Day 31: January 31, 2011

As the month comes to a close, I am pleasantly surprised at how much I am enjoying recording my thanks. Each day I find myself spending a lot of time thinking about all that I have to be grateful for. Sometimes it's tiny little things and sometimes it's more global parts of my life, but I love that I am ending each day thinking about the best part of it. It has made me a lot more cognisant of how focusing on the positives instead of the negatives can really put a different "spin" on every part of life. Usually thinking of something that I'm thankful for that day is easy, but a few days I realized halfway through my blog post that I was actually focusing more on the negatives of the day than the positives....delete. I'm one month in, and I think I just may be able to sustain all my resolutions for the year!

As for the progress on my other resolutions,

Books read: 2

Currently reading: Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese

New Recipes Tried: 4

This week's Recipe: Brown Butter Cocoa Walnut Brownies

And today I am thankful for Subway station musicians. As I made my way to jury duty this morning (by the way, I did not get selected) I encountered a man with an accordion playing pop songs, singing with all his heart, doggy as his band mate, and random man chiming in with partial lyrics. I had to slow down to appreciate it, even if it meant smelling the vomit-like odor that filled the MUNI station this morning for a few more seconds. And seriously, what is it about subway stations and the crazy acoustics? I think, like the shower, they make everyone sound better.

I have always been intrigued by the subway musician. On my last visit to Paris I emerged to find a mini-symphony taking place in the station that made the hair on my arms stand up. In Rome I remember a woman and her daughter singing opera in the bustling Colosseum station. In fact, I have pretty vivid memories of underground musicians in most of the cities I have visited. I have definitely witnessed more than a few that should NOT quit their day jobs, but I always appreciate the life they bring to a part of the city that I would otherwise overlook.

Day 30: January 30, 2011

Today I am grateful for jury duty. I'm sure this sounds ridiculous, and even as I write this I wonder if I am jinxing myself into a twelve-month jury duty "sentence". Tomorrow, almost one year to the day from my last summons, I have jury duty. I have never actually served on a jury, but I've spent my fair share of time in the selection process. Last year I spent three days in the courtroom being questioned by, I'm fairly certain, the most annoying attorney living on this earth. Then I was dismissed. To top it off, the three days I spent also happened to be my three days off that week, so I still had to work for the following three days. Boo. So why exactly am I looking forward to fulfilling my civic duty this year? Well, tomorrow I was schedule to work at 7:00 am. Jury duty starts at 11:00 am. For me this means: two extra hours of sleep, a walk in the park in the morning, and time to make dinner in the evening. I hope that tomorrow I will be expressing my thanks for not being chosen for the a jury:)

Day 29: January 29, 2011

I'm new to the whole idea of blogging and have never been super into following them, but today I am thankful for the blog. Well, one blog in particular: Cupcakin', authored by my cupcake-obsessed lady friend, Stephanie. I am thankful for this blog because today it gave me the excuse to sample several delightful cupcake flavors at a cupcakery in Napa. Red Velvet, vanilla, pink champagne, Irish Car Bomb, Samoa, yum! I'm taking my participation in her process very seriously, and I felt it my duty to try just a little (ha!) of each so I could offer her my semi-expert opinion. I look forward to many cupcake shop visits in the future- in the name of the blog, of course.

Day 28: January 28, 2011

Today I am thankful for country roads. There isn't much "country" in the Bay Area, so I'm using this term loosely, but I took a fantastic drive down some of the roads less travelled today and was amazed at how much of this place I haven't yet discovered.

Day 27: January 27, 2011

Today I'm thankful for...drum roll please: reality TV. Much to my husband's dismay, I love me some Real Housewives and the rest of my Bravo faves. Guilty pleasure? Not so much. Mindless, yes, but I'm not ashamed to say I watch Guiliana and Bill and I savor every minute of it! Maybe I need more drama in my life so I won't want to watch everyone else's. Nah, I think it's more fun to watch than to participate.

Day 26: January 26, 2011

What is black and white and read all over? Alright, maybe not read all over. More like black, white, and read over and over...by me. That's right people: my planner. My trusty paper and leather date book has never done me wrong, and frankly, I would be lost without it. I consult it several times a day, periodically jot notes and my "to do" list in it, and it keeps track of all my passwords for me. Now, after urgings from my husband, the passwords are in a secret code just in case it ever comes into the wrong hands. And that will never happen. EVER. Because planner and I are attached at the hip. And when the year is over, my dear friend will be tucked away safely with the planners of years past because I can never part with them!

