Our non-traditional Thanksgiving greeting

Thanksgiving is full of traditions:  dressing in your holiday best, gathering with family and friends, feasting on turkey and cranberries, going round the table and telling everyone what they're thankful for.  I didn't grow up celebrating Thanksgiving, but over the years that I've lived in the US I've come to enjoy the holiday and appreciate everything it stands for.

Spreading Holiday Cheer... and Zhu Zhu Pets

Zhu Zhu Pets have invaded our playroom. One hundred and four of these mechanical hamsters arrived at our home a couple of weeks ago, and they've been blocking up the heating vents and hindering our cleaner's ability to do a good job ever since. What are they doing here, you ask? Did I mistakenly type in an extra zero when ordering holiday presents? Was this my compensation for being interviewed by the San Francisco Chronicle about the Zhu Zhu Pets phenomenon? Have I decided to go into the toy store business? Or have I finally given in to my kids' desire to own a menagerie of Zhu Zhu Pets?

13.1 Reasons I enjoyed the Big Sur Half Marathon

About 30 minutes after I finished the Big Sur Half-Marathon yesterday, I received a tweet asking me if I had fun. Fun? I had a difficult final third -- my heel, knee and legs were hurting for the last 4 miles -- so Fun was the last thing on my mind at that moment. But after taking a deep breath and sipping a nice cup of hot soup at the post-race event, I was able to recall quite a few moments of pure enjoyment. The last time I ran a half-marathon I was able to look back and list 13.1 reasons I enjoyed the event. Three years later, I'm doing it again:

1 - I got to run beside the Pacific Ocean. There's nothing like seeing blue ocean and white waves crashing on the rocks to take your mind off how much farther you have to go.

2 - I got to run in absolutely perfect running conditions -- cool, sunny, not a trace of fog or headwind.

3 - Heck, I got to run! I haven't been running regularly for the past two years because of my plantar fascitis, so I figured I would have to walk most of the way (my "in your dreams" wish was to run half of it). But my heel didn't let me down, and the beautiful scenery, crowd energy, and my family being there to cheer me on just gave me the willpower to keep running. Of course, today I feel like I've been thrown from the Empire State Building, but that's another story.

4 - I feel good about participating in an event that donates all proceeds to a great cause: JUST RUN, a free program designed to assist schools and other youth organizations by providing vital youth fitness programs that promote fitness and healthy lifestyles. With 30% of this country's youth classified as obese, we need more programs that encourage physical activity and healthy eating habits.

5 - We got to discover the pleasures of downtown Monterey. The only places we ever go to in Monterey are the Aquarium, Cannery Row, and Fisherman's Wharf. Who knew there was a whole collection of streets with charming shops and cafes nearby? Thanks to this race, we do.

6 - My kids got to taste oysters for the first time (and one of them even liked it).

7 - Alfie has been searching for a stretch of road where I can film him riding his beloved Triumph Bonneville, before he sells it. I think I've found the perfect place.

8 - The course loops back on itself, so as I was heading to the halfway point, I got to see some of the fastest runners in the country sprinting away on their last 2 or 3 miles. Amazing!


I even got to take a photo with one of them:

9 - I got to run past Alfie and the kids (the course ran right in front of our hotel), give them high-fives and revel in their proud smiles and encouraging cheers (I also got to throw my jacket to Alfie so I wouldn't have to tie it around my waist and have it irritate me for the next 10 miles).

10 - I got to high-five them again as they cheered me from the sidelines, 3 seconds before crossing the finish line.

11 - After the race, I scarfed down an In-And-Out Cheeseburger, Animal Fries and chocolate milkshake -- and Alfie didn't bat an eyelash.

12 - I've finished 3 half-marathons and run two of them -- which makes me a half-marathon veteran. Sort of.

13 - My time -- 2:32:09 -- is only 10 minutes slower than my last half-marathon time 3 years ago. I said back then that I wasn't expecting to finish below 3 hours, but I really wasn't expecting to this time around. In fact, I was scared they'd have to put me in a van and drive me to the finish line!

