Top 10 Female Voices

10. Joni Mitchell
9. Mya
8. Lauryn Hill
7. Alicia Keys
6. Colbie Caillait
5. Alison Krauss
4. Chantal Kreviazuk
3. Jewel
2. Lisa Hannigan
1. Marketa Irglova

Top 10 Frank Lloyd Wright Buildings I'd Like to Visit

10. Ennis House (Los Angeles, CA)

9. Arizona Biltmore Hotel (Phoenix, AZ)

8. Taliesin West (Scottsdale, AZ)

7. Gammage Auditorium (Tempe, AZ)

6. Price Tower (Bartlesville, OK)

5. Annie Pfeiffer Chapel (Lakeland, FL)

4. Beth Sholom Synagogue (Elkins Park, PA)

3. Johnson Wax Headquarters (Racine, WI)

2. Imperial Hotel (Tokyo, Japan)

1. Fallingwater (Mill Run, PA)

Top 10 Types of Silence

10. suppressed silence
9. charged silence
8. heavy silence
7. uneasy silence
6. dead silence
5. empty silence
4. pregnant pause
3. golden silence
2. reverent silence
1. awkward silence

Top 10 Types of Water

10. deionized water- water that has had its mineral ions removed.
9. dead water- phenomenon when fresh or brackish water rests atop more dense salt water without mixing.
8. meteoric water- long standing water in the ground originating from precipitation.
7. brine- water nearly or completely saturated with salt.
6. mineral water- water containing minerals that alter its taste or therapeutic value.
5. brackish water- water with more salinity that fresh water, but less that seawater.
4. meltwater- water released by the melting of snow or ice/glaciers.
3. connate water- water trapped in the pores of sedimentary rocks.
2. distilled water- water with nearly all impurities removed through distillation.
1. freshwater- water in bodies of water containing low concentrations of dissolved salts.

Top 10 Favorite Movies

I haven't seen a ton of movies or anything, but these are the ones I could watch over and over. Recommendations are welcome.

10. I Am Sam
9. The Shawshank Redemption
8. The Pursuit of Happyness
7. Children of Heaven
6. Amelie
5. August Rush
4. Once
3. Fiddler on the Roof
2. When Harry Met Sally
1. Forrest Gump

Top 10 Scurviest Piratey Phrases

10. booty: treasure
9. hearties: familiar term of address among sailors.
8. red ensign: a British flag.
7. Jolly Roger: pirate flag with skull and crossbones.
6. scallywag: a villainous or mischievous person.
5. landlubber: a person unfamiliar with seamanship.
4. Jack Ketch: the hangman. (to dance with Jack Ketch=to hang)
3. black spot: a black smudge used as a death threat.
2. keelhaul: punishment by dragging under the ship.
1. Davy Jones' Locker: the bottom of the ocean; a watery grave.

Top X Fruity Game Intros (Boing Boing Gadgets)

I'm no gamer, but I enjoyed Boing Boing Gadgets's Top 10 List of vomitously cheesy game intros so I'm going to mooch off of them for today. I wasn't able to sit through more than 10 seconds of most of them, but I think Zero Wing, listed last, is worth viewing.

Top 10 Fruity Game Intros

Top 10 Harry Potter Characters Named After Stars/Constellations

10. Arcturus - son of Phineas Nigellus Black.
9. Alphard - Sirius and Regulus's uncle.
8. Cygnus - Bellatrix, Andromeda, and Narcissa's father; Sirius and Regulus's uncle.
7. Orion - Sirius and Regulus's father.
6. Andromeda - Nymphadora Tonk's mother.
5. Merope - the abused daughter of Marvolo Gaunt; gave birth to Tom Riddle.
4. Draco - Harry's archenemy at school; only son of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy.
3. Regulus - Sirius's brother who betrayed Voldemort.
2. Sirius - Harry's godfather.
1. Bellatrix - Voldemort's most loyal follower; Sirius's cousin.

