Our Round Tuit

It's the simple things that make me happy, like being able to use BOTH of my kitchen sinks!

Looking out the kitchen window, I could see the day was going to be another grey one on this last day of November. A smile of satisfaction settled on my face, though, as I plunged my hands into the hot, soapy dishwater. You see, for the first time in eleven months, I was able to wash the dishes in one sink, and rinse them in the other. We have not been able to use our left-side kitchen sink since I've been here. The garbage disposer was broken, and the plumbing on that side leaked, so we just made do with the right side. It didn't take too long before I got used to things being that way, and we adapted our dishwashing routines to accommodate having only one useable sink. 

But not any more! We found our "round tuit" this weekend. We've been promising ourselves that we would upgrade furniture and appliances, fix the sink, and fix up the house when we got around to it. ("A round tuit;" get it? Stale joke; I know.) 

Not only did Chuck fix the sink so it drained, he also took on the monumental task of replacing the garbage disposer. I know he dreaded it all day long while we were at church, and while we were eating lunch, and before we took a nap. He doesn't claim to be a handyman, but he is a devoted husband who tries to do things to make life easier, and more fun, for me. 

He made me laugh as he put a pillow on the edge of the kitchen sink cabinet in preparation for the disposer replacement. I asked him if I could get him anything before he started.

"A plumber would be really nice," he smiled. 

It was a big task, and he managed to remove the old disposer, and install the new one, but when it came to the electrical connections, he called on his friend Marve for a consultation. True to form, Marve offered to come over, and he praised Chuck for doing so much of the hard work before he got there.

"I remember the days when you didn't even have a hammer," Marve teased him. "Now you have a toolbox, and even a hammer to whack things with. Look how far you've come." Chuck takes the teasing in stride, grateful for his friend's advice and help whenever it comes to working on the house.

Not only did Chuck get our sink and kitchen disposer in good working order, but he also checked several other items off of our long to-do list. Our home will never be featured in Better Homes and Gardens, but it's getting better all the time. 

Bu-bye, old white couch!

Saturday Chuck surprised me by going to our favorite consignment shop while we were running errands, and the store was having a 35% off sale of upholstered furniture. BONUS! We bought a sofa and a love seat for our family room to replace the old, white sofa that was given to him many moons ago. I can't wait until they deliver our furniture Wednesday morning! And not only that...

(I feel like the Ginsu kitchen knife salesman on TV... "But wait! There's more!")

We went to Sears this weekend, and ordered a dishwasher. A dishwasher! For me? I feel pretty spoiled. When Chuck gets around to checking things off, he goes big, I tell ya.

The stockings were hung over the microwave with care...

While Marve was working under the sink last night, he offered to help us install the new microwave we bought several months ago that has been sitting on our hearth since we brought it home. We look forward to having Marve and his wife over for dinner the night the microwave gets installed. 

Aaand...we just ordered the rest of the black and white canvas prints of our kids so all six of them are on display in the family room. Of course, being photographers, we have pictures of all of them everywhere, but we wanted to have six of the same size and style to display them formally. 

I love this man so much.

As our first year anniversary is less than a month away, we are going to be able to say we accomplished a lot during our first year. We may have waited until the "eleventh hour," or the eleventh month, as the case may be, to do some of it, but we're doing it! When we finally get around to it, we really get a ROUND TUIT. 

TMI? You Be the Judge

Today, I am paying homage to a previous blog written by my husband Chuck, on his 55th birthday: A Double Nickel's Worth of Facts about Chuck. He asked me to follow up with a list of my own. If you have the curiosity, and the stamina, you are welcome to peruse these yourself, but mostly, this is for Chuck.

1. Born in Chicago, Illinois, I spent all of my childhood in Virginia, and all of my adulthood in Utah, until my life came full circle, and I found myself living in Illinois last December 24, when I flew to Chicago to marry Charles Bruce Bennorth. I just love A Good Circle Story

Tahquamenon Falls, Upper Peninsula, Michigan

2. Fall is the most wonderful season of all. A year ago, Chuck and I met in the Smokey Mountains of Tennessee, and this fall, Chuck took me to Upper Peninsula Michigan to enjoy Mackinac Island and the fall colors of Michigan and Wisconsin.

During a three-week run of no-school snow days during Virginia's icy winter in 1978, I believe.

