10. The reason for waking up at 3am every day for more than a week, without reason.

9. The tenacity of over a dozen bees that ran after me on the first day I wore cologne out of my room.

8. The absence of rats/rodents in Edwardsville.

7. The unpredictability of the Midwestern weather.

6. The concept of infinity.

5. My reason for writing poems.

4. The incredibly delicious taste of anything I cook.

3. The power of names. *

2. Laws of attraction.

1. The workings of a computer, or any other electronic gadget.

* The Vice-President of Nigeria (now the acting president in the absence of the sick Mr. Yar’adua), aptly named Goodluck had always been lucky in every second-best position he had ever occupied, prompting a now common joke now that if the best man at your wedding is named Goodluck, you would be better off just cancelling the wedding.