Today I am thankful for the best use of trees I can think of, otherwise known as my second (more effective) brain: My Planner!

Day 25: January 25, 2011

Today I am grateful for our faux Spring! I cannot believe the beautiful weather we are having! It is sure going to be a rude awakening when Winter decides to join us again...

Day 24: January 24, 2011

For the last year or so the husband and I have been trying to nail down where exactly we would like to move next. By "trying to nail down" I mean: countless Sundays spent house hunting, lots and lots of hours scouring online listings, and a few too many discussions on what it is that we want in our next house (or condo?), city (or maybe we should stay here), yard (or lack there of), community (Big? Small?), etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.

I love house hunting. I have said many times that if I could have a second career it would be in the real estate business so I could attend open house galore. But lately I've been really discouraged at the lack of progress we've made and the seemingly endless nature of our search. It sometimes feels like we will never find a house in an area that we love and (the kicker) fits in our budget. After another Sunday spent "hunting" yesterday, I literally felt deflated- like someone or something had sucked all the air out of me. And that's when I decided to let it go. Somewhere in the process of searching, looking for our next home changed from something that was so exciting and fun, to something that we both almost dread. The search will go on, but I have a feeling that when the time is right the decision will be clear.

I returned home from work tonight to a house that I love, even despite its petite size. It may not be big or fancy, but it's ours and it's perfect for where we are now. So today I'm thankful for our home. I know we will move on and find a great house eventually, but home truly is where your heart is, and for now, my heart is here.

Day 23: January 23, 2011

Today I am thankful for tired puppies. After spending a day with her favorite brother Taiko, Zoe was a tired little pup. Not only is she super cute and snuggly when she's sleepy, but it's also kind of a nice break for us!

Day 22: January 22, 2011

Today I helped celebrate my two friends becoming parents for the first time at a super fun couples baby shower. No traditional baby shower games- just yummy food, good company, and a whole lot of talk about the new addition Zackary Roy! Zack decided to enter the world a little early (making a grand entrance on Christmas!) so we even got to see pictures of the little guy...you don't usually get to do that at the baby shower. Unless of course you include the creepy 3-D ultrasound pictures:) Today I am grateful that Zack is a rock star preemie and that the proud parents are adjusting so well to his early arrival. Seriously, they are ridiculously calm, cool, and collected about the whole thing! I hope to soon be thankful that he gets to come home. All in good time.

Day 21: January 21, 2011

Today I am grateful for happy hours with co-workers. OK, happy hours in general. Five dollar glass of wine? Give me two. Bargain cheese plates? Yes please! What a great way to usher in the weekend.

Day 20: January 20, 2011

Today I am thankful for the internet. Holy moly am I thankful for it! After being on "isolation" for two 12-hour days in a row, I can honestly say that I don't think I would have made it through without. I am also extremely thankful for my "isolation angels" as I started calling them, that let me out of my hole for breaks throughout the day!

Day 19: January 19, 2011

Today I am thankful to have had dinner waiting for me when I got home from work. Nothing tastes better than a meal I didn't take any part in cooking. Thanks hubs!

Day 18: January 18, 2011

Today I am thankful for Lattes. Just a small thing, but it sure makes my day better!

Day 17: January 17, 2011

I had a conversation with a friend the other day about prayer. I've never prayed, I don't consider myself religious, and quite frankly, the whole idea has always been quite foreign to me. However, after talking with her it got me thinking. Although I am not a religious person, I am spiritual. While I don't necessarily believe in God, I'm not convinced that there isn't "something" bigger than me and the world.
My friend explained how prayer has helped her in the past and how she uses it in her life. I couldn't help but relate it to my life and how I process things when life has given me or someone in my life "lemons". Am I actually praying and I don't even know it? Or am I meditating? And what exactly is the difference between the two? I'm slightly embarrassed to say: I googled "what is prayer?" Always helpful, Google provided me with a bazillion different definitions. (Not surprising because prayer is so personal...I assume.) Anyway, what I realized through my brief research is that while I do not pray in the conventional manner, the closest thing in my life is the time I spend working through issues, problems, obsessions, etc in my mind. And I usually do this while walking.
I walk for exercise and because I'm forced to (or else deal with a hyper doggy), but my almost daily walks are also my time to think and process. While my legs move at 4 miles per hour, my mind races at 100 miles per hour. I think and analyze and reanalyze and then (to quote Dharma and Greg) I "put it in a bubble and blow it away". I realized that similar to prayer where problems are discussed with God and then put in His/Her hands, I do my best to work through problems but then eventually release them to...the universe I guess? And all in the course of five miles!
Today as I walked through Golden Gate Park (on a beautiful sixty degree winter day!) I thought about how thankful I am for my walks-my own personal form of prayer.

