50 Things that Make Me Happy

     Life is a whirlwind. All too often we get swept up and lose focus. Not often enough do we take the time to sit back for a few minutes and appreciate everything we have- everything that brings us even the smallest joys in our lives. I think that this is a huge mistake.

     Something that is both on my life list and on 25 before 25 was being able to identify 50 things that make me happy. I actually completed this list a couple months ago, before Lela was born. Life has changed since then and there are now more things than ever that make me happy. I'll just have to make a longer list!

     So, here it is! They are in no particular order- except as you get toward the end, in which they are ordered only in which came to mind first:

50 Things that Make Me Happy

1.       My first car



2.       Chef Boyardee

3.       Moments of schadenfreude

4.       New episodes of my favorite TV Shows

 

   5.       My husband

          6.       And the silly lyrics he makes up to popular songs

          7.       And the silly sayings he comes up with (etc. etc.)

    8.     Macaroni and cheese

          9.       Dr. Pepper 10

          10.   When brussel sprouts are cooked correctly

          11.   Knowing my goal for getting an education is not to make money, but to help others


          12.   Contacts



# 13, Photo Courtesy Stephen Unger

       13.   My turtle Shelly

 

14.   Doggie

15.   Chocolate Milk

16.   Bras

17.   My family

18.   My friends (the few yet irreplaceable)

19.   My Cat Jack

     20.   Cooking (but not cleaning)

     21.   Knowing that there is hope

     22.   Sleep

     23.   Low blood pressure

     24.   Being warm

     25.   Cultural Acceptance

     26.   Getting an unexpected 'A'

 

27.   Lela

 

28.   A clean house

29.   Funny Movies

30.   Peace and uneventfulness

31.   Laughing

32.   Milk with ice
 

33.   Subliminal reminders that we are all human

34.   Freedom of religion

35.   Empathy

36.   Feeling healthy

     37.   Mr. Polar Bear

     38.   Dragonflies

     39.   A good sale

     40.   Not wasting money

     41.   Having clean ears

     42.   Doing thoughtful things for someone else

 

43.   My School

44.   Observing the simple/less obvious things
 

45.   Turtles in general

46.   Oldies

47.   90s nonsensical song lyrics

48.   Finding something I've lost

49.   Adding –ness to the end of a word




 

50.   Discovering a perfect snowflake has just fallen on me

What makes you happy?

Do you have a list? Link Up!

Half-Birthday Reflections- The Past Six Months

     Six months from today, I will turn 25. Ouch! Old, I know! Feeling the wrinkles setting in, I decided it's time to review my progress so far on my 25 before 25. What better time to reflect on what I have done, and what I have yet to do?

25 Before 25- Midyear Review

Complete:

1. Wash my Shoes
 

      The first thing I accomplished- and annoyingly enough what most people on Google are searching for when they stumble upon my humble blog- was washing my shoes. The buggers were oxidized to all hell and, although my cleaning technique worked, it was temporary (I have since bought new shoes).

2. Buy a Random Person Something off their Baby Registry

     Surprising a stranger with a baby carrier off of her registry felt good. Although I sent the carrier her way, I don't know if she ever got it. I never heard anything from her. I hope it made it to her, and that she is finding it useful.

5 Reasons to Visit The Bay State

     Something that was on my list of 25 before 25- and honestly something that I wasn’t so sure was going to happen- was moving back to Massachusetts.

     Don’t get me wrong- It isn’t as if I didn’t enjoy my time in Connecticut. ‘Connecticutians’ are a very friendly bunch, and we made more connections here than any other state in such a short period of time. But moving back to Massachusetts was a personal goal for a few reasons, mainly because of graduate school and the desire to be around both our extended families. 

     You certainly don’t have to live in Massachusetts to discover what makes this state so unique. In celebration of a successful move, here’s five reasons why you should put "The Bay State" on your travel list.

5 Reasons to Visit the Bay State

5. A Rich History

     I’m no history buff, but even I have a smitten appreciation for the saturation of history that surrounds me on a daily basis. The past permeates the present in Massachusetts- from creepy stone walls in the middle of the woods, to the inconvenient roadways that began decades before my parents were born. Churches are how they should be- big and proud with a tall steeple and a bell that rings though the town. The history that lies beneath these seemingly simple things are often overlooked.

