list of happiness (gasp!)

Did you just choke on something you were eating? Sorry! It's been awhile since I did a happy list...I know. And it's not even Monday, for cryin' out loud. That doesn't mean I can't make a happy list, though. Happiness is not limited to one day, young jedi. Make happy list for every day of the week, you can.

1) being in da mood to cook, and I mean seriously... it's like the Food Network up in hur, all day long. In the past month, I made: kale and white bean soup (two times, it was yummy), banana shakes up the wazoo, sweet potato muffins, pumpkin oatmeal chocolate chip muffins (ok now inhale), homemade pizza, sixtygagillion loaves of bread, homemade yogurt like a pro (also two times), egg sandwiches, lemon salmon+roasted zucchini, chicken gyros with tzatziki sauce and homemade pita bread (*dead*)...that's all I feel like remembering right now. Would you like to hire me as your live-in cook? Okey-day! (you only get to offer me the job if you're Batman/Christian Bale, aight?)

2) being so zoned out in Spanish class today that when the boy behind me said "Okay McKenzie, let's trade seats" (so we could gather in our groups) I just stared at him for 10 full seconds. And then he said, "Uhhh" and I said "Oh!" And jumped up out of my seat really awkwardly. I'm surprised my head didn't hit the ceiling! Oh wait...no I'm not. I may have amazing reflexes, but I'm still five-two.

3) because of number one (plus good old-fashioned exercise, duh), my clothes. don't. fit. any. more. In a good way. But I'm too stubborn (or is it poor?) to buy new ones. So I just have to pretend that I like my pants to be super-baggy and stuff. There's nothing wrong with wanting to bring the 90's back.

4) re-reading To Kill a Mockingbird for my superheroes literature class. The first time I read it, I was ten years old...so it definitely made more sense to me this time around. It's still just as stupendous as it was back then. Oh, and the movie? If you haven't seen it, stop reading this and go watch it now. NOW.

5) using a thesaurus to find "stupendous" so I wouldn't have to use "awesome" again in that last paragraph. Oh yes I did.

6) the weather, which constantly fools me into thinking it's almost spring. I have gone lots of mornings without my coat because by the time I get home in the afternoon, it's really really nice (okay, probably 35-40 degrees, but still). In the meantime, I freeze my nalgas off. Lovely.

7) a lovely email from student records saying the following:

Mckenzie,

We have reviewed your graduation application and it looks like with the completion of your courses this semester you will be able to graduate this semester. I am forwarding your graduation application on to the Dept. Chair for his approval. Let us know if there is anything we can help you with or answer any graduation questions you might have.

BOOYAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't even care that they forgot to capitalize my K. That's how happy I am.

8) the hot pad I bought to make yogurt, which also doubles as a "make McKenzie fall asleep about ten times faster" tool. The only downside: I have a harder time waking up. I literally feel like I'm buried under ten quilts and man, it is just so niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice under there. I think it might also be making my dreams weirder (didn't know that was possible).

9) when a boy I thought was cute actually dropped the h-bomb today ("let's hang out"), he became ten times less attractive. I was surprised at my reaction. I guess I really am maturing, huh. I wondered when that would happen.

10) automatic cure-all if you are having a bad day: make a happy list for yourself, eat a smoothie or something with pumpkin in it, take a walk/go for a run/just go outside, read from the Book of Mormon, smile at someone, smile at yourself, listen to a good dancing song. And dance to it. I mean really dance.