Tag Archives: gratitude

Today: A day of gratitude.

23 November 2011

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  As you well know, I won’t be touching the turkey.  I might touch the sweet potatoes, though. Multiple times.

Tomorrow is all about being thankful, which is easy when you have so much: good health, strong faith, the love of a lifetime, parents who lead by example, siblings I adore, friends that feel like family, creative outlets, work that I am passionate about, a safe and happy home, more than enough to eat, more than enough to wear, and more than enough to spend.  Twenty-four hours is far too few for a day like Thanksgiving.

Also On Tap for Today:

What are you most grateful for this Thanksgiving?

 

 

Today: Running wild in my backyard.

1 November 2011

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One of the many great aspects of condo living is the fact that you’re not really responsible for what happens outside of your three rooms (unless, like, a meteor hits the roof or some other disaster or general building decay occurs).  While it would be great to have a yard of our own someday, it’s rather nice to not have to mow a lawn (not that I have ever done that before).  Or rake leaves.  Or answer the door to strangers hoping to convert you.

Sometimes, though, I just want to run wild through my backyard, like I did as a kid.  In fact, I am really craving a good flying jump into a giant leaf pile.  In the spirit of working with what you have, I’m happy to settle for a less-than-wild run through Fort Point, along the Harbor and past the Financial District.  The city is closest thing I have to a backyard these days.  And what a gorgeous backyard it is.

This weekend I set off for my last long run before Sunday’s New York City Marathon just before the “wintry mix” hit.  I left my watch at home, turned the music down, and just cruised.  I thought about how far I’ve come in the last year.  I never thought I’d be running a marathon, let alone a second marathon.  I would have never believed that on a random Tuesday, I could run over 20 miles.  By myself.  As I crossed the old railroad bridge near the courthouse, I was overcome with emotion (what else is new?).

I am in awe that my body can do this.  I am so thankful my mind can be quiet for an hour or so.  I am incredibly grateful for everyone who supports and encourages me.  I am proud of myself.  And I just can’t wait.  As the harbor and city skyline blurred behind me, I felt like my heart would burst out of my chest.

I should run wild more often.

Also On Tap for Today:

Today: I would like to thank the Academy.

28 November 2010

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 That’s what I would say if I won an Oscar.  But, LBS (That stands for let’s be serious. Amazingly, that acronym has yet to catch on.)… ain’t gonna happen.  So instead I would like to thank the people who got me to where I am today (figuratively, not literally sitting on my couch in yoga pants).

Thank you, Mom and Dad.  You are the woman and the man!  You have never failed to support me, to show me love, and to set an incredible example for how to treat people.  You always make me feel so special (like, actually special not special-special).

Thank you, Jimmy, Andrea, and Christopher.  You are the best siblings a girl could ask for, even though you’ve all been guilty of at least one of the following offenses:

  • Telling me that Santa was bringing me a new computer the year mine literally caught fire and deleted all of my French papers… even though Santa was doing no such thing.
  • Threatening to put cut up hot dogs in my bed.
  • Breaking the head off my Anna Nicole Smith bobble head.  Just months before the real Anna Nicole passed.  Coincidence?  You be the judge.
  • Saying I look like a poodle.
  • …And all the other bad things I can’t remember at the moment.

I love all four of you so much and feel very lucky to be related to you because that means you always have to love me, even if you don’t like me.  And you’re going to have to spend time with me (on holidays, at the very least) for the rest of our lives.

Thank you, Nick, for being my smarter, funnier, better-looking half.  I am so very lucky.

Thank you, India.  Thank you, Providence.  Thank you, thaaank you, Alanis Morrisette.

Thank you, Clark, for getting me out of bed earlier than usual, for taking me to place I’ve never been (like, the pet store, for example), and for always being down to snuggle or wear reindeer antlers or play a game (I invented) called “I’m spyin’ on you, ’cause I’m Russian!”

Thank you, friends, for always giving me a reason to smile.  And, of course, I am so thankful for each and every one of you, for stopping by and encouraging me to continue to be silly, rambling and incoherent.  I really appreciate you and I hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving with family and friends.

Also On Tap for Today:

Who got you to where you are today?

Today: Postcards from warmer climes.

20 November 2010

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 We just arrived home from an incredible week spent in Haiti, the Mexican Riviera and the middle of the ocean.  As I stepped off the plane at Logan wearing flip flops and smelling faintly of coconut flavored sun block, I caught the temperature on one of the television screens: 24 degrees Fahrenheit.  Oh, my.

