All photos and content © Tanya Anguita.

Monday, August 17, 2009

8/17/09 – Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive #24

No preamble today. Just gratitudes which include:

1) That Vicky was able to quickly recognize the signs of stroke in her wonderful partner Ron Sullivan, and act so swiftly to get him to the hospital. If it had to happen, I'm thankful that it happened in the way and place that it did. Alta Bates is a one of the best places to be if one is going through this. Phew. So glad healing is happening and that all is heading towards recovery. Love you both.

2) It also makes me incredibly thankful for my relatively good health. Incredibly thankful indeed. Things like the above put a lot of other things into shadow and clear perspective simultaneously.

3) Rob is home. For a few days, but he's home. That is a nice thing. Did I mention that things like the above put a lot of other things into shadow and clear perspective simultaneously? I did? Well then...I guess it bears repeating.

4) Figuring a quirky thing out the other day on the way to rehearsal. Preface: I struggle a lot with the concept of beauty as it relates to myself. This is not a fishing expedition...simply a statement of my inner struggle with my appearance and self-perception. BUT I started thinking about the nature of beauty on the way to rehearsal the other night and realized the following: If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, that means that if one person sees you as beautiful, then you're beautiful. Period. End of debate. You cannot deny your beauty because that is to deny someone else their perception. To that someone or someone(s) you are beautiful and no one can take that away. I'm still trying to fully wrap my head around this, but it was an interesting thing to think about. I know it is better still if you can see yourself as beautiful, but sometimes it is these kinds of thoughts along the road of life that get us to that, yes? Anyway, I'm thankful for that thought and how that is allowing me to form my thinking right now. Thought I'd share.

5) Days at work like today where I feel like I spent the day kicking butt and getting things done. Very satisfying. Hooray.

6) Watching generosity in action.

7) Cran-blueberry juice is my new discovery. OMG...it is tasty.

8) Saving money with club card saving foo. It is strangely pleasing.

9) Kites. Went to the Berkeley Marina to eat our sandwiches after our visit to the hospital on Sunday and spent some time watching (with some of Rob helping) kites being flown. They make a joyful noise and are so colourful and fun. Hooray for kites.

10) Naps on a grassy hill. So fab.

11) No asteroids hit the earth today and I flapped around like a chicken. LOL. Thank you Sally and Matthew for that bit of hilarity in response to my anxiety post today. Laughter really can be the best medicine sometimes.

12) Actually...thanks to everyone for their kindness today in response to said post. I'm very thankful for the kind suggestions, the humor and the gentleness. :) Thank you.

13) The wonderfulness of the "English Originals" cd playing right now. Not only is it a great album populated by fab artists making excellent trad music fun and accessible, but it is also serving the purpose of blocking out the incessant barking of the dog down the street that WILL NOT shut up. LOL. Truly..I'm thankful for the music in and of itself...AND for the respite it is giving me. Phew! Double blessings are nice! :)

14) Reading glasses. I'm finding that I am much happier when I wear them these days. My eyes start to ache pretty quickly when I don't in the past few weeks and you know...I'm glad they exist. I keep forgetting because they aren't habit yet, but dang...what a great tool. Hooray!

15) Lovely time with Stella and Laura and Rob on Saturday evening. What an unanticipated pleasure it was to spend time with you two lovely women! Thank you!

16) I'm re-reading "Eat, Pray, Love" and really appreciating it again. It seems to offer me interesting perspective when I need it. I really resonate with it.

17) Along those lines I want to again share this amazing piece on the nature of genius also by Elizabeth Gilbert's here on Ted.com: http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius.html

18) I love, love, love this photo that Monique took of Anni, Cybele and I at the Pirate Fest. Thank you Monique!!! :)



I know there is more but I think I'll end there tonight. Hugs to all!

Friday, August 14, 2009

Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive #23 - 8/14/09



I saw the dog above when I went to see Holly & Joshua a couple of months ago at the Live Oak Art Fair. The photo made me laugh so hard when I just glanced through my photos that I simply had to share.

I started this blog at work today with the hope that I'd keep a kind of running tally of things that pleased me. It was a nice way to go about it. And it means that I won't be typing this at 11 tonight when I could be sleeping. :) Hooray for thinking ahead. :)

I'm too tired to be pithy. Too much insomnia this week. So I will simply state that my gratitudes today include:

1) Remembering to open windows before I left the house today so that I hopefully don't come home to an oven again (update: it worked!!! yay!).

2) A wonderful lunch in the sun with Mags! Thank you! Our Friday visits are something I look forward to all week!

3) A lovely chat with Sam. :) Glad you got to dance at lunch today! :)

4) Celery & Crunchy Organic Peanut Butter! Love it so much when they have both on the salad bar and I can enjoy one of my fave childhood treats!

5) Learning to navigate difficult co-workers....it makes things much more pleasant.

6) Sharing laughter over a frustrating situation with another co-worker.

7) Bumping into Heather at lunch! Hope the yoghurt was tasty!

8) Reminding myself that I can only change me. Trying to keep that in the center forefront of my thinking.

9) Podcasts. They're awesome. Thanks again to Laura & Kelly introducing me to the world of the iPod Nano. It is proving extremely useful!

10) Having a washer and dryer in the house is such a nice thing. Hooray for easy laundry.

11) The kindness of the responses to yesterday's gratitude blog. Thank you all. Hugs!

12) Getting a chance to catch up even briefly with Rene today. :)

And now, I'm off to study my scrip and eat some dinner! :) Wheeee!

8/13/09 – Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive #22



I was reminded today that I need to write these sorts of things no matter how my life feels like it is going. I need to write them because it will keep me reminded that even during hard times there are usually simple things to find to enjoy and appreciate.

I am re-inspired to do this by Anni and by Laura. I am inspired by need too. I need to find my positivity again. I know it exists. :)

So without further ado, today my gratitudes include:

1) Remembering that doing this is good for my soul and my psyche.

2) Anni & Laura for being the living reminders of this process.

3) Lunch and the growing friendship with Jen. Thank you so much for being you.

4) Discovering The Serenity Prayer...and starting to learn to take it to heart a little bit at a time. Here it is the part of it that has really been speaking to me:

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time.

The rest of it gets a little to "god-ish" for me, but that bit...it seems to resonate for me right now.

5) Deb & Robin for a really fab rehearsal last night. Thank you. I've been humming all day.

6) I'm thankful for the ceiling fan in my bedroom on a night that is this warm. Phew!

7) To Deb for our conversation tonight. Thank you.

8) So glad I watched the movie "Amazing Grace" the other night. So thankful for William Wilburforce. I think I need to read his biography soon.

9) I'm glad I feel sleepy. I hope that means I'll be able to sleep tonight.

10) I love this woman's blog. http://karenrussell.typepad.com/
Her photography is beautiful, her writing is very real, and I can't wait to see new installments. Teri...thank you so much for turning me onto her site.

Ok...sleep now.
Hooray for Gratitude.