Happy Place: Gratefulness And Smiles

[DisneyBoy]

14 hours ago, ratgirlagogo said:

Did you post this to the wrong board?  because I'm sure you don't expect us to be grateful for this....

This is a Debbie Downer gag from SNL.

 

Back on topic, I had a friend drive me around yesterday and help me transport some items. There is nothing more appreciated, let me tell you. Moving stuff is stressful and having a friend helps big-time.

Edited May 30, 2016 by DisneyBoy

[ratgirlagogo]

3 hours ago, DisneyBoy said:

This is a Debbie Downer gag from SNL

Doh!  I know the character but only watch SNL sporadically.  As Emily Litella used to say, Never mind.

[JTMacc99]

23 hours ago, ratgirlagogo said:

Doh!  I know the character but only watch SNL sporadically.  As Emily Litella used to say, Never mind.

Here you go. I thought it was apt.  Plus, that one I linked is my favorite of the bunch.  The heat stroke line still makes me laugh out loud.

[krimimimi]

On 5/29/2016 at 9:22 PM, Blergh said:

even though I'm more inclined to be Eeyore than Tigger.

I've got one for you, Blergh: Being thankful that there are people out there who prefer Eeyore to Tigger. Which I totally do. Might have married him, come to think of it... ;-)

So, topic, um, totally grateful for that Eeyore in my life. He really makes almost everything better. (Well, between him and the dog... ;-))

[zxy556575]

Aw, now you're making me grateful for Winnie! I was mad for those books, maybe because my much-loved godfather read them to us as a child, using different voices for all the characters. My sister and I also had LP records of the stories that we played to death on our little portable player with the handle. Also Babar, so I'll extend my nostalgic appreciation to that series as well.  :)

[Blergh]

krimimi,

 

 I'm quite touched that you actually make a moving case for us Eeyores AND I like that there seems to be a Pooh affinity out there but since this isn't the book forum, I think I'll start one there.

[Guest]

I've officially owned my car for ten years and never needed a repair more than routine maintenance.

I didn't know that cars like this existed.  The universe is making up for the one before this one.

[BooksRule]

I'm not sure about gratefulness, but I saw something while driving home from work this evening that made me smile.  There is a used car lot that I pass by and I saw a sign out by the street that I first thought said 'Tirades welcome'.  I thought 'huh?' followed by 'why would they welcome those?'.  Then I realized that it actually said (of course) 'Trades welcome'.  Anyway, it was one of those little things that made me smile after a long day.

[Blergh]

How about fave restaurants and establishments where everyone knows your name [like "Cheers"]? That's one reason I'd hesitate leaving my hometown should my mother no longer be in this world.

[DeLurker]

I was driving home from doing some errands yesterday afternoon when I saw a turtle on my side of the street, but he/she would not be able to get onto the grassy area because there is a curb there.  There is no shoulder on that side of the road so I kept going until I found a spot I could turn around.  The plan was I would park on the shoulder on the opposite side, brave traffic (it is only 1 lane each way) and get the turtle to safety.

By the time I had turned around, I saw a car that had been a couple of cars in front of me (going the other way) had managed to find someplace to turn around and was already parked on the shoulder of the road.  The kid - 18ish - had already darted out and moved the turtle to safety!  I was so happy he did and yelled Thank You to him. 

I am stuck wondering "why did the turtle cross the road?" now.

[Bastet]

Quote

I am stuck wondering "why did the turtle cross the road?" now.

To get to the other side.

<groan>

It's that time of year (at least in some places) -- early summer is nesting season for turtles, so they're heading for their familiar territory to lay their eggs.  Many states have issued motorist advisories to look out for turtles crossing the road.

Edited June 8, 2016 by Bastet

[ABay]

We just got a turtle crossing advisory tonight in Connecticut.

[EighteenTwelve]

I went to Iceland on vacation and had a wonderful time.  I'm glad I can afford to go to other countries and experience things we don't get here (like 24-hour daylight, and an elementary school class getting distracted by a young man with a banjo in a public square, leading to kids and their adults dancing all over the place for a while).

[Blergh]

Never been to Iceland but I agree that it IS a great thing to be able to travel around and see different parts of the world and experience people and sights one wouldn't be able to imagine in one's usual corner. As long as I have my health, enough spare income, and folks who will help care for my elderly mother while I'm not there, I will keep travelling! Let others blow their cash on new gadgets, fashions and parties, travel is what I crave.

[bosawks]

Benadryl!

Poison ivy is the devil....

[zxy556575]

1 hour ago, bosawks said:

Benadryl!

Poison ivy is the devil....

Antihistamines are the bomb! I kind of love them, along with corticosteroids.

[Quof]

A passing vehicle threw up a rock and chipped my windshield.  Boo. 

But my insurer waived the deductible for me to repair, rather than replace it.  So it cost me nothing.

The glass repair company sent a tech to my workplace, saving me a lot of hassle going to them.  While the repair was setting, he cleaned all of my windows.  And since he had time to spare, he vacuumed my car!  He is so getting a positive review on Yelp.

20 minutes of my day, 0 dollars, and a clean car.

