Days and Days

13 days worth of things I'm thankful for. I really, truly do not want to type these all out right now. One of the reasons I don't feel like it is because while on vacation I got super motivated to start a six week plan to get myself a website and to work on a life coaching blog and to find some people to practice coach on, and to actually start sticking to work hours, Monday thru Thursday, 10 to 4, as soon as I got home. It's 10:17 right now so I would rather do some coach related stuff!

I will give you some highlights of what I'm thankful for though:

Dog Prints - weird but true, there was a rest stop that had a series of giant doggie prints permanently preserved in the concrete, and something about it made me really happy.

No job to go back to - okay, actually I have my own business to go back to, but I'm SO thankful I'm not at my former job, because I literally cried on every other vacation I ever took because I didn't want to go back!

A nice bathroom - the campground where we stayed had a nice, private, clean bathroom! Sometimes those are hard to come by when camping, and I was very, VERY thankful for this!

70+ degrees - our first day on the beach was over 70 degrees, which was such a welcome temperature after being in the cold up north. These temps didn't last, but I was thankful for them while they were around.

A big van - we took Anthony's work van down for our trip and boy was I thankful for it the night we had to sleep in it because of raging thunderstorms! Phew!

How excited I am about coaching - I was doing some practice coaching and learning more and more from my materials and I am definitely headed in the right direction, go me!

Multiple Streams of Coaching Income - this is a book by a woman who coaches other coaches who want to move from a six figure income to a seven figure income! The book is great and really got me excited.

3-D - we went to see Coraline in 3-D after the temps dipped and we had to give up camping. The movie was creepy! But neat and the 3-D made it even better.

Dog shows on TV - I love dogs. They are so darn cute. I was thankful to see some happy, healthy pooches on the tube.

The PERFECT beach walk - after all of the ups and downs with the weather that we dealt with (including wind chills down to 39 degrees! Not what you want when you're in a tent in Florida!) our last day included a gorgeous beach walk where we collected shells and watched the sun go down, it was beautiful.

Vacation is under budget - one the downside vacation was cut short, on the upside I spent less than my vacation budget, which is always awesome.

Kitty forgiveness - the kitties didn't give us the cold shoulder for long once we got home, and I was so thrilled to snuggle with them again.

Great session last night - last night I had another coaching session with Kat, one of my coaching buddies, and she coached me than I coached her, it was fantastic.

Now it's time for me to get to work!

Stoked

I am so stoked right now! Like a campfire! Because I leave to go camping tomorrow. Here's what I'm thankful for today:

1. Four more nights! We are staying at a beautiful state park campground in the Keys but it's so hard to get a reservation - we had four nights locked in and I've been OBSESSIVELY checking to see if more night for any site become available - some had, but they were for a night or something. Finally today when I checked for the third time (of the day) a tent site was open for four more nights, starting the exact night we needed it! So now we have two reservations, each for four nights. The second four nights are in a site that is less than 100 feet from the ocean! Awesome!
2. Chocolate covered almonds. Hey, I write down what comes to mind. Last night we stocked up on nuts and peanut butter and stuff for the trip - and Anthony got a treat from the bulk section and man, they are delicious!
3. RD Jr recovery - what? Last night we watched Chaplin, the movie about Charlie Chaplin's life. It came out in 1992 and stars the superb Robert Downey, Jr. I have always loved him and been interested in his career, and I am so, so thankful that he was able to give up his drug habits for good, because he spent so much time in and out of jail and you could tell he was truly suffering.
4. Toothbrushes - I love clean teeth.
5. Modern dental care - continuing with the theme.
6. My sun collection - I have a couple of clay suns and one sun I made myself, maybe I'll find another one in Florida.
7. Key lime pie? I realized that I am going to be in the Keys so I must try a piece of Key Lime pie while I'm there. I've had it before, but it's not a popular dessert here in the mountains of North Carolina (no bake cookies, yes, Key Lime pie, not so much) and I expect it's awesome down there. I put the question mark because I've never had it there so I don't know if I'm thankful for it yet or not!
8. End game - my class tonight is on our "end game" and it involves picturing in our heads what our careers will be like in three years, and then going from there - writing it down, taking the steps needed to make it come true, making a vision board to really "see" our future, etc.
9. Puppy Bowl footage - have you ever seen the Puppy Bowl??? I think it's Animal Planet that has it on during half time of the Superbowl, and it's so darn cute!
10. The sun - this may have made an appearance here before. Suns are on my mind, I guess!

I'll be keeping my list up but not posting here for a little while, since my tent doesn't have a wifi connection and I don't own a laptop even if it did!

Thank Cake

Can you see my drawing today? There are little drawing of Bundt cakes back there. Why? Because it's the first thing on my Thankful List today;

1. My Bundt cake didn't break! This might seem like a small thing, but I regularly screw up baked goods (their looks, never their flavors!) But this is today's cake:

Mmmm. I don't even care if it tastes good, because it looks so purdy!
2. Coaching session one - I had my last session with Barbara today. Gee, do you think I've changed much? When I started for the month of October I was unbelievably sad and miserable in a job that made me cry about as often as I ate lunch. Now I'm free, starting my own business, writing, and enrolled in a life coaching course.
3. Coaching session two - I also had a group session today with some people in my course, it was fun.
4. Dinner tonight - the above Bundt cake is for the dinner Anthony and I are going to at my parent's house tonight, which I'm looking forward to.
5. No more rain soon! I think it's finally going to be sunny tomorrow...
6. Common themes - I have noticed that the more I read books that speak to me, the more they all sound the same. This is from the intro to The Alchemist, which I picked up this morning. "...we come up against the third obstacle: fear of defeats we will meet on the path. We who fight for our dream suffer far more when it doesn't work out, because we cannot fall back on the old excuse: 'Oh, well, I didn't really want it anyway.'...Then, we warriors of light must be prepared to have patience in difficult times and to know that the Universe is conspiring in our favor, even though we may not understand how." Can I get an Amen?
7. Love and acceptance - I don't even know who I was referring to here when I wrote this, but I'm thankful for it whenever I find it.
8. More Facebook friends - I connected with an old college friend last night!
9. Silly kitties - today during my group session I was on Skype and Nola jumped up on my keyboard and it made all sort of beeping sounds - everyone could tell it was from my end and I was cracking up telling them it was my cat!
10. Oprah - I love Oprah.

