Pollyanna

[Ed. Note: I wrote this 6 years ago, in June 2010. Looking back at it, I find that reading those years-ago thoughts makes me feel happy all over again, so I am republishing it as a kind of record. After the month-long experiment (explained below), I did not continue formally recording 5 happy thoughts a day. Nevertheless, the habit of being aware of the good things in my life has persisted. I find it very useful. ]

This chronicle was instigated by the ButterBeeHappy web site. I am committing myself to a month of listing 5 daily “Happy Thoughts” — things I am grateful for or that give me joy. What happens after that depends on the results of the month or the tenacity of my brain. This experiment was begun on June 1, 2010 and the most recent post will always be just below this paragraph. For more about this, read my blog entry. The Pollyanna Effect.

June 30

• An even more beautiful day than yesterday. Temps in the high 70s and sunny with a breeze.
• Getting feedback on my lenses.
• Wound up first Reading Challenge I’ve entered. Ready for the one that starts tomorrow.
• I’ve honored my commitment to post happy thoughts to this page for the entire month of June.
• I’ve documented 150 happy thoughts this month (and had many more).

June 29

• Brother-in-law signed with an agent today. Very important step!
• Had a good, long catch-up with sister who relocated to California at the beginning of this month.
• Located a book I’d been hunting for.
• The heat and humidity abated and it was a clear, sunny day after yesterday’s torrential rain.
• Finished my new lens.

June 28

• Honored that a friend has asked me to comment on her new novel.
• Excited to be reading the 3rd book in a series I adore — in manuscript form.
• Clean kitchen!
• Lunch with a good friend.
• Kitty cuddles.

June 27

• Nice long phone catch-up with a friend in California who inspires me and makes me laugh.
• Sheep shearing pix — a glimpse into another world almost as mystical to me as Eirie.
• Happy P’s dog is recuperating so well.
• Hanging out with my daughter.
• The knowledge is that happiness is where you find it and it seems to be turning up in lots of places these days.

June 26

• Dinner out with my husband.
• Received announcement for latest Bo Press miniature book: Lysistrata. Ordered it.
• Swatted a big ol’ fly with my Fairy Swatter. One fewer to dive-bomb me.
• Plummy British voices.
• Zincite.

June 25

• In the course of writing a new lens got reacquainted with an almost-forgotten web link.
• Van Gogh action figure with interchangeable heads (with and without the second ear).
• Fooling around with graphics again and enjoying myself.
• Got to a good place in the book I’m reading.
• In an unattributable good mood.

June 24

• My daughter and I laugh at many of the same things.
• My husband and I laugh at many of the same things.
• Writing.
• Reading.
• Helping a friend.

June 23

• My parents’ anniversary. 62 years and still doing the tango. This thought is worth all 5 of today’s happy slots.

June 22

• NOT losing power in a thunderstorm.
• Online chat with cousin in Canada.
• The sound of heavy rain when I’m inside.
• Geeky grammar sites.
• Leftover barbecue burgers.

June 21

• Identified the forker.
• Received first Squidoo comment
• Mom’s fijones were such a treat.
• A good day for bingos.
• Afternoon nap with kitty on Deb’s chair.

June 20

• Lovely, relaxed Father’s Day BBQ at sister’s house.
• Actually enjoyed watching golf tournament.
• Chocolate chip cookies fresh from the oven.
• Shared hilarious, politically incorrect moment with daughter. (oh, oops)
• This thought is secret.

June 19

• The sound of gingerale being poured over ice on a hot day.
• Finding a out that I didn’t wildly miscalculate the new amount of our cell phone bill.
• The hour isn’t as advanced as I thought it was.
• Posted another Squidoo Lens — tried something new.
• Listening to Leonard Cohen.

June 18

• My daughter is following me on Twitter. [Oops, better tweet something occasionally…]
• Husband safely home.
• Progress on my Squidoo Lens ideas.
• Family and friends.
• Reading 2 good books.

June 17

• A dear friend has made it to FB and we have reconnected.
• Yard is de-forked.
• Found out I can watch You Tube on my new phone.
• Looking forward to Friday show featuring favorite jewelry designer.
• Lovely cool evening.

June 16

• Husband was able to reschedule business trip to be here for Father’s Day after all.
• New cable box actually has the right channels.
• A waltz at Almacks. Now who…?
• Created a small pocket of organization among the disarray.
• New season of Top Chef starting NOW.

