Certain songs make me feel happy, lifting my mood. The song from Sound of Music, My Favorite Things comes around oh so often and as I sing along, I reevaluate the list. Those are some nice things, but although I like cream colored ponies; my history with crisp apple strudels reminds me of a long, horrible night of throwing up apple turnovers. Not so favorite thing.

If I were to write the lyrics, I would have to change a few selections, personalize it for me and my favorite things. My list changes, what was a favorite thing five years ago may not necessarily be so today.

This may not be in lyrical form but these are a few of my favorite things for June 2010.

I rarely watch commercials. I Tivo everything and skip right pass. However, in the mornings, when I turn on my favorite morning news show, Good Morning America, I am watching television live and must suffer through a few commercials. As a secret pleasure, I find my favored commercial is those creepy Orkin commercials with a deep voiced giant Bug who wants to dip skinny.

My list includes people, like on GMA, my hero and role model Robin Roberts. I love that Mississippi girl. I have been a fan of her for many years. I think in another life I would want to be her.

Another favorite person would be Jamie Oliver. He took a lot of heat for trying to change the way schools feed our kids. He made the Washington D.C. Chicken Man upset with his visual of tasty and nutritious chicken nuggets made from a cut up chicken carcass. I also upset the D.C. Chicken Man with my column about it. The man rebutted me with the line that chicken nuggets are both tasty and nutritious. Okay. Again, what part of the chicken is a nugget or when did chickens grow fingers? Breaded muscle meat, coated in breaded stuff and fried. Yep, that’s what I want to feed my kids every day. I guess it’s my new favorite thing to do — upsetting the chicken industry.

For the record, I eat plenty of chicken. Natural chicken like legs, thighs, and breasts cooked in other venues without chemicals and grease. Just sayin’.

One of my favorite Christian rock bands, Petra is gathering back up, adding my favorite of their lead singers, Greg X. Voltz and going back out on tour. Sometimes your favorite things go away and then come back again.

My favorite thing to do is hike a quiet mountain trail, especially if a rocky stream flows along with it. The quiet part only comes with an iPod and ear plugs because the twins hike too. Mom, look at this bug! Is that a snake? Mom, watch me jump off this rock. Mom? The hills are alive with music if you bring the right equipment.

On my list is playing softball again. After I lamented my softball challenged life in a column, the heavens opened up and allowed me to play on a co—ed team with my husband. I may walk a little funny these days but pushing fifty means I might have some age appropriate soreness. I walk with a smile and the odor of Ben Gay.

A new favorite thing is my netbook computer. It’s as if someone took a laptop and shrunk it down. Honey, I shrunk the laptop. It weighs 2.8 pounds, and it fits in my purse but functions as good as my laptop. The laptop would have been on my list five years ago, but today, after dying a slow death it is a piece of electronic junk in my closet.

Cody, my ever present dog makes the list when he chose me as his constant companion. I wanted a distant relationship with the family dog we finally broke down and got last year. I also wanted an outside dog. I felt that keeping four boys and a husband happy was enough for my crazy life. However, dogs make the decision to be one of the family and so Cody is always by my side, demanding attention or relaxing at my feet and is one of my favorite things.

As the temperatures soar to their hot and humid Southern scorchers, I look forward to my favorite season, Autumn. Crisp cool nights, multi colored fall foliage and the start of football make Fall the best time of the year. The more I sweat, the more I wish for October to get here!

Why do I take inventory of favorite things? Why should anyone? It brings up a wealth of good feelings inside, creating a peaceful satisfaction that life is good. We all need to just stop and list a few of our favorite things from time to time. Especially when we are bombarded with so much negative things.

It can’t make the economy better. It won’t make the oil spill go away. It may not reinstate the love you once had for your spouse, but you will be a happier person dwelling on pleasant things for a change.

Maria from Sound of Music sang her list, “Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens, brown paper packages tied up with strings, these are a few of my favorite things!”

I feel like smiling already.

Tracy Williams is a syndicated columnist and can be reached at her website: myhometowncolumn.com or become a fan on Facebook at My Hometown Column.