Attitudes.

I was in line.  You know, the too few clerks for the amount of customers, so queue up thing. 

I was bored.  I read a bit on my phone, but really don't like to get too engrossed, as I have found when I read, book, phone, heck, cereal box, I tend to not pay attention to what I should be doing.

I people watched for a bit.  The line crept forward.  I saw a little one, and waved.  She didn't want ANYTHING to do with me, and hid her face.  A couple more tries, and I gave up.  I think someone needed a nap. 

I am sure the little one did, too...

Looked at the ads.  Yeah, not going to be buying any of THAT stuff.  Hey, that's interesting... Oh, doesn't work with my stuff, sigh... Not going to buy a whole new set up, just so I can get it, poop on that! 

Did the line move?

YES! 

Ah, and these two are together!  Oh, crapitz.  They are trying to set up something. New customers?  Oh, how long is this going to take?  Grumble.  I look out at the weather.  It's weather-ing.  Nothing special.  At least it's not hot, or humid. 

That's when I click.  I am being a grump.  And I have been trying to be mindful of it. Not always successfully, probably much less than I should be, by a lot, but I do try to not snarl and bite folks, at any rate.

So.  A bit of situational awareness.  Doing fairly well, except that my feet are a bit sore.  Ah, stop focusing on the bad.  Hey, getting things finished quickly, mostly, it's rather pleasant in here, no ear bleed level music... Sounds like the couple are opening a new store. Hmm.  Close by, and sounds like something I might enjoy. 

Ah, the line moves again.

Don't have much to do here, just bill pay.  Check the bill, oh, good, this will be quick, have all the stuff I need... 

Huh, that woman has a pretty set of earrings.  I don't wear earrings, but I think it's fun to see all the different kinds...

And... Hi, can I help you? 

I actually can smile, yep, yes you can.

And my feet didn't hurt too much after, either!

Gratefulness.

So, I have started a little thing where I try and list 10 things I am grateful for each day. 

Oddly, I remember it starting because I read something to the effect that you should be grateful for so many things, what if they weren't there, because you weren't grateful for them?  Sort of way out there, philosophically... But I figure, yes, you can be happy for the big stuff, but how many daily things can I be happy for?  Little stuff.

Wow, it was... Not hard, exactly, but coming up with ten items can be sort of taxing.  Especially when you are trying to put NEW things in, not re-hashing the same items each day.  Not that it's a bad thing, I just figure, there is a lot to be thankful for, let's try and 'broaden the horizons'.

It started out with the biggies, I suppose, just to get started, good Husband, good family, good house, lovable pets, you know, the big things.  Then I started with, I am happy I am healthy.  Hmm.

That's general.  I am happy that... I can blink.  Geez, that's silly. 

Then I remembered something I'd seen on a show about Leprosy.  People lose the ability to blink, and then lose sight, because they eyeball dries out, so they have to be reminded, actually TAUGHT, to blink again. 

Ok, maybe not so silly. 

I am glad for... pillows.  Gah. 

But, wait, no, that's fair.  I have a chair that I love, but if I don't use a pillow, my legs fall asleep.  And it is NOT fun doing a near face plant into the table when you stand!

Blackberry bushes.  Invasive little nasty thorn covered things!

BUT... The berries.  After picking in the early morning, crushing, and then making jelly?  Yeah, that qualifies.

I am glad for spiders, NO I AM NOT. 

Sigh, well, the spiders in the garden have been really helpful, they have kept the nasty plant eating bugs down... Ok, yeah, I guess.  Begrudgingly...

Music, walking, seeing the neighbors go by, smell, colors, even just the fact the cats have whiskers... Really, they can be entertaining, just watching the twitches and wiggles... I suppose the cats would consider whiskers a bit more important than "twitches and wiggles", but it's my list.  And so on, and on, and on. 

I have learned, the little things can add up, too!

Snow, confusion, cookies, my work is done...

We had some snow a bit ago.  Not like back east, but about... 5-6 inches, maybe.  I ended up not going into the sub, for two Tuesdays.  Now, I am a volunteer, so this is not exactly the end of the world.

However, the first week, I just called my supervisor, or more accurately, the person I thought was supposed to be the supervisor, and told them I wasn't able to come in.  My little electric car is not built for snow and ice.  Not really all that comfortable with my little truck, either, so I passed on going in.  (If you don't need to be out, don't go.  Good advice.)  So, I cleaned house, made cookies, watched a little TV, felt weird because I wasn't working on reports...

And the next day, I receive a phone call from one of the OTHER volunteers, who could get in, (lives in town, and the snow wasn't as bad there), she was asking if I was okay.

Yeessss... Why?  I called in.

Oh, the guys in the sub, they were worried when you didn't come in, that you were sick...

???  I called in, to Mr. X, wasn't that the one I was supposed to call?

Huh? Oh, now it's Mr. Z, the one that works here, not the one at the main office.

Oh...  Well, let all and sundry know I am okay, just enough snow and no plowing here, so I can't safely get out.

The next week I emailed Mr. Z, and asked him to leave a note on the volunteer desk that I was fine, just still snowed in.

I built a snow cougar that day, about scared the mail lady to death, she obviously hadn't seen me, while putting the mail in the box, I called out a hello, and she nearly hit the top of her car, she jumped so.

When I came back, there was much happy with the crew. Mr. Z had indeed left a note, and there was much discussion on how I could have made it in, with the fire truck we had.  But, among other things, we've sold it, so...

It's nice to know I am liked and appreciated here.

The fresh batch of cookies didn't hurt 'em, either...  :)