3. There is nothing quite as exciting as a snow day. When I was a kid, we gathered around the kitchen table in Shipman, Virginia, listening to the radio during breakfast during any sign of snow, praying for a snow day. In my 31 years of teaching in Utah, I only had ONE day off from school for a declared snow day, and the snow all melted, and we didn't even get to play in it. Now that I am retired, I can't help but wish for snow days because Chuck gets to work from home. Yahoo!

4. I am deaf in my left ear. "Huh?" was probably the word I uttered most as a child. I miss the punchlines of most jokes, and important information on TV, unless the closed-captioning is on. I tend to sit on Chuck's left side so I can hear him better, and I rely on reading lips to fill in the gaps.

5. Speaking of TV, I don't own one in Utah, and the television Chuck and I have has only been on in my presence about four times this year. We watch Dr. Who with Zack, and that's about it. When the Nielson Ratings TV company came to my house in Joseph to sign me up for their program, they weren't quite sure what to do with me. There is only a TV at the house when Bridger wants to play video games. They left me with contact information, in case I ever want to be a normal person with a TV.

6. Downton Abbey is a different story. I have watched every single episode of Downton Abbey on my laptop.

7. My favorite drink is water, followed by coffee. I take my first cup of coffee with half and half, and the second one also has a scant spoon of stevia added to it. My favorite soda has changed nearly every year, but this year, I have essentially given up my Diet Dr. Pepper in an effort to eat and drink healthier. I miss it, but not as much as I thought I would.

8. This year I made it 23 days into the Whole 30 program, and had to stop when I was sick for a week. I was amazed that I could give up white sugar and flour, dairy, and processed foods for that long, but my results were impressive, for only three weeks. I couldn't believe that I could eat fats (avocado, coconut oil, and nuts) at every meal, and still lose fat.

9. The longest I have gone without any of my trigger foods is 30 days. I went from October 19 - November 18, 2015 without any white sugar, cookies, ice cream, brownies or cake. On my birthday, Chuck and I split a small piece of birthday cake, and I sent the rest of the cake to work with him to share with coworkers. (My birthday gift to myself was losing the 10 pounds I gained after Chuck and I got married.)

10. I'm not much of a jewelry wearer.  I wear earrings if we're going out. My favorite pieces are my diamond ring and wedding ring, and my white agate necklace Chuck chose for my wedding gift, and an Italian charm bracelet my oldest gave me.

Our Smokey Mountain Vacation 2014

11. I met my husband on Facebook, and then met him in person three weeks later in the Smokey Mountains. We were engaged by the end of that week, and married two months later. Best decision I ever made.

12. I always try to say yes, especially if it might involve some fun, and if it isn't illegal, immoral, or deadly.

13. My biggest fear is outliving any of our children.

14. If I have a little spending money, I most likely will spend it in thrift stores. Most of my wardrobe in the last year was purchased at Goodwill Industries and a second hand consignment shop in Geneva, Illinois. Illinois has AMAZING thrift shopping. My closet finally contains some of my favorite clothing labels: L.L. Bean, Chico's, J. Crew, and Lands' End. I bought a lavender cashmere sweater for six bucks! Oh, happy day!

15. Minimalism is something I aspire to. I am not attached to things, unless those things are part of a loved one: cards, letters, poems, or photographs. I have no problem parting with furniture, books I've read, extraneous kitchen wares, or clothing.

16. If I had to choose which of my belongings is my favorite, I'd have to say my MacBook Pro. I love to write and read, and stay in touch with family and friends. It is my window to the world.

17. Chocolate is no longer my favorite flavor, unless it encases one of my current favorite flavors: peanut butter or caramel. I would rather just have peanut butter or caramel. I also love coffee-flavored, and lemon-flavored sweets. Caramel apples and caramel corn are some of my favorite goodies.

18. I would rather eat dessert than any other food. Ice cream. Cookies. Brownies. Cake, not so much, unless nothing else is available.

19. Number 17 is the cause of number 18: I have struggled with my weight most of my adult life. I hit an all-time high of 224 when my youngest was three. ("Mom, you have boobs on your back, too," said the then-three-year-old.) That's when I started lifting weights, running, and eating more protein and vegetables, and limiting myself to indulgences on my free days. It took me three years, but I lost 80 pounds. Yep. I got down to 144, and a size 4. That lasted about a week, and then I was able to maintain a size 6-8 for the next ten years or so. When I hit 50, I relaxed on my efforts, and my weight slowly increased. These days I'm thrilled when the size 10s, and an occasional 8, slip on effortlessly.

