Katrina Kittle's Blog

#212: The Way a Scarf Gets Crusty With Ice When You Breathe Through it While You're Sledding

2012-01-28T06:04:00.000-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #212:
The Way a Scarf Gets Crusty With Ice When You Breath Through It While You're Sledding

#211: Sledding!

2012-01-27T06:00:00.000-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #211:
SLEDDING!

Some of my favorite childhood memories are of sledding with my family up on the Wright Brothers Memorial Hill on Wright Patterson Air Force Base. Love to go fast!

#210: Wasabi

2012-01-26T06:00:00.000-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #210:
WASABI

So innocent in appearance, that misleading cool green—wasabi's intense punch makes me VERY happy...and works better than any decongestant out there!

#209: Sushi

2012-01-25T06:00:00.000-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #209:
SUSHI

If only all food were as gorgeous as it was delicious. There's something so lovely about food so artfully prepared, so colorful.

#208: A Clean Blanket of Snow Before Anyone Walks on It

2012-01-24T06:00:00.000-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #208:
The Sight of a Clean Blanket of Snow Before Anyone Walks on It

#207: Chinese New Year

2012-01-23T06:00:00.000-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #207:
CHINESE NEW YEAR

Welcome to the Year of the Dragon!

I took these photos at the Lunar New Year Celebration at the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens in 2009. The top photo is in NYC's Chinatown the day of the Fireworks Festival for Chinese New Year.

#206: The Facial Expressions of Japanese Macaques

2012-01-22T06:30:00.000-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #206:
The Facial Expressions of Japanese Macaques
(also known as "Snow Monkeys")

Their faces are so eerily, sometimes comically, human it gives you pause.

#205: Finding the Perfect Parking Place

2012-01-21T06:00:00.000-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #205:
Finding the Perfect Parking Place

Especially when it's really crowded and you're running a little behind...

#204: Bowling Shoes

2012-01-20T06:04:00.001-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #204:
Bowling Shoes

And, well, bowling in general. On New Year's Eve. In formal wear. Under black light. With Michael Jackson's Thriller blasting.
But mostly, it's about the shoes.

#203: Playing with a Label Maker

2012-01-19T06:00:00.000-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #203:
Playing With a Label Maker

Remember these? Click. Click. Click. May as well be crack. That's how addictive they are. And so satisfying! Once you start, you find yourself needing to label everything: arm, leg, cat, sink...I'm serious! It's hard to stop. My favorite was when I was in high school and worked at a stable called Rocky Point Farm. We labelled the shelf of sugar, carrots, and apples: "Bribing Utensils" and the hook of riding crops and longing whips: "Beating Utensils."*

*No horses were ever actually beaten during any days of my employment...

#202: Gargoyles

2012-01-18T06:00:00.000-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #202:
Gargoyles

I'm a sucker for a gargoyle. I have enough photos to publish a book on "the gargoyles of Portugal." But I'll settle for showing you just a few. (Photos #1 and #2 are in Lisbon, photo #4 is in Sintra.)
This fine fellow, in photo #3, is in my garden. There are several in my garden. They protect us from evil spirits, you know.

You can never have too many gargoyles, in my opinion.

#201: Making Snow Angels

2012-01-17T06:00:00.000-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #201:
Making Snow Angels

It's always fun to stumble across snow angels you didn't make yourself, too.

#200: Creative Snowmen

2012-01-16T06:00:00.000-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #200:
Creative Snowmen

Actually, why even limit yourself to snow people? My niece and nephew and I made a giant snow cat last year.
But even a traditional snowman makes me smile. There's something playful and childlike about building something out of snow. It's like very temporary Play-Doh.

#199: Beautifully Displayed Piles of Produce

2012-01-15T06:30:00.000-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #199:
Beautifully Displayed Piles of Produce

I think produce is almost a work of art (just look at my reason #51 and reason #85). As anyone who has traveled with me knows, I'm a sucker for big piles of produce. The only think more likely than a big pile of fruit to stop me in my tracks for a photo is a cat...or a gargoyle. Hey, we all have our things, right? These photos were all in taken in Rome.

#198: When My Cat Stands On His Own Tail

2012-01-14T06:30:00.002-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #198:
When My Cat Stands on His Own Tail

I find this unbelievably adorable and endearing. I'm not sure why he does it, but I'm a sucker for it, and he knows it.

#197: Dogs Playing in Deep Snow

2012-01-13T06:04:00.001-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #197:
Dogs Playing in Deep Snow

The smaller the dog, the more happy it makes me!

I love watching small dogs leap and hop through the snow. I love watching any size dog burrow in the snow. (A really fun game? Throwing snow balls and watch them "fetch" them). The dog is the "god of frolic." We should all be so gleeful and delighted.

#196: Sunshine Glistening on Snow

2012-01-12T06:04:00.000-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #196:
Sunshine Glistening on Snow

When the sun is shining, winter doesn't bother me. It's only too many gray days in a row that gives me the winter blues. I love that blinding glint of the sun reflecting off the snow. It feels as good on your skin as the sun does in the summer. (Of course, we haven't had much snow at all in Ohio yet this year...)

#195: Birthday Wishes

2012-01-11T06:00:00.000-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #195:
BIRTHDAY WISHES

The big advantage to getting older is that you get more wishes with each passing birthday!

#194: The Soundtrack to Out of Africa

2012-01-10T06:00:00.001-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #194:
The Soundtrack to Out of Africa

Out of Africa is on my top 5 favorite movies of all time list. I love Meryl Streep. I love the story. I love the book on which it was based. I used to want to be Isak Dinesen as a teenager! I love the glorious cinematography in this rich, visual feast. But more than all those things, I love the music from this glorious, gorgeous movie. Composed by John Barry. Check out the main theme to the opening credits of the movie.

