Glass of Win

When I’m worried and I can’t sleep
I count my blessings instead of sheep
And I fall asleep counting my blessings
When my bankroll is getting small
I think of when I had none at all
And I fall asleep counting my blessings
– Bing Crosby

Do you ever wake up with too much commotion in your brain; as if your neurons had a total freak out, turning all of your brain noise into self-deprecating anxiety?
When my brain does this, it will start tallying off a most unhelpful list of negative irrationalities such as “You don’t write as well as this blogger, so why bother?” or “Even if you do eventually get your book transcribed, it’s so disorderly you’ll never edit it adequately enough to submit it” or “Your art sucks, who would buy it, even for charity?”

Way to be supportive, brain!

This kind of thinking extends to numerous aspects of our lives, and can leave our previously motivated self stuck in our pajamas, cowering under the covers, life on complete standstill in self-loathing and fear, getting nothing done, except for further self belittlement.

It’s time to cast those irrational thoughts to the wind and get back on track to positive thinking and self-love!

The first step is to work your way backward in the thought process, trudging through all of those nasty thoughts of self-hate until you find yourself at the first irrational, negative thought and then ask yourself,

Self, do I have a true, honest to goodness, logical reason for thinking these terrible thoughts about myself?

99.9% of the time? No.

Move forward again, thought by thought, and spin positives alongside the rationalization, reminding yourself of all of your blessings.

Count what is going well for you in life, make a list, tack it up somewhere that you will see it every day (mirror is an excellent place because you can look at your gorgeous self and be reminded what a wonderful person you are).

Mine, for instance, looks something like this:

I’m lucky to even have time and resources to devote to any number of creative projects.

I may not have a lot of energy, I often need a nap during the day, but at least I have a loving, supportive family that keeps a roof over my head so I can rest when I need to.

My country may be deeply flawed, but at least certain systems keep me alive by helping with my most vital medical expenses.

I may not be the best writer to many, but I have proven to be somewhat entertaining and a competent storyteller to some.

I may not have fame (yet), but I have friends who love me and want to spend their precious time with me.

I may not have been born with the greatest health, but I was born and I am still here to enjoy everything life has to offer. Not to mention, I have the best medical team government-issued insurance can buy! Joking aside, they truly are the best cardiac team working ’round the clock saving lives or figuring out how to keep their beloved patients alive.

Don’t get caught up worrying about how “big” or “small” the items on your list are. Never mind about tangibility, either, because often times our greatest assets are immeasurable and only visible through our actions.

Don’t stop at a list; decorate your mirror, your door, closet, or bulletin board with images, magazine cut-outs, photographs and words that inspire you and generate positive thoughts and creative ideas.

Gala Darling suggests obtaining a totem, a physical object to carry with you and serve as a reminder of your radical self-love and positive thinking. Jess has hers, plus a motto!

When we focus on our fortunes rather than our failings, we are empowering ourselves to take charge of our day, crawl out from under the covers, get out of our pajamas and start letting ourselves live and love.

image source source

1. Starting a new novel. I know, I haven’t finished even transcribing the first one! Well, I have news for you: that completed novel that is currently being transcribed is probably #9 in a long line of completed novels. That is just the one I’d like to be my debut novel. I’ve had this new story in my head since 2004 and after mulling it over, tweaking it and developing plot and characters as they came to me I know it’s the next project.

2. Listening to Feist 1234 whenever I even start to feel down. She really cheers me up; I want to own the entire album The Reminder one day. I bought the 1234 mp3 on Amazon.com for only 99 cents. Between Feist, Kerli and Lady GaGa, I’ll keep the blues away.

3. Speaking of which, check out this fan made Lady GaGa Barbie doll. OMG. My inner collector is going nuts; I want an entire shelf filled with Lady GaGa dolls. The shelf would be glittery gold. For more GaGa lulz, trip out on Ra Ra ah ah ah roma roma ma ga ga ooh la la.

image via Refinery 29

4. Finally having the patience to sit down and watch TRUE BLOOD. I just finished season one and after my sister returns from vacation (thanks Southwest Airlines for being affordable so she and my niece can visit their family!) and catches up, we’ll start season two. You can be sure there will be a segment on the Glass of Win variety show for True Blood. I can’t wait to pick up the original Sookie Stackhouse books, too!