And just for fun:

Top 10 Synonyms for "Nonsense"

These choice words were selected from a list I have put together of over a hundred entries. Any contributions you may have are welcome.

10. Moonshine
9. Poppycock
8. Horsefeathers
7. Codswallop
6. Fiddlesticks
5. Jiggery-pokery
4. Gobbledygook
3. Whangdoodle
2. Balderdash
1. Rigamarole

Yes, these are all in the dictionary. That's no baloney.

Top 10 TV Shows of All Time

10.
9.
8. Bob Ross- The Joy of Painting
7. Jeopardy
6. Iron Chef (Japanese Version)
5. Flight of the Conchords
4. So You Think You Can Dance
3. Planet Earth
2. The Simpsons
1. Animaniacs

Um... I watch so little TV that I couldn't even think of 10 shows that I like. But seriously, if Animaniacs came back, I would watch more of it.

RIP Bob Ross.

Top 10 Disney Villains

10. Captain Hook (Peter Pan): Poor guy; who wouldn't get annoyed with those bratty kids?
9. Gaston (Beauty and the Beast): He's just one of those villains who has... a great song.
8. Shere Khan (The Jungle Book): He has such a great bass voice (listen to "That's What Friends Are For",) which is a quality that all cool male villains should have.
7. Scar (The Lion King): He wins big points in the evil voice department (great job, Jeremy Irons.)
6. Maleficent (Sleeping Beauty): I think it's kind of pathetic when you can turn into a 50 foot dragon but all you can do is clumsily take up space and then fall to your doom a few moments later.
5. Lady Tremaine with Drizella & Anastasia (Cinderella): What is it about evil women and fantastic hairdos?
4. Jafar (Aladdin): I could never figure out how his neck and face could be such different colors.
3. Queen Grimilhide (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs): She is just so classic.
2. Cruella De Vil (101 Dalmations): Every time I see someone who resembles her, I start singing that song in my head. So jazzy and evil. It's great.
1. Ursula (The Little Mermaid): Her bosomy shimmy during "Poor Unfortunate Souls" should be enough to make anyone shudder.

The villains are always my mom's favorite characters, so I think her fondness for them has rubbed off on me.

Top 10 Salty Cravings

10. Pickles
9. Cheap Burritos
8. Beef Jerky
7. Popcorn Chicken
6. Focaccia Bread
5. Olives
4. Bacon
3. Grilled Mushrooms
2. Cheese
1. Dried Squid

Top 10 Things to Do With a Pencil

10. Pick out crud in the cracks of appliances
9. Use like chopsticks to pick up random objects on your desk
8. Stab people you don't like
7. Throw at people
6. Sharpen
5. See how many you can stand on end before some jerk comes and knocks them all down
4. Fling at the ceiling to see if it will stick
3. Smudge
2. Draw
1. Write

What? You think I'm running out of ideas? How dare you make such an accusation.

Top 10 Letters of the Alphabet (Capitals)

10. H
9. P
8. B
7. F
6. S
5. A
4. X
3. O
2. J
1. Q

I like bold, obvious letters that can't be messed up. They're just solid.

Top 10 Reasons to Procrastinate Blogging

10. Slow internet
9. Not being able to think of that one word you want to use
8. Using up all your night internet time in other websites
7. Talking to/being with your boyfriend
6. Spider Solitaire (and the like)
5. Hunger
4. Ideas are half-baked
3. Laziness
2. Lack of ideas
1. Sleepiness

To my small fanbase: I'm sorry. I will try to be better.

Top 10 Potato Chip Flavors

I admit it. I'm a sodium freak.

10. Jalapeño
9. Salsa
8. Salt & Vinegar
7. Dill Pickle
6. Lime
5. Nori (flavored seaweed) & Salt
4. Shrimp
3. Gorgonzola Cheese
2. Tomato & Herbs
1. Horseradish

By "potato chip," I mean any crunchy, crispy, calorie-infused snack.

