Periodically reflect on at least 5 things for which I'm grateful

1. Lil niece is 40 days old :) _{Nothing special about being a 40-day old, I suppose, except a reason to be grateful :)}

2. For a long conversation with dad (Mom wasn’t home, otherwise, “Son, I have to give the phone to your mom to get her off my back,” he would say… “sounds like a solid plan,” I’d remark. “Take care of yourself,” and he’d pass the phone with a chuckle :) Men need this! :))

3. For feeling a bit healthier (at least for a fraction of the day)

4. For getting another paper published.

5. For the cool weather in the morning… it’s nice to be cool in summer :)

6. For meeting some (more) wonderful interesting people… _{I haven’t figured out why this happens yet, but I keep meeting wonderful and nice people only!}

1. I have a niece now! And she and her mom are both healthy and well. :D _{Hands off of her! Yeah, I’ll be the crazy uncle…}
2. M’s thesis-writing is finally finished. _{I did some proofreading for him, including the acknowledgment section, and now it contains very nice things about me! ;)}
3. K’s surgery went well…
4. Nice and helpful staff (and they smile too).
5. Friends who volunteer to take up the tasks _{especially when I don’t feel like volunteering! :)}

1. It’s gonna be a niece! Time to go shopping for baby clothes! :)
2. Boss seems to be supportive of the idea of me going away!
3. Monster grant proposal is finally submitted… now, where were we?
4. Restored health.
5. Friends. Helpful friends. Brutally honest friends. :)

A lot to be grateful about, but the huge thing first:
1. my sister is expecting! I’ve been on a cloud all day :)
2. friends… ummm, and silly friends. Any time I’m out of office, this kid changes my desktop image! :) I’m grateful this time it did not involve red cars or bikinis. :)
3. progress at work
4. rain, in moderation. I really enjoy the vibrant colors and enhanced contrast in the scenery after a little bit of rain
5. butter, cheese, and soft oatmeal bread, especially when properly layered :)

1. that S&M’s S&O’s baby is finally out of the hospital
2. that E made it back all right (despite a little bit of controversy!)
3. that I have a silly sister! (she asked me if I wanted anything… I said “your wallet please…,” jokingly. And look what she’s sent me… a wallet! _{I can’t confirm if it’s hers, though; no driving license inside, you see :)})
4. that everybody back home seems to be happy in the pictures (I know, pictures are a bit biased, but still…)
5. that it’s raining

1. Newborn babies! Not one, but three (my cousin, a colleague, and a high-school classmate; all within a week!). All healthy and all girls :) I’m so happy and excited for them :)

2. A phone call, talking to a room-full of relatives :)

3. A pleasant correspondence with someone in our administrative office.

4. That the deadline is pushed back by one whole month! (even though I’d rather get things over with by next week!)

5. Friends who go back home and connect with my family (I’m still going to kick their behind for some of the things they’ve said, of course! :))

1. Morning calls from home… it makes my day. :)
2. That the newborn “A” is finally here! And he’s healthy. It’s another one of those “almost uncle” situations. I went to college with his mother, and work with his father… both of them good friends of mine. :)
3. Ping-pong time with the new guys! Boy, they’re competitive!
4. No-crisis days.
5. Bach.

1. Family-grade friends :)
2. Great weather and occasional rain (despite the wind today).
3. Receiving something in time, which saved me a lot of hassle.
4. An old friend stopping by for a visit (finally!)... and revived college-time memories.
5. A chance to meet some great 43Ters in a couple of hours :)

1. Improvements in our soccer game as a team.
2. Two of my cousins expecting babies… woohoo… makes me feel almost like an uncle. ;)
3. More human interaction in my everyday routine. :)
4. No work on Saturday, and not feeling guilty about it!
5. Friends remembering jokes I’ve made a long time ago (I had forgotten it!)
6. Being trusted.

1. Playing soccer, in particular, fun recreational ones with friends
2. A safety net that never lets me fall too low
3. Apples
4. New friends, and now that I’m at it, old friends :)
5. Family (it’s absolute delight when mom and her two sisters are together… the way the three of them interact :))