A Waiting Line Moving Quickly

June 8’s 10 Things to Be Happy About

1. A Stream’s Riffles - The sound that the riffles makes me happy because it lets me know that I’m out among nature. I love biking down to the stream below the damn at the lake we go to just because it’s fun to lay down on the hammocks that they have along the paths in the woods and listening to the stream flow on by.

2. Trapunto Flowers - I can honestly say that I have never heard of these. They sound interesting and I love flowers so I’ll say that they make me happy.

3. Hot Apple Granola - Yum!!! I love hot apple and mixed granola sounds like it would be good. Don’t they make some gooey apple thing with granola. They used to serve something like that at my middle school some days for our dessert after lunch.

4. The Star Wars Trilogy - This could go one of two ways. If it is the first three they totally make me happy even with the not so good affects because they were way ahead in the technology for the time that they were made. The original actors are really good for the parts and they can’t really beat the original episodes. The newer three are just awful...I honestly don’t really even understand what’s going on in them and I don’t have the patience to try and watch them.

5. Shpilkes - Wasn’t this a word in Scooby Doo or something?

6. A Waiting Line Moving Quickly - Honestly, who wants to stand in a waiting line that is moving slowly? It makes me really happy when lines move fast, especially for something that is very exciting like a roller coaster or some other kind of cool ride.

7. Reading on Vacation - Most people think that I’m crazy for reading while I’m on vacation but that’s one of my favorite parts about being on vacation. The fact that I don’t have to worry about reading for school makes it easier for me to concentrate on a book that is for pleasure instead of ‘torture’.

8. A Whoosh of Wind - I love these whooshes when it’s a really hot day. It just feels nice to have some sort of breeze coming through the thick heat.

9. Butterflies Alighting - Butterflies light up? I thought that was fireflies?

10. Art Deco Geometrics - It amazes me what people can do with a space of a room and transform it with their skills. It makes me happy to know that there are people out there who have better taste than I do and can help me transform something plane into something that I want to actually look at.

People Who RSVP

June 7’s 10 Things to Be Happy About

1. A Table for Projects - It is always better to have one of these rather than using your kitchen table or counter because you have to clean it up before you can use it for meals which can make it very hard and more of a hassle. We used to do our projects in the dining room because we barely used it except for special occasions.

2. Rockland and Rockport, Maine - I don’t know much about them but one of my friends lives up there and says that it can be both good and bad at different times.

3. Buddha Serenity - I guess this is a good thing when you just want to relax.

4. Pennies for Wishes - I remember whenever we would walk around in the mall there were always fountains in the mall and I would ask for my parents for a penny to throw into a fountain so that my favorite wish would come true. Many of them didn’t come true but it was always nice to hope that they would.

5. Classical Music as You Commute - Honestly usually when I’m commuting it is late at night or early in the morning, I don’t know why this happens so often but it does, so I try to listen to music that will keep me awake. I do however like to listen to classical music while I do my homework because it helps me to better concentrate.

6. Building a New House - I think that this would be a lot of fun because you would have the satisfaction of knowing that you built this house to the specifications that you wanted and you got the opportunity to create something so beautiful. The only problem I have with building new houses is the developers. They’re really starting to piss me off because they keep building more houses when we don’t need them as there are plenty of them for sale on the foreclosed market.

7. Professional Makeup Brushes - They do a great job and I love using them but if you don’t keep them clean they will not work as well as you want them to.

8. Chopsticks-Only Eating - I can’t eat with chopsticks very well so if this happened I’d be up a river without a paddle. I’ve tried to teach myself, it just hasn’t worked out very well in my favor.

9. People Who RSVP - Everyone who wants to go to an event should RSVP to the event and even if you are not going to attend it is polite to RSVP and let them know that you are going to be showing up. It is extremely rude to show up after not saying anything and expect to be seated or have food.

10. Washing Your Hair in Rainwater - I wish that I could do something like this but we don’t get rain enough to actually wash my hair. I do however bathe myself in the lake we go to in the summer from time to time.

Bridal Gown Shopping

June 6’s 10 Things to Be Happy About

1. Plaid Tablecloths - These make me happy because I know that they usually mean that we’re either going on a picnic or we’re eating outside. I love eating outside when the weather is good. If it is a nice cool night with not too many bugs it’s wonderful to eat outside at a picnic table colored in a plaid tablecloth.

2. Acceptance - Ok, other than loners, who doesn’t want acceptance? I love gaining it from new groups of people or just different people in general. Sometimes it’s harder than others. I gained acceptance in my sorority just because I’m me, unlike in other sororities where you must do all of the “activities” in order to be accepted. I think that’s just stupid. People should accept you for who you are rather than a bunch of tasks that you are asked to complete.

3. Bridal Gown Shopping - As I have never been bridal gown shopping, for myself or anyone else, I can only say what I’ve seen in movies. It looks fun and a little stressful. I feel badly for the people who work in the stores, especially after watching some of the Bridezillas in Say Yes to the Dress. Some of the women in that show are the rudest people I’ve ever seen. Why would you want to be put onto TV acting like a snobby bitch?

4. Batik Clothing - I honestly have no idea what the heck this is. Anyone have an answer for me?

5. Making Your Own Cologne - Who actually does this other than stars? I have never seen anyone making their own cologne although I would like to see how it’s done just for the heck of it. I love smelling cologne and perfume whether it’s on someone or just sniffing the air after spraying it.

6. Brainiacs - People who are brainiacs are pretty cool as long as they don’t flaunt it too much. If you flaunt it I might want to hit you because you are making me feel dumb and obsolete. Some day the brainiacs are going to be the only people making money in this world because technology will eventually be able to do all of the other jobs.

7. Young Trees - It is amazing to see a young tree transform into an older tree. I got a tree in the eighth grade as a graduation present from my best friend from middle school. It has grown immensely and I walked out one day and saw how much it had been grown and asked if my tree had died and if we had replaced it with a bigger tree but my parents said no it’s the same one Sam gave me. WOOOOOWWW!!!

8. A Spume of White Bubbles - This is as opposed to a spume of any other color?

9. Honeycomb - It brings the honey that the bees make and I love honey on my English muffins along with in my tea. I love honey in general, it just tastes so smooth and good.

10. Stone Wall-Lined Lanes - I wish there were more of these at all of the old houses that I live around. I have one along one side of my driveway but you don’t see them very often anymore because people let them fall into disrepair and eventually knock them down because they look so bad. Oh well, not my problem when people complain about the world not looking pretty anymore, blame your parents and the generations before them!

Climbing a Tree

June 5’s 10 Things to Be Happy About

1. A Leisurely Bath - I love bring able to relax in the bathtub. It’s great after a horrible day of work or classes. I wish that they had bathtubs at school so that students could relax a little bit after a long day. Bubble baths are the best because you can play with the bubbles as you lay in the tub.

2. Autograph Day at School - Was this the day that you received your yearbooks and you wanted all of your closest friends to sign it because you thought it was cool. They all wrote things like HAGS or HAGAS or something like that. I feel like your close friends should write something meaningful instead of just saying see ya next year.

3. A Filled Mug’s Warmth - I really liked this last week in Alaska after kayaking or going for skiff rides because by the time you would get back from doing activities you would be cold as ice. The feel of the mugs with hot cocoa or coffee in them was just a savior from being cold.

4. Sandy Cape Ann - Never been but I’m sure it’s beautiful.

5. Climbing a Tree - I was never very good at this unless the tree had low and together branches. I hated climbing anything that had sap on the trunk or limbs though because you could never get it off all of the way and that was such an annoyance. My favorite tree that I’ve ever climbed would have to be the banyan tree in the Bahamas. The roots of the tree grow out from the limbs. It’s pretty cool.

