My good thing for a Friday

To end the week, my good thing was that I'm going to bed early as sleep is lovely! I hope everyone had a good Friday and I wish everyone a very happy weekend to come! I send everyone much love always.

Good thing for a Thursday

Today the good thing that happened to me was that I was able to take a walk outside. Although it was hot outside I've always felt better being outside. There's something nice about being in a space where there's grass and trees and a blue sky. Wherever you are reading this I hope life brings you many blue skies and opportunities to enjoy the nature around you.

Happy thing for Wednesday

In keeping with the theme of writing about  "finding of happy things in each day" today my happy thing was I was able to make plans to have ice cream this Sunday so I can have something nice to look forward to. Anyway, to everyone who reads this, I hope your day brought you things to look forward to and be happy about. I send everyone best wishes now and always.

Today's happy thing

Since I'm working to find happy things in each day, today my happy thing was that I was able to have a really nice chat with a good friend and I was able to tell them I loved them so they wouldn't forget that they're loved. I hope that wherever you're reading thi that you have had many things in your day that helped you feel happy. I send you best wishes and much love always.

Rainbow of chaos

"We live in a rainbow of chaos." -Paul Cezanne

I rather like this quote because I figure if we have to go through chaos I kind of feel better if I can find something pretty/fun about it. So that way,  a bit of chaos doesn't have to be so bad. For example,  today I was happy because I saw a beautiful sunset and it made my day better. Wherever you are reading this I hope that you have many ways to see the good things in the world around you. I send you best wishes and much love always.

Maggie's Pandemic Playlist

Just because I love music very much and it helps me get through so many things, I've thought up a playlist that might just help get me through this pandemic. The list is as follows:

• We'll Meet Again -Vera Lynn
• It's Been A Long, Long, Time-Kitty Kallen
• I Will Survive -Gloria Gaynor Don't Worry, Be Happy-Bobby McFerrin
• Can't Knock Me Down-Anna Mae
• U Can't Touch This-MC Hammer
• I Lived-One Republic
• Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing -Stevie Wonder
• I'll Keep You Safe-Asleep At Last
• What the World Needs Now-Jackie DeShannon
• Happy-Pharrell Williams
• Living in the Moment -Jason Mraz
• Nella Fantasia-Sarah Brightman

I hope you enjoy this music. I send best wishes and much love to everyone who reads this.

Zing went the strings of my heart

I heard this lovely song today called "Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart and I really liked it. The song reminds me of people I love and although I'm apart from them my heart does go zing when I talk to them and they're always with me in my heart. Anyway, wherever you are reading this I hope you have people in your life that make your heart zing!

Good vibrations

I heard this song "Good Vibrations" by the Beach Boys today and it really made me feel happy because music with good vibrations is the best! I hope you have many ways of finding nice music and good vibrations in your life. I send everyone best wishes and much love always.

All our sky

"There is the sky which is all men's together"-Euripides

I like the idea that we all live under the same sky. It's comforting now that I  have to be apart physically from the people I love, I feel better knowing we're still together under the same sky. To everyone who reads this I'm glad we're also under the same sky and I send you best wishes always.

Funny COVID-related rap

It's difficult to find anything funny about COVID19 but I saw this video and it really made me laugh. I hope that wherever you are reading this, that you are safe and that whenever possible, stay home!

Strawberries

I've found comfort in finding happiness in small things so today my small thing of happiness is strawberries. I don't always buy them so when I do it feels special somehow. Today they were especially refreshing to me. To whoever reads this I hope that each day you can do something that helps you feel happiest.  I send you best wishes now and always.

We all have ability

"We all have ability. The difference is how we use it."-Charlotte Whitton

I like this quote because it reminds me of how people can do so many great things.  I'm glad there are things I and everyone can do to help other people. If there's something good you want to do that helps someone I hope you do it just because you can. I send you best wishes now and always.

Good trouble

"Do not get lost in a sea of despair. Be hopeful, be optimistic. Our struggle is not the struggle of a day, a week, a month or a yea, it is the struggle of a lifetime. Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble."-Rep. John R. Lewis

I really like this quote from Representative John R. Lewis, a civil rights icon and Representative from Georgia. He died last week but I'm glad he can be remembered for his actions and for quotes like this one. He struggled so much to promote civil rights and equality and I think this quote really speaks to his legacy. I hope wherever you are reading this I hope that you stay in good trouble, make lots of noise and do things to stand up for whatever it is that you want to change for the better. I send you best wishes and much love always.

