A three week trip to Romania to visit Erin brought me to a deeper appreciation of the good old USA and of course, Texas. Things I took for granted but now appreciate:
- traffic laws that drivers actually obey
- street signs
- colorful clothing
- discretionary income
- attentive waiters
- my car
- people who smile & make eye contact
- drinkable tap water
- my local gym
- small bodied airline seat mates
- television stations other than those offered on the Armed Forces Network
- taxi drivers that speak English
- cell phones
Retirement has allowed me to like children again! I actually sat by the playground at Central Market and reveled in watching them play. I also didn't mind the Christmas crowds. Not having to deal with the public every day and be responsible for the children's behavior in the library has allowed me to revert to the fairly nice person I used to be!
As your probably know by now if you've read any of my blogs, my children are spread out over the nation and the world. Justin's an FBI agent in Miami, Erin & Jon work for the State Department in Romania and Rachel, Justin's wife, is busy with a residency in ob/gyn in Charlotte. I always said I'd raise my kids to follow their dreams, even if that meant leaving the Fort and damn if they didn't do it. Lucky for me, they're all coming to visit at the end of January.
I've decided to focus on the positive in 2010 and note something good that happens to me every day. There's too little time to let other people's hatred bring me down and I of all people, after dealing with the public all those years, know that the vast majority of people are good and it's that small minority that cause all the problems. Two good things have already happened today - 1) the calming relief I felt after an extremely hard yoga class when I finally got to lay on the mat and breathe deep. 2) the smile and "Happy New Year" I received from a musician, playing practically for free at Potbelly's, when I tipped him and told him how much I enjoyed his playing.
My New Year's Resolutions:
1. This will be the hardest. Focus on the good traits of family & friends and not their annoying traits/habits/personality flaws/etc (I knew this would be hard, but I have one more night of sniping).
2. Make more of an effort to contact friends and to actually do something with them.
3. Improve my yoga moves! This should be the easiest - there's no place to go but up.
4. Find a rewarding volunteer opportunity. My goal was to be selfish for 6 months but that's harder than it sounds.
5. Join the local Audubon Society. I'm a bird nerd!
If you have any comments for my blog please let me know something good that happened to you today!
