105 Ways to Give a Book

National Delurking Week III

DelurkNational Delurking Week continues, being y’know... a week. I know that there are long-time lurkers out there waiting to be first-time commenters, so come on out and play with us. I’m staying with the positive energy, but making the question a bit easier. In fact, you’ll only have to toss out a word or two to participate. Today topic: What small thing makes you happy?

After seeing what a steady diet of negative thinking has done to people, I’ve made a conscious effort to be more positive. There are really two ways to look for happiness. One is to step back and look at the big picture where you can be grateful for your family, friends, health, job, house, and indoor plumbing. The other way is to look at the things that make you happy in small, everyday ways. Right here, without leaving my seat, I can look around me and say these things make me happy:
My laptop
I don’t know how I lived without one for so long, and I love love love my Macbook!

Zendalas
I saw this Zendala video, and now I’ve been making them in little bits of downtime.

My camera
I don’t take amazing photos, but I do take good pictures and love doing so.

Hallmark ornaments
I always buy at least one a year after the sales. Right now I’m enjoying the Marigold Fairy, which reminds me of my niece.

American Idol
My fifth grader and I watch it together and analyze the singing. It’s part fun, part vocal class.
Now that I’ve primed the pump, it’s your turn. Delurk today with a happy thing like Sharpie pens, lip gloss, school glue, funny coffee mugs, Harry Potter, kids’ artwork, Facebook, snowglobes...

38 comments:

madelyn said...

popcorn and new shampoo.

EM said...

Coffee and a fire in the woodstove. Also, random parking lot mojo.

Amy R. said...

Snow that sparkles. I manage to temporarily forget all the problems snow causes when I see it winking so prettily!

Simcha said...

chocolate, a good book, my kids playing with each other without fighting. All of these at the same time are absolute heaven.

Becker said...

Seeing a fox when I'm walking the dog at 5 a.m.

Wendy said...

Mail. Oh, how I love getting mail.

Kathy B. at forwordsbooks said...

I will not lurk, I will not lurk, I will not lurk...Adding to my gorilla collection, reading the comics every morning and a clear blue sky with bright sunshine.

Playing by the book said...

a hot shower, finding little playmobil scenes hidden in corners around the house, that first sip of wine on Friday night!

teacherninja said...

my 6-yr-old reminding me what I need to remember every morning...

Jen Robinson said...

Watching the Red Sox in HD. My Brookstone NAP blanket (pretty much my favorite possession, even though it was technically a gift to both Mheir and me). Walker's shortbread cookies. And the fact that the housecleaners are coming today.

Sandra said...

A freshly changed bed, a massage, a book in the mail, hot chocolate, and good comments.

Georgia Jones said...

The warm,safe,cozy, snuggled feeling when I wake up on a winter morning, and soap...........I have always loved soap.

Hannah said...

Today: birth coaching.

Jenny said...

Sleep (although that's not a small thing to me).

Kelly Polark said...

This afternoon I went to Kohl's with gift cards from christmas. I tried on 9 different things. I actually liked all nine things. That has never happened. (I had to put two back, but still I was excited!) Then I had a chocolate covered marshmallow heart, and picked up my preschooler who gave me a big hug. When I got home, my oldest was playing his new guitar. Plus it's a sunny day and over 32 degrees. All of these things made me smile today! :)

Lynn said...

Naptime makes me oh so happy.

Patricia J. Weaver said...

riding horses, Lexie my dog, my four grandbabies (can you still call an almost 16 year old granddaughter a baby??), sunrises and sun sets, my friends, and playing blackjack

Kristen said...

down blankets, a snuggling dog, a fire in the fireplace, and our cottage up north.

Abby said...

I second Wendy and Sandra and say mail (particularly when it's a book), my cat when he's cuddly, the Zombie Emergency Procedure hanging on my wall (http://www.lol.com/joke/show/856), good smelling candles, when friends text me...

Paige Y. said...

I have to go with my MacBook Pro and snuggling with my husband in front of our Snow Village.

Heather Hedin Singh said...

My coffee machine, seeing a bald eagle fly by, blue sky, blueberry pancakes

Rebecca said...

Hot tea. Wool socks. Having time in the morning to sit in bed with coffe and a book - most recently the new Margaret Atwood.

Janet said...

Cupcakes, giggling toddlers, my daughter. (Does this make me an official former lurker?)

Lori @ Msslaydbug said...

I love my new Macbook and have no idea how I lived without it. I love my library book and a new purses !

Anonymous said...

Snuggling on the couch with my man and watching a scary dvd.

Gayla said...

For me it is the little things in life that make me VERY happy. I would be a fibber if I said the big things weren't thrilling and really cool, but the little things just take on a whole new special meaning.
I will name five small things that make me happy:
1)my coffee maker---LOVE my coffee!
2)my laptop and like you I don't know what I would do without it.
3)my hacky-sack. Almost 50 years old and I still love it and play with it everyday.
4)Makeup (lol)
5)And last but not least, Sundays and reading the New York Times in bed (most of it anyway)with yummy coffee!
Great question!

Gayla
PS: I really like your blog :)

beth said...

Mythbusters and burritos.

Sarah Stevenson said...

Hi, Pam! So far so good on the Comment Challenge, so that's making me happy. :) Other things that make me happy: coffee and chocolate while I'm working at the computer; evenings spent loafing at home with my husband and cats; a cat on my lap while I read; cooking with a glass of wine at hand. Oh--and my netbook!

Caroline said...

single person escalators.

Kristi(e) said...

Zendalas Presently I'm most excited that you 1) Reminded me of the intricate mandala-esque drawings I used to do back in high school and that 2) they have a nifty name these days. Most excellent!

Netflix I'm also excitable when the show I want to watch most in any given moment is streamable on Netflix. :)

Mini Things Saved the best (and most self-explanatory) for last!

Z-Kids said...

Fruit
Wind
Muppets

-AZ

Sarah N. said...

My MacBook, definitely :) Also coffee, cupcakes, reading to my daughters, and seeing the clouds turn colors at sunrise.

Ms. Yingling said...

Walking to work. It's that shot of self righteousness that gets me through the morning sometimes!

Anonymous said...

The birds at my birdfeeder, dark chocolate, my grandgirls

Anonymous said...

I love my iPod more than is reasonable. When I read about your daughter's being stolen, I had to go check on mine, just to make sure it was okay. It's something that, for me, is purely just about fun.

Jennie said...

The wiggly/stampy/OMG YOU'RE HERE dance my dog does whenever someone walks in the door. You can't stay in a bad mood when you see it.

Jaymie said...

magazines, office supplies, libraries/book stores, pasta, creativity, kisses from my son

Bibliovore said...

Things that make me happy: My new condo, that I bought with my very own savings. I feel like I'm playing dollhouse all grown up.

Being back home, which I have yet to take for granted even a year after my return. I love this town.

Friends, online and off.