Day 16: January 16, 2011

Today I am thankful for Farm Fresh To You. I was introduced to the service by a colleague and it was love at first bite. One of my least favorite things to do as a city-dweller (with no parking spot) is grocery shop, and FFTY has eliminated 75% of our grocery shopping! Every week we have a box filled with organic, seasonal produce delivered to our door. Not only do I love that it saves me from inconvenient grocery store runs, but it also makes eating kind of adventurous. This week I have a Red Kuri Squash. Last week I had a crazy assortment of kale and chards in a rainbow of colors. The week before that it was Romanesco (talk about a beautiful veggie...I wanted to make a centerpiece out of it!) Always something new to try, usually something tasty, and always something in the fridge! I HIGHLY recommend produce delivery!

Day 15: January 15, 2011

I'm not a sunrise lover. More specifically, I don't like being awake early enough to see the sun rise. Today was sort of an exception. While I still wasn't thrilled to be awake before the sun, today I was thankful that I got to witness it rise. It was definitely one of the more beautiful sights I've seen and it definitely could have been a postcard for San Francisco with the sparkling skyline and bright pink sky. Maybe mornings aren't all bad.

Day 14: January 14, 2011

I finally emerged from the house for the first time in four days with a pound of tissues in tow and a Benadryl hangover. My eyes literally burned from the sunlight! Still not feeling 100%, I wouldn't have ventured far from home for just anything, but today my toes had a date at the salon...and it was a good date. I don't know what it is about pedicures, but they always melt away my worries, my stress, and today it even managed to clear my sinuses. Better than therapy and medicine, today I am thankful for pedicures.

Day 13: January 13, 2011

Today I am grateful for good books. Nothing like a flu to get me reading more! I'm less that two weeks into the new year and already two books down. I'm such a resolution over-achiever :)

Day 12: January 12, 2011

To be completely honest, today I'm having a hard time coming up with something to write about. I'm sick on the couch for the second day in a row and besides feeling super yucky, I'm also incredibly bored! Nothing good on TV, no good Netflix movies here, can't go for a walk...ugh. This resolution has definitely made me appreciate little things more because I find myself thinking throughout the day, "I'm pretty thankful for ____. But is the the thing I'm most thankful for today?" Then, at the end of the day I get to go through the file of all those things and write about the thing that sticks out the most. A lot of the time, it's a small, seemingly insignificant thing. It's interesting, and I highly recommend that everyone try it for a few days.

Today as I was stuck on the couch, what came to mind was how lucky I am that I don't get sick very often. Being sick is no fun. I am usually the girl that uses my sick time to go out and do something fun-I would rather be at work than be sick at home! Today I am thankful for my immune system. It does its job well 99% of the time so I am free to use my sick time for other things. Way to go immune system...now get back to work and kick this cold to the curb!

Day 11: January 11, 2011

I got slammed with a nasty cold/flu last night and have spent the day horizontal on the couch. So much for the flu shot...
Today I am thankful for chicken soup. I'm not generally a big fan of it, but there's nothing better when I'm under the weather. Maybe they spike it with Thera-Flu?

Day 10: January 10, 2011

Today I am thankful for baby smiles. Honestly, is there anything better?

Day 9: January 9, 2011

Today I am thankful for my husband's warmth. I'm not referring to his personality (which also happens to be warm) but his keen ability to always be toasty hot. I would not have made it though the Kraft Bowl without having him to snuggle up to...or smother as is sometime the case :)

Day 8: January 8, 2011

Today I am thankful for laughter-filled dinners with friends.

Day 7: January 7, 2010

Today I was the Charge Nurse at work. It's a thankless job and I'm OK with that, but sometimes it makes me want to bang my head against a hard surface. Today I was told "no" one too many times. Not "Hmm, can you explain why you're asking me to do that?" or "What if we did ___ instead?", but just "no". I was unaware that I could simply choose to not do a part of my job when asked. Maybe I'll try that someday...but probably not. Because for me, working as a nurse makes you part of a team, and for me, being part of a team means that you may have to make some sacrifices and "take one" for the team! I work with an amazing group of people who band together in a stressful workplace and accomplish some miraculous things, so a few bad eggs luckily don't break the shell of our unit, but they sure do make the charge nurse work hard for her money! Today I am thankful for flexibility and people who go above and beyond (with or without being asked to do so.)

