Saturday, December 31, 2016

Reflections of 2016: The Little Things



It's the last day of 2016, and there's quite a bit I didn't care for about this year, if I'm being honest. More challenges, too many good people dying, just a lot of terribleness and a general sense of dissatisfaction.

And it's easy to dwell on that, to find one's self thinking on all the things you wish had gone differently. But I want to say good-bye to 2016 and hello to 2017 with a sense of positivity and hope.

Resolutions are coming, goals I've started on this year that I want to see come to fruition in 2017, but for now, I am looking to bring some brightness and love into my little world.

So I am borrowing an idea that a twitter mutual borrowed from someone else: a list of things I love. Because some times, maybe most of the time, it is the little things that help us get through the tough days. Therefore:

A List of Little Things I Love

  • the night sky/galaxies
  • rain--the sound of it, the smell of it, the promise of it on the horizon as the moutains are consumed by dark clouds
  • cool sheets and a warm blanket
  • the smell of my pillows
  • the feel of satin ribbons
  • the smell of tomato sauce at every stage of its creation
  • the texture of freshly baked bread
  • pumpkin bread
  • extra cheesy mac n' cheese
  • Pepsi
  • the smell of lavender
  • soaring instrumental music (especially violin and piano)
  • singing out loud without feeling self-conscious
  • cats
  • seeing something grow that I had a hand in tending
  • new, uncreased book spines
  • books!
  • reading a new book in a series I love
  • new episodes of a show I love
  • Steven Universe and its music
  • Yuri on Ice and its music
  • The Hamilton soundtrack
  • dragons, unicorns, and griffins
  • Star Wars (The Force Awakens and Rogue in particular, General Leia Organa overall)
  • learning an actor whose work I enjoy is an unproblematic fave
  • remembering the name of an HITG ("Hey, it's that guy/girl"--when you see an actor all the time, but can never remember their name even though they're in everything)
  • wrapping something perfectly
  • folding origami perfectly
  • finishing a piece of art (painting, jewelry, anything) and having it look the way I imagined it
  • finishing writing a story
  • learning a new skill
  • see someone excited about and using something I made for them
  • watching a movie with friends in an empty theater, so no one can complain if I talk during the movie
  • Disney and fantasy art
  • sketches 
  • receiving an unexpected gift or a pleasant surprise
  • feeling accomplished and productive
  • finding the perfect gift
  • hearing about good things happening to/for friends
  • geeky references in unlikely places
  • people catching on to and appreciating my geeky references
  • feeling listened to 
  • finding new art I love
  • finding fandom fabric
  • wearing something I love -and- feeling beautiful in it
  • happy ending, or at least hopeful ones
  • my armor: art nouveau Maleficent t-shirt, comfortable jeans, Maleficent socks, and my galaxy sneakers or ass-kicking boots