5. Are you going to be in the Orlando/Southern California area anytime this year? Why not take a Disney trip and give back to others with Disney’s Give a Day, Get a Day program! I already earned my free ticket, and Steffie Love is earning hers this Monday. You can also do right by others by helping out our animals friends – check out The Holy Cow Project!

6. I know I mentioned the rain last week, but as we receive so little of it here in Southern California, I think it deserves another mention! I used to be devastatingly afraid of rain/storms, but knowing the benefits of rain here in the desert outweighs any irrational fears on my part and I welcome it – though I’m still without rain boots. If you’re in desperate need for rain proof footwear quickly, try Endless.com – they have free overnight shipping on many pairs of rain boots! Steffie Love bought from them and received her boots the next day as promised.

7. After admitting I was struggling for inspiration due to a particularly downer mood I woke up in this morning, I received this Tweet from my friend spicy: aaw, muffin. the world is magical! you’ve friends & family who love u, & awsm writng skills. She then linked to xkcd ~ a webcomic for those who didn’t sleep their high school days away like I did. Thank you for the comic and for the love, spicy. <3

QUESTION: What’s going on in your week?

1. I found out that Miep Gies passed away Monday night at the grand age of 100. Nothing less for one of the few Dutch citizens who helped hide Anne Frank and her family during World War II. It gave me pause to reflect on what sort of asshattery intolerance will cause us humans to do if we allow it to plague our mind & hearts. (link via spicy)

2. My friend Annie and her husband (also my friend!) Robert visited yesterday and while Robert worked on poor old Bertie (my computer) I got to test out a new recipe. It needs a little tweaking, but there is something very satisfying about not just tackling a new recipe, but shaping it into your own creation.

3. As with most of her articles, I really could have used someone like Sarah Von and her wisdom about ten years ago. Still, I’m a firm believer in it’s never too late to learn and personal growth should always be an ongoing organic process. Sarah’s latest articles How Do I Become a Grown Up (part two) are very helpful even if I am not in the exact same situation the author of the question is. Also? Between Sarah V. and Jess Lyons 30 New Things, I’m thinking about tackling my own!

4. Fourth season of Big Love has finally begun! This is one of those TV shows where I have no clue why I watch it, but I love it so. After last season’s character death (which I am still mourning over as I loved that character) and big cliffhanger I can’t wait to see what sort of monkey shines and conundrums Bill, Barb, Nicky and Margie find themselves in.

5. Need a little hope? Check out websites like Gives me hope and Operation Beautiful for a superior pick-me-up. GMH in particular brings tears of happiness to my eyes. (via yes and yes)

6. Rain has finally come to Southern California! Unfortunately, it does not look like it is going to stay for very long, which is sad because we desperately need it. I used to be very frightened of the sound of rain, wind and thunder. I’ve gotten over most of it but I have to admit – the thunder that came with the rain in the middle of the night took me by surprise and all I could think of was Poltergeist. I sucked it up and got back to sleep eventually! I have come a long way, dear readers, trust me.

7. Searching for discounted rates for my European Adventure this summer has not been very fruitful, but I remind myself not to get down by looking at gorgeous pictures of my destination, Cork, Ireland:

Image by reddirt791

Image by R. McGervey

Image by Dr. David J. Otway

A new year means it’s time to take a step back and reexamine our lives. Are we where we want to be in life, or at least are we on our way there? Just as it is important to evaluate the path we are on it is vital to evaluate the relationships we carry with us on our path. Let 2010 be the year that you endeavor to assure that all of the relationships you are involved in are mutually positive, healthy and respectful. For each relationship you have – be it with a significant other, a family member, or friend – ask yourself the following questions:

1) How do I feel when I spend time with this person?
2) How do I feel before and after spending time with this person?
3) Does this person only make contact when they are in trouble or need to vent?
4) Does this person only contact me when they are in need of some sort of expertise I possess?
5) Does this person make themselves available when I need their companionship?
6) Is this person filled with passive-aggressiveness and/or put-downs?
7) What do I get out of this relationship?

Let’s elaborate:

1) How do I feel when I spend time with this person?