20. I detest broccoli; to my knowledge it is the only veggie I don't like. I love salad. When I eat salad, I dip the tines of my fork in the dressing, and probably use about a teaspoon of dressing that way.

21. The beach is my favorite place for vacations. This year I went to Fort Walton Beach in Florida with Chuck to meet our grandson, and spend time with Chris and Amy, and Bridger and I went to La Jolla, California to spend a weekend with Sierra. I added nine sand dollars to my collection while we were in Florida!  I look forward to introducing Chuck to my favorite beach in South Carolina: Myrtle Beach.

22. Hiking is my exercise of choice. The ground is kind of flat in Illinois, so I enjoy walking around St. Charles, and look forward to riding my bike.

23. I'm not a fan of chocolate fudge, but while we were on Mackinac Island, I discovered I love caramel apple-flavored fudge, but I only had a taste.

24. Every morning starts early (I rarely sleep past 4) with a big drink of water, and a half a pot of coffee. I love my coffee light and sweet, so I add half and half and stevia. "I Have a Bean," from Wheaton, is my favorite roaster, and I feel absolutely spoiled when there is a bag of it in my cupboard.

25. I was the first-born of three, and gave birth to three children of my own. Dylan, Sierra, and Bridger are amazing adults, and I can't believe my good fortune in being their mother. They are smart, funny, independent, and resourceful. I am so proud of them.

26. After marrying Chuck, I became a stepmom to three sons, and they have been so good to me. I appreciate so much their texts, messages, and Skype calls. The boys have their dad's wit, and they have all been blessed with intelligent brains and good hearts. We are lucky parents, indeed. A sweet bonus is getting to be a step-grandma to the cutest little baby boy, C.J. He just started crawling!

27. I put my Christmas tree up on Halloween this year, with Chuck's support and help. The passing of fall always makes me feel a little melancholy, and adding the glow of Christmas lights to our house lifts my spirits.

28. My "guilty pleasure," if that's even a fair assessment, is country music. Our house is filled with instrumentals and classical music most of the time, but when I'm alone, at home or in my car, I almost always listen to country.

29. My phobias include claustrophobia, falling from heights, and being startled. I am NOT afraid of spiders or snakes. My fear of mice has been fading over the years...

30. Chuck has many nicknames for me: Beautiful Bride, Mrs. B., Beautiful, Country Mouse...but my favorite is Stuart, another mouse reference. If you've ever read If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, you might understand how this distracted woman could get named after a mouse.

31. My hobbies are photography, writing, and reading. Marrying Chuck, a wonderful photographer and my mentor, has helped me make great improvements in my photos.

32. I love to bake, but because I'm married to a diabetic, and I am trying not to lead myself into temptation, I'm trying to become a better cook, and less of a baker.

33.  As a child, (okay, yes, and even as an adult) I was sneaky when it came to Christmas presents.

Up until about six years ago, I have to admit that I had been known to open presents before the holiday, and rewrap them. These days, I wait. Do I have any regrets about shaking, poking, and peeking? Yes. Being caught. ;-)

34. In 1978, when I was a junior in high school, I went to Chicago as Virginia's representative at the National 4H Convention as the state's citizenship winner. Since then, I have not been very involved in government, and am not affiliated with any political party. I tire of the presidential debates, and seeing political rants on Facebook.

35. My house almost always looked like a disaster zone when my children were little. If you are a young mom, don't despair that it will never get better. It will. Eventually, the kids will move out, and actually end up doing a darn good job keeping up their own homes. Mine did, anyway.

36. I love weather, all weather: sun, rain, snow. I even like watching hail accumulate, and lightning storms are amazing!

37.  The cardinal is the state bird of Virginia and Illinois. One day I hope to photograph a cardinal in the snow. I have a picture in my mind of what I want; meanwhile, I keep trying. Here are two cardinals having a standoff in our backyard in St. Charles; my first cardinal sighting in many years was about a year ago.

38. Even though I grew up in Virginia, I've never had much of a southern drawl. (In college, I had someone guess I was from Arizona. What kind of an accent do they have in Arizona?) Being raised by Yankee parents had its effects on my speech, I suppose.

