Birthday Wish List

It was surprisingly difficult to come up with my birthday wish list.  I usually try NOT to think of things that I wish I had, and instead concentrate on the many things that I am so fortunate to have.  These days, I'm so happy with the way things are going, I barely even have time to think about what I'm lacking.  I guess that's a good thing, though it makes for a pretty boring wish list (sorry).  So, without further ado:

RACHEL'S BIRTHDAY LIST 2011 

First and foremost, I would ALWAYS welcome handwritten, kind, and thoughtful prose.  You know, sometimes I forget that people love me, and of anything else on this list, love is the most precious thing of all (go ahead and puke now, but I'm serious!). 


Okay, now that THAT'S out of the way . . . onto the materialism! 

Cute(ish), comfortable flats.  Shoes that I can wear to work, out walking around town, or anyplace I want to look cute and put-together.  I'm currently relying on my sneakers for any time I'm going to be standing for any length of time, which is very frumpy (I'm aware), but I'm not willing to sacrifice my knees and / or back for the sake of fashion.  These ones are from Keen, and fit the bill pretty well.  

Games for the game "closet."  Right now our collection is paltry at best: dominoes, Skip-bo, Bananagrams, and  Snorta (my favorite).  Cranium and Apples to Apples are, of course, favorites, but I would also like pretty much any word game thrown at me.  Or other classics like Clue, Monopoly, etc. 

A cast-iron skillet.  Yes, I want a cast-iron skillet.  We have a teflon skillet that is losing its nonstick power (which, apparently, is hazardous to our health), and a cast-iron skillet is a kitchen must-have.  This might be the most boring gift ever.  

The Cello-Phant.  This would help me teach my beginning students how to not have crazy bow-holds.    When did I get to be so practical?   

A New All-in-One Printer.  Ours is so temperamental, and it never prints anything of any professional quality.  We end up printing "important" documents at school or the library, and we'd really like to upgrade.  This is an HP, which had reasonably good reviews.  I haven't really done my research here, because it's not really in the cards for us right now.  

Like I said, this is a really yawn-inducing wish-list.  Maybe I should go a little more exotic . . . 

A trip for two to Galapagos.  Or India, Thailand, Patagonia, Paris, Rio de Janeiro . . . 

Or for experiences instead of things: 

Yoga or Zumba classes. That would be awesome. 

Cooking classes. Again, awesome. 

Pittsburgh Symphony tickets. We're too poor to go on our own. 

A makeover. Hair, makeup, facial, mani-pedi . . . yeah, I could handle that. 

A MASSAGE.  Hell yes.  I've never had a professional massage, and I think I could use one! 

There you go, that's better!  

And, of course, there are also gift cards: 

Old Navy

Target

Fandango

Restaurants (I don't really like chains, but I have to admit that it makes for a good date night) 

Starbucks (hot cocoa season is fast approaching) 

Shar (do they even have GC's?)

 So, woohoo!  There you go.  Any other suggestions?  What should I want??