#193: Silly Putty

2012-01-09T06:38:00.002-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #193:
SILLY PUTTY

I used to love this stuff. I used it to make fake wounds and stage effects—giant noses, huge tumors on my arms, extra digits, raised scars (I was into gory stuff). I could also use it to press flat against book or newspaper pages. It would lift the words from the page and I could carry my "secret message" wrapped around my arm. Yeah...I had quite the imagination. This stuff is as good as coloring or a Slinky when you wanna relax and destress.

#192: Laughing So Hard You Snort Whatever You're Drinking out of Your Nose

2012-01-08T06:04:00.001-05:00

Reason to be Happy #192:
Laughing So Hard You Snort Whatever You're Drinking Out of Your Nose

Even better when it happens in a public place.

#191: Monkeys

2012-01-07T07:00:00.000-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #191:
MONKEYS

Especially when you get to meet them up close and personal. (Okay, so maybe not when they steal your sunglasses...). These are Mona monkeys who entertained me in Tafi Atome, Ghana. There's just something happy and cool about monkeys.

#190: Tango

2012-01-06T06:00:00.002-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #190:
THE TANGO

Only the sexiest dance on the planet. Sexiest music, too. Look up the amazing tango scene in the film Moulin Rouge—set to The Police song Roxanne.

#189: Coming in From the Cold

2012-01-05T06:04:00.000-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #189:
That Amazing Feeling When You Come In From the Cold and Are Enveloped in Warmth.

It's like a hug. It steams up your glasses. It feels so good.

#188: Reading a Novel in One Sitting

2012-01-04T06:00:00.000-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #188:
Reading a Novel in One Sitting

And, okay, so maybe not always one sitting (I'll often do that on planes), but in a couple big chunks. When you have the time to let a story truly transport you that way, it's a glorious thing. (This is what I did on New Year's Day, when I enjoyed #186: Staying in jammies all day. What was I reading? A galley of Kelly O'Conner McNees' new novel, In Need of a Good Wife. Oh, it's good. It's so, so good. I made an extra pot of coffee and just gave in to the book, savoring it with no hurry. It doesn't come out until October 2012, but mark your calendars. And if you haven't read her first novel, The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott, you could do yourself a favor and read that in the meantime...maybe in one sitting (or even two or three).

#187: Catching a Snowflake on your Tongue

2012-01-03T07:03:00.003-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #187:
Catching a Snowflake on your Tongue

I know, I know, pollution and yada yada yada, but it's still a lovely, fun action that makes you feel like a kid. One or two flakes can't hurt ya! :-)

#186: Spending a Full Day in Jammies (By Choice)

2012-01-02T07:09:00.002-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #186:
Spending a Full Day in Jammies
(By Choice, not Because You're Sick)

And that is exactly what I did on New Year's Day. Jammies. No commitments. Two naps. Kahlua in the coffee. Reading with a purring cat and a blankie. The perfect ending note to weeks of parties and holiday hooplah. Ahh....

#185: A Fresh Start

2012-01-01T08:47:00.002-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #185:
A FRESH START

New Year's Day is the ultimate fresh start, new beginning, reboot. Time to reflect a bit, then re-engage. Time to commit to one of my favorite quotes:

"Always make new mistakes"
—Esther Dyson

Here's to NEW mistakes in 2012!

#184: New Year's Resolutions

2011-12-31T06:04:00.001-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #184:
New Year's Resolutions

Don't forget, my reason to be happy #60 was "making lists" and #61 was "marking items off lists." New Year's Resolutions are the mother of all lists. A resolution must be possible but challenging. And it has to be measurable! One of my New Year's traditions is digging out my journal from January 1 the previous year to look over that day's goals and plans and aspirations. It's a nice reflective exercise.

#183: Champagne

2011-12-30T06:04:00.000-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #183:
Champagne

The happiest of alcohols, champagne is the drink of celebrations: babies, weddings, promotions, accomplishments, New Year's Eve. Everything about it is cheery—its bubbles, its effervescence, its cold sparkling in your throat. (One of my favorite drinks: champagne with a splash Chambord black raspberry liqueur with a long, curling lemon peel).

"Come quickly, I am tasting the stars!"
~ Dom Perignon, at the moment he discovered champagne

#182: Hearing David Sedaris Read His Own Work

2011-12-29T06:00:00.001-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #182:
Hearing David Sedaris Read His Own Work

I love David Sedaris and count myself lucky for getting to see him read his own stuff once (sharing the stage with Sarah Vowell! Doubly lucky for me!). No matter how many times I've heard it, when his Santaland Diaries piece (about working as an elf at Macy's) gets NPR air time every Christmas, I end up idling in parking lots and driveways to hear the whole thing again. I'm usually not a fan of audio books (just not my thing), but I make the exception for his work. Here's a video of Sedaris on David Letterman, reading his essay, Stadium Pal.

#181: The Snap, Crackle, & Pop of a Fire in the Fireplace

2011-12-28T06:00:00.001-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #181:
The Snap, Crackle, & Pop of a Fire in the Fireplace

#180: The Aroma of Gingerbread

2011-12-27T06:04:00.002-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #180:
The Aroma of Gingerbread

Kinda spicy, kinda comforting, kinda cozy. It's kind of the smell of the holidays.

#179: Clean Water

2011-12-26T06:00:00.001-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #179:
Clean Water

I thought that after what was most likely a day of excess for many of us, it might be nice to return to some basic reasons to be happy. Like the idea that we have clean, safe drinking water whenever we want it—all we have to do is turn on a tap. Heck, we can have hot or cold water just by turning a faucet. We can drink, wash our bodies, wash our clothes, prepare our food, flush toilets. This is not true for many, many folks on the planet, so don't take it for granted.