6. Philosophies Displayed on T-Shirts - The ones that make you laugh are the best T-shirts in my opinion or the ones that have the most meaningful statements on the front of the shirt.

7. Ring-Toss Games - These games just made me angry because I could never seem to get the ring in the right place and I would always lose. I’m not a soar loser I just don’t like loosing round after round, it kind of sucks!

8. China’s Great Wall - It amazes me how they built these without all of the machines and technology that we have today. While it is not in the best kept shape it serves it’s purpose in the times when it was most needed. It helped China become the place that it is today.

9. Elbow Room - I love having this when I need it because having at big family dinners it’s really hard to cut your meat when you have someone right next to you who you may elbow. It’s really funny when I have one of my younger cousins next to me and barely miss their face while cutting my meat and they yell at me...god I love children!

10. Finding Out You are not Lost - Who actually enjoys being lost (unless you’re on an adventure)? It’s nice to figure out that you are not lost in the end because then you can get back on track to where you were and it makes you feel better about your directional skill. The GPS is definitely a wonderful invention at keeping people from getting lost. It does however make mistakes sometimes so don’t depend on it fully or you never know where you’ll end up.

Looking Others Straight in the Eye

June 4’s 10 Things to Be Happy About

1. Replying to Letters - Throughout this past school year my grandmother and I corresponded through old fashioned letters instead of using email. I always loved responding to her letters because it made me good to tell her about my accomplishments and what was going on in my life. I tried doing this with my other grandmother but it didn’t work out very well.

2. Adrenaline - I am a total adrenaline junkie. I love doing things that make my adrenaline spike. I would love to go sky diving but I have a feeling that I’d pee myself if I tried it. I also love when it kicks in because I feel like I’m not afraid of anything.

3. An Unusual Museum - I wish I could find more of these just for entertainment. Does anyone have any suggestions?

4. One Exotic Bloom - There is a plant down in the Bahamas that blooms once every 100 years. I have had the pleasure of seeing it and it is absolutely beautiful. I didn’t think that I would get to but getting to see it was really neat actually.

5. Vermont Cheddar - I don’t know how my calendar figured out that this makes me happy but it is my favorite kind of cheese flat out. No other cheese can beat it. I love putting it in my sandwiches, on crackers, almost anywhere where it will taste good. My grandmother brings it back from Vermont when she goes and it keeps for a while and the longer you let it sit, the better it tastes in my opinion.

6. A Wish Granted - Yea right! As much as I’d love to believe that wishes do come true, they rarely do unless you do something about it. Fairy godmothers do not exist in real life but it’s not that hard to work for something if you really want it. On the rare occasion someone’s wish will come true and who am I to ruin their happiness?

7. The Majesty of Circus Tents - The biggest circus tent is always where the main event is. I think that circuses are pretty cool until the clowns come out because they’re a little creepy.

8. Jogging with a Friend - I’d rather jog by myself with my iPod so that my friends won’t laugh at me when I can’t keep up. I wish I was a better runner but I doubt that will ever happen as I’m not into it as much as I would like to be.

9. Taking the Time to Observe - If you do this, you never know what you’ll find. While I was in Alaska I observed and found a whale and a bear. It was pretty cool to find all of these neat things just because I took my time on our hikes through the mountains and listened when they told us what to look for.

10. Looking Others Straight in the Eye - I wish more people would do this then there would be more communication in the world. If they aren’t looking you in the eye then they’re usually lying! When you are shaking someone’s hand you should always look them straight in the eye or they may think that you are incompetent.

Apples in Country Baskets

June 3’s 10 Things to Be Happy About

1. Nature’s Lessons - There are so many that we still need to learn. Hurricanes, tornadoes, and earth quakes are just a few elements constantly teaching us lessons on how to live on this earth peacefully. They come and wreck our houses and we continually think of better ways to build our houses. I think that nature has taught us a lot and has put us in the age of technology we are in today.

2. Apples in Country Baskets - Apples in baskets in my mind means apple sauce. Once my grandmother has us pick the apples off of her tree I know that they are ready for her wonderful apple sauce. As a kid I always loved her apple sauce, and I can still eat it by the bowl full. It is absolutely scrumdidlyumptious!

3. A Thermos of Raspberry Iced Tea - It sounds good but considering I’m not a big fan of iced tea, that doesn’t really help.

4. A Charcoal Grill - They are so much better than gas grills even if they are worse for the environment. They give the food a different taste that I think makes the food taste better. The only time that we use a charcoal grill is up in the mountains and it is something that reminds me of summer because we only go up to the mountains in the summer.

5. Cooking Something New - I love taking the chance every once in a while of cooking something new because you never know the reactions that you will get for trying something new. New food can be delicious or it can be an epic fail. I also think that it depends on how well you can cook something.

6. Hand-Feeding a Goat - As long as you know to hold your hand out straight instead of curling your fingers up they won’t bite you! I love feeding any animal out of my hand that I know won’t bite my fingers off. The only time I’ll feed a dog out of my hand is when I know that it is just one small thing that I’m feeding them.

7. Concord Grapes - What’s the big deal? I just like grapes in general. The best is when they are chilled in the fridge and make a crunch when you chew them. I am very good at throwing them into the air and catching them with my mouth.

8. Cotton Sateen Sheets - Soooo soft!!!

9. Black Pepper-Spiked Gravy - Anything that is spiked with black pepper gives it a little more taste or zest. I think that every meal should be spiked with some sort of spice to give it more taste because bland is bad.

10. Springer Spaniels - Pretty doggies!!! I love them because they have long hair. Then again I love any dog that comes with in a football field radius of me and has an owner that will let me pet it. My mom taught me that it is polite (and also a little dangerous) to just walk up and pet someone’s dog.

The First Warmth of the Coming Season

June 2’s 10 Things to Be Happy About

1. Napkin Rings - I like these at the beginning of the meal but I think that they should be moved out of the way once everyone starts to eat because they end up being in the way. They do make the table look very nice on the other hand. While I was in Alaska, we rolled them around the table while we would wait for desert...apparently we were really bored.

2. Sharing Popcorn - Honestly you don’t have to share with me, I won’t eat it anyway. I’m not really a big fan so you can have it all to yourself. It’s nice to get an offer every once in a while though.

3. Footstep Cadence - Um, sure this makes me happy?

4. Being Cozy - Who doesn’t love being cozy? It just makes you feel warm and fuzzy on the inside. I love being cozy by the fire in our cabin in the mountains or being cozy in our library by the fire reading a book. It’s just those moments that make you wish that all moments could be like that.

5. Crossword Tournaments - There is such a thing? I’ve never heard of it anyway. My grandmother would have loved those considering she was so amazing at these. It makes me smile to think about her doing her crossword puzzles. She actually had one that was six feet by six feet. It was absolutely huge but I don’t think it was finished before she passed away unfortunately. It would have been cool to see it finished.

6. Adorable Faces - Little kids usually have these with their baby fat before it goes away. I love looking at kids though, especially when they make funny faces or have done something that they don’t realize is bad and have the most innocent face on.

7. Luminaries - I love driving past these in the winter, usually on Christmas Eve. Our family tradition is to drive around town to find streets with good luminaries and cool Christmas decorations around their house.

8. Plump Settee Cushions - So comfortable! You feel like you are sinking into the most comfortable chair ever. My great grandmother always had very plump ones.

