There's an awful lot to be grateful for, today. Really, that's true every day but some days it's just more apparent than others, isn't it? Here's my list of things I feel like saying "Wahoo!" about, today:1. The internet, the great equalizer - I've been thinking about this a lot, lately. If not for the internet - blogs, listservs, email - I would have missed out on meeting some terrific, fascinating, thought-provoking, like-minded people merely because they're not in my age range or, you know, on my side of the world, etc. I'm so truly grateful for all the wonderful people I've met thanks to the internet. I don't mean the winged guy above left.
2. Bird song - The sun is out and I've been outside potting some more flowers. The sound of the birds singing was just magical. It was a joy to listen to them while I was spilling dirt all over the patio. I didn't say I was a tidy person. Okay, here's where the photo comes in. The bird photo at left was not taken here - I snapped him in Alaska, last year. I just thought he was cute and I wanted to throw in a bird photo.
3. Bathtubs and running water - Because I got really sweaty and filthy potting the plants. I did get some of the dirt into the planters. Just thought you'd like to know.
4. A reasonable teenager - This is not something to take lightly: I have an even-tempered, well-mannered teenage son, just a really nice kid. I cannot even begin to tell you how immensely grateful I am to be his mother. I've been thinking about how much I appreciate my youngster, today, because the youngest son's claim to rebellion is his hair. He has this huge mop of mildly wavy auburn hair and he likes to grow it out longish, sleep on it wet and then not comb it, so that he kind of looks like he's stuck his finger in a light socket. He thinks it's funny and on an ordinary day he can't be persuaded to do anything to settle the hair down. But, today he had a music festival to go to and I thought he needed to be a little more presentable. So, last night I told him I needed to cut his hair and he should do his best to comb it into tidiness, today. He said, "Okay." Do you know how cool that is? He made a funny comment with a little squeal about all that beautiful hair on the floor, after I trimmed him up, but this morning he got up and combed his hair. Yes! The band director even thanked him. I just love that kid. I was going to paste a photo of him, here, but I seem to be having a little trouble with Picasa. Well, at least you got to see a cute bird.
5. Electricity - Because I've been thinking about The Sex Lives of Cannibals (review below), I'm particularly happy that I can switch on a light (even if it blows out at 5:00 in the morning, while I'm stumbling across the floor to answer the phone), refrigerate and zap food (I'm not much of a cook), and . . . probably most important . . . turn on the air conditioner!!!
Recently walked in my door:
Don't Kiss Them Goodbye by Allison Dubois and
The Secret Lives of People in Love by Simon Van Booy (short stories; an advanced reader - I read the first story, this afternoon, and it was a sweet, smile-inducing story).
Two of the best things I've read this week:
Kookiejar's post on Thin Mints versus Grasshoppers
Bellezza's post on why Sometimes Empty is Good
Totally forgot to mention: My list of books read, this year, was getting too long so I've moved it from my sidebar to a separate blog. So, now there's a link instead of a list in my sidebar. Ignore the photos, if you go there. I took photos of some of the Firefly actors off the TV, yesterday, and wanted to see what they'd look like if posted small enough that you couldn't see the pixels as easily.
Happy Wednesday!
Isn't it a great day when you can be grateful for electricity? It's the simple pleasure in life that make it worth living.
ReplyDeleteMy own pleasant easy-going teenage son wouldn't get a haircut until he finally landed a job! He's now a clerk at ShopKo and looks very handsome with his hair short-ish. ;)
Thanks for the shout-out, by the way. I was wondering about the sudden increase in traffic over at the Fraternity. Appreciate it.
Hooray for Wahoo Wednesdays! You are so right about appreciating the little things in life. The internet has really made us a global community. Thanx for the great post.
ReplyDeleteWhat I wouldn't give for an even-tempered teenager in the house! And I agree about the Internet - without it, I would never have found my family and a great bunch of blogging buddies.
ReplyDeleteI just went to a new hairdresser and came home with a great cut. She actually listened to what I wanted - then did it! Wahoo!!
Kookie,
ReplyDeleteIt's the simple pleasure in life that make it worth living. I love that. And, I strongly agree. Electricity is a wonderful thing, isn't it? :)
Teenagers are funny. My eldest was a lot more of a challenge, so I can tell you that the hair is a non-issue most of the time. I'm just happy he's so pleasant to be around. He'll have short hair when he gets a job, though!
