Day 35 Gratefuls

Hey, I passed the 30 day mark.  Isn't that supposed to be one of the important time frames for something you want to become habit?

Anyway, let's see what we can put on the agenda for tonight.

1. I'm grateful that dilating my pupils (every six months) feels NOTHING like when they use drops to constrict my pupils (before I had laser surgery).  I never EVER want to go through that again.  Dilating is a wee bit of a PITA if I have somewhere I have to be (like tonight... had to go straight to school with my cartoon eyes... ha ha ha).  But you do get to experience a state of continual fireworks with all the different lights on at night.  The effect is really something.. particularly with Christmas lights.
2. I'm grateful that I found another good book to read.  It's a juvenile by Heinlein... I decided to go through all his juveniles.  I think there are some that I've missed.  And I have no apologies for my reading materials, ever.  I'm perfectly fine with young adult fiction because I counter it with some pretty heavy duty non-fiction books.
3. I'm grateful for pomegranates.  They are just SOOOO yummy! 

Day 34 Gratefuls

1. I'm grateful I go to school by choice rather than by necessity.
2. I'm grateful for friends who give me ideas like putting on a simmer pot to add humidity to the air (it's down to 27% today).
3. I'm grateful that the sun moves across the horizon so only for a few months of the year is it in my eyes when I sit at the computer or reflecting on the tv.

Day 33 Gratefuls

1. I'm super, super grateful for getting to spend the whole day with Gabe and Sereen!
2. I'm grateful for finding a little pet cushion and insulation thing for my outdoor cat house.
3. I'm grateful for a beaded necklace that worked out pretty nicely.  I don't make very many beaded things lately and I almost forgot some of my former techniques. 

Day 32 Gratefuls

1. I'm grateful for great company and home cooked meals.
2. I'm grateful for citrus fruit in the winter.
3. I'm grateful for realizing my Ethics final isn't until next week.

Day 31 Gratefuls

1. I'm grateful for all my friends and family.
2. I'm grateful for central heat.
3. I'm grateful that I live in a place where I get to see occasional wildlife (check out the antlers on the male).

Day 30 Gratefuls

1. I'm grateful I had a long (and really nice) phone conversation with my daughter today.  
2. I'm grateful my son just called and said he's coming to visit this weekend (up from UCLA).
3. I'm grateful my homemade pumpkin pie turned out very yummy.

Day 29 Gratefuls

1. I'm so grateful for where I live at the moment.  It's beautiful  Every day is like a vacation.
2. I'm grateful for oversized fuzzy sweaters on cold days.
3. I'm grateful for banana bread being an easy solution for too many overripe bananas in the pantry.

Day 28 Gratefuls

1. I'm grateful for helpful tech people on the phone with voices/tones/accents I can hear okay and understand.
2. I'm grateful for wood floors.  I'm extremely unfond of carpets.  Rugs are tolerable, but I really love wood floors.
3. I'm grateful for orders that finally arrive and are better than expected.  Got some fun new cab jewelry coming up soon.  Yeeha!

Day 27 Gratefuls

1. I'm grateful when I see people being nice to other people, even if it's just on tv.  For example, on The Voice, the coaches always say nice and encouraging things to the contestants, even the ones they have to let go.  And while the grown-ups on shows like Masterchef and Project Runway can be very catty and back-stabbing, when they do children's versions of these shows, the kids are always encouraging and supporting one another.  They say NICE things behind one another's back.
2. I'm grateful that it's going to rain again Tuesday (we welcome the rain) and that it's supposed to be sunny on Thursday (Thanksgiving... I prefer no rain for those who will be driving that day).
3. I'm grateful that even in the winter, I can hang my clothes out to dry instead of using the electricity-guzzling dryer.  We just plan accordingly and do laundry on non-rain days.

Day 26 Gratefuls

Today was one of those... not so stellar days.  Nothing horrible, just little things going wrong here and there.

So in light of this...

... I will reach for three positives today.

1. I'm grateful for trees.  I'm glad I live where there are lots of trees and they're all so beautiful.  I don't want to take trees for granted.  (Here's our gorgeous persimmon tree)
   
2. I'm grateful for nights without stupid freaky anxiety-inducing dreams.  Yes, I really love those!  (Not the dreams... the nights without them)
3. I'm grateful for November and December because business really picks up then.  I know, it shouldn't come as a shock that people buy more jewelry before the holidays, but it's always pleasant when it happens nonetheless.  I also have the highest number of men buying jewelry (presumably as gifts) before the holidays than any other time of the year.

Day 25 Gratefuls

1. I'm grateful for times when I'm entertaining and dinner turns out awesome.  
2. I'm grateful that Hulu is the opposite of almost every other viewing system when it comes to commercials and volume.  The sound for commercials is actually LOWER than the sound for the program.  
3. I'm grateful for nights when I can leave the window open and get fresh air all night.

