I’m 40.

In the interest of keeping things light, I found this list of my favorite things from when I was 11:

My favorite color is purple because I think it’s pretty. My favorite song is “Don’t Let it End” because it’s a pretty song. My favorite thing to do is Calligraphy. My favorite rock group is Styx because they write good songs. My favorite food is pizza. My favorite book is Trumpet of the Swan because it’s a good book. My favorite TV show is Ryan’s Four. My favorite movie is Dragonslayer because it’s bloody. My favorite series of TV shows is Fraggle Rock.

The Dragonslayer one cracks me up because I can’t stand gory films now.

I’ve spent some introspective moments this summer, lamenting how my life hasn’t changed much in 10 years, and by default, I think I haven’t changed much in 10 years. Not that change is a marker of a successful life, but in some respects, it kind of is.

So I look at this list of my favorite things from when I was 11, and none of those “favorite things” are today’s favorites. And 10 years ago the list would have looked different as well. So I do change, even if it’s in superficial ways. Today’s list would read:

My favorite color is anything but purple because I’m sick of purple at work. My favorite song today is “Basketcase” by Sara Bareilles, but that’ll change tomorrow. My favorite thing to do is watch movies. My favorite rock group is U2 because they are awesome. My favorite foods are Indian food and sushi. My favorite book is Les Miserables because it is beautiful. My favorite TV show is anything Aaron Sorkin wrote, including Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. I’ve seen too many movies since I was 11 to have just one favorite. My favorite series of TV shows is Sports Night.

 And in 10 years, I can’t imagine much on this list changing. But maybe I’ll find a great Thai place, or someone who writes better than Aaron Sorkin will show up, or Maroon 5 will prove to have the same longevity as U2. Who knows. In 10 years?

Anything can happen.