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Monday, May 07, 2007

What makes me smile?

And I mean really smile, in that nose scrunched up kinda way that I often do (see above)? Too many things, I tells ya, so I've got to admit it's far from a complete list. Read on through though, and maybe what makes me smile, makes you smile too :D

*Coming home to a clean place (though the act of cleaning does not make me smile)

*Planning things - whether it be a Beer Tasting class, dance lessons with a friend, road trips and upcoming travels (ahem, like to Italy)

*Going into a bookstore - I could spend hours in them

*Having a place to call all my own

*Reading about a foreign country and picking out the best reasons why I should go visit this place - and then think about how cool it will sound to say, "Im going to Ulaambaatar next year"

*Looking at my bookshelf and realizing I have tons of great books just waiting for me

*Drinking a beer in the sun

*Being on the boat - doesn't matter if it's rainy outside or winter or if I am in the middle of the Sea of Cortez and gagging for land

*When a friend does something thoughtful (like send you a funny card when they know you are feeling blue)

*Sleeping in on a Saturday when you know you have the whole weekend still ahead of you

*Long weekends

*Dogs. Any kind. Puppies especially. I will squeal

*Being on the back of a horse

*A fresh breeze ruffling my hair

*No line up at Starbucks (or indeed any place)

*A thunderstorm or windstorm

*Lesley Neilsen

*Finding new TV shows to love

*Looking through photo albums

*Going to new restaurants

*Exploring new neighbourhoods

*Finding a piece of clothing that you know no one else will have

*Taking photographs

*Audrey Hepburn movies

*Writing scripts/novels especially when I get to the point where I could just keep going and going - this is when my heart truly soars and I feel whole

*Having faith

*Seeing people who are truly in love and thus being reminded that it does exist

*Plotting where to travel to in the coming years

*A big, new, thick...magazine

*Days when I realize it's OK that I am not perfect, and OK to be me the way I am

*Trying on a dress that makes me feel like an angel

*Fitting in to an old pair of (skinny) jeans

*A fragrant, warm breeze on a calm, dark night

*Taking off my bra

*The first time of the year when you put on flip-flop/sandals/jandals/thongs

*Finding money you didn't know you had in random places

*The warm glow from windows in the night

*A head-bobbing Bill Cosby

*Waking up early, thinking you have to go to work and then remembering it's the weekend and you can sleep as long as you want

*Ikea

*Watching the previews before a movie in the theatre

*Grocery shopping for the night's dinner you have planned

*Light snow falling at night

*Looking at pictures of palm trees, a white beach and cool, clear aquamarine water - and imagining what it would be like to there

*An appreciative smile from a cute guy

*A free drink (or free anything really)

*Having a radio play your song request

*Going out for Breakfast (especially IHOP, yum)

*A nice, juicy mango

*An unexpected compliment

*A full tank of gas

*Summer dining on a patio

*Finishing a crossword puzzle

*Quoting or having someone quote Friends, The Simpsons, Airplane... (Pivot!)

*Having coffee and reading the paper outside in early morning sunlight

*Finally seeing results of a workout

*Having friends who appreciate how silly I am

*The sound of a dog slurping water out of a bowl

*The first Eggnog Latte of the year

*My Homer Simpson slippers

*Reminiscing over old memories

*Disneyland

*Fluffy warm towels right out of the dryer

*Xmas songs

*Seeing candid photos of yourself

*The Simpsons Halloween Specials

*Finding people who love the same quirky things as you (ie, Mystery Science Theatre, Paul Simon, etc)

*Last-minute plans

*Getting to McDonalds in time for an Egg McMuffin

*A fresh sheet of bubble wrap

*Watching funniest animal videos

*The sound of lawn sprinklers

*My ability to see the bright side in everything

*Finding out that I was charged/paid too much on something and getting credited

*Making people laugh

*Getting the best seat on an airplane/bus/train and having no one sit next to you

*To be proud of how far I have come in my 25 years - and to know my life is just getting started

Sorry it was so long, but honestly I could go on and on - and hey, you know what, that can't be a bad thing, can it? I hope you too find things that make your face shrink up with glee (see below).