      Of course there are the obvious historical places- From Plymouth Rock where the Pilgrims first set foot to the Boston Tea Party and the beginning of the American Revolution. You can visit Walden Pond while checking out Lexington, Concord, and the Paul Revere House. Simply put, the history here is endless.

 
4. The Food

     If you happen to be hungry while thinking about Mass, your mind may wander to Boston baked beans- or even better, Boston Kreme Pie. But, if you are a seafood fan, Massachusetts is the place to be! Massachusetts is wells known for its love of clams- especially Clam "Chowda" (delicious in a bread bowl, if you don't mind the extra carbs).  Fried seafood restaurants are literally everywhere along the coast and on Cape Cod. Not to mention our love for lobster, haddock, and sweet corn. Ever eaten a Cape Cod Potato Chip? You're missing out!

3. Boston

     Whether it’s hanging out in the oldest park in the country or following the Freedom Trail, shopping on Newbury street or paddling down the Charles River, there's always something to do in Boston. Grab some Dim Sum in Chinatown, or watch a soccer game in Little Italy. To avoid the stress of traffic and parking I love to take the train in and bike around the whole city!  It's quicker, easily doable, and it frees my mind so that I can truly enjoy my surroundings.

     One of my favorite places in Boston is the Faneuil Hall Marketplace. Built in 1742, the only original part of the building today is a weathervane on the roof. Although Faneuil Hall still holds meetings, today it is better known for its shopping, delicious food, and entertainment. Faneuil Hall itself is surrounded by stores and street vendors, while behind it Quincy Market has some of the best Clam Chowder anywhere. Street artists perform acrobatic feats and draw large crowds all week.

2. Provincetown

     If you like making love at midnight in the dunes of the cape, there sure couldn’t be a better place for it than P-town. Located at the very tip of Cape Cod, P-town is a highly GLBT community that is both eccentric and oddly family-oriented. From sex shops to candy stores, whale watching to shows that will either "blow your mind or scar you for life", there is certainly something for everybody in this town. There is no such thing as wrong here. Street performers pick a side of the street and sing songs, perform magic, or transform in to unusually decorated statues. I’d like to say that the open-mindedness that permeates through out this town is what Massachusetts is all about.

1. Autumn

    It may seem a bit odd that the number one reason to visit is a season, but in Massachusetts Autumn can not be ignored. The night air is refreshingly crisp, and the leaves turn vibrant shades of red, orange and yellow.  Massachusetts is Apple Country, and there are countless orchards where you can pick the apples right off the tree which drinking freshly spiced apple cider. When I think Autumn, I think Massachusetts.

     Halloween is no joke. If you want the ultimate Halloween experience, there is nothing like Salem, where Halloween is celebrated all month long. Take a Trolley tour, trick or treat with the Mayor, or even join a witch circle on Halloween night.

     Autumn is a free experience in Massachusetts. Unless you’re raking leaves, You’ll end the crisp fall day with your soul a little lighter.

    

Signature Dish: Orange-Glazed Pork Chops

Complete: Drop# 35- Create a Signature Dish

     This dish has actually been up my sleeve for well over a year. I was going to create custom sides to go along with it, but decided that because of the richness of the sauce, simple sides would probably be best anyways. Sauteed broccoli or snap peas and white rice would do nicely. I think this is absolutely delicious. I urge you to give it a try!

P.S.- The measurements are approximate. This is cooking, not baking, so I tend to make food using the eyeball technique!

Ingredients:

4 Pork Chops

Half a Small Jar of Orange Marmalade

1/4 C Teriyaki Sauce

1 Clove Chopped Garlic

1/2 Tsp Paprika

1/2 Tsp Cayenne Pepper

Salt

Pepper

1/2 Tsp Baking Powder

3 Scallions- cut on the diagonal

1/2 Yellow Onion- diced

1 Tsp Sesame Oil

Flour

Water

The Recipe:

Step 1:  Make the sauce

In a saucepan, lightly saute the garlic. Once aromatic, put in half can of orange marmalade, teriyaki sauce, sesame oil, and some water. When marmalade has deconstructed lower heat and let reduce. If sauce thickens too much over time, just add a bit of water and stir to loosen up. Let simmer while the rest is cooking so to dissolve the orange skins in the marmalade.