What are you thankful for today?

5 Short

Okay, today I only have five things in my journal that I'm thankful for. I'm hoping as I type more stuff will pour out of me. I'm in a low mood because even my makeshift workshop fell through, as one half of the team had to work late and one half really didn't have the energy for it. This also changed some of my other plans regarding errands I had to run in the big city where I was going for dinner. Changed plans tend to make me grumpy. I'm real mature like that.

So here's what I have so far:
1. I have a house. Today's the three year anniversary of the closing. I'm glad to be here.
2. Facebook. What a great way to reconnect with old friends and learn more about new friends.
3. Jillian Michaels. She's the chick from The Biggest Loser and she was on TV this morning. I've always liked her, but today she was asked about her own insecurities and she was open and honest about them. They pretty much mirrored my fears: failure and not being good enough. Come to think of it, I think that's every human's biggest fear.
4. Mmmm lunch. I started my list whilst I was making lunch, which involved some of my favorite foods.
5. The town I grew up in. I grew up on the coast of Connecticut, and it was a great place to grow up.

Okay, here's where I stopped, let's see what I can think of on the fly.

6. I faced my feelings today. I have had a few things that made me feel "off" starting this afternoon, and I've done a good job of writing down what I'm feeling instead of avoiding it or eating it.
7. My quiet night. The boy headed over to a friend's house, so it means a nice quiet night for me and my girls - once Nola Diablo comes inside.
8. Ingles gift card. Back in November my former place of employment gave out $50 gift cards for Thanksgiving, and I got one even though I had put in my resignation. Today I used it to stock up on canned and dry goods for my upcoming camping trip.
9. Our body's natural signals. I'm thankful that my body tells me what it needs and that I can listen.
10. Photographs. I want to see the world, but looking at pictures online and in books is a good substitute for now.

Okay, I did it, I'll add those into my journal for the day. Tomorrow is a new day, a busy day, and soon I'll be enjoying 70 degree weather. Oh the pleasures that will bring.

What are you thankful for?

Tough Day

Today is a tough day for the Thankful List. Years ago, when I was in college, I worked for six months with a woman who I was somewhat friendly with. A couple years later my mother got a job at the same business and spent about four years there and she also became much friendlier with that same woman. Today we found out this person lost her son to a car accident over the weekend. He was her only child, just a couple years younger than me.

There is no way I know to properly convey to the universe how much I feel for this woman or her husband or the other families who are feeling the same way (there were two people in the car, both were killed). I know we should all love what is, but it must be incredibly hard to do so.

This happening makes me feel thankful for EVERYTHING in my life, but at the same time I feel like no list on a blog is enough to really represent how thankful I am to be here and to have the time I've had. But I'll try anyways.

1.My time so far with my family
2. My work on my beliefs
3. My coaching session today
4. Anthony's work (he got a big job for the spring)
5. My individuality
6. Christy & Amy (who I have been thankful for before, but they are going to meet with me so I can do a mini version of my now canceled workshop)
7. Cathe
8. Play time
9. Events that remind us....
10. Faith

What are you thankful for?

Good Sunday

I futzed with the contrast and brightness too much on this puppy.

Today's thankful stuff:
1. Mel and my evening. I had fun last night!
2. Nola this morning. She was cuddled next to me with her head on my pillow when I woke up. Great way to start the day.
3. My run & the lake. It was so beautiful out this morning.
4. My tax return. Yee ha refund, baby!
5. My willingness to be scared. Doing this coaching stuff is opening up a whole can of worms (very emotional worms) so I'm glad I can be scared.
6. Anthony's good mood. Who doesn't love it when their sweetie is happy?
7. My kinda busy week. I actually have things to do each day this week, which is fun for me.
8. My 2 gift cards. To grocery stores. Which I will use to supply my groceries for ye olde campinge tripe.
9. Jazz
10. Oranges

What are you thankful for??

So Behind...Oh Well!

So what have I been doing instead of writing what I'm thankful for? Mostly being very involved in the books I got from the library the other day, dancing around my living room, and doing stuff related to becoming a life coach. I'm still very thankful and I listed 30 things here to get back on track!

1. Campfires. I love them, and in 8 days I'm going to be sitting in front of one!
2. Warm weather. It's warmer here and it will be SO nice and warm in Florida!
3. Saag Paneer. It's an Indian dish with cooked spinach and cubes of Paneer cheese. Growing up I DESPISED spinach. I never knew how much I loved it until about a year ago when I first had this dish. And I had it last night, mmmmm.
4. Martha's friendliness. Martha Beck, the author and my life coaching teacher's presence over the phone the other day during our session was amazing. I get to meet her in July!
5. Good Examples. When I wrote this I was referring to the Obama's. They seem to be great parents, so they are good examples to their children and other parents in the United States. They are in great shape and both workout, also a great example to the people of America. I just like them, and I'm thankful for them.
6. A real sense of connection. I'm just so thankful for the people I've gotten to know in my life coaching program so far.
7. Failures.
8. Brooke Castillo.
9. Tax stuff received - I'm so happy to have it all in my hands for this year's tax returns.
10. Joe does my taxes. I could write this one down for all 30 of my entries today. Joe, my step dad, had been doing my taxes for years, then I moved away from being near him. Since he and my mom moved to where I live, he's started doing them again AND I AM SO THANKFUL! I did them myself a couple times and although I love math and money, I hated all the rules and formulas.
11. Emiko.
12. Upcoming buddy session. Nan and I are coaching each other for the first time on Monday.
13. Cooking outside. Another perk of camping
14. No minimum. On my bank account that I was worried about.
15. I can eat ice cream.
16. Air conditioning. I'm not a huge fan of A/C, but if it gets hot at all in Florida when we're driving around we can turn it on in Anthony's van.
17. CD Player. Also a perk of his van.
18. Candlelight. Who doesn't like candlelight?
19. My evening out. I had fun last night.
20. Discounted Spanish tapes. B. Dalton at the mall had a 40% off everything sale going on.
21. Skype. Haven't used it yet, but it's free.
22. Kitties in the closet. Nola just wanted to go in the shoe and coat closet. She cracks me up.
23. Cat sitters. My mom and step dad are the best cat grandparents EVER.
24. Always away at the Superbowl. I should have written that I'm thankful for the growing tradition Anthony and I have accidentally started - always being on vacation when the Superbowl happens. In 2007 we were in Savannah, GA, I remember we ate dinner at this awesome Japanese place and the Superbowl was on - I had completely forgotten it was happening. In 2008 we were in Hawaii and I went to a Superbowl party while Anthony recuped from a scuba trip. This year we'll be in Florida, camping, nowhere near a TV. Who knows where we'll be next year...
25. Joey's Pancake House. Where I'll be having lunch in two hours!
26. Asheville. I love Asheville. Last night I was there and it was warm enough for the street musicians to be out.
27. A good night's sleep. Ooops, I think I've been thankful for this one before. Such a blessing though.
28. TAO. Stands for Transparency, Authenticity and Openness. The way Martha wants us to coach.
29. Learning.
30. Contact Lenses.