9. Mojitos - I had a strawberry mojito for my first drink in celebration of my 21st birthday and it was absolutely delicious. It even had bits of the strawberry in the drink. It made me very happy that I was old enough to order it for myself and legally drink it!

10. The First Warmth of the Upcoming Season - We haven’t had much of that until last week when it was really hot. It was very exciting to finally have weather that was warmer than the 60’s.

A Thunderstorm Passing

June 1’s 10 Things to Be Happy About

1. Botticelli Art - Honestly, art doesn’t really have an affect on my happiness. Sure it makes walls look less empty in a house, but what does it really do? I don’t want to pay thousands of dollars just to have a piece on my wall.

2. Abreaction - I looked the definition of this word up and I still have absolutely no idea what it is or means...anyone care to fill me in?

3. Remembering a Friend’s Birthday - I would rather remember than forget because they may be pretty upset with me if I forgot. Facebook does a wonderful job of reminding me these days considering I forget an awful lot.

4. Eating Dinner at the Shore - The little shacks at the shore are always the ones that serve the best food because they are usually family owned instead of some chain that is everywhere else also.

5. Caramel Bread Pudding - Any pudding makes me happy and this actually sounds so good I might try and find a recipe to make it because I always enjoy trying new things because it broadens my horizon a little bit every time.

6. The Music of Brahms - Most people only know him from his lullaby but he wrote many pieces that more people should get into so that they can know what classical music really is. I like to have classical music on my iPod because then I have something to listen to that doesn’t have words to it when I am doing my homework because there is less distraction.

7. A Thunderstorm Passing - When it’s gone then I am happy because thunderstorms and I do not get along very well. I have gotten to the point where I no longer have to hide under my parents’ bed but that doesn’t mean that they do not still freak me out a little. I really don’t like when they wake me up in the middle of the night or if they are happening when I’m trying to sleep because then I end up freaking out and not being able to sleep afterwards.

8. A 20th Anniversary - These days, that’s a landmark since everyone seems to be getting divorced after a few years. If you want to get married, find someone you care about first instead of doing it with the first person that you meet that actually reciprocates your feelings. I think the divorce rate today is atrocious.

9. The Moon Over a Lake - Seeing this is amazing, especially when the moon is just over the horizon and it is huge. The reflection is always an amazing thing to watch.

10. Meditative Writing - I think my journal is my way of emptying my thoughts and getting them on paper helps me to think them out. It is my way of meditative writing because then I always feel better after all of the toxins are out.

Your Own Hammock

May 31’s 10 Things to Be Happy About

1. Changing All the Calendars - Who changes calendars in May? Unless you’re just changing the month and you get to see the new picture that is on the top of the next month. I know that with our family calendar, we have all of the family pictures on them so it’s fun to see who showed up doing what on the next month’s page.

2. A Box of Popsicles - I actually bought one of those this weekend when everyone came to hang out at my house. I’m sad that there weren’t more flavors but they were absolutely delicious and I definitely want to eat more! The fact that they change the color of your tongue makes me laugh.

3. Starting Over - I wish that I had that chance many times in my life but I’m pretty happy with the way I’ve turned out. Starting over at a new job will be the next chance that I get to start over and I hope that I can make a good impression on all of my coworkers and bosses in the near future.

4. Ankle-Length Skirts - No thank you! I have never been a big fan of skirts that long because I would probably trip and fall over them as I walked. The only time I wear anything like that is if I was going somewhere formal.

5. Early Beatles’ Music - Beatles’ music in general is absolutely amazing. I love listening to it while I work because I know the words to almost every single song and it makes me happy when I can sing along with different songs. My mom calls me the Broadway Belter.

6. Applause for a Great Orchestra - Applause in general makes me happy because it encourages those who are performing that they are doing a great job. It probably makes them even more happy because they feel that all of their practice has lead up to something amazing.

7. Socializing Games - When I was in Student Council in high school we always played a game at the beginning of each big meeting as an ice breaker so that people could talk to new people. It made it easier for us all to get along as such a big group. I think that in the long run it helped us to meet new people thereby making new friends.

8. Awakening Sleeping Beauty - When I was younger I always thought that it was so magical but now I realize that witches and wizards do not exist and the enchantments that happen in that movie are not real but watching younger kids faces while they watch the magic happen always makes me happy.

9. A Break From the Computer - I’m going to be starting mine when I leave for Alaska and I’m very excited for it because it means that Mom and Granmom won’t have computer access either. When I’m home from school, I don’t really spend that much time on the computer anyway because I’m always busy doing other things. I enjoy going on it every once in a while during the day but I don’t just sit in my room all day playing on it because there are other things going on that I’d rather be doing. Children these days really need to stop spending so much time on the computer or else they aren’t going to be bonding with other students that well.

10. Your Own Hammock - I don’t think that we’ve had our hammock out for a couple of years now but I always enjoy laying in it and reading my book when it’s not too hot outside.

A Fireworks Finale

May 30’s 10 Things to Be Happy About

1. The Armed Forces - They make me happy (even though I don’t like guns) because they are fighting to keep our country safe. I’m sure that I don’t know the half of what is going on across the seas but I salute the brave fellows that have volunteered to serve our country. I don’t think that I could ever be brave enough to hold up a gun and shoot people whether they are guilty or just stuck in the middle.

2. Steaks Sizzling on the Grill - I love the sound of any meat as it hits the grill and begins to sizzle. I know that when it hits my father’s grill that it means that dinner is almost ready and it’s going to be delicious. Dad is really good at cooking and I don’t know if anyone will ever be able to top him in that category in my mind.

3. A Fireworks Finale - It’s the best part of the lighted spectacle. Last year at Thanksgiving my uncle bought a pack of fireworks that he set off after Thanksgiving dinner that were epic as the finale considering all we were setting off were roman candles and bottle rockets, not that there is anything wrong with those. Someone saw them from two miles away and texted me about it which was really funny.

4. Lifeguards on Duty - Finally, it’s that time of year where you can go swimming pretty much any time you please because it’s so warm and all of the local pools are open and guarded by someone who has been trained in the art of lifesaving. Apparently my sister who is at camp got to be a drowning person for the people who were being trained for their lifeguard certification. I think it’s funny that they chose her because she’s probably the tallest person that works there.

5. Asking a Colleague for Advice - I don’t know many people that do this because they usually just ignore it right after asking which I think is ridiculous but then again, who am I to judge them?

6. Not Being Alone - It is usually nice to have someone around because it means that you have someone be your companion. Who really wants to be alone? I remember last year when my parents were gone for two weeks, I had a break down because I was all by myself at night and it freaked me out a little. When they got back I was really happy not to be alone anymore.

7. Tortellini in Cream Sauce - I’ve tried it but I’m not a big fan. I’d rather have my tortellini in a red sauce because that’s what I’ve always enjoyed. My parents have always done it that way and while I did try something different, it doesn’t appeal to me.

8. Gently Dropping into Sleep - Drifting into sleep is the best way to go because then you aren’t completely exhausted in the morning because you fell asleep so fast.

9. Hummingbirds - These symbolize my late grandfather and it always makes me happy when I see them because my grandmother believes that they are him saying hi to us when they show up. Apparently when my grandmother was coming to my sister’s graduation last year she walked out and a hummingbird flew to her side and she said that it was Grampa letting us know that he was there in spirit. It was really nice for Abigail to hear that.

10. The Constitution - It makes me happy because it gives me the ability to speak my opinion which is especially important in writing this blog because it is all about my opinions of the different subjects that are put onto this calendar.