Step 2: Prepare a tempura batter. Combine flour, water, cayenne, pepper, paprika, baking powder and some salt. Make sure to mix well and get out any lumps. Set aside.

Step 3: Fry Pork Chops

Place some oil in a frying pan and heat to medium high. Take Pork Chops and smother them with pepper, cayenne pepper, and paprika. When the pan is ready, sear up the chops. When done, let rest on a plate covered with tin foil.

Step 4: Fry Scallions

Heat up a wok or clean the pan you were using and put some oil in it. Dip the scallions and onion in the tempura mix and fry them up until golden brown, working in small batches and draining on paper towels.

To Serve:
Place pork chop on plate. Pour generous amount of sauce over pork chop, and then place tempura veggies on top. Serve with white rice and choice of asparagus or green beans.

Ta Da!

Wow. This came out pretty ugly. I promise it tastes better than it looks!

 Wow. I didn't realize how ugly this dish is.
 Despite it's hideous appearance, It's really easy to make. Give it a try!

Complete: Sew up our Couches

     One personal, boring thing that is on my list of 25 before 25 is the desire to sew up my living room couches.



To the left: The culprit. To the right: The damage

      If you've kept up somewhat with my 25 before 25 goals, it may sound as if this cat wreaks havoc on my life. He does. Not much longer after we got these couches, Jack decided to use them as his personal scratching post. He'd look us directly in the eye as he dug his claws in to the corner of the ottoman. After the ottoman was satisfactorily torn to shreds, he moved on to the couches.

     I probably put this on my list only so that I make sure to actually do it. I've been saying I'd get to it for the past five years and, surprise surprise, never did.

     My husband likes to periodically remind me about how I failed to follow through with sewing the couches. Although we are planning on junking them soon, I still feel as though I should sew them. At least when we do get rid of the couches, It can't be said that I didn't stitch them back up!

Before and After

     Of course you can see where the ottoman has been patched, but it certainly looks much better. The material is no longer frayed and the wood isn't exposed. I patched a total of six holes! With Lela waking up every hour or so, this was a project that went throughout the entire day. Done!

Has an animal ever wreaked havoc on your life?

Does anybody still know how to sew anymore??

Graduate from College

Complete- Drop # 10- Graduate from College

Something that was on both my life list and on 25 before 25 was graduating from college. Although I still have graduate school in my future, I did earn my bachelor's degree!

Overcoming Challenges
      Being pregnant my senior year, I was unsure of whether I was going to be able to:

1. Walk and
2. Get my GPA above a 3.5.

      When getting my Associate degree I had graduated with a 3.8 GPA. So, I was disappointed in myself when the transition from community college to university did not go as smoothly as I had hoped. I calculated my likelihood of graduating from Clark with a 3.5 or better. I needed straight A's my final semester. An A- would mean failure. It seemed like a fat chance.

      Not only did I actually get straight A's my final semester, Lela's procrastination in escaping the womb meant that I was able to attend my graduation. I honestly hadn't planned on going- I was sure I would be in labor by then. I hadn't even picked up my cap and gown! On May 20th I woke up pregnant, so we headed up to Clark. Looks like I was walking after all!

Baking the Turkey

     I was excited- until I put on my cap and gown. It almost immediately became clear that a graduation ceremony on a nearly 90 degree day was hardly an appropriate place for a pregnant woman. I was wearing way too many layers, soaking up the rays with my lovely black gown, and packed together with hundreds of other graduates. I felt like a stuffed thanksgiving turkey covered in tinfoil and left to roast in the oven.

     When it came time to accept my degree, I could barely move. Nor could I keep up with the rest of the line. I tried to act as un-pregnant as possible. I jumped out of my chair way too fast and pulled a muscle in my leg. Now I became bloated pregnant turkey with a limp. Awesome. I waddled across the stage to accept my degree and eagerly went back to my chair to start stripping off my layers. It was way too hot for this formal nonsense.