Share your gratefuls in the comments section.

Day 24 Gratefuls

1. I'm grateful that I was able to design and make a piece of jewelry that had to be mailed today (along with some freshly picked mandarins)... and it worked (hey, they don't wall work, I won't kid you).
   
2. I'm grateful for days when I don't have any other obligations and I just get to play with jewelry.
3. I'm grateful for the beautiful sunset tonight.  I stopped on my way home to take the first pic.  The second pic is once I got home.  The actual sunset was much better than these awful cell phone photos show, so can you imagine?! 
    
   
   
   

Day 23 Gratefuls

These are pithy posts, I realize that.  It's because I write them before I go to bed and I'm a total morning person so by the time I'm doing my daily gratefuls I'm exhausted and haven't got much brain power for clever posting.

1. Today I'm grateful for nice UPS and USPS delivery people.
2. I'm grateful for socks (those who know me may be shocked by that, but it's been in the 60's lately and I'm freezing... so yes, I have been wearing socks).
3. I'm grateful that the less sugar I consume, the better non-sugared foods taste.  Today I ate some plain unsweetened, unflavored yogurt and it was SOOOO yummy.  There was a time I would have said NO WAY.

(And I had a great cartoon to put here, but I'm suddenly feeling like not joining in with the rest of the internet and using other people's material without their permission.)

Day 22 Gratefuls

1. I'm grateful migraines (for me) don't seem to last more than a day or two.
2. I'm grateful for the classes I'm taking at college... they're very interesting and it's fun meeting new people.
3. I'm grateful for that gasoline isn't too expensive right now.  I think I paid $2.35 per gallon today.  I recall paying as much as $5 per gallon about 5-10 years ago.

Day 21 Gratefuls

1. I'm grateful how easy the UPS website is to use and that they offer a reasonably priced ground service.
2. I'm grateful that I got to see a really beautiful moon tonight as I was driving home from school.  Orange, low on the horizon, crescent.  I wanted to stop and take a picture, but that always translates into a little dot.  Hmph!
3. I'm grateful for solder joins that works the first time.  Ha ha ha!  

Day 20 Gratefuls

1. I'm grateful that when the electricity went out during today's thunderstorm, it was a very brief outage (my portable charges weren't charged!).
2. I'm grateful for so many nearby places to buy healthy, organic, locally-sourced, wholesome grocery items.
3. I'm grateful that the three cats are here every evening when I go to bed and every morning when I wake up.  'Cause when I can't find one... I go looking.

Share your gratefuls in the comments section.  I'd love to hear from you.

Day 19 Gratefuls

1. I'm grateful my daughter's team won today's game.  Timely moral booster.
2. I'm grateful... well, truth is, I'm spoiled rotten with my technology... which isn't even much compared to most people I know, but me... well, I *do* feel spoiled rotten.  I was watching a streamed hockey game on my phone and I kept getting texts which stops the streamed game each time.  So I put the game on my Kindle instead so the texts could be answered without stopping the streamed game.  I do not take all this for granted.  I am so grateful every day that I have so many cool things in my life.
3. I'm grateful the grass has stopped growing so fast in the orchard.  If I don't have to mow much in the next few months I can start going on morning walks again.  Yay!

Day 18 Gratefuls

1. I'm grateful I got to see the work of some cool artists today (a small jaunt to one of the stops on the local artist loop that I hope to be a part of this time next yer).
2. I'm grateful Utah has live streaming since I never even get to find out the scores for the UCLA games without my son's gf texting them to me.
3. I'm grateful for all the people who help out during difficult and dangerous times.

Day 17 Gratefuls

1. I'm grateful that Costco took the screw out of my tire and repaired the tire for free.  They apparently also found a nail in the same tire.  Geez... I'm sorry poor car.
2. I'm grateful for friends who will go with me without any notice to Costco to have my tires repaired.
3. I'm grateful for garlic.  I just LOVE the stuff!

Day 16 Gratefuls

1. I'm grateful for so many different kinds of tea to choose from.
2. I'm grateful that my friends are very forgiving of my mistakes.
3. I'm grateful I'm working on not having any big regrets in life...

... just little ones.

Day 15 Gratefuls

1. I'm grateful for people I've never met who bend over backwards to help my daughter adjust to life 3000 miles from home.  This sentence doesn't do justice to the gratitude I feel for that east coast family.  I'm so touched.
2. I'm grateful for all the people willing to share their knowledge and experiences with jewelry making and/or selling online in order to help others speed up the learning curve.
3. I'm grateful for my son's gf who texts me the scores of my son's UCLA ice hockey games since it's impossible to find out anything about that team anywhere on the internet. 