#178: The House Crowded With Family & Friends At Holiday Time

2011-12-25T06:04:00.001-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #178:
The House Crowded With Family & Friends at
Holiday Time

Merry Christmas!

#177: Family Holiday Traditions

2011-12-24T06:04:00.001-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #177:
Family Holiday Traditions

I don't mean the traditions pretty much everyone follows, like putting up a Christmas tree or hanging stockings. Not stuff like that. But the traditions that are more unique to your family. Like, my family traditionally has Christmas pizza (which started one year the pre-ordered ham turned out to be rotten, all the grocery stores were already closed, and my mom just happened to have all the ingredients on hand to make a homemade pizza. We liked it so much we stuck with it). My mom and I always make candy together every year, too—specifically turtles (complete with homemade caramel) and chocolate-covered cherries. Christmas day typically involves a game of Trivial Pursuit (slowly being replaced with Bananagrams), and a movie. Every Christmas morning, my mother bakes a delicious yeast cinnamon-orange coffee cake she twists into the shape of a giant candy cane. My sister and I slather it with pink and white icing. Last Christmas my niece helped with the icing. What are your family's quirky traditions?

#176: Jingle Goats!

2011-12-23T06:00:00.000-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #176:
JINGLE GOATS!!

You all know I love goats. Goats were my reason to be happy #1, after all. I'm a sucker for cute goat videos. Goats and kittens. They get me every time. But I must say, this Jingle Goats video is about the cutest thing I've ever seen. Stressing over anything? This'll make you smile and lighten your heart. Enjoy!

#175: Bing Crosby & David Bowie's "Little Drummer Boy"

2011-12-22T06:04:00.002-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #175:
Bing Crosby and David Bowie singing
"Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy"

Perhaps the oddest pairing ever, but it works. "Little Drummer Boy" might just be my favorite Christmas carol (tied with "Carol of the Bells"), and this version of the song is gorgeous. Here's the video—minus most of the painfully goofy/corny intro.

#174: It's A Wonderful Life

2011-12-21T06:00:00.001-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #174:
IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE

Since friends often tease me about my "dark" taste in books and movies, it should be no surprise that my favorite Christmas special of all time begins with a suicide attempt. I. Love. This. Movie. It never fails to make me cry, and I mean cry—like back shaking, real tears crying, not just mere sniffles. I don't know if the final scene will be as meaningful if you haven't seen the full film, but any given line from it can trigger my emotions. Its message is so valuable, especially in these tough economic times. This is a movie that can remind us of what truly has value in our lives.

"No man is a failure who has friends."
—Clarence Oddbody
Angel, First Class

#173: Potato Latkes

2011-12-20T06:04:00.001-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #173:
Potato Latkes

Happy Hanukkah! I'm not sure which of my friends makes the best latkes. It's a toss up between Ted and Sarah. I think it would be delicious to challenge them to a latke cook-off. How do you like yours? With sour cream or apple sauce? I can never decide and have to have both.

#172: The Charlie Brown Christmas Special Music

2011-12-19T06:00:00.001-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #172:
The Charlie Brown Christmas Special Music

Fantastic stuff from jazz pianist Vince Guaraldi and his trio. It's nearly impossible not to dance to this one in particular!

#171: Mistletoe

2011-12-18T08:11:00.002-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #171:

Mistletoe

C'mon. Sometimes it's nice to get the free pass to kiss someone...

#170: Sock Monkeys

2011-12-17T06:00:00.000-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #170:
SOCK MONKEYS

#169: My Mother's Christmas Tree

2011-12-16T06:00:00.002-05:00

Reason To Be Happy #169:
My Mother's Christmas Tree

These photos are actually all of my tree. It's impossible to take a photo of my mother's tree that does it justice. Instead, I'm going to repeat a blog I wrote for Book Club Girl in 2009 in which I celebrate my mom's amazing tree.
My mother is the Queen of Christmas Tree Decorations. Seriously, her tree strikes people dumb. When guests see it for the first time, I can count on approximately ten minutes of awe and examination before any other conversation continues. The seven foot, artificial tree itself is no big deal—what's extraordinary is the 1,027 ornaments adorning it.

And, yes, that's an exact figure, not an estimate. That number was accurate when the ornaments were boxed up and stuck back in the closet on January 6th, 2009.

The quantity alone is enough to make your eyes widen—the ornaments literally cover every available inch of the tree, going four and five deep all the way to the trunk. Getting all 1,027 of those ornaments on the tree is a three day process that leaves my parents' living room looking like a cardboard box and tissue-paper bomb exploded (and which my dad, a bit of a Scrooge, endures with much grumbling). But it's the quality that really grabs you. There are no generic round bulbs here, no color scheme, no trendy theme. No, every ornament is individual, some unusual (how many people have spiders and garlic cloves hanging on their trees?)—many of them handmade—and all tell a story. Her tree is a veritable scrapbook of memories.

See, my mom started a great tradition when my sister and I were babies. Every Christmas, she bought us a new tree ornament. She always tried for the ornament to commemorate something important or memorable from that year in our life. From as early as I can remember, she told us that when we moved away and had our own homes, we could take our ornaments with us, so our Christmas trees would be personal and meaningful. When Monica and I were old enough to have a clue, we started buying our mother an ornament each year as well so that we wouldn't wipe out her tree when we moved away.

The memory is far more important that the appearance when selecting an ornament. It matters not one iota to my mother if the ornament doesn't look “traditionally” Christmas-y, as long as there is a good story. Among the decorations on her tree are a blue hot-air balloon (commemorating the year we sent her up in one for her 50th birthday), a pink elephant (for the year my niece and father created an elaborate story about Zamboni, an invisible elephant who lived in our basement), and a gingerbread house (for the year she and I attempted to make one ourselves...only to have it turn into a gingerbread “ghetto” whose roof kept collapsing).

