamics in the U.S. and specifically the aftermath of the death of Trayvon Martin.

    Also, Burton played LaForge on Star Trek: TNG, the blind navigator with the one-piece visual implant. Now, Stevie Wonder, who is also black — and blind in real-life — has said he’s boycotting any future visits to the “Sunshine” state; it must be doubly difficult to be black AND disabled in a white-oriented Red(neck) State. Imagine if Trayvon was blind or otherwise disabled — how could he run if he couldn’t get around? 🙁

  1314. Mine’s free as insomnia is something I battle…I’m in love with sleep and when I can’t sleep candy crush, a good book on my ipad and if all else fails ambien…sometimes it takes a while to kick in so candy crush helps pass the time.

  1317. Okay, so this is great and i’ll be stalking this post to refer to things I want in the near future. Loves. (Yes, really typed that).
    ((((HUGS))))
    ha.

  1318. My satellite radio subscription is something I can’t live without. Coffeehouse radio and the Howard Stern Show. You do have to tolerate some of Howard’s rantings some of the time but his interviews are absolutely the best!

  1319. I bought J. R. Watkins Coconut Sugar and Shea Body Scrub because you suggested it – and you’re right ~ it’s awesome. REALLY hard to get out of the tube though.
    And all the Neuro drinks are good. Neuro Sun and Neuro Bliss are also favorites of mine!

    And if you’ve never seen Simon the Cat on Youtube – go look – So cute!

    Thanks for sharing!

  1320. “My ideal party would be me, her, Amanda Palmer, Regina Spektor and Miranda Lambert all in my bathroom with a karaoke machine and a bartender and some illegal fireworks.” You are my soul mate. I have found you.

  1321. If you click on any of the products and go to Amazon, scroll down to the “people who bought this item also…” list. It’s now a list of everything on your list. Which has got to confuse the hell out of the two random people who went to towels and now wonder why they need body scrub and Neil Gaiman books. I mean, they do need those things, but still

  1322. THe sixteen-color watercolor palette (nontoxic, washable) made by Crayola which you can buy for $4.50 and the book, Unicorns Are Jerks (HILARIOUS), so you can paint watercolor jerky unicorns. (And if you want to make them SPARKLY, I like the mixed media approach of sparkly gel pens COMBINED with the Crayola watercolors.) Very therapeutic!

  1323. We’re All Fine Here, a novel by Mary Guterson. Because too many mothers take parenting way too seriously and it’s just boring and annoying. Mary Guterson’s musings about her son are just too hilarious. I read this book at Barton Springs in Austin where it’s not cool to laugh out loud while reading a book but I did. A lot.

    Portlandia on Netflix. If I sound like I work for the local Chamber of Commerce, I’m sorry. But the Porlandia demographic is much like Austin. People far too liberal (and I consider myself liberal… have never voted for a republican), far too serious about their music preferences and their free range chicken. It comforts me to know there are more take-themselves-too-seriously people somewhere in the world.

    Zappos for shoes. And Joes New Balance Outlet. I have short toes and wide feet. I almost can not buy a shoe in any shoe store, like, ever. Zappos has been a life saver.

    Scrabble and other words games on my phone. I just love playing a game of scrabble with a friend from my childhood that I haven’t seen in 30 years. We don’t chat much but it’s somehow comforting that it’s her I’m playing. Ditto my sister. Except I see her once a year.

    Ditto texting. Makes life so much more worthwhile to be able to text a simple question and get a one line answer without having to go through all the “how are you? just fine” small talk.

    Who is Dr. Who? I feel really out of it that I don’t know the show. I confess, I took a sneak peak and it doesn’t look like something I would watch. Give me the BBC Pride and Prejudice and I am cured of all my ills. But do I give Dr. Who a try? I think I must.