June 15

• Nice long (unplanned) catch up chat with good friend in Austria.
• Nice medium-long chat with good friend in Australia.
• Plans underway to rework and publish joint CC novella.
• Sunbeams on a plain white wall.
• The following FB exchange with a friend: Me: Clanketyclankety. Her: Clankety boom, Clankety boom.

June 14

• Made some progress clearing out a little pocket of clutter.
• Finished another Squidoo lens and am getting the hang of it.
• It rained so I didn’t have to water the hydrangea.
• Ice water.
• Brussel sprouts.

June 13

• Hubby, on travel, arrived safely at his destination.
• Finished a good mystery by a new (to me) author and discovered there is a sequel.
• Seeing my parents.
• My daughter is considering another tattoo and I’m grateful it’s not a tongue ring.
• Cat especially cuddly today.

June 12

• Reading outside in the late afternoon.
• Bird chatter.
• Found a book I thought I’d misplaced.
• Three Rivers — a new episode.
• Watched a silly movie with my daughter and laughed a lot — mostly at things nobody else would find funny.

June 11, 2010

• TV on in background, turned to the “Retro” channel. I’m very grateful that those puffy, frizzy 1980s hairstyles are finished.
• Relishing breezes on a warm day and glad we’re not yet in the gelatinous air that marks Washington, DC summer.
• My daughter got the new cable box to work in the family room.
• Wedding invitation from Canada arrived today. Big family gathering to look forward to!
• Not being on dialysis anymore (grateful every day for this but like to say it aloud or put it in writing every so often).

June 10, 2010

• Lunch with one of my best friends and my daughter.
• Scrabble bingos.
• Reading an interesting bio of Georgette Heyer
• Grateful for the people in my life.
• Moonlighting.

June 9, 2010

• Afternoon nap to the sound of steady rain and purring cat.
• Progress with writing.
• Mom’s cataract surgery went well.
• Watched a silly cooking show with daughter.
• Backrub.

June 8, 2010

• Finally got to talk to my sister who just moved.
• Had lunch with a good friend.
• Accomplished some nagging errands.
• Had a long chat with Charmed Circle pals.
• Figured out how to mail pix from my phone.

June 7, 2010

• Iced coffee with just a dash of white chocolate mocha creamer, in a thick glass tumbler, .
• Perfect weather: low humidity, cool breeze, sunshine, birds.
• Reading outside.
• Sparkling clean bathroom.
• Learning how to do something I’d forgotten in my graphics program.

June 6, 2010

• Watching a Miss Marple mystery on TV.
• Starbucks iced mocha. Yum.
• Finished duplicating the BB collector CD.
• Went shopping with my daughter today.
• Going to make some cards tonight.

June 5, 2010

• Had dinner with good friends and shared memories of one who is no longer with us.
• Signed up for a couple more reading challenges.
• Rediscovered the book Bedknobs & Broomsticks and delighted in reading it as an adult.
• Actually took a good photograph of my cat with my cell phone camera.
• Hydrangea in my yard has more blooms and more intense color than last year.

June 4, 2010

• So many young relatives graduating H.S. and college recently.
• Found a box I’ve been looking for.
• Remembering all the  fun of the Masked Ball; still makes me smile.
• Downloaded some new music for my iPod.
• Glad I don’t live in a time when I have to dress for dinner.

June 3, 2010

• Looking forward to reading Pollyanna and its sequel, neither of which I’ve read before.
• A show I enjoy is returning tonight to begin its summer season.
• Had a long cuddle with my kitty because she was in the mood.
• Thankful for my family and friends, whom I not only love but whose company I really enjoy.
• Got 2 bags of beans closer to getting Aunt Sarah’s marble table top out of the shipping carton.

June 2, 2010

• My sister made it safely to California and is embarking on a new and exciting chapter of her life.
• Nice to have my parents back in town.
• Had a great catch-up conversation with CW and chewed over lots of ideas and got lots of encouragement.
• Watched Oyster Farmer with my daughter and she validated my appreciation of Alex O’Loughlin’s, er, attributes as well as his acting!
• Learned that my state’s official sport is jousting, which definitely ups its cool factor

June 1, 2010

• My daughter is home from college for the summer.
• My sister is having a good trip across country.
• Got in some concentrated Scrabble time.
• I put up a new post on my blog and my friend thought it was funny.
• I meant it to be funny.

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