Tokens of Affection

May 29’s 10 Things to Be Happy About

1. Debating Intellectual Issues - It’s always fun to watch really smart people debate over what is the right answer with something they are working on or researching and which one of them is correct. I can’t say that I do this very often but I always feel very smart when I do.

2. Attending a Parade - I think that the last parade I attended was when I was in Michigan on July 4th years ago. I haven’t really had the need to go to any parades since. Junkanoo parades have to be the best parades though because they are always so colorful.

3. Nabisco Nilla Wafers - These are delicious and I remember when I was a kid in elementary school, they used to serve us these as snacks because they were decent in nutrition value and as kids we couldn’t get enough of the stuff.

4. Marginalia - Margi-what?

5. A Slightly Twisted Sense of Humor - Ah, people with a sense of humor like mine. It annoys me when people don’t get the type of humor that I have and they always look at me funny. I try to understand what they’re talking about...why can’t they do the same for me?

6. Never Taking the Easy Way Out - I can’t say that I’ve always done things the most complicated way but I wish that I would take the harder way more often because then I would be a better person. I think that a lot of people just do things the easy way instead of learning everything they should about what they are doing and trying to get something else out of it.

7. Cook as a Hobby - Getting new recipes has always been a favorite of mine because it’s always fun to try new things. One of my favorite recipes, I actually hated the first time I had it but absolutely love it now. My aunt usually finds really good recipes and passes them onto my mom to try and usually my sister or I are the ones that end up trying to cook or bake them.

8. Tokens of Affection - It’s always entertaining when someone comes up with a new way to show how they feel about you. My boyfriend made me a jewelry box to show how he felt about me along with giving me a pretty ring to wear.

9. Spontaneous Joy - You never know when to expect it and it makes you that much more happy when it hits you. I think that enjoying the small things in life is always a plus because otherwise you don’t get joy when something bigger comes along. Having joy in knowing that you will be happy with whatever may come along is the best.

10. Showing Someone the Ropes - Everyone has to learn the ropes somehow and even though not everyone likes to teach someone else how to do their job they get some happiness out of it when they know their apprentice has accomplished something that they taught them. I think that it is an amazing feeling when someone understands what you have just taught or shown them. That is why I want to be a teacher.

Your Favoirte Candy

May 28’s 10 Things to Be Happy About

1. Hoosiers - Apparently this is a movie about sports...yay! Who doesn’t love sports flicks? Oh well, not my thing really unless it’s got a good back story to it as well. If not take it off my list please.

2. New Sweatpants - I love getting new ones because they are always so soft on the inside. As soon as you wash them the softness goes away which makes me sad. Why did the soft fluffy stuff on the inside get unsoft? I don’t get why the softness has to go away!

3. Building Restoration - My house is actually a restored house. We got it when I was in eighth grade and redid it because it was in such shambles. We kept bits and pieces of the old house but did a lot of restoration and cleanup. My dad worked very hard for over a year to make this old house the beauty that she is. He is currently restoring the barn roof and making it look nice and clean.

4. The TV Show Fraggle Rock - I can honestly say that I have never heard of or seen this show. I don’t know if it would make me happy or not?

5. Fond Remembrance - Thinking about something or someone that you were fond of always makes people smile. I know that when I think of my grandfather I am always happy even though he is no longer around because he taught me many things in life and was a good friend.

6. A Date for the Evening - When you have a date that means that you don’t have to spend the night alone. Who enjoys spending the night alone, unless you’ve been with someone too much? I know that I’m always happy to have someone around after a hard day because it’s nice to talk about what went on in my day.

7. Your Favorite Candy and Lots of It - REESE’S!!!! I love me some Reese’s. I’m not a big fan of chocolate by itself but if it has any sort of peanut butter in it, I’m totally for it. This year for Easter, the only candy that was in my Easter basket was Reese’s. Thanks mom :)

8. People Standing on a Corner - I’m not sure that this makes me very happy in the city because it seems a little shady but people standing on a corner in smaller towns is a little more comforting. The other day when I was on my way to help work on the apartments that my boyfriend’s family rents out, there were veterans on the corner in the middle of town waving flags. It made me really happy to see them out in town celebrating Memorial Day Weekend.

9. Freshly Ironed Clothing - It makes everyone look so clean and happy. I like having freshly cleaned and ironed clothing because it makes me look nice in my appearance, especially when I’m going to do something important.

10. Renting a BMW Roadster - Waste of gas...nuff said!

A Walk After Dinner

May 27’s 10 Things to Be Happy About

1. A Movie MacGuffin - Is this someone who knows a lot about movies because if so my mother is one of these to the highest degree. She knows so much about movies and the people who are in them because she reads so much.

2. Bamboo and Coconut - These just remind me of the tropics even though bamboo can grow in areas that are cold and remote. It’s really weird but they go together well I guess.

3. A Dart Board - Dart boards are pretty cool but unfortunately, I can’t play darts to save my life. My uncles had a dart board in my grandmother’s basement that was surrounded by famous basketball players which I always thought was pretty epic. Since it was the only one that I saw for years I pretty much thought that it was the coolest thing and that’s how all dart boards were.

4. Baby Shampoo Aroma - Honestly it’s so fresh and any adult shampoo can’t beat it. I used it even when I wasn’t a baby any more until I started conditioning my hair because I always thought that it smelled amazing.

5. Rub-On Tattoos - I remember when we were kids we all thought that these were the coolest thing ever since we couldn’t have the real deal. Some kids would come to school with them plastered all over their bodies and show them off like they were the best thing ever. You put them on with water and a sponge.

6. Corny Things - Honestly the corny things are usually the simple things in life and if they make you happy then you are generally a happy person. I wish that more people were impressed by the smaller things in life then more people wouldn’t want so much out of life.

7. Immense Forests - The bigger they are, the more likely they are to be chopped down in the next few years so that we can build more houses that we really don’t need. I want to know why they keep building more houses when there are so many that are foreclosed and for sale?? Can someone explain this to me please??

8. A Walk After Dinner - I love getting a little exercise after dinner as long as it’s not running because by the end of the day I’m usually exhausted. Also if it’s summer it’s fun to walk as the sun sets as long as you’re home by the time is setting or else you end up walking in the dark.

9. Paper and Crayons - I love coloring books and crayons. It makes time go by so much faster when you’re bored. When I was younger when we would go out to eat my mom would always bring a coloring bag to entertain us until our food came because it would keep our minds off of our hunger and it felt like the food would come faster. I love coloring...no matter how old I am.

10. Displaying Your Talent - When I was in seventh grade, I displayed my talent for the first time in front of a lot of people and most of them were stunned. It was really funny when my English teacher walked up to me and goes...I didn’t know you could sing! I then went on to win first place in the talent show because people had no idea what hit them!

Gas Stations

May 26’s 10 Things to Be Happy About

1. Farm Dogs - Sheep dogs are awesome because they are so fluffy. I walked into a store the other day and they had a sheep dog with a ponytail on her head and it was really funny. I think that any dog deserves to have the land that is on a farm to get the exercise that they need. Keeping a dog cooped up in an apartment is bad for them if you ask me.

2. Being There When the Boss Calls - If you’re there then you get bonus points for doing what the boss has asked you. It also gets you on the good side of the boss if you’ve done what they’ve asked of you correctly.

3. A Gas Station When You Need One - I try to fill up before I leave for a trip but it’s always good to find one when you need it rather than being stranded because that happened to my mom once just from picking me up because she hadn’t filled her tank in a while.