Do you constantly feel like you are on eggshells when you are around this person, as if you cannot truly be yourself least this person argues or belittles you? There is a big difference between minding your manners versus completely suppressing your personality for the sake of keeping “peace” in a relationship. That’s not peacekeeping; it’s a hostile hostage situation and not even Batman can rescue you. If this person cannot handle thoughts/views/opinions that differ from their own and are leaving you in a constant state of nervous vigilance, it is time to call forth your inner hostage negotiator and get yourself out of this emotional/psychological landmine.

2) How do I feel before and after spending time with this person?

The prospect of hanging out with your companion should not give you feelings of dread, nor should your instinctive reaction to chilling with your would-be pal be a plethora of made-up excuses to evade them. Wishing for a natural disaster, zombie apocalypse, or a swift and sudden illness that just so happens to hit on the date of your set hang out time should not outweigh the desire to spend time with your friend. Upon concluding your visit, how do you feel? Like you’ve been sucker-punched, drained quicker of your energy than a victim extra on Buffy? If thoughts of, “Oh, boy, I hope they lose my number and forget I exist!” prevail over thoughts of, “Man, I can’t wait to see him/her again! What a great time!” It’s definitely time to estimate the value of keeping this person in your life.

3) Does this person only make contact when they are in trouble or need to vent?

A very common pitfall, one to check ourselves and self-evaluate with every now and then. We get so caught up in our busy, busy lives that we’re unaware of negative patterns we’re creating with our friends when we only use them as a shoulder, an ear, a wall or bail outs. The occasional “OMG, Becky! You won’t believe this!” phone call should always be welcomed, but when the friendship has been reduced to a never-ending cycle of “FML” phone calls it’s time to throw your chum a life saver.
If you’re wary of a pal that’s fallen into this pattern, see if you can’t break them out of it by calling them up and setting up a drama-free day to hang out. If they take you up on it, follow through and everything goes honky-dory, chances are you are giving them a big, helpful push into putting the pieces of your friendship back together. Make sure to end the day with a follow-up schedule in the form of a call or letter to subconsciously remind your mate how much fun you two had.

4) Does this person only contact me when they are in need of some sort of expertise I possess?

Similar to above, this mate only wants to ring you up when they need your car, clothes, alibi, hacksaw, or frighteningly impressive knowledge on forensic & cadaver decay (Hey, that CSI: Miami fanfic ain’t gonna write itself and wouldn’t you know it, someone who calls you a friend just so happens to be a medical examiner). This problem poses the same answer as above: call them up for an unrelated hang out. If they take you up on it, there’s hope, if they constantly dodge you, it’s time to label this friendship D.O.A.

5) Does this person make themselves available when I need them?

Relationships are a two-way street, tit for tat and all that. It’s easy enough to have friendships when it suits our needs, but when you want a little companionship, and there is no tangible incentive for the other party to give you their time/energy, your friend is nowhere to be found. When is it genuine friendlessness VS. being busy?
Being busy can only be an excuse for so long – weigh it against how long you’ve known your friend, the quality of the relationship up to the point when you first suspected you were driving on One-Way Friend Lane, when was the last time they were there for you versus you for them, your effort to maintain said relationship, what changes have come into their lives recently and do a little math work. If cutting ‘em a little slack is in order, you ought to be able to have a frank talk about your friendship. Get your day planners out and make some time with one another. However, if you realize promised returned emails/calls turned empty results, excuses aren’t lining up with facts, it’s probably time to switch gears and find a new route.

6) Is this person filled with passive-aggressiveness and/or put-downs?

Use a bit of your Google-Fu and read up on ‘passive-aggressive behavior’ or ‘examples’. Sound like anyone you may know? Is your chum always putting you down, especially when you’ve got some positive in your life? Their inability to communicate and feel happy for someone they call a friend/family/lover is a major warning signal and it is time to hit the emergency eject button. They may be aware of the control-freak, confidence-crushing behavior they’re putting on you or not, but either way, if they refuse to even recognize these negative, soul-sucking traits in themselves, you cannot force them to change, no matter how much you love them. Putting your own health first is key. If you can’t keep yourself healthy and forward-thinking, how can you be there for the people you love and who truly love you?