Top 10 Lines from Shakespeare's "The Tempest"

10. We are such stuff as dreams are made on, and our little life is rounded with a sleep.
9. Do not infest your mind with beating on the strangeness of this business.
8. O wonder! How many goodly creatures are there here! How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world, that has such people in't!
7. My language! Heavens! I am the best of them that speak this speech, were I but where 'tis spoken.
6. You taught me language, and my profit on't is, I know how to curse.
5. Hell is empty, and all the devils are here.
4. Travellers ne'er did lie, though fools at home condemn 'em.
3. Though thou canst swim like a duck, thou art made like a goose.
2. What impossible matter will he make easy next?
1. Look, he's winding up the watch of his wit; by and by it will strike.

Top 10 Scary Thoughts in the Dark

10. That the ceiling will fall on top of you.

9. That there is someone looking at you through the window.

8. That someone will grab your feet and drag you out from under the covers.
7. That any limb you let hang off the side of your bed will be grabbed.
6. That someone is hiding in the closet.
5. That the floor is crawling with worms.
4. That the walls are breathing.
3. That there is someone in the room, and if they realize you're not really asleep, they will stab you or shoot you.
2. That someone will be staring down at you when you open your eyes.
1. That someone will grab/slit your ankles when you step off of your bed.

I've always had a really active imagination. It's a wonder I've managed to somewhat keep my sanity for this long.

Top 10 Favorite Kitchen Tools

10. Nylon whisk
9. Non-stick skillet
8. Bamboo mat (for sushi)
7. Gnocchi paddle
6. Cake leveler
5. Grapefruit spoon
4. Really sharp, big knives
3. Heat-proof rubber spatula
2. Long chopsticks
1. Cookie scoop

Top 10 Country Capitals

10. Reykjavik (Iceland)
9. Kathmandu (Nepal)
8. Tegucigalpa (Honduras)
7. Djibouti (Djibouti)
6. Phnom Penh (Cambodia)
5. Ougadougou (Burkina Faso)
4. P'yongyang (North Korea)
3. Funafuti (Tuvalu)
2. Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia)
1. Addis Ababa (Ethiopia)

I just think these are cool to know (and try to say.)

Top 10 "Ad" Latin Phrases

10. ad rem: to the point.
9. ad nauseum: to a sickening or excessive degree.
8. ad astra: to the stars.
7. ad absurdum: to the point of absurdity.
6. ad vitam: for life.
5. ad infinitum: without end or limit.
4. ad libitum: at one's pleasure.
3. ad hominem: appealing to feelings or prejudices.
2. ad hoc: for a particular purpose.
1. ad idem: of the same mind.

Top 10 Cookie Ingredients

10. caramel
9. macadamia nuts
8. butterscotch chips
7. coconut
6. chocolate chips
5. oatmeal
4. raw sugar
3. marshmallows
2. raspberry jam
1. toffee pieces

Top 10 Books I Loved as a Kid

10. The 13 Clocks by James Thurber
I loved the surrealism of this book.
9. The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline B. Cooney
This was the coolest book in elementary school.
8. Half Magic (series) by Edward Eager
Great stories, but I remember loving the illustrations and trying to copy them as well.
7. There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom by Louis Sachar
This book made me cry and almost made me consider becoming a teacher.
6. The Farthest-Away Mountain by Lynne Reid Banks
For some reason, my friends and I were obsessed with this book and read it to pieces.
5. A Wrinkle in Time (series) by Madeleine L'Engle
I'm sure I didn't understand half of what was going on, but couldn't put it down nonetheless.
4. Anne of Green Gables (series) by L. M. Montgomery
I could read these over and over again for the rest of my life.
3. The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
We got to make our own word-market booths and sell words, it was so fun.
2. The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi
We would be sucked in by this book every reading time and beg our teacher to read one more chapter.
1. Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt
This was one of those books that confirmed my desire to become a writer.

This list is incredibly nostalgic. Don't you wish you could go back to your childhood and have all the time in the world to read again? I used to curl up somewhere in my room and read a half dozen books at once. Now it takes me 2 weeks to finally finish one novel.