     My parents had flown up from Texas for Lela's birth, so it was a bonus for them (and me) that they were able to also watch me graduate from Clark. Vinh's mother and sister were also able to come. Although I was very happy that I had the support, the last thing I wanted to do was to put the turkey tinfoil back on and take staged pictures. Let's just say that by the time this picture was taken, I was not a happy camper. Shortly after this picture I refused to put the cap back on. I was dried out and overcooked..

     Despite the heat, I was glad I was able to walk. Attending school at Clark was a great experience and- despite being a pregnant, bloated mess- it is nice to have pictures of the event.

Update- Paxil Jack

     One of the goals on my list of 25 before 25 was to get to the bottom of my cat Jack's peeing issue. There is more detailed information about this goal in a previous post, but in short with Lela on the way having a cat with an uncontrollable urge to pee on everything wasn't an option.

     As a last resort, the vet recommended putting Jack on Paxil. The theory was that the peeing was caused by anxiety. Putting him on Paxil for a few months would help balance him out, and then we would eventually wean him off.

The Result:
     Success!

      This success did result in a few personality changes in Jack. But, it's quite impossible to tell if these changes were caused by the medicine, or if the original 'personality' was actually not Jack's personality as much as it was a reaction to his anxiety.

      After weaning him off of the medicine, certain aspects of his personality have returned. But, it makes me wonder if this is also a sign of his anxiety returning. Time will tell. Overall, there have not been any major accidents that can't be blamed on a dirty litter box. So, I am considering this goal complete! 

Welcoming Lela

Complete: Drop # 7- Have a Child

     Wow! It's been a while since I've posted anything on here!I think a part of me really needed a break for a bit, and just some time to relax before some major life transitions. Regardless of my lame excuses, I'm back! And I am bringing a little half-me along for the journey :-).

The Push

     Lela was way over-baked. She was due May 18th. A week came and passed, and no baby.
Anything over two weeks late is considered a medical condition, so they scheduled me for an induction on May 31st.

     Thankfully, that morning I went in to labor myself. We checked in the hospital at 9:00 A.M., and the nurses decided to admit me (was sent home the day before- false alarm). After they broke my water my contractions increased. It was time to give me the juice.


     Epidural: Epi-Do It!
     
       After my water broke the pain and contractions significantly increased, taking place every three minutes or so. After they gave me the 'juice', no pain. The mood in the room completely changed, and both myself and my husband were much more at ease.

     Around 7:00 things had come to a standstill, and boredom kicked in. Vinh ran down to the store to pick up a pack of cards, and we played games  until it was time for me to start pushing. By 10:51 P.M., we had ourselves a baby girl!

Settling in to Parenthood

      The first night at home was frustrating. Breastfeeding is hard! The poor thing literally didn't get anything from me to eat, and she essentially starved until we decided to go against the advice from the hospital and sub her intake with formula so she would get something to eat (for which we got yelled at for later by the lactation). I'd rather have a happy and full baby than a half-starved one any day. Sure, exclusive breastfeeding is great if it's successful. But I can't be convinced that if mom's supply simply isn't catching up to baby's demand, that it's better to let the baby starve than to give her a bottle. Feedings should be as stress free as possible for both parties. I'll end my little soapbox speech here :-).

     There's still some problems in that area, mostly with falling asleep while feeding or general fussiness. Other than this ongoing difficulty we couldn't ask for much of an easier baby (knock on wood!) She sleeps very well at night and overall is fairly quiet... Unless she's hungry, which she's developed quite a desperate cry for (I would too, after starving my second night in existence).

     Being a new parent  is going to be an incredible adjustment. Here's to the next 18+ years of overcoming the challenges of parenthood as they arise.

National Pet Month- Paxil Jack

May is National Pet Month. So, it only seems appropriate that you should:

Meet Jack.

    
     I've had some beef with Jack lately. He's been joyfully peeing on whatever he gosh darn pleases. It's been a blast. I really need to get to the bottom of this issue, so I have put fixing his pee problem on my list of 25 before 25.

Some History on Jack

The Goal: To adopt a cat. We had been working with this 'Cat Lady' for months trying to find a cat that would 'fit our family,' but she always came up dry. A few days before my 21st birthday, she presented us with 'BlackJack.'