7) What do I get out of this relationship?

Every relationship you have should be comprised of co-operation to ensure healthy, positive life. What you should “get out of” a relationship is not something material, but feelings of love, respect and happiness.
You deserve that.
Why settle for apathy, or worse, misery, when you deserve so much more? It isn’t selfish or greedy to want respect and happiness in a relationship, it’s normal and recommended to be at the top of your standards list. If you are struck with the realization that you had duped yourself into thinking you were participating in a co-operative relationship when in fact you have been playing host to some parasitic force, it is definitely time for a serious delousing.

So, you’ve decided to end a relationship, huh? You’ve done everything within your power, but without the give/take and willingness of the other party to pitch in, or the failure to recognize the problem(s) in the first place, it’s time to pull the plug. Congratulations! I would say I am sorry for your loss (of your time, that is), but really, I’m just too excited for your prospects of future relationships!

If your “pal” is already halfway out the proverbial door of the relationship anyway, all you have to do is learn to stop making the wasted effort and end things quietly by not chasing after them (or the illusion of friendship). Some people just grow apart, it happens.

If a more face-to-face effort has to be made, make sure it’s in a neutral, open-but-secluded place like a cozy corner of a park. Don’t you use the accusatory “You” (“You don’t respect me, you ignore me and belittle me.”) Tell them your feelings from the “I” perspective (“I don’t feel respected, I feel that I am being deliberately shut-out and oftentimes, I feel belittled.”) When you bring the conversation back to yourself, there is a better chance of their defenses being down as they won’t just hear “YOU YOU YOU” and feel attacked. Even if you had talked to them previously, now that a finale is actually here, it may wake them up enough that they offer to work on the relationship.

Re: above. If you are determined to end it, however, end it. Stick to your guns and be strong. Get away for a little while if you need to, or even hibernate and distract yourself with some new projects.

However tempting it might be to vent, and however life force-leeching your former friend may have been, do not talk mad trash about them; especially to mutual friends and on the internet! You’ll sound bitter and if they’re already an Academy Award-worthy actor at playing the victim, they’ll only look more compelling when they can use your harsh words to induce drama.

Never mourn the loss of your relationship/time for more than a minute per year. It’s time to look forward, not back.

Acknowledge that people can change, and if down the line of life your former companion tries to get in touch and offers an olive branch and promises of a renewed effort it may be worth your while to give them a second go. Ask around if they keep in touch with people whose opinions you trust, just be sure to take things slow and stay vigilant for any old familiar warning signs. On the flip side, some people are just incapable of change and best to keep your separate ways. Listen to your instinct.

Annie & I engaging in co-operative competitiveness

I normally take Thursdays off to get a breather between posts, but this is an important day so I made an exception.

Starting a new year gives many people opportunity to start afresh, to take a step back, reexamine their lives and regroup their direction. However, with this opportunity comes overwhelming pressure to DO IT RITE THIS TIME I SWEARS! At least, this is how I feel.
Generally, I am on the same roller coaster ride every year:
I am stoked for the new year, because that means I can shed the previous year like unwanted skin (ew, visual) and go forth with BIGGER! and BETTER! ideas that will surely, surely come to fruition this year, because this year is MY year, it has to be! I’ve never been more determined, more driven, or with more tools to set out and accomplish everything I’ve ever wanted to accomplish – in love, personal image and growth, friendships, independence, and career!

I typically start out on a major high and actually make a valiant effort to obtain these goals, but invariably, I do too much too soon, become overwhelmed, and when a crisis eventually comes my way, I threaten to commit myself under my bed and completely loose focus on all of the positive things I had going for me.
Usually I have to work my way back s-l-o-w-l-y, pick them up from the dust whence I threw them to run screaming towards the hills, and start anew. By this time summer is ebbing and I only have four months to cram in a lot of personal goals and growth. I make some achievements and vow the rest for the New Year because, after all, “tomorrow is another day.”

Finally, finally, I have recognized this vicious cycle I have put myself in and now that I can take a step to the left an reexamine things before I enter the whirlpool of resolution hell, I am outlining the ways that I can make and keep my goals. Maybe something I’ve learned can help you, too.