Day 14 Gratefuls

1. I'm truly grateful that I have the option of cooling off if I'm too hot and of warming up if I'm too cold.  I realize this is a luxury and I don't take it for granted.
2. I'm also grateful I currently live in a place where "freezing" to me really means it's about 55 degrees outside.  Yes, I'm a wuss when it comes to cold weather.  I pretend to think I could live on the east coast, but when California goes below 60 degrees I rethink my hardiness.
3. Still and again grateful for the awesome, awesome, awesome students that come to my workshop to let me share my knowledge.

Day 13 Gratefuls

1. Today I'm grateful for my two snuggly little blankets that are SO soft.  Although I generally get hot in the night and kick all my blankets off, it's nice to snuggle up with my blankets when I first get into bed and feel like I'm freezing.
2. Today I'm grateful that I have access to lots of experienced metal smiths who are very patient with my questions.  I learn a lot from them.
3. Today I'm grateful for sourdough bread.  I try not to eat too much bread but an occasional piece of sourdough bread warmed up is so yummy!

Share your gratefuls in the comments section!

Day 12 Gratefuls

1. I'm grateful that I found some cool books at an estate sale.  I got the "Forks Over Knives" cookbook along with a book on Neuroplasticity (one of my favorite subjects).
2. I'm grateful that my tumbler hasn't given my jewelry any of the black gunk since that one time a couple months ago.  I do hold my breath every time I empty it, and so far yay it's all been sparkling shiny sterling silver.
3. I'm grateful that the organic peanut butter powder is back in stock.  Patiently waiting to see if Costco will stock it again, but in the meantime I just order it from the company.

Share your gratefuls in the comments section!

Day 11 Gratefuls

1. I'm grateful that the baby deer that was injured so badly animal control was out here looking for him seems to be surviving okay.  I saw him with him mom and, while he does have a bad limp, he is getting around fine.  I do understand they were only trying to do the humane thing... if he couldn't get around he'd just suffer and starve.  So I'm grateful he seems to have overcome his injury (got caught in one of the fences he was trying to jump).
2. I'm grateful for live streaming games of my daughter's hockey so I can feel a little less far from her (she's 3000 miles away).
3. I'm grateful for fun garage sales and fun people to go with me to garage sales.  $5 for a pair of these cool stained glass windows (they're 3 feet tall).

Day 10 Gratefuls

1. I'm grateful for vitamin C powder from Trader Joe's.  I hate swallowing pills and although this stuff is mind-numbingly sour, a little goes a long way (1000 mg per 1/4 tsp).  I like a little Vit C boost when I feel I may be coming down with something.
2. I'm grateful I don't hear anyone snoring at night.  I've known and lived with snorers and it drives me batty.  So yay for no snoring these days.  I even make our snoring cat sleep upstairs.
3. I'm grateful I have a rolling mill.  Although I don't use it on a daily basis, it's so nice having one.  I like adding textures to metal this way.  Like this bracelet and these earrings.

 

 

 What are you grateful for?  Share in the comments!

Day 9 Gratefuls

1. I'm grateful that I found something I was looking for in the workroom.  That sentence doesn't begin to express the angst I felt when I couldn't find the item and the overwhelming relief and gratitude when I did find it.  
2. I'm grateful I had a wonderful phone conversation with my daughter this evening.
3. I'm grateful I got to work in the studio today.  You'd think, being a jewelry maker and all,that's where I spend the majority of my time... but you'd be wrong, so I'm EVER so grateful when I get to spend even half a day in the workshop.  Here's a (poor quality) photo of one of the items I made.

Don't forget to share YOUR gratefuls in the comments section if you like.  I'd love to hear what my friends are grateful for, big and small (the gratefuls, not the friends).

Day 8 Gratefuls

1. I'm grateful I got to share some of my personal life/work in one of my college classes.  Yes, I get excited talking about the process of making jewelry, so any audience I can find makes me happy.
2. I'm grateful that Rio (www.RioGrande.com) ship fast.  I usually have my items two days after placing my order.  Whoohoo!
3. I'm grateful that the cauliflower recipe I just tried was a success.  

Day 7 Gratefuls

1. I'm grateful for the awesome library of reference books I have.
2. I'm grateful that my camera sometimes makes my jewelry look really good.
3. I'm grateful that it's November and we're still picking cherry tomatoes off the vine every day.

Day 6 Gratefuls

1. I'm grateful that when the box fell onto my shelf and landed right on top of my sorting tray, the tray didn't upset, tip over or spill.  The tray was full of a day's worth of cabochon sorting... some as small as 3mm.  I would have cried had they spilled all over my room.  So yay for the non-spilling!  
2. I'm grateful that I have a workshop full of supplies and tools at the beck and call of my experiments.  No, I don't have every tool I want (my next goal is a Pepe or Swanstrom disk cutter), but I have so many to be grateful for, indeed.
3. I'm grateful for that fresh feeling in the air after a rain.  And yes, we got rain today.  Hooray!

Please share your gratefuls in my comments section!