My own tree displays such oddities as a hoof-pick painted red for the year I bought my first horse, a pair of eyeglasses for the year I had Lasik surgery, a small set of paddles for the year I almost drowned in a rafting accident on the Gauley River, and a little log cabin for the year I won a residency at the Hedgebrook Retreat for Women Writers. There are ornaments to represent every pet I've ever had, as well as ornaments representing some of the fictional animal characters in my books. These all hang along with the ugly pink plastic angel with white Barbie doll hair that I begged her to buy for me when I was five.

A longtime Girl Scout leader and preschool teacher, my mother has been given hundreds of ornaments from former students and Scouts. She keeps a notebook in which she draws a small picture of the ornament and a description of who gave it to her, what year it was given, and any special significance it has. Her tree is a testament to how many lives she has touched.

I'm so grateful for the tradition she's begun. It's funny how the actual gifts will blur together and be forgotten, but I can always remember the ornament I received the previous Christmas. I look forward to unpacking my ornaments each year and the memories that come with them.

#168: The Abominable Snowman

2011-12-15T06:07:00.001-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #168:
The Abominable Snowman

You know the one, from the funny, old stop-motion animated movie version of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer? I love that snowman. I was never afraid of him (but I was terrified of the flying monkeys in The Wizard of Oz!). I thought he was adorable. I always knew he'd turn out to be okay. Just seeing pictures of him—or of Kirby the Dentist, or any of those characters from the Island of Misfit Toys—makes me smile.

#167: The Wire

2011-12-14T06:00:00.006-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #167:
HBO's drama series THE WIRE

Perhaps my favorite series ever. Which is saying a lot, given my fierce loyalty and my selective but addictive personality when it comes to television viewing. If you've watched The Wire, you already know what I mean. If you haven't, do yourself a favor and settle in for a perfect winter project. Entertainment Weekly called The Wire, "The smartest, deepest, and most resonant drama on TV." Tim Goodman of the San Francisco Chronicle wrote that The Wire "has tackled the drug war in this country as it simultaneously explores race, poverty and 'the death of the American working class,' the failure of political systems to help the people they serve, and the tyranny of lost hope. Few series in the history of television have explored the plight of inner-city African Americans and none—not one—has done it as well."

In spite of its critical claim, the show consistently fought low ratings. A show that asked a lot of its audience's attention span? A show "too complex" to appeal to the general television viewing public? A show that unfolded like a Greek tragedy? I was in heaven.

David Simon, the show's creator, said, "The Wire is about the American we pay for and tolerate. Perhaps it is possible to pay for and demand something more."

Every single episode made me want to be a better writer.

David Simon's final thank you letter to The Wire fans keeps me showing up at my desk every morning.

#166: Finding the Perfect Gift for Someone You Love

2011-12-13T06:00:00.000-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #166:
Finding the Perfect Gift for Someone You Love

"Perfect" is rarely expensive. "Perfect" comes from being personal and specific—proof that you have paid attention. "Perfect" is often homemade and unique in all the world.

#165: Luminaries

2011-12-12T06:00:00.000-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #165:
Luminaries

#164: Dogs Wearing Sweaters

2011-12-11T06:30:00.000-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #164:
Dogs Wearing Sweaters

#163: Really Good Hair Days

2011-12-10T06:07:00.000-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #163:
Really Good Hair Days

This is such a rare occurrence, I have no photographic evidence to offer.

Note: Usually these days occur when you are already scheduled to get a haircut.

#162: Playing Hide-and-Seek in Christmas Tree Lots

2011-12-09T06:00:00.000-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #162:
Playing Hide-and-Seek in Christmas Tree Lots

#161: The Scent of Vanilla

2011-12-08T06:07:00.001-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #161:
The Scent of Vanilla

Such a complex aroma—a combination of cozy and sensual. This is one of the only scents I can stand in scented soaps or candles. When I'm baking I always stop and just inhale when I open the vanilla extract.

This photo taken from the BBC's Food Ingredients site

#160: Bagels and lox

2011-12-07T06:04:00.001-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #160:
Bagels & Lox

Perhaps my favorite breakfast food (which is saying a lot, since I love breakfast above all other meals!), especially with those tart little caper berries on it. Mmm. Although I love salmon in almost any form or incarnation, this is at the top of the list.

Favorite bagel and lox story: At home in Dayton once at the Bagel Cafe (corner of Stroop & Far Hills), I asked the young girl behind the counter, "Do you have lox?" She narrowed her eyes, looked at the door, and said, "Yes," very defiantly. Turns out they had locks…but no smoked salmon!

#159: First Snowfall

2011-12-06T06:04:00.000-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #159:
First Snowfall of the Season

Okay, so I'm a wee late. Ours (in Dayton, Ohio) was a week ago today, but it was a good first one—no wimpy little "dusting," it actually accumulated enough to cling to branches and grass and look lovely and festive. Even if you hate winter, there's something about the first snow of the season that feels kinda magical.

#158: That Fantastic Aroma of the Christmas Trees for Sale

2011-12-05T06:00:00.001-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #158:
That Fantastic Aroma of the Christmas Trees for Sale

Outside grocery stores, in parking lots, where ever this club or that club has set up their Christmas tree sale—that spruce and pine aroma wafts through air. It's sharp and so evocative of the season. I love it!

Thanks to Erin and Kim for both posting this reason on my Facebook fan page!

#157: Kahlua in Your Coffee

2011-12-04T06:30:00.002-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #157:
Kahlua in Your Coffee

A lovely pleasure, reserved for weekend mornings—especially when it's raining or snowing—when you have the time to linger over the newspaper and stay in your jammies for a while.

