Reasons to be happy (and not just because it's Friday)

I made only one New Year's resolution this year, but that doesn't mean it's been easy to keep: I resolved to try to be happier. Kind of vague and hard to measure, yes, and it's easy to forget when I'm in the midst of unhappy circumstances. At the end of a week that included too many meetings, too much student distress, and too little rest and relaxation, I decided to look for reasons to be happy. To wit:

1. Pretty world! This morning the sky looked like a watercolor and the river like quicksilver, and though I didn't see any eagles, I found the roar of water rushing over the dam refreshing.  

2. Finally, warmth. Today I'm not wearing long-johns, wool socks, boots, earmuffs, gloves, or a heavy coat, and I feel as light as a feather.

3. The end of meeting madness. I survived my many-meeting marathon this week without losing my mind, although I did lose my temper (just once!).

4. Fun film classes. Great viewing, great reading, great discussion, and a set of really stellar papers--why can't all my classes be like this every day?

5. This website, which combines two of my favorite things: the Cleveland Indians and anagrams. Go, Lil' Cheery Batman!

6. Fantastic colleagues, whose achievements I cheered for last night as they received well-earned awards. 

7. I remembered my lunch! Three slices of my favorite thin-crust veggie pizza so good I would gladly eat it cold.

8. I haven't made anyone cry in almost 24 hours. (Of course, the day is still young.)

9. Student talent on display in my classes, at the student art show, and at their production of A Glass Menagerie this evening, which will put a nice positive spin at the end of my impossible week.  

10. One week closer to Spring Break!