Sometimes you want important things, and sometimes you don't:
I wish I lived near, no on, a beach
I wish NYC apartments had back porches
I wish life were more like a Nikki McClure calendar
I wish I could get a better night's sleep
I wish I saw more live music
I wish William Morris had had his way
I wish my family were closer and kinder to each other
I wish my stomach didn't get upset after eating certain really good cheeses
I wish Grandma were still alive and healthy
I wish more people worked less
I wish teleporters were real
I wish "sorry" weren't the hardest word, and "one" weren't the loneliest number
I wish we had more closet space
I wish we had less stuff
I wish someone would come and paint our whole apartment in rich colors
I wish I could recall more plot details from old reads and episodes of The Cosby Show
I wish friends wouldn't inevitably move away
I wish I hadn't moved away from so many dear friends
I wish I could go to Jana's wedding in Germany next week
I wish the Brooklyn Public Library had longer hours
I wish I had three additional weeks to study for the Bar
I wish William Shatner were doing more interpretations of Elton John songs these days
I wish I had more artistic talent
I wish everything were as well made as a Kikkoman soy sauce bottle
I wish plastic glasses didn't always get loose at the temple
I wish more chairs were designed with short people in mind, and while we're at it, that more shoes were made in size 5
I wish I had more time to be bored
I wish Elvis Costello would have dinner at our apartment
I wish the movie Water hadn't been based on a real phenomenon
I wish the world had X-Men in it
I wish the food coop were less crowded
I wish it were easier to keep one's sense of humor when things go badly
I wish more people knew more about Finland
I wish I knew what more of my former students were doing now
I wish I were crushing your head
I wish we had more time to plan our trip to Morocco
I wish there were more movies with Carmen Miranda in them
I wish I could remember more of the corny jokes I've heard
Sigh. I wish I could be satisfied with the way things are.
NOTE: Elizabeth correctly points out that my title quotes that song incorrectly. It should be "I wish I was a little bit taller / I wish I was a baller / I wish I had a girl who looked good, I would call her." Oh well. It's been a pretty long time since I heard that song, and for years, this is how it's been in my head. I kind of like my version anyway.
Posted by jess at July 7, 2006 9:50 PM | TrackBackWhile I hate to be a wish-crusher and all, your title is wrong. The correct phrasing is:"I wish I was a little bit taller, I wish I was a baller, I wish I had a girl who looked good, I would call her."
Posted by: elizabeth at July 7, 2006 11:10 PMOh, your wishes brought tears to my eyes.
Great post.
I love Knoxville Gray and Home Sweet Home.
I need more rooms to paint!!
I am actually trying to force myself to paint my bedroom this weekend. I have had the paint forever and just have remove more than half of my belongings in order to prime the walls (they are navy blue right now) and then paint.
Really I have 2 days off and have the house to myself...I could do it.
I am off to check out the William Shatner link - hey have you ever heard him do Shakespeare? It is pretty damned funny.
Posted by: Miss Scarlett at July 7, 2006 11:17 PMlol! i'm crushing your head. i really miss kids in the hall. in fact it's been so long, was it even kids in the hall?
Posted by: melissa at July 7, 2006 11:33 PMYou so just pulled about 15 of those wishes right from my heart and mind. Unfortch, when I get a case of the "wishes" I am always reminded of one of my grandma's sayings...
"You can wish in one hand and shit in the other. Guess which one fills up quicker."
Thanks for the great post!
Posted by: Skylar at July 8, 2006 12:36 AMthanks for the alice faye link, wee! i'll have to forward it to the general and his roommates post haste!
Posted by: rfn at July 8, 2006 12:54 AMThat whole list was great. And I joined up for that flickr group right quick!
Posted by: Michelle at July 8, 2006 1:03 AMLol, that's ok, I thought the lyrics were "I wish I had a girl, if I did, I would call her."
I like your list!!
What's up with Finland?
