A little more happy.

I figured I have to at least perform two consecutive weeks of this happiness journaling so I will now share a few things this week past that brought a little smile to my lips.

1.The sidewalk hosing has commenced, which = Spring!!! I think I even saw someone washing a car!
2.I got my hands dirty with an Earth Day project for work. Feeling soil on my hands brought me back to my vegetable garden glory days. Uncovering sewage within a planting pot was only a mild obstacle to landscaping ecstasy.
3.A Fantastic Easter Sunday. Champagne? Check. Caviar? Check? Family including a baby niece who has nearly tripled in size? Check! What more could a gal want…well I can think of a few things, but it was a great day nonetheless.
4.Stephen Colbert’s rendition of The Friday Song/The Friday song in general. I may be about two months late on this and it may not be appropriate to have these feelings, but I can’t help but love this girl and her terrible terrible song. It almost makes me like braces.

little joy.

My library card has lent itself to a variety of self-help books in the past few months, most of which I have enjoyed more than I am proud to admit. The most recent is entitled The Happiness Project. The author goes through a yearlong process to amplify the happiness she already feels in her everyday life. Anyway I don’t need to take a year to do this, although it seems lovely, but I did like that she began to journal about the things that bring her joy in the day to day. I have a friend who does this as well and I have toyed with the idea of starting as well to become more positively focused.

I stop throughout the day with regularity to point out the things that mildly annoy me, but rarely do I dedicate as much time to acknowledge those that make me happy. I want to start by stating that what I am most grateful for is my family, friends, the fact that I am not suffering financially, etc. This will never change, except for the last part if I end up homeless. This exercise is focused on smaller instances or discoveries that are smaller in scale, but collectively contribute to my greater happiness. The author of the book realized that a daily exercise was ultimately mundane and unrealistic in upkeep so I will start with just a few nice moments from the first week.

Week 1.

•Pretty Flowers- I enjoyed a long walk with a good friend through the Conservatory Garden in Central Park on Sunday. I wish I could have an English tea party there for the rest of my life.
•Fun Weather- Tuesday thunder and lightening upon my exit of the 6 train, which felt very ominous and dramatic. For a second I felt like I might be electrocuted, but I wasn't so it all worked out.
•Holy Broadway- two free shows in one week? And I didn’t even have to cry in public to get tickets? Life is getting pretty special.
•Impromptu puppy discovery- I got to pet a baby Newfoundland pup for a solid 3 minutes. Soft as silk. Sorry BJ.

I am pretty sure I won't keep this up, but if I do I am sure it will be very warm and fuzzy. Get psyched.

trying to get my mind right.

In College – free-style battles were sometimes a welcomed respite from a somewhat tense environment. We would gather outside in sub-zero temperatures, huddling for the dual purpose of gaining warmth and beat boxing. I am not claiming that our rhymes were noteworthy, but hip hop is something that has stayed with me and I wouldn’t say it has saved my life per se, but it has held a solid presence ever since.

At times misogynistic and homophobic, as a whole hip-hop represents survival, overcoming obstacles, and ultimately achieving success. I may not have ever sold rocks, nor do I find the need to sleep with a gat by my side, and somewhat fortunately I have no paper for which to be stuck. I do however have my own challenges to face daily for which I need strength to handle and a sweet beat in my ear helps me get through.

Each day you compel me run a little faster, work a little more productively, and relatively speaking, calm my weathered nerves. I guess in a way hip-hop HAS saved my life. So for that I thank you gentleman (and ladies).