Laughter is the Best Medicine

It really is. I mean really. When you hear the right joke, or something silly happens at just the right time, that uncontrollable laughter is one of the greatest feelings in the world. It's even better when your cheeks and stomach feel sore, and when you feel the tears in the corner of your eyes.

What can make it even better than that? When you're laughing with friends. Yeah, it's cheezy and sentimental, but no one can deny that it's true! So thanks for all the laughs guys.

Hugs

Hugs can be used in so many occasions: to cheer someone up, or celebrate together; to greet a missed friend, or hold on to someone you know you'll miss. 

Hugs have an incredible power to convey a lot of emotion in one moment. With a hug, you're close to another person. It gives you a warm feeling both physically and emotionally. I especially love getting the good hugs from close friends or family, where there's even more feeling put in to it. Or even better: when you could really use a hug, and you get one by surprise. Those are the best.

Who doesn't love a hug?

Perfect Timing

Today, like most days, I spent a lot of time up on campus hanging out with friends who live up there (and some who don't). However, since I didn't want to spend the money for a campus parking permit for this year, I have to rely on the public bus transportation to take me to and from campus during the week. Don't get me wrong, the buses in Santa Cruz are wonderful. It's just always a bother to have to work around another schedule (i.e., the bus schedule).

I usually leave at least 10 minutes earlier than the bus I'm trying to catch, just to make sure I don't miss it if it comes by early. I ran a little late today since my friends and I were watching 7 Pounds (which is an amazing movie). I scuttled on over to the bus stop, hoping I'd catch it in time; if I didn't, I'd have to wait another hour, at least, for the next bus.

I was a little out of breath when I got to the bus stop from my power walking. But by the time I finished scanning over the posters and flyers at the stop, the bus I needed came rolling up the hill. I love it when things fall in to place with perfect timing.

Letting it Out

No matter what the conversation is about, having long and interesting talks with your friends is always a mood lifter. It could be that you're talking about a problem in your life, or that you're just discussing your plans for the future, but being able to have a conversation outside of your own head is such a relief on your mind.

Often times through these talks, you find you weren't alone in your ideas or concerns, or your friend gives you a new outlook on something, or even an entirely new idea to think about. It also helps you feel closer to those friends. You know after you have one in-depth conversation with them, you'll be going back for more.

To all my close friends: thanks for listening, sharing, and just ranting. I can't wait for more!

A Good Life

I've said it many times, but honestly, I love my life.

I love that I'm close to my family. My mom is one of my best friends, and my sister and I get closer and closer as she grows up. My dad is an amazing dad who spoils the crap out of his girls, not only with physical things, but with information, security, and love.

I have friends that I can spend time with, and talk to about all the things on my mind whenever I need to. Those friends are up for hanging around and playing games, going out of town for a day, or even just going to get some groceries.

I'm physically and mentally happy with the body I'm in, and love the amount of creativity I have and how much it has grown.

Almost every day, I feel excited for the future ahead of me. I have a lot of plans or things I would like to try, and am thankful that I still have so much time in my life to do them.

To sum it up, I'm thankful that I was born in to the family I have, I love the life I live everyday, and I'm looking forward to what the future holds.

And so it Starts

For years I've had a "blog". I write in this blog once a year at best. The problem with that blog is that it seems like I'm either complaining about something, or writing about trivial things that happened during my day. I like the idea of having a blog as I actually usually find them interesting to read; that is, as long as they have a point, a theme, a goal, etc.

So what is the "goal" of this new blog of mine?

To appreciate all the little things in life.

The idea came to me on a Sunday afternoon as I was driving back from dropping my dad off at the airport. He had been with me over the weekend to help me move in to the house I'm staying at during the school year. My family is a huge part of my life, so being away from them for long periods of time like this (during school) makes me very sad. However, the strangest thing cheered me up. On the windy drive over the hill back to Santa Cruz, the two Hello Kitty key chains on my keys bumped against my knee. I've had them for years, and they show their wear and tear. But remembering they were there made me smile. Being 19, it might be odd that I still have a child-like fascination (and love) for Hello Kitty. It's the child in me that cheered me up, reminding me that there are plenty of things in the world to be happy for.

And with that, I decided to start a blog dedicated to all of those things. My goal is to find time every day to appreciate some thing, event, or person in my life that makes me smile. I know that this will be a very inspirational and uplifting place for me to turn to when I'm feeling down, and I hope it can do the same for others.