What are you thankful for today?

January 22

Today I'm grateful that I can write this full post tomorrow, when I'm not sleepy and don't have to pee.

Bye!

Books and Radios

This morning brought a long overdue trip to the library into my life. I'm so grateful that I went and that it's so close to home.

What I'm thankful for today....
1. Meg Cabot books - I read some of her very light-hearted stuff a couple years ago and forgot about it - she has new stuff and I snapped up two to read.
2. Martha Beck - Martha Beck books, that is. I have read a few of hers, some are "self-help" and some are biographical. I have already started the one I brought home an enjoying it immensely.
3. Safe Ski Trips - Anthony's on a trip today and I know he got there safely and was still alive at lunch! I'm grateful that he's getting to do something he loves and that I can stay at home, warm with my butt on the couch instead of the snowy slope. Because when I go out there my butt is ALWAYS on the snow slope.
4. Free Internet access - I'm going on vacation soon but yay! The local library has free Internet.
5. Only 9 days til vacation - I know I'm not "working", but a vacation with sun and sand and even less of a sense of responsibility is a very inviting thought right now.
6. My short walk - this morning I jumped around my living room for a while to get some exercise, but then decided to brave the elements for a quick walk. It was breezy but the sun made it bearable.
7. Lively songs on the radio - when I went out and about today it was fun to hear lively tunes in the background.
8. Christy's funny story - my friend Christy told a hilarious story to me via email - it involves her being pregnant, having a cold, taking Benadryl to help her sleep, and the hallucinations that the medication caused!
9. No children yet - three of my friends are pregnant and one just had a baby and one already has a baby at home (and is pregnant) and phew, I am glad I don't have those responsibilities just yet.
10. Computer abilities - today I worked with a website called Constant Contact to make a newsletter for my upcoming workshop - I am SO thankful that I can find my way around a computer and the programs on the computer!

What are you thankful for today?

Getting All Patriotic

I don't normally use the word "patriotic" to describe myself, but today I feel that way for the first time in a long while.

Things I am thankful for on this Inauguration Day:

That this day is FINALLY here
That we have a brilliant man taking the highest office in the lane
That our country has come so far
That the results of this election regained the U.S. respect with some other nations
That I was home to watch this day unfold live
That I live in a democracy
For the words of inspiration from so many today
For my forgiving feelings towards the man who is George W. Bush (didn't know if I'd have those!)
That my choice for president finally won!
I have lived to see wonderful transformations in this country.

What are you thankful for today?

Activ-i-a!

No, I'm not thankful for Activia (I eat lots of fiber. I'm pretty regular) but I just heard the commercial and the little catchphrase song is in my head now. Some things I AM thankful for today:

1. Someone might come to my workshop! A former coworker, Christy, the same one who turned me onto the guided meditation classes, says she'll come if she can escape work. That makes me excited and nervous - I certainly need more people than her!
2. Snow! I'm actually excited about the few inches of snow we might get, mostly because I don't have to drive in it.
3. Nan - this is one of my coaching buddies in my life coaching program and we've been exchanging emails and she's going to send me something that she makes because we both make art. I'm glad we've met.
4. The way my budget looks - I'm a freak, I know, I love to look at my budget and see where I think I'll be spending money and how my finances look. And I'm happy to say I can go to the Martha Beck Life Coaches Conference in Chicago in July and go visit my other friend Christy in California (as long as I don't spend much money while I'm there!) and feel comfortable with how my savings are holding up.
5. My pedometer - I love my pedometer. I've had it about a year now and it's great for these cold wintry days when I don't necessarily feel super motivated to exercise. Knowing how close I am to 10,000 steps gets me to get up off my butt and walk around the house more.
6. The excitement of the nation - I am so thankful we all have something good to look forward to, our country really needs it right now.
7. My last job - I have been thinking about how positive experiences often stem from negative experiences. My last job opened my eyes to what I really wanted to do with my life, and I'm thankful for that.
8. Upcoming conference - the aforementioned Martha Beck conference - it's going to be amazing, I know it.
9. Bright red flowers - I just saw some on TV in front of the White House (summertime shot!) and they were stunning.
10. Hawaii last year - I'm so thankful I got to take my second trip to Hawaii last year and visit friends AND three different islands! I was there this time last year and even though I'm not going to Hawaii for three weeks, I am looking forward to my Florida Keys trip in about two weeks.

What are YOU thankful for today?

Whoops!

Whoops, I missed a day! I knew I hadn't blogged or journaled yesterday, but I had a crazy night Friday with my friend Amy and I slept in on Saturday and then the day just kind of got away from me...oh well, I made up for it this morning.

I'm thankful for....