4. Beverly Hills, California - It’s where all the stars live so who wouldn’t want to live there? Ummmm, me that’s who! I would hate to live where all the stars live because there would constantly be paparazzi around and that would drive me nuts. If I were a star I would move far away from Cali just so that I could hear myself think.

5. Sitting in a Curved Restaurant Booth - These always entertained me as a kid and they make it easier when the restaurant has big parties for the waiters to be able to reach everyone. The only problem is if you’re sitting and you need to use the restrooms, you’re screwed because then you either have to make everyone else get up or sit there until the dinner is over.

6. Prisms of Sunlight on Pale Walls - The sunlight always lightens up the room that anyone is standing in. I love when it comes into my room as it is setting and shoots pretty colors across my walls.

7. Dill Weed in Sauces - We use this in a lot of recipes and it gives the food a different taste and makes it just that much better.

8. The Cubs’ Bleacher Bums - Are these people who just sit on the bleachers and never play? I would hate to be them because in most sports cases I would rather be on the field than off.

9. A Lunch Hour Spent Outside - I love eating my lunch outside in the shade, especially with this lovely warm weather that we are finally getting. I take my boyfriend lunch on the weekends and we sit in the grass of the parking lot in the shade and enjoy our hoagies together and enjoy the fresh air.

10. The Search for Life Beyond Earth - I believe that it exists but most people think that it’s just a myth. I think that there could be life beyond Earth and they are just taking a while to find us just as we are taking a while to find them.

Reaching the Itch

May 25’s 10 Things to Be Happy About

1. Pear Sherbet - I’m not a big fan of pears or sherbet so I don’t think that this would make me happy.

2. A Hug After a Long Day - I know that almost anyone will accept these, especially if the long day has been extremely stressful. My mom walks in the door most days looking like she is going to cry because of this awful woman that works in her building who is continually trying to sabotage her in the workplace. I personally think that she should be fired for some of the stuff that she has pulled but that’s just my opinion.

3. The End of a Disagreement - I’m just glad that I don’t have many of them in my life but when I do it’s always better when they are ending so that it can just go away and I can move on with my life. Some people hold grudges for too long instead of moving on. Moving on is a part of life people. I lost a few friends because of dumb arguments that they never got over which I think is horrendous.

4. Pull-Apart Bread Loaves - Meaning that they are precut?

5. Golden Deeds - Why are the deeds golden? Are they really valuable or are they actually a golden color??

6. Spring-Cleaning Your Life - Getting rid of people that I no longer talk to on facebook is always a wonderful way of cleaning up my life. Or deleting people in my phone that I no longer want anything to do with is another good way of cleaning my life.

7. Reaching the Itch - Who doesn’t love when they finally find that spot that has been bothering the so much? I get them all the time and when I can’t reach them I either find something to rub my back with or have a friend itch my back.

8. To Bed Early, Rising Early - I wish that I could go to bed early but if I did that than my summer would be a bust. Apparently at college I’m a grandmother because I constantly go to bed before everyone else. It’s usually because I get up earlier than everyone else and do my homework during the daylight hours instead of saving it for the nighttime hours.

9. Getting Your Money’s Worth - These days it’s really hard to get your money’s worth because everything is made with such cheap materials so that it breaks easier and you’ll spend more money with companies paying to fix it. It’s stupid and annoying considering you paid so much money in the first place to buy it.

10. Ventriloquism - Honestly this freaks me out because those dummies are really creepy looking.

Hula Hooping

May 24’s 10 Things to Be Happy About

1. The Feel of New Currency - Getting new currency is one of the things I like about going to the ATM. Usually when it spits out the money it is crisp and not all wrinkled from being overused. I think that money is cool but it’s better when it is newer.

2. An Accurate Newspaper Article - Do these actually exist? People make such a mess of things these days which I think is absolutely ridiculous because the public deserves to know the truth about what is going on in the war and the general world. There is always some sort of opinion in every article because it is very hard to leave your opinion out of an article while writing it.

3. Admiring Your Kids - I can’t admire my kids currently because I don’t have anything so I admire my cousins. We actually went to visit them last week and had a blast and I hope that we will have the opportunity to do so again because it’s always fun to see what they are up to.

4. Bicycle Commuting - More people should do it because then they would get more exercise and be less obese and the obesity in the US would go down. People complain about being fat, stop riding your car everywhere, take a walk every once in a while, don’t sit around and watch TV all day, get up and do something!

5. Hula Hooping - As a kid I was really good at this but I’m not so sure that I would be great at it now because it’s been so long. I can do it on the Wii fit but not on my own more than likely. We had a kid hula hoop for a talent show because apparently, he didn’t have any better ideas for a talent.

6. Terry Cloth - Cloth is always a good thing so that we can clothe ourselves.

7. The Artist Paul Klee - Not a big fan of art but I’m sure that he does amazing work.

8. Tuesday Night Takeout - We actually get out takeout a lot at my house. I wish that we could cook our own food more often but we never seem to have the time to cook for ourselves which is sad. Is Tuesday the night when most of the people of the world get takeout or something?

9. The Buzz of a Gathering Audience - Depending on what they are gathering to see, the buzz is always different. It is fun to try to listen to what other people are saying about the goings on of the different places. At movies people don’t usually shut up until the movie is actually starting so it’s fun to listen to what people say about the previews.

10. Finding a Great Pet - My great pet is a pet rock. No I’m just kidding. I have a dog and a cat and that’s what I’ve had all of my life. I really enjoy having both animals because they are fun to be around. My cat can be a little bratty sometimes, but then again most cats are bratty. My dog is friendly and loves everyone who walks in the door which is one of the many things that I love about her.

Mood Rings

May 23’s 10 things to Be Happy About

1. Mood Rings - These show you if you’re happy. I haven’t had one in years but I remember being a kid and loving having one because it could tell me what kind of mood I was in. I never knew whether or not they were actually telling the truth at that point but I always thought that it was cool none the less.

2. Taking a Sculpture Class - I do not think that I am talented enough to do something like this but it is always interesting to watch others work on their beautiful pieces of art. When I was younger I got the chance to do many different kinds of art but I always liked sketching the best because it was the most challenging for me.

3. A Vibrating Phone - If you can’t hear it, at least you can feel it. I don’t like having it on vibrate during class however because then the entire class can hear it go off. The only time that I like having it on vibrate is when it’s in my back pocket.

4. Weaving a Rug - It amazes me how much work it takes to weave a rug, so kudos to those who can do this amazing feat. A family friend of ours actually does pull rugs and they are absolutely gorgeous. I wish that I could learn how to do something like this in my life time.

5. A Special Knack for Writing - I love to write, as you can tell from my blog but it has always been something that I enjoy when I get to write what I want to write about. I hate any sort of essay because I have to think about what the teacher is looking for, rather than writing my opinion unless that is what the teacher is looking for. I always loved assignments where I got to be creative in my writing as a kid.

6. The Canadian Prairies - I can not say that I’ve ever been to the Canadian Prairies but I’ve always heard that it is absolutely gorgeous. Any sight that has a pretty background makes me happy because it helps me to know that God wanted us to be able to see something so beautiful instead of knocking it down to make it into some sort of development that we don’t need.

7. Red Chanel Lipstick - I honestly think that bright red lipstick makes you look like a whore but it will always remind me of my grandmother who loved to wear red lipstick and paint her nails red. My grandmother was not a whore by the way, just in case you are wondering. It reminds me of both.

8. Peppermint Angel Food Cake - I love angel food cake but I can’t say that I’ve ever tried some sort of peppermint additive before. It must be good because it’s on my list.