#156: The Way Ducks Sound Like They're Chuckling

2011-12-03T06:30:00.002-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #156:
The Way Ducks Sound Like They're Chuckling

#155: Trader Joe's Candy Cane Joe-Joe's

2011-12-02T06:00:00.000-05:00

Reason to be Happy #155:
Trader Joe's Candy Cane Joe-Joe's

A recent discovery for me. All I can say is, "Where have you been all my life?"

#154: Remembering Funky Dreams

2011-12-01T06:04:00.000-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #154:
Remembering Funky Dreams

Dreams are so amazing. It's so fun when you remember long, weird ones. I have three favorites from last year. In one, Dexter was living in my garden shed, only he was always wearing pink sparkly boots. He told me, "I'm gonna use your shed for a while, okay?" and I said, "Sure. I love the show," and he said, "What are you talking about?" In the dream I got nervous and said, "Nothing," thinking, "He doesn't know we know!" Another dream had to do with my garden. I dreamed that Chris Hemsworth as Thor and an animated Nancy Drew were stealing zucchini from my garden in the middle of the night. When I caught them, Nancy locked herself in my shed, but Chris ran around my yard and couldn't figure out how to get out of the privacy fence. (Really? Thor couldn't get over a fence? The Avengers are in trouble!). He started to cry and begged me not to call the police. He offered to write me a poem. I'm disappointed with my dream self for rejecting his offer.
My third favorite dream was of Erica, on my marketing team at HarperCollins. I showed up at her office and she was wearing a full body kitten suit, complete with whiskers drawn on her face. She said she wore it when she was sad and it always cheered her up. She offered to let me borrow it.

The show that always got dreams just right, and really captured their disjointed time-jumps and absurdity? The Sopranos.

#153: Horses Fuzzy with Winter Coats

2011-11-30T06:00:00.000-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #153:
HORSES FUZZY WITH WINTER COATS

I'm especially partial to those long chin whiskers they get. In the winter, even the most elegant thoroughbred looks like a yak and I find the look adorable.

These great photos are from the blog Desert Horses.

#152: Cousins

2011-11-29T06:00:00.001-05:00

Reasons to Be Happy #152:
COUSINS

Cousins are some of our first playmates in childhood. I'm lucky to have amazing cousins on both sides of the family. When I think of cousins, I think of the kids' table, I think of sneaking desserts before the dinner is served, I think of doing theatrical productions in the basement, I think of playing ghost-in-the-graveyard literally in the graveyard, I think of slumber parties with us all lined up wall-to-wall in sleeping bags. My cousins have all grown up to be wonderful, remarkable people I'm so grateful to know. Was especially happy to get to reunite with many of them last weekend!

#151: Reading in the Bathtub

2011-11-28T06:00:00.001-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #151:
Reading in the Bathtub

Do you know how hard it is to take a photo of reading in the bathtub? Who knew? This is one of my favorite pleasures in fall and winter.

#150: When Something Turns Out Easier Than You Expected

2011-11-27T06:07:00.000-05:00

REASON TO BE HAPPY #150:

When Something Turns Out Easier Than You Expected

#149: Thanksgiving Leftovers

2011-11-26T06:04:00.000-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #149:
THANKSGIVING LEFTOVERS

There's something very satisfying and cozy about opening a fridge full of leftovers. It aids and abets the lovely laziness that should be part of the post-Thanksgiving days. It fills me with gratitude for the abundance in my life, and the fact that I've never truly known hunger. I love to put cranberry relish on my grilled turkey sandwiches. I love to fork the stuffing into my mashed sage sweet potatoes...and pour gravy over the concoction. I love to eat the caramelized Brussels sprouts cold. I love to put the whipping cream in my coffee. And, of course, it should go without saying that the pumpkin pie is for breakfast.

What are your leftover delicacies?

#148: Licking the Beater when Mashing Potatos

2011-11-25T06:07:00.000-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #148:

Licking the Beater When Mashing Potatoes

#147: Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T06:00:00.000-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #147:
THANKSGIVING

My very favorite holiday! What's not to like? It's all about gathering and eating good food. No pressure of gifts.

Every family has its own traditions. When celebrating with the Strange side of the family (that's not a joke!), it sometimes includes a fierce coloring competition (note that the adults take it far more seriously than the kids), a Thanksgiving game of Twister, and the annual piling-of-the-stuffed-toys on my dad (who is known to my cousins' kids as Uncle Crazy).

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, EVERYONE!!!

#146: Steaming up the windows from cooking

2011-11-23T06:04:00.002-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #146:
Steaming Up the Windows From Cooking All Day

In preparation for Thanksgiving, the stovetop is busy all day long. All that bubbling heat steams up the windows and is the coziest, happiest feeling. There's not much I love more than cooking with/for friends and family.

#145: Real Whipping Cream

2011-11-22T06:00:00.001-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #145:
REAL WHIPPING CREAM

WAY better than Cool Whip, real whipping cream is well worth the teensy bit of extra effort. And can I just say that some people are far too conservative when putting whipping cream on their pumpkin pie? Pie should be piled with it, as in the photo above!

#144: Pumpkin Pie

2011-11-21T06:00:00.000-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #144:
PUMPKIN PIE

Pie is my dessert of choice always. Pumpkin pie might be my very favorite (well…tied closely with my mother's amazing cherry pie, which will be its own reason to be happy before this experiment is over). This is the season of pumpkin pie, so I'm giddy.

#143: Flannel sheets

2011-11-20T06:30:00.001-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #143:

FLANNEL SHEETS

I adore my flannel sheets, and savor getting them out of the closet come chilly weather. Turns out it's really tough to find a photo that does justice to flannel sheets, so I hope you'll enjoy this one borrowed from the fun website Too Many Cats.