My evening with Amy - It was SO GOOD to see her! She enjoyed the food I made her, I enjoyed the wine she brought, we were so happy to see each other after six long weeks apart! We've scheduled another "date" together for February 28, this time so she can get my website up and running for me. I wish we could see each other sooner, but we live an hour apart and both have things (vacations, weekends away, etc) going on and that's the first time we can do it.
Delicious Food and Drink - I make have already mentioned this above, but I was so thankful to have that bounty of yumminess to enjoy on Friday night.
Cameras - I'm so glad I can take pictures of things to remember them forever.
Utensils - Silly but true - aren't you glad you don't have to eat with your hands? One of the many things we take for granted.
Dogs to Walk - Yesterday the sweetheart and I took our friend's dogs for a walk. It's still very cold out; seeing their enjoyment helped make the temps more bearable.
Group forming in class - I am just so excited about the groups forming in my life coaching class - I'm already getting into one that deals with the specific issues I need help with, it feels great!
Postal Service - Aren't you glad we can mail each other?
Plenty of Blankets - When Amy came over I was very happy we had plenty of blankets for us and plenty for her, because it is cold!
Dish Racks - Another one of those modern convenience things I'm glad to have.
That it's OK to miss a day! Making my list got away from me, but I know it's okay to miss a day.
Constant Contact - That's the name of an email newsletter service that I am currently enjoying a free trial of. I sent out an email to tell people about my Living Joyfully on a Budget workshop. I don't know that many people locally, but maybe I'll still get some interest!
I know more people than I thought - Actually, I saw some names in my address book when I was putting this together and I was happy to see I knew more people around here than I thought I did!
2 Days from Inauguration - I can't wait to see the historic festivities on Tuesday!
Dictionaries - When I don't know what something means or how to spell it, I can look it up!
No Snow driving again - I think every time there is bad weather this entire winter I'm going to be so happy I don't have to drive in it!
Loving What Is - again - I know I mentioned Byron Katie and her work - but I was thinking about it again this morning and I'm so thankful I read that book, it helps me quite often to remember the principles behind it.
Presidential Bash - Let me explain this one - I saw that SNL is showing their Presidential Bash episode, where they show clips of all the fun they've made of the president and the campaign and stuff. When I saw that commercial I was so thankful to live in a country where it's OK to make fun of the powerful people - so many people in so many nations do not have that luxury.
I'm Free - Seeing Amy reminded me again that I'm free! Yay!
Yoga - I've been doing little bits of it lately, I'd like to do more.
Awesome leg workout! The leg workout I did the other day can STILL be felt! It was a good one.

Have a thankful Sunday!

Fast Fridays

1. Today. Hey, I'm thankful to have today.
2. My projects - I've had lots to keep me busy today, it's been nice
3. Heat - it is darn cold out there, I'm so thankful to have two kinds of heat to keep me and my family warm.
4. Giggles - I was giggling at something on the TV when I wrote this, and I'm thankful for that.
5. Classmates - last night was my first night of class and we have to have one or more classmates that are our buddies that we coach and are coached by - everyone has been exchanging info about themselves and they all seem to be on the same page as me, it's great.
6. The gift arrived - thank goodness for Fedex.
7. Miracle on the Hudson - aren't we all thankful that all of those people survived that terrible landing?
8. Blooming Lilies - Anthony brought home flowers the other night and the three yellow lilies in the bunch are open now, lovely!
9. Time with my mom - today I got to visit with my mom for an hour or so - I have lived far away from her for so long, it's such a luxury to be to her house in ten minutes!
10. Free weights - this morning I was working out with my free weights (they did cost me money though) and it felt great, I'm glad I have them.

Have a great weekend!

The Black and White Edition

Hi Hi.

1 A MAN WHO CLEANS - I am so very lucky to live with and share my life with a man who cleans. Okay, he's not always on top of getting the laundry folded or doing the dishes after dinner, but he definitely does his share of the housework - in fact, right now he's mopping the floors while I blog! Lucky me!
2. SLEEPOVERS! - I am so excited that my friend Amy is coming over tomorrow and is sleeping over! We haven't seen each other in more than a month and since then I've been up North for the holidays, she's been on a cruise, and lots of other things have happened that will need to be discussed.
3. BAKING & COOKING FOR PEOPLE I LOVE - I get to make her dinner and dessert and breakfast the next day. Yes, this makes me happy.
4. TODAY'S CRY FEST - I go through periods were I don't cry much and periods when I cry frequently - I think this is the third time I've cried in less than a week, but all were quick bursts and immediately made me feel better, they didn't drag on for all eternity.
5. THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF THE BRIDGE - We were seriously worried our van wouldn't fit under the six foot eight inch bridge to the camping area we're going to in two weeks - thank goodness I called today and the left side of the bridge is six inches taller - we just have to drive on the wrong side of the road for a minute or two. Yay!
6. TONIGHT IS CLASS ONE!! - I finally get to start my life coaching course and it couldn't come at a better moment.
7. LUMPOLET - Word game played through email by Amy and I. Lots of fun and turns out each of us thought the other one was better at it.
8. EXCITED AGAIN! - When I wrote that I was thankful for being excited again it was because I felt excited about my weekend and I have been feeling not so excited lately, so I'm glad the feelings still exist.
9. FRIENDS WITH FREE TVS - Our TV gave out. It is ten years old, after all, but our friend has one to give us - he got a new huge flat screen and this is a old huge regular tube kind, but free.
10. IT'S NOT 30 BELOW! - It sure is cold here in the mountains of Western NC, but I am thankful it's not even colder, like in Minnesota!

Have a great day!

What are you thankful for?

Thankful for a Television Show?

I can't believe it's January 14th! Today is the last day of my free gym membership, my life coaching course starts tomorrow night, and in just over two weeks I leave for Florida! Yay! Here's what I'm thankful for today:

