A Rant that Ends on a Positive Note

Like everyone else, I have those down days. Call it depression, call it the ho-hum part of life getting me down, but there are days when I'm just not so sure this life is worth all the damn trouble.

I think it has a lot to do with what they sell you while you're growing up. You know what I mean: your entire life your told/sold this bright, amazing picture of what life will be out the in the great wide world. One example I always think of is Las Vegas. Fun. Hip. Cool. Bright lights. In reality, I found Vegas blistering hot, crammed with tourists and those people standing on the streets handing out flyers for prostitutes. Ugh.

Well, life isn't much like what you see on TV or in the movies. It's full of mundane challenges that can, if you let them, keep you from succeeding. The big cities are full of bad traffic and pollution. People in the South aren't nearly as friendly as we're made out to be--most of my really terrible customer service experiences took place south of Tennessee. Oh, I could keep on going....

But, I think the secret to enjoying life has little to do with the glitz and glam advertisers and movie producers try to sell you (or colleges...I've learned the hard way about that one).

Actually liking life, in my mind, means holding on to those small experiences that make you happiest.

For instance, I hated Vegas as a whole, but in my memory I've cataloged all the things I did enjoy about it--the New York, New York casino's fun interior design. The Pirate Bay's (is that name right?) nightly live-action pirate battles. That our hotel was located in a modern-day castle.

I suppose the hard part about the "enjoy the little things" philosophy is that the happiness can so easily be erased by the challenges and boredom of life. Money, stress from work, lack of free time, kids... It's hard sometimes.

But, that's why I've got this list, Things I love to like, that's about a mile long. There's that new little chocolate shop. Books--how I've missed reading fun books for NO college credit. :) This locally owned Italian restaurant with an amazing atmosphere across the street from our apartment. (Okay, okay, waaay too much of it is food. Still...) The fact that this city the same size as Mobile has three--count 'em--three nice malls, so even when I'm bored I can just go wonder around. And, I'm looking forward to snow here (never mind the fact that it might have something to do with the fact that it's been freezing cold and rainy for days. If it's gonna be cold, it may as well snow!)

And, the number one thing on my list, of course, is spending time with K.C. :) I don't care if we're grocery shopping or playing video games, he makes life so much more amazing.

I hope I can keep my own advice in mind the next time I'm fed up with life's annoyances. :)