23 comments:

brandy said...

Oh, I loved this! Ikea, no lines, good books, long weekends.. we share so many of the same likes! Oh and the fat, glossy magazines? I love those too. Glad to know you find happiness in so many places!

Dan said...

Hmm... a few of those things might actually make me smile ear to ear too. I'll leave it to you to guess which. Meanwhile, I'll just say, let's meet up at Disneyland in a couple of weeks!

Len said...

That's funny. I've always found the pics of me where I wrinkle the nose because I smiling/laughing so weird, because I thought I was the only one doing that. It's great that I'm not :)

Rosanna said...

This is such a lovely post!

Audrey Hepburn movies - AMEN to that sister.

Lemonade that fizzes against my nose makes me smile.

Rosanna said...

PS: Do you know, as I read this, I was thinking 'I wonder if this girl in Scandinavian...' and you're Norwegian! You look so very, very Norwegian.

Hejsann!

Anonymous said...

Love the big new thick...magazine.

Scotty said...

Ha! I like a lot of the same things, and goes to show that sometimes the smallest things can make someone very happy.

I like the scrunched up nose too :)

clw said...

Thanks a great look on you!

Sean said...

wonderful list. thanks for sharing it.

almost famous kiwi said...

You know what makes me smile? Old home movies that remind me that my childhood wasn't half as bad as i've dramatised it in my adult years.

haha Dan's a funny man. I'm guessing it was the puppies one that he's thinking about, definatly not taking off your bra!

Scorpy said...

Absolutely brilliant :) It made me smile. Thanks

Todd said...

First off, your pictures are absolutely adorable.

Second, it's really nice to read posts like this. It made me smile just thinking about most of them. Thanks :)

Third, I'm not ashamed to admit that I giggled a bit at Taking off my bra. I'm sure that makes other people smile too!

Plain Jane said...

Hey Sweety!

A person who can find joy in the little things is the person who will get the most out of life. You amaze me that you can smile despite that crap hand you were dealt (U know what I mean!) and I just KNOW you'll find a partner who can live life to the fullest WITH you, and in no time at all!!!

Im sure you can speed up the process even faster though if you take off your bra ;)and that'll bring some more of those appreciate glances you were talking bout.

Peace out :D

L

Oh and brushing my teeth with a new toothpaste makes me happy but I just think its wierd.

Mark Brown said...

Interesting, The bboooyy in me found one that made ME smile from ear to ear thinking about it...

*taking YOUR bra off? YES... Oh I can dream, can't I?

hee hee

The Stormin Mormon said...

"*Drinking a beer in the sun"

-

Love it...

Tawcan said...

Great post. Nice pics of you smiling too.

I don't know about how others think, but I think dogs always smile at you... unlike cats.

One of the things that makes me smile would be...

Lying on the ground staring into the dark sky, staring at millions of stars, thinking how small we are.

Oh ya, added you on my blogroll. :)

Shawn said...

Ahh, Airplane! You made me smile just mentioning that alone!!

Boy:"Cream?"
Girl:"No, thank you, I take it black... like my men."

The look on the little boy's face when she says this is priceless...

I also love sitting with a beer, and hearing the first track of a CD that I'm listening to all the way through (e.g. Revolver, Dark Side of the Moon... anything great)

Neily said...

Loved this!! Made me feel like a little kid again when EVERYTHING was so exciting.

Wanderlusting said...

Everyone - to clarify, I love that this post made others as happy as these things make me.

Also, when I say "taking off my bra," I mean that it feels REALLY good to do it after a long hard day at work. That is all.

Get your minds out of the gutter!

Adjil said...

What I want to know is what the label on your Molsen in the pic says!

THATS what makes me smile!

Unknown said...

i am glad you are so happy! What a great list!

Lilac Stripe said...

great post, love so many of those things too!

simon said...

you like bookstores? try Shakesperes Books in Paris incredible!