My Vitamix - I almost didn't end up with this contraption in my life (it's a super duper high powered blender, if you aren't familiar with it) but that's another story. This morning I used it to grind flax seeds into flax meal. Healthy, I know.
Asheville trip - The other day I didn't complete my task of putting all my fliers up, but today my sweetheart and I are heading back into town to run some errands and I'll get to finish distributing them. I'm thankful I don't have to go alone.
Asking for what I want - I'm grateful that I'm starting to learn to ask for what I want in life, from those around me, myself, etc.
Free Recipes - I love cooking and I have some great cookbooks lying around that I haven't looked at in a long time and am rediscovering. Also, there are millions of free recipes on the internet! Love it!
Right now - I'm happy that I have right now. When I first wrote that in my journal, fuzzy kitty #1 was sitting on my lap and fuzzy kitty #2 was sitting on the printer/scanner, wondering how on earth she ended up on a cold, inanimate object while her sister ended up on warm and snuggly me. It's a good life.
Labradors - Last night I saw an episode of The Dog Whisperer and there was a chocolate lab on. They are so freakin' cute, I love their big dopey faces and adorable brown eyes and cocked ears...I'm thankful they exist!
Healthy heart - I know I'm responsible for keeping my heart healthy, and I'm thankful that I've done that so far with exercise and diet, and I'm also thankful that I was born with a healthy heart.
Digital cameras - Do you know how many rolls of undeveloped film I have thrown away in my life? Me, neither, but this whole digital camera thing is so much easier.
Erik - In keeping with the theme of being thankful for friends and family - I'm thankful for my long time friend Erik. I probably only see him once a year, if that, but we keep each other informed over the phone and I'm happy he's in my life.
Ellen, the show - I liked Ellen Degeneres' show when I was in high school, I was sorry when it went off the air. I read one of her books, too, and laughed my booty off. Since she's had her daytime talk show I haven't had much time to see it because of my previous work schedule, but now that I'm home I enjoy watching it. Yesterday she had on Dr. Wayne. W. Dyer and the things he was talking about were amazing, just in line with my way of thinking right now. He married Ellen and her wife, Portia De Rossi. Also, Ellen said yesterday that she had gone vegan, which I greatly respect. I like her and her funny and light hearted show.

Gotta go!

What are you thankful for?

Sunsets and Bread

Jumping right in...

Tucked In - Last night after I laid down Anthony came to tuck me in. We ended up talking for a while and I felt really good after we finished talking, even though I didn't even know I had much to say. I'm thankful for the time we had.
Snuggly Bathrobe - As I wrote this list I sat in my giant (at least three times too big) bathrobe with one cat on my lap and one next to me. It's sort of like having a giant stuffed Mom wrapped around me, it's very nice.
Exercise with Nola - I was trying to do crunches this morning and Nola would not stay off me. I gave up and let her be part of the exercise routine, and I'm thankful I did, because it was fun and funny.
Change in perspective - This morning I was a little stressed and being too hard on myself again - until I thought about how I would treat a coaching client who was feeling the way I did. It was much easier to tell myself what I would tell someone else, and I was able to be much kinder and gentler to me.
My increasing confidence - I am becoming more and more confident that I can and will give helpful information at my workshop and that I will be a great coach.
Relaxation about money - of all the stresses I've felt lately, this is not one of them, which I am thankful for.
Homemade bread - It didn't turn out like I wanted and took all day, but it still tasted good and next time it will be even better.
Privacy - I thought of this one when The View was on and some celebrities on some popular show I don't watch were talking about their lives - I'm so thankful I can just come and go and that I've always been lucky to have my own bedroom and to have the space I need.
Email buddies - I have four friends from high school that I still keep in touch with through email, one of them just had a baby, one is due next month, another is due in April. It's fun to keep in touch and see what everybody is doing.
Last night's sunset - this is what I saw off my front porch last night (I took the picture between the condos and the trailer park so as not to spoil the view!)


What are you thankful for?

Yay for Yeast

Forgive me if I write something along the lines of a;sodi17777777777777777fa please, because Coconut is intent in helping me write this post and insists upon doing some of the typing.

The things I am thankful for today (now she's laying down on my arm, which makes typing even more fun!)

The work of Byron Katie - If you have never read Loving What Is and are looking for a way to cut down on the pain and suffering in your life and are willing to take responsibility for your own feelings, this book is FANTASTIC. I realized today that I needed a dose of it because I was getting stressed out and frazzled over nothing, literally.
My yeast finally worked - I am making bread by hand from scratch today and earlier I was really worried my yeast was too old or something because the sponge I made was not getting big and foamy like it was supposed to. Finally after I put it in the oven on warm it did what it was supposed to do. I was very thankful because I didn't have the yeast on hand to start over and try again.
I finally feel a bit better - I've been feeling on and off stressed and overwhelmed the last few days; worrying I wasn't getting enough done, thinking I should be doing more, fretting over the upcoming workshop and if anyone will come...but I think I've got things back in perspective now and I feel good.
My tears yesterday helped - I'm thankful that when I started crying in the parking lot of one of the places I was about to drop a flier off to that it didn't last long and did release some tension.
My emotions don't carry me away anymore - okay, once in a while they do, but generally these days I can see that I'm sad/grumpy/bratty/whatever and realize it's just a moment and not me and I don't need to descend further into misery or loneliness or whatever.
I have a fat grapefruit waiting for me - We bought some yummy looking grapefruits at the store yesterday and I'm about to tear into one after I finish this post...mmmmm
Things are being checked off my list - In my anxiety this morning I made a list of some things I wanted to do today, both home and work and personal and they are getting done at a good clip.
The sun is out! Always something to be thankful for, in my opinion.
Seatbelts - Reaching here, but I am thankful for them. In fact, I even wear them in parking lots when I'm just eating a cone from Dairy Queen. You know, just in case.
Sunglasses - It's much easier to avoid driving into the back of a dump truck when you can see where you're going...

The new year is in full swing...have you started thinking about what you're thankful for?

Trees and Dreams

This morning I woke up and walked into the living room and was struck with the desire to draw. I haven't felt like drawing in a quite awhile, and it's a cloudy Sunday morning, so it seemed like a good idea. I love trees. I have mentioned it here and on my other blog and since my mom knows this, she bought me a book all about trees when I quit my job. Today I pulled it out for inspiration and drew awhile, had some delicious oatmeal with apples and raisins and cinnamon and walnuts and then drew some more. I decided I was done for the time being, but then continued my tree drawing in the Thankful Journal. Today's list...

My quiet morning. As I mentioned, I spent it drawing and eating oatmeal and relaxing. I am thankful for the quiet time.
The tree book. I love the tree book, because it has many pictures of one of my favorite things.
The Laurel of Asheville. It's a local magazine about art and Mom and I both get one every month, I enjoy leafing through it, getting inspired.
Pencil Sharpeners. Back to the modern convenience theme - it's so great I can sharpen my pencils easily!
An evening with my family. Last night I sat on the couch with my boy and my kitties and watched a movie. It's so nice to have everyone on one piece of furniture.
My delicious breakfast. I think that's self-explanatory.
Stretching. This morning I stretched because I think I slept on some part of me wrong. The stretching felt very nice...
Many dreams. I had lots of dreams last night. I'm thankful I can remember them.
Help finding balance. I hope to find balance and I feel like help is out there, all around me.
Class starts soon! I get to start my life-coaching courses this Thursday! I think I've sort of forgotten I even quit my job to do that in the first place, since I've been so wrapped up in everything else. Can't wait for this hopefully life-changing practice to start.

