Post 60: Snow

I stepped outside into the falling snow, and smiled.

The girl behind me, however, stepped into a world of surreal beauty, frowned, and loudly proclaimed "I hate snow!"

Why people hate snow will be something that always confuses me.

When it first covers everything you see, it's beautiful. A soft white blanket of peace. It calms troubled feelings. it's wonderful.

After it's been walked in and driven on, it's a testament to the fact that we humans are alive and moving. That we have things to do, and we keep doing them, even when driving is a little bit more difficult.

I look at freshly fallen snow, and I see beauty.
I look at snowmen and places where snow has been trampled down because of people running around, and sledding, and I know that someone had a good time.

I'm grateful for snow and all it is to me.

Post 59: Ballroom Dance

It's a brilliant way to get to know people, it's ridiculously fun, and I love it.

Sometimes I Tango. Sometimes I Chacha. Sometimes I do the Foxtrot. Sometimes I SAMBA!

But I'm almost always dancing.

Post 58: Facebook Pokes

Allow me to share with you something I wrote spontaneously about Facebook posts.
I think I may use this in Drama as a monologue.

"Hey.

I poked you on Facebook last night. And it would mean a lot to me if you poked me back. You might think that pokes annoying and useless, but believe me.

Pokes are important.

Most people just don't understand! When I poke a girl on Facebook, I'm not just trying to annoy her. I'm sending them a signal. A large, almost-fist-shaped, blue signal that couldn't be more clear. It's saying "Hey! Look at me! I want to be a part of your life! Notice me, even if it's just for this one moment."
That's what a poke is. A way to help somebody realize you exist.

But not always.

Sometimes, pokes are what I use to say "Hey babe, I think you're hotter than a backyard barbecue grill in the middle of July."

Other times, pokes are what I use to exact my revenge on those who have done me wrong. Those knavish, worthless, incapable souls who don't understand the inner-workings of a virtual life. I poke them so they will constantly be reminded of how much I despise them.
Those pokes are of a more rare, precious breed.

But my favorite pokes to send are the ones I send that say "You are beautiful to me." The ones that state "I think you are gorgeous, and because I am infatuated with your beastly good looks, I watch you sleep at night."

Those pokes are the best ones. The ones that announce "I stalk you, because I care."

So.

I poked you on Facebook last night.
And it would mean a lot to me if you would poke me back."







I'm grateful for Facebook pokes.
For obvious reasons.

Post 57: My Mother

My mother.
A bit of a hard topic to write about, for me.
She brought me onto Earth. Everything that happens to me happens because I live on Earth.
So even though she isn't responsible for everything that happens to me, everything that does happen to me would not have happened at all if it hadn't been for her.
But I must say this:
I like my life.
In fact, most days I love life.
And my mother is the one that gave me life.

I don't believe I'll ever be able to really repay her.

Thanks, mom.

Post 56: Wind

Sometimes I hate it, but it also adds some spice into life. I'm glad I have to chase after things I drop on occasion.
I love the feeling I get when on a windy day, I just stand still with my arms open wide.
I love wind.
Most days.

Post 55: Paperweights

These little guys are ridiculously overlooked.
Paperweights save us from many moments full of annoyance, and they do it  while getting nothing in return. If it weren't for them, papers would constantly be blowing about, falling off of things, and slipping out from places.
Thanks, paperweights. You save me from a lot of trouble.

Post 54: Pipe Organs

Because beautiful music should be played LOUDLY sometimes.
I'm grateful for that.

Post 53: The asdf movies

There are probably many among those reading this who have never seen these.
In all honesty, you technically aren't missing out on much. Four utterly bizarre and pointless videos, each about 3:00 minutes in length.
And yet, I can't help but pity those who have not yet seen these films in all their glory.
They provide me with a knowledge that as long as I live, I will never reach the ultimate intellectual low reached by these.
They're also just plain fun to quote throughout day-to-day life.

(If you are uninitiated and curious, go here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYnsfV5N2n8)

Post 52: Math

To all of you teenagers out there thinking I'm committing a terrible crime with this post, allow me to explain.

I'm not really too grateful for math CLASS.
But I am grateful for math and how it allows me to have a house, food, technology, a world, and everything else on Earth.
And in a way, I guess I am grateful for the opportunity to learn math skills, even if I don't enjoy it too much.

I'm grateful for math.
Sha-bam.

Post 51: Toaster Treats

I won't name brand names, because I don't fancy getting sued, but...
Aren't they great? If you microwave them for two seconds, or stick them in a toaster for a minute, you have delicious warm... stuff to eat.
They also make rainbows when attached to cats.
What's not to love about delicious toaster pastry-things?

Post 50: Shakespeare

Call him what you will: William Shakespeare, Edward DeViere, Francis Bacon...

He was an excellent playwright. The things he wrote have inspired, enlightened, and bored many to tears.
While many a playwright can say the same, I don't know of another who can say they've been doing it for over four hundred years.
Bam.

The Bard truly was ahead of his time.

Post 49: Good Books

There's something about a well-written book that makes me so happy. When I can curl up n the couch with a blanket and just read for a few hours with nothing else on my mind but a truly good story.
I love books.

