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BOOK: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith. I cried after I finished reading this book for the first time. Not because the ending was particularly sad, but because I didn’t want to say goodbye to the main character, Francie, and her family. I wouldn’t feel lonely waiting to be rescued if I had these characters to keep me company. 

ALBUM: Queen: A Night at the Opera. One of the benefits of living on deserted island is being able to sing as loud as my heart desires. And what better album to belt out than Queen’s A Night at the Opera? No one to complain as I attempt to reach the high notes in “Bohemian Rhapsody.” No one to laugh as I mess up the words in “Seaside Rendezvous.” No one to cry as I sing all the parts to “Lazing On a Sunday Afternoon.” I don’t think I could ever get sick of this album. 

MOVIE: This is My Life, a Nora Ephron film. Even though it was a total flop when it was released in 1992, it’s still one of my favorites. It’s a comedy, yet I cry from the moment it starts until it ends because I relate to it so much. The movie deals with simple issues just about every woman can relate to: sister relationships, work-life balance, mother-daughter relationships, and using life for writing material. The first time I saw it, I wanted to shout out, "No one understands this movie like me! You all think you do, but no! I do the most!" I love that feeling. I need this movie in my life. Always.