In the summer, summer, summertime of 2010 or, a Happy List Plus Five.

Summer's flying by so damn fast - how is it July already?
{But I'm not really complaining.}
So far, this has been one of the best summers I can remember - full of love, full of friends and full of transitions.

Here's just a few things that are making me smile in this "summer, summer, summertime."

- Quoting the only Will Smith song I like (see above line, and the title of this blog).
- Air conditioning.
- Boneyard on Sirius.
- Fantastic daytrips.
- Deck parties with friends.
- Walking after the sun goes down.
- Blasting my newly declared summer soundtrack, The New Pornographer's "Together" nonstop.
- Ice cream. Often.
- Hot dogs. Often.
- Concerts, concerts, concerts.
- Endless sunshine.
- Going over to the dark side as an iPod user.
- Happy days.
- Happy nights.
- And of course my favorite footwear:

Down in the dumps plus a TV marathon and a Happy List.

I've been feeling pretty miserable.
On Friday, I took my first sick day ever - yes, ever - during my 3.5+ years at the Weekender on Friday. It broke my heart, too, because it was our annual Model of the Year party, the biggest shindig we throw. It's like the prom for us staffers, and what girl doesn't love her prom??

I had a horrid cold. Sore throat. Fever. The Works.
But even before that, I was pretty down in the dumps.
Fall is my favorite season and I always feeling so reinvigorated and ready to Go. Walk. Bask in the cool temps.
But these past few weeks I've been going through one of my Lonely Periods. (Plus one of my I Feel Fat periods. Ugh.)
The change of seasons made me yearn for someone to go pumpkin picking with. Someone to kick up leaves with. Someone to cuddle when the temperature goes below zero in the apartment (or someone who has a warmer house to crash at).

But enough about the lonely period.
He'd probably find it weird that, in between numerous naps on Friday, I spent an awful lot of time watching the Canadian teen drama "Degrassi." I fell right into its soap opera-y world and it was everything I knew it would be. I'm not even ashamed to say I watched it for the better part of 10 hours.
{The last TV marathon of that caliber was when I happened upon a "Ninja Warrior" on G4 a few years back. It, too, was an exquisite way to spend 10 hours of my life I will never get back.}

Now that you've snickered and judged my "Degrassi" addiction, what is your TV guilty pleasure?

And now on with 10 Things That Make Me Happy:

1. Sundays with Mommalah …
2. … especially ones when she lets me be all whiny.
3. A blue sky over the pond so dark that’s lined by vibrant fall-colored trees.
4. Fall weather.
5. Seeing leaves dance in my rear view.
6. A gorgeous Halloween-worthy moon.
7. Feeling better, finally.
8. A “Degrassi” marathon.
9. A new episode of “Family Guy.”
10. Looking forward to making Mommalah’s birthday special on Saturday.

I made a Happy List!

... even though I'm feeling kind of grumble-y since the fridge isn't fixed and I'm not feeling well and, while the temperature is my kind of temperature, there's no sun ... oh, this is supposed to be a Happy List entry.

On with it then! :)

10 things that make me happy:

1. Fall. Glorious, glorious fall!
2. Taking a morning walk and having the crisp air nip my nose.
3. My OCD morning rituals.
4. The smell of crab apples.
5. Russet-colored leaves blanketing the ground.
6. Knowing that we put out a kick-ass issue of the Weekender today.
7. Having a super busy next two weeks (and kind of secretly loving it).
8. Wearing my velour winter robe with animal-print cuffs.
9. Seeing the blindingly clean inside of my fridge, even though I’m still pissed that it still isn’t fixed.
10. Cardigans!

Hope you'll have lots to make you happy on this Hump Day!

A Happy List for this last day of August.

10 things that made me happy today:

1. Starting the day with a glorious and vigorous uphill walk.
2. Getting a lot done and being proud of what I’ve written.
3. Autumn-like temperatures: so inspiring and invigorating!
4. Taking another vigorous walk, this one up two killer hills.
5. Homemade guacamole with dinner.
6. Bursting out laughing at a comic strip while I ate that I almost snorted guac through my nose – and then kept chuckling to myself while I washed dishes.
7. Wearing my brown wedge sandals and feeling tall and powerful. And OK, sexy.
8. A surprise visit at the office from Mommalah, who told me I looked beautiful.
9. A coworker telling me that I “seem at peace.”
10. Listening to Bob Dylan’s Theme Time Radio Hour.

