Good Things Tuesday!
Because hey, why limit the Good Things to Friday, right? I have many good things to note, so I'll let the happy run over the puny boundaries of dates and times.
(Let's just ignore the fact that I'm not timely, okay? Okay. And in case you're wondering, yes, I'm doing well. Very busy, can't wait for the end of the semester, but doing well all the same.)
Okay, let's add up the happy-making things...
1. On Friday, Bluey!Mom found out that she got the promotion she'd been hoping for! In fact, the dean confirmed to her that they basically had decided on her the moment she'd finished her interview.
This is not a surprise to me, because I've always believed in her, but I know she'd been wrestling with some self-doubts in going for this position. She really wanted it, and is perfect for it, but she does not always give herself the credit she deserves. This is why I've been relentlessly cheerleading for her and pumping up her confidence. If you've been reading my LJ for a long time, then you appreciate that this promotion--her second in eighteen months--is yet one more confirmation of not only her remarkable awesomeness and great skill, but also her strength and determination. I don't say this often enough, but I am so proud to be her daughter. :D
2. Signs of life have finally started sprouting in my garden! It was so cold for so long up here that part of me was starting to doubt they'd ever come, but this weekend saw my tulips and day lilies starting to poke up their little green heads from the flower beds. I'll have to make time to cut back the old growth from last year's lilies, since I was lazy and didn't do it earlier, and I don't want to choke out the new shoots. But it is very, very good to see green things growing again, even if it means that high pollen counts (and hence allergies) are coming, too. I can't say I mind in the slightest. ~pops more Sudafed~
3. Hair! I got a slightly overdue haircut on Friday, and that is always an instant mood enhancer. I didn't need all that much off the ends, but the layers were a bit off and getting to be too uniform. Now it's good and choppy and bouncy again, which has me feeling equally bouncy. (True fact: the bigger and bouncier my hair, generally speaking, the better my mood.) Better yet, I've just reached the ideal color, too, now that it's two weeks since I touched it up. The first week or two after re-dyeing, the black is always so super-saturated that it feels a bit heavy and stark, even for my tastes. Now it's subtler and natural, and I am well pleased.
4. Jaw line! As in, mine is now visible and defined! It's probably been apparent for a while, but I only just noticed on Friday, when I was at the salon. I had to wait a bit for my stylist, and because I was there for a wash and cut, I just had my hair pulled back, something I rarely do these days. While I waited, I was surprised to catch a glimpse of my reflection in the mirrors, where is showed very clearly that my jaw is now defined as it was back in Ye Olden Days. Every now and then, I'm taken aback by some realization of how I've changed when I haven't necessarily been looking, and this was one of those times. It's likely silly and a bit shallow for me to be so excited about this, but back in the day, I used to be quite vain about my jaw and chin and neck, so to have them back feels like a very tangible, very satisfying proof of progress.
5. Problems resolved! A few weeks ago, I posted about the fact that a number of my family members and friends were facing some very difficult, dark situations and I felt powerless to help ease their pain. Since that time, a number of these situations have resolved, or are in the process of resolving, in some unexpected ways. Nobody can magically fix it all at once, and in some cases it's going to be a process that will take some time, but the progress is good, the signs are promising, the determination is strong, and the support is outstanding. All will be well in time, and I am very, very happy and grateful that the people who need it most are being heard and getting help. &hearts
6. Good food, good times, good music, good weekend! I went into this weekend with all these resolutions to do practical deeds and Clean All The Things, but I kept getting invited to do fun things, so... yeah, I ended up going out every day of the weekend, and I did not manage more than vacuuming and one load of laundry. However, I feel absolutely no guilt about this, because I think I needed the social activities to recharge and de-stress. I had a great time, ate some great food, drank lovely things, laughed a lot, listened to the symphony (thank you, clairvoyant12, for the genius day out!), strolled a bit in Royal Oak, cheered on the Tigers, and even enjoyed my first taste of ice cream in more than six months. (It was a cupcake blizzard, because I can never get enough of sprinkles, and it was amazing.)
