Happiness in list form

In honor of my currently being a little mopey, here’s Charles Schulz-esque tribute to things that make me happy. (To be added to whenever I feel like it.)

Happiness is:
-a friend that blocks out the nutrition info on the chocolate bar she gave you.
-watching Aidan tell Carrie “You broke my heart!” over and over again. Because it’s funny.
-ice cream for dinner.
-guilty pleasure music.
-netflix in the mail box.
-finishing a crossword puzzle.
-watching movies all day (and night).
-a sleeping kitten.

23

Adios, golden birthday. Hello…another year just like every other year. I’m not as melancholy as this post probably sounds.

I think we need birthdays to remind us, even if it’s once a year, that people are glad we were born. That they are specifically happy that we’re in the world and not just any old schmoe. At least, I needed that this year. For one day (or maybe one weekend) I need everything to be about me, is that so wrong?

Last year on my birthday I sat with some friends in Boston, wondering whether this was it. Feeling like 22 was as good as it was going to get, and we were expected to do this (job, rent, etc) for the rest of our lives. A year later, with a little more perspective, I can see that the life we live is what we do outside of the job, and rent, and paying the bills. Our lives are lived in the small moments of everyday, the moments that seem big but pass when we exhale.

This year I’m going to try to spend more time living within each breath and seeing what I see. I’ll let you know how it goes.

FALL

You know I can’t resist it. It is capital letters FALL out there, finally.

I spent the past week in Columbus, Ohio, being reminded that people live in cities other than New York. Which is really nice to be reminded of. There is life outside this island. Came back to play with the kitten and take in an evening of jazz with L, as an early birthday present pour moi.

Stress seems to be gone with the humidity, and even though I still don’t know what to do with my life, it isn’t so pressing anymore. I’m only 23 (almost) and I have time. I’ll be spending that time knitting a scarf, reading the new Russell Banks (it isn’t out yet) and watching seasons 2 and 3 of Veronica Mars, if you need me.