0.1 - Did I mention that Tiffany necklace? Oh, drat, that was last time. Unlike my Nike Half-Marathon finisher's medal, I won't be wearing this one out on a date anytime soon. But I'm so grateful to have earned it, I don't care. I'm just happy it's mine.

Giving Thanks

Today I'm sharing a couple of videos of my boys giving thanks.


Jammy and his classmates expressed their happiness and thanks through dance. Judging by the little jigs he's doing, Jammy is very thankful this year.



3Po is thankful for friends and the earth and such. I'm thankful for him.


Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Paying My Respects, 8 Years After

When I was invited to attend Time to Play magazine's 2009 Holiday showcase, I almost peed in my pants in my eagerness to attend, for two reasons; first, because I would get to see all the coolest -- and hottest -- toys for the 2009 holiday season, and second, because the event was in New York.

Once I was sure this trip was going to happen, I knew immediately that there was one place in New York I wanted to visit: Ground Zero. The last time I was in Manhattan, the Twin Towers were still standing.

It was weird looking at the Manhattan skyline from the airport car window and not seeing the twin towers jutting up into the sky. It's difficult to suppress a sigh. They were so magnificent. It's such a shame. I cannot imagine what New Yorkers must feel. They must miss it fiercely, as though the towers were limbs amputated from the body of buildings that is Manhattan.




Today Ground Zero looked like a busy, bustling construction site. As I looked down on the site from my vantage point at the World Financial Center, I remembered my own visits to the WTC. As a little kid, I remember standing on the ground, staring up at the two buildings until I was almost bent over backwards in my effort to see the top. I remember going up to the Top of the World observation deck in Tower 2. Another time, I remember getting off the subway at the station underneath the complex and shopping at Century 21 afterwards. On another visit, I remember having lunch at the Windows on the World restaurant in Tower 1, and looking out the windows and down at the clouds.


I stopped by the Tribute WTC Visitor Center, where they have a gallery of personal images, videos, artifacts and stories of people affected by the tragedy.



The volunteers have thoughtfully left boxes of tissues at strategic places throughout the galleries. I used my fair share of them.


I also signed up for a walking tour around the perimeter of Ground Zero and a couple of memorials built to commemorate the lives that were lost. I normally don't like organized tours, and I didn't want something where the guide points and the tourists gawk. I especially don't like the thought of commercializing and profiting from what happened.

But I signed up because the tour guides are volunteers who were survivors, family members, rescue workers, volunteers, or people who were significantly affected by 9/11. Each tour is different because each tour guide interweaves the facts with their personal accounts of their 9/11 experience. One of our tour guides was a retired firefighter and volunteer rescue worker who spoke of inhaling so much white (toxic) dust during his rescue work that his wife's lips burned when she kissed him. Our other tour guide spoke about the search for her daughter, hearing a little girl talk about how she saw "the birds in the sky were burning", and wondering how many years later that little girl would realize that what she saw burning in the sky were not actually birds. It was touching and moving and very emotional.

I know many New Yorkers feel almost insulted that tourists flock to the site, that it's disrespectful to be posing for photos in front of this place of such tragedy. But what happened at Ground Zero affected so many people to some degree, and it is fitting that people should go there to visit and pay their respects and mourn the loss of the landmarks and community and lives. It's what people do when they care.

Even kids can Do One Nice Thing

Last week I put my on my repressed little kid artist hat and painted some faces for a good cause. A good friend of The Pea and her mother have put together a wonderful program for residents of a nearby homeless shelter. This kid is a smart and compassionate little cookie, and she realizes that not every child gets to have a fancy birthday party with clowns and cupcakes. So she and her mother organized a Birthday Club where they invite friends to host birthday parties each month for kids at the shelter. Hosts provide cupcakes and pizza and tableware and decorations, and they take donations of gently used books so that each birthday child gets a nicely wrapped book as a present.