These are the first 10 books that came to mind on this topic. If I'd actually gone online and searched through thousands of titles, I'm sure I would have never gotten it narrowed down to ten. I would pick any of these books back up in a second. Any favorites that you can remember?

Top 10 Cities That Make Good Girls' Names

10. Paris
9. Detroit
8. Valencia
7. Charlotte
6. Sienna
5. Geneva
4. Athens (Athena)
3. Florence
2. Sydney
1. Brooklyn

This one's been on my mind for a while and I finally gathered ten good ones (again, with input from Brett and Yukiko.) Let me know about any others that you think are legit. I'm also working on girls' names that are desserts (Charlotte gets to count for double. Is she a flower too? That would be crazy.) I would really appreciate some input.

Top 10 Words that Describe Wine

10. sweet
9. light
8. spicy
7. bitter
6. fragrant
5. rustic
4. fruity
3. woodsy
2. full
1. dry

It has always fascinated me how a beverage can be described as "dry."

Top 10 First Lines

10. Call me Ishmael. (Moby Dick, Herman Melville)
9. It was love at first sight. (Catch-22, Joseph Heller)
8. You are about to begin reading Italo Calvino's new novel, If on a Winter's Night a Traveler. (If on a Winter's Night a Traveler, Italo Calvino)
7. It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife. (Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen)
6. Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much. (Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone, J.K. Rowling)
5. There was a boy called Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it. (The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, C.S. Lewis)
4. Two households, both alike in dignity,/ In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,/ .../ Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage;/ The which, if you with patient ears attend,/ What here shall miss our toil shall strive to men. (Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare)
3. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair. (A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens)
2. Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. (Anna Karenina, Leo Tolstoy)
1. This is the saddest story I have ever heard. (The Good Soldier, Ford Madox Ford)

I seriously considered "It was a dark and stormy night" from Bulwer-Lytton's Paul Clifford, as it is probably the most imitated line in history. But then I realized that, aside from being super famous, it's not that interesting. Melville's line from Moby Dick actually beat him out because I see added humor in it from reading Lemony Snicket's book 13. Sad, but true. As far as number 6 goes, don't be hatin'. You have to admit it's a good first line for the madness that follows.

Top 10 Holy Interjections

As this is a family friendly site, I have disqualified all phrases that are vulgar or blasphemous in nature. Except for Holy Mackerel, man, those mackerels just need to stop spreading their vulgarity everywhere.

10. Holy Toledo! (Yay Ohio! Hey man, I don't want to hear about Spain.)
9. Holy Hera! (Does this count as blasphemous?)
8. Holy Moly! (Did you know that moly is a real word? It's a type of plant, or herb, or something. Just FYI.)
7. Holy Schnikes! (So is schnikes. Um, just kidding.)
6. Holy Hannah! (What did Hannah ever do to be so exalted?)
5. Holy Cow! (Going to McDonalds is an unpardonable sin.)
4. Holy Cannoli! (Just pick any Italian food... ravioli, macaroni, it all works.)
3. Holy Mackerel! ( Why does food always make it to the top of my list?)
2. Holy Smoke! (Definitely still food related. Think Salmon, or Gouda.)
1. Holy Guacamole! (Delicious and it rhymes. A true winner.)

This is the kind of nonsense I think of when I'm lying in bed at night trying to sleep. I also found "Holy Shiitake" while I was browsing the web, which I thought was a cute euphemism for, uhh, sheep. Although I'm really only interested in legit ones that are widely used. I know I missed some good ones so if you can think of any please let me know.

Top 10 SYTYCD Routines from Season 3

This post is in celebration of the next season of So You Think You Can Dance starting tomorrow!