I am now snuggled up on the couch with a giant blanket and am seriously contemplating a second cup of hot chocolate and hoping tonight’s House Hunters International features condos on the Equator.  With over 440 photographs to sift through (and 900 work emails to avoid), I figured I’d share a few of my favorite shots.  Hopefully these Caribbean vistas will up the temperature in Boston a degree or twelve.

A more lively urchin attacked my foot just moments later.

This would be a lovely view were it not for my busted up runner's feet.

I swear this is a real photograph and not a Windows screensaver. I endured much judgement from the locals (a wild pack of roaming dogs) as I crouched down to get the perfect angle.

Mother Nature's slingshot.

 

I imagined myself looking impossibly chic during our visit to the Mayan walled city. Instead, I am wearing a rain poncho and my face is obscured by a giant blob of rain on the camera lens.

I hated to leave Haiti.

I am looking forward to telling you all about our adventures on an uninhabited island off the coast of Haiti (it was straight out of LOST, complete with some sort of blast hole in the middle of the island), the breathtaking Mayan ruins at Tulum, sippin’ time aboard an elevator bar, a stingray sighting along the Mexican shoreline, my new luchador mask… and more, including a giveaway from Weleda I like to think of as a vacation in a bottle.

Also On Tap for Today:

Where to do you go to get away?

Today: Count my blessings.

25 November 2009

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Q: If the Pilgrims were alive today, what would they be most famous for?

A: Their age.  Muhaha.

In 1621, the Pilgrims sat down to dine with their Native American comrades at the First Thanksgiving.  They wore strange hats and brought all kinds of European diseases.  Tomorrow, my family will sit down to dine at the 388th Thanksgiving.  We’re old enough that we’ve stopped making paper pilgrim hats, and hopefully no one will bring the H1N1.  But who knows.  I’m bringing a dog and a cake:

Putting my new cake decorating kit to good use!

My blessings are too many to count (and we know math is not my strong suit), so that post title was a bit of lie.  Still, I am thankful for my family and always look forward to spending time together.  My parents are the best.  I am thankful for Nick.  I am thankful for my health, our home, each meal I nearly burn, and every day we get to work and play.  I am thankful for my patient and cooperative co-worker and for everyone else who make my life funnier, easier, happier and generally… better.  I am thankful for always having something to read.  I am thankful for the CVS on W. Broadway, for selling me a Snuggie for Pets for $9.99.  Now if only Clark would embrace being enveloped in blue felt.

Also On Tap for Today:

What are you most thankful for?  And what are your plans for the holiday?

Today: Be thankful.

11 November 2009

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veterans dayI’m aware it’s not Thanksgiving… yet.  If I had it my way, though, we’d skip right over it and celebrate Christmas.  I don’t always have it my way (this is not Burger King), so for those of you who love a good drumstick, rest easy.  You can even celebrate early if you’d like.  Veterans’ Day is a pretty appropriate time to give thanks.

If, like me, you have today off, you’re probably feeling pretty lucky.  And thankful.  We have so many servicemen and women, veterans and their families to thank on this Veterans’ Day.  In a perfect world, there would be no war, no armed conflict, no one waiting for their sons and daughters, husbands and wives, friends and parents to come home.  It probably goes without saying that this is not a perfect world.  But I’ll keep my two cents two myself, for once.  Instead, here are a few holy cents.  St. Ambrose said, “No duty is more urgent than that of returning thanks.”  So with that, thank you.

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Baseball and patriotism: Took this picture on Opening Day at Fenway Park.

Here are a few ways we might consider returning our thanks:

And now I will take a break from listening to Christmas carols and play Toby Keith’s American Soldier.  Peace, y’all.

Also On Tap for Today:

  • Finish reading and scoring project proposals for a high school in Boston
  • Take Clark to the groomer’s and do all kinds of things we shouldn’t do (the song “No More Monkeys Jumping on the Bed” comes to mind), but can get away with because Nick’s at work
  • Make use of my new cake stand

Who are you thankful for today?  How else might we show thanks?

Today: Thank you. Yes. You.

10 October 2009

3 Comments

Hi, humans.

My weird little blog was featured on the WordPress homepage Friday, much to my surprise and pleasure (and possibly, to the Universe’s dismay).  When Al Gore “invented the internet,” I’m sure he intended it to be used for more important purposes than my rambling about the time I went camping, or how much I love Chanel mascara.  Still, I am thankful to have a little place to call my own in cyberspace and appreciate the opportunity to share my thoughts– both well informed and ill-informed, silly and senseless, helpful and just plain ridiculous.  And cutting beers out of paper has been really good for improving my hand-eye coordination.

If you clicked over here for the first time yesterday, thank you.  And if you’ve know me forever and I tricked you into visiting my blog and you continue to pop over here, I have to question your judgment… but mostly, thank you.