list 100 favorite memories

94. Picking cherries in Ontario.

95. Getting the following compliment: “You help me to become a better member of the human race.”

96. The goosebumps I got when the lady told me that turquoise represents healing of mind, body, and spirit.

97. Finding out about Germany from Lai.

86. Tooling around San Francisco with my colleagues.

87. The first time I saw the Capitol in Washington, D.C.

88. Looking down at the leaves on the trees from the plane that was taking me to Parris Island.

89. Getting sneezed on by the elephant at UniverSOUL circus.

90. Going to the U2 concert in Pittsburgh.

91. Riding the horse in Lexington and not being able to walk properly afterwards.

92. Meeting Adrian Grenier on Election Night 2004.

93. Spending the day at Easton on my birthday.

78. Calling the USMC recruiting office for the first time.

79. The forgetting of the cover on the first meeting with the Marines.

80. The TV screens in the cabs in London.

81. The run-in I had with my guardian angel on 42nd Street in NYC. When 42nd Street was BAD.

82. Going to Toronto with Reilly.

83. The night I was sitting on the couch and ran across John Edward on TV.

84. Seeing the guy sing opera at Harrod’s in London.

85. When Sonia Choquette asked, “What do you want to create?” and I answered, “Myself. I want to create myself.”

62. Walking to school with Ranee.
63. Finding Shuri Castle on flickr.
64. When I hit my head at school and Hiren made me get ice for it.
65. Getting my fellowship at OSU.
66. The day I moved to Columbus.
67. Seeing the rainbow that day.
68. Getting my fortune cookie, “Your mind is filled with new ideas. Make use of them.”
69. Candy Cane Lane Holiday Decaf Green Tea from Celestial Seasonings.
70. The day I walked back and forth between the USMC and the Army recruiting offices.
71. Little Rohan sitting on his dad’s lap after he got tubes in his ears.
72. How gentle and sweet Hiren was with him that day.
73. Going to the Tower of London.
74. Driving around Ireland with Hiren.
75. Watching the World Cup in that pub in Ireland.
76. Loving the Akbank commercial in Istanbul.
77. That night we broke into the castle in Okinawa.

How nicely Hiren took care of the three of us when we were sick with the stomach flu.

46. When one of Hiren’s friends said to him “I can’t believe you’re going to be a dad!” and Hiren replied, “I’ve been a dad for years now.”

47. Getting my iPod.

48. The first road tip I ever took—following behind those ladies so I’d know how to drive on the Interstate. How they waved to me when they finally had to turn off.

49. Kutch.

50. Our Interstate speech in speech class.

51. The day I found OD. I just knew it was home.

52. The day I got my information packet from Women for Women.

53. Buying purple pens at Plakenhorns.

54. The day I finally won at Uno, after MONTHS of not EVER winning!!

55. Meeting Hiren’s mom for the first time. How we both cried.

56. Chintan snuggling with Ashlan.

57. How happy I was to graduate from high school.

58. Watching the skunks with my dad.

59. Getting hired at the Sun-Gazette.

60. When the birds shat all over my car at UVA.

26. Getting the red carpet treatment at the officer’s club in Istanbul.

27. The day Hiren adopted Ashlan.

28. Getting that group of firefighters to sing Happy Birthday to my little brother.

29. When the Steelers won the Super Bowl.

30. Laying on the floor in my living room, watching the Colts game, absolutely SICK because I was so afraid the Steelers were going to lose.

31. OSU vs. Michigan in 2002. The game itself.

32. How confident I was that we were going to win. So confident, in fact, I called my mother from the stadium completely convinced it was over. She got to hear everyone screaming after the final play. Watching the game later, I realized that Michigan damn near won.

33. The first time I ever saw “Ann Arbor is a whore.” I know it’s gauche, but it’s still clever.

34. My Uncle Pat brainwashing me to like the Steelers when I was about two. I remember him asking me, “Who’s number one, Nicki?” And I’d say, “Steelers!”

35. The day my guardian angel saved my life.

36. Finding my friend Suzi again.

37. The birthday party at Tomari-san’s house.

38. When that lady at the Okinawa airport gave me a change purse.

39. When I was in Japan, how people always let me hold their kids.

40. That day in Naha—going to the palace, giving donuts to the parking guards and then them letting me park for free, how everyone flocked to be in pictures.

41. How that guy in Korea let me on the tram for free. He was pissed about it, but he did it.

42. Meeting that lady on the subway and having a Korean companion the whole day. Such fun!

43. My grandfather teaching me how to use the Internet for the first time.

44. Meeting Andy.

45. Breakfast and yard-saling with Andy.

16. Sitting on the terrace of Suisse Hotel in Istanbul watching the ships sail past on the Bosphorus.

17. Going to the Grand Bazaar by myself and not getting lost.

18. When the concierge told me I shouldn’t go to the Grand Bazaar by myself because it’s very crowded but changed his mind after he realized I’d been to Bombay.

19. Seeing an elephant in the street on my first day in Bombay.

20. When I screamed when that camel stood up and the driver stood there laughing at me.

21. Holding that cobra outside the Gateway to India. Total tourist thing, but still fun.

22. The bathrooms at the Taj Hotel. sigh

23. The nicest bathroom I’ve ever seen. Unbelievably, it was inside a GAS STATION in Japan. True story.

24. When Tonya and I mocked everyone in Okinawa for having winter coats on even though it was 50 degrees. Then, of course, next year, we were wearing winter coats ourselves. Ahhh…acclimation. It’s a bitch.

25. In MP school when Tonya came to me and told me she wasn’t going to be a bitch to me anymore and instead wanted to be friends. We’ve been friends for 13 years now.

1. Having my son. It was a great experience. When I had my daughter, the labor was really bad, but with my son, I had such a great time. I laughed often and really enjoyed the whole event.

2. Graduation from undergrad. Fun day, lots of friends, bright future.

3. On my move from Pennsylvania to Ohio I saw a rainbow and took it as a sign that I was doing the right thing. I was.

4. Baby snuggles from both my kids.

5. The day we closed on our house.

6. Hot tub.

7. 15 shots.

8. Helping Jason in speech class.

9. Graduating USMC boot camp and hearing a woman in the crowd yell out, “You GO girls!”

10. Seeing Tabor in his t-shirt.

11. Laying on the car, watching the Leonid meteor shower with my future husband.

12. Introducing him to Krispy Kreme donuts.

13. Donating to Kiva.org.

14. When my husband got a job after grad school.

15. Graduating from high school.