Day 6: January 6, 2011

What a long day! Today I am thankful for yummy leftovers (thanks to resolution #2), the 1/2 hour of double time that will be on my paycheck due to said long day, and that I now get to put my feet up!

Day 5: January 5, 2011

Today I am thankful that the sun was shining. That's all. I'm easy to please.

Day 4: January 4, 2011

Today was my first day at “the bedside” in over two months and after my Case Management months, seven o’clock feels really early and twelve hours feels really long… but I’m happy to be back! Despite the fact that work is and always will be work, I can’t think of a job that I would rather have and that’s pretty awesome.

My two-month stint as the interim Case Manager was a nice change and a nice challenge. I loved living the life of a nine-to-five worker for a while. I now know what it’s like to have time to make dinner and go to the dog park after work (and I wasn’t too exhausted to enjoy it!) The job was definitely not without its challenges, but I learned a lot and left the office with a list of work projects to keep me busy for the next year!

I am so grateful for my first workless holiday season in six years, thankful for my co-worker Irma who sacrificed her Christmas week for me, and oh so pleased with how the timing of it all worked out so perfectly! Now I just need to figure out how I can be the temporary Case Manager every holiday season…

Day 3: January 3, 2011

Today has been a good day. How do I know that? Because I can think of so many things that I am thankful for that it’s hard to narrow it down to just one! Nick and I had a beyond relaxing quick trip to Napa and I left feeling like I had been away from the hustle and bustle much longer than the 30 hours we were gone. Wine Country is good for that. Come to think of it, Wine Country is good for just about everything…except maybe my weightJ

Among other things, today I am thankful for Model Bakery and its scrumptious, mouthwatering, lip smacking good English Muffins. I want to find out who came up with the recipe for these things and give them a gold medal ribbon!

Day 2: January 2, 2011

Today I am thanking my lucky stars for the AWESOME place I call my home. And for spontaneity. I woke up in my favorite city and am falling asleep in my favorite valley! A last minute escape to Napa with my hubby and my puppy is just the way to continue to start the new year off with a bang! Nothing better than a hefty helping of wine, a bubbling hot tub, and last minute steal on a hotel room.

Day 1: January 1, 2011

Welcome 2011! Until last year, I never liked New Year’s Resolutions. Like so many others, I made obligatory resolutions each January 1^st and promptly forgot them by January 2^nd. Something about 2010 made me want to do better.  Maybe it was the start of the new decade that inspired me, or the thought that it was my first full year as Mrs. Rose. Whatever the motivation, I was determined to start anew and set my resolutions and keep them. And coming into 2011 I felt a sense of pride and accomplishment because I, the non-resolution-keeper, had kept not one, but TWO New Year’s resolutions!

As 2010 came to a close I thought a lot about what I wanted out of the New Year and how I could translate that into attainable resolutions. The first two were pretty easy to come up with.

Resolution 1: Read at least one book each month.

I love reading, but aside from when I blow through books on vacation, I don’t read as often as I would like to. This resolution should be fairly easy to keep because it is something I like to do, and hopefully I’ll exceed the one book minimum!

Resolution 2: Cook/Bake one new recipe each week.

 Another relatively easy one, since I also really enjoy cooking. I love cookbooks and cooking magazines and have so many recipes that I want to try, so hopefully this resolution will give me the push I need (and justify my yearly Bon Apetit subscription!)

I’m excited for what 2011 has in store for me and for my last resolution I want to take the time to appreciate how lucky I am in my life to have amazing family and friends, two perfect orange pets, and a life that is pretty darn close to how I always dreamed it would be. So, my third resolution comes in the form of this blog.

Resolution 3: Record one thing that I am thankful for everyday.

Today I am thankful for rainy days. Sometimes a girl’s gotta relax and today the chilly rain provided me with a convenient excuse to start the year off hunkering down at home with the best husband I could wish for. And it also helped me kick start those resolutions! One chapter read, 2 loaves of pumpkin-cranberry bread baked, and one day of thanks blogged. 2011 is off to a good start!