 Jack was everything we weren't looking for. We wanted something small and cute, that didn't mind being picked up or played with. Jack could have been inbred with a panther- he was Sixteen pounds of pure muscle! Cat Lady let him out of his cage, and he responded to our pets by biting. All the other adoption pictures showed the new adopters fondly stroking their new addition to the family. Ours is of these two nervous people standing in front of a massive panther cat glaring at the camera from behind the bars of his carrier.

  

Fetal Urinary Syndrome

    
Jack, like most other cats, came fully litter box trained. The peeing problem began when we vacationed to Texas for a week, leaving Jack alone. A friend of the family stopped by once a day to replenish food, water and scoop litter. When we came back Jack was peeing on towels, clothes, and other soft niceties. When he peed on a plastic bag I saw blood, and so I took him to the vet.

     Jack had Fetal Urinary Syndrome (FUS), a disease not too uncommon in male cats where the bladder can produce crystals that get caught in and cut the urethra.  The vet said it could have been triggered from the stress of being alone on our first trip away since we had gotten him. After a few weeks of treatment he was all better. No more painful pee.

Bad Habits

Although the FUS is in remission, the bad habits remained. At first it wasn't so bad- it was limited to the bathroom mat. Then it moved to wet towels. Recently, and with our recent downgrade from a two floor, two bedroom to a single floor and one bedroom apartment, Jack pees on anything that is damp or left on the floor. The last straw came when he climbed in to a laundry basket full of freshly washed clothes and urinated on them! Enough is enough! Surely there is a solution.  

Paxil Jack

 We had changed some of our own behaviors toward Jack, thinking maybe we were stressing him out. That didn't work. Although I was fairly certain FUS wasn't the cause, I took him to the vet just to make sure.

Sure enough, it wasn't FUS. Apparently, my little kitty is anxious and depressed and needed the antidepressant PAXIL! I couldn't help but to crack up as I handed the pharmacist the prescription.

     Apparently, my cat is a depressed, anxious mess.

     But it does explain the his aggression, tearing up of furniture, and peeing everywhere. Unfortunately, such problems are one of the cons of adopting an animal. You have to be willing to deal with the physical or emotional trauma that they come with, and you can't  give up at the first sign of a problem.

I hope this Paxil works! I've tried everything else, so this is a last resort. Come on, Jack! Give it a whirl!

Have you ever had behavioral issues with a pet?

Would you give your cat Antidepressants?

Posting my Secret

Complete- Drop #41: Send a Postcard in to PostSecret

     If you are not yet familiar with PostSecret, you must have been living under a rock for the past five years.

      I have to admit that I was pissed off somewhat upset when PostSecret got their "App" on, and I did a mental celebratory 'happy dance' when their app was shut down due to pornographic or threatening content. Some things should remain as simple as possible. To me, snail-mailing deep, dark secrets is one of those things.

     There's a bit of nostalgia attached to the physicality of having to create something from scratch and sending it to somebody, instead of creating a virtual representation of it on whatever device you have in front of you. It simply isn't as meaningful, and I miss that connection sometimes.


     If you haven't heard of PostSecret, the concept is quite straightforward. Design a 4x6 postcard with your secret on it and send it in. The secret can be anything that you've never revealed to anybody. There's a sense of release to know that- although it's anonymous- at least one person knows something that you've been holding in. So what if that one person is only Frank Warren.

     I've been meaning to do this for years. But, for one reason or another, I've been putting it off. Honestly, the major motivation for me to do this today was that I hadn't written anything for this week, and I am a great disbeliever in writing content just for the hell of it. So, I've now completed something that I've been wanting to accomplish, and can cross it off both my life list and 25 before 25!

Shhhhhhhh! It's a secret...

     I'm pretty sure my secret won't be published on the PostSecret blog. It turned out to be some sort of hideous, monotonic catastrophe. I tried to use nail polish as a surrogate for glue, so if (for some reason) Frank wants to sniff my secret, he will get a noseful of nasty!


Aaand off it goes!

     Sorry, you can't know my secret. That would kind of defeat the purpose.



     Who can you confide your secrets to?
     Would you ever consider telling a complete stranger your secret?