NAGGING AT ME

So yesterday I was driving through downtown of a nearby town I frequent.  I was on the phone with my bestie from Florida and I drove by this amazing sight.  I told her about it and she told me to stop and take a photo.  But I JUST couldn't walk and chew gum at the same time, i.e. - talk on the phone, turn the car around, park and snap a shot.  OY.

It bothered me all evening and I woke up determined to drive back and get the shot.  Rain or no rain.  I knew it wouldn't be the same because the sun was out the day before and it was a whole different glow, but I went anyway. 

Not exactly what I wanted to portray but it was pretty. And next year - I will know!  And lie in wait!  Those leaves on the ground were literally GLOWING neon gold yesterday.  Live and learn...

















 And yes - I still caught JOY on Day 54.

THE SIMPLICITY OF JOY

Is there anything more JOYful than starting your day with a 4 mile hike in the woods with your dog and your bestie and ending with a Mexican meal out with your - soon to be 15 year old daughter - who actually wants to be with you?  NOTHING!  Day 52 of JOY!

Today, I was clearing my desk of the mountains of crap that accumulates there and unearthed this little gem that I forgot I retrieved from my car a few weeks ago.

It is a clam shell my daughter painted.  Well - she used markers.  But the colors!  My colors!!!

I THIS!!!!

So much so that I displayed it right behind my keyboard so I could feast my eyes on it everyday.

Day 53 of JOY.  So simple...

IT'S BEEN A CRAZY ASS WEEK!

Oh boy.  I'm losing it.  I missed Day 47

and Day 48

and Day 49

and Day FIFTY!!!!  - That's the halfway point!  Today is Day 51.  Well - it has been difficult to move my rear into gear and post.  I admit.  I had to analyze that and ask myself why.  The answer is that I love to blog.  I love to write.  But it doesn't give me great JOY to just blurb a JOYful moment and move on.  But I also take hours to fine tune a TRUE blog post and I don't have time for that everyday.  It's a quandary.  But I will continue with my 100 Days of JOY commitment - albeit, MY way, LOL.

Anyway - so Day 47 was election day.  I went into it with great JOY knowing my candidate would win.  And she did - Hillary Clinton won the popular vote!  By more than a million votes!  

But alas - this country's system is not to elect by popular vote but by electoral vote.  Stupid.  Yes - I said it.  I have NEVER been a fan of the electoral vote.  I understand why it's in place but that doesn't mean I have to agree with it's premise.  And quite frankly, ME don't give a shit if you disagree with ME.   

AND YES I WOULD FEEL THE SAME WAY IF THE "OTHER" CANDIDATE WON THE POPULAR VOTE BUT LOST THE RACE.  Maybe I wouldn't have been so SAD because obviously, my gal would have "won", but I would still disagree with the electoral college.  I know you don't believe me but who cares.  I know...

So where was the JOY on election day?  I voted and I took my kids to breakfast.  First thing we saw when we walked into the restaurant.  Haaaaaaa.

What???  It's not like I was the one who posted it there!  Yesh - so sensitive...haaaaaa!

Anyway - I love sitting around a table eating breakfast with them.  I made them put their phones away and visit with their mom, I laughed with them, made fun of Donald Trump with them, ate delicious food with them - it was an hour of JOY in an otherwise soon to be JOYless day.

But you know what?  I was over it by 7AM on Day 48.  The man I think is an idiot is now the president of the United States and life goes on.  I picked my sorrowful ass off the couch and made my way up the stairs into the gym and kicked that sorrowful ass big time.  I had an 8AM class to train and I was NOT going to be a pouty, miserable, bitchy "loser".  I went in smiling and optimistic and then I kicked THEIR ass!  That's one way to get it out!  

What was JOYful on Day 48?  I'll tell you what.  That I was able to turn it around and just be happy to be alive.  To be happy to have the opportunity to buckle in and watch the show for the next 4 years.  To be happy to mentor those that were fearful, devastated, unhappy, pissed, shocked - I went into the election, positive there were more of us than "them" and I was right.  I still believe he is an inhumane, socially inept and unprepared idiot but for me - what we sow at home is what counts.  And I know I can sow optimism with my family, my clients, my friends.  Is it easy?  Not always.  But if I could feel this way at 7AM on the morning after a shocking election?  I'm good and that's JOYful.  Day 48 of JOY.  Bada BING!

