Even insects celebrate!

I saw this picture of two insects and to me they look like they're celebrating! Since Fridays are days to celebrate, I thought this picture was appropriate! It made me feel happy anyway. :)

Photo from:http://sploid.gizmodo.com/the-best-pictures-from-national-geographics-photo-conte-1651606699 

Finding joy in the smallest things

Today I was doing the dishes and all of a sudden some bubbles came out of the dish soap container. For whatever reason seeing those bubbles made me feel really happy. I learned today that I can find joy in the smallest of things.

I just can't decide what to write today....

"Indecision may or may not be my problem."- Jimmy Buffett
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes_of_the_day.html

Since I may or may not know what to write in this post, I'll just say that whatever happened today I hope you can come to a conclusion that it was a good day!

Music that brought me peace today

Today I was feeling a bit stressed and I heard this piece called Gymnopedi No. 1 by Erik Satie and it really helped me calm down. There's something nice about it. Somehow it reminds me of this swing that my family has on our front porch. Sometimes when the weather was nice I'd sit out on it with my family and it was really restful. So I think this particular music made me feel better by reminding me of home in a roundabout way.  I really believe that the home where I grew up and my family in general will always have a large place in my heart.

If I could come back as something in a next life....

 "Try to be a rainbow in someone's cloud."-Maya Angelou

Try to be a rainbow in someone's cloud. Maya Angelou
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/mayaangelo578763.html

Try to be a rainbow in someone's cloud. Maya Angelou
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/mayaangelo578763.html

Try to be a rainbow in someone's cloud. Maya Angelou
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/mayaangelo578763.html

Try to be a rainbow in someone's cloud.
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/mayaangelo578763.html

Try to be a rainbow in someone's cloud.
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/mayaangelo578763.html

If it's possible to come back as something else in a next life I think I'd quite like to come back as a rainbow.  I like rainbows because to me they symbolize hope after storms and if ever there's a time for hope it's after a storm! Plus, they're pretty and they make me feel good inside!

Congrats to my friend Sofia for some wonderful flute music!

I want to take this opportunity to congratulate my friend Sofia (who plays the flute professionally) for playing some lovely music as part of a church service in Needham, MA. She played four pieces: "The Swan" by Saint Saens, "Bachianas Brasileiras" by Heitor Villa-Lobos numbers 4 and 5, and "Allegro Sonata number 1 Op. E" by Bach. She played beautifully with a lot of feeling. I think what makes music sound so nice in general is the feeling that musicians put into what they play.  My favorite piece she played was the Swan because it's beautiful and it makes me feel at peace when I hear it.  I'm very glad I could go and watch Sofia. Plus, the church where the service was held was a lovely church and everyone was very kind. I also liked the fact that they had a woman speak who was a refugee from Iraq. She was very moving in how she told about her struggles to get to the US. Her story was hopeful because despite the difficulties she faced, she's going to a community college now and hopes to transfer to UMass Lowell. I liked her story because despite all that this women went through, she didn't lose hope and she and her family have a better future here. All in all Sofia and I both had a really nice experience today!

Bicycle art!

I went to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston today and they had this lovely exhibit with all these bicycles which I really liked. Biking is really fun for me.  The other day I was biking to work and I went down this hill (which was slightly dangerous but I decided to live a little and I didn't get hurt miraculously.). Anyway, it felt really good and I couldn't help but shout whee! when I was riding down that hill. It was really fun and I learned I can find joy in the most random places!

How Ray Charles makes me feel good about America

The singer Ray Charles was born today in 1930. When I think of that, I can't help but think about how he sang America the Beautiful. I always rather liked that version of the song. For whatever reason it makes me think of the good things that I like about the US (the people here, the land, free speech among other things.)  What I like most is that it's my home. Plus the song is pretty and America is beautiful.

Things I love about autumn

I've always quite liked autumn and as it's the first day I thought I'd write about all the things I like about autumn.

• leaves changing color-just because they're beautiful.
• Apple cider -it's yummy!
• Apple picking-fun and necessary for making apple cider. Since I grew up on a farm where we had apple trees, my family and I would have apple cider making parties with our friends and my dad would get his tractor going with a wagon and take us on hayrides. It was really fun. I still like apple picking with my friends in Massachusetts.
• Getting pumpkins and carving them
• Getting dressed up for Halloween. One year I was a witch and my mom got me this fake nose which I thought was so cool. I liked how it made me talk with a nasally voice which is how I thought a witch sounded.

I hope everyone haas a very happy autumn!

Pulling pumpkins at a pumpkin farm

Enjoying happiness

"It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness."-Charles SpurgeonRead more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/c/charlesspu131342.htmlRead more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/c/charlesspu131342.html

I hope that if you're reading this that you can find some happiness in each day and enjoy it when it happens! :) Just because life is good!