Friday was dim sum and drinks. Saturday was at Buddy's Pizza, enjoying the new Leon and Lulu vegetarian pizza (Buddy's is forever the best in Detroit, and frequently listed as one of the best in the country) and the arrival of the Bell's Oberon summer ale. And Sunday was a delight, as clairvoyant12 got tickets to the first post-strike DSO concert and was kind enough to invite me. Admission was open, so we showed up early, got in line, and ended up with excellent main floor seats. The American-centric program was wonderful: Bernstein's Candide overture at a breakneck pace, Williams's Summon the Heroes, which always makes me think of NBC, but whatever, a particularly beautiful and moving rendition of Barber's Adagio for Strings, Gershwin's An American in Paris (car horns and all), and in the second half, a glorious, gorgeous version of Dvorak's New World Symphony. The crowd's energy and enthusiasm was electrifying; I don't think I've ever heard such a loud, raucous crowd there, even for superstar soloists. We were clearly glad to have our DSO back, and they were very clearly glad to be back.
Afterward, Clairvoyant and I made our way back to Royal Oak, where we enjoyed the sunshine, as well as dinner and Belgian beer at Bastone. I had the Leuven waffles (basically, savory waffles topped with chicken, leeks, and sweet peppers) and Dubbel Vision to drink, and both were excellent. Our server was... slightly odd, though good enough at serving. He complimented the hair, which was a point in his favor, but I probably could have done without him touching me. I'm just saying. *g* (I don't mind being touched, honestly, but it is a bit weird coming from your waiter, isn't it?)
In any case, I now feel relaxed, rejuvenated, and ready to face the end of term. Bring it on!
7. Beautiful sunset! Friday's sunset was particularly spectacular, all fiery red-orange sky and smudges of rosy lavender clouds, and it just lead to one of those silly moments where I get a bit choked up at how beautiful it all is and feel grateful to be alive to see it. So I do think that counts as Good Thing, don't you?
8. New scarf! At the rate that I am buying these, I realize, I ought to be considering Scarfaholics Anonymous, but as addictions go, it is a mostly harmless one. *g* The most recent acquisition is a blue and white ikat patterned scarf, nice and long, with fringy bits. I first spotted it a month ago, while shopping for something else, but I reluctantly set it aside then in favor of this stripey sequined one. However, when I went back on Saturday morning to pick up a few things, I saw that although the scarf rack had been pretty thoroughly picked over, this particular scarf was still there, hidden in the back, just waiting for me to come and rescue it. So you see, I had to buy it. We were clearly meant to be together, and who am I to stand in the way of scarf love? I suspect we will be very happy together. ;-)
Double bonus: I also found (and purchased) a lovely new pair of sunglasses. I did not technically need new ones, as I already have two pairs of them, but this particular pair was trimmed in rhinestones, which I think is all the justification I need. *g*
9. Good weather! Almost all of last week was relentlessly grey and rain-soaked, so it was a very pleasant surprise for Sunday to be not only bright and cheerfully sunny, but ridiculously, unseasonably warm--over 80 degrees, in fact. (Much as I wish it were, this is NOT characteristic of Metro Detroit in April.) It lead to a gorgeous, summery, blue-sky sort of day, and it meant that there were all kinds of people out and about on Sunday, soaking up the sunshine. Royal Oak was teeming with people strolling, walking their dogs, enjoying the outdoor cafes, and--this being Royal Oak--showing off their shiny motorcycles. (One of these days, I'll have to remember to take a picture of the parking outside Starbucks and Bright Ideas. Choppers galore!) We all knew, I think, that it wouldn't last forever at quite that level of warmth, and indeed it's dropped off to the mid-50s and 60s by now, but it's still much warmer than it has been, and the sunshine has stayed. It feels like a promise of things to come. :-)
10. The fangirl_tour is up and posting! My favorite multifandom rec community is at it again, posting tempting recs for all your favorite fandoms and some new ones that are destined to be future favorites. I was fortunate enough to have the privilege of posting my baker's dozen of recs yesterday, and you can peruse them here. I went with an assortment of Sherlock, Good Omens, Nathan Barley, and (of course) The Mighty Boosh, with a small crossover to Asylum in there, as well.
You know you want to check them out! Go on, do it. ~tempts shamelessly~
(And even if you find nothing you love from my list of recs, do check out the rest of the tour, which features a dizzying array of wonderful stories and art from a rainbow of fandoms and pairings. Everybody should be able to find something to enjoy there.)
And hee. I just took that "What career should you have" online test, and it informs me that I am particularly high in extroversion and curiosity (Tell me something I don't know, test!), and hence I am best suited to be "An Inspirer." On that note, I suppose I'd better get out there and do some inspiring of young minds, right?