Day 49.  Welllll - my 3 little pigs teens had the homecoming dance at their high school.  My daughter had friends over and there's nothing like a gaggle of girls playing dress up for real life!  I caught that JOY on Day 49.

Day 50 was very JOYful.  Can you believe my daughter has never been to Costco?  

Does that mean I haven't stepped foot in a warehouse, big box store in over 17 years?  Ummm - actually?  Yes...

Well - she was mesmerized.  And the fact that she is so much fun anyway, made it such a great day walking the aisles for 3 hours of "stuff".  She couldn't believe her eyes!  And much to my surprise, I found some really worthy deals and wondered why I had been paying full price for a lot of groceries for all these years.  Back in the day...I went regularly and just purchased specific items I knew were a great deal.  I took note as we journeyed through the place and I WILL be back.  Now my boys are intrigued! 

And here's a great thing - did you know the Costco brand (Kirkland, I believe) of ice cream is made by Haagen Dazs, the wine is Kendall Jackson and the vodka is Belvedere?  I'm told it's true because someone who knows someone who works there declared it's true!  Take it for what it's worth, people!  Decide for yourself!  After writing this last paragraph, I decided to google it myself.  Hmmmm - check this out:  

http://www.winespectator.com/blogs/show/id/51094

Anyway - the JOY didn't end there on Day 50.

Later that evening I found myself alone in front of the fire sipping on a nice, icy martini - opting to skip the volleyball and football games that my family went to.  It was a Hallmark Christmas movie night for me, baby!!!  But then a text came in from a bestie who wanted to meet for a drink and I was like - yea!  

Meet here, baby!

So, with holiday music as the background, in front of my fire, two BFF girlfriends had an unexpectedly JOYful evening, catching up and toasting to awesome, carefree lives evenings.  That was Day 50 JOY.  Does it get any better than that?








Here I am on Day 51 - the first day of the last half of 100 days of JOY.  (Say that 5 times fast).  Sometimes you just need a free day with no obligations and that's just what I am experiencing.  In fact - I'm at a bit of a loss as to what to do with my free afternoon.  Haaaaa - KIDDING!  

Yea - that's the JOY of Day 51.  FREEDOM!

OOOPSY

Can you say - DISTRACTED?  Not only have I not posted since last Wednesday which is Day 41, Day 42, 43, 44 & Day 45, I didn't even recall that I needed to post.  Yea - I caught JOY - trust me.  There were some wisps on each day.  LOL.  But I'm not going backwards cuzzzzzzz - this is MY blog.  I make the rules!  Yup - I'm cheating.

But seriously - is this election a drag or WHAT???  I can't watch the news, I can't look at my newsfeed on Facebook; I just want it to go away!  But that is so not happening.  When Hillary wins?  

So yea - that's JOY on Day 46.  THAT thought...

COMPARISON IS NOT ALWAYS THE THIEF OF JOY!

I saved $481/year on my car insurance today.  What-is-UP-with-THAT???

I have literally NEVER insurance shopped until my son got his Learner's Permit.  When my insurance company quoted me almost $3000 to insure him when he gets his license?  I went ballistic.  I mean - I get it.  Teenage driver?  Yea - I get it.  But that's just INSANE.  

The first company I priced was even higher!  The second - dramatically lower - relatively speaking.  The 3rd company?  OMG - they wanted $4553 to insure him!  A two car, 3 driver family!  $4553.  How is there such disparity???

SERIOUSLY????

Then yesterday - I stumbled on a company while price comparing on some on-line thingy site and................they cut my car insurance by $481 and quoted adding my son for another $800.  I do not need to look further.  I'll let you know - if in 3 months when he gets his license - I get what I was quoted (or close) or I get taken for a ride.  In the mean time?  481 dollars BABY!!!!  Joy on Day 41!

FREE CHICKEN - I ROCK!

Damn!  Missed Day 40!  But I didn't miss JOY on Day 40.  I went to the "store" with my $10 coupon and got a free chicken!  ANDDDDD - I got my legal senior discount.  How about THAT?!  I was legally a senior and I saved $5!  So I saved $10 + $5 + a $4.99 rotisserie chicken.  That's 20 bucks!  I was gooddddd on Day 40 of JOY.