10. Neil and Lacey - Contemporary
song: Time by Billy Porter
9. Pasha and Sabra - Quick Step
song: Mr. Pinstripe Suit by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
8. Neil and Lauren - Jazz
song: Night of the Dancing Flame by Roisin Murphy
7. Kameron and Lacey - Contemporary
song: Dancing by Elisa
6. Neil and Sabra - Jazz
song: Sweet Dreams by Eurythmics
5. Jesus and Sara - Krump
song: It's OK (One Blood) by The Game
4. Dominic and Sabra - Hip Hop
song: Make It Work by Ne-Yo
3. Jesus and Sara - Jazz
song: Cabaret Hoover from The Triplets of Belleville soundtrack
2. Pasha and Lacey - Hop Hop
song: In the Morning by Junior Boys
1. Hok and Jaimie - Jazz
song: The Chairman's Waltz from Memoirs of a Geisha soundtrack

Yes, I know I'm always bashing on TV and I still don't like it, but I have to admit, I love this show. I've always wished I could dance, and c'mon, these guys are really good. Plus I love the choreographers. Happy viewing!

Top 10 Favorite Office Supplies

10. Highlighter
9. Mini stapler
8. Pen/pencil gel grips
7. Soft white eraser
6. 6-hole puncher
5. Small post-it notes
4. Multi-colored adhesive flags
3. Fine white-out tape pen
2. Mechanical pencil (.3mm)
1. Fine black pen (Uni-ball Signo .28mm ... unfortunately, not available in the states yet.)

I admit it -- I spend inordinate amounts of time in the office supply section at the store.
Have any of you ever tried spelling "highlighter"? It's a killer.

Top 10 Favorite Beatles Songs

10. Hey Jude
9. Michelle
8. With a Little Help from My Friends
7. Yesterday
6. While My Guitar Gently Weeps
5. Blackbird
4. The Long and Winding Road
3. If I Fell
2. Let It Be
1. Here, There, and Everywhere

I just think these songs are gorgeous. Except for number eight, that's just cute.

Top 10 Reasons Why I Love Bret and Jemaine

Bret:
5. His "you're crazy" look.
4. His binary solo.
3. His weediness.
2. His red keytar.
1. He's hot -- like a curry.

Jemaine:
5. His deep set features.
4. His "awkward silence" look.
3. His mumbling.
2. His super low voice.
1. His lips.

As these two are the only things on my mind right now, it is useless for me to try and make a list of anything else tonight.

Top 10 Ways to Say "I Love You"

10. Volim te; Ljubim te (Serbo-Croatian)
9. Ani ohev otach (Hebrew)
8. Ngiya kuthanda (Zulu)
7. Aloha au la o'e (Hawaiian)
6. Eu te amo (Portugese)
5. Seni seviyorum (Turkish)
4. I love you (English)
3. As tave myliu (Lithuanian)
2. Noi makokonda (Chewa)
1. Je t'aime (French)


These were ordered hastily depending on how softly and passionately I could imagine them being said (granted, I am only guessing on the pronunciations for most of these.) Some of you may be disappointed that I didn't include Japanese here... I think it was at a disadvantage in that I actually understand it. "Aishite imasu" just does not sound like it's from the heart for me. It is so indirect, with no clear subject or object, as if they are afraid of admitting to having such a wonderful emotion as love. That's why I love English: it is absolutely clear who is speaking, whom it's being spoken to, and what is being conveyed. Also near the bottom of my list is German ("Ich liebe dich," ugh.) If you want to try and prove to me that it can be uttered amorously, be my guest.

Top 10 Types of Green

10. sea green
9. emerald green
8. pea green
7. puke green
6. jungle green
5. lime green
4. forest green
3. olive green
2. apple green
1. bottle green

Special thanks to Yukiko and Brett today for their input.

Top 10 Shirts Purchased Today

I had to steal some of Yukiko's because I didn't have enough to make 10. They are all between $3 and $7 by the way.

