International Jazz Day

It's International Jazz Day and I guess in Paris they live streamed a live jazz concert on YouTube and because I love jazz I thought I'd share it! Enjoy!

Things I was once afraid to do

"Always do what you are afraid to do."-Ralph Waldo Emerson

I've found that although fear started out to me as being a negative thing, doing things that I was once afraid to do has actually led to some of the more fun experiences in my life. For starters when I was younger I was really afraid of learning to ride a bike. I did eventually learn and it's something I still like to do. At one point I did end up biking 500 miles which was also fun. I also used to be afraid of leaving my family and my home and now I do live far away from them and although I feel that my heart will always be with my family, I am better for the experience of living in  a big city. I've found that in doing things that scare me I do end up feeling slightly stronger than I was before. So here's to doing scary things!

The way to not stay mad

"You can't stay mad at someone who makes you laugh." Jay Leno

While I realize it's ok to be angry, I still never liked being angry, perhaps that's why I laugh a lot. I find as long as I can laugh I forget whatever might make me angry and I feel better. Laughter really is the best medicine.  In that spirit I found this clip from the Ellen show which is pretty funny. I don't know why but it always makes me laugh.

A dream come true

I saw this clip of this little boy who got to play basketball with his favorite professional basketball team and it really made me smile.  It makes me think that everyone should have at least one big dream come true in life. I'm glad this little boy got his dream early on!

A favorite Shakespeare

Shakespeare was apparently born today and I thought I'd share a quote by him that I really like which is: "I love you with so much of my heart that none is left to protest." It's said by the character Beatrice in the play "Much Ado About Nothing" when she's asked by another character, Benedict if she loves him. I like the quote not just because it's romantic (and yes I am rather a romantic at heart.) I also like it though because I feel like I want my heart to always have a lot of love in it.

Dream a little Dream

I like dreams, especially striving for them to come true. So it seems only natural I like the  song "Dream a Little Dream of Me" because it's all about dreaming. As Ella Fitzgerald was born today in 1917, I found this recording of her singing with Louis Armstrong, really liked it and felt like posting about it! Keep dreaming everyone!

Feeling Stronger

It's the singer Kelly Clarkson's birthday and I find I always rather liked her song "Stronger" it makes me feel good inside. Plus it's fun to dance to when you think no one is looking! (Really though when I dance to it I find I frankly don't care who's looking!) In short, it really does help me feel stronger!

Animal Crackers

Shirley Temple was born today in 1928.  The movies that she starred in when she was really young have always made me smile especially this song called "Animal Crackers In My Soup." Plus I always liked animal crackers!

Happy Earth Day!

It was funny today because I didn't realize it was Earth Day and yet  when I was walking home from work and for whatever reason I found myself taking a deep breath and just enjoying the sunshine! I realize the whole point of Earth Day is conservation but I figure as long as we can enjoy the sun that's worth celebrating too! So Happy Earth Day to YOU!

Things that make me smile to myself before I realize I'm smiling!

I love things that make me smile to myself before I realize I'm smiling. I think those are the best things. I like smiling spontaneously if only because it does my soul a quite a bit of good. When I think of all the things that make me smile in that way, I felt I had to share some of them just because I think smiles (and reasons to smile) are best shared!

• Being hugged/giving hugs
• Being with people I love 
• Listening to the song "I Lived" by OneRepublic.
• Reading a good book
• Zumba-I don't mind dancing around the way this exercise involves-it's fun!
• Getting a postcard
• Going to the theater to see a play and getting all dressed up to see the play
• Dancing
• Singing (especially in random places!) 
• Writing this blog! 

Big Shout Out to All those running the Boston Marathon

This post is dedicated to all who are running the Boston Marathon today! If you read this and your ran in the race today, I  hope you finished strong and I'm rooting for everyone! Best wishes to all!

A swimmingly good Sunday!

I don't know why, but I'm excited because I got to go swimming today! It's fun for me to do something I wouldn't ordinarily do. It made this Sunday special and that's what counts to me. I hope each week everyone gets to do something out of the ordinary like that on Sundays (or at least one day a week.) It makes things just that more fun and life should be fun!

Keep smiling

I hope you're always able to find a reason to smile every day. It's the best medicine there is!

A Happy Saturday

I'm happy because it's Saturday and this one's especially nice because my mum has come to stay with me! When she visits she reminds me life is fun! That's why this Saturday is a happy one!

A funny song for the heck of it

Just because the comedian Spike Milligan was born today in 1918 I found this clip and felt it was so funny I had to share it, if only because laughter makes everything better! :)

Something good can be found from anything

I like the fact that today was declared a day for volunteering and doing random acts of kindness. I like it because even though something awful happened two years ago in the form of the bombing of the Boston Marathon, the fact that today is now a day of random acts of kindness makes me think of how good things can come out of something bad. I like to think that everything comes to something good in the end. It may not immediately happen but when it does then to me the good things outshine the bad and even if both good and bad must exist I feel like goodness and happiness come out stronger in the end. To me happiness endures and that's what I love most about it! On a side note, my random act of kindness for the day was delivering homemade banana bread to my neighbor and some friends.

