The Wish List

So I figured I'd put the wish list into a more concise and sensible format. So here it is:

-Michael Jackson music: folks ask me about it all the time and I am just not knowledgable enough about the world's most famous pop star. Also, not everyone knows that he died in 2009. And even some of those who know that he "died", don't think he actually did but MAYBE he's living on the moon now. You be the judge.

-Books: this is absolutely key. Books about real people and events are great, as well as books about imaginary people and events. Also, I read a lot stuff in college that either I read an excerpt from just to do well on an exam or didn't appreciate at the time. Send me the classics (ie: the Bhagavad Gita, The Prince, To Kill a Mockingbird, etc).

-Books: that's right, it made the list twice. Books with lots of pictures are great for me to show the folks in my town who don't know English or don't know how to read at all (ie: kids). Particularly, books of American scenery, cities, wildlife, people, everything, would be great since people ask me what it's like all the time and the most descriptive adjective I have for them is "great".

-Seeds: flowers and vegetables. My mom already sent me some and they made it fine. Don't worry.

-Pilot G-2 Clicky Pens

-Burt's Bees Lip Balm: I'm addicted, I know. And I don't mean the kind with the sunblock in it. The original is just fine.

Drink mixes: Kool-Aid, Gatorade, Crystal Light, Mio, etc. The water I drink it my site comes from the river. Where people wash their clothes, dishes, and bathe themselves. I run this water through my handy-dandy, Peace Corps issued water filter. I then add Sûr Eau to it to purify it. Sûr Eau tastes like bleach. Drink mixes would greatly improve my enjoyment of drinking water.

Old Spice Deodorant: of the Pure Sport kind. I know, that's a real particular request. But it' what I like, and it's not on this island, and I stink. So there.

Seasonings: whatever ya got, send it my way. For those folks who have it in your local grocery store, I'm a big fan of Cavender's seasoning and the Rendezvous (for you West Tennessee people, you know who you are).

Earplugs: for folks who have never lived in a house that has zero sound proofing and in a town where there are approximately 40 roosters, try the Peace Corps. The roosters start around 3am. When one crows, they all gotta get a word in.

Anything you feel that I might like or that you like and would like for me to like, send it my way.

Also, in order to prevent tampering of the package or out right theft, mark the package as religious material. Put a big ole cross on it. Write "God Loves You" on it. Or you could even get clever and write  "Jesosy Mamonjy" on it, which is "Jesus Saves" in Malagasy.

You guys are amazing. Thanks very much for thinking of me so far away over here on the other side of this weird world we live in.

James