Seven is a very good number

My friend Callimachus, at Done With Mirrors, tagged me with the "seven" meme. (By the way, his response is delightful, and you should take the time to check it out.) Here's the list I get to complete: 1. Seven things to do before I die 2. Seven things I cannot do 3. Seven things that attract me to (...) 4. Seven things I say most often 5. Seven books (or series) that I love 6. Seven movies I watch over and over again (or would if I had time) 7. Seven people I want to join in, too. Okay, deep breath, Bookworm. And go! Seven things to do before I die 1. Learn Hebrew (but I'm not optimistic, because I'm mentally lazy and lousy at languages) 2. Hold my grandchildren, if my children decide to be fruitful and multiply. 3. Have one entirely stress free day. 4. Witness peace in the Middle East. 5. Meet Mark Steyn. 6. Have a perfectly clean house for at least one day. 7. Have a guilt-free vacation entirely to myself, where I do nothing for seven days but read and eat ice cream. Seven things I cannot do 1. Learn languages (see the problem with number 1, above). 2. Manage a conversation without interrupting someone (although I keep flattering myself that they're supportive interruptions, aimed at showing that I'm tracking the conversation, rather than piggish interruptions, where I take over the conversation). 3. Watch a Spielberg movie. 4. Cry in public. 5. Refrain from kissing my children in those special kid places that smell so sweet (my son's temple, my daughter's forehead). 6. Be near a computer without checking (a) my statcounter and (b) my email. 7. Remember people's birthdays. Seven things that attract me to blogging 1. The chance to hold forth without anyone interrupting me (see number 2, above). 2. The chance to let out all my reined in conservatism, a belief system very unpopular in my neighborhood. 3. The opportunity to improve my writing. My legal writing has improved more in the past year since I've begun blogging than it has in my previous 17 years as a lawyer. 4. The fact that I've met so many delightful and interesting people at an intellectual level -- which is, since I'm a bookworm, the level that often satisfies me most. 5. The ego fulfillment of having lots of people read what I think, and then be kind enough (a) to come back and read some more and (b)to take the time to leave a comment or to link to my post. 6. The intellectual excitement that's seized me since I've begun blogging. I feel incredibly engaged with what's going on in the world now that I have a forum in which to develop my thoughts about world events. 7. The fact that I have at least the illusion that people are listening to me. Seven things I say most often 1. "Because I said so." (This is usually preceded or followed by: "I'm your mother.") 2. "I'm sorry." (Not because I'm an apologetic person, but because I make lots of mistakes.) 3. "I love you." 4. "[Child's name], listen!!!" 5. "Is anybody listening to me?" (The fact that I ask this question so much in my house explains number 7, above, regarding why I like blogging.) 6. "Drive safely." 7. "That is the stupidest/worst/most decadent movie I've ever seen." Seven books (or series) that I love (in no particular order) 1. All Jane Austen books 2. The Peter Wimsey mysteries 3. A Town Like Alice 4. Little Women 5. The Narnia series 6. Georgette Heyer's books 7. A Vision of Light by Judith Merkel Riley (see my sidebar) Seven movies I watch over and over again (or would if I had time) (and they're almost all musicals) 1. Groundhog Day 2. Every Fred & Ginger ever made 3. Singing in the Rain 4. Pride & Prejudice (the 1994 A&E production) 5. Royal Wedding 6. The Merry Widow (1934, Maurice Chevalier and Jeanette MacDonald) 7. Holiday Inn (the movie that launched Irving Berlin's White Christmas) Seven people I want to join in, too. (And I've been careful to number everyone in order of importance) 1. Anna 1. Anne 1. Curt 1. Laer 1. Mike 1. Steve 1. The crew at Scott's Conservative News & Commentary Seven is really such a limiting number, isn't it. Here are a few more people whose 7s I'd like to see: 1. Gina 1. Gail 1. Heather 1. Ron 1. Kathryn 1. Mark 1. Jack 1. Marc 1. Phibian 1. The Happy Housewife 1. Presbypoet 1. Bruce 1. Jeremy [Patrick, I'd have chosen you, too, except I know you've already done this one.]