Dogs and Walks and Tofu

Okay, this is day ten of posting things I'm thankful for. That means I have 100 things on this blog that I am grateful for in my life, but I still have a long way to go. I'll admit, sometimes it gets hard to think of new things to be thankful for; I tend to be thankful for the same things all the time, like my family (which includes my boyfriend and my cats), the area I live, my home, my life, etc. This is an interesting exercise in stretching my mind to think of other things I enjoy and would like to show thanks for.

Today's list...
1. Groceries within my budget. My grocery budget for this week was $40 and I spent $40.07 at the grocery store, and I even bought something extra that I'll be using later in the week for someone other than myself, so that was awesome!
2. Lola the Basset Hound. We went to a friend's house last night and I very much enjoyed playing with their dog. She loves to have her long, soft ears rubbed, and it was even relaxing for me.
3. Friends. It's nice to have a variety of friends in the area and different people to go to dinner with, catch up with, etc.
4. Healthy choices. Last night when we went out I was happy to find that I could get a meal that consisted of lots of yummy things I would eat at home like veggies, tofu, and brown rice. And I always feel good when I make healthy choices. I did have split that deep fried veggie roll with Anthony, but that was delicious and worth it!
5. Supportive emails. It's just so nice to get support from family, friends, my life coach, or people I don't even know about the direction I'm taking. It would be much more difficult without that help.
6. Growing up. I am changing and growing and becoming a more mature, calm, centered person, and I'm thankful for that (my boyfriend probably is, too).
7. More work for Anthony. The economy is slow but he's been able to put his skills to work the last few days and has some more work Monday, and I'm thankful for that.
8. Walks at the lake. I love the lake near my house so much, and for the last two evenings Anthony and I have gone for evening walks there. It's been kind of chilly, but to watch the sky change colors and look at the moon and stretch my legs, that makes up for the cold.
9. My cooking abilities. As I mentioned, I love to cook and I'm reasonably good at it (and pretty darn good at baking) and I enjoy making delicious food for myself and others.
10. Lots of vegetarian options. Years ago there wasn't much out there for vegetarians in restaurants or even the store. I'm so happy to have a huge variety of options at the restaurants I frequent and at the grocery store, too!

What are you thankful for?

Things and Stuff to Be Thankful For

Man, me and the scanner are going to have words! Actually, this is a user problem, sorry the entry is so hard to read today!

What am I thankful for today?
1. Mystic Pizza is on. Why am I thankful for that? Well, I took a nap and when I woke up I made some tea and turned on the TV and was happy to see something familiar on. Also, I grew up just a couple towns over from Mystic and I actually recognize some of the scenery from the movie. It was nice to wake up to.
2. I'm eating food out tonight. I love cooking, I really do, but it's been a while since we've gone out to dinner and tonight we're either getting pizza and taking it to a friend's house or going out to eat with the same friends, and the fact that I won't have to chop, dice, stir-fry, bake, or drop any food on the floor, not to mention not have any dishes to wash, is absolutely wonderful.
3. I'm not in debt. I know I've already said I'm thankful for the savings I have, but yesterday I watched Suze Orman on Oprah and man, there are some people out there who have some serious debt to work off. I hope they can do it and learn to manage their money in a way that is satisfying to them.
4. Amazon.com. Is it silly to be thankful for a website? I am looking for a couple of books for a friend and it is SO convenient! Also it can be done while I wear my pajamas, which you know I love.
5. Letters from Grandma. I got a congratulations letter from my grandmother yesterday, she's so on the ball with keeping in touch! Also, it keeps me writing actual real letters instead of email, and I enjoy that, too.
6. Free magazines. I went to the library today - not for books though, but to read the magazines! It's a good way to get out of the house, entertain yourself, and not spend money.
7. My awesome flier. I am just so happy with the way the flier for my workshop came out. You can check it out on my other blog.
8. My hearing. Also glad I can hear well. Without it there would be no music and no cats purring.
9. Bread machine. I have made bread by hand, but Lord, it sure is easier with a bread machine!
10. Snuggling. Who doesn't love to snuggle? Be thankful for it!

Time to go...what are you thankful for on this Friday?

My Vision

My drawing did not come out today! It's light in my journal, too, but for some reason the scanner didn't pick up the colors. It better be careful or I'll take it off my thankful list! Okay, today's list:

1. Birds - I don't know where this came from, I just thought of it this morning. I have never been a big bird person (that sounded funny, didn't it? As though some people were born looking like Big Bird?), but they sure are beautiful and their colorful feathers are a welcome burst of wonderful during these long, dull winters.
2. Remote Controls - Remember when you had to get up off your lazy butt and actually change the channel your self??? I know, I know, even I only had to do that a few years into childhood, but I do remember that. Today I was thankful for my remote control because I could change the channel from my position on the floor, where I was working on a flier for my workshop.
3. Blogs - My blogs, other blogs, the fact that we can all put our thoughts out there on the World Wide Web. It's pretty cool.
4. Shoes - Just now when I reread my handwriting I thought I had written "sheep". I'm probably thankful for them, too, but for now I'll stick to talking about shoes. I am so thankful to have warm footwear. I don't even have a ton of pairs - something to hike in, something to run in, something to wear when it's warm out. We're lucky to have that luxury.
5. Handmade Afghans - I've been lucky to receive a number of this homemade knit blankets in my life, and there is one on the couch that keeps me (and the cats) warm on a regular basis.
6. My eyesight/vision - I was just going to write "my vision", but that sounded weird, and then I was just going to write "my eyesight", but that could be interpreted that I'm thankful I have really terrible eye sight and have had to wear glasses or contacts since I was 3, which isn't what I meant, either. I should have written "my sight". I'm glad I can see! Colors and nature are so important to me, I am so thankful I can open my eyes and see everything, everyday.
7. Mountains - Following the nature theme of previous posts...I love the mountains. All of them - the ones I lived near in Montana, the beautiful ones in Vermont, the relatively new ones of Hawaii, and the ones I see now in North Carolina. And all the others I'll encounter in my future.
8. Oprah - Is it weird to be thankful for a TV show host? She's just so great and inspiring to others, including me, and that inspiration goes way past the TV into her magazine, her website, he school in South Africa, and more.
9. Eat,Pray,Love - I absolutely loved this book and was reminded of it again by another blogger who just finished reading it - it was so touching and wonderful, I'm so thankful it came into my life and that it exists.
10. Sweet Potatoes - Back to food, again. I had sweet potatoes for lunch....mmmm

That's it for today, folks! What are YOU thankful for?

