Dear _____,

German Shepherd puppy…  If I could have, I so would walked into that guy's garage, scooped you up, and taken you home.  But that would have been stealing.

Neighbors playing "If you're happy and you know it…" early Saturday morning...  Do you really want everyone stomping and clapping?  Or were you counting on the fact that most people would not be happy to wake up to that on a weekend?

Shirt I hadn't worn since I arrived…  You smelled like home when I pulled you on the other day.  Very faintly like home, yes, but enough to make me happy.

Mosquito whining in my face…  I was dreaming that I heard a siren, and then I woke up and realized it was you.  I jumped out of bed, turned on the light, and prepared for battle.  (I am always prepared for battle where mosquitos or cockroaches are concerned.)  You were on the wall right next to the bed, and before you could escape...Smack!!  "Ha!  Gotcha!"  When I moved my hand, there was a tell-tale smear of red on the wall.  Okay.  So you apparently got me first.  (And left a little souvenir in the form of a tiny bite right under my eye.)

Itty-bitty kitty…  You were almost small enough to fit in my pocket.  Another almost-pet!

Popping baked potato…  Oops.  So that's why I should have remembered to poke you before sticking you in the oven.

Apple-cinnamon pancakes…  You were a brilliant (read: delicious) idea inspired by Pinterest.  You will be made again.  Soon.

Passionfruit-mango-orange tea…  I have only one thing to say: I like you.

Typos…  You are the bain of my existense.  When I read a book and I find you in it's pages. it drives me batty.  You seriously damage creditibility.  (If one pays an editor to check a book before publishing, one would hope not to find any mistakes afterwards!)  And when i find you in my own writing - email, blog posts, or newsletters - I want to pull out my hair.  I hate it.  It makes my feel like afailure.

Guy dusting off cellphone display…  Your diligence is admirable, but I gotta tell you - it's a lost cause, dude.  Right by the road?  Traffic whizzing by?  Sand everywhere?  You're never gonna keep those phones clean.

Desert Song…  I play you on repeat these days.  I sing you in English.  I sing you in Spanish.  Some songs are just perfect…and you're one of them.