Posted by: meena at July 8, 2006 1:22 AMoh, how i wish plastic glasses didn't get loose at the temples too.
i love me a good corny joke. Here's one:
Why couldn't the pirates go in to see the movie?
Because. . .it was rated "ARRRRRRR!"
i laughed at this one until i was literally crying and that's no joke.
here are more jokes to check out. . .
http://www.cartalk.com/content/timekill/lamejokes/
Posted by: Sandra at July 8, 2006 7:02 AMLovely post. Reminded me of may of my own wishes, some of which I've given up on.
Posted by: julia fc at July 8, 2006 9:00 AMCrushing your head! I remember I was in 5th grade when Kids in the Hall came out and I was the only one that thought they were funny. I used to crush a lot of heads. Great post.
Posted by: Iraida at July 8, 2006 9:11 AMSatisfaction is overrated. Dissatisfaction spurs us on. I too wish William Morris had had his way and nothing ain't never getting better without us wishing it were so.
This was a great post.
Posted by: Francesca (Stuntmother) at July 8, 2006 9:27 AMhhmmm, finland huh? my good friend is married to a finnish guy and they keep talking about going there after the baby is born. i'm sure i'll know a whole lot more about it once they're back :)
Posted by: gleek at July 8, 2006 11:08 AMAhhh, if only we could all just be satisfied with what we have...
Posted by: Charity at July 8, 2006 11:09 AMoh, this post really touched on how i'm feeling right now. i'm always wishing i could change things, never satisfied. but now that i have a really scary problem, i'm actually longing for my *old* problems. sad, huh?
and i totally forget plot details, but cosby shows seem to stay with me. like when denise sewed the funky shirt for theo. classic!
Posted by: carrie m at July 8, 2006 12:10 PMi wish i could reach into computer screens and pull out the pictures of cupcakes and eat them.
Posted by: kate at July 8, 2006 5:36 PMoh, and they would not make you fat.
Posted by: kate at July 8, 2006 5:38 PMI love Mr. Tizig! And thank you for getting that song BACK in my head, it had finally gone after years. Curse you, TFA institute 99!
I wish friends lived closer too.
Posted by: Jezabel at July 9, 2006 11:41 AMO mighty Kids in the Hall! That was a great, startling reference.
Posted by: diana at July 10, 2006 7:22 AMok, i HAD to comment, because just friday i was sitting in traffic, listening to some random 90's hip hop, and had a sudden "whatever happened to that skee-lo guy that did that "i wish..." track?" LOL! =] apparently i wasn't the only one.
Posted by: amy at July 10, 2006 9:12 AMMy late boyfriend's brother, Andy, spent a year in finland and loved it. I still remember him handing some candy to Rich and saying, "Try this!" Then, as Rich popped it in his mouth, Andy gleefully exclamed, "It's TAR!" Tar candy. Leave it to the Finns ;)
Posted by: holly at July 10, 2006 11:21 AMif someone hasn't already suggested it, i also recommend staying in a hotel near the javits when you take the test. Nothing fancy, preferably a room without a view. It may seem like a luxury at this point in your life, but having everything but the need to eat removed as a distraction and not worrying about the trains, when you get there, etc can be a huge relief when you are actually going through it.
Posted by: gretchen at July 10, 2006 3:25 PMit always sounds like a nice idea to live near the ocean/beach. (but you said on a beach, so this next part wouldn't be a problem). i've been living near the ocean (15-20 minute drive) for the last year and a half and with the parking being INSANE, i hardly ever go. seriously, $1.50 an hour for parking is ridiculous.
Posted by: Tasha at July 10, 2006 3:54 PMfunny you should mention a house at the beach. I live near the beach. And I don't pay for parking. I walk there. Alas, the house is for sale. Another beach, somewhere. Another time.
Posted by: Chris at July 22, 2006 7:49 PMwhat song is that from? ive been lookin all over for it?
Posted by: elora at September 24, 2007 6:55 PM