And Now for Something Completely Different

Well, maybe not completely different, but a bit of a departure from the usual ranty blog, anyway. I’ve been feeling a bit inspired lately by the 1000 Awesome Things blog. It’s a nice reminder that while a lot of things suck, there are also a lot of things that don’t. And of course like sucking, everyone’s version of awesome is going to be different. So, even though positivity doesn’t come naturally to me, and I do oddly enjoy writing about my faults and issues, it’s been nice to concentrate on some of the things that make me happy, too:

Autumn. My favourite time of the year; beautiful sunshiny days and cool nights. Yesterday I even got my winter woolies out, which was ridiculously exciting. And it’s wonderfully ironic that while I love the arrival of official hibernating weather, I’m also much more inclined to spend time outdoors in autumn and winter.

Kindred spirits. There’s a particular kind of comfort around those people who just “get” you. The ones who never make you feel judged or criticised. Who’ll patiently listen to you whinge about the most ridiculous things and get worked up right along with you. The ones you might not see for ages, but will fall back into the same comfortable conversations with like you’d spoken to them yesterday. The ones you can laugh with until your stomach aches and you’re genuinely afraid you’re going to wet yourself. The ones you just feel lucky to know at all.

Watching Toy Story with my nephew. Kids know how to really enjoy things, don’t they? It’ doesn’t matter that he’s seen it dozens of times, and it doesn’t matter that he knows the dialogue by heart. He still loves every minute of it. He gets excited and laughs uproariously, and it’s impossible not to love it along with him.

Coming home. Just walking in the door makes me feel safe and comfortable, in a way that I never really feel anywhere else. I’ve only recently learned to appreciate just how lucky I am to have that. No matter what’s happened elsewhere, how crap my day may have been or how bad I might be feeling, coming home always makes me feel better, even if it‘s only because I can finally be miserable in peace.

The internet. I feel like this goes without saying, seeing as this is where we are, but I bloody love the internet! I tried to fight it for a long time, feeling like I was unreasonably addicted and I should be spending my time and money more wisely, but you know what? I don’t care anymore. It’s entertaining, informative and social - particularly since it allows me to socialise without leaving the house. Or changing out of my pyjamas, even. I turn it on first thing in the morning and turn it off last thing at night. Sometimes I don’t even bother to turn it off at all. I barely remember what life was like without it, but it definitely wasn’t as good.

See, now writing that did actually make me feel happier! Although now I’m a little worried that it comes across as even more self-indulgent than usual. Which is also good in an odd sort of way, seeing as too much positivity makes me nervous. Awesome.