Beauty

"Beauty is how you feel inside, and it reflects in your eyes. It is not something physical."- Sophia Loren
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/s/sophia_loren.html

People set so much store by beauty and yet I really believe that there is beauty in all of us and that beauty is all around us. This isn't to say that beauty doesn't matter, it's just that it can be found anywhere, it's just a matter of looking for it. Someone told me once that it's therapeutic to look in a mirror and tell yourself you're beautiful and I tried it and for whatever reason it did help me feel good. I just think it's nice to take pride in oneself. It does make me feel good inside. I hope that no matter what happens, you can find the beauty in yourself because I for one, believe you're worth it!

Everything looks better when people smile

"Everyone looks so much better when they smile."-Jimmy Fallon
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/j/jimmy_fallon.html

Smiling makes me feel so much better too. I really don't know what I'd do without a smile. Anyway, keep smiling everyone! Life is too good not to smile at least once a day.

I wish a hug solved everything

"I wish I were supernaturally strong so I could put right everything that is wrong."-Greta Garbo
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/g/greta_garbo.html

Like Greta Garbo sometimes I really do wish I could put things right in the world. It would be awesome if  things could be solved with  a hug for example. Even if I can't cure all the evils of the world entirely by giving hugs, I know that my world is so much better with a hug. No matter what happens in my life a hug makes me feel that things will be all right. I know this because when I'm being hugged or giving a hug somehow I know that for the few seconds that a hug takes to give or receive I have a sense of certainty that nothing bad will happen in those few seconds. So far, that feeling has never been proven wrong. It's a nice feeling and my hope is that when I hug someone they can feel that same sense of safety and love. 

I swear!

People think it's so funny when I swear
Just because I don't do it a lot.
But there are some things I feel I should swear
Just because I care about them a lot

I swear I will be good to people
Because so many people are good to me.
And I swear I'll be good to myself
Because to be good to others I have to be good to me.

I swear I'll continue to work hard
Especially so my family always has reason to be proud
Because I'm proud to be part of my family
And it's nice to know when they're proud of me.

I swear I'll laugh every day just because laughing makes things better
I swear that no matter what happens I'll do my best to look on the bright side
Because I think I've gotten through things by keeping hope alive
Somehow I know things will eventually be all right

I swear I'll keep this blog as long as I possibly can
Because I feel better when I write in it each day
It makes every day just that much better for me.
And I write it in the hope it helps others feel happy too.

Minion go!

So there's this Pokemon Go thing going around but I really think there should be a Minion Go movement. I never really understood Pokemon but Minions always make me laugh and laughter is a language everyone can understand. Anyway, without really thinking about it I've been taking pictures of Minions wherever I find them. I've discovered I can find Minions in the most random places and so it's sort of like an unexpected treasure hunt. So far I've found Minions in Prince Edward Island, Salem, MA, Malden, MA and Melrose, MA. The hunt continues!

Bob the Minion at my office in Malden

Minion at a grocery store in Prince Edward Island 

Minion in Melrose, MA

Minions in Salem, MA 

How I had a happy childhood

"One of the luckiest things that can happen to you in life is, I think, to have a happy childhood."- Agatha Christie
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/a/agatha_christie.html

I can say that I had a happy childhood because

• I always know (and I still know) that I have a family and we all love each other and support each other very much. That was a great comfort especially if things were difficult. 
• I was able to travel with my family and see so many places and I believe I really grew a lot from having those experiences.
• I had (and still have) close friends and we had (and still have) fun together.
• My brother, sister and I always had a lot of space to run around in because we lived on a farm (my parents and siblings still live there.)
• I was able to go to school. I always liked learning, especially reading. Even if and when it was stressful, I'm still glad that I can learn.
• My family always had a dog and that always felt good. 

I believe that I was a very lucky and happy child for the most part and I see that as a blessing. It has influenced me to want to give back to others so they can feel a sense of that happiness too.

Conversations on a bus

I rather like public transportation because it gives me a chance to talk to people more. Today I was on the bus and the driver was so funny. We talked about how he liked motorcycles and action movies.  Then another passenger joined in and we all started talking about action movies, especially ones we thought were funny. I like laughing with people and seeing them happy. It's nice to feel connected. Plus, it's always good to laugh!

Forgiveness doesn't run out

"Absolution is not like a buss pass, it doesn't run out!" -Priest in the movie "The Lady In The Van."

I rather like this quote because 1-it's from a movie that made me laugh when I really needed to and 2-I like to think that forgiveness is lasting. Maybe that's the best thing about it, it's therapeutic that way.

National Day of Encouragement

It's the National Day of Encouragement and in that spirit, I found this quote which really made me feel good today.

