Little Things

I write. And write. Think and think. Then write some more. 

The writing is an urge to spew all of my thoughts out somewhere, sometimes like the baby space fetus coming out of John Hurt's chest in Alien. A fraction of those thoughts end up on Facebook or in a blog. The rest, one would find, stuffed around my house, under my bed, in boxes, and on bookshelves in the form of a series of journals and books where I record everything that comes into my mind. I wonder if after I die, someone going through my things will actually read though these journals. And if they do, I wonder what they'll think. I'm curious because what I think tends to fluctuate.

The journaling can be blessing and a curse. A wonderful outlet to be sure, but there is a tendency to be overly critical of myself, of my efforts, of my goals, of my performance, of my progress, my lack of progress, and of just about everything I do. Very critical. And this very tone,  from time to time will turn me against writing anything at all because the author tends to be such a drag. And who wants to hang around with THAT guy all the time. 

Randomly choosing from one of my randomly stuffed books this week I came across an undated entry from late 2012 or early 2013. That day, Thom seemed to have grown tired of the criticism and self flagellation. To combat Debbie Downer Syndrome he made a list of everyday things that popped into his head that made him happy. 

And believe it or not, that list made me happy, too.  So I blogged it, with some editing, to keep the list a little more handy for those days when the negatives seem to be weighing me down and I need a lift. This list is by no means all encompassing. Just pop up thoughts from an unknown date.

So what makes me happy? 

I love sitting in our living room. Jennie put it together. I love the sky blue and chocolate brown colors. The stained glass window and the view of the street. It feels like comfort, color, & family.

I like the view out my backdoor. It isn't a great looking yard. Spotty grass in desperate need of manicure by way of mower and whacker. Two old stumps, a tired old clothesline and an even older shed. But the beauty is that the back door sits higher than the yard. So approaching the door and looking out at this open green space, is like going through a stadium concourse as it opens to the green outfield of a baseball park. 

I like touching my wife's hair and I love hearing her laugh.

I like making eye contact with Madeline in the rear view mirror and seeing her smile.

I like finding 10,000 pages of whatever Thomas is compulsively drawing and leaving around the house. Currently his subject is Audrey II - the man eating plant from Little Shop of Horrors. (Four years later and he still does this. But these days he draws a character named Link from the game Zelda). 

I like being amazed that everyday Zachary is more and more like an adult. 

I like the quiet and solitude of running. 

I like the chaos of watching too many kids at once. 

I like making kids laugh.

I love seeing wild life while going about my day. Birds, deer, turtles, turkeys, heron, and an occasional pheasant. Once we saw a friggin' bear! Very cool. (And this weekend - a field full of snow geese milling around. Some taking off and other gliding in to land)

I like happy dogs of any size on my lap with their big ol' dog paws and happy panting faces.

I love driving and roads that reach to the horizon.

I like exploring and seeing someplace new. 

I love the bridge, wooded area, and cemetery on Bonta Bridge Road. Especially in autumn.

I love cemeteries in general. The older the better.

I like perfume and ponytails. On women. Neither works on me very well.

I like creating. 

I live to come up with the perfect words.

I like making myself better. Even if I am not successful or even moving forward, I like that I want to make things better. 

I like the feel of hitting a baseball and that of running down a fly ball. And if you think I've never tried to do both at the same time, you're wrong. A kid who loves baseball will be on that field whether or not he has found anyone else to play.

I love music.

I love jogging the rolling hills on Shepherd Road.

There is nothing like the sound and feel of a brick road under the tires of my car. 

I love Main Street in any 100+ year old town. 

I love brick buildings. Old ornate buildings. Sleek new buildings with symmetrical lines. City people say they get used to buildings and stop looking up. I can't comprehend that.

I love arches in architecture.

I love sitting on front porches and watching traffic and people pass by.

I spend too much time watching the sky, finding a planet, and an occasional shooting star . It is addicting. 

I love wind in my face, be it from a fan, a car window, or a summer breeze off a Great Lake. 

I like good morning or good night texts from my friends. 

I love flying dreams.

I love walking through Weedsport as much as I love walking though New York City. Two completely different places, but each with their own feel, sights, and sounds. 

And these are the pop up thoughts. Imagine how much more there can be if I really tried. 

Your world is full of things, little things that don't cost a cent, that you stumble on or look forward to, that make you happy. Don't forget to take the time to notice those moments, people, and things and enjoy them while you can. 

And if any come to mind right now, feel free to comment and share.