Bring Me Joy

   When shit hits the fan, The Engineer always asks "Why can't everyone just be nice?".  Can-of-philosophical-worms officially opened...

   Sometimes we have a bad day. Sometimes a bad week.  Sometimes it feels like there are so many balls in the air that juggling is impossible and it would be easiest to let them all fall. 

   Sometimes, when a solution or next step is not obvious, I'd like to suggest creating a list of what makes you happy. What makes you want to be nice.  If you're stuck in a crappy situation, the list will help you realize that there are some pretty stellar things in your world. Maybe you'll even have time to partake in a happy activity.  Possibly, this list of happiness can act as a road map, or directional sign, for what to do next.

   Lots of things make me happy, so as I started pondering on the subway this morning, I stopped to consider the difference between 'happy' and 'pure joy'.  It's hard to decipher.  I'm not going to put too much pressure on myself to make this a concise 100% complete list.  That would take days to compile and be longer than the dictionary. (Maybe I'll add more at a later post!) For now, here are 12 small moments that really make me sigh "mmmm"...

Things that bring me pure joy:

writing a great sentence

spending time with my 6 year old godson

eating a decadent chocolate dessert

hugging The Engineer in the morning

finding a deal on a great pair of shoes
being closer to nature (i.e. mountains, forest, ocean)

jamming at a great concert

discovering a new place

flower shops

the end of a yoga class

having a hilarious conversation about nothing with my childhood friends

dancing (usually of the drunk variety)

 So, what brings you joy?

A Valentine's Day Rant

"I love love."

   I've been known to say that- at bars, at work, trying to explain the type of person I am...When your best friend's boyfriend quotes you on saying something, it kinda becomes your motto.  I mean, how could you not love love?! It's magical. I'm talking love of all things, any things, love anything you want, just love it! With everything you have, just throw yourself and share your passion.  Loving makes life worth living. (Did I just turn into Dr. Seuss?)

   My love of love, in turn, makes me love hearts. I'll buy anything containing a heart or the word "love" (I also love words, in general).  Corny, I know. It's becoming a collection.  In high school photography class, my final project involved tons of pictures of hearts.  Part of it still hangs on my bedroom wall.  It inspires me to see love everywhere. 

   This morning, my Dad (#1 Valentine) emailed my sister and I a picture.  The leafy plant in his office had sprouted a small red flower over night. "How did it know today was Valentine's Day?" he asked. "Mother Nature is so darn smart." It is little moments like this that make me smile from the inside out. 

Happy Valentine's Day! 

....and remember, if nothing else, chocolate is on sale tomorrow!

Skiing Nemo

   In a shocking turn of events, I went skiing this weekend at Mt. Snow, VT.  My family planned this trip last month and right on cue the big winter blizzard named Nemo rolled in.  We fled the city extra early (cough, cough. I was sick.) to get a jump on the storm, and an extra day on the slopes.  I felt like Helen Hunt chasing a storm in Twister. Stopped for breakfast in town, two guys motioned to our rack of skis and said "You goin' skiin'?" (What gave it away?) "You got the right idea!".  We sure do buddy!

My frequent view from the Jeep

    Our weekend worked out better than expected.  I experienced skiing in fresh powder for the first time, per usual the engineer was there to help coach me through every turn.  The challenge of learning something new, especially in 2 feet of snow in a forest, is made all the more easier when a cute guy is telling you how awesome you look doing it.

Is skiing even a sport you can look cute doing?  I could be anyone under there ^

  So while Nemo pounded Boston and my friends were cooped-up inside for a day, I was breathing in the fresh mountain air (and drinking too much Mt. Snow Ale with my parents). I highly recommend riding out a blizzard in this fashion.  Just don't expect to come home to a parking spot... or even a street.

We parked 2 miles away and walked home, which was actually a fun adventure!

For more pictures of Nemo's beauty, check out one of my favs, Hogger & Co. Her coverage is gorgeous, and professional...not like my Instagram snaps!

Weather

   Everyone in the Northeast right now is like "OMG, have you seen this weather we're having?!?"

  
  Making small talk about the weather is annoying. It's a fall back conversation for awkward elevator rides, first dates, and co-workers with which you share nothing in common besides living under the sun.  I have these chats daily. Mind numbing banter has been the cornerstone of my past two jobs (sad, I know) so I've become quite good at it.  (I've also learned that a smiley tone of voice will get you through anything.)
   Anywho, back to the weather. It really is quite strange today here in Boston.  Gusty winds and rain this morning for my commute, and now humidity that reminds me of July.  A reminder of surfing, weekends in Maine, mountain biking, alfresco dinners, and stumbling home late-night without a coat.  The good life.  
   My engineer loves to get outside and play in the grass even more than I do (which is fantastic considering I enjoyed napping on the quad in college).  Thanks to him, last summer I kicked surfing, visiting Maine, and riding-in-a-Jeep-with-the-top-down off my bucket list.  I'm utterly ancy in my pantsy to see what summer '13 will bring. 
   

   I couldn't help but Pic Stitch a few summer moments together to share...

Clockwise from right: catching rays on The Esplanade, riding in the bed of a pick-up, driving to Nahant Beach, strolling downtown with my ladies, walking the jetty in Wells, ME.

Friendspiration

   Today I had a dear friend text me to say that she loved my blog entry about “me time”, and she could totally relate. We haven’t spoken in awhile, and although I shared my blog with a few friends, I forgot she even knew about it. I haven’t self-advertised anywhere but Twitter, and hardly expect even my nutty blog mentor to keep up with my writing. 
    My mother likes to remind me that having great friends is one of the best blessings in life. She’s right. My friends inspire me. I have collected quite the interesting bunch over the past 25 years, most of them starting from age 0 or age 8, which is pretty astounding. They are such a talented crew that sometimes I find myself lost in thoughts of the possibilities of where we can go. I also miss each of them at any given moment. It’s funny to think of the thousands of people that come in and out of our lives, some stick, some don’t, and why. 
   I find catching up with friends to be like catching up with myself. It’s a catharsis for me, one of many. Remembering why you love and appreciate people is rejuvenating. As I struggle to find out what’s really going on in my life, I’m blessed to have people that already see greatness. My friends impress me with their honesty, loyalty, humor, and drive. 
   I started this blog as a personal goal, a learning experience, and (hopefully) one day a sweet memento of our life... a project with no expectations. If it is a place where friends can read a piece of my thoughts, relate, and discuss, that’s a more fulfilling accomplishment than I could have hoped. Thanks Whitney!