looking up at shoes

Tags

angels, Dublin, heels, shoes, smile, south side, thoughts, walking on air

While walking o the bus last night I noticed something odd: a pair of heals dangling from a cable.

Now I know that last year there was a project around Dublin called ‘look up and put a sparkle in your step’, all over Dublin there were signs and  sparkly heels were draped over cables encouraging Dubliners look up. But the heels I saw yesterday were white, no sparkle and more importantly no sign. So I couldn’t help put wonder what the dangling heels were doing there.

Since it was on the south side of the Liffey maybe it’s a signifier for a particularly posh drug dealer or maybe the sparkle has just worn off. But either way the dangling shoes made me smile, and a thought occurred: maybe even walking on air in hurts when wearing heels, and that is why angles go barefoot!

elegant street decoration

 

simple smiles

Tags

happiness, Phylis Diller, quote, smile, smiles, to-do list

A smile is a curve that sets everything straight.

Comedian Phylis Diller

When your day starts with a smile it is always a sign about things to come – so today promises to be a good one. And the thing that makes me smile even more is that I have myself to thank for my own happy mood.

As I sat down at my desk this morning I was rewarded with a clean tidy space and an already very ‘ticked-off’ to-do list already waiting for further treatment. There is something very satisfying about following up after a very busy day, I already feel a few steps ahead, very unlike my perpetual few steps behind.

With so much already done the rest seems more manageable, less daunting – and who knows maybe I will manage to finish my entire list this week, it would be the first time in ages and a goal to aspire to.

So, still smiling I am checking of my to-list and enjoying the sense of accomplishment it leaves me with – simple pleasures are often those we overlook but are also often those that give the most joy. And instead of waiting for those few momentous moments in life that make our hearts burst with happiness it seems to make sense to take the simple smiles as they come.  Small practice runs for those precious exhilarating experiences making every day happier and filled with smiles.

 

 

brisk binders

Tags

binder, culture, entertainment, Films, hilarity, John Cusack, miscellaneous, Patrick Swayze, people, photos, random, Ryan Gosling, smile, wome in binders

With the US elections up in a few weeks time and voters debating the debates there has been no lack of jokes made about both of the main candidates. Since I can’t vote, being a non-citizen of the big United States, I can fully enjoy the fun. And since I don’t have much time to write about my extremely long day filled with teaching, cleaning, tidying, creating and just being I have decided to jump on the “hilarity-wagon” and spread some joy too. So enjoy my brisk binder blogging and maybe these will make you smile like they did me.

oldies are the best

but no putting Gosling in the corner

and who could say no to John Cusack

ants in my pant -ry

Tags

ants, fun, home, humor, miscellaneous, random, small things, smile, thoughts

They are small, black and scurry around as if their life is in a big hurry, but most of all they are really annoying me: ants. For a few days now my new pastime has become squashing them as they are attempting to invade my kitchen. I have been trying to figure out where they are coming from but so far I only have two theories neither of which really helps me. These little annoyances seem to either live in one of two walls OR wander in off the street underneath my door.

I even read up on the internet of how to get rid of them, but really how am I suppose to know where the queen is or what she looks like. Is she wearing a little tiara and a sparkly shoes or is she more like the one in Alien big, black, scary and popping out one egg after another? And stopping the trail would be nice if there was a real trail, instead every now and then I just spot a lone ant wandering around, seemingly aimlessly, are they all scouts and if so where are their badges and does that mean they’ll attempt to light a fire somewhere?

As I’ve never been one for camping this ant situation does not really make me happy but it did get me thinking about small things that make our lives miserable. Not one for nit picking there are a few things that really get on my nerves even if I know in they big scheme of things they don’t matter.

I have this jug in the kitchen that filters water and I always keep it full, so when people use it but don’t bother to refill it I can’t help but fell a little annoyed. Bad manners can drive me up the wall and people who leave empty (or worse half empty) cups and glasses around the place deserve a slap. And why do some smokers think it’s okay to blow what they are exhaling into your face?

But it’s not just the little things that people do that can turn my smile upside down. My hair can cause me so much grief that there are days where I feel the only option is going bald. I hate losing a sock in the washing machine, really what am I meant to do with the other one and why does dust exist?

But in a weird sort of way it makes sense that small things can annoy us to the point of explosion after all they are more likely to happen and thus wear away at ours nerves. And as far as I can see there are only two solutions: either tell the person they are annoying you early on to give them the chance to change their behavior before you pull a knife on them OR learn to live with it. After all whatever it is that is grinding your happiness down is probably really not that big a deal and if we change how we see things maybe we won’t get upset about it.

But when it come to ants in my pantry I think the only way to deal with the situation is put on my bandana and kill them all. So armed with cloves, cinnamon and vinegar I will try and smell them out and hope the queen can run in her heels.

off to brunch I go

Tags

brunch, fun, miscellaneous, random, shoes, smile, stress, thoughts, weekend

After a lovely night at the movies and a cocktail nightcap, today is starting out with brunch and friends. If the last 12 hours or so is anything to go by this weekend is looking good. And even though my to-do list is accusingly staring up at me I have decided to ignore it for the morning and re-enact a Sex and the City moment with girl gossip, fancy shoes and scrumptious food.

I love those weekends that are filled with play, happy things and bright memories. A real time to just be, relax and have fun. And it is no surprise to me that people, no matter how high-flying their job or how smart they look in a suit, are happier at the weekend. It is not only a time to let go and de-stress but important for all those social bonding moments with others.

Funnily enough the study also shows that we feel more competent during the weekend then when we are actually at our desks pushing those pencils, adding up figures or typing calluses onto our fingertips. The reason for this is the correlation between well-being and the sense of greater autonomy. Basically if you let me do what I want to do I feel good about myself and do much more.

