Friday Free for All

FFA Topic of the Week:
For reasons beyond your powers to comprehend, you know that you will soon become the sole survivor of a trans-Atlantic plane crash and will be stranded on a desert island. You do not question your new-found psychic powers, but instead, you start packing the essentials. What 10 things will you take with you?

1. The flannel quilt my mom made for me in high school. It is extremely worn, the colors are faded, and there are a few places where a briefly-owned pet chewed holes in it (Gabby, I still haven’t forgiven you.) It might not make sense to take a flannel quilt to what is probably a tropical island, but hear me out. This blanket is the softest, most comfortable thing I own. My favorite thing in the world is to wrap up in it so completely that only enough of my face is exposed to allow adequate breathing. So even if it never gets cold enough on aforementioned island to wrap up in it (and who’s to say the nights won’t get chilly?), it would at least be more comfortable than sand or palm fronds for lying on. I must have comfort!

2. Peanut butter. I admit it – I have a serious peanut butter addiction. It’s not like I have to have it everyday or anything, but the thought of going any extended length of time without it makes me a little edgy. Easter time comes around, and I’m practically drooling in the grocery store because of those Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs. Besides, it’s full of protein and fat (which while I may not need here, I’m betting will come in handy on my deserted island).

3. Books. Okay, a must-have. But how to narrow it down? I refuse to only take one. I must have a small selection to get me by until I am rescued (that was part of the deal, right?) So probably Pride and Prejudice, A Room with a View, A Girl Named Zippy (I’m going to need a good laugh), and my Book of Mormon, of course.

4. Soap and a towel. So maybe this is due to the fact that I deal with grimy children on a daily basis, but I hate being dirty. I’m the weird one in the family who eats most of her food with a fork, even if it’s finger food. I don’t like that greasy or grimy feeling on my hands.

5. Toilet paper. I think this one’s fairly obvious. Look, some of us have sensitive skin, okay? (P.S. Another reason I don’t love to camp.)

6. Toothbrush and toothpaste. I do not deal well with morning mouth. I have never understood how anyone could leave the house in the morning without brushing their teeth . . . although I have certainly encountered people who have done it.

7. Sunscreen. Let’s face it, I do not tan, I never have, and (I’m just guessing here) I never will. The best I can do is get a light burn and a whole slew of freckles. So if I’m going to have to face the ravages of nonstop sun exposure without the benefit of getting a really good tan, the least I can do is prevent skin cancer.

8. Notebook and writing utensils. Now I’ll finally write that novel I’ve been dreaming about!

9. Swimming suit. Well, this might seem like a weird one, but I really hate to wear wet clothes. So if I have to get wet, I’d rather be wearing a swimming suit (don’t want the natives coming across me in the nude . . .)

10. Multiplier. So Ellis has this thing called a Gerber Multiplier that he probably couldn’t function without. It’s like a little handy pliers thing, but it also has knives and blades and scissors and wire cutters and files and stuff like that attached to it (that all fold down into one little guy). Anyway, I don’t really know how the thing works, but it looks like it would be a handy thing to have on an island. . . especially if Jack from Lost came along and wanted to build me a shelter or feed me grapes or something . . .