Top 10 Websites I Frequent

10. Amazon
9. Pandora
8. eBay
7. YouTube
6. Dictionary
5. Craig's List
4. Ding
3. Allrecipes
2. Facebook
1. Google

Top 10 Favorite Cuisines

10. Brazilian
9. Chinese
8. Italian
7. Mediterranean
6. Korean
5. French
4. Indian
3. Japanese
2. Greek
1. Thai

I'm talking about the real stuff here, folks -- none of that Americanized stuff. For the most part, fresh+unprocessed=tasty. Although I do admit to enjoying the occasional frozen dollar burrito.

Top 10 Words that Describe Cheese

10. mild
9. crumbly
8. creamy
7. grassy
6. nutty
5. velvety
4. stinky
3. sharp
2. pillowy
1. smoky

Top 10 Lesser-Known Forms of Government

10. doulocracy: government by slaves.
9. chiliarchy: government by 1,000 people.
8. aristarchy: government by the best.
7. kakistocracy: government by the worst.
6. pornocracy: government by harlots.
5. physiocracy: government according to natural laws or principles.
4. beerocracy: government by brewers or brewing interests.
3. iatrarchy: government by physicians.
2. paedarchy: government by children.
1. anemocracy: government by wind or whim.

Top 10 Favorite Lemony Snicket Quotes (Books 4-6)

10. They found it difficult to believe that things would get better [...] when they lived in such gloomy and poorly lit surroundings.
9. If you are a baby, your family will see you in your underwear many times, and there's no use being embarrassed about it.
8. The word "dreadful," even when used three times in a row, did not seem like a dreadful enough word to describe everything that had happened.
7. To hear the phrase "our only hope" always makes one anxious, because it means that if the only hope doesn't work, there is nothing left, and that is never pleasant to think about.
6. The children knew they would not sleep like logs, unless there were certain logs that tossed and turned all night wondering things.
5. Everybody will die, but very few people want to be reminded of that fact.
4. "In certain cases, enthusiasm can make up for lack of brainpower."
3. Both children felt the dread that comes when you begin a very boring and difficult book.
2. It looked exhausting and pointless, two things that should be avoided at all costs.
1. It is terribly rude to tell people that their troubles are boring.

Top 10 Cool Collateral Adjectives

10. struthious: of or relating to ostriches.
9. coriaceous: of or relating to leather.
8. diluvial: of or relating to floods.
7. brumal: of or relating to winter.
6. lacrimal: of or relating to tears.
5. risible: of or relating to laughter.
4. aeolian: of or relating to wind.
3. scombroid: of or relating to mackerels.
2. avuncular: of or relating to uncles.
1. crepuscular: of or relating to twilight.

Top 10 Great Disney Songs

10. Let Me Be Good To You (The Great Mouse Detective)
Nothing like a saucy mouse...
Best line: "You tough guys/ you're feelin' all alone/ you rough guys/ the best o' you sailors and bums/ all of my chums"
9. The Phony King of England (Robin Hood)
...or a hot fox :)
Best line: "Incredible as he is inept/ Whenever the history books are kept/They'll call him the phony king of England."
8. Be Our Guest (Beauty and the Beast)
I love French... see also number 2.
Best line: "Beef ragout, cheese souffle/ pie and pudding en flambe/ We'll prepare and serve with flair a culinary cabaret."
7. Arabian Nights (Aladdin)
Love the character in the intro.
Best line: "When the wind's from the east and the sun's from the west/ And the sand in the glass is right/ Come on down, stop on by/ hop a carpet and fly/ To another Arabian night."
6. Be Prepared (The Lion King)
This was my favorite song as a child.
Best line: "Meticulous planning, tenacity spanning/ Decades of denial is simply why I'll/ Be king, undisputed, respected, saluted/ And seen for the wonder I am/ Yes, my teeth and ambitions are bared/ Be prepared!"
5. Honor to us all (Mulan)
Love the clever and fresh lyrics.
Best line: "Boys will gladly go to war for you/ With good fortune and a great hairdo"
4. Pink Elephants on Parade (Dumbo)
This is just so absurd that I love it.
Best line: "I can stand the sight of worms/ And look at microscopic germs/ But technicolor pachyderms are really too much for me."
3. That's What Friends are For (The Jungle Book)
Great a cappella.
Best line: "We're friends of every creature comin' down the pike/ In fact we never met an animal we didn't like."
2. Les Poissons (The Little Mermaid)
Most comical scene in Disney I think, and who hasn't tried to mimic Louie's laugh?
Best line: "First, I cut off their heads, then I pull out the bones/ Ah, mais oui ca c'est toujours delish!"
1. When I See an Elephant Fly (Dumbo)
Dumbo just has great songs in general. Love the puns in this one.
Best line: "I seen a peanut stand/ I seen a rubber band/ I seen a needle that winked its eye/ But I be done seen 'bout everything when I see an elephant fly."