Love, squishy hugs, and smooches to all those who want and need them! &hearts
(Let's just ignore the fact that I'm not timely, okay? Okay. And in case you're wondering, yes, I'm doing well. Very busy, can't wait for the end of the semester, but doing well all the same.)
Okay, let's add up the happy-making things...
1. On Friday, Bluey!Mom found out that she got the promotion she'd been hoping for! In fact, the dean confirmed to her that they basically had decided on her the moment she'd finished her interview.
This is not a surprise to me, because I've always believed in her, but I know she'd been wrestling with some self-doubts in going for this position. She really wanted it, and is perfect for it, but she does not always give herself the credit she deserves. This is why I've been relentlessly cheerleading for her and pumping up her confidence. If you've been reading my LJ for a long time, then you appreciate that this promotion--her second in eighteen months--is yet one more confirmation of not only her remarkable awesomeness and great skill, but also her strength and determination. I don't say this often enough, but I am so proud to be her daughter. :D
2. Signs of life have finally started sprouting in my garden! It was so cold for so long up here that part of me was starting to doubt they'd ever come, but this weekend saw my tulips and day lilies starting to poke up their little green heads from the flower beds. I'll have to make time to cut back the old growth from last year's lilies, since I was lazy and didn't do it earlier, and I don't want to choke out the new shoots. But it is very, very good to see green things growing again, even if it means that high pollen counts (and hence allergies) are coming, too. I can't say I mind in the slightest. ~pops more Sudafed~
3. Hair! I got a slightly overdue haircut on Friday, and that is always an instant mood enhancer. I didn't need all that much off the ends, but the layers were a bit off and getting to be too uniform. Now it's good and choppy and bouncy again, which has me feeling equally bouncy. (True fact: the bigger and bouncier my hair, generally speaking, the better my mood.) Better yet, I've just reached the ideal color, too, now that it's two weeks since I touched it up. The first week or two after re-dyeing, the black is always so super-saturated that it feels a bit heavy and stark, even for my tastes. Now it's subtler and natural, and I am well pleased.
4. Jaw line! As in, mine is now visible and defined! It's probably been apparent for a while, but I only just noticed on Friday, when I was at the salon. I had to wait a bit for my stylist, and because I was there for a wash and cut, I just had my hair pulled back, something I rarely do these days. While I waited, I was surprised to catch a glimpse of my reflection in the mirrors, where is showed very clearly that my jaw is now defined as it was back in Ye Olden Days. Every now and then, I'm taken aback by some realization of how I've changed when I haven't necessarily been looking, and this was one of those times. It's likely silly and a bit shallow for me to be so excited about this, but back in the day, I used to be quite vain about my jaw and chin and neck, so to have them back feels like a very tangible, very satisfying proof of progress.
5. Problems resolved! A few weeks ago, I posted about the fact that a number of my family members and friends were facing some very difficult, dark situations and I felt powerless to help ease their pain. Since that time, a number of these situations have resolved, or are in the process of resolving, in some unexpected ways. Nobody can magically fix it all at once, and in some cases it's going to be a process that will take some time, but the progress is good, the signs are promising, the determination is strong, and the support is outstanding. All will be well in time, and I am very, very happy and grateful that the people who need it most are being heard and getting help. &hearts
6. Good food, good times, good music, good weekend! I went into this weekend with all these resolutions to do practical deeds and Clean All The Things, but I kept getting invited to do fun things, so... yeah, I ended up going out every day of the weekend, and I did not manage more than vacuuming and one load of laundry. However, I feel absolutely no guilt about this, because I think I needed the social activities to recharge and de-stress. I had a great time, ate some great food, drank lovely things, laughed a lot, listened to the symphony (thank you, clairvoyant12, for the genius day out!), strolled a bit in Royal Oak, cheered on the Tigers, and even enjoyed my first taste of ice cream in more than six months. (It was a cupcake blizzard, because I can never get enough of sprinkles, and it was amazing.)
