Shannyn Schroeder | 5 Things I Love

If you hang out on Twitter, you might’ve seen a meme going
around that asked people to name 5 things they love that aren’t books or people. It’s a
tougher question than it looks at first glance, so I spent some time thinking about it. Here’s
what I came up with, in no particular order:

1. My DVR - If you follow me at all on social media or if you’ve met me in real life, you know that I watch a lot of TV. Like A LOT. I’ve always been a bit of a TV junkie and having a DVR (as opposed to having to record on a VHS tape – remember those days?) has fed my habit. In the past, as new shows debuted, I had to sift through and decide what I wanted to watch. With small children in the house, more often than not, it was what can I record to watch later. Now, I’m much less choosey. If it sounds remotely interesting, I set a timer to record. I can give more shows a chance. It’s always easier to delete a timer than to try to catch up on a show later. 2. Netflix - see above. Just kidding. But not really. Netflix has allowed me to try shows that were on TV that I might’ve missed the first time around. It also gives me the chance to introduce my kids to shows I loved. And really, when you fall in love with a show, bingeing is the best thing ever. (Yes, Netflix, I really am STILL watching. Stop judging me). Finally, Netflix has started doing a lot of movies and shows made for romance lovers. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before – awesome! They’ve got Julia Quinn’s series coming and Robyn Carr’s series. I think Netflix has discovered how awesome romance readers and writers are. 3. Diet Coke (especially a fountain drink from McDonald’s) - I’m not a coffee drinker. I only drink hot tea when I’m really cold or sick (it’s a comfort thing). Diet Coke has always been my go-to drink for caffeine. And McDonald’s has the best. It’s not that I won’t drink it from other places or from a can, because as I said, it’s my go-to, but I swear McDonald’s is addictive. I once thought I was going to give it up. I cut back, I really did, but I have so few vices in life – this is it, really, that I went right back to it. 4. Popcorn - Although nothing beats movie theater popcorn in all its salty goodness, I bought an air popper almost 18 years ago when I was on Weight Watchers. I had to cut out microwave popcorn and air-popped is so much better for you. Best move I ever made. I don’t make an all-healthy version by any stretch. I use butter and salt, but it’s a snack I have more nights than not. 5. Pampered Chef Stoneware - I’m not picky about a lot of things in my life. I have sweatshirts that are older than my oldest kid (and he’s an adult). But my bakeware matters to me. I love to bake. It’s my thing to do whenever I get stressed. I am also known to procrasti-bake (baking when you should be doing something else – like revisions). I grew up using regular old aluminum pans that had to be replaced every year. Then about 15 years ago, a friend invited me to a Pampered Chef party and I bought a stone. I fell in love. I even worked as a consultant for a year or so. For me, it wasn’t about making money as much as great discounts to get what I wanted to own. I’m sure there are other brands of stoneware, but I’ve only used Pampered Chef. It’s near impossible to burn things on them. They’re super easy to clean. And unless you drop it and break it, it lasts FOREVER. I’ve been using mine almost every day for 15 years. ***