#142: Hitting All Green Lights

2011-11-19T06:00:00.001-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #142:
Hitting All Green Lights
(especially when you're running late)

#141: Full Body Massages

2011-11-18T06:04:00.001-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #141:
Full Body Massages

If you've never had one, do yourself a giant favor and put it at the top of your to-do list. It's soooo good and soooo good for you. My massage therapist is Laurie Trick and she's fantastic. She makes me drool. The health benefits go far beyond easing sore muscles. The mental adjustment lasts for days. The world would be a more peaceful place if everyone routinely received body work!

#140: Bunny Slippers

2011-11-17T06:00:00.000-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #140:
Bunny Slippers

#139: When the Waiter Knows You Well Enough to Personalize Your Food

2011-11-16T06:00:00.001-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #139:
When the Waiter Knows You Well Enough to Personalize Your Food

This is a continuation of the grilled cheese from yesterday. Because nothing is lovelier than a grilled cheese sandwich with the tomato bisque at CoCo's Bistro in Dayton...or so I thought. It can be made lovelier when the best waiter in Dayton sets down that tomato bisque with your own initials in it. Thanks, Ash!

#138: Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

2011-11-15T06:04:00.001-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #138:
Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

There are days that simply feel like grilled cheese sandwich sort of days. You know the ones—usually chilly, perhaps raining or snowing…often days requiring some soothing. A grilled cheese sandwich is the epitome of comfort food.

#137: Great Independent Bookstores

2011-11-14T06:00:00.002-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #137:
Great Independent Bookstores

Are you lucky enough to live in a town with at least one independent book store? If you are, count your blessings and please please patronize them so they stick around! Keep your favorite indie book store in mind as you do your holiday shopping. Really good independent bookstores are a thing of joy and beauty. One of my very favorite independent bookstores is Saturn Booksellers in Gaylord, MI. Love. That. Place. Last year I got to visit them for the third time on tour for The Blessings of the Animals. Here's a blog I wrote about that visit (with a blog within a blog, as it includes a blog I was asked to write for the site Too Fond of Books in which I was invited to write about my favorite book store).

Did you know you can search for the closest indie to you? Check out Indie Bound.

#136: Serendipity

2011-11-13T06:30:00.000-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #136:
SERENDIPITY

I love the word, but I also love the definition and when it happens in life.

#135: Dolphins

2011-11-12T08:15:00.002-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #135:

DOLPHINS

#134: Stirring Stew on a Chilly Day

2011-11-11T07:08:00.003-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #134:

Stirring A Big Pot o' Stew on a Chilly Day

One of my favorite activities when the temperatures drop. There's something so satisfying about chopping everything, then stirring and stirring. This is a perfect activity to prompt story ideas, unlock a stalled scene, consider the next plot point. In the summer, this is all accomplished for me by pruning and weeding in the garden. Now that it's colder, I turn to chopping and stirring. And, hey, there's the lovely byproduct of a great meal at the end of it.

#133: Interspecies Friendships

2011-11-10T06:07:00.001-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #133:
Interspecies Friendships

I'm a sucker for these. Here are a few of my favorites:

Video of Owen the hippo and Mzee the tortoise

or listen to Owen & Mzee's story on NPR

Video of Bella and Tara, the elephant and the dog

Story and optional video of Fum the cat and Gebra the barn owl

Just a cute news story mix of several strange animal couples

#132: Raw Cookie Dough

2011-11-09T06:04:00.001-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #132:
Raw Cookie Dough

I love to bake cookies...but honestly only to eat the dough. Once the cookies are baked, I have a very easy time resisting them. There's no resisting the dough, though. Chocolate chip is my favorite. I don't like oatmeal cookies, but oatmeal cookie dough is pretty spectacular! Same goes for sugar cookies—I like the dough much more than the baked final good.

#131: The Right to Vote

2011-11-08T06:04:00.001-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #131:
The Right to Vote

In other countries, people stand in long lines for the privilege of casting their vote. In some countries, people risk their lives (literally) for the privilege. So, why, in the US, where we all have this right, so many take it for granted and don't bother to vote??? That right was fought for and hard won. Don't squander the efforts of those who obtained it for us.

"Policy is made by those who show up."
—Martin Sheen (as President Bartlett on The West Wing)

SHOW UP

#130: Cute Kitten Videos

2011-11-07T06:00:00.001-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #130:
Cute Videos of Kittens
(Especially When You're Having a Bad or Stressful Day)

Here are a few samples:

Mama Cat Hugs Sleeping Twitching Kitten

Kitten Playing With Remote Control Mouse

Kittens Bop Heads to Music

Kitten Falls Asleep Sitting Up While Siblings Play Behind Him

Kitten Attacks Reflection in Mirror

#129: An Extra Hour

2011-11-06T06:30:00.000-05:00

Reason to Be Happy #129:

An "Extra" Hour

Personally, I hate the whole idea of Daylight Savings Time. I'd much rather have it be light longer in the evening than earlier in the morning. Wintertime can be bleak enough, but when it starts getting dark at 5:00 PM, it's depressing. But, that said, I love being "given" and "extra" hour in a day. What a lovely gift! The idea of it makes me happy, even if the practice of it not so much.

#128: Holiday Cups at Starbucks

2011-11-05T05:00:00.001-04:00

Reason to Be Happy #128:
When the Holiday Cups Come out at Starbucks

There's just something kinda lovely about them. And Starbucks appropriately waits until after Halloween.

#127: Crossed Cat Paws

2011-11-04T06:00:00.000-04:00

Reason to Be Happy #127:

Crossed Cat Paws

I love it when my cat crosses his paws. I'm a sucker for it, in fact. It will always make me smile.