[BooksRule]

I am happy to learn today (as a librarian), that an actual librarian (gasp!) will be the next Librarian of Congress.  (and this LoC will also be the first woman and the first African-American to hold that post).  

Edited July 13, 2016 by BooksRule

[zxy556575]

I got some welcome financial news yesterday with regards to exercising stock options at my former company, but what really touched me was that special bonuses were assigned to eligible staff by the former owner of the company. Mine was extremely generous and it turned out to be the highest amount given to anyone. I had such a wonderful relationship with my former boss and miss him and yes, I did work my ass off, so this tangible acknowledgement from him made me cry.

22 hours ago, BooksRule said:

I am happy to learn today (as a librarian), that an actual librarian (gasp!) will be the next Librarian of Congress.  (and this LoC will also be the first woman and the first African-American to hold that post).  

And good riddance to Billington!

[Blergh]

I'm happy I'm getting grey hair- because that means there are less and less folks who think I should follow the latest . .. whatever but with grey hair, I can openly enjoy my out-of-step likings.

[JTMacc99]

2 hours ago, Blergh said:

I'm happy I'm getting grey hair- because that means there are less and less folks who think I should follow the latest . .. whatever but with grey hair, I can openly enjoy my out-of-step likings.

Awesome!

I like that mine allows me to do that too. And I also like that it doesn't stop me from loading Pokemon Go on my phone and walking around town with my two kids saying things like "I caught some kind of bug thing" and having them get excited on my behalf. (And of course I'm totally faking it. I know exactly what the bug thing is, and why it was fun to undersell my enthusiasm to my kids because I'm the dad who isn't supposed to know that the bug thing was rare and a big deal.)

Edited July 15, 2016 by JTMacc99

[EighteenTwelve]

Today I am grateful for my boss, who advocated for me with an overly by-the-book HR director and got me a new title and a 3% raise.  (I am now "Senior (Previous Title)", which I find slightly silly because I'm the only (Previous Title), so there's nobody I'm senior to, yet.)  But I'm still grateful that my boss was willing to do that for me.

[JTMacc99]

Big congratulations @EighteenTwelve!

I am also grateful for my boss today, a known tough judge when it comes to this stuff for doing something similar for me. I did tell him that we are all aware that he looks out for us, and that we're appreciative of it. 

[Blergh]

I'm grateful that my fave restaurant ALWAYS give me something yummy (extra food, money) should they accidentally delay/mess up my order.

[HoosierJen]

I just discovered this thread today, and it's awesome! I'm grateful for so many things, but this is the one I'm thinking about most right now - I'm grateful that school starts tomorrow! I teach 8th grade, but I got dropped down to 7th grade for one year (two years ago) and then back to 8th, which means that I had the same group of kids for two years in a row. I'm so excited to get back to a normal routine tomorrow and to have all new kids in my room! You know how when you're a little kid and you get so excited about your new folders and art box? That's how I feel when I look at my roster for the new year. And tomorrow I get to meet them all! 

[zxy556575]

How fun for you, @HoosierJen! That sounds like a lovely new leaf every year.

If any of the nuns I had as teachers in elementary school were excited to meet their new classes, they hid it well. ;-)

I actually had the same experience from the student side since one particularly odious person taught 7th grade and was then moved to 8th during my year. I had never disliked a teacher before and getting stuck with her for 2 years was a sign, I was convinced, that the universe was out to get me. Being an emotional pre-adolescent had nothing to do with it.

[zxy556575]

This video was posted by @s.anthony in the Stranger Things forum and it made me happy that this kid had the creativity and musicality to write his own song about a TV show. I was very impressed!

[Blergh]

OK, here's one. After I cleaned out  an old closet yesterday for my mother, my mother found the long-lost caches of condolence cards written after my sister's and grandmother's respective passings . Unbeknown to either us, these caches had been secreted in a small trunk that evidently my late father had put on the very top shelf of said closet. Considering that in the last two years my mother has lost my father and ,a very short time ago ,her sister's beloved longtime husband  as well as her getting close  to 90, I'm grateful that she was able to rediscover something she'd cherished so much while she's still around to appreciate it.

[DeLurker]

I flove Mental Floss.

[editorgrrl]

My heart grew three sizes reading the New York Times this morning:  http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/09/02/us/photo-of-fsu-football-star-sitting-with-boy-eating-alone-at-florida-school-charms-internet.html

Quote

Visiting a local school on a good-will visit with his teammates on Tuesday, [Travis Rudolph, a star football player at Florida State University in Tallahassee], saw a boy sitting alone in the cafeteria at Montford Middle School. 

Although Mr. Rudolph, 21, did not know it at the time, [sixth-grader Bo Paske] has autism and often eats lunch by himself. The image of the football star eating pizza while seated opposite Bo has became an example of how a small act of kindness can go big.

[DeLurker]

Being a UF alumni, it is almost physically painful to applaud anything remotely related to FSU, especially FSU football...but Travis Rudolph is an all-star person for that.

[zxy556575]

I'm glad things worked out, but feel bad for your poor mom! Was she able to walk again once you got her on her feet?

