1. Teaching an art project to twenty five 3rd graders. It involved throwing scraps of colored paper on their desks, handing them scissors, and telling them “have at it!” As they cut and glued I would talk about negative space, color contrasting, and over lapping shapes to create textures. The variety of things they created was really cool. More heartwarming for me was the fact that they recognized me and obviously liked having me in class.
2. Going out to lunch with Howard. Despite the fact that I was fairly low-energy, Howard kept making cheerful conversation. Some of it had nothing to do with our shared business. Also the food was happy-making food.
3. Napping.
4. It is Friday. This means that the kids and I all ignore homework for the entire afternoon and evening. We replace it with movies, video games, and staying up later than usual.
5. Taking a sledge hammer and crowbar to the final vestiges of wall in my office. It is nice to have the project ready for the next phase. It was even nicer to get to wield the sledge and crowbar. There is something really satisfying in demolition. As a bonus, I got the work done and my wrist was fine. The painful twinges from a week ago did not return.
6. Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate and Caramel
7. The weather was sunny and warm.
8. Sitting in my front room next to a potted hyacinth in bloom.
9. Someone else did the massive pile of dishes.
10. My kids, just by existing. Somehow today they just made me glad every time I saw them.
11. Scriptures and hope. Read the first, felt the second. I still have a couple of things at the forefront of all my prayers. It is my job to keep them there, but I feel strongly that the things I’m petitioning for are on the way.
12. Howard. He makes me laugh.
13. My opera wallet and new business card case. I got them a few weeks ago, but they are pretty. Holding them in my hand and feeling the slight click as they shut makes me happy. It is a little like the feeling I had as a little girl when playing dress up. I’d try on the clothes and feel like I was grown up. Now I am grown up, but holding these slightly old-fashioned things still gives me that sense of pretending to be someone I aspire to be. The right props can really make a difference.
15. The fact that one of my LTUE panel topics is something I suggested last year. This means that one of the symposium planners liked the idea enough to remember it a whole year later and put it on the schedule.
16. The fact that I arrived at the end of the day with a list of happy things.