Oprah's Favorite Things shows annoy me. Because I don't tend to buy $25 brownies and I think it's ridiculous to spend $700 on a coat. The concept behind those shows is neat, but all I learn from them is just how out of touch with the rest of us Oprah really is.

I'd much rather hear about favorite things that are actually relevant to my life and my budget, things used by regular (albeit smart, savvy, and super-cool) people. Afterall, we've all got favorite things - stuff that saves the day, stuff we stock up on, stuff we swear by. I could easily come up with a long list of my own favorite things. Here are five for now. And feel free to share your own.

Calgon bubble bath.
Someone gave us this as an engagement gift, and it has been a must-have in our household ever since. It's actually bath gel/body wash, but I use it as bubble bath. This stuff bubbles better than anything else I've tried - and if you turn on the jets, the foam will literally fill the tub. Comes in several scents - my favorite is Ocean Breeze.

Video Catnip.
If parents can sit their kids in front of the tv, why can't cat owners? Turns out, we can. My cats totally plop themselves in front of the tv to watch this. So freaking cute. As is the screen batting. I'd recommend buying it on DVD so you can set the thing to repeat or else you'll become a slave to the rewind button.

EarPlanes.
My ears do not regulate pressure well. As a result, descending in an airplane causes severe pain in my ears and head. And then my hearing has the tunnel effect for the rest of the day, which means I talk in a whisper and absolutely cannot hear a word anyone else is saying. Rob and I must sound like an elderly couple walking through the airport, he telling me to "Speak up!" and me insisting, "I can't hear a word you're saying!" Then, on a trip a year ago, I discovered EarPlanes in a hotel gift shop. Best Invention EVER. They totally work - no pain and no tunnel effect. If only they made them for scuba diving...

San Sebastian wines.
On our honeymoon we stopped at San Sebastian Winery in St. Augustine, Florida for a tour and tasting. We bought several bottles for our cruise, and then stopped again on the way home to buy a case. We had never tasted wine quite like this - made from muscadine grapes, the wine has a distinct, unique flavor. Four years later, San Sebastian wines are still our favorite. Fortunately, they'll ship cases right to our door. Vintners Red and Vintners White are our top picks; we often give bottles of Vintner's Red as holiday gifts. And we always buy a bottle of the Rosa, because one sip of that transports us right back to the evenings we spent on the verandah of our honeymoon suite.

Spray 'n Wash stain stick.
When Rob and I were first married, he would sometimes come home with a worried expression on his face, saying, "I have a [pen ink/spaghetti sauce/mud splatter] stain. You think it'll come out?" I'd act unsure and tell him that I'd do my best. And then I'd take the article of clothing into the laundry room, spend 2 seconds rubbing the stain stick across the stain, and throw it in the washer. When I pulled the item out, stain-free, he'd look at me like I could work magic. It was at least a year before I admitted to him that the stain stick was doing all the work. And it does work magic. I have yet to encounter a stain it won't get out, completely. And you can treat the stain right away (up to a week before doing laundry), or slather the product on the stain a minute before you start the load. And the best part is, you'll achieve domestic goddess status without even trying.