#126: Books So Good They Make You Weep In Public Places

2011-11-03T06:00:00.000-04:00

Reason to Be Happy #126:

Books So Good They Make You Weep In Public Places

The latest culprit? The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. Wow. It had me crying, sniffling, back-shaking, blowing my nose in the Philedelphia Airport last weekend. What took me so long to read this book? Loved it. I hardly remember even being on the plane, so lost was I in the story!

#125: The Way Frosted Grass Crunches Under Your Feet

2011-11-02T06:04:00.001-04:00

Reason to Be Happy #125:

The Way Frosted Grass Crunches Under Your Feet

#124: An Empty Seat Next to You on a Plane

2011-11-01T06:00:00.001-04:00

Reason to Be Happy #124:
An Empty Seat Next to You on a Plane

Added bonus? An empty seat next to you in an exit row.

It's the little things, right? These days air travel is only marginally above being on a bus, as far as the glamor factor goes.

#123: Trick-or-Treating

2011-10-31T06:04:00.000-04:00

Reason to Be Happy #123:

Trick-or-Treating

A magical night that brings out the little kid in us all.

#122: Wearing a Costume

2011-10-30T06:07:00.000-04:00

Reason to Be Happy #122:

Wearing a Costume

There's something so liberating about being in costume, whether it's for a play or for a Halloween party. It's like permission to be someone else for a bit. This costume is from Les Liaisons Dangereuses at The Dayton Theatre Guild, and is by far my favorite costume from any production I've ever been in.

#121: Gerbera Daisies

2011-10-29T06:07:00.000-04:00

Reason to Be Happy #121:

Gerbera Daisies

Perhaps one of the cheeriest flowers out there.

#120: Playing in Big Piles of Leaves

2011-10-28T06:07:00.000-04:00

Reason to Be Happy #120:

Playing in Big Piles of Leaves

#119: Getting Yourself All Freaked Out After a Scary Movie

2011-10-27T06:04:00.001-04:00

Reason to Be Happy #119:
Getting Yourself All Freaked Out After A Scary Movie

It's just like riding a roller coaster. You know you're safe, so it's fun to give in and let yourself be terrified. It's so fun to be all silly and jumpy with friends after seeing a scary movie, startling each other, asking "what was that?" or getting someone to scream.

My Favorite Scary Movies

Scare Factor Based On:
1. Did it temporarily or permanently change my behavior? (for example: how I shower or how I approach topiary?)
2. Did I dream about it?
3. Did it make my pulse race during and after?

From My Youth to Present
(Do not hold the horrible sequels against any of these classic originals)
The Omen
When a Stranger Calls
Poltergeist
Psycho
The Shining
The Exorcist
Halloween
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Nightmare on Elm Street
In Dreams
The Silence of the Lambs
Aliens
The Sixth Sense
28 Days Later
Let the Right One In

What are your favorites?

#118: Ghost Stories

2011-10-26T06:07:00.000-04:00

Reason to Be Happy #118:

GHOST STORIES

Remember slumber parties? Or camp? Terrifying each other with creepy, scary stories until no one could sleep? Until every little noise made you jump? But deep down inside you knew you were safe and could just give in to the sensation. I adore a good ghost story.

#117: Halloween Decorations

2011-10-25T06:00:00.000-04:00

Reason to Be Happy #117:

Halloween Decorations

My mom used to be a preschool teacher, so she goes all out decorating for the holidays, and Halloween is one of her favorites. I love it when people decorate their houses and yards for the trick-or-treaters.

#116: Vampires

2011-10-24T06:04:00.004-04:00

Reason to Be Happy #116:
VAMPIRES

I've had a thing for vampires ever since reading Stephen King's Salem's Lot at far too young an age. I knew immediately that if such creatures existed, I wanted to meet one…heck, maybe even be one.

I love the old school vampires, and the way Anne Rice built on the vampire mythology that already existed (sticking to the fact, for instance, that, ahem, vampires can not go out in the sun no matter how overcast it is).

Did you know that every culture has vampire lore? Including the Inuits?

So why did I want to be a vampire? What was the appeal? Living forever. Even at the age of twelve, I knew that this world was a pretty cool place, that I pretty much adored life, and that I had no hope of squeezing every single amazing thing I wanted to do, learn, see, and experience on this earth into one measly human lifetime. The idea of getting to stick around forever was attractive. Obviously, I hadn't thought it through—you know, the idea that everyone you know will eventually age and die unless you turn them into vampires, too. The whole you-can-only-go-out-after-dark thing. The whole humans-want-to-kill you aspect. Oh, and the drinking of blood (handily taken care of by the synthetic Japanese True Blood drink). But for all those cons, you have to admit the pro is a fairly big pro.

Perhaps you'll get a kick out of some correspondence with a friend who shall remain nameless here (please note my restraint). At a party, we got into the discussion of "which would you rather be, a zombie or a vampire?" He started it. My answer was immediate and (to me) obvious: vampire. Yes, I love zombie stories. But I do not love zombies. Nor do I want to be one. We actually "discussed" this for about 20 minutes (no lie) much to the amusement and bewilderment of other party goers.

The next morning, the friend sent this message, and the following correspondence ensued. (Yes, we are dorks):

Zombies vs. Vampires, The case for Zombies.
While vampires are an obvious favorite, I think there are some strong arguments for wanting to be a zombie.

1. Zombies live free of pain, crime, war, religion and politics. This John Lennon-inspired life offers no stress and utopia where all zombies get along and work together for one common goal: to eat the warm flesh of those rascally vermin, the living. (Who brought us noting but pain, pestilence, and Justin Bieber) The zombie life is a Zen-like utopia where you wonder around with people of the same mind-set looking for sustenance and nothing else. (Very John Kerouac - think moving commune) . There is no financial strain and materialistic pressure.