Top 10 Types of Blue

10. baby blue
9. Alice blue
8. aquamarine blue
7. navy blue
6. sky blue
5. cornflower blue
4. midnight blue
3. steel blue
2. denim blue
1. robin's egg blue

Blue... such an expressive color.

Top 10 Reasons Why My New Apartment is Better Than My Old One

10. There's an oven handle that we can hang towels on.
9. There's a dishwasher.
8. The lighting actually provides... light.
7. There's a garbage disposal.
6. We have real desks in our rooms. With chairs!
5. Tons of storage space in the bathroom.
4. 4 people, 2 showers. (As opposed to 6 people, 2 showers.)
3. The mattresses! I don't feel like I have metal coils poking into me anymore.
2. The shower stays hot! Even after 5 minutes!
1. It's CLEAN!!!

Paying a little extra for a nicer place? Definitely worth it.

Top 10 Lesser-Known Ologies

10. rhabdology - study of divining rods.
9. timbrology - study of postage stamps.
8. pyrgology - study of towers.
7. deontology - study of moral obligation.
6. ktenology - science of putting people to death.
5. splanchnology - study of entrails or viscera.
4. caliology - study of bird nests.
3. oology - study of eggs.
2. oneirology - study of dreams.
1. irenology - study of peace.

I wonder why they don't offer rhabdology at university.

Top 10 Things to Tempura

10. pumpkin
9. bell pepper
8. eggplant
7. asparagus
6. broccoli
5. okra
4. shiso leaves
3. fresh mushrooms
2. shrimp
1. renkon (lotus root)

I've taken the liberty of turning "tempura" into a verb. It sounds so much classier than "to cover with batter and deep fry."

Top 10 Types of Red

10. coral red
9. rose red
8. cherry red
7. wine red
6. brick red
5. beet red
4. ruby red
3. pillar-box red
2. blood red
1. fire engine red

Red is one of those words that looks really strange if you read it too many times. Red, red, red, red, red.

Top 10 Schnazzy Poker Terms

10. Bullets: a pair of aces in the hole.
9. Rock Garden: a game of extremely tight players.
8. Ladies: Queens.
7. Berry Patch: an extremely easy game.
6. Mechanic: a cheater who manipulates the cards to his benefit when dealing.
5. Railbirds: spectators.
4. White meat: profit.
3. Paint: a Jack, King, or Queen.
2. Tapioca: out of money.
1. Alligator Blood: a compliment given to an outstanding player who proves himself unflappable under great pressure.

Top 10 Things on my Mind in the Morning

10.
9.
8
7.
6.
5.
4.
3.
2.
1.

Exactly.

Top 10 Girls' Names Inspired by Foliage

10. Iris
9. Rosemary
8. Dahlia
7. Lily
6. Jasmine
5. Laurel
4. Olive
3. Hazel
2. Fern
1. Ivy


This list is not based on any sort of official statistic; it's purely a matter of opinion. My opinion, to be precise. I think I've found that I'm more attracted to the folial rather than the floral.

Top 10 Names of Famous Horses

10. Rosinante (Don Quixote)
9. Marengo (Napoleon)
8. Lamri (King Arthur)
7. Trigger (Roy Rogers)
6. Bucephalus (Alexander the Great)
5. Kantaka (Buddha)
4. Magnolia (George Washington)
3. Shadowfax (Gandalf)
2. Fubuki (Emperor Hirohito)
1. Strymon (Xerxes)

Although these are my 10 favorites, I only have about 20 names total in this particular list... if any of you know of any good famous horses please let me know!