When I heard about this program, I knew I wanted to participate. When I was little and my birthday rolled around, my parents would always take us to the local orphanage to distribute ice cream cones to the children, and I always thought it was a wonderful way to teach children that blessings can be shared. I saw this as the perfect way to continue the tradition with my own children -- but quite honestly, we don't have the money to be hosting this kind of thing. So I offered to attend the party and paint children's faces, because I know every kid loves to have their face painted, and even though we don't have as much money as the people living around us, I can still contribute my time and talents and set an example of community service to my kids.

I have to say, I was delighted to find that the party -- and the face painting -- was a huge success. My table was mobbed! I stayed way past the party end time because there were still children asking to have their faces painted. I even painted the faces of some of the children of the party hosts. The children were all so excited, from the moment they began leafing through my books of designs, to sitting still (well, not so still) while I painted their face, to looking in the mirror and seeing the designs on their faces for the very first time. It was wonderful to see, and I was happy to be a part of such a special event. And I was happy that my kids were seeing me and the other moms doing something nice for other kids.

But believe it or not, even though this post is almost over and I've been blathering about myself, this post is not about the One Nice Thing that I did. Almost an hour after I was scheduled to finish up, I finally packed my painting kit up and called my kids to come with me and head for the car. When Jammy, who had been playing soccer with the other kids, heard that we were going home, his face crumpled.

Me: What's wrong, honey? It's really late, and we have to go home!

Jammy: But I don't want to go home yet! I want you to paint my face!

Me: I didn't know you wanted me to paint your face. You should have lined up, just like all the other kids.

Jammy (now crying in earnest): But I wanted to let all the kids who've never had their faces painted go first. I kept looking over to where you were and you were always painting someone else's face.

Me: Honey, I'm really sorry, but it's going to be your bedtime soon, and we have to go.

Jammy (wails): But I wanted my face painted!

Me (holding Jammy close and whispering): That was a very nice thing you did, letting everyone else go first, and I'm sorry I don't have enough time to paint your face today. But you know, Jammy, I can paint your face anytime. These children don't get very many chances to have their faces painted, and so today is for them.

Jammy (after a pause, sniffling and holding back a sob): Okay, mama, you can paint my face some other time.


I'm so proud of my son.


This post was inspired by Debbie Tenzer's Do One Nice Thing, September's choice for the Silicon Valley Moms book club. Click here to see other posts inspired by the book.

(Belated) Happy World Gratitude Day!

Did you know that yesterday was World Gratitude Day? In 1977, the United Nations Meditation Group established World Gratitude Day as an opportunity to celebrate the things you are grateful for and to show appreciation for your blessings.

This holiday is great because everyone can take part by acknowledging what you are thankful for -- and I have the perfect venue for bloggers to do it. As many of you know, last month I participated in the Tiny Prints Gratitude Challenge, a 21-day exercise in finding things to grateful for each and every day. Just like with physical exercise, I found that exercising my Gratitude muscles made it easier for me to appreciate the simple, everyday joys in life.

Now, Tiny Prints has opened up the Gratitude Challenge to everyone, and I encourage you all to participate! You'll be in the company of some great bloggers to inspire you along the way. Watch the video above -- some of my fellow bloggers' stories are so touching, you can't but help find things to be grateful for in your own life.

Gratitude Challenge: Day 21

You know how you have to give a kid a new food, like, 1 skillion times before he acquires a taste for it? How you have to practice before you can ride a two-wheeler or swim a lap? After 21 days of doing the Gratitude Challenge, I've come to realize that gratitude is a bit like that; it gets easier with practice. Once you get on a roll, you find things to be grateful for all around.

For example, yesterday, Day 21 of the Gratitude Challenge, was a very ordinary day. But if I think back on yesterday with that Attitude of Gratitude, yesterday becomes a day filled with happiness and good fortune. I can easily find 21 things to be grateful for on Day 21:

1) I'm grateful that Alfie did breakfast duty so I was able to sleep in.

