From the outset I didn’t plan on writing anything real personal on this site.  You know, don’t want it to be one of those blogs.  But a list was requested, and I have to try to honor that.  Or at least half of it.

1.  She worked graveyard shift so she could be with me during the day.

2.  She subscribed me to awesome magazines like Electric Company and Games.

3.  She made Christmas exciting by telling us she wasn’t able to buy us certain video games because they were out of stock but they’d magically end up under the tree.

4.  One time I cried because I couldn’t figure out how to cut up my fish and she did it for me.

5.  She remembered I wanted the book Ready, Okay! and found it for me before it was simple to get everything on-line.

6.  She made me crack up several times during my own wedding.

7.  For two semesters in grad school I slept over Friday nights and she always had six pieces of pizza waiting for me.

8.  I almost always got an Icee at K-Mart whenever we’d go there.

9.  She volunteered at my elementary school, teaching kids how to use the Apple II.

10.  She also made a piñata for a Valentine’s party at my school.

11.  She told me I could pursue any career I wanted and meant it.

12.  She found me an opportunity at her place of work to get my volunteer hours in for high school.

13.  When I no longer wanted to go to church there was no argument.

14.  I always got a hug whenever I wanted one (and still do!).

15.  She gave me some of her beautiful artwork to hang in my home.

16.  I got to go to the local swimming pool a lot.

17.  My friends were almost always allowed to come over, and sleep over, for days at a time.

18.  She was honest about the mistakes she made growing up, and never shied away from the topics of drugs and sex.

19.  She came to my baseball games whenever she could.

20.  She would help proofread my papers at the last minute.

21.  I was allowed to play music she didn’t like, including my own singing voice.

22.  She never worried if we wore out the grass in the yard.

23.  Scrabble

24.  Every time we went to Circus Circus

25.  I was her playing partner for Police Quest II.  When I got antsy because Dad and Ryan were making more progress, she allowed me to join them.

26.  On road trips she’d play the alphabet game.

27.  She spent hours messing with DOS and our computer speakers trying to get me voice while playing Police Quest III.  As it turned out, the game had no voice acting.  But still.

28.  She didn’t allow me to play Leisure Suit Larry V until I was older.  I always thought it was because of the adult content; as it turns out, the game is so bad I may have been permanently damaged.

29.  I got help raking leaves after buying my first house and I was taught how to make awesome pumpkin carvings.

30. She allows herself to be pranked or made fun of.

31.  She introduced me to people with mental health and DD issues as a child.

32.  Peggy’s Practical Workout.

33.  We were at a video store once and I accidentally shoplifted a ring pop.  I told her in the parking lot, but she figured since we had to wait in line for twenty minutes, we didn’t have to go back.

34.  She managed to never kill me while driving.

35.  One time at a neighbor’s house, one of the kids had a marble slide set.  I commented how cool I thought it was, and I got it for my birthday that year.

36.  I was allowed to be messy.

37.  Many head-to-head competitions in darts, ping-pong, and pinball and she didn’t let me win.

38.  She watched Basic Instinct with me when I was 11 and didn’t tease me too much for running out of the room during all the good parts.

39.  When she asks me to help her get past a certain part in a Zelda game.

40.  Cleaning up after me every time I vomited and got nowhere near the toilet.

41.  Indulging my philosophical discussions as a naive teenager.

42.  Indulging my obsession with invisible pen puzzle books.

43.  Scolding me when I broke other’s people things and couldn’t care less.

44.  Not having me committed when I had a scary predilection towards scissors and knives.

45.  She never made me feel guilty over trivial things, like my propensity to get undressed in public places (and no, this isn’t a recent thing).

46.  Forgiving me for forgetting Mother’s Day a couple times.

47.  Finding a wonderful partner to be with who is also a great grandpa.

48.  Sticking with my dad through the rough times and helping him be a better person.

49.  Instilling values in me to be tolerant, forgiving, and curious of others.

50.  Helping me turn into a happy adult.

Love you, Mom.