"Everyone has inside of him a piece of good news. The good news is that you don't know how great you can be! How much you can love! What you can accomplish! And what your potential is!" -Anne Frank
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/annefrank121214.html

I hope that you never let not knowing whether you can do something, stop you from doing something good. 

Maggie goes to the Victorian Fair

I was able to volunteer with my church at the Victorian Fair in Melrose which was super fun. I liked the fact that a lot of businesses in Melrose were represented there. I only recently moved to this city so it was nice to learn more about it.  I also liked the event because it gave me an opportunity to dress up. I always like dressing up for things. It's fun to wear something I wouldn't normally wear. It's nice to feel pretty. Plus, I got to wear a hat and to me there is nothing like a nice hat to make a day just that much better!

Knowledge is love

"Knowledge is love and light and vision"-Helen Keller

I like this quote because I think the more knowledge you have the more you can love. Plus, the quote has special significance for me since because of my parents' love for me, I've been able to learn. Doctors once thought I might not be educable because my brain was damaged at birth and because my parents loved me, they didn't listen to what the doctors said. As a result, I was able to go to school and learn and grow and I can see that I have a future that is bright. So to me, knowledge is love.

Somewhere over the rainbow

I love the song somewhere over the rainbow and I was thinking about it today because thinking about it makes me feel good inside. I especially like the version that is sung by Israel Kamakawiwoʻole. It makes me think of somewhere peaceful and then I can't help but feel happy!

Trouble can be fun!

It is the singer P!nk's birthday and I can't help thinking of this song called "Trouble" that she sings. I like it because it's a fun song and it's all about creating a ruckus! Plus it reminds me of how being disobedient can sometimes be fun. For example, I was part of a protest a last month that was a lot of fun. We did create a ruckus and caused some trouble at least for a restaurant. However, that little bit of trouble helped influence them to agree to install a ramp so more people with disabilities could get in. So a little bit of trouble sometimes can make a positive difference! So here's to trouble!

Paralympics!

I saw an ad for the Paralympic games today which actually made me feel good inside. It's all about how the Paralympics showcases how everyone has talent and potential despite the difficulties we all face.  Since it's the first day of the Paralympic games, I thought I'd share the ad here. If you're in the US and want to watch the Paralympic games, the schedule can be found here: http://olympics.nbcsports.com/2016/08/25/rio-paralympics-broadcast-schedule/. 

A doughnut memory

I had a piece of a chocolate Long John  doughnut today at an event I attended. (Long John doughnuts are cream filled chocolate doughnuts that are super good.)  Eating it reminded me of when I was really young and my dad used to take me out to get doughnuts for breakfast on random Saturdays. I liked the fact that we didn't get them every Saturday because it was a nice surprise when my Dad would take me in his red MG car and we'd go flying down the road to this family-owned bakery/ diner and get doughnuts. (My dad once worked for McLaren race car company when he was younger. so he's always maintained a passion for old British race cars and driving fast. However, somehow I always feel safe driving with him even if he does drive fast. I think one of my favorite part of our doughnut trip (aside from getting to ride in a fast car with my dad) was to be able to spin around on these red bar stools that revolved and I'd spin around on them until I got dizzy. Most of all, I think I liked the doughnut trips because it was something my dad and I did together. So in a roundabout way, doughnuts remind me of how much I love my dad  and my parents in general and that folks, is my happy thought for the day, courtesy of one piece of a doughnut!

The secret behind a good hug

I was walking down the street with a friend today and I saw a man with a "Free Hugs" sign and so naturally I hugged him, because it's what I do. After I hugged him he said that the secret to a good hug is to hug someone in a way so that your heart is closest to theirs. He said that people feel more of a connection that way. I don't know if it's the true but it is a nice thought. I like to think good hugs do come from the heart.

Happy thought for a Sunday

"The most important thing is to enjoy your life - to be happy - it's all that matters." Audrey Hepburn
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/audreyhepb413489.html


I couldn't say it any better myself. Here's to happiness! 

Yes I can

I heard this song by Sammy Davis Jr. today and it really made me feel good inside so I had to share it. It's called "Yes I Can" by Sammy Davis Jr. It's a fun song and it's a nice mantra!

Some rules are meant to be broken

"I believe in rules. Sure I do. If there weren't any rules, how could you break them?"-Leo Durocher
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes_of_the_day.html

I like this quote because it's Friday and Fridays just seem like an especially good day to break rules. Now I just have to figure out what rule I want to break!

Happy Quote for a Thursday!

"You've got to believe. Never be afraid to dream."- Gloria Estefan
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/g/gloria_estefan.html

I hope that if you have dreams that you're working towards, that you never give up on them. I believe in people and so if you're reading this, know that I'm cheering for you!