practice 'Happiness Manifesto' daily

1. I took a loooooooooooooooooooong lunch today and rode my bike to the National Arts Club.
2. I’n meeting Wendy to talk about country living—while we’re both in the city.
3. Book club meets tonite – Bel Canto – great book.
4. Planning parties this morning with one of my 7 year olds.
5. The unbelievable beauty of the flowering trees in Riverside Park and Central Park. It is brief and exquisite.

I’ll smile at a stranger. Someone smiled at me while we were both stranded on a traffic island crossing Broadway. At first, I thought, Is she weird? Then, I thought, that’s nice. Maybe she’s practicing the Happiness Manifesto.

gratitude for my work, my journal, my black boots, my kids, and, yes, my smile.

1. coffee
2. meeting my friend for lunch
3. sparkpeople.com (inspiring me to lose 10 lbs.)
4. my kids
5. my beautiful office

1. pediatric cardiologist returned phone call about son’s heart condition immediately today
2. the brilliance & kindness of doctors
3. being the executive in charge – sounds important
4. my bike & riverside park
5. dreams
6. going to italy in ONE WEEK!!!

1. voted (go Hillary Clinton! We’re from the same hometown!)
2. dreamed about our trip next week to Italy
3. kissed the kids
4. had laughs with coworkers
5. chatted about upcoming articles I’m working on and schedules

3 engagements just for me (that IS unusual) being a mom of 3 I’m not always the first one invited.

here goes
grateful
1. to my cousin in italy who’s helping me w/travel plans
2. for leaving in 2 weeks, Bolgona, Ravenna, Venice
3. for josie’s coming along to babysit
4. for friends joining us for part of the way
5. for my husband’s not complaining that he’s not going and that he has fabulous work to do
6. for my job where i’ve been italy-obsessed and still able to achieve

is very effective but highly unusual in NYC.

counting blessings -
1. work as a writer
2. nice new haircut
3. my son’s math scores on standardized test – surprising!
4. my daughter’s 2nd grade glass going birdwatching
5. going to bed early.

1. i got some antibiotics
2. i am going out to dinner w/my 9 year old, b/cs he wants more mom time
3. i wrote an article very quickly/fairly painlessly today
4. i’m doing artist’s way again w/bw
5. i’ve been doing more filming/documentary stuff and work and i really like it
6. my mom’s coming to nyc this weekend abd i’m just gonna be chillin’ and happy to see her

1. i’ve had 4 kids for 3 weeks (my nephew joined my fold and he has been a hilarious, happy, emotionally expressive little sweetie – i’m glad it’s been a success)
2. reading philip roth’s American Pastoral
3. my writing work about the anniversary of hurricane katrina – so many people did and do so much good, it’s beyond reporting
4. bush’s low poll numbers (while i know i shouldn’t enjoy his decline, i do)
5. community theater
6. public libraries
7. friends who take the kids all day

1. my kids good health – Catherine’s root canal turned out to be only a deep cavity
2. my mom – she is helping w/the kids while i for a moment work and tho her style is brusque, her underlying attitude is one of love
3. alanon – one day at a time
4. my work – it has meaning, a good cause, nice people
5. my husband – despite his parkinson’s disease, he took catherine to the dentist and works and never complains

these things matter because life is precious and short.

and besides, as my coworker and i discussed No one really likes a complainer anyway, so what’s the use???