Post 48: An Orange Beanie

Most people are in possession of an item which, while ordinary to others, holds deep meaning to them.

My orange beanie is like that. To most people it's just a brightly colored head ornament. But to me, it's a symbol of friendship and a cap full of memories. Every time I see it, I think of another thing that I did, or that happened to me, while I was wearing it.

It was made for me by my best for Christmas in the year 2010. Since then, I have worn it hundreds of times.

I love my hat.

Post 47: Chapstick

Oh, what a wondrous little tube of joy. It makes my lips not feel gross, and makes a very satisfying noise when I pop off its cap.

Post 46: Musical Theatre

It's fun, it's dramatic, and it's entertaining.
Not everybody gets to go see musicals and things.
Thanks, life, for giving me musical theatre.

Post 45: Awesome Dreams

Those times when you wake up, and have to lie in bed for another half-hour, just to relive every moment of your dream.

Post 44: Laptops

I can do all kinds of things with a laptop. I can talk to people. I can write blog posts. I can watch pointless videos. Not everybody has access to one of these.
I'm grateful for the laptops I have access to so readily.

Post 43: Simon and Garfunkel

Simon and Garfunkel. Oh boy!
I love this band and the beautiful music they have created. They have been my life's soundtrack for a while now.
If you've never heard them, look 'em up.
The following are what I consider their best songs:

I Am A Rock
Flowers Never Bend With The Rainfall
The Sound of Silence
The Boxer
The Bridge Over Troubled Water


Those are just a few of this bands many, many amazing songs.
I'm grateful for this band formed in 1957 from New York.

Post 42: The Feel-Goods

Different people give it different names.
But most people I've met have felt it at least once in their lives. It's a very hard feeling to describe. One could say it's like a light switch was flipped on inside your body. One could say it's like floating. One could say a lot of things.
It's the feeling of ultimate joy. Where you are so overcome with happiness you want to go share the feeling with everybody you see.
I love that feeling.
And I'm grateful for it in my life.

Post 41: Handshakes

Lots of people look at handshakes as a good way to judge newcomers into their lives. A weak handshake translates into a weak personality, etc...
But not me. When I shake hands with somebody, that means that I've met somebody knew. It means that I am meeting someone who could potentially become very important to me in the not-so-distant future.
New people means new experiences.
I'm grateful for handshakes.
Thanks, handshakes.

Post 40: Last-minute Playdates

Sitting at home with nothing to do.
One phone call and seven minutes later, I'm having a fantastic time with one of my best friends.

I love it when last minute playdates work. I'm so grateful for them.
And life.

Post 39: Toes

They keep me upright when I want to be upright. They keep me up. Help me stand tall.
Thanks, toes.

Post 38: Email

I can communicate with people that are thousands of miles away from me! It's beautiful!

Post 37: Sleep

It helps us all stay (mostly) sane.
Thanks, sleep. Love you.

Post 36: Forced Friends

One of the strangest assignments I ever received was to call the same girl every day.
It wasn't quite that forced, but we had to pick someone in class, ask them if they would like to be our buddy, exchange communication methods, and communicate every day.
It's been months now, since that assignment was given. Semester has changed, and neither myself nor "Leslie" (for that's what we'll call her) are in that class anymore. We weren't graded on how often we talked, and sometimes we would miss a few days. At the end of semester, we decided to set up a different schedule for calls, as we were both getting more and more busy. It failed.
Today was the first time in weeks that I've talked to Leslie. And it didn't hit me until we were in the middle of our conversation that I realized that I actually missed Leslie and our telephone conversations. For some reason, it never occurred to me that somewhere in the past five or six months, we became friends.
I think that's what our teacher was going for. He wanted everyone in class to make a friend that they probably never would have made otherwise. He gave us all someone to talk to during hard times. That was actually a big part of what he was saying when he had us start the assignment. He told us to share personal experiences with these people, to give each other advice and talk about things.
Well, it worked for me.
I'm grateful for a friend that I never would have gotten if it weren't for a before-school, optional class that most people don't want to take.

Post 35: Nail Clippers

These are extremely underrated devices. Would you like to have disgustingly long nails that ruin everything for you?
Neither would I. Hence my gratefulness for these little doo-hickeys.

Post 34: Bowties

You may be wondering. Clothes? Or pasta?
The answer:
Both.

Delicious, and attractive. Can't get much better than that.

Post 33: Lunch

It's delicious, it keeps me going, and I'm grateful for it.

Post 32: Great People

Especially one great lady.
I have lived close to this woman for some years now, and as a child I found her boring.
Now, however, I try to find time to visit her when I can. After all, it's not something everyone can do, visiting a woman who will celebrate her one-hundred-and-third birthday this coming Valentine's Day.
Yes, you read that right.
She will be 103 years old in 13-ish days.
She has taught me so much. So much. and sadly, I can't seem to find the words to say exactly what those things are. She is an extremely interesting person, who (despite her age) is still on top of everything. She remembers who is where and what's been happening lately in all of her neighbors' lives.
I'm grateful for this woman, and the chance I've had to get to know her a little bit in my life.