2) I'm grateful that he gave me the very last cup of our favorite greek yogurt.

3) I'm grateful that my kids put all their breakfast dishes into the sink.

4) I'm grateful that the fridge doesn't stink anymore.

5) I'm grateful that the dirty laundry hamper is finally empty (for now).

6) I'm grateful that I was able to finish writing two product reviews.

7) I'm grateful that I didn't break any bones or sprain any ankles when I fell off the Shred Sled for the first time. All I bruised were my wrist, my butt, and my ego.

8) I'm grateful we have so many computers in the house, so the kids were able to play computer games, Alfie was able to study, and I was able to blog, all at the same time.

9) I'm grateful for the extreme heat -- it was so hot that Alfie and I decided not to heat up the house any further by turning on the stove, and head out for an evening at the mall instead.

10) I'm grateful for the cool Lincoln MKT that the Ford Company loaned me to test-drive this weekend. The kids enjoy riding in it so much that they didn't whine about having to go shopping at all.

11) I'm grateful that I had the Gratitude Challenge Flip video camera with me so my kids could amuse themselves while Alfie and I tried on some jeans.

12) I'm grateful that I only had to try on 2 pair of jeans before I jound the perfect pair.

13) I'm grateful that I actually found the perfect pair.

14) I'm grateful that a random stranger handed Alfie a coupon for 30% off a pair of Lucky jeans, saving us $30.

15) I'm grateful that we could afford the other $70 so I could buy the perfect pair of jeans.

16) I'm grateful that my kids love sushi, so we were able to eat a healthy dinner at the mall food court.

17) I'm grateful that there was only a small mess in the kids' bedroom to clean up.

18) I'm grateful that the kids are now at the stage where they actually do the cleaning up.

19) I'm grateful that even though we couldn't find a babysitter, Alfie said he'd stay home with the kids so I could get dress up and drop by our friend's end-of-summer party, just to say hi.

20) I'm grateful that I knew enough people at the party to enjoy myself so much that I actually stayed way longer than I had planned.

21) I'm grateful that I didn't stay long enough to be there when the cops showed up (although that would have been interesting, it's been a long time since I've been to a party where the cops were called).

It's not just an Attitude of Gratitude, it's a Habit-ude of Gratitude.

Don't worry, I won't turn into Pollyanna and be all sweetness and light. I won't blog every day about how lucky I am. But I'll be thinking it, and if this keeps on, I think I'll be a lot happier for it. Hopefully, it'll be like learning to bike or swim in one more way: once you learn how to do it, you never forget.


It goes without saying that I'm incredibly grateful to have been included in the Tiny Prints Gratitude Challenge: Take Note, Give Thanks.

Gratitude Challenge: Day 20

Dear Bonggamom,

First of all, I apologize that this note is coming to you via your blog, rather than on a notecard like the instructions say. But you know yourself, and you know that you're probably not going to get around to mailing the note until a week from now, so this way is quicker. And be honest, you know you want to save that cute Tiny Prints notecard for another occasion. Besides, people might want to know what it is you're taking away from the Gratitude Challenge. So, for the record, here are some things you told yourself you want to remember from these last 20 days:

* There's always a bright side. You just have to look for it. And if you can't find one, make one up. At least it'll make you laugh.

* Take your cue from your kids. If they're looking at you with solemn, scared eyes, it's time to take a step back, remind yourself that they're good kids at heart, and ask yourself if you're blowing things out of proportion.

* If your kids are laughing with delight, stop doing whatever it is you're doing, start doing whatever it is they're doing, and be grateful that you still have time left before they won't let you do whatever it is they're doing along with them.

* Everybody likes to be told Thank You. Everybody likes to be appreciated. Even yourself.

Whenever you're having a crappy day, don't forget to give yourself a slap in the face (it brings blood into your cheeks and makes them all rosy) and read this post!

love,
Bonggamom

PS: you're looking quite pretty today.