[zxy556575]

You know what's great? Someone mentioning or recommending a book and me being able to immediately get it into my grubby digital paws. Thank you, Kindle!

[zxy556575]

Speaking of comforting sweets, I was in the drive through at Baskin Robbins for their special two-for-one ice cream quarts and the wait was really long. The dashboard clock was right there and I had nothing to do but stare at it so I know it was almost 10 minutes. When I finally got to the window, the clerk apologized for the wait and gave me my order at no charge. FREE ICE CREAM!

Edited September 8, 2016 by lordonia

[Guest]

Nielsen sent me a dollar in the mail as a pre-payment in hopes I'd answer their telephone survey.

I wonder how much money gets tossed unopened as junk mail each year.

I only opened as a knee jerk reaction to maybe one of my shows needs the ratings.

[Guest]

I forgot to mention something.

I was losing my TV watching mind early this week.  Too much reality television.  I was in a Property Brothers leads to MasterChef leads o RHONYC reunion hell dimension and not at all happy about it.  I needed new scripted television.  My reality show tank has runneth over.

I'm flipping through channels and lo and behold, there are Seth and Richie Gekko.  From Dusk Til Dawn is back.

Next week South Park.  Then everything else the week after.

[ABay]

Growing up on the border of New York and Ontario, I have always loved Canada and Canadians--their delicious Coffee Crisps, their fondness for the name Gord, their adorable preponderance of Us--but right now I want to express gratitude to the people of Gander, Newfoundland, who took into their homes so many Americans whose flights were rerouted there on 9/11 and the days after. 

[zxy556575]

Okay, it's not like I forgot my sister's birthday? I will admit to forgetting the date and that tomorrow is the 15th.

So thank you local grocery store 10 minutes before closing for: card, wrapping paper, bottle of her favorite wine, box of her favorite chocolates, large bag of treats used during her line dancing class, and gift cards for iTunes and Shell gas station. Practical!

Edited September 15, 2016 by lordonia

[Blergh]

I'm grateful I was able to top off my gas tank in one of the last working gas stations in my city so I will be able to get to/from work safely until this mess gets resolved.

[zxy556575]

7 hours ago, Blergh said:

I'm grateful I was able to top off my gas tank in one of the last working gas stations in my city so I will be able to get to/from work safely until this mess gets resolved.

No gas stations? What news have I missed?

[Demented Daisy]

Gas shortages likely from pipeline spill in Alabama.

[Blergh]

lordonia,

DD covered it well in the citation. I just hope everyone else in my workplace is able to find gas for however long this is to be.

[Qoass]

I forget what you call it, but today's Google animation thingie for the first day of autumn is adorable.

[zxy556575]

4 minutes ago, Qoass said:

I forget what you call it, but today's Google animation thingie for the first day of autumn is adorable.

Made me look! Made me smile.

They may be big baddies subsuming our lives over there, but they do a nice job on whimsy.

[zxy556575]

You're a generous, thoughtful and loving daughter @forumfish, and that makes me smile.

[JTMacc99]

As you all know, my decision to make changes in my life this year has created an unusual amount of ups and downs for me. It was definitely easier to just be a steady state of below average.  And in order for me to cope with all of this feelings shit I have reached out to all sorts of different people, including some of you.  

This morning one of my friends here at work, my primary work therapist, sat down in my office and informed me she needed to vent. We had a really good conversation about some relationship issues of her own.  It made me feel unbelievably good to be there for her. I don't know if I gave great advice, but I know that by supporting her I helped.  

So today I am grateful for everybody who has offered their support to me, and equally grateful for the opportunity to be there for others. I really am.

[zxy556575]

I live in Central Florida and my area hasn't been affected by Hurricane Matthew, which is reason to be thankful (although honestly, we were never projected to be in harm's way this far inland). The bonus part is how many people have contacted me to ask if everything's okay. That was really nice of them!

It's also handy that these days I can easily catch up on shows I've missed due to all the pre-emptions for wall to wall storm "news."

Edited October 8, 2016 by lordonia

[AgentRXS]

Today I am grateful for the 2 1/2 days off Matthew gave me. I got to rest and recharge for the most part. And I usually work nights so I don't get to enjoy the sunsets as often as I like to. Tonight I went to the laundromat (and I had the place to myself-yay) and here was my view while folding clothes. I would love South Florida if we could just get rid of the nasty tourists/entitled re-locators from the North coming down overdeveloping the land, destroying the natural beauty it has to offer.

 

Edited October 8, 2016 by AgentRXS

[auntlada]

If I knew I was going to get to see sunsets like that and wouldn't have to deal with other tourists, I might visit Florida myself. But I dislike tourists even when I'm one myself, so Florida has never been a place I wanted to visit. God help me if we ever decide to go to Disney World.

[DeLurker]

@AgentRXS - one of my favorite things to do was watch the sunrise on the beach in Hollywood (Franklin Street was "my" beach) and then we would drive across on Alligator Alley to find someplace in Naples to watch the sunset.  The time in between was spent laying out, drinking and general putzing around.