Things.

A few things today that make me really, really happy:

Celestial Seasonings sleepytime vanilla tea: must drink every night before bed. So relaxing, calming, and delicious.

Vinyasa Yoga: I just found my favorite instructor, and I'm so excited every time I think about what I can gain from my yoga practice. I look forward to every class, and I've started my home practice. And I swear, chaturanga is going to finally get my arms in shape! Yoga is a really empowering thing for me. I know it's a kinda hippie, uppity thing, but it's a great practice for me to incorporate the body-connectedness that I learned to cherish in my dance training, along with the spiritual connectedness and exercise that I've been yearning for in my life. It's just kind of perfect for me right now. Lord knows I need some stress relief in my life!

Remains of the Day: I'm reading this lovely novel by Kazuo Ishiguro, and I'm absolutely loving it. It satisfies my Anglophilia and my love for beautiful, wordy, descriptive writing. Also, the movie is great. I can't wait to re-watch it after I finish the novel.

Corduroy and Fiero: duh. I do not have to explain.

My job at Park Center: Despite this week being stressful and slightly tense, I'm realizing every day just how much I adore my job. I'm feeling a part of the team and accepted, possibly even kind of liked, by my coworkers. I finally feel like an integral part of something big & important. It's a nice feeling. And every day I learn more about my clients, which makes me appreciate and cherish my job even more.

Married life: I'm not sure this one's even worth explaining. Obviously it's the best thing ever. I will never be able fully explain the extent to which this was the best decision I've ever made. Sure, marriage is hard and complicated, but what in life worth having isn't at least somewhat hard & complicated? I get to spend every moment with someone who loves me and whom I love desperately. We may not always agree with each other or understand one another's thinking, but we try so hard to understand; we support one another no matter what; we listen as best we can; we give what we can of ourselves to the other. Pride falls away; jealousy disappears; who is right and who is wrong no longer matters; the only thing that holds any stake is our love for one another and our pursuit of justice and peace in the world. I can't honestly say this of any other relationship I have ever had. That is the power of love, and the reason I know that marriage was the right step for us (and, I should note, this does not at all mean that I think marriage is the "right" or "best" decision for everyone else).

Cooking: It is so refreshing to be able to create my own meals with some guidance, some ingenuity, and some practice. I love fresh food, I love learning how to cook certain types of food, and I love eating. It all works together perfectly.

Winter: I'm still holding out hope that we might have a real winter, which is bringing me a tiny bit of happiness.

The future: There is just a lot to be excited about and happy for.

The present: See all of the above.