39. On April Fools' Day several years ago, I wrecked my new Sonata in a three car pile up during rush hour traffic near downtown Salt Lake City. Driving in big cities now gives me great anxiety. 

40. I never met a recipe I couldn't tweak. I love trying to boost the nutritional values in foods; adding fiber, protein, or replacing artery-clogging fats with heart-healthy ones. 

41. When it comes to food, I am pretty adventurous. I've tried sushi, raw fish, and even Rocky Mountain Oysters. I love buying exotic fruits and vegetables I've never seen before to give them a try. So far, I have enjoyed nearly every cuisine I've experienced, and Indian is my current favorite. 

42. I love a good joke. My dad and brothers are great comedians. I did not inherit those genes. For the life of me, TELLING a good joke is not something I can master. Why can't I remember punch lines? (Mom, I blame you. Ha ha.)

43. As a child, I went through boxes of Bandaids like crazy. I'm a little accident-prone. More than once during hospital preps for surgery as an adult, I've had nurses ask if I needed to report any domestic violence. Um, no, never, but I run into open dishwashers, car doors, and cabinets ALL. THE. TIME.

44. Since Thanksgiving is approaching, Black Friday is on my mind. Only once did I arrive at a store at some hideously early hour to take advantage of some ridiculously low-priced item. I will never fight the crazy crowds again to buy a gift. Most of my shopping is done online, and that suits me just fine. 

45. My ancestors all came from Germany. I am 100% German-American. Hearing Grandpa sing O, Tannenbaum at Christmas was a fun tradition I miss.

46. My husband and I stand out in a couple ways at our church. We attend a church with a predominantly Asian-American congregation.  We are both taller and quite a bit older than most of our friends there. They love us, and make us feel so welcome. They tease that they understand that we are still learning their names since they all look alike. (We were told we Anglo people all look alike to them, too, except for hair color.)

47. I wish I could play the drums. I know about four chords on the guitar, and I reluctantly took piano lessons for two years in elementary school. The percussion instruments look like the most fun to play.

48. English is my native language. I minored in French in college when it was evident that I was never going to successfully become fluent enough to teach high school French. I only took one semester of Spanish, and could kick myself for not having studied that more. I could have used it so many times as a teacher and traveler. 

49. Whenever we go shopping, I have to touch everything. I'm always hoping to find textures that are smooth, soft, cushiony, and thick. I love soft socks, blankets, throws, sweaters, sheets, and towels.

50. Speaking of socks, "I love socks." Silly ones, cushy ones, no-shows, anklets, bobby socks, knee socks, slipper ones, holiday socks.

51. I have a weakness for coffee mugs. I know I only need one, but I just love them. And if there is an inspirational or significant saying on them, even better!

52. My hair is fine and flat, by nature. I have to have it processed (highlighted, colored, permed) to make it do anything besides stick to my skull. The baby picture at the top is me at the age of 3. Yeah, the perming began that early.

53. Reading is an enjoyable way to pass the time for me. Currently, I am re-reading the New Testament, Women of the Word, and we just finished reading Wired for Love. I lean toward non-fiction, but I did enjoy Lisa Wingate's book, The Prayer Box last month.

54. If I have the opportunity to hike a slot canyon, I hate to pass it by. It is so nice to hike through a stream, or in the shade during the heat of the summer. Little Wild Horse Canyon is my favorite slot canyon, so far. 

55. For the last couple of years, I have selected a word of the year for my focus. Brave was my word for 2014, and discovery was the word for 2015. It has been a year of discovery for me...a new marriage, living in Illinois, photographing Renaissance Faires, weddings, and the Great Lakes states. I'm learning so much about photography and marriage and life with my husband. It has been a great focus for a year full of opportunities.

Addendum for 2016: My word this year has been INTENTIONAL.

***There you go, Chuck. Mayhap more than you even cared to know, but I promised. I love you.

Tintinnabulation! (Or...Sometimes I Get Confused)

What a glorious word...tintinnabulation. It simply rolls off the tongue. And it has so many syllables and letters. It's sure to impress students of English. Yesterday, I thought I'd finally found an opportunity to show off my mad word skillz to my husband. 

I thought. 

I was wrong.

Just a refresher here. Tintinnabulation is the lingering sound of a bell after it has been struck. The word can be found in Edgar Allen Poe's poem, "The Bells."

       Hear the sledges with the bells -

Silver bells!

