Morning, dawn in particular, is my favorite part of the day. Yesterday at about 6:50 am, as I pulled out of my apartment complex to drive to work, I was getting excited for the new day and what uplifting moment I could write about. I didn't know God would reveal it to me so early, but, wow. I turned the bend in the road and there was this beautiful rainbow surrounded by the bright pink clouds of the sunrise. Beauty enfolded in beauty.
The sight reminded me of the Bible verse(s) that say God's mercies are new each morning. Well, amen! That moment I really wished I would never miss one sunrise for the rest of my life. Those moments could be my uplifting moments for each day...but I get the feeling my boss would consider that cheating on my Positive Psychology Homework. Darn. Then again, I think I should get extra credit on this one because it concerns the soul and the psyche. Teacher's pet habits - I guess they die hard.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Friday, August 20, 2010
Ay! Tia!
I know, this post is technically a day late according to my "Happiness Homework Schedule." But I promise I have not been derelict in my journaling duties; I simply value my sleep more. I have had a busy after-work schedule for the first time in 3 months and I cannot lie to you reader (Bess), 10:30 pm is now considered far past my bedtime.
So! What does my aunt have to do with my happy experience yesterday? Nothing. It has everything to do with my best friend from my semester abroad in Sevilla, Spain, Britt. [Note: "tia" in Spain can be used to refer to an intimate friend]. This girl rocks my TX world! She decided to up and move from Philly to Houston (another reason I love her so much, we share the same adventuresome spirit....and we're both Glee addicts). She just arrived two days ago and has been apartment hunting with her dad in downtown Houston proper. They found a place for her yesterday and was able to start moving in. To celebrate the room/apartment hunt success, and finally getting to see each other, we met up at a great restaurant near my apartment.
I have to say, it was one of my favorite dinners out, so far. We had good food, great drinks, and the company was fabulous. We swapped the 'short and bitter/sweet' summaries of our lives since Spain. We decided that we are most blessed to have stayed friends after Spain and that God knew what he was doing when he brought us back together in Houston.
After dinner, we had a lovely night stroll by the riverwalk and made plans for all of the adventures to come after she's settled in: dancing, finding great restuarants, decorating her place, shopping together, dancing, working out together, taking advantage of the pool and sun, dancing, watching Glee, going to Spanish church services, and in general making Houston our own.
So, I'd like to propose a digital "salud" (cheers) to my tia, Britt (my good friend/dude/partner in crime). Here's to making many more "remeber that time when...." moments! Salud!
So! What does my aunt have to do with my happy experience yesterday? Nothing. It has everything to do with my best friend from my semester abroad in Sevilla, Spain, Britt. [Note: "tia" in Spain can be used to refer to an intimate friend]. This girl rocks my TX world! She decided to up and move from Philly to Houston (another reason I love her so much, we share the same adventuresome spirit....and we're both Glee addicts). She just arrived two days ago and has been apartment hunting with her dad in downtown Houston proper. They found a place for her yesterday and was able to start moving in. To celebrate the room/apartment hunt success, and finally getting to see each other, we met up at a great restaurant near my apartment.
I have to say, it was one of my favorite dinners out, so far. We had good food, great drinks, and the company was fabulous. We swapped the 'short and bitter/sweet' summaries of our lives since Spain. We decided that we are most blessed to have stayed friends after Spain and that God knew what he was doing when he brought us back together in Houston.
After dinner, we had a lovely night stroll by the riverwalk and made plans for all of the adventures to come after she's settled in: dancing, finding great restuarants, decorating her place, shopping together, dancing, working out together, taking advantage of the pool and sun, dancing, watching Glee, going to Spanish church services, and in general making Houston our own.
So, I'd like to propose a digital "salud" (cheers) to my tia, Britt (my good friend/dude/partner in crime). Here's to making many more "remeber that time when...." moments! Salud!
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
A Little Dopamine in My Zucchini Bread, Please
Yes the title of this post is random, yes it does make sense. Let me explain...no, it is too long - let me sum up:
On Tuesday, the school had a speaker present to the faculty and staff on Positive Psychology and Happiness. A fun two hours, I'll say that much. What came out of it, for me, was a homework assignment from my boss: I have to journal, for 21 consecutive business days (not including federal holidays?), about a positive experience in my day. The hope is that after 21 days a new (healthy) habit is formed...but seeing as I am one of the most positive people I know, I might just create a black hole in time and space here in Houston, TX. So here's to happy thoughts and black holes!
Wednesday 18th's Positive Moment
My positive moment came today at 7:30 am when I opened my work e-mail. I found that at 6:14 am a man, who had the previous night made me cry in a public shop and then hug a complete stranger, had sent me an apology e-mail. Now, there are really only three ure-fire ways to make me cry: play the song "Amazing Grace," convince me that I am inept and a failure at my job, or present me with a task that frustrates my perfectionist tendencies. This man had chosen option number two. And despite everyone agreeing I was in the right and that he was unstable, I was still having trouble facing my job that morning knowing that a man out there was convinced I was a rotten excuse for a human being who didn't deserve my job...and he was going to tell my boss that too. So, to have that apology waiting for me as I sipped my teacher-lounge coffee from my Harry Potter mug, was positive...practically inspiring and uplifting. It was the bright spot at the end of yesterday's gloomy evening.