9. The Cool Feel of a Necklace - Ok this could mean one of two things...it could either mean that the necklace feels awesome to have around my neck, which I think they totally do because then it makes my neck feel less naked. It could also mean that the necklace could feel cold around my neck. Most necklaces don’t feel cold around my neck unless it is either cold outside or it is some kind of necklace that has a cold feel to it.

10. A Gigantic Spring Moon - I love the moon when it feels like it is so close to you because of how big it is. I think it is amazing how big the moon is in general but it seems so much smaller because it is so far away from Earth.

Watercolors

May 22's 10 Things to Be Happy About

1. Cliff Dwellings - I don't think that I could ever dwell on a cliff, it would freak me out so badly because I'm not a big fan of heights to begin with. If it's higher than two stories and I'm looking down, I'm a goner. I got on our barn room once and I almost cried because I was so freaked out.

2. Coleslaw and Potato Salad - The only kind of coleslaw that I ever enjoyed was the kind that was made for me by our cooks in the Bahamas. It is delicious and doesn't taste like mud in my mouth. If the potato salad actually has pieces of potato instead of mashed potatoes then I'm totally in. My mom's potato salad is absolutely delicious and I think that more people need to do it that way.

3. Defying Conventional Wisdom - I'm not exactly sure what this means...any ideas?

4. A Corduroy Jacket - These are warm and wonderful in winter but in the summertime not so much.

5. An Evening Home Alone - I like having my house to myself every once in a while but I'd rather share it with my family unless I'm angry with them. They make me happy and keep me company on cold winter nights. Even in the summer it's nice to have them around because since our house is on the larger side, it gets a little lonely when they are not around.

6. Spiritual Evolution - I found my center!

7. A Vintage Pinball Machine - I think that my grandmother has one of these in her basement and as a kid I loved to play on it. It has probably fallen into disrepair at this point because I don't think that anyone has played on it recently. It was always a fun thing to play with my many cousins because we had competitions of who could get the highest score.

8. Watercolors Touching the Paper - It's cool to watch them spread out as they dry. My great grandfather did amazing water colors and it was always cool to see what he came up with. I always wished that I got his artistic ability but instead I got the family singing voice. Watercolors mixed together are amazing too.

9. Stained Glass - I love looking at stained glass windows because it amazes me how long some of them have been around and how they made them with very little technology and were able to put so much detail into them. The stained glass windows in my grandmother's church are absolutely beautiful!

10. Evocative Music - Depending on what I was doing when I listen to certain music it can bring back vivid memories. Some music I can put back onto people which I always thought was pretty cool and the memories that I have with these specific people.

Unplanned Picnics

May 21's 10 Things to Be Happy About

1. Single-Serving Cereal Boxes - When I was younger, Edris would always get the single-serving cereal because she never knew what we liked to eat for breakfast as cereal and it was one of my favorite parts of eating breakfast is the fact that I got my own. Now that I look back, I don't understand why having my own cereal box mad me happy, but hey I was a happy kid most of the time anyway.

2. Sane Living - To live in a sane manner, my room has to be semi clean or else I go nuts. I like an organized mess because then I know where all of my things are. This year I lost my keys a couple times and it drive both me and my roommate insane because we would be ready to go to dinner and it would take an extra five minutes to find my keys. It was the same thing with my hairbrush, if I don't put it back in the right place I go insane trying to find it.

3. Salted Pretzels - I like hard pretzels with salt on them but when we get soft pretzels I like them without salt. Auntie Anne's makes the best pretzels in the world, especially if they have the cinnamon on top of them.

4. Beach Music - Jack Johnson is someone that I would definitely listen to on the beach or maybe John Mayer. This is the relaxing music that goes with the beach because you can sit there with your headphones and read a book or you can put it on a boombox and listen to it as you make sand castles or play beach volleyball. It totally works.

5. An Unplanned Picnic - When I first started bring my boyfriend lunch at work we would eat in his truck but then we started eating on the grass in the shade and it always feels nice. If it's not too hot it's a perfect picnic spot even though we probably shouldn't be eating on someone's private property but oh well.

6. Can't-Put-It-Down Books - I love these books because I can just curl up for hours just reading those books. I hate when people give me books that I don't want to put down during school. It drives me nuts. I read a really good one over spring break that took me less than two days to finish. I also read one last week that I couldn't put down because I just wanted to know what would happen next. If you can pull into a book like that, you are a wonderful author.

7. Birds in a Birdbath - We have a small swamp at our school, that is the closest I've ever come to seeing a bird take a bath in a birdbath. I think that birdbaths are a good idea to see the many different species of birds that are in our neighborhoods.

8. The Newsroom of a Major Paper - I have never been in a major newsroom but I've heard that there is always a constant hustle and bustle as people try to make their deadlines.

9. Rabbit Hutches - The better to keep the foxes from eating them. Rabbits are so fuzzy which is always a plus.

10. Acing an Essay or Test - Who doesn't love doing well on a test? I always loved getting my math tests back because I usually did pretty well on them and that made me happy. Getting back my tests from Dr. Lo was always a good thing too because I always get good grades on his tests and homeworks because I can actually understand what he's talking about and his notes are clear and concise.

Observing the Departing Moviegoer's Faces

May 20's 10 Things to Be Happy About

1. Your Prom Date - I had the same prom date for two years and it made me really happy to know that I had one that actually liked me. I also really liked my dresses. He always found the perfect suit to wear with it which I thought was great. My favorite picture is attached.

2. Sandwiches Made at a Deli - WAWA!!!! My favorite place to get a sandwich or hoagie. They taste delicious and I wish that they had them at school because Sheetz cannot beat Wawa, EVER!

3. Renewable Resources - We need to figure out how to better use them because otherwise we are going to use this planet up and then kill everything and everyone around us. If we continue to use the resources that we are using now we are going to kill many forests, animals, and eventually ourselves. It's ridiculous with all of the technology that we have these days that we can't come up with anything to help with the resource problems we're having.

4. Repairing a Window Screen - All I can say is that my dad hates this because at our old Pocono house where we shared it with other people and their kids and animals would constantly push the screens out and he would always be the one to repair it. I can't say that I blame him because he had to do it almost every summer and sometime multiple times during that summer because people don't know how to say no to their kids.

5. Self-Motivation - I'm surprised that I have it sometimes, especially when it's this warm outside.

6. Chopping Wood - I love watching guys split wood, it always amazes me how they can crack it so easily. I wish that I had the ability to do that but I'd probably end up splitting a bone or some skin. I'm such a clutz, it's not even funny.

7. Being Uplifted - Everyone should feel this sometimes. To get this feeling just do something that is good for you or even helpful to another person. This feeling always makes me feel warm and fuzzy on the inside.

8. A Chamber Orchestra - All I have to say is the people who do this kind of stuff are amazingly talented.

9. Bartender Wisdom - You'd be amazed at what bartenders know about life and what they'll tell you. If you get drunk enough you may even hear things that they think that you won't remember the day after.

10. Observing the Departing Moviegoers' Faces - I have never done this but it would have been really cool if I'd thought to do it after Inception which is a true mind screw over. After watching the movie during the credits, it was still quiet where I was watching the movie and I just said, I'm confused. Mind blown...nuff said!

A Day By the Sea

May 19's 10 Things to Be Happy About

1. Singing in the Car - I love driving by myself because it makes it easier to sing to myself at the top of my lungs. It's always entertaining to see other people's renditions of singing in the car as you drive by them on the highway. I probably have no room to talk but still it's a fun thing to look out for, let alone do.

2. Mother-of-Pearl - Didn't Mr. Krabs used to say this all the time in Spongebob Squarepants? Otherwise I have nothing to write about this.