Wet Winter Weather

1.I FINALLY HAVE A PLACE FOR MY WORKSHOP! I am so thankful for this particular item, because I've been worrying about where I'll hold my workshop, Living Joyfully On A Budget, since my life coach and I brainstormed the idea 3 weeks ago. Phew!
2. It wasn't as scary as I thought! Yes, I am putting this as a separate thing I'm thankful for. I was getting really nervous about the whole process but today as I talked to the person in charge of events at the restaurant where the workshop will be, I felt calm and happy. Go me!
3. Lunch with Mom - I took my mom with me to Asheville and after I set up my dates she took me to one of our favorite places, Laughing Seed. It's vegetarian, like we are. Yummy.
4. Gas Fireplaces - mine in particular. The weather is freakin' weird today: Rainy this morning (a landslide caused by flooding destroyed a home not far from where I live overnight!) and then rainy and sunny, now snowy! It was very nice to write my thankful list in front of a warm (gas) fire.
5. Travel books - I know I've mentioned books before, but earlier I was looking through a book on South America - I'm so grateful that other people have researched these destinations for me, so I can have a great trip!
6. Meditation Class - I went to a guided meditation last night and it was great. It was so peaceful and relaxing and the at the end of the course the owner of the space even said I could hold a workshop there sometime - score!
7. People with similar interests - to me, I mean. It's great to bump into other people who are into spirituality, meditation, health, etc.
8. Mashed potatoes - the food list grows. With it being cold and snowy, a bowl of mashed potatoes for dinner sounds really good right now!
9. Hard workouts - this morning I went to the gym and ran and ran and sweated and then sweated some more. I felt great and strong and I'm thankful I can workout like that!
10. My friend Christy - I've known here since we were 12 and since we've grown up we've visited each other all over the place, and even went to New Zealand together. Now she's in Alameda, California and is going to have a baby next month! I'm planning on visiting her in April and she sounded to excited about it that I got super excited about it! She's a great friend to have.
11. My cat just came in - no, this wasn't on the above list, but with the bad weather I was wishing my mischievous cat, Nola, would come inside and she finally did. Thank you!

What are you thankful for on this Wednesday afternoon?

So Far, So Good

1. Evenings to myself - Last night I got to spend a few hours at home, alone. Sometimes it's so nice to have time to yourself. I did spend about 37% of that time catering to my cats and 11% of that time watching bad reality TV, but the other 52%, that was all Jen Time.
2. Refrigerators - Continuing the trend of being thankful for things we all take for granted - aren't you glad you have a place to keep your eggs and vegetables and leftovers cold? And that you don't have to schlep down to some icy river half a mile away from your cabin to get a cold beverage? Me too.
3. Scanners - It's neat being able to draw a picture in my journal and then, moments later, have it on my computer screen. Although today the poor scanner was subjected to sparkles since I outlined my list today with a sparkle pen that apparently takes longer too dry than it takes the laundry in my house to get folded.
4. My friend Amy - I used to work with Amy at the Job of Doom and haven't seen her in a month! I went away for the holidays, she's gone on a family trip for another five or six days, and we live an hour apart from one another. Luckily she's scheduled to come over in about a week and a half. She supported me through me suffering at the job, she edited my (unpublished) book Office Supply Art: How To Not Die of Boredom And Lack of Creativity At Your Lame 9 to 5 and she's awesome.
5. Free places to stay - We're headed down to Florida at the end of the month and someone Anthony knows from New York has a condo we can stay in for a couple of nights on the way down. It will be a great way to break up the trip and it's conveniently located and best of all, free!
6. Low gas prices - I know the prices are low because of that negative inflation or whatever stuff, but it made our trip up north much cheaper and hopefully our Florida trip will be reasonable, too. Plus I'm unemployed! Every little bit helps!
7. New President - I'm not going to get all political here, I'm just thrilled to have a change of hands coming up in less than two weeks that will hopefully improve the way things are going here in the U.S.
8. Trees - I can't believe I haven't mentioned trees yet! I love them. I love drawing them, looking at them, watching them change with the seasons. They are perfect, in my opinion. They never worry that they are too tall or too fat, they stand strong, they reach to the heavens.
9. Oceans - I grew up by the ocean and now live in the mountains, but it's always nice to see the coast again, especially when it's warm and the water is clear and I can snorkel!
10. My travels so far - I have been so lucky to see what I have so far. I've visited at least 30 states, including Hawaii twice, I've been to Canada a couple of times, went to New Zealand a couple years ago, and have plans for this year to go to Florida, California, and New York. Next year we're planning for another international trip, too. Travel broadens my horizons and helps me overcome my fears of being in a familiar place all the time.

Have a great day and think of ten things you're thankful for!