I bumped up your traffic? Cool. I loved your little cookie taste test. It made me smile.
Gavin,
I like those words, "global community". :) I'm glad you enjoyed the post. You're a perfect example, actually, of that comment. It's unlikely I'd ever have met you, if not for our shared love of books and the ability to blog about them!
Lynne,
I like to think God's giving me a break with my second child, as my eldest was quite a handful. You found family via the internet? Wow, that's wonderful! And, of course, having a hairdresser listen to you and give you a terrific cut is definitely a wahoo! :)
I love making little gratitude lists... Especially if I'm having a yucky day. Always serve to remind me about all the things that make me smile. Love the bird pic!
ReplyDeleteI totally agree about the internet. I've met so many cool people (you included) via blogs and such. What a great thing.
ReplyDeleteI often find myself appreciating bird song as well. I often forget to listen to it. It's a sound that I've become so accustomed to. But every now and then, I'll just stop and listen. And it's such a great thing when you can find it's source.
I'd have to agree that bathtubs and electricity are a good thing ;) And you're son sounds great too!
Loved that Thin Mints vs. Grasshopper's post. It was great!
Great post! Your son sounds a lot like mine. A very nice normal kid who has a thing about long hair! The messy-er the better!
ReplyDeleteIliana,
ReplyDeleteExactly! Thinking about what you're grateful for (even if you don't write it down) is such an upper. Thanks on the bird pic. We don't have magpies down here, but I thought they were so pretty. It took me about 5 days to get a decent shot of one!
Chris,
That's such a nice way to put it - so many cool people. Yep, and they add color to your life, don't they (right back at ya on the "you included")? :)
You're right; it's easy to get so accustomed to the birds that you ignore that glorious sound. I make a point of going outside and just standing still, listening to them (when the mosquitoes aren't out, anyway - it won't be long). And, of course, I snap their photos. I was just out a little bit ago and a mockingbird was scolding the neighborhood cats, occasionally dive-bombing them. It was funny!
Speaking of kids, I've got to get ready to fetch the kiddo from swimming. Have a good one!
Suey,
ReplyDeleteIt must be a teenage-boy thing, wanting long, messy hair. My eldest went through a phase, too. I made him keep his short, but I've mellowed a bit. :)
Ah, the Magpie is enough to make me smile! They cirlced outside our cabin door while in Alaska; morning calls more effective than a rooster's. ;D
ReplyDeleteHow sweet are you? I'm so glad you found meaning in my post on Easter. By the way, I'm WITH YOU on the reasonable son thing. We've shared bits and pieces on the difficulty of raising our boys, but there is a lot of joy in it that we don't want to overlook. I'm glad he combed his hair. I'm glad my son doesn't have a tattoo. Or weird body piercing. I'm glad we are mothers.
ReplyDeleteOhhhh....A reasonable teenager. What a blessing, indeed. I had 4 teenager daughters and most of the time they were not very reasonable.
ReplyDeleteI am thankful for all the same things you listed and I appreciate you helping me to pause a moment and reconsider these gifts.
Maggie,
ReplyDeleteHow cool! Well, except maybe for the rude awakening, but if you were like me you didn't sleep much in Alaska, anyway. :)
Bellezza,
I loved your Easter post!! You are so good at looking at the positive; I just adore that about you. Yes, of course - no tattoos! No body piercings! I'm glad we're mothers, too. :)
Booklogged,
4 daughters! Wow, you must be one tough cookie. ;)
Pausing to reconsider gifts - that's such a lovely way to put it. Electricity and running water, bird song and our children - all are definitely gifts. Thanks for the smile.
Great post! Love the idea of Wahoo Wednesday. Whenever I read it I hear Walther Mathau's voice from the movie I.Q. saying, in his Albert Einstein voice, "Wa-hoo!!!".
ReplyDeleteGreat bird, very cool.
Carl,
ReplyDeleteWhat a terrific mental picture! Now, I'm going to imagine good old Walter saying "Wahoo!" every week. Thanks for mentioning that! :)
The magpie was eyeing me to make sure I didn't pounce, I think. Can you tell?