10 Things That Make Me Happy

Mrs. Fatass tagged me so I must oblige, and it should make for a nice, light, Friday post.   She tagged me last week but at the time I was in major back pain and nothing was making me happy.  So, in no particular order…

1.  Technology!  I love that I have a computer that sits on my lap on the couch.  My phone allows me to stay in constant communication if I chose to pay attention to it (which I often don’t but… whatevs).  My car works off a battery until it needs more power, and only then it uses gas.  When I watch TV in my living room, it might as well be a movie.

2.  Social Networking/Blogging/Internet Communication in general.  On twitter and facebook I can keep in touch VERY easily with everyone from former coworkers to my best friends from junior high school.  I’ve met some damn cool people blogging and reading blogs.  The internet in general makes the world just shrink down to nothing and puts like-minded people together.  How cool is that?

3.  Video Games.  I do believe I rekindled my affection for games this vacation.  I forgot the awesome thrill of solving a puzzle that Zliten and I had been working on over and over in Final Fantasy Crystal Defenders.  Or accidentally taking over the controller playing Brutal Legend and beating the game on the first try.  Or playing Peggle for hours.  I think I’m into slightly different games than I was a few years ago, but I need to remember to make time to play.  It is, after all, job research.

4.  Our house.  I’ve never felt so at home somewhere.  It is so us.  The kitchen is bright green and has a crayon green fairy drawing on the wall.  We have an awesome two-propellor huge silver fan that looks like it should be on an airship.  The workout room is bright orange and yellow and blue.  The light comes in the bedroom and wakes me up gently most mornings.  We have plenty of room – maybe too much, but we’re used to it now so there is no going back.  Some of my favorite days are just spent sitting outside enjoying my back patio.

5.  Austin.  I’ve loved both the places I’ve chosen to live as an adult (Reno being by default, I’m not counting it), but I think I feel more at home here in the ATX rather than San Diego.  The weather is pretty damn nice (this winter is pushing it though…), I can afford to live in a metropolitan area where I can walk to dinner and a movie, or the community pool, or the grocery store, or a place to go dancing, or clothes shopping…and the list can go on.  The amount of places I can hit on my bike?  Tenfold.

5.  My friends and family.  It’s really nice to have a group of friends locally that I hang out with on a weekly basis.  I need the reminders to just relax and have fun, and have fun we do!   And it’s nice to have my parents close enough to see on a regular basis.  Sometimes I forget I need people and it’s really super nice to never really have the chance to withdraw that often anymore.

6.  Running.  I love to have finally found something workout-wise that engages my competitive side and took me from fitness as a mechanism to lose weight to something I enjoy for it’s own sake.  Something I can do all by myself or with a big group.  Outside or inside.  Something that’s as easy as putting one foot in front of each other but can be as complicated and self-testing as I want it to be.  Something that I am incredibly proud that I can associate myself as (a runner).

7.  My own personal slice of fashion.  When I’ve got something on that makes me feel like I look damn good, I feel awesome all day.  Whether I was pushing 250 or 150, there is something to be said about clothing that makes you feel good wearing.  And I’m not talking about what you put on to putter around the house or sleep in.  I mean, the clothes you put on, look in the mirror, and want to make out with yourself.  A cute skirt, some tights, a sweater, and my new pirate boots, and I’m making eyes at myself all day in the mirror.  I’d do more fashion posts but…damn, I am lazy and forget to get pictures of myself when I look particularly nice.

8.  My Zliten – I seriously never though that it was possible to have such an awesome relationship and share such an amazing love with someone.  I seriously used to stay up at night and wish on the stars for someone like him.

9.  Writing.  Really digging in my head and finding the words to tell a story, or convey how I’m feeling.  People reading my writing is even cooler!

10.  I agree with Mrs. Fatass – me.  Even though I still have a lot to settle in my head, I am constantly amazed at things I can do.   I’ve come really far and accomplished a lot in many different aspects of my life, and I know it’s just getting started.  I used to think life was just going to go downhill at 30, and now, I know it’s so not the case.

Woohoo, there we go.  I am going to  just tag anyone reading this, because I love to learn new things about everyone!  If you do it, leave me a comment with a link to it.  Or, just leave a comment with one random thing about you, because that’s just about as fun, right?  Hope you all have a lovely weekend!

EDIT: Just realized I had 5 twice.  So I guess I have 11 things to be happy about!

EDIT 2: Also remember that I hit publish before finishing my sentences for 6/7.  It must be almost Friday! *blushes*