Being grateful in a time of pandemic

Things that I'm grateful for especially because of the pandemic (although I was grateful for these things before the pandemic I'm especially so now):

• FaceTime-it lets me see my family and friends even though we're physically apart.
• My family and friends. I don't know what I'd do without them.
• A very kind and understanding roommate-it's a blessing to have someone really nice to live with.
• Zoom because it lets me take classes, work, and see coworkers, doctors and friends really easily.
• Reliable internet-It makes working and seeing people possible now.
• Food delivery services, and Melrose Helps-as it's particularly dangerous for me to go grocery shopping it's very lucky that these services exist.
• A job I very much enjoy and coworkers who are awesome-I'm grateful I can work and help people.
• Melrose Highlands Congregational Church-I love MHCC and all the people that go to MHCC!
• MINIONS!!! I need to laugh more nowadays and they really help.

So even if the pandemic is hard, I do have a lot to be grateful for. I send much love and best wishes to everyone.

Potential criminal activity

The actor James Cagney was born today in 1899 and since he was known for playing criminals it got me thinking about what I'd steal if I got this strange urge to steal. So if I ever got the urge to steal, I'd steal the following:

• Trail mix-it's just so good.
• Sadness-If I could  do something to help people not be sad then I'd so do it.
• Minions-I can never have too many of them

I strongly stress that I have no desire to engage in any criminal activity, I just think the idea of stealing the items above is amusing. To whoever reads this I send you best wishes and much love always.

On Faith

"Faith is the bird that feels the light when the dawn is still dark." - Rabindranath Tagore

I take comfort in faith because I do find it helps me to believe in a higher power that watches out for people and guides them. Even though I find I don't always know where I'm going it's nice to have faith as a direction.  Believing in myself is something that I continue to work on because it's also helpful in doing the things I want to do in life. Wherever you are reading this, even if you may not believe in a higher power I hope you can always believe in yourself and the good things you can do. I send you best wishes always.

To feel free

"He who is brave is free."-Lucius Annaeus Seneca

I must admit that when I've felt brave I have felt more free. I've found that feeling brave helps me feel more focused on  whatever it is that I have to do and somehow it gets done, even if the "getting done" doesn't really end the way I expected. Anyway, I hope that you are able to feel brave when you find you have to do something difficult. I send you best wishes always.

Singing Tuesday

I'm taking singing lesson because singing makes me happy and I'm doing it because it has me singing things I never thought I'd be able to sing. I never thought I'd be able to sing songs that are considered operatic. Why am I learning to sing opera? Because I can and I previously didn't think I could and it makes me feel good to sing it because it's pretty. I hope wherever you are reading this that you have many opportunities to do things you enjoy, especially if they are things that you didn't always think you could do.

Things I like best about Star Wars

It's the actor Harrison Ford's birthday today and because one of the roles he's known for is being Han Solo in the Star Wars movies, this got me thinking about the things I like best about Star Wars and just for the heck of it (and because it makes me happy) I thought I'd share what I like best about Star Wars. Specifically I like:

• The BB8 and C-3PO and R2D2 robots. I just think they're funny.
• Ewoks- For nostalgic purposes it's rather nice to watch funny talking teddy bears that are at once cute and badass at the same time.
• Yoda-He's so wise and I always liked the way he spoke.
• The Millennium Falcon-It's a spaceship I'd really like to fly.
• Kylo Ren -Although he starts out as evil, his character symbolizes to me how people can be redeemed.
• Rey-she's someone who is brave even when she doesn't know it. I'd like to be like her.
• The soundtrack of Star Wars movies is beautiful. Sometimes I have a funny thought in my head that it might be temporarily really funny if every time I opened my door the Star Wars theme started playing but I figure it would get really annoying really quickly.
  
• The Force-there's something nice and spiritual about it.
  
• Princess Leia-She's always brave, she knows what she wants and is very determined. Nothing stops her.
  
• Han Solo-He doesn't always get everything right but he does save the day quit a bit.
  

May the Force be with us all. I send everyone best wishes now and always.

Happy Sunday

This is just a short note to everyone who reads this: I wish you a very happy Sunday and a very nice week to come. I send you best wishes and much love always.

This made me laugh

This made me laugh today and I hope it has the same effect on others.  I send everyone best wishes now and always!

Psyched it’s Friday!

I’m psyched it’s Friday and I felt this video really reflects my mood! I wish everyone a very happy Friday and a lovely weekend to come!

Translated researcher-speak

I really enjoy researching and when I saw this translation of things researchers typically say it resonated with me. Plus I thought it was funny! I wish everyone a very happy Friday to come and I send everyone best wishes always.

