1. The Book of Awesome, by Neil Pasricha, is awesome, of course. It's the inspiration for this post. Whenever I need a quick pick-me-up or burst of optimism, this book does the trick. Go get it!
2. Getting away with minor traffic violations. It's 7:00 am and you have to be at work by 7:20, but it takes you 30 minutes to get there. You get to that one stoplight. There's virtually no traffic here, and yet the light takes FOR-EVER to change. It's red. It's been red for 37 long seconds now (Come ON, light!) So, you look to your right, and to your left, and you decide to just go for it! You quietly celebrate your victory over the never-changing light. But it doesn't end here. You enter the freeway and make your way over to the 2nd to left lane - yeah, the one NEXT to the HOV lane. You sadly glance over to your left. Cars are zooming past as you're stuck inching up bumper to bumper with Old Man Slow in front of you with no way to get around him. In a moment of desperation, you flee!
Into the HOV lane as a solo! FREEDOM! At this point, you might be hoping that you're briefcase in the passenger's seat looks like a miniature person (it may make more sense to hope that no one sees you, which is only complicated by the fact that you're going about 20 mph over the speed limit). YIPES! When you finally exit the freeway un-harmed and un-ticketed, you feel like you've conquered the world. Let out a sigh of relief because you have. Awesome.
3. Sneezing. There's nothing like a good ol' hearty sneeze....especially when you've been waiting on it forever. You get that annoying tingling feeling in your nose. All of a sudden, you cock your neck back, eyes shut automatically, and you let out a loud, romper-rousing HAAAA----CHoooooo! Then you sigh because you've just released the stuff that's been waging World War Snot in your nostrils for the past 15 minutes. I don't know what it is but sneezing brings about some magical euphoric feeling. A natural high, if you will. Awesome.
4. Awesome Pizza Toppings. After a while, you just get tired of the same old cheese, pepperoni, sausage deal. I mean, you have to. I feel so sorry for children. They get pigeon-holed into the same mundane toppings. Yeah, its cool when you're younger...oblivious to the world of chicken pesto, margherita, wild mushroom, bbq chicken, hawaiin style, eggplant, spinach...man, the list goes on. I'm not a super fan of pizza. But when I do have it, I like it with a twist.
5. Finding enough seats for you AND all of your friends at the bar (or anywhere) I mean seriously, it just puts a damper on the evening...3 friends, 2 seats. Awkwardly deciding who gets to sit. The one "selfless" friend who offers to stand but is secretly DYING to sit down. But when you walk in and there are actually 3 seats....Sweet Glory!
6. Adrenaline. Of all the hormones our bodies produce, adrenaline has GOT to be THEE most awesome. Adrenal glands are your best friend. ALWAYS there when you need them, and pretty low maintenance. For the most part, they just chill out and relax. Like a well-trained guard dog- not really doing much until, of course, they are needed. Your doorbell rings at 3 am (and its not a planned booty call), someone pushes you in a crowded room, a sharp dart penetrates your femur.... Adrenal glands spring into action! Heart starts to race, breathing becomes rapid, blood sugar levels increase, pupils dilate, you have the energy of a 2-year old on Skittles! You feel no pain. It's fight-or-flight! Adrenaline can help you overcome the first few moments of a car accident, give a speech in front of hundreds of people, conquer your first kiss, or nail that final exam. The best part is that you don't have to work for it. It's an automatic response. Awesome.
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| This is my happy dance |
8. Extended Weekends. You dread Sunday nights because you know what the morning will bring- the beginning of yet another work week EXCEPT when you have an extended weekend. As a teacher, I thoroughly enjoy a break from the Sunday night to Monday morning distress. Sometimes you need a mini-break. Not a vacation, just an extra day. So, I say, BRING ON all of the commercialized holidays...yeah, the ones used as an excuse for BBQs, pool parties, shopping, and most importantly- time away from work! Memorial Day, Labor Day, Veteran's Day, President's Day....Bring em on! When I notice a 3-day weekend coming up on my calendar, I do a little happy dance. Don't judge. It's awesome!
9. Laughter. From the minor chuckle to the full-out knee-slapping, tear-jerking, stomach numbing outbursts- laughing feels damn good! The don't call it the best medicine for nothing. When you laugh, your body releases endorphins. A good hearty laugh can reduce stress, relieve pain, and make others feel self-conscious. According to a trusted source (Wikepedia) laughing 100 times is equal to 15 minutes of bike-riding! Who needs to exercise when you've got laughter? Awesome.
10. Strawberries. I saved the BEST for last. If you know ANYTHING about me, you know that I LOVE LOVE LOVE strawberries. It is my firm belief that God MADE strawberries so that I could enjoy my time in this world. I've literally eaten 2 pounds of strawberries in one sitting. In addition to their undeniable deliciousness, strawberries come with some AWESOME benefits. I'll name a few:
- Nutrition: a whole bunch of vitamins and healthy crap!
- Lowers cholesterol: duh, its an antioxidant
- Studies show that eating strawberries make you a super fantastic person (source: me)
What do YOU think is Awesome?
I think respecting your elders is awesome. Last weekend the subway was packed and a guy got up to give an old lady his seat. It was AWESOME. Pineapples, jacuzzis, great fantasy novels, and a crisp glass of champagne-also, very awesome. oh, and this blog is awesome.
ReplyDelete....and YOU'RE awesome Ms. Beck!
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