Since I am at a lull in my cycle, and specifically at the point where I begin thinking depressing, obsessive thoughts about my uterus being a lemon, I have decided to focus on some of the totally awesome things I have going for me right now.
1. Vacation! In a few weeks I am headed to the Jersey Shore! Now
before you furrow your brow and try to picture me as a Snooki look-alike (I
assure you, I am not. Besides the height difference, my fine Irish blood has ensured I’ve never seen a good tan), I have to say that the real Jersey Shore
is nothing like the show. Or if it
is, I am not “cool” enough to visit those parts.
So what makes the Jersey Shore
great? First off, the food. Seriously, it has the best pizza you can find. And
if you have never had a Khor’s ice cream cone, you are deprived. And don’t even get
me started on the raw bars…yum (picture slack jawed Homer Simpson face here).
Secondly, as cheesy as it sounds, I love the carnival
games. As a child I perfected my skills at the claw game. The secret: you can’t care about the prize. Sure that ipod looks cool, but you will never win it. See that Yo Gabba Gabba stuffy with the long neck? – There’s
your victory.Don't worry about the fact that you've never actually seen an episode of the show because all that matters is you won it. Despite being in my thirties, I still have my competitive drive to spend tens of dollars trying to win junk worth $.95.
Finally, the drinking. OK, maybe that is a little Jersey Shore-ish,
but seriously, it has great bars. Plus, a few summers ago, I taught
my parents the ins-and-outs of beer pong which makes for a hilarious night of
family entertainment (especially since my mom will not drink beer so she fills
up the cups with little bits of wine cooler). I cannot wait to go.
2. Reading! As I've mentioned before, I love to read. However, during the school year, it is very hard for me to squeak away anytime to read for pleasure. So this summer, my library card is on overload. I started off by reading the latest Sookie Stackhouse novel. If you have never given them a try, I heartily recommend. I've never seen the tv show, but I've heard it is very, very different. I find this books a lot of fun and waaaaaay better than the Twilight series.
Other than that, my taste in books usually gravitates towards those that have pink covers (I hate the term "Chick Lit", but I guess it accurately sums it up). Some of my favorite authors that I have caught up with so far are Kristin Hannah (every.single.book of hers makes me cry), Jen Lancaster (really must recommend her earlier books - laugh out loud funny and snarky), and I am currently 38 on the waiting list for the new Jennifer Weiner book. Not to mention I am still slogging my way though 50 Shades of Gray (I want to like it, but the plot is so so thin. And I want to punch the "inner goddess"). Regardless, on any given day you can find me on my back porch wasting hours
reading my books. D never believes that I don't watch tv during the
day, but this chance to read is too precious to squander away.
3. Toby Keith! Some might be surprised that this Jersey girl loves country music (like my family. And by surprised, I mean ashamed and embarrassed), but D and I love to listen to country. In fact, our top contender for our wedding song was Whatever it Is by the Zac Brown Band and I am still disappointed we did not choose it (we've made it our unofficial one instead). Anyhow, we are going to see Toby Keith in August and I cannot wait. Despite being together for 10 years, D and I have actually never gone to a concert together so I am really looking forward to it.
4.Vacation Part Deux! Towards the end of the summer, we are going to Ocean City, MD for an extended weekend. I have not been there since I was a kid, but have so many fond memories of it. Specifically, they revolve around french fries with vinegar on them and hitting crabs with mallets. I am starting to think that food is a very good way to woo me...
5. School! I admit it, I am the nerd who buys school supplies in July. But seriously, I love my job. I teach third grade and I have to say, hands down, I think it is one of the best grades out there. They are old enough to be independent and try cool and challenging things, but young enough that they still love school and think you are cool. This year, I am doing some exciting professional development and have a student teacher, so I am looking forward to getting myself organized and geared up for the new school year (er - but I still really, really enjoy my summer).
So there you go. Five things that are making me happy right now, and that is not even counting the basics I take for granted like D, my friends and family, and the most awesome cat and dog you could imagine. It is so easy to focus on the negative that I just wanted to take a few minutes to remind myself that, for the most part, life is good.
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