Friday was dim sum and drinks. Saturday was at Buddy's Pizza, enjoying the new Leon and Lulu vegetarian pizza (Buddy's is forever the best in Detroit, and frequently listed as one of the best in the country) and the arrival of the Bell's Oberon summer ale. And Sunday was a delight, as clairvoyant12 got tickets to the first post-strike DSO concert and was kind enough to invite me. Admission was open, so we showed up early, got in line, and ended up with excellent main floor seats. The American-centric program was wonderful: Bernstein's Candide overture at a breakneck pace, Williams's Summon the Heroes, which always makes me think of NBC, but whatever, a particularly beautiful and moving rendition of Barber's Adagio for Strings, Gershwin's An American in Paris (car horns and all), and in the second half, a glorious, gorgeous version of Dvorak's New World Symphony. The crowd's energy and enthusiasm was electrifying; I don't think I've ever heard such a loud, raucous crowd there, even for superstar soloists. We were clearly glad to have our DSO back, and they were very clearly glad to be back.
Afterward, Clairvoyant and I made our way back to Royal Oak, where we enjoyed the sunshine, as well as dinner and Belgian beer at Bastone. I had the Leuven waffles (basically, savory waffles topped with chicken, leeks, and sweet peppers) and Dubbel Vision to drink, and both were excellent. Our server was... slightly odd, though good enough at serving. He complimented the hair, which was a point in his favor, but I probably could have done without him touching me. I'm just saying. *g* (I don't mind being touched, honestly, but it is a bit weird coming from your waiter, isn't it?)
In any case, I now feel relaxed, rejuvenated, and ready to face the end of term. Bring it on!
7. Beautiful sunset! Friday's sunset was particularly spectacular, all fiery red-orange sky and smudges of rosy lavender clouds, and it just lead to one of those silly moments where I get a bit choked up at how beautiful it all is and feel grateful to be alive to see it. So I do think that counts as Good Thing, don't you?
8. New scarf! At the rate that I am buying these, I realize, I ought to be considering Scarfaholics Anonymous, but as addictions go, it is a mostly harmless one. *g* The most recent acquisition is a blue and white ikat patterned scarf, nice and long, with fringy bits. I first spotted it a month ago, while shopping for something else, but I reluctantly set it aside then in favor of this stripey sequined one. However, when I went back on Saturday morning to pick up a few things, I saw that although the scarf rack had been pretty thoroughly picked over, this particular scarf was still there, hidden in the back, just waiting for me to come and rescue it. So you see, I had to buy it. We were clearly meant to be together, and who am I to stand in the way of scarf love? I suspect we will be very happy together. ;-)
Double bonus: I also found (and purchased) a lovely new pair of sunglasses. I did not technically need new ones, as I already have two pairs of them, but this particular pair was trimmed in rhinestones, which I think is all the justification I need. *g*
9. Good weather! Almost all of last week was relentlessly grey and rain-soaked, so it was a very pleasant surprise for Sunday to be not only bright and cheerfully sunny, but ridiculously, unseasonably warm--over 80 degrees, in fact. (Much as I wish it were, this is NOT characteristic of Metro Detroit in April.) It lead to a gorgeous, summery, blue-sky sort of day, and it meant that there were all kinds of people out and about on Sunday, soaking up the sunshine. Royal Oak was teeming with people strolling, walking their dogs, enjoying the outdoor cafes, and--this being Royal Oak--showing off their shiny motorcycles. (One of these days, I'll have to remember to take a picture of the parking outside Starbucks and Bright Ideas. Choppers galore!) We all knew, I think, that it wouldn't last forever at quite that level of warmth, and indeed it's dropped off to the mid-50s and 60s by now, but it's still much warmer than it has been, and the sunshine has stayed. It feels like a promise of things to come. :-)
10. The fangirl_tour is up and posting! My favorite multifandom rec community is at it again, posting tempting recs for all your favorite fandoms and some new ones that are destined to be future favorites. I was fortunate enough to have the privilege of posting my baker's dozen of recs yesterday, and you can peruse them here. I went with an assortment of Sherlock, Good Omens, Nathan Barley, and (of course) The Mighty Boosh, with a small crossover to Asylum in there, as well.
You know you want to check them out! Go on, do it. ~tempts shamelessly~
(And even if you find nothing you love from my list of recs, do check out the rest of the tour, which features a dizzying array of wonderful stories and art from a rainbow of fandoms and pairings. Everybody should be able to find something to enjoy there.)
And hee. I just took that "What career should you have" online test, and it informs me that I am particularly high in extroversion and curiosity (Tell me something I don't know, test!), and hence I am best suited to be "An Inspirer." On that note, I suppose I'd better get out there and do some inspiring of young minds, right?
Love, squishy hugs, and smooches to all those who want and need them! &hearts