Firstly, it’s vital that we do not beat ourselves up for not achieving what we meant to in the previous year. Reflect, but do not look back! Celebrate what we achieved and focus on the next step forward, don’t linger on the steps behind.
Example: Yes, getting a publishing deal would have been swell, but I’m not going to dwell on that. What I am going to do is praise myself for actually completing the book I want to eventually have published. Go, me!

Setting new goals means getting organized means having the correct tools to accomplish this and the most vital tool you can have is self-motivation. Self-motivation requires a lot of organization to see that we do not fall off track and fall into old habits.
Example: I need a schedule. I have too many projects going on and many things I need to accomplish each week, little steps that will lead to bigger steps that will lead to PROFIT! and a schedule is essential. I tried to keep a mental To Do list and it just didn’t work for me.

Once you have goals in mind, take the time to write out the steps you need to take on how to achieve this goal. Start with your broad, general goal and work your way back up, step by step. Place this outline where you can see it daily; print it out and tape it above your desk, bed, etc.

Often times physical organization leads to mental organization. If you can’t sort out everything, at the very least get your work space in order (the space that you are using to achieve your goals – be it a desk or work table or kitchen or keeping your gym clothes always ready to go if weight loss is your goal)
Example: In order to stick with the schedule I am making for myself to keep organized, I need to go out and buy a dry erase board and physically keep my schedule up so I stay on task.

There is danger in multitasking and spreading yourself too thin. If you have a lot on your plate as it is and you want to add Goal A, Goal B, Goal C take a step back, assess which Goal is the most vital (let’s say it’s Goal B), focus on there and once you build a comfortable enough momentum that incorporates your life responsibilities and the time set aside needed for Goal B, then attempt to add Goal A or C to the mix. Otherwise you’re just doing a juggling act – round and round it goes, getting nowhere.

Propel yourself forward and work the details out as you go along.
Example: For me, getting caught up in the pre-production of life has always been a major tripwire for me; I get too preoccupied with the outlining stage that I never actually produce anything. One of the rare instances when I took action was buying this domain and starting this blog. I thought and thought and thought and thought about it for nearly a year until finally one random day this summer I said SCREW IT and just went for it, adding details as I went along. If you’ve been with Glass of Win since it’s very beginning, you know the blog was not initially the focus – hell, it wasn’t even on the front page – but it evolved as such because I just kept chugging along, updating, tweaking, figuring out what I liked and what worked.
I am going to be constantly reminding myself not to over-analyze and to just go for it.

Accept that you cannot control everything in your life (this is my nice way of saying shit happens). It isn’t always possible to leave room in our busy schedules for a crisis, but do know that as long that everyone goes through them. You’ll get through it, you will grow from it, learn from it, and move on. I know you will.

Realize that there is no fairy godmother with a magic wand waiting for you in 2010, that your goals are your responsibility to maintain. You can’t expect magic; resolutions are a process. It isn’t going to happen overnight, either. Hell, it may not even happen in 2010, but as long as you are still on the path you want to be on and you got through as many steps as you could, you’re still on your way!

Make sure you are maintaining healthy, positive relationships that are mutually beneficial and satisfying. Nothing sucks worse than an energy vampire who drains you of your happiness and self-confidence every time you interact with them. If there is one vital lesson I had to learn the hard way it is that there are just some people in this world we cannot be around, no matter how much we want to love them and be a part of their lives. This can be a trying experience, but trust me, you need to let it go and chock it up to a life lesson. Your wounds will heal and all of that time you previously spent soaking in their negativity and turning it on yourself can now be put towards building new, positive relationships. There are many human beings on this planet – give some a chance. You may surprise yourself.

ASIDE: If you’re goal is weight loss/shaping up, permit to give you a mere whisper of advice: eat well. exercise. You need to change your life habits, not employ a temporary fix fad. Remember: you can’t spell diet without d i e

I have a bit of a confession to make now. The entire concept of New Year Resolution(s) kind of bothers me. Once you are resolved to do something, DO IT! What are you waiting for? Time is an illusion; there is no imaginary stopwatch in the sky holding you back from starting on your path to what you want to achieve, forbidding you to move forward until 12:00am January 1st hits your time zone. Life is trial and error, all you have to do is go for it.