With that in mind and the weekend stretching out in front of me I can’t wait to be my better self and have fun. And even if I do need to squeeze in a few hours of work (something does have to pay for all those shoes) I will make sure that leisure trumps labor and fun prevails over frustration.

Now all I need to do is slip on those heals, clogs, boots or what ever footwear takes my fancy and let them carry me of to brunch and a beginning of a fun-filled, happy weekend. Who knows what lies ahead and  with excitement bubbling up inside of me and a grin spreading over my face I am hoping the sun will show her pretty face.

Weekend Effect

wet feet, happy heart

Tags

adults, fairground, fun, inner child, love, miscellaneous, random, smile, swings, thoughts

Things rarely turn out the way you expect and I think that is a good thing. After all how boring is predictability, safe maybe but not really very exciting.

With that in mind yesterday was filled with the unexpected. The weather was playing it’s part in making the day start off miserably, the constant tapping of rain on the window was not overly inspiring and when a good friend arrived to pick me up for our planned day trip her face was longer than sleeves on a giants jumper. To get her to smile I promised her sun and we set out to what was advertised as a Hot Air Balloon Festival.

After a short drive with the windscreen wipers flashing to and fro excitedly we arrived at our destination and the clouds began to give way to let a few rays of sun out. The funny thing was that although we could see bouncy castles and other big blow up toys not a single balloon was in sight. Undeterred we made our way up the soggy field to be told that due to Irish weather the balloons were staying cold for the day.

But with my mind made up that we were going to have a  good time my friend and I turned into a couple of seven-year-olds and began to play. We munched on unhealthy food, observed beautiful birds of prey stare at us and sat on grotesquely coloured horses on a Victorian merry-go-round. We laughed and we giggled as our feet got damp from the wet grass on the field and as a giant blue octopus was hoisted up into the grey skies the sun finally made a real appearance.

The highlight for me on the day was the ride we took on the chairoplane or flying swing or what ever you want to call my favourite fairground ride of all times. I love swings, always have, the sensation of being lifted up into the air, the whoosh in your stomach as you come back down to only fly back up again, the cold air on your cheeks and the happiness that spreads throughout your body is a sensation I just adore. So as I was being swung around in happy circles and saw the world fly by through gleaming eyes, my body relaxed, my inner child jumped for joy and all I good feel was pure delight.

Allowing this feeling to take hold for a while reminded me of how easy it was as a child to be just happy. No thoughts of time, manners, what people think and the sheer enjoyment of playing is something I think we adults so often miss out on. As I pondered this thought two men dropped from the sky, sadly not at my feet but close enough for me to believe that the unexpected is always there and as I returned to the car with a happy heart and wet feet I gave my inner child a hug.

How to awaken your inner child

Why is playing important?

POST (traumatic stress) Syndrome

Tags

enjoyment, family, freinds, friendship, letters, love, post, post-cards, smile, stress, trauma, writing

My day started with a lovely surprise, waiting for me on the mat below my letter box sat two unexpected  packages and a card. They were sitting there patiently, waiting for me to find and retrieve them.

Like most people, I love receiving letters, parcels, cards anything that isn’t a bill and when I saw the small little pile of goodies a big grin spread across my face, my heart skipped a beat in anticipation and the day was off to a great start.

Most days I don’t have any post at all, or it’s a sad looking white envelope with a coloured logo in the corner signaling me another menacing bill has found its way into my home. Not a joyous occasion and sometimes even a little frightening, traumatic even. But because I can go days on end with the postman ignoring my lonely little letter box  I often wonder, when watching American sitcoms, how they always seem to have piles of post ready for them to flick trough. Where do all these letters come from? In the day and age of technology most people write emails and texts, so shouldn’t we be hearing their mobile phones “ping” in irregular intervals, interrupting the conversations and see them checking their “inbox” on their laptops and smartphones?

As much as I enjoy a long email or a text from a friend nothing can beat the feeling of receiving a real letter. One that someone actually took the time  to sit down and write, pen and paper in hand, and then even found a moment to wander down to the post and send it.  The fact that they bought a stamp is an additional small sign of how they value you.

Sadly writing letters is a dying art-form (along with good spelling and “popping in for a cuppa”) and I admit I am just as guilty as most. However I do take the time every now and then and send friends and family a little envelope of love or a funny card I saw that made me think of them. A little token that out of sight is not out of mind.

I also enjoy the fact that letters take all the stress out of communication, there is no expectations for you to reply at once as everyone knows letters take a few days to travel. Email and texts have an inbuilt stress factor, we are expected to answer straight away, everything is urgent, nothing can wait and so your stress-levels rise with each ping or buzz alerting you to the fact that someone, somewhere is needing an answer RIGHT NOW.

It really is unsurprising that studies have shown that as a positive psychology intervention, gratitude letters “work” 99% of the time. A gratitude letter is a hand-written note you send to someone who you want to thank or even just tell that you love them, it can be a friend, family or even a mentor or teacher. And not only do the recipients enjoy them, feel touched and treasure these letters of love but the person who writes them feels good about themselves as expressing what you feel evokes positive feelings and thoughts.

Of course many of us send postcards from trips away or the occasional greeting card to random occasions, but how many of us actually write more than the few standard sentences?  So the next time you think of a friend why not take a pen, pencil or even crayon and write down a few words of love on  a piece of paper and send it to them. After all who keeps a box full of old emails under their bed that they re-read and enjoy for many, many years?

And who knows maybe one day those bills, with the traumatic, ever-rising payment demands tucked away inside your letter box may be kept company by a letter filled of love just for you.

http://lucygracesmom.wordpress.com/2012/03/19/resurrect-the-lost-art-of-letter-writing/

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-good-life/200912/does-anyone-write-letters-anymore