What a world of merriment their melody foretells!

How they tinkle, tinkle, tinkle,

In the icy air of night!

While the stars that oversprinkle

All the heavens, seem to twinkle

With a crystalline delight;

Keeping time, time, time,

In a sort of Runic rhyme,

To the tintinnabulation that so musically wells

From the bells, bells, bells, bells,

Bells, bells, bells -

From the jingling and the tinkling of the bells.

I know you are dying to hear how I misused, and abused my new vocabulary word. So, here's the dealio.

Chuck called on his way home last night, as he always does, and told me about a swarm of swallows he was watching. 

"Oh, Honey! I know what that is called! You're talking about when the birds fly in formation, and the shape of them shifts and changes, right?" Yes, he was talking about that. "It's called a TINTINNABULATION!"

"It is? I didn't know that."

That's all it took. I knew my brain had let me down. I strained to think back to when I'd learned the REAL word for a swarm of swallows. It was over a year ago, about this time of year. 

One of my writing friends had posted a word of the day graphic on the My 500 Words page on Facebook, citing the word  and definition. Of course, I'd SEEN swallows swoop and twist and fly in formation, but I'd never known there was a word for it. I loved learning the new word for the swarm of swallows. But the word was not tintinnabulation. 

In a panic, I opened my MacBook, and scrambled to find the word. A-ha...there it was. The word was (drumroll please)...

MURMURATION.

So close. Well, the last six letters matched up, at least. Sometimes I hate my brain. The older I get, the more it lets me down. 

People Over Things

Although Daylight Saving Time went into effect a couple days ago, it was still too early for the sun to be on the rise. My husband was just beginning to stir. Through the darkness of our bedroom,  I said, "Please help me remember to be a Mary today, not a Martha." He pulled me closer, kissed my forehead, and promised to do that for me. "I need to remember that people are more important than things." 

My mom and stepdad left Virginia yesterday, and will be stopping in Illinois today on their way to Utah. Operation Clean and Straighten went into overdrive yesterday. I don't know why I'm like this, but I am. I ask myself constantly, "Seriously? Why are you doing this?" when I catch myself getting worked up over making the house look a little more like those in a magazine than it does.

Basically, I am fairly organized, and pretty tidy. A deep cleaner I'm not. But right before company comes...

None of the trash cans have a speck of trash in them. Why? (So my mom doesn't think we throw stuff away?) My shower doors are practically gleaming. (As much as old shower doors can gleam, anyway.) I have vacuumed the downstairs. (I suppose I think fresh vacuum tracks will prove I made an effort to impress.) Today I will dust, and mop, and polish mirrors. There are many, many tasks that will go undone. And when it's all said and done, it will be okay.

My mother is not exactly a "white glove" kind of mom. She doesn't inspect her kids' homes and issue reports, or gossip about her findings with anyone else. (And if she HAS told you about my housekeeping, keep it to yourself, okay? Mum's the word.) 

So why do I do this?

When we were growing up, we lived in a big, old farmhouse, packed to the roof with kids. Ten of us lived there, and my mom did her best to manage the masses, but it was an uphill battle. I can remember, as a teenager, being critical of our messy house. Mom provided a place for each of us to hang up our jackets after school, but the family room and back hall were littered with shoes, coats, school books, and toys. I would beg Mom to throw away the leaning tower of Tupperware (and Cool Whip and margarine containers). I swore I'd only have the bare necessities in MY kitchen when I grew up. 

Now I'm the grownup. There are not eight children in my home. So why isn't it spotless? Why do I have an excess of containers for leftovers? 

I think I aspire to live up to the standards I wished we could have had when I was younger. And I fail miserably. And I don't want anyone to know that. 

On the other hand, I am a lot like my mom. Our houses may not be spotless, but we love being with family and friends, and we live life with optimism and enthusiasm. I hope people remember that about us, more than our housekeeping skills. 

If you want spontaneity, I'm your girl. If you want me to be ready at a moment's notice, I can do that. If you want me to drop what I'm doing to help someone, I have no qualms about that. 

Just ask Chuck. We go and go and go. I love taking off with him to do photo shoots, go for rides, and eat out at restaurants. All of this flying by the seat of my pants comes with a cost, though. 