Top 10 Favorite Lemony Snicket Quotes (Books 1-3)

10. There are many, many types of books in the world, which makes good sense, because there are many, many types of people, and everybody wants to read something different.
9. Like most restaurants filled with neon lights and balloons, the Anxious Clown served terrible food.
8. There are few sights sadder than a ruined book.
7. Sometimes, when someone tells a ridiculous lie, it is best to ignore it entirely.
6. Leaving [...] dirty dishes behind [...] is not a good thing to do in general but perfectly acceptable in the face of an emergency.
5. It is very unnerving to be proven wrong, particularly when you are really right and the person who is really wrong is the person who is proving you wrong and proving himself, wrongly, right.
4. A library is normally a very good place to work in the afternoon, but not if its window has been smashed and there is a hurricane approaching.
3. "You needn't be afraid of me, little ones, until we find ourselves in a location where crimes are more difficult to trace."
2. Normally it is not polite to go into someone's room without knocking, but you can make an exception if the person is dead, or pretending to be dead.
1. Just because something is typed -- whether it is typed on a business card or typed in a newspaper or book -- does not mean it is true.

A Series of Unfortunate Events is the children's series that I wish I'd written. It's seriously brilliant.

Top 10 Cool Symbol Names

10. † dagger
9. ¯ macron
8. ' apostrophe
7. / solidus
6. ~ tilde
5. & ampersand
4. ¨ diaeresis
3. ¶ pilcrow
2. ˛ ogonek
1. * asterisk

You don't have to call them "squiggly thing" or "thingamajig" anymore.

Top 10 Delightful Terms of Venery

10. a muster of peacocks
9. a business of ferrets
8. a battery of barracuda
7. a prevarication of bureaucrats
6. a parliament of owls
5. a blessing of unicorns
4. a murder of crows
3. a gaggle of geese
2. an exaltation of larks
1. a bloat of hippopotami

This list of words is a bundle of joy (and a sea of troubles.)

Top 10 Favorite Times on a Digital Clock

10. 10:01 - the clock is looking at you.
9. 1:23 - numerical order (somehow, I like it better than 12:34.)
8. 5:05 - looks like "S.O.S."
7. 12:48 - each digit is twice the digit before it.
6. 3:33 - horizontally symmetrical; and it just looks cool.
5. 12:51 - reads the same in a mirror reflection.
4. 3:14 - pi.
3. 11:11 - four identical digits in a row.
2. 4:00 - the time I'm done with my shift at work.
1. 8:23 - my birthday.

Come on... I know you've all done this before.

Top 10 Naturally Unique Flavors

10. Mangoes
9. Peanuts
8. Cinnamon
7. Matsutake Mushrooms
6. Cilantro
5. Coconut Milk
4. Salmon
3. Bananas
2. Horseradish
1. Shiso Leaves

This list is a result of a good portion of my day taken up thinking about food. I tend to crave the unusual flavors... they work wonders in shaking up the mundane. Life is too short to be eating boring food.

Top 10 Amusing Phobias

This post is kind of a test run to see how it looks with my template settings. It is, nonetheless, diverting.

10. xylophobia - fear of wooden objects.
9. geniophobia - fear of chins.
8. lutraphobia - fear of otters.
7. eisoptrophobia - fear of seeing oneself in a mirror.
6. automatonophobia - fear of the ventriloquist's dummy.
5. philemaphobia - fear of kissing.
4. deipnophobia - fear of dinner conversations.
3. peladophobia - fear of bald people.
2. asymmetriphobia - fear of asymmetrical things.
1. arachibutyrophobia - fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of the mouth.

I think I was able to find all of my phobias... except for my fear of getting a papercut on my eyeball. If anyone knows the word for that, please let me know.