Whatever your prospects are for 2010, I wish you all the utmost happiness and success. You can take that leap of faith (in yourself!) and you can achieve your goals. Happy New Year!

As this is the last toast of 2009, I’m jumping into the spirit of the season and make this a fabulous New Year edition!

1. Start the New Year with a fabulous book. This year I read: Girl with a Pearl Earring, Craig Ferguson’s autobiography American on Purpose: The Improbable Adventures of an Unlikely Patriot, award-winning youth fantasy novel Rowan of the Wood, memoir Everything Sucks: Losing My Mind and Finding Myself in a High School Quest for Cool and Gothic Charm School: An Essential Guide for Goths and Those Who Love Them

2. Start 2010 with a shimmy and shake up with lessons in the art of tease taught by world-renowned burlesque artist Ava Garter at The Black Glove School of Seduction. At the very least, take in a burlesque show in your local area to add a little spice to the cold outside.

3. A new year means a slew of new movies to look forward to. Go through the trailers at Apple trailers and mark the dates for the movies you want to see most. I’ll be buying tickets for Iron Man 2, Inception, and if a Harry Potter flick manages to crawl its way to theaters I’ll see it for old time’s sake. I’m not very financially generous when it comes to film; I’m patient enough for Netflix

4. Be conscientious of the last Mercury Retrograde of the year going on these next couple of weeks ~ as blogged & explained by Gala Darling.

5. Is traveling in your 2010 future? After saving for over two years, this summer I’ll be a true jet-setter with trips to:

image via fddi1

Cork, Ireland

Them some magical f-$!@# trees!

6. Be inspired! Google words that inspire you and do an image search and soak in the visuals. It will stimulate your brain and get those creative circuits charged up and ready to go! 21 Stunning Photoshopped photos for creative inspiration, Swiss designer Tina Roth’s website Swiss Miss, image database Getty Images are a good jumping start.

Ad Infinitum at Behance.net

Alternatively, visit your favorite artists’ websites. Etsy has broadened my artistic eye and I have a plethora of new artists whose prints I want to collect.

Crepuscular by Teri Chung

Night by Teri Chung

Meadowlark portrait set by Becky Filip

Cha Cha by Kerry Beary


Hot Hair Balloon by Andrea Kett

7. Remember the great times of 2009, don’t dwell on the low points, and raise your hopes as high as your glass when it’s your time to welcome in 2010!

Everyone has an individual perspective on various four-letter words, some that they feel are permissible to use in every day language, some that they have forbidden from their vocabulary. There is one four-letter word however that I feel everyone should not only have in their daily vocabulary, but should embody and push forward and use as much as they can, and that word is – yes, you guessed it – love.

There are love curmudgeons everywhere we go, people who feel that the word represents an emotion rarely felt, so it should be withheld for special occasions only, like fine china. They may fear that love is so delicate and are in a constant state of fear for being broken by misuse. I understand, my lovable love curmudgeons, that perhaps love was so rarely acknowledged in your life or maybe a piece of that fine china was broken once long ago and though glued back together, the cracks are still visible.

Can you imagine what joy life will bring once we loose our fear to say LOVE? A child free of inhibition will run around and tell you about all of the things they love – I love Dora! I love Mommy! I love candy! I love my kitty! I love my friends! I love teacher! I love books! – How lucky they are to be able to spread their love and joy with others. I encourage you to do the same, friends, despite the pain of unrequited or cracked love that the past has brought you. Love is simple in its complexity, and complex in its simplicity. It is in everyone and everything, and it matters not if it is your love of a book or for your spouse or child; love is a welling of positive emotion that yearns to be shared with the rest of the world. It inspires you to make an imprint in this world, and challenges you to not sink to negative retaliation when someone has wronged you.

Why show and spread your love outward, to everyone and everything? Why declare your love for all and anything that you find joy in? Because love is one of those rare universal languages that unites all cultures, all people, all religions, all species, all life on this planet and keeps us from destroying one another. Without it, we are doomed. Yes, there is greed, hate, selfishness, war, destruction, and evil in this world – but it is singularly love that keeps it bound and prevents it from spilling over and making those negative factors our demise. Yes, there are days when love does not win the battle – but ultimately, love will win out. I know this in my heart and soul, and I hope you do, too.

