Saturday morning smiles.

I worked out with my trainer this morning. Never pushed so hard in my life. Man, I was sweaty. Of course, I then ran into everyone I know.

When I got home, the hub asked me if everything was okay. He looked worried. I didn’t realize I had the business card of a psychotherapist on my desk. Ha! I met her yesterday at a crochet lesson (don’t laugh Mom!). We’re making hats for the support organizations and oncology centers in our area and this woman does pro bono work for one of the centers. (So many people came to learn to make hats! It was amazing. The 2 women who are organizing this for our NCJW section are so amazing – thanks! If you live around here – there is another lesson in 2 weeks)

Andrew is making pancakes. I love panckakes! We get our butter from the organic dairy and they deliver it with yogurt, milk, eggs, and more. I love that.

I’m running some eBay auctions for charity. Some end today. I really get pumped up with excitement as the prices go up. I guess I’m a cheap date. (I’ll be listing more items soon! Some are pretty nice.) People have been donating items for us to sell and our group gets 100% of the proceeds! Very cool. We use the money to support a program that sends supplemental food home every weekend with the kids from Head Start.

It’s a dreary day. While that might sound like a bummer, I’m happy. I have puttering to do. If it was nice out, I’d want to go out and do something!

Tonight, I’m going to see Jon Stewart! I’m pretty excited about it.

I hope your day looks as promising as mine!

It’s not nice to make fun of people.

While I know it’s not nice to make fun of people, I have to tell you about something that happened today. Andrew and I were both on the phone with his mom and Andrew mentioned something about IM’ing me. She said, “On your blueberry?”

I couldn’t help it. I laughed. But come to think about it, why is blueberry funnier than blackberry?

Cheers!

All you folks out there who abstain from alcohol, have a seat. Your responsible behavior is costing you big bucks.

A new study published in the Journal of Labor Research today says that drinkers earn 10-14% more money than teetotalers.

Read the article here.

I’ll drink to that.

Small town feeling.

When my brother’s family moved to a very small town, I thought how odd it would be to live in a place where everyone knew your business.

But here I am, in a town of 90,000. And somehow, I manage to see the same people several times a day. At school. At lunch (there was a huge birthday lunch for a friend today!), at Hebrew School.

It’s okay. In fact, it’s kind of nice. Just something I noticed today.

Metro Center.

I went into Washington, D.C. today to have lunch with a former collegue of mine. A guy who scared the shit out of me in my 20′s who now, 15+ years later, is one of my biggest fans, as I am of his. After a great meal and lively chatting, he had to go to a meeting and I had planned to march right back to the metro (subway in D.C. talk) and head home. After all, I knew I’d have over a hundred emails and a lot of work to do.

But instead, I started walking north. I walked and walked and walked. It was a beautiful day. The perfect temperature. 70 degrees. No humidity. I walked a couple miles to another client of mine’s office. Did I mention I was wearing a pair of BCBGirls pumps? Or that many of the sidewalks and crosswalks are brick? Yup. My feet are officially killing me.

But you know what? It was worth it. It was invigorating to be alone with my thoughts on a gorgeous day. I looked in windows and stopped at street vendors. It felt like I was playing hookey.

I used to live in a city. I loved it. And up until today, I thought I was a city girl who, due to circumstances beyond her control, lived in the suburbs. But it’s not true. I enjoy the city most when it’s special and unexpected and in bite-sized pieces.

And I think I like it better in flats.

Something I hope to remember next time I go.

Whistle a happy tune.

I am an optimist. I like to be happy. On 9/11 it’s hard to be either. I read Jenne’s post and sat staring at the screen. I’ve received touching and insightful emails from friends.

I worry about the future. I am sad for the past. And frankly, I’m having a really bad couple days here.

Instead of stewing in my thoughts, I decided to look for something that makes me happy. Of course the kids do, but they’re in school. Actually, that makes me happy too.

I found a friendship bracelet that my niece, Hannah, made me. I found a silver snake pin that my dad bought me in New Mexico. Story goes that the little shop smelled a little, shall we say, wacky.

I found the antique pin that my in-laws gave me as an engagement gift. The Zulu basket that Liz brought me back from South Africa. The photo of Andrew and me in Maui almost 14 years ago to the day. (We sure looked young!)

I stopped to admire the small Limoge box that sat on my grandmother’s dresser all her life. And the photo that an admirer gave me that I adore (the photo, not the guy).

And I found the photo here. Andrew and I went to Cabo San Lucas with Ellen and Bob. Davis was 2-1/2. Reed was 9 months old. Whew, it was great to get away from that creature! That kid had some lungs on him.

Here I am on a fishing boat, tipsy to say the least, with my hub and wonderful friends. What a day that was. Free. Andrew caught a huge fish. I got a lot of sun. It was awesome.

Will I forget about the sadness in the world? Of course not. But it’s nice to remember that these moments are always with us.

Alone in the house
Fog and sadness in my chest
Too quiet for me

Why I’m nervous.

My niece left for college last week. She is a sweet, innocent, artistic girl. She is going to a small college in Minnesota. As her mother wrote, “She’s surrounded by people who think it’s cool to play with beads and bake on a Saturday night.”

I hope she’s right. I worry about the little girl I know and love. And I remember these guys from my freshman dorm. And I’m scared.