Lovely Little Things

This weekend was all about enjoying the little things. I didn't get far from home, but it was one of those weekends that felt long, because it was a series of simple, enjoyable moments. People ask us on Mondays what we did over the weekend, and we usually just list the one or two "big" things we did. (It's just a hallway conversation, after all.) But this weekend what I want to remember are the little things. Here are a few of my favorites:

--Watching a favorite movie that I've seen with people who haven't. (This time is was Twilight, big surprise.)
--The intense look of concentration on the face of my little 16 month old niece as she pushed an empty laundry basket up and down the hall (over and over again).
--The crunch of crisp bread-and-butter pickles on my turkey sandwich. (This was an all-time-top-10 sandwich, people.)
--Finding out that a pair of hawks are building a nest in our treeline. (Though I don't think it will make the bluebirds incredibly happy.)
--Sitting on the floor with my niece, playing with her fisher price farm set.
--The satisfaction of hitting "print" on the tax program once all the fields have finally been filled in. (Yes, major procrastination here.)

Hope your weekend was just as full of lovely little things, too!

And They Call It...Puppy Love

I had such a happy surprise today...my copy of Twilight arrived (pre-ordered, of course), before the release!! We weren't expecting it today. So of course, my happy for the evening was relishing that movie start to finish.

As you'd expect, I read the books, and so I'm an instant fan. But beyond that, I love the cinematography and the simple scenes between Edward and Bella. I think it's a beautifully captured budding romance.

Maybe my real happy is remembering New Love. There's just something about the tension and temperamental moods...and those time-stopping moments where you're seeing through each other eyes, straight into heart and soul. I think it's one of the most powerful moments in our lives--we don't fully appreciate the heights our emotions have reached until later, when time has softened and shaped love into something more durable and lasting (but still lovely). Later we grin about the sappiness and silliness we displayed way back then--but do we really appreciate those fleeting moments of pure, passionate emotion, when, just for a time, honest, uncomplicated feeling had the power to overtake and envelop every aspect of our lives.

It doesn't always last. I'm lucky, my husband and I enjoy reminiscing over our first year of meeting, dating, falling in love. And even though we've been together ten years now, and have moved beyond the intensity of new love, we came through that with deeper feelings that will last all our lives. But I know some new loves fade into friendship, some turn into darker feelings, some just fall away entirely. I've been through those, too. But experiencing those moments of connection are a gift, however long it lasts.
Twilight might be the hot new fantasy movie, full of vampires and werewolves, but it's the love story that keeps me coming back for more.

It strikes me that this is a very girly blog. I didn't really intend to start that way...sorry for the sappy...it just comes out on its own, sometimes. :)

March 4, 2009

Another random Thursday. Nothing special about today. Actually, there’s quite a lot that’s un-special about it. I have laryngitis, for one thing. I overslept this morning. I’m starting to doubt I’ll have a 401K by the time the economy improves. One of my dogs isn’t speaking to me because she couldn’t have prime lap position tonight. And my only way to work has become a construction zone that’s supposed to last for two years. We’re talking 45 per hour max on the interstate, with a $250 minimum fine for speeding, and redneck truck drivers breathing down my ass.

When I think about it, most weeks are filled with un-special days. I think we all feel that way. When isn’t there a list of wish-it-hadn’ts and should-have-nevers in our day?

We could try the “glass is half full” philosophy, but really, that just means that we still have a half glass of problems staring us in the face. Why can’t our glass ever be three quarters full? And I’d like mine topped off once in a while. A nice frothy, overflowing head of wonderful. Why don’t we have more of those days?

So acknowledging the lack of perfection in my life, and the knowledge that this trend will likely continue…I’m going to try something different. I’m going look for one thing every day…the one shining happy moment. Okay, it sounds almost as trite as thinking of my imaginary glass as half full.

But I’m not going to cheat and say “my family” or “my country” or any other obvious thing that of course we’re thankful for. I’m going to find something new every day…something surprising or unexpected. Things that might even be silly or quirky or funny…that celebrate the imperfect nature of life. Perfection would probably get pretty boring, after all.

Okay, today’s shining happy….
Drumroll, please…this is a big one…prepare yourself.

Dakota Fanning is for sure going to be in New Moon (according to very reliable gossip websites). And the Twilight DVD releases in just two and a half weeks.

I said it was my happy for the day…not yours! Okay, so you think it’s lame. And it might be. I admit it, I’m Potter-obsessed, Cullen-crazy, and I even read every Brisingr novel, even after seeing the movie. What’s life without a little fantasy? Fantasy brings two whole hours of perfection, in a world where I just might get to fly or be involved in a wicked wand fight.

It might be silly, it might not save my 401K, but it still makes me smile.

That’s it for today. Hopefully I (and maybe even you) will look back on March 4th as a red-letter day. This is the beginning of a happier, bloggier future for me.

P.S. My husband just told me it’s actually March 5th. Darn it.