  1325. I recently bought and read your book in one day. I had wanted it for a long time but I couldn’t justify the cost (sometimes life is a shit sandwich). I couldn’t steal it, I respect you too much. So I bought it and told the meany in my head to shut up. I have been battling with several crappy illnesses which don’t help depression. I now want to be you. Not in a creepy way, in a “I totally admire your courage and humor” way. I now want to give all my friends battling illness and depression copies of your book. I need them in bulk. Thank you.

    Also after finishing you book I wanted more, so I have been catching up on all things Jenny. In one post you can have me laughing so hard my sides hurt and my husband telling me he needs to sleep and in the next post have you describe how depression lies like a mother fucker, and describe my angst. Again, THANK YOU.

  1327. Sucb a pleasure to come across your web page! There you were, ironically randomly hanging out on my Google search for “Affordable Memory Foam 4-pd Pillows made in USA or Swedan”. It was to ironious not to find out the connectoin! (BIG SMILES) After looking over your website and deeper into books you nave written, I wasn’t surprised that your web page hung out so comportably and at ease on tbe misfitting google page. After reading just a little, I understod how very much you are ingulfed with a contagious joy to all you reach out to and it has nothing to do with their response to you personally or anything selfish in that way. It seems what is more important is what others hold on to after becoming a part of your story…and your books,(of wbich I am trying to order but my teaching budget is very limited this month) are permission for everyone to become a part of that story. Believe it or not, we all have shared the same pie in some way. The Google page hangout reminds me of how uncomfortable it looks for A CUP to be HANGING at the HANDLE of a TEA CUP…however, where would a teacup handle better sit or a tea cup better fit?! I laugh to think of the oddities in reversal because in honesty. these are such things that revive and awaken the deadened, mundane senses of everyday life. You have not, though as deeply loved individual in my life, and by no stretch of amy measure do consider myself aholy religious person, and mot even Catholic or of any denomination, but Mother Theresa was the very last of her kind. Gave her life to serve others faithfully without the public flaw we see everyday now fromthe age of 16, I believe. She advocated for people that were NOT OPRAHS but that certainly started as Oprah, her precious, self did…she fought long and hard to be where she is and I personally send her every blessing and abundance possible! Mother Theresa was exactly where she chose to be at the time of her passing and was at peace with her life and living. I guess what I would like to say is though we all may want to be better than others or do something better than those before us, we simply can’t. It isn’t possible because we will never be able to BE THAT PERSON. We only have a clear measurement of our greatness when we look within. Begin with a starting point. Measure growth from time to time for whatever it may be (re:Mother Tharesa it may be going to church, prayer, serve at meal time, attending mass, assist at donations and hospital, etc.) Keeping track helps me understand greatness, humbles my outlook, gives perspective, offers a soothing grace well needed to not feel like a total loss, and this like this.
    It is with deep appllogy that you will probably run across spelling and grammatical errors. Im currently using my old school phone to send out emails due to laptop issues and I am thinking this phone bas a dogon secretary I cant seem to fire who love to invent words! Trust me, anything you read will never be quite like I have sent out to my boss AND the pastor of church! LOL If so, forgive me up front! I wanted to reach out to you before I wrote down the pletbora of ideas I know of. You brief story moved my heart and though mine is not the same, it is certainly about one order of thinking I believe you identify with.. “it is not ONES INability that defines a persons life…but it is a persons ABILITY THAT DEFINES their LIFE!” You are a bookmark in time testifying to this rare truth and I am so thankful to have stumbled on to you “tea cup handle!”
    SEIE THE DAY!
    Sandra D Sanders
    (480) 800) 7902

  1328. I was wondering if you ever thought of changing the structure
    of your site? Its very well written; I love what youve
    got to say. But maybe you could a little more
    in the way of content so people could connect with it
    better. Youve got an awful lot of text for only having 1 or two pictures.
    Maybe you could space it out better?

  1331. My dryer bar. It sounds silly, but there were always dryer sheets EVERYWHERE. Not anymore. I love it.

    Foaming glass cleaner. Goodbye Windex! Google. How did people ever do anything new before the internet?!

    My neighbors/neighborhood. We’re so blessed.

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