OT: These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

No, I'm not going to sing it in the form of The Sound of Music (although, I have been to Salzburg). Lately, I have been feeling very grateful for and content with my life. I'm sure this feeling has something to do with the passing score I received on my second to last part of the CPA exam and pending homeowner status (6 days!). Happiness, like other habits (good or bad), is contagious. I think it's important to know what brings joy into your life. This way, your supply can be replenished if it is, for some reason, depleted. The following is a list of things that I find keep my happiness at optimum levels:

1. The beach. Everything about it. The smell and feel and state of mind. You can take the kid out of the beach but you can't take the beach out of the kid, right?
2. Hot chocolate. Whenever I am forced to do something unpleasant (i.e. study), I always make a mug of hot cocoa. How can you be bummed when you are drinking the happiest drink on earth (alcohol excluded -- see number 15)? The answer is, you can't. 
3. Coasters.
4. And monogramming. Better yet, monogrammed coasters. Yes, this is where my preppy seeps out. 
5. Sailing. Nothing a good sail can't fix. What is better than harnessing the elements? It's like magic. Or physics. Magic sounds better. 
6. Tea and coffee. Hot and cold. 
7. My dog.  This should really be number 1. 
8. The sound of the mountains in the snow. And being outside in general. 
9. Any type of road trip. Or adventure. 
10. Radiohead, Iron & Wine, Dave Matthews Band. And this would be where my inner-hippie makes its appearance. Most music, in general, makes me happy. 
11. Food. Good food. I am not a salad girl. Deal with it. 
12. Flannels and beanie hats. See previous comments about inner-hippie. 
13. Dresses. (So now you're probably thinking I'm bipolar). 
14. Philosophical conversations. Debates. Especially with friends, and good friends at that. Nothing better than a good, thought-provoking conversation.
15. Champagne. Bubbly and delicious. Best when paired with #14. 
16. Hosting parties and bringing people together. 
17. Learning. I would be a professional scholar if I could. I suppose accountant is a good close second...or third...or somewhere on the list. 
18. Lazy Sundays. Not experiencing much of these lately due the nearing final exam part and big girl house purchase. Hopefully will resume soon. 
19. Cards. There's is something special about a beautiful card. If there is an occasion out there, there is a chance I have bought someone a card for it. 
20. Good sheets. Feeling like you're sleeping on clouds each night is worth the splurge. 

So, there you have it. My list of happiness. I try to employ as many of these as often as I can. When you have a stressful job and life, it helps to focus on the bright side of things. We create our own luck. Best to be in the right mindset to do it.

OT: Best Friends and Bridge Burning

Looking back on my life, I think it's safe to say that I've always been somewhat of a loner. I have friends, of course, (this is where my sister would interject: really? I never knew!) but I never had a best friend. At least, not the kind where you are totally BFFs4E and you do everything together and refer to each other as the girl version of your soul mate and buy matching necklaces and so on and so forth. 

I've had the same handful of "best friends" (plural, not singular)  pretty much since middle school. What made (and makes) it hard was that all of my best friends weren't also best friends (i.e. we didn't have the Sex and the City thing going). Honestly, some of them didn't (and don't) even like the others...which makes my life difficult. How can I have a girls' night with my friends when they all don't enjoy each others company as much as I enjoy theirs? I don't exactly fit in with any of their individual groups of friends either. I mean, I'm down for going out and meeting new people but there's only so much awkwardness I can take at one time. Lastly, the majority of them have moved (or are in the process of moving) out of the state. Again, this makes my life difficult.

I realize I'm being a little selfish here. But what's not selfish? Always jumping for your friends. Being where they ask you to be. Supporting them. Participating in their charities. Worrying about them. Carrying their drunk asses back to the car. Flying across the country to see them. Always wishing them a happy birthday or anniversary or whatever. Keeping their secrets. Not judging their significant others or sex lives or drug habits substance issues and everything else on top of that. Those things don't suck. But what does? Not having the favor returned. Having your friends not be there when you need them to be. Even if it's just over the phone. Realizing that these people are not going to jump for you. That fucking blows.

So when do you cut them off? When do you tell them that your friendship is not a partnership and you are done wasting your time? When do you tell them they are not being very friend-like? When do you give up on them and move on to your new friends? When do you burn the bridge? Or, do you burn the bridge?

I don't know the answer. Also, I was never a very big fan of bridge-burning.


(soundtrack: "city" by sara bareilles)