Hunting Happiness

With a little weight on the shoulders this morning and a 3rd day of mostly cloudy skies (when it's said the Tricities sees 300 days of sunshine a year), I sought out "happy clouds" in a Google image search for some pleasant inspiration. Bob Ross smiled at me in one of the results. Semi-superstition tells me that I need to finish work quickly today because fate has spoken through Google, and I should pick up my acrylics and brushes tonight.
Any description of Bob Ross ought to discuss his painting TV show that used to (and maybe still does) air on PBS. His way of teaching painting really was ideal for an average person wanting to paint. As a 6th Grader, I took a mini course on acrylic painting and made a rougher version of the painting shown next to him. This painting legend who passed away in 1995 had an amazing voice, like that of a good yoga instructor. It's just the soothing and relaxing type of voice to teach you in a good hobby and as you re-establish harmony in your life.

Spring indeed

Put a new spring in your step. Spring into action. Bounceback like a spring. It is certainly spring time, and there sure seems to be a reason for the season's name. After a long winter, no matter how much fun playing in the snow may have been, there's nothing like the sun's renewing warmth to come back to every March/April. Although we do not hibernate as humans, it's as though everyone is waking up with that renewed energy that was bundled up deep in our skin and minds as we bundled up in fleece and wool. Welcome back energy, I'm ready to feed from you and share with you.

Shine in a new day

Work shoes just don't last. I've had a favorite pair of black heels for far too long and they were almost turning gray (yup, can't wear shoes to work for 3 years...pitty I'll have to go shoe shopping). First time since college, I broke out the Kiwi shoe shine. Today I am very grateful that the Navy taught me to shine shoes. I'm just glad I do it to my own standard and liking now (and to heels rather than blistering uniform shoes).

Inhale the sweet relief

4:30am - 1st alarm rings....if I get up, it's housework, a run, or rushing off to an early workday

5:30 - more popular second alarm

6:40 - last call to get to work

7:00pm - most popular end of work day

8:00 - arrive home after running, groceries, community events

8:01 - start that sweet relief; tonight banana bread, last night Polynesian Pork

Or is this so called "relief" a slow poison cutting into sleep time, scrap time, Justin & Michaela time, losing this booty time....

The lingering aromas, gracious little praises from hungry coworkers, and sense of completion of a small little project tell me this is therapeutic and a habit worth continuing.

But something's gotta give, right!?!? We do not live to work, we only work to live, right?!? I'll take a break tomorrow....plant flowers instead.

Why not George

Yesterday on a drive back from Mt. Hood in Oregon, I received a "Where's George $1 bill" with a bag of Munchies picked up at a back country gas station. When the bill was entered on Where'sGeorge.com, I found it had only travelled a meer 164 miles in almost a year (not quite across the state of WA). Overall, I've noticed most bills on Where's George.com have few entries. It mystifies me that people aren't more intrigued with that funny stamp on some bills directing them to this website.

If one is not puzzling the curiosities we come across on a daily basis, what is on one's mind? Perhaps the smallest things in life are not worth most peoples' time (no matter how short of time that may be). Both sides of taking the time for the smallest things are taking a loss.....which loss is greater? Is there a way to test the greater of the two?

Inspirations from Hollywood

I just finished watching Julie and Julia. This may be one of those movies to add to the collection and pull out every so often for the inspiration and motivation to stick with something. I am in awe of and mystified by some of the perfectly consistent occurrences around me. Being surrounded by engineers makes me feel my life is very inconsistent in the small stuff. Some coworkers park in the same unassigned parking space everyday and drink the same coffee from the same cup everyday and have done so for the last year or more. Sometimes it seems my inability to maintain consistency in these small things is my own bit of rebellion because the bigger picture is kept so structured - meeting deadlines, promises, commitments.

So a movie like Julie and Julia makes me wonder if I'm capable of committing to a small feat like writing in a blog everyday. Or writing to a friend everyday. I think committing to something small for a year would be an interesting challenge that would bring more happiness to life. Thank you Hollywood for the inspiration for a fun challenge.