Well, I must say there will be NO blogging outside today. 
It is FREEZING this morning! Instead, I am sitting comfortably with Tooty (aka Comet, my dog) near the fireplace enjoying a warm fire courtesy of my hubby. Merci, beaucoup!
Gratitude! This simple, yet powerful word, is one of the keys that will help me find “inner peace and harmony” this year. Since the beginning of the year, two simple practices each day have already helped me make an attitude adjustment: reading Mark Nepo’s The Book of Awakening: Having the Life You Want by Being Present to the Life You Have every morning and writing in my gratitude journal every evening. They are the bookends of my day. Even in the midst of trials and tribulations, we can always find something to be grateful for in our lives. Sometimes, it is the trial or tribulation.
Nepo’s book is allowing me to examine my thoughts and feelings more closely. It sets the tone of my day. Sometimes, the passage seems like it was written specifically for me while other days it is simply a dose of inspiration. I am no longer dragging myself out of bed thinking about how tired I am and calculating how many hours until I sleep again. Each new day is full of possibilities, opportunities, and…yes challenges. I am blessed to have that new day and can share it with some amazing people. I might also have to share it with some annoying people, as well; however, the beauty of interacting with the annoying people is that it makes you appreciate the amazing people in your life that much more. There is always a silver lining, folks!
My gratitude journal is allowing me to complain less about the annoying people (kidding) and focus less on the negative interpretation of the day. It is all about perception and attitude. I, you, we…all have a choice about how we approach a situation. This does not mean we can never be unhappy, angry, or disappointed. We have to acknowledge those feelings, but not dwell on them to the point that our lives become a miserable cycle of negativity. My gratitude journal for any given day may include being grateful for a hot shower or that aggravating student in 6th period. I know that not everyone on this planet can enjoy a hot shower. I do not want to take that gift for granted. And, that aggravating student makes me appreciate my own children more.
Clearly, there will be days that we classify in the “stink” category. Embrace them for what they are, build a bridge, get over it, and wait for the blessing. Negativity will block the blessing from appearing; however, gratitude will allow it to appear. Enjoy this freezing cold day, dear readers, and be grateful that at least the sun is shining! Happiness!
“There are two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” ~ Albert Einstein
What an absolutely gorgeous day! The sun is out, the temperature is cool, and the air is crisp. I took my little dog out to do his business before starting my business of writing and soon found myself sitting on my front porch basking in the sunshine and watching the birds and squirrels. I closed my eyes, listened, and felt peace. It only lasted a few minutes. However, it inspired me to write outside today. Thus, I am now writing this post outside on the deck in the backyard while enjoying a cup of hot green tea with honey. It is cooler than I expected since I am more in the shade than in the sun; however, it feels wonderful, and I am PRESENT. Nature has that effect.
attendance this year. My goal was to get a glimpse of the actor Jeremy Renner who has starred in films like American Hustle, Mission Impossible, and Marvel’s The Avengers. Andrew and I took a picture with Scott Wilson (Hershel, The Walking Dead) and sat in on a panel featuring William Shatner (Captain Kirk, Star Trek). Mr. Wilson was very sweet, and Mr. Shatner was hilarious. Andrew played in a video game tournament for a new PlayStation 4 game called Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm 4. While he did not advance to the 
second round, he had the opportunity to preview this game which he preordered last week. Both Andrew and I bought a couple of items. I found an X-Files t-shirt! If you do not already know, I am a huge X-Files fan, and I am super-excited because the show is coming back on television this month for a six-episode revival. Needless to say, I am stoked!
