1. Discovering that I may actually enjoy gardening, as I got ahold of an interesting seed catalog and the stuff you can grow yourself is far more interesting-looking than anything in the stores.

2. Getting a shot at a tiny-ass job at a non-profit next week that pays 90 percent less than what I made at my last job, but is completely in-line with my value system.

Making my four month old nephew laugh his ass off just by bouncing my head around and blowing raspberries in his direction. I KILL with the under six-month crowd.

Just a note - I don't mind anybody griping - this site's for all sorts of stuff. Focus on the positive, but be in touch with all your feelings. I'm always happy to listen. *hugs*

I got ahold of an interesting seed catalog and the stuff you can grow yourself is far more interesting-looking than anything in the stores.

LT, if you like interesting seed catalogs, check out Baker Creek. The occasional Ron Paul quotes are worth it for pictures of things like Nipple Fruit, Yugoslavian Finger Fruit, Speckled Swan gourds, purple tomatillos, and 57 kinds of watermelon.

Thankful!

1. It was nearly springlike today.
2. Though my work life is changing, I have not imploded or gone poof! out of existence. There are possibilities.
3. I have plenty of food in the fridge and pantry.
4. My car runs and is not falling apart. Right this second.
5. I don't have anything I'm obligated to do for about the next 40some hours.
6. Just got back from a great run. Is it wrong that when I work out, I often listen to "The Splendid Table" podcast? Does that cancel the running out? Would "This American Life" be less fattening?
7. Got a nice haircut'n'color Friday from my favorite stylist who is almost like a cool girlfriend. She's Gothy and arty and funny and makes my hair look halfway decent, and I was way overdue for a cut..so I feel all nice'n'new.
8. Got to stop in at Trader Joe's this afternoon. It's not very near my house but I was in that neck of the woods. It's always fun to shop there, especially for condiments and treats, but at the same time I'm always a little surprised how it's mostly still processed food. Nicer processed food, all organic and fairly traded and such, but still food out of a box. I got some chutney and some tamales and some crackers and those yummy rasberry/chocolate sticks.
9. Spring is really truly coming.

-Taught myself to crochet. Now I can make blankets! Knitting sucks for blankets.
-The posts for my three baby apple trees to be espaliered with went in today, and I've got the cement particles on my person to prove it.
-The Old Believers. All my arty crushes seem to live in town.
-Climbing roses.
-The intense friendliness of Portlanders. The lumber dudes accidentally tore the crap out of our neighbor's yard when they delivered our wood. Instead of bullshitting around they drove over, knocked on our neighbor's door, brought over a TON of soil, and started repairing it. Just like that. Amazing.
-Bamboo as a clothing fabric.

* It's been in the 60s all week, with beautiful blue skies and sun.

* Since I no longer work at that horrible marketing job, I've been able to walk (in the sunshine!) to my other jobs.

* My kitty keeps falling asleep on my lap and snoring. I love kitty snores.

* Something really clicked with a number of my clients and/or my therapy skills in the past few weeks, and I really feel like real work is (a) happening and (b) helping.

* I had very delicious homemade coffee today, too.

* I've been slightly more inspired about finding and using new recipes for dinners, which always improves my mood. Going to try Thai-style fried chicken this evening.

Huh. Didn't know about the Ron Paul quotes, dersins. I got a handful of seed packets from Baker Creek this year--ground cherries, red long beans, some cukes, emerald giant peppers, and maybe some other things.

What I'm grateful for:
• My job, which though it has its downsides is at least still an income stream.
• Teenagers. They get such a bad rap. I feel fortunate to see the good they do.
• Dancing. I forget how fun it is.
• Volunteering, because I learn as well as help. Also, even though the work I do for pay also makes me feel good, it's nice to have more than one outlet for wanting to help the world.
• Being (mostly) comfortable in my skin. I've grown so much over the past 15 years.

* Definitely grateful for my new job.
* An ex-co-worker came to my company's open house last night and they liked him a lot and will probably call him in for an interview. He's got a toddler and a newborn and can't find a job so it would be great if we hired him.
* Small signs of Spring here in the 'burgh, rain mostly but that's better than snow.
* I've lost about 8 pounds working out in the last three weeks.

1. Saw my scary doc today and he didn't give me any lectures and said I was doing so much better than the last time he saw me, which was over a year ago.

2. On my way to feeling better with lots of prescription drugs to help.

3. Even though I'm sick, I think I wrote a halfway decent memo for the job I'm applying for. Regardless, I did my best and it's out of my hands now.

4. A couple of Italians are teaching me how to make homemade pasta and tiramisu tomorrow.

≡ Click to see image ≡

Mmm ... flavour bits.

Me, I'm happy for my funny animals, and the pretty neighborhood plants.

I'm thankful for happy posts, yay.

I am grateful for the view from my office, waffles, and new recipes that turn out great.

I'm learning to use Inform7! I am (starting to) write interactive fiction!

I'm glad and grateful that I made it to the grocery store before the flu hit-which meant I am stocked with orange juice and crackers and soup...

My man cleaned and re-oiled all the floors while me&perle were at grandmas. I can not stop looking at how PURDY they are. So purdy! Purdy floors are purdy. Honestly I have to clean today now as it really cheers me up to see the house clean and sparkly in the daylight. :)

Another thing I'm grateful for - I kill almost any kind of plant, I can't even keep cactuses. But I think orchids are pretty, and have been eying all kinds for ages. A little more than month or so ago the bargain-bin food store near us suddenly had white and purple orchids available for rock-bottom cost of 49 (a nice tall one usually goes for 199-350). I figured I could try it when the cost was so low, worst case scenario I have a pretty flower for a few days.

Not only are they both still alive they've bloomed much more and thrive! I can handle orchids! Yeay!

Okay, let's see. Just today, grateful for my angel husband and also that he has a three-day holiday, grateful for our angel doggy whom we adore, grateful for my super-nice little corner grocery which is super nice, grateful for my amazing little neighborhood, grateful for the sunny day, grateful we still have enough money to sort of splurge on food for the next three days (menus: Casarecce pasta with smoked salmon, mushrooms, peas, and teenyweeny organic tomatoes in a cream sauce with a green salad; roasted chicken with new potatoes and a zucchini and avocado salad; Soupies Krasates - squid in wine sauce with rice and a cabbage salad - we'll economize next week). Grateful for my parents, who called last night, and that they are so wonderful. Grateful for how quiet my upstairs neighbor is (first time we've had an apartment that wasn't on the top floor... our neighbor always wears slippers or socks; when she puts on street shoes just before she goes out, it's an amazing and frightening difference... now she thinks she has to move because she can't afford the place anymore. Thanks a lot, shitty global economy. Please don't leave, upstairs neighbor!). Grateful for my health (and yeah, I really did think about that today, and most every day) which seems to persist in spite of all obstacles. Grateful for Metachat because sometimes I like to blather.

:) I coffee-toast the grateful for metachat bit!

Oh, yay!

- Sun!
- Fresh bread, brought over by my sister.
- Cappuccino.
- Clean sheets.
- Good boots.
- Metachat!