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.