The YAY! List

So I said I would follow-up my bad mood and Punch List with a list of things I have found myself smiling about lately. But before I do that, I need to make three additions to yesterday's Punch List.

1.) My wind shield wipers that decided to stop working today, after our 6+ inches of snow fall. Beautiful.

2.) The 100,000 miles warranty that ran out 12,000 miles ago and will not cover the new motor for said broken windshield wipers.

3) The girl at the gym who approached me – while I was mid-sprint on the treadmill – to ask me to show her how to use the treadmill (apparently she failed to see the four Fitness Team members who very jobs are to demonstrate how to operate the equipment). Now, I am the girl who will stop on a busy downtown Chicago street at lunch time and write you out directions for anywhere, but interrupt my workout and I’ll…I'll....well, apparently I’ll help you then, too, because that’s what I did, only to have her snap at me when I showed her how to decrease the speed. And then she walked off the treadmill after only three minutes! I should also mention that I needed to tell her to “walk” when the treadmill started, ‘cause she just stood there when the belt started. You’re welcome, honey. And still out of shape.

So that’s that! Bad mood dispelled! Off to the nice list!


Megan’s YAY! List

-Christmas shopping done midday on a Wednesday with a list– no crowds, in and out.

-One-cup coffee makers

-Burning hot showers

-My flat screen – how did I go for so many months without a TV?

-Being able to identify completely with a song, and then screaming it at the top of your lungs when driving (or in the shower, or while working in the evening, whenever the mood strikes, really).

-Or lip syncing them when running on the treadmill. Guilty.

-Yoga – yeah, I’m on that bandwagon, but ya can’t argue with results!

-Shopping for men’s dress shirts and ties

-Fresh apples and bananas

-Triathlon, ‘cause it makes me feel like an athlete

-Setting goals, ‘cause I won’t workout otherwise

-The color pink

-Being in that “comfortable” place in a relationship, but still being in that silly, goofy, passionate place, too

-Speeches by Ozzie Gullien – he could read me the telephone book with that accent

-Cup of soup

-The daily afternoon check-in from my sister – like clockwork, they are

-Fleece pullovers – as of tonight, it is officially an addiction (just added a pink one to the family!)

-Being taken up on an offer to baby sit – yeah, someone trusts me with his kid

-Sports massages

-Running without pain

-Finishing editing a report by the end of the day

-Friends who never give up calling

-Hitting a string of green lights – during rush hour

-Finally knowing how I deserve to be treated - without feeling guilty for it

-Being missed by someone

-My mom quitting smoking after almost 50 years – Go Mom!!!!

-Going to bed with tired muscles

-Friends who are willing to run long with you for no other reason than they like your company

-Finishing a two-week training block and NOT missing a single workout

-The car starting in the morning

-Pretzels and all their starchy, salty goodness

-The swim store – so many goodies!!

-Leaving Target without the usual candy stash

-Respecting myself, setting limits with those who don't, and silently taking the high road

-Texts just to say, “Love ya!”

-My nephew who had a photo shoot for Gerber


See, if I just have some time, I can come back to what really makes me feel good. Thanks for dealing with Downer Megan over here, the words of support you provided, and the funny pictures of your baby planning with golf clubs (Joe). I was driving home yesterday and thought how incredible it is that so many people, many of whom have never met me personally, can be so supportive and thoughtful.

Did you ever see the movie "Evening?" At the end of it, an elderly Meryl Streep tells Toni Collette that, if there's anything she's learned over her lifetime, it's that so much of it doesn't even matter. I try to remember that when I get down - that twenty, forty, fifty years from now, all of the those things bugging me now won't matter, may not even be remembered. And when it's important, I will know it. It's kinda that same concept of not sweating the small stuff. But it sounded better when Ms. Streep said it.

So crisis averted, life back to normal. And just like yesterday, feel free to add your own YAYs!