In other news: I baked two loaves of zucchini bread this weekend and they are very tasty despite Texas' lame zucchinis (not everything is bigger here), I encountered my first cockroach in bed with me at 4 am this morning, I am having a friend move into Houston (and possibly stay with me for a while), I spent this evening at a gathering called Wednesday Women and Wine, and I heard about one of the best dreams ever from my boyfriend. Oh, and school starts tomorrow at JCS. Sigh. And I am going questing.
On Tuesday, the school had a speaker present to the faculty and staff on Positive Psychology and Happiness. A fun two hours, I'll say that much. What came out of it, for me, was a homework assignment from my boss: I have to journal, for 21 consecutive business days (not including federal holidays?), about a positive experience in my day. The hope is that after 21 days a new (healthy) habit is formed...but seeing as I am one of the most positive people I know, I might just create a black hole in time and space here in Houston, TX. So here's to happy thoughts and black holes!
Wednesday 18th's Positive Moment
My positive moment came today at 7:30 am when I opened my work e-mail. I found that at 6:14 am a man, who had the previous night made me cry in a public shop and then hug a complete stranger, had sent me an apology e-mail. Now, there are really only three ure-fire ways to make me cry: play the song "Amazing Grace," convince me that I am inept and a failure at my job, or present me with a task that frustrates my perfectionist tendencies. This man had chosen option number two. And despite everyone agreeing I was in the right and that he was unstable, I was still having trouble facing my job that morning knowing that a man out there was convinced I was a rotten excuse for a human being who didn't deserve my job...and he was going to tell my boss that too. So, to have that apology waiting for me as I sipped my teacher-lounge coffee from my Harry Potter mug, was positive...practically inspiring and uplifting. It was the bright spot at the end of yesterday's gloomy evening.
In other news: I baked two loaves of zucchini bread this weekend and they are very tasty despite Texas' lame zucchinis (not everything is bigger here), I encountered my first cockroach in bed with me at 4 am this morning, I am having a friend move into Houston (and possibly stay with me for a while), I spent this evening at a gathering called Wednesday Women and Wine, and I heard about one of the best dreams ever from my boyfriend. Oh, and school starts tomorrow at JCS. Sigh. And I am going questing.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
To You, d'Artagnan
Here we are, my young d'Artagnan: the beginning of new adventures. I'm starting my life in Texas with my first job and my first apartment; you are traveling to the city of Paris for your first taste of court intrigue, dueling, chivalry, and manhood. But, like your father said, we've got good strong legs and we don't fight shy of adventures - I think we'll do just fine.
A comparison between myself and young d'Artagnan may seem a stretch, but if you should know anything about me it's that I stretch the imagination. And I think it's quite fitting that I should begin reading The Three Musketeers by the brilliant Alexander Dumas as I leap joyfully into the next part of the adventure that is my life. I hope to keep good literature a large part of my life and perhaps, with the help of this blog, make writing a bigger part of it, as well.
I think some fundamental facts and observations about myself and my start thus far in the greeeeeaaaaat state of Texas are in order. I find my self here after 22 years of a wonderful life in Michigan with my family. At the end of college, I proudly walked across the graduation platform with a double major in Spanish and English. Loves of my life: languages, books, writing, reading, and imaging.
Through God's blessing, and large dose of determination on my part, I landed a job here in Texas. While my official title is Alumni Relations Coordinator/ College Counseling Assistant, I like to think of myself as a love-to-stay-in-touch-and-reunite-at-awesome-parties facilitator and future-dream-college granter. But that's just how I look at things.
I have many things planned. Things planned to accomplish. Things planned to try. Things planned to perfect. And things planned to make mine. I have a feeling d'Artagnan felt the same. And so, bonne chance et bon courage.
A comparison between myself and young d'Artagnan may seem a stretch, but if you should know anything about me it's that I stretch the imagination. And I think it's quite fitting that I should begin reading The Three Musketeers by the brilliant Alexander Dumas as I leap joyfully into the next part of the adventure that is my life. I hope to keep good literature a large part of my life and perhaps, with the help of this blog, make writing a bigger part of it, as well.
I think some fundamental facts and observations about myself and my start thus far in the greeeeeaaaaat state of Texas are in order. I find my self here after 22 years of a wonderful life in Michigan with my family. At the end of college, I proudly walked across the graduation platform with a double major in Spanish and English. Loves of my life: languages, books, writing, reading, and imaging.
Through God's blessing, and large dose of determination on my part, I landed a job here in Texas. While my official title is Alumni Relations Coordinator/ College Counseling Assistant, I like to think of myself as a love-to-stay-in-touch-and-reunite-at-awesome-parties facilitator and future-dream-college granter. But that's just how I look at things.
I have many things planned. Things planned to accomplish. Things planned to try. Things planned to perfect. And things planned to make mine. I have a feeling d'Artagnan felt the same. And so, bonne chance et bon courage.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)