Gratitude Challenge: Day 17

Last night was Back-to-School night, and since we now have 3 classrooms to visit and 3 teachers to meet, Alfie and I left the kids with a babysitter, sat in our kids' chairs, and found out all the wonderful things they're going to be learning next year.

I'm continually impressed with the patience and dedication of the teachers at our school. Each year, The Pea has told me that she thinks her current teacher is the best in the world... until she meets her next teacher. It looks like 3Po and Jammy have similar opinions. So this school year I'm determined to do what I can to help out the teachers who do so much to help out my kids.

In last month's Office Max blogcast, my co-panelist Heather told me something that totally blew my mind -- teachers spend an average of $1000 of their own money on school supplies for their classrooms! At Back-to-School night, the kids' teachers did ask for some classroom fees to pay for museum admissions and other programs that they'll be enjoying this year, but I know they need more. 3Po's teacher told us that the school gives her 1 printer ink cartridge each year. Given the number of photo projects she sent The Pea home with when The Pea was in her class 3 years ago, I'm sure that ink cartridge won't last her 3 months.

So if you want to do something kind for your child's teacher, don't give them apples or World's Best Teacher mugs. Give them school supplies. Ask them what they need, then show up the next day with a box of it.

I received an Office Max giftcard as a thank-you for appearing on the back-to-school blogcast from the folks at Office Max. I think I'll be buying a lot of printer ink this year.


When you carry out acts of kindness you get a wonderful feeling inside. It is as though something inside your body responds and says, yes, this is how I ought to feel. --Harold Kushner

Gratitude Challenge: Day 16: 5 Things I like about Myself

When they stand in front of a mirror, most women focus on the parts that they hate, and I'm no exception. There's always something to suck in, something to cover up, something to camouflage. Today I straightened up, squared my shoulders (okay, I did tuck my tummy in) and focused on 5 Body Parts that I love:

1) My eyes
My eyes are brown, with tiny flecks of green. You have to stare really hard into my eyes to see the green, so nobody really knows they're there. But it's like wearing smoking hot leopard-print underwear; I know they're there, and that's enough.

2) My lips
I never really thought about my lips until someone told me they were perfect and sexy as hell. After that line, of course, I simply had to marry him.

3) My cheekbones
I have no illusions about looking like a model, but you always read about models having high cheekbones, so in that respect, at least, it's nice to be in good company.

4) My shoulders
My shoulders are broad and square, which I'm thankful for because I never ever had to use shoulder pads. Now I can look back at those photos in the 80's when everyone wore shoulder pads and revel in the fact that I didn't look too ridiculous.

5) My boobs
In this breast-obsessed, bigger-is-better, Barbie-doll-boob world, you'd think I'd be secretly longing for D or C cups. Or B cups. But I'm actually fine with having small breasts. The age-and-breastfeeding-induced-droopiness is another matter altogether. And I suppose it would be nice to have boobs bigger than a twelve-year--old's. Ok, maybe this breast size thing is a work in progress, but on the whole I'm happy with what I have.

Gratitude Challenge, Day 15: I'm the most awesome-est, bestest mutha eva

This week, I think, is going to be the most challenging one of the Gratitude Challenge. Be Grateful for Who You Are. Focus on yourself, the instructions say. Appreciate and give thanks for your unique personality, skills and talents.

But nice girls don't do that. We're supposed to be humble, not go on about how great we are, let alone blog about it. No wonder girls have problems with self esteem.

Today I'm going so say To Hell with Humility, give a shout out to myself and force you all to watch a video of ME doing something I'm proud of. No, I didn't promote world peace or reform health care or land a six-figure salary. I stayed up on a Shred Sled long enough for Alfie to videotape me. And when you consider that I couldn't even last two seconds the first time I tried it, and that I was too afraid to try, I think it's a pretty darn awesome feat.



Okay, I won't be seeking out any halfpipes anytime soon. But at least my kids can be proud that their old lady ain't no wuss.