3. Karst Topography - So this is something along the lines of water erosion over many years and the fact that you can see the layers of the erosion. I think that this is one of nature's many gifts to us to look at and just wonder in awe.

4. Listening to a Child Speak - This just makes me think of the little kid screaming blood into a camera. I think that when children are learning to speak, it is one of the most funny things to listen to.

5. An Intimate Dinner with a View - This idea sounds wonderful to me but I'm ok with just an intimate dinner because I don't get to do them very often. I just like a quiet place to eat with someone that is special to me.

6. Bike Lanes - The only place I ever see these are in the cities or in crowded towns. I think that they should exist in more places because that might encourage people to ride their bikes more often and get a little more exercise so that they can't complain about how overweight they are. I think that's ridiculous because it's usually you're own fault.

7. Feeding Your Senses - All you have to do is inhale, touch, taste, listen, and open your eyes. While most people have all five senses there are some who are less fortunate but they feed their senses more than people who do have all of their senses. That is an amazing fact to me.

8. Cartman from South Park - Honestly I just think he's a little punk who needs parents that will kick some sense into him. He also needs some exercise because it's unhealthy to be that fat, especially as a kid because one bad choice, leads to many more.

9. Brunettes - We have more fun that those blondes. We may not be as pretty as you are but at least we aren't as dumb, just kidding. I know some very smart blondes. I do enjoy being brunette though because no one can make bad jokes when I make stupid mistakes because of my hair color.

10. A Day By the Sea - Just sitting by the sea is wonderful but when you wander by a nude beach be aware, there ARE naked people. I walked onto one when I was 19 in Greece and had no idea where I was until I noticed women with no shirts...OOPS! Although, we did have a hard time determining whether one of the people was a woman or a man, best part of that day!

Spackle-Thick Veggie Dip

May 18's 10 Things to Be Happy About

1. A Safe Descent - Well isn't that better than an crazy descent? When I go rock climbing, it's always good to know that the person belaying is keeping me from falling onto the ground and more than likely seriously injuring myself. I would rather get onto the floor in one piece.

2. A Cool Swagger - To me everyone has their own swagger and there is no such thing as a cool one because it's entertaining to watch people attempt to have a cool swagger because it's really not worth it if you ask me.

3. A Village Meeting - Like a town meeting? I always like watching the ones that are on Gilmore Girls because there are so many things going on at once.

4. The Invention of iTunes - Whoever invented iTunes is a genius because it makes it so much easier to buy a song that you like instead of buying the entire album just to get that one song. It also makes it easier to make mixes of the songs that you like.

5. Lighted Walkways - These make me happy when it's really dark at night. Our school is pretty good about that but there are some spots that have sidewalks that are not lit. It drives me nuts because it freaks me out a little to walk in the dark with all of the lovely events that have happened this year.

6. Spackle-Thick Veggie Dip - The thicker it is, the better it tastes. My mom makes a really good veggie dip that is sour cream and mayo mixed together with some herbs and spices in it and it's nice and thick and goes well with almost any kind of uncooked veggie. Another good veggie dip is ranch dressing. That all by itself (with a veggie) is absolutely delicious.

7. A Dulce de Leche Milkshake - I'm guessing this is some sort of either thick milkshake or a milkshake with extra milk. Either way, milkshakes are delicious especially if they have either of these with them. I love them on nice warm days, especially from the Milky Way Farm down the road where they have milkshakes that they make in front of you with farm made ice cream.

8. Randomly Running into Friends - When I'm home from school, it's always fun to run into people that I haven't seen in a long time from high school. It doesn't matter where I go, I usually see someone that I knew in high school. While they're not always my closest friends, I remember them enough to say hi with their name.

9. People Who Try Hard - All I have to say about this one is that there should be more because most people in life today don't give a damn about anything and it's ridiculous.

10. New Toothbrushes - Honestly I'd rather have my old toothbrush back because when you first get new toothbrushes they are so stiff and I know that is good for your teeth but it hurts my gums. After a few days I like my new toothbrush though.

A Trail Sketched By Animal Paws

May 17's 10 Things to Be Happy About

1. Waterfront Cities - These are really cool because if you are really high up in a building you get to see not only the city but you also get to see the gorgeous waterfront. I've always thought that it is amazing to look out over the water no matter where I am.

2. An Omelet with Everything in it - If someone who knows what they are doing makes it then it is delicious but if it is something that they make at school it will fall apart so fast because the eggs are so thin. I love getting them from places that do brunch because they are usually delicious.

3. Being Compensated in Happiness - People who are happy that they helped someone are the best kind of people. When I help my boyfriend's family with their apartments I don't let them help me because I'm happy just to help him out because it stresses him out so much. I enjoy seeing him smile and he doesn't really smile while he's working on the houses so knowing that I'm helping him get it done faster usually helps.

4. Pink-and-Blue Striped Sunsets - Any sunset that has both those colors in it is gorgeous. I wish that we had more sunsets like that just because they are always nice to watch. I love being in the Bahamas because there always seems to be a beautiful sunset to watch.

5. A Trail Sketched By Animal Paws - These are pretty cool. I love being in the woods or on the beach and finding animal footprints along the paths that I am walking along. If I could when I was hiking I would try and bring along a little book so that I could figure out what kind of animal is making the different prints. I'm so excited for our Alaska trip in June because we'll have an actually naturalist walking with us who will be able to identify the animal prints.

6. Sanskrit and Pali - Some sort of language?

7. Teaching Your Dog Something Useful - I wish that we could have taught our dog to bring in the newspaper in the morning...that's something useful. I think that dogs should know the usual commands though such as sit and stay. My friend's dog rings a bell when he has to go to the bathroom so they know to let him outside. Our dog used to jump on the door when she wanted to come inside so we taught her to bark to let us know that she wanted to come inside. It's worked out very well.

8. Luggage that Lasts Decades - I think that all luggagye should be made to withstand the many years that they are used. I also think that it is worth the money to pay more for one that will last longer because then you won't have to continually pay for new ones over the years, and that money will add up to be more that the more expensive ones. Come to think of it a lot of things are made these days so that they will break sooner and the companies will make more money. It's completely bullshit if you ask me.

9. Squeaky Antique Beds - Honestly, why would anyone want a squeaky bed? I enjoy antique beds because they are pretty but I slept on a squeaky bed this year at school and it woke me up in the middle of the night when I would move in my sleep. It was really irritating.

10. Jeans that Stretch - I think that all jeans stretch and they are more constricting when they come out of the washer. I love the fact that my jeans stretch but then they get to heavy and start to fall off and that's a little annoying considering I have no butt to keep them up.

Locally Grown Produce

May 16's 10 Things to Be Happy About

1. The Boom of Surf - When the waves crash on the beach it always sounds like a boom and it is always a wonderful sound to hear. I love listening to the boom as it hits and watching it when I sit on the beach.

2. Comfortable Silence - Uncomfortable silence is just awful and awkward. I enjoy silence when everyone who is around is ok with it being silent. I also enjoy silence when I am on my own because there is no one to make me feel weird about it being quiet.

3. An Elder Statesman - I'm really sorry to say this but aren't most statesmen elderly or at least in their 40's.

4. Locally Grown Produce - You know where it came from and the fact that it is fresh makes it that much better. I think that it is important to support our local farms instead of over paying for the produce coming from other places in the states or even countries.

5. Air-Conditioner Tune-Ups - It's good to know that our air conditioner is in some sort of working condition, especially when it starts to get really warm outside and it's almost unbearable inside.