'IN MY EXPERIENCE' ...
Once.

'IN CASE AFTER CASE' ...
Twice.

' IN A SERIES OF CASES' ...
Thrice.

'IT IS BELIEVED THAT' ...
I think.

'IT IS GENERALLY BELIEVED THAT' ...
A couple of others think so, too.

Source: https://www.funny-jokes.com/humor/jokes/jokes_academic.htm

Love gives strength and courage

"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage." -Lau Tzu

Love has always given me strength and courage. It's helped motivate me to do things I never thought I'd do and those things probably seemed a bit odd to the outside world like giving hugs to random strangers who felt in need of a hug. Doing that really helped me feel brave and the idea that I might have done something to help someone feel loved helped me feel stronger. It's just comforting to know that something nice like that can be done and achieve such positive results. Even though I can't hug people safely now, I'm still glad I can spread love through words. That gives me strength. In that spirit,  I send best wishes and much love to everyone.

Where money won't go

"Friends and good manners will carry you where money won't go."-Margaret Walker

I like this quote because it's nice to know that as long as I'm kind and courteous to everyone, people have always tended to be willing to be kind and courteous to me. I don't think I'd be where I am today without the help of people I know and love and I see their help as stemming from how I treat others. That aside I'm kind because it feels good and I like myself more and feel happier when I'm kind and when I do things that can help people. The happiness I gain from being kind is worth more to me than anything money or resources could buy. Anyway, to all who read this, I hope life brings you many opportunities to make friends and be kind generally. I send you best wishes now and always.

Doggone it, it's Monday!

Just for a little Monday silliness I saw this clip of a dog's Monday routine which I thought was pretty funny and so I share it here in the hope that it will encourage people to laugh. I send everyone best wishes now and always.

Weekends

"Weekends don't count unless you spend them doing something completely pointless."-Bill Watterson

I like the sentiment of this quote because I feel like weekends are meant for doing some pointless things. It's nice to know that there's time set aside for a break each week. Even if your "weekend" isn't  a Saturday or a Sunday, I hope that each week brings you some time to relax, refresh and do a few things that have no other point but to help you feel good! I send you best wishes now and always.

Things I'd want in a "good" mystery

In continuation of things I'd want in "good" action movies, this time around I thought I'd write about what I think a "good" mystery ought to have. So just for the heck of it, I thought I'd write about what I think a good mystery.

• An unexpected ending-While a predictable endings can sometimes be satisfying, unpredictable ones are more fun because they make me think about things more.
• A really smart detective chief inspector (preferably funny)-A detective that's really smart and funny and basically is the smartest person in the story is needed because without a Detective Chief Inspector, catching villain isn't as much fun to me.
  
• A clever villain-it needs to be someone who almost (but not quite) outsmarts detectives but has many dimensions to their personality. I think villains are interesting if there are many layers to them.
• A dog-stories are still better with a dog involved.
• An old lady that seems really senile but in the end she's really smart and might just end up saving the day despite the detective's best efforts.

So those are a few things I'd like to have in a good mystery. I hope that in life you find many mysteries and many mystery stories to enjoy. I send you best wishes now and always.

Things I'd want top put in adventure movie

Just for the heck of it and because Fridays make me think of adventure movies for whatever reason, I thought it might be fun to think of the best fun things to have in an action movie. So here's a few I came up with.

• A big ol' dragon-just because I always wondered what riding  a dragon would be like.
• A courageous woman -because they're the best!
• A handsome man- because they're pretty to look at and they save people.
  
• A dog-every good story should have a dog somewhere in it.
  
• A spunky kid-spunky kids are fun!
  

People that have helped me pick up my boots

"None of us got where we are solely by pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps. We got here because somebody-a parent, teacher, an Ivy League crony or a few nuns-bent down and helped us pick up our boots."-Thurgood Marshall

There are so many people in my life that have helped me in so many ways to grow and to succeed in what I want to do. I'm forever grateful to them. I hope that everyone has people in their lives who support and believe in them. I think having those people makes all the difference in life. I believe in people generally because I believe everyone has the potential to do so many good things and that's what makes me love people more.  On that note, I send best wishes and much love to everyone who reads this.

Comforting people

I saw this really sweet video of a dad comforting his baby son who was getting a vaccine injection. It reminded me very much of my family and how it's comforting to have people around you to comfort you when you're going through something difficult. It makes the difficult things easier. Wherever you are reading this I hope you have people around that make dark days brighter. I send you best wishes and much love always.