My house suffers a little. My floors go a little long between moppings. Dust gathers on windowsills and mantels. And sometimes there are dishes still on the drying rack in the morning when I wake up that are still there when I go to bed. Most of the time, I'm okay with this. As long as things are put away, and somewhat organized, I usually don't worry about some crumbs and a little dust.

Knowing someone is coming to visit changes things. I have a lot in common with Martha in the Bible story about Mary and Martha, and the way they acted when they had Jesus as a guest. I fret about the details, and forget the big picture. I tend to work myself into a frazzle getting the house company-ready, instead of just welcoming the opportunity to visit. Rather than being relaxed before guests arrive, I stress about the things I should have done sooner. And on occasion, while everyone is visiting, I'm still taking care of last minute details in the kitchen.

My folks aren't coming to see the house, and I know that. They could care less which chores I've completed, and which were left undone. They are coming to see US, the people who live in the house, not the building in which we live. 

Chuck knows how I am, and so even though he was very tired after a long day at work, and a photo shoot last night, he quietly moved the furniture to the basement that we won't be using during the holiday season. (We put up our Christmas tree on Halloween, and there's just not room for the coffee table in the living room.) 

This morning before he left for work, he gathered our camera bags and backpacks, and took them upstairs to our storage room, so the office looks tidy and organized again. While I was cleaning up from our breakfast, I heard the vacuum, and I went to scold him, until I saw that he was vacuuming the stairs, and then I was just grateful for his help. That hurts my back, and he knows it. 

So right now, I've decided just to do only the most necessary of preparations for guests. I will mop the kitchen, put fresh linens on their bed, and finish vacuuming upstairs. Then I will relax, and prepare to enjoy our special guests. We're keeping things simple as far as dinner is concerned; we're treating my parents to Giordano's tonight so they can try Chicago-style pizza for themselves, and bonus: I won't have to cook!

Today, I will be a Mary, and enjoy the people inside the walls of my home, and let the house stand on its own. Chores can wait. Family and friends are so much more important than a house worthy of a magazine cover. People over things. That's the mantra for today.

The Glad Game

I do love November. Fall is still hanging on, as winter teases us with occasional bursts of snow and rain. Thanksgiving means holiday meals with the people I love.  I just so happen to have been born in November which means it's the month I have always felt the most spoiled. I just love November.

When I was little, my mom introduced me to the concept of Pollyanna's Glad Game. Mom has always encouraged us to be grateful for the simple things, and to seek the silver linings of the inevitable clouds.

There may be some who scoff at endless optimism as an approach to life, but as Pollyanna said herself, "When you're hunting for the glad things, you sort of forget the other kind." 

With Thanksgiving approaching, my thoughts turn to counting my blessings, and my "grateful for"s. I could play Pollyanna's Glad Game every single day, and never tire of it. I kind of do. It may drive some people crazy, but I can't help it. I "ooh" and "ah" over every little thing. 

The last leaves of autumn clinging to a branch. A nibble of rich chocolate. The heat of my electric blanket as it radiates across the bed. Lightly spiced muffins. A text from one of our kids. Chuck's offer to do the dishes. Gentle rain on a metal roof.

Pleasure can be derived from the most minute of details. Breathing fresh mountain air. Noticing neon green lichen on a rock. Finding something that had been lost. Spying early morning dew on a blade of grass. A gorgeous display in a shop window.

One thing for which I am most grateful is having a partner who can appreciate the little things with me. Chuck has an easy-going personality, and his deep appreciation for all that is beautiful and good reminds me to keep positive. His eye for detail is something that takes his photography to a higher level, and it makes him notice even the small stuff. He is good at mentioning specifics when he gives compliments. Daily, I can count on him to thank me for things I do, and to point out positives throughout his day. During phone calls, he will tell me to look outside at the sunrise, or he will describe the leaves as he is driving to work.

It's not always easy to feel grateful. Sometimes we could give in and let pain dominate our day, or we could succumb to a lingering mood. There will always be challenges and setbacks, but if we allow ourselves to settle in to the moment, we might discover the hidden gifts waiting to be found.

"Thirty days hath September, April, June, and November..." This month, would you like to join me in taking time each of the thirty days to make note of the things that make YOU glad? 

When you first wake up, or right before you go to bed, think about the good things for which you're thankful. You don't have to post them on social media, although you could. You don't have to write them in a journal, but you could. You don't have to do it at all, but you might find that it is a worthwhile pursuit. Go ahead. Play the Glad Game. You might be glad you did.