Hope you found something that made you happy today too!

Happy List for Saturday June 13, 2009

10 things that make me happy on this very day:

1. Getting $100 worth of clothes for $53 at JCPenney, thanks to thrifty coupons and a nice salesperson who let me use three of said thrifty coupons.
2. Spending $52 at Old Navy and only having to pay $2 because I had a gift certificate.
3. knowing that I will be with good friends tonight to bring birthday week to a hopefully debauched close.
4. Having three gorgeous dresses to choose from for said debauched close.
5. Getting a surprise phone call from one of my favorite people on earth.
6. Having my headache go away at last.
7. Buying two new pair of flip-flops. A girl can never have enough, despite running seriously out of space for shoe storage.
8. Sirius Hair Nation. DEVIL HORNS!
9. Finally learning how to use chopsticks. Even with rice!
10. Watching/smelling/hearing a storm come in quickly, and leave.
(as of 06.13.09)

A post-birthday Happy List.

10 things that make me happy:

1. My birthday.
2. Talking, laughing and bonding with Mommalah.
3. Knowing I’m loved. A lot.
4. Eating cake not once BUT TWICE!
5. A vodka martini.
6. Another vodka martini.
7. A ridiculously excellent dinner.
8. Yet another vodka martini.
9. My new patent coral stilettos.
10. Still feeling the effects of those vodka martinis the next day. Priceless!
(as of 06.11.09)

{more on birthday goodness to follow}

A happy list.

10 things that make me happy today:

1. getting out of work early.
2. [private thought. many apologies.]
3. lounging around in the afternoon in a filmy negligee.
4. feeling sexy in that negligee with tanned skin and tousled curly hair.
5. watching neighbors.
6. leftover veal.
7. a good movie based on an excellent book.
8. church bells in the distance.
9. chocolate gelati.
10. water with a slice of lemon.

Hope you have 10 things to be happy about today too!

The pursuit of Happy Lists.

Last week, Naomi, the writer one of my favorite blogs (read it here: http://taza-and-husband.blogspot.com)had a down day.
{You know exactly what that means because we've all been there.}

She soon posted a "10 things that make me terribly happy list," then opened it up to readers of her blog.

Naturally I commented a list of my own, along with hundreds of other readers of "The Rockstar Diaries."

I've since gone on to make four more lists when I felt kinda down the last few days.

I've decided to keep a running document to ... document these happy triggers, to remind me that curve balls, too, are still hittable. I only have to swing.

{"Do or do not. There is no try," said the wise Jedi Yoda.}

It makes me feel good to think that, even on a day like today, Tuesday, May 5, when I had to go to the mall to surround myself with people to calm my raging heart, I was able to come up with 10 things to still be happy about.
10 things to be thankful for feeling.
10 simple things.

Here are today's 10 things that make me happy:

1. Using Wite-Out.
2. A phone call from my beloved brother.
3. When the family downstairs retires and the house is blessedly quiet at last.
4. Tanning.
5. Knowing that I will be always be OK. Even if it hurts a little now.
6. The smell of my skull-covered journal. (it smells like Tova Nights perfume!)
7. A Lean Cuisine pepperoni pizza.
8. Knowing that I stuck to my diet/exercise goals today.
9. Writing my food column. Bonus: it makes me hungry every week.
10. Never letting the bastard(s) wear me down.

Here's yesterday's 10 things that make me happy:

1. Surprise visit from Mommalah.
2. Smelling dryer sheets from a vent while outside.
3. The Grateful Dead.
4. Writing haiku on rainy nights.
5. Wild Turkey American Honey.
6. Writing a blog of photos with quippy quips.
7. Knowing that I worked out hard-core twice today – and am doing it again tomorrow.
8. The smell of a new batch of checks.
9. That fresh feeling that can only come from washing my face before bed.
10. Shutting out the light to take a trip to slumbertown.

Thank you Naomi/Rockstar Diaries for the inspiration - and reminding me it's the little things that get you through.

I don't ever want to be someone who isn't moved by the little things.