2. Going to the beach. Zombies get to hang out at the beach and swim all day long. While vampires must sleep the day away, zombies are able to enjoy the surf and the sun. (Which helps slow the rotting flesh issue.) Zombies are the majority in every scenario, not the minority. Zombies get to walk down the street loud and proud and don"t have to hide a thing. Living in the shadows is not for the zombie. Zombies do what they want, when they want.

3. The ability to eventually rot away. Being able to eventually rot away in a painless fashion is a ideal. Immortality equals constant boredom. How many times can you read the same book? (Or worse, a different book that is the same story) Seeing friends die, seeing the same trends over and over; all of this becomes a form of torture. However, the zombie eventually just rots away in a painless fashion after a life of hanging at the beach and eating to your hearts content. No fear of old age, no need for healthcare - no having the see the remake of "Footloose" - all of these are good things.

4. You are not hunted. Vampires are constantly being hunted. Were-wolves, vampire-killers, whatever Wesley Snipes is; all these creatures are interested in destroying you. Zombies? In general, people are constantly trying to get away from you. Sure it makes eating a little harder, but I would take that over free of the hunt.

There are likely numerous other issues, but the kids need fed.

MY RESPONSE:

Zombies vs. Vampires, The Case for Vampires

1. Zombies lack cognition of all things but the need to feed, but vampires still maintain their logic, intellect, and even emotions. Vampires retain verbal skills, and their long life spans usually equate to well-developed vocabularies. Vampires are therefore able to truly commune and communicate, have witty dinner conversation with friends, flirt, woo, argue, debate, and discuss...all things which make life, especially eternal life, have spice and interest.

2. Vampires are undead, which is technically different from dead (which zombies are). Being undead means their physical forms are "frozen" at the age and state of health in which they were turned vampire. This means their bodies will never decay, rot, or smell. This makes vampires much better smelling and hygienic than zombies. Vampires are able to be attractive and well-dressed, if they so choose.

3. If a vampire is injured, their vampire blood (known as V in some human circles, where it is highly coveted) allows them super healing powers. So, for instance, if they suffer a gunshot wound, knife slash, or even an amputation, they are able to heal themselves, rather than fall prey to rot, gangrene, and decay like a zombie. A vampire will never be forced to exist with missing limbs.

4. Vampires are able to "pass" as humans, and their smaller numbers means they are able to go unnoticed among humans if they wish. Zombies are unable to "blend" due to their appearance and strong odor.

5. Vampires can have sex. It is true their only bodily fluid is blood, so...they cry tears of blood, and...you get the idea. But THEY CAN HAVE SEX and can enjoy sex. (Zombies, I repeat, have no cognition of anything but the need to feed).

6. Being immortal is not for sissies, but requires a proper attitude of mental challenge. There are always more books to read (or be written), languages to learn, places to visit, instruments and crafts to master, endless avenues of self improvement and discovery. (Not all vampires, after all, choose to repeat high school...which would, indeed, be a form of torture).

I did mention sex, right? And dinner parties? Speech?

There are likely numerous other issues, but I must do some writing that actually pays my bills....

FRIEND'S REBUTTAL:

Zombies vs. Vampires, Response

BORING!!!! Typical answers on the supposed superiority of vampires. Zombies have cognition, but not in the typical sense. Zombies communicate, albeit in a rudimentary fashion. Give me the zombie all day long. Sex with no fluid except for blood. Creepy! Take care and get to work.

MY FINAL WORD:

Boring? Whatevs, dude. Boring is stumbling around drooling and moaning... You go rot on the beach. I'll be exploring the Louvre after midnight. No hard feelings.

#115: Carving Jack-o-lanterns

2011-10-23T07:00:00.000-04:00

Reason to Be Happy #115:

Carving Jack-o-lanterns

There's something so fun about actually digging out the oozy insides and getting pumpkin goo up to your elbows. And wielding big carving knives is always fun, too…especially around Halloween.

You can draw on one with markers, but it's never the same as the glow from a candle inside a carved out pumpkin (and then, there's the bonus of toasting the pumpkin seeds, and, of course, baking an honest-to-goodness pumpkin pie).

#114: Walking in Old Cemeteries

2011-10-22T06:07:00.001-04:00

Reason to Be Happy #114:

Walking in Old Cemeteries

I have a thing for cemeteries. I think they're full of stories. I love to run in them (great scenery, no traffic, good hills) and even just to stroll in them. I like looking at the interesting and unusual items people leave on the graves. I've taken more than one character's name from gravestones. I find them interesting, full places. One set of my grandparents lived next to a cemetery, and my cousins and I used to play there, so maybe that's where my interest started.

Three of my favorite Ohio cemeteries:

1.) Woodland (Dayton): where you can find the graves of the Wright brothers, Paul Laurence Dunbar, and Erma Bombeck. There's a statue of a dog and a boy that is usually heaped with interesting trinkets, gifts, candy, and flowers.

2.) Cavalry Cemetery (Dayton): the best cemetery hills for a runner! I almost always encounter deer, and I often see a family of red fox. Both Woodland and Cavalry have great views of the city.

3.) the unmarked graves of the former patients at the abandoned asylum up on The Ridges of Athens, Ohio, now part of Ohio University. Supposed to be very, very haunted.

#113: A dear friend's long-deployed husband returning from Afghanistan today!

2011-10-21T06:00:00.000-04:00

Reason to Be Happy #113:

A dear friend's long-deployed husband (and father of her 5 year old son) returning from Afghanistan TODAY!

Woo hoo! Joyous reunion to Erin, Jeff & Evan!
Thank you for your service, Jeff!