Remember: You can love again, and once the hurdle of hesitation has been jumped over, it will spill from your heart, to your lips, to the ears of those around you, and spread like a fresh breeze, encouraging others to share their love, too. Love is not just another four-letter English word; it is the essence of life all around.

Last Saturday night I went for my annual adventure to see The Sound of Music Sing-Along at the Hollywood Bowl. Every year my mom buys tickets for my birthday and every year is a grand time. I am thinking of the song My Favorite Things right now and trying to keep it as a positive mantra as I am home still recovering from all four of my wisdom teeth being extracted. It’s not been easy going, but now is not the time to stress about it needlessly and I want to instead share 27 things that are keeping my spirits high:

1. My best friend’s blog, milk glass mao
2. Julie Brown on Twitter!
3. Halloween! For the first time in seven years, my Halloween is wide open and I have NO idea what to do, but the possibilities are endlessly exciting.
4. My friend Slim being safe from the Indonesia earthquakes
5. Candyfuture, the new lipstick line by Lime Crime Make Up
6. Netflix, renting awesome DVDs to watch whether under the weather or not since 2004.
7. My mommy
8. Saving up and paying for my procedure in full
9. Savina nail color in Lila, a vivid lilac
10. Spicy tuna & pumpkin pie for lunch
11. Fresh, clean sheets on my bed
12. My upcoming shows for October
13. Going to the Craig Ferguson book signing on Sunday, then his show on Tuesday! <3
14. National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) coming up.
15. All of the digital PBS affiliate stations that come in now.
16. The Joker coming to Gotham City Sirens (I haven’t read it yet, though, so no spoilers!)
17. Martha Stewart, because I love her.
18. New soup recipe this weekend.
19. Comfy pillows (not the dirty kind, but I’m thankful for those, too!)
20. October Shadows, the next exhibit at gallery nucleus.
21. Elizabeth Smart, fighting back!
22. Victoria’s Secret 5 for $25 sale.
23. Heather Armstrong, aka dooce.com, whose blog has my mom always asking me, “Do you know these people?”
24. Audrey Kitching’s upcoming yard sale.
25. The growing pile of comics and books to read.
26. The People’s Court. Oh, yeah.
27. The fact that I will never have to get my wisdom teeth removed again!

Question: What do you keep in mind when you’re feeling under the weather?

“Please watch out for each other and love and forgive everybody. It’s a good life, enjoy it.”

Jim Henson wrote these words to his children shortly before he passed away in 1990. Today would have been his seventy-third birthday and I wanted to make an attempt (second attempt, really, since I made my first attempt on my show) at describing why I consider Jim Henson such an integral part of my life and way of thinking.

Jim Henson seemed to be the sort of man who, by all accounts, never became short or angry or incredibly defensive with people. He was quiet, pensive, and able to communicate criticisms or adverse opinions in such a way that ensured the opposing person would not have their feelings hurt. I believed he realized that life was too short for grudges, hate, and anger to lead you through life and take over the thought process. There was too much to get done by way of laughter, learning and enjoying life.
Around the time I was recognizing severely negative traits within me that I wanted to turn around, I picked up Jim Henson: The Works – The Art, the Magic, the Imagination and found myself in tears at several points throughout the biography. Jim embodied what I desire most in myself, the passion to create and be the best human being I possibly know how, with kindness, empathy and forgiveness readily available for everyone that crosses my path.
It was these qualities that Jim infused within the Muppets, especially Kermit, the Muppet I identify most with. Kermit could do what Jim could not or refused to: let his frustration show, sometimes boiling over until he shouted as his good intentions were foiled one way or the other. However, like Jim, Kermit could pick up the pieces, love and forgive everybody, and start anew.
I struggle, of course, because I am human, and it is not so easy bein’ green for me, either, and when I am having a dark moment or a stressful hurdle throws itself abruptly in my path I am typically quick to react. However, when I look at the quote above – as I have it written strategically across my bookcase that holds my Henson related books – I am able to take a deep breath, let my mind clear and open my heart a little wider as I realize it’ll do fine, it’s a good life, and I will enjoy it.
Thank you, Jim.

Question: What does Jim Henson and his creations mean to you?