No Monday Blues

I bet many of you out there are feeling kinda blah today - back to work after a long holiday break, perhaps? Now is probably a good time to name a couple things you're thankful for. Here's my list for the day:

1. Published again! A few months ago an article I wrote an article that was published in a local magazine. Recently I sent another column to them but hadn't heard anything. I get a free subscription to the publication since I've been published. The January issue had been sitting on my table for 3 or 4 days when finally last night I opened it up. And my name was in the table of contents! They published my column without letting me know, but who cares! It was very exciting to see my name in print again.
2. Dramatic Clouds - this morning I drove to the gym and truly enjoyed the beautiful sky. Thick, dark clouds were opening up and showing glimpses of a bright orange sky. Very impressive.
3. Hot tea - I was enjoying a delicious cup of hot tea while I made my list, so I figured I'd include it. It helps to be thankful for the little things.
4. Naps - now that I'm unemployed, wait, self-employed, I can enjoy a nap now and again. I thought I'd want to nap all the time, but most days I'm so busy or engaged that I don't need to. But it's a nice option to have.
5. The Lake - I live by a lovely lake with a 2.6 mile running/walking path. Right now I'm taking advantage of the free two-week gym membership, but once that's up I'm back out in nature.
6. Music - I lovelovelove music. Except when it makes me cry, which happens pretty frequently. Okay, I admit it, sometimes I even like it when it makes me cry.
7. Colors - have you noticed I'm into art, nature, etc? It's the colors. I love them. Sometimes they make me cry, too.
8. Scrabble - Even though Anthony has been kicking my butt lately, it's a good way to learn new words and usually more entertaining than what's on TV these days.
9. Grocery Stores - you probably, like me, take for granted the fact that you have every food under the sun available to you, probably 24 hours a day, right down the road. Today I popped in to buy some vegetables and tempeh and thought, "wow, I am so glad I don't have to plant and harvest these vegetables myself. Because they would die and my family and I would starve."
10. Automobiles - couldn't get to the gym, the lake, the grocery store, and many other places without them. Although I am definitely hoping in the future we'll have communties where it's safe to bike and walk to places.

What are you thankful for on this back-at-work-Monday?

New Direction

Today I thought I'd journal my thanks in a new direction. Just trying to spice it up.

I'm not nearly as happy as yesterday, sometimes I just wake up on the wrong side of the bed, you know? In this case it could be one of my cats waking me up right after I fell asleep last night, leaving me to toss and turn for another hour while she snuggled under the covers, sleeping. Oh, and then the other cat woke me up this morning by jumping on my pillow and refusing to leave. That's why this exercise is great, it forces me to look for positives even if I just don't feel like :)

1. Rainbows - I saw a beautiful rainbow at the lake near my house where I often run or walk. Those always cheer me up.
2. My savings - I was lucky enough to quit my job to try a new career because I have some savings at the moment. I'm so thankful I have this opportunity.
3. My mom and step dad. Who isn't thankful for their family? I'm blessed to have open, supportive parents who live nearby. They also pointed out the rainbow this morning at the lake and are responsible for my great savings skills :)
4. Washing Machines - I am so glad I don't have to do my own laundry. I mean, other than throwing it in the washer. Technology can be wonderful.
5. Email - remember when you couldn't email? I can't imagine life without it now. When I went to college my mom used to call me twice a week, Wednesday nights and Sunday mornings. After we got email we communicated every day. Which wasn't always fun, since if I didn't email her one night she'd wonder what I was up to....
6. Laughter - I feel a little short on it now, but last night I was reading a funny blog and it made me feel light-hearted and giddy.
7. 360 degree mountain views - the hike yesterday was beautiful. At the top there was a tower which I climbed most of the way up (it was windy and I got a little freaked out at the very top. This tower and a partial view are on this blog. (Side note, I've seen this guy and his beautiful dogs around town!) We forgot our camera so I don't have the absolutely beautiful view from the top I'd hoped for!
8. Polymer clay - I was looking up at the wall at this:

It's a project I made out of polymer clay late last year and I'm thankful the medium exists.
9. Rocking chairs - I live in NC, which I consider the Rocking Chair Capital of the United States. Even the airports have rocking chairs! So does my front porch, which is great.
10. Mistakes - Yes, I'm thankful for mistakes. I've made some big mistakes in my life, but ultimately, they're not really mistakes at all, if you take the right point of view. Which I don't always, but I'm learning.

What are you thankful for???

Happy Saturday

I feel great this morning! Yesterday was a little bit tough for me in some ways, but I feel so proud of what I accomplished anyways.

This morning I woke up feeling great and was ready to go with making the list of things I am grateful for. In fact, I could have named way more than 10!

SUNNY DAYS - I was so happy to wake up to a beautiful day this morning! It's been cloudy lately and seeing the sunshine after a few days of clouds always lifts my spirits.
A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP - Phew, don't you love it when you get a full night's sleep and sleep well and wake up totally rested? I mean, my night was filled with really weird dreams like the one where I turned into a man and wanted to marry a Vietnamese woman who needed to learn a foot-washing ceremony from her grandfather before we could be together, but still, it was a good night.
BIG DREAMS - My life coach wanted me to write my intentions for 2009 and then she wanted me to go back and set real goals with dates, so this morning I did that and I have some big dreams! I am really, really excited about them, though, and like they say, if you aim for the stars, at least you end up with the moon. Something like that, anyways.
MY LIFE COACH - I am so thankful for my life coach. Yesterday when I was grumpy I realized I could email her and put down my feelings of stress and burden. My life has improved ALOT in the few months we've been working together. I realize I'm the one doing the work on myself, but having that person to talk to really helps.
HIKING TRAILS NEARBY - When it's sunny and warm(ish) I am always up for a hike, I hope to go on one this afternoon. I live within 30 to 45 minutes of the Pisgah National Forest and Great Smoky Mountain National Park, so it's nice to have many hiking options in the area.
OATMEAL - I'll probably list lots of foods on here that I'm thankful for, but today "oatmeal" popped into my mind. I eat it for breakfast pretty much every day and it's so delicious and healthy and I'm so glad it exists.
BOOKS - I'm juggling a number of books at the moment (oops, just dropped one!) and I've always been a big reader. Fiction, Non-Fiction, my recent favorite genre, Self Help, thank goodness for books!
LIBRARIES - And a place to get them for free!
FUZZY SOCKS - It may be warmer than yesterday, but it's still chilly out and definitely chilly in my drafty house. I love fuzzy socks and socks with lots of colors. Somehow they make my feet warmer :)
HAPPY GRANDMA - I saw my grandmother for the first time in four years over the holidays (she lives 14 hours away) and it was a great visit. Since the visit she's sent very happy sounding letters to me and my mom (who also lives down here, far away) and I'm so thrilled that the visit had such a great impact on her life.

Come on, tell me what you're thankful for!