My great aunt.

My dad is not shy about saying that she's his favorite aunt. She's my favorite great aunt, too; since my grandma passed about 10 years ago she's the closest thing I have to a grandma these days. I make a point to visit her at least once a year.

Rulers.

Handy for measuring and for drawing straight lines.

The color black.

Simple, clean, and professional.

The color red.

While I wouldn't say that red is my favorite color, I do choose it sometimes for things that I use.

The United States Postal Service.

Mail six days a week except for holidays, low shipping prices, and expert advice.

Pumpkins.

Roasted pumpkin seeds. Carving jack-o-lanterns. And, of course, pumpkin pie.

e.e. cummings.

While some of the devices that e.e. cummings used in his poetry might not seem so fresh nowadays as they used to, the thing I always loved about his poetry was the rhythm. The unmistakable beat carries me through his poetry every time. This is why he is one of my favorite poets.