6. Seeing an Owl Wink - It's a very unlikely occurrence but it's cool if you do get to see it because of rareness. I have to say that I've never seen it but I've always think it would be cool to see one wink. When they blink it's pretty cool to see that as well.

7. Film Location Scouts - You need these to find a good location to film all kinds of films. If we didn't have these to find good spots to film, the film may not have turned out as well as we wanted it too. Some of the places that they do the filming of different videos is absolutely beautiful.

8. Stars Paling in the Morning Sky - It seriously amazes me how fast the stars disappear when the new day is starting. I do love staying up and watching the sun rise after pulling an all nighter. I think I need to do one of these once it stops raining all of the time!

9. Dining Room Hutches - They make me happy because I know that they hold all the fancy plates and silverware. I think that they hold a good use and more people need to get them so that there stuff isn't all over their houses.

10. Spur-of-the-Moment Getaways - I wish I could do this more often but as I have school, it makes it a little hard. What's good is the fact that next summer I'll be able to go away any time I really feel like it as we'll actually own a house in the Pocono Mountains!!!!

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May 15's 10 Things to Be Happy About

1. Billion-Year-Old Stars - There are so many out there. Many of them you need a high powered microscope to see but they are the suns of different solar systems or galaxies. It is amazing to think that they are so bright that we can see them from so far away.

2. Cleaning Curtains and Rugs - I like having clean curtains and rugs but the actually cleaning process is kind of a pain in the butt.

3. Flights of Fancy - I have these all the time, especially when I shouldn't but they are always fun to follow through on.

4. Careful Calligraphy - I love writing using calligraphy. Seeing what I can create with my writing is always fun. When I get bored in class, instead of doodling like most people do, I write using calligraphy because for some reason in helps me concentrate on what the teacher is saying better. My hands have to be busy in order for me to stay focused.

5. An Advantageous Position - Everyone should be put in this kind of position no matter what their standing in the world. Everyone should have a chance to make something of themselves in the world. If they manage to find themselves in this position they need to make the most of it.

6. Sunday Evening Activities - If there is a puzzle or a card game involved, I'm in! I love playing cards on Sunday nights or doing a puzzle with my dad because it's relaxing and no one is upset about something.

7. A Cat Meditating - My cat is currently curled up in a ball, I don't know if this is her way of meditating or just being lazy but hey whatever. If she's comfortable, who am I to judge her?

8. Mount Fuji - Highest mountain Japan, maybe it makes the Japanese people happy to know that they have a very high mountain? I don't know if I would be happy to live on an island where there is an active volcano. It might freak me out a big. I used to have nightmares about volcanoes exploding and wake up not knowing what happened.

9. Vintage Advertisements - Does this mean old advertisements that haven't been on TV for a long time or does it mean something advertising vintage items. If it is the first one, the old commercials are way better in my opinion, new commercials have too much going on in them most of the time.

10. Techniques of Rhetoric - ???

Storybook Endings

May 14's 10 Things to Be Happy About

1. Descriptive Adjectives - There are just so many and they make me happy because I know so many and it makes it so much easier to describe things that people don't understand. It also helps when you are giving someone directions because you can help them find where they are going.

2. The Cool Sounds of Nature - I love the sounds of nature in the summer because they are so relaxing and they help me to sleep at night. When I was younger and we would have dinner at my grandparents in the summer we would set out by there small fountain and there would always be a frog that would talk to my grandfather and when he would talk back I thought it was the coolest thing since sliced bread.

3. A Crabcake Sandwich - Never had one but I absolutely love crab cake. It's always delicious at the few places that I've had it. I try not to eat it too often though because I'm worried that I'll grow into the allergy like my relatives have.

4. Storybook Endings - Most people don't think that they exist but I do. Maybe not the exact ending of some fairytale but those sort of things do exist whether people want to believe it or not. Maybe people are too busy working, or being mad at their spouse but you know if you tried a little harder maybe you could have that fairytale ending that you wanted, it all depends on the effort you put into it.

5. Electric Razors - I already have a hard enough time with regular razors, why would I switch to something that would more than likely hurt me? I've heard it before that regular razors give you a better shave anyway.

6. A Thesaurus When You Need It - There's always one online at dictionary.com. I like using that because it's faster than using a book thesaurus and it has more words that you can use.

7. Spectacular Sunsets - When staying at the lake house up in Vermont, looking over the lake as the sun sets is always an amazing view because you never know what you'll get. When it is many different colors and it reflects across the lake it is an absolutely amazing view. I just love to sit and watch the colors change as the sun slowly sets over the horizon.

8. A Baby Asleep - If it's been crying all day it's always nice to have some peace and quiet for a while. My aunt and uncle have an 10 month old baby and when he was first around he would cry all the time and barely sleep so they were pretty happy when he would decide to sleep because it would be quiet and they could pass out for a little while.

9. Wearing Shorts - It's still chilly and it's the middle of May. I would love to wear shorts but it's a little cold. When it gets to the point when I can wear shorts all of the time. I'll be a pretty happy camper. I love to walk around in shorts.

10. Wiggling Ears - Anyone who can do this is funny in my book. I wish that I could do it but unfortunately I can't.

Jazz Duos

May 13's 10 Things to Be Happy About

1. A Jazz Duo at a Bookstore - As long as no one's blaring it in my face I'm good. I think it's nice as a background noise but if you're blaring it too loud then I might get a little irritated with you because I don't think that it's necessary to have music in a bookstore. People are looking at books and there are headphones if people are looking at music.

2. The Wave of a Friendly Neighbor - Most of my neighbors will wave but there a few that just annoy me because they completely ignore me when I gave them a friendly wave. I don't get why it's so hard for people to take one hand of their steering wheel and gave a small wave, or at least smile. It's not that painful!

3. Butterscotch Pudding - I'd rather have chocolate. It tastes better.

4. Lemon Soap - I love fruity smelling soap but I can't say that I've ever used lemon. I enjoy the smell of lemon cleaning products though. They make me smile because they usually make the house smell fresh.

5. Slicing Cucumbers - As long as I don't slice my hand in the process of slicing cucumbers then I'm all set. Cucumbers do make me happy because I love the taste.

6. Fruit and Cheese - I honestly don't get how someone came up with the idea that these should go together but it truly is a good mix. Whenever Charlie Orland caters from Yellow Springs Inn and has a delicious and also pretty fruit and cheese platter I'm usually pretty happy. Thinking about it most of his food makes me happy, especially his chocolate covered strawberries which are absolutely delicious.

7. Sea Cliffs and Ivory Beaches - Cliffs that look over the sea or ocean always have a breath taking view. The house that I go to in the Bahamas is at the top of a cliff and in order to get to the beach you have to walk down a couple sets of stairs but once you get to the bottom and can put your toes in the sand, it's totally worth the walk down the stairs.

8. A Sparkling Personality - Apparently I have one of these so that makes me happy. One can learn something different about me every time we hang out. I always think it's cool when you can learn something about someone else even after knowing them for a long time. Some things just don't pop up right away.

9. Essays on New Experiences - This reminds me of the essays that they always made us right in high school about our summer experiences. I think that they should have had us reflect back on our years in high school our senior year and what we learned from our experiences throughout high school and whether we actually took our mistakes and tried to correct them in the future. As much as I hate writing essays I probably would have done really well on this one because I learned a lot about myself in high school and other people.

10. A Good Parking Place - Who doesn't love finding one of these. It always makes me happy to find a good parking spot, especially if it's raining because who wants to be wet and go into a store or something along those lines.