April 30, 2012 (ASL): Imaginary Friends

You know... the ones that only you can see?
The ones that steal your food and poke you during tests?
The ones that think Singapore is in Wisconsin?

Yes.
I'm grateful for them.
They're grand beings.

April 30, 2012: The Giggles

I'm grateful for the giggles.

Especially the friends who inflict such torture. Rather than poking and prodding when you say your day was bad, they will simply try to make you smile.

But eventually the smile gets too big to stay on your face and must immediately burst into the world.
And you get into such a fit of giggles that you are rolling on your back and squishing your eyes so you can't see.

And any upset-ness you felt was immediately released out of your mouth and replaced only by happyness.

April 29, 2012: Telescopes

Space is a very large, very far away thing.

With a telescope, we can bring the heavens that much closer. We can see things that we never could have imagined up.

We can see the beauty of the Universe.

April 28, 2012: Wite-Out

It makes things white again.

April 27, 2012: My Left Shoe

What do you get when you mix improv theatre, improv music, J. Edgar Hoover, Australia, 78 Things I Hate About You, a ditzy American scientist, spies, juvenile delinquents, and oceans?
You get "My Left Shoe", which is unique and probably never to be ever repeated ever again.

April 26, 2012: Glockenspiels

This amazing instrument has enough personality with its name alone to make people smile.

April 25, 2012: Yellow

Though it's despised by many, the color yellow remains among my favorites on account of its vibrant personality and refusal to change simply because people don't like it.

April 24, 2012: British Authors

From flying bricks and the number 42, to a flat world resting on the backs of four elephants that are standing on the back of a turtle flying through space, British minds seem to be the best at being awesome.

April 23, 2012: This Video

That video right there changed my life.

'Nuff said.

April 22, 2012: Exclamation Points

They make life more exciting!

(ASL) April 21, 2012: My Tongue

Without it, I could not speak, and, being an actor, I consider speaking the speech trippingly on the tongue to be of utmost importance.

April 21, 2012- Tissues

A small square of cotton.
Easily obtained and quickly thrown away.
Yet, when one is sick with a runny nose, it is these small things that help me survive.

Thanks, inventor of tissues, for preventing me from stuffing grass, hay, or something of the sort up my nose.

April 20, 2012: Pillows

They're comfortable and sleep-inducing.

And at this moment in time, I don't want anything else in my life.

April 19, 2012: The Piano Guys

Normally, I try to stay away from mentioning specific groups or people here on this blog.

But tonight, I'm too excited to keep it to myself.

The Piano Guys.

WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!

If you are reading this, you have internet access.

And so I'm giving you an assignment.

Go to youtube dot com, and look up the Piano Guys.

Watch the video entitled "Michael meets Mozart" and be amazed.

And then look up everything else they've done and be blown away completely.

April 18, 2012: Brains

Despite popular belief, I am not a zombie.

I do, however, love brains.

Mostly, I love how well some people use the ones they have been given.

How they have learned to think creatively, usefully, and brilliantly.

April 17, 2012: Needles

Because I like wearing clothes, I must be grateful for the process of making clothes, which involves these very point, sharp things.
Scary in some circumstances, ridiculously useful in others.
Next time you see a needle and you start to freak out, think of all the good things needles like that have done for you.

(ASL's) April 16, 2012: Firewood

If you have it, you can be warm.
And if you're in a situation in which you're using it, you're probably either outside in a camping-ish situation, or your home has a wood stove, which is nice.

April 16, 2012: The color Red

I simply can't help myself.

Each, and every single time I see the color red, I break into a huge grin that can't seem to be hidden.

It doesn't matter what exactly is red.

Leaves on trees, nail polish, hair, shoes.

It is all so wonderful and brings me oh, so much joy.

April 15, 2012: Dry Erase Markers

Sometimes it's the little things.

April 14, 2012: Shotguns

They are very fun to shoot.
They make a loud noise, and... yeah!
I like them. Usually.

April 13, 2012: My Imagination

"...you’ve heard of the French nation or the British nation. Well, this is the Imagi-nation. It’s a wonderful place!"

-Kris Kringle, Miracle on 34th Street

That quote right there just about sums it up. The Imagination is a place where one can go to do everything they ever wanted to do. A place where there are no limits. A place where everything can happen, and frequently does.

If you've never had the pleasure of taking a trip to the Imagination, I would suggest you start packing as soon as you can. It'll be well worth the trip.

April 12, 2012: Roller Blades

You out them on your feet, and you zoom around awesomely.
I miss the ones I used to have.
One day, I'll get another pair.

April 12, 2012: Birthday's

Not necessarily my own, per say.

In fact, when I celebrate my own, the age is usually made up.

No, I like others better.

Just seeing the pure joy and happyness radiating off of them.

It's beautiful.

Especially when you call them in the wee hours of the morn.

That's my favorite.

Plus, sometimes you get a cupcake out of it. :)

And hello. I am unbelievably excited to be here.

April 11, 2012: Kittens

They're tiny, cute, and just plain adorable.
Oftentimes, they make little noises that make you want to cry they're so cute.
They will occasionally sit in your lap, and make you love them even more.
I love kittens.
And cats.
But this post is about kittens.

April 10, 2012: The United States Postal Service (and another introduction)

I have this thing rather near my house. It's called a mailbox.
Every once in a while, a man puts things inside of it for me. Things like cards, and letters, and rubber bands.
That's what this guys job is. To bring people things.
And he isn't the only one. There's a huge force of people working to send everything everyone wants sent.
I'm so glad they exist.


Now.
We have another lady joining the TTP Authorship boat. We'll be calling her Happy Girl.
She happens to be a very close friend of mine, and I am very excited to see what she brings to this here blog of gratitude and joy.

April 9, 2012: Velociraptors

ROAR!

April 8, 2012: My Savior

I won't even try to put into words what Jesus Christ means to me.

April 7, 2012: Pugs

I want you to understand something. I am not a dog person.

So when my neighbors asked me to take care of their pug while they were in Mexico I was a bit hesitant to accept, but decided to be nice and not let their poor dog die while its owners were away.

This was the first morning I went to go take the animal out for a short walk.
When I walked in, Joey (for that is the pug's name) was so excited to see me and go outside I had to give her a few scratches behind the ears and a happy greeting.

It's a bit odd. I don't like dogs. And pugs are typically snorty, farty little guys that are a bit more... doggy than most dogs.
And yet, today I found myself genuinely liking the creature.

Sometimes I think we just need to take the time to see someone in a different light. It can change how we view them completely.

April 6, 2012: Spring Break

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.

April 5, 2012: (ASL) Jell-O

Okay, okay... So I live in Utah.
So I didn't know it came in any other colors besides green until I was ten or eleven.
But that doesn't stop the fact that it's delicious and jibbly-wibbly-wobbly-hobbledy.

April 5, 2012: Good Lyrics.

The kind that are simple, and short.
But the kind that make you think, really hard.
And when you finally get it
it's an idea so profound you can't get over it.
And it changes you, little by little,
from the inside out.


Also, Hello.

April 4, 2012: Telepathawesome communications, and an announcement!

It's like telepathy, but way more awesome.
I would try to explain how it works, but that would be impossible. Either you have it, or you don't.
I, luckily, have a telepathawesome connection with a good friend of mine, and it's been grand.



Also!
There is a change coming I feel I should announce. I, ASL, will no longer be the only person posting on this blog.
Periodically, my good friend Sara (except we'll call her Bird on this blog) will be sharing tidbits of gratitude as well. She tells me she's planning on writing for TTP roughly twice a week.
I look forward to seeing what she brings to the table of thankfulness to share with us all.

April 3, 2012: All the Things I Hate

This post is difficult to write.

But let me try to explain my thinking here.

It is in the nature of humans to hate things, like things, love things, and not-really-care about things.

Now. If everything I love was all there was, what would I hate?
Something I currently love, undoubtedly, because I would have to hate something.

If that doesn't make sense, I apologize.

If you do understand, you should go buy yourself a cookie or something.

April 2, 2012: Fire

It's fascinating.

It's hot.

It's beautiful.

It can be scary sometimes.

But I am grateful for it, nonetheless.

April 1, 2012: The Mormon Tabernacle Choir

So good.