I send my love to everyone!

Favorite word

Webster's Dictionary was copyrighted today in 1828. I happen to really enjoy it when I find amusing words like the word absquatulate. It means "to leave abruptly." It's actually a slang term and it always sounds so amusing to me that it makes me smile. Quite simply, strange words make me happy!

Things that help me enjoy life!

"Most people have never learned that one of the main aims in life is to enjoy it."- Samuel Butler

When I saw this quote it made me think of simple things that make my life good! Such as:

*Dark chocolate

*Tea

*Bicycles 

*Books and movies 

*Zumba

*A comfy bed

*Great friends

*Bathrobes

*Music

*Minions!

A place of my own!

It's my first day in my new apartment and I have to say it's rather nice having my own space. It's a lovely apartment. To me it's a sign of good things to come! Everyone I've met in the building has been so kind, offering help and just being friendly. It seems a very happy place and I look forward to happy times to come!

Moving house!

I moved to a new apartment this weekend which is exciting! I think it's appropriate that I started to move in on my birthday because it's a new beginning in every sense. Everyone I've met in the building I've moved into has been really kind. Plus my parents helped me get the apartment and they helped me move. They're forever good good to me. I'm excited to get settled in!

I've lived!

It's official-I'm 30 and I'm excited!! As it's a milestone the idea of being 30 makes me think of the song I Lived by OneRepublic. I like it because it reminds me of how I've done quite a bit in my life and how much more I want to do. Mostly, I want to continue to commit to finding happiness no matter the circumstances. I figure if the next 70 years of my life are as good as the first 30 then I'll be fine! I've got a lot of living to do and I'm going to live it up!

Funny Science

The singer/songwriter Tom Lehrer was born today in 1928. I've always felt that his songs are consistently funny. One such song is called "The Elements" and it always makes me laugh for some reason. (Plus it's good for learning the periodic table-which is something I unfortunately had to do!) Anyway, enjoy!

Happy birthday Buddha! Peace everyone!

"Peace comes from within, do not seek it without."

It's Buddha's birthday and I really like the quote above. One thing I love about being human is that there's peace in everyone! So, even if you shouldn't seek peace from without, I still wish you peace anyway!

A sunny dream!

Dream no small dreams for they have no power to move the hearts of men.-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

I hope everyone has big dreams. There are times when I dream I could be a ray of sunshine and times when I dream of being able to help everyone but most of all I dream of living a happy life and so far that dream has never yet failed to ring true. I have found happiness no matter what the circumstances. I want to continue that trend so I can be a ray of sunshine and help where I can. As cliche as I sometimes think it sounds I really do believe that dreams can and are realized and when they are realized it's cause for joy! So for the present, I wish you a joyous day!

Hope, renewal and new life

"Easter is meant to be a symbol of hope, renewal, and new life."-Janine di Giovanni  

Even though Easter isn't universally celebrated, I still like the idea expressed in this quote that today is a symbol of hope and better things to come. I think there is always hope no matter what and I like that today is meant to remind people of that fact. Whatever your beliefs are, I wish you a very happy day and an even brighter tomorrow!

A beautiful wedding!

I just came back from the wedding reception of my friend Sara and her now husband Mazen. Although I believe all wedding receptions are great fun, this one was especially so! The bride and groom are both Lebanese and in addition to traditional food, the reception also had traditional dancers with drums and chanting and a lot of joy!  Most of the speeches and songs were in Arabic. Nevertheless I could still feel the happiness in the language and the music.  To me happiness is a language that can be understood by everyone, no matter what. Plus, happiness is contagious. I came away from the event feeling a sense of joy because I'm so pleased for Sara and Mazen. I'm glad I was able to share in their day of joy and I wish them both every imaginable happiness as they start their new life together. This post is dedicated to them.

Going home

There's something so nice about going home. It's a place with a lot of love in it- that's what I like best about home. I think everyone deserves to have a place like that, somewhere to belong, somewhere where they are loved. So wherever you call home, I hope you can go there often and feel loved!

Gotta Give It Up

Marvin Gaye was born today in 1939 and as it's the anniversary of his birthday, I could think of no better way to celebrate it than with one of his songs that I think is most fun. It's called "Gotta Give It Up." I just think it sounds really fun and reminds me of fun times I've had and fun times that are still yet to come! So I give it up to fun!

Funny prank

Since it's April Fool's Day I had to share this clip I found online about Ellen DeGeneres getting pranked. I realize it's been out for a while now but I just think it's so funny and it makes me laugh every time. For that reason it's the subject of this post! All I can say is Matt Laur better watch out -Ellen is out to get him now!