Be Thankful

There are a lot of things in the world that are out of our control...suffering, disease, pain...to name a few. However, it is sometimes good to remember we are living. We are living a life only we get to live. We make our own decisions. We set goals and strive for the best. We can do anything we want to do...that we are able to do. One of my dear friend's has a friend that is not doing so well. It seems like the end is near and it makes me realize that this man does not have a choice to keep on living. For some reason, some of us metaphorically "pick the small straw" or "get dealt a bad hand."

We have a chance to live every day how we want to, within reason. No quitting your job or shooting someone down! But, we, who are healthy, have the choice to live, grow, prosper, and make the best of this life. We have the option. Some people do not.

The Wind Through My Hair

Today I road to work in a convertible. Really there is no ride like it. The top was down, the windows were down and my hair was...up, and everywhere. It felt so nice to feel so free. It felt like it was just me and the wind, even though of course I was seat belted into a car with airbags! Safety first. It was nice to just feel free and enjoy nature. The wind, the birds chirping, the green grass, the sound of bike chains, and people chatting; all the natural morning noises.

No I did not travel to work in this car this morning, but it is so beautiful. 

Restaurants

There really is nothing better than trying a new restaurant and LOVING it. There are so many bad restaurants, meal choices, and a lot of hit-or-miss places. Sometimes though you try a new place, that maybe, you found on yelp, and it ends up being awesome and you love everything on the menu! My message today is: go try a new restaurant this week! I tried a new place this weekend and it was beyond awesome. There will ALWAYS be a new restaurant or a new food to try! We aren't hunters and gatherers anymore, with limited options!

Comfort

Today I just want to be thankful for blankets! Blankets are one of the most comfortable items out there! Sometimes my comforter isn't as comfortable as some of my blankets. Depending on the kind of cloth used, blankets are magically warm and comforting. Who needs a cuddle buddy when you have a warm blanket!?

Online shopping

I have to give a big shootout to Amazon Prime. It is so nice to be able to browse through their website, put things on a wish list (for times in life when you have some more money to spend), and you can purchase anything and get free shipping. When I think of something I want to buy, or hope, wish, need to buy, I browse through items, different colors, and prices, and then pick out certain things. Shopping online has saved me large amounts of time...driving, browsing, shopping, possibly paying for shipping, or having to go to the Post Office...

Sleep

You never really value sleep until you don't get it. Last night my carbon monoxide/smoke detector chirped every two minutes to alert me that the battery needed to be changed. Why that had to go off right in the middle of the night? I am not sure. However, I woke up today very drowsy and have been struggling to not slouch and fall asleep! This reminds me of the mornings when I wake up rested and energized! We don't value what we have until it is gone. Trust me, I am going to value the comfort of sleep tonight!

I'm going to sleep like a baby. 

Work It Out

I find the gym to be a horrible torturous cage that I enter with my free will and leave unpleasantly limping each time. When I run on the treadmill I am in aching pain, wishing every minute to pass, quicker and quicker, and then once I stop, and heave, I feel clear and clean. I feel healthy and unstoppable. The hour of pain precedes hours of clean lungs, and a healthy heart!

The Great Outdoors

Last night I realized I was about to sit down, watch some television and eat some junk food. Instead...I changed my nightly routine. I grabbed a philosophy book, made some hot tea, and went outside. Sitting on my balcony at night with a light breeze and no other temperature worries was so magestic. I had such a more peaceful night rather than watching an action show on tv before I was going to fall asleep. We take for granted the gifts in this world that we have. I did not have to worry about bugs or being attacked by a ferocious wild animal, to go more extreme. I could peacefully sit outside and have no worries so I could explore my book and my thoughts.

Baking

I have been baking a lot lately. Except for the clean up, and of course the cost of the ingredients, there aren't many negatives to baking. It is fun to try new recipes, and bake new things. The quality of the dessert is always way better than if you bought it in a store. Homemade cookies compared to store bought? Not even a competition.

I had leftover pumpkin and some rotting bananas and I thought...well why can't they go together!? I threw in some raisins and walnuts and it became a wonderful spice bread. When it came out of the oven warm and tastey, all the prep and clean up was worth it.

Baking can be very soothing. You are creating something, first off, and secondly...every single person you let try some will love you.

Enjoy Coffee

Waking up from a very loud, annoying alarm clock can be so aggravating. After you push snooze three times and the same annoying buzz plays every five minutes you end up getting up just to stop the incessant noise. The warmth under the covers, the comfort of the pillows, and the darkness of the room makes you want to sink back in and not leave the bed. This is a miserable part of the day. However, it gets better. Everyone has some morning ritual to wake themselves up, whether it is playing music, splashing water on their faces, eating pancakes, or drinking some Vitamin C. My favorite wake up solution is...coffee. Whether it is an amazing, over-priced latte from Starbucks or $1.50 coffee from 7/11, coffee wakes me right up. All of a sudden I notice the sun and flowers, instead of the dreary clouds and dying trees. The warmth, the texture, the taste, and the energy...all make coffee an ingredient for a good morning.

Radio

Even though the radio is becoming a thing of the past, the playlist shuffle the radio plays is kind of fun. You never know what will pop on. Don't you love when "your" song comes on and you roll that volume dial to get ready to do your chair dance? That is one thing I love about life! My song right now is Bailando!

Voting

As American citizens we have the right to vote. What a wonderful right we have. We have a say in who our leaders are. Then we get to wear a cool sticker all day.