identify 100 things that make me happy (besides money)

85. Bubbles
86. Kissing/cuddling
87. Winterguard
88. Concerts
89. My apartment (2nd st.)
90. Road trips
91. Farmers’ market
92. Outdoor activities – hiking, climbing, running, long bike rides, etc.

1. boys
2. books
3. Barnes and Noble
4. coxing
5. Fall/Autumn
6. Colors/pretty things/art/art supplies/school supplies/paper/materials
7. nature/water/fire/woods/hiking/greenery
8. gardens
9. rainbows
10. sunsets
11. thunderstorms
12. purple/green/orange
13. food/cooking/different kinds/specific faves
-pasta, smoothies, cheesecake, ice cream/popsicles/fresh fruit mangoes strawberries blueberries/hot chocolate/clemintines/nutella/chocolate milk/eggnog/milkshakes/mac and cheese/meatloaf/rice/filipino food/japanese food/thai food/churros/haagen daz/smoothie king/tapioca/condensed milk
14. childhood memories of playing/summers – sprinklers/swimming/lemonade/free time/reading marathons
15. family – immediate/extended/friends/parents/siblings/cousins
possibilities
16. marching band
17. internet
18. being curled up in blankets on a winter day etc.
19. myself physically
20. music – playing, discovering, getting lost in, enjoying, connecting over, string music, meaningful lyrics, choir performances, piano
21. late night, long conversations about whatever, either in RL or phone
22. travel/wanderlust
23. flying/having a window seat
24. mail
25. coziness
26. novelty
27. long-lost things/friends
28. laughing so hard it hurts/i start crying/contagious/can’t stop
29. school
30. gratitude
31. chapstick/lipgloss
32. notebooks/journals
33. moleskines
34. feeling of everything being clean/done/organized/accomplished/ahhhhh
35. travel/alone/family vacations
36. school breaks
37. hot springs
38. good grades
39. hugs from boys and girls
40. surprises/gifts/messages/mail/weather/good fortune
41. flip flops
42. socks – new/colorful/bright/funky/wacky/unique/fuzzy/warm/all paired up
43. from the mouths of babes/wisdom of children
44. babies/holding a baby
45. wet sand on bare feet
46. sound of rain on windows
47. water – falling/flowing/being on/looking at
48. wonder at life through science – biology/chemistry/physics/astronomy/calculus
49. new understanding/comprehension/that aha! moment
50. coincidences/synchronities
51. good songs on the radio
52. games – childhood/boardgames/travel games/clapping games/jump rope rhymes/don’t break the ice/hungry hungry hippoes/jenga/parchchisi/barrel of monkees/pretty pretty princess/life/Klutz brand
53. purple ink
54. outdoor festivals – st. james art, salt lick, ohio rennaisance
55. wishbones
56. compliments/praise/getting hit on, especially when not feeling so great about myself
57. theater – watching plays/musicals/high school productions/ballet/operas/recitals/behing the scenes/being on stage
58. field trips
59. second hand bookshops/used bookstores
60. feeling of belonging/satisfaction/@home/relaxed
61. smell of cooking/baking bread
62. smelly good shower and beauty products
63. campfires/bonfires
64. health
65. my car
66. connecting with people
67. soft/fluffy
68. beautiful/awe-ing architecture
69. dark beautiful rich dirt
70. gear
71. analog clocks
72. public libraries
73. cheap/perfect finds/thrift shopping
74. ice skating/christmas lights tours/carraige rides/pine tree smell/playing in the snow/snow creations/christmas cards/snow angels/light in the dark
75. puzzles – jigsaw, crossword, sudoku
76. feeling clean after a shower, long hot baths, bubble baths, childhood bubble baths with siblings and cousins
77. miniatures/dollhouses
78. history/museums/stories/legends/artifacts/archaeology
79. mango
80. green apple
81. feeling of clay on hands
82. theme parks – rollercoasters, corn dogs, cotton candy, arcade games
83. parents letting you have an icee
84. rowing – winning a race, being on the water, sunrises, teammates, bonds, racing

I’ve always loved watching the Olympics. Especially the opening ceremonies. It just… makes me feel good. Happy. Such a source of inspiration. Couldn’t have come at a better time.

Because they represent many of the ideals that I’ve held onto for a while. You know. World Peace. People living their dreams. Hearing all the different languages (SO cool). The music. Just… seeing all those people from all over the world in one place. The emotion. The children. The flame. The traditions. Learning about the history of whatever the host country is. As well as the athletes’ fairy tale stories. Heroes, heh. People my age competing, and younger. And older. And much more, i’m just unable to put it into words.

I used to dream about competing in the Olympics. When I was, what, 9… 10? Yeah. I did rhythmic gymnastics and seriously believed that I could do it. Heck, with the right circumstances, I probably could’ve. Funny how BIG my dreams were as a kid, how much I thought I was capable of. I probably believed that I would grow up to save the world. Hey, even in high school there was the dream of being the Olympic coxswain for the US rowing team. Best of the best. Silly me. Who knows.

1. Yoga: it has helped me immensely. Not so much the physical part, but the philisophy. It is calming, causes introspection in good ways, inspires me to make changes for the better, helps me be a little more centered, is aiding with my “figure out who I am” journey and my self-awareness, and so so SO much more good. The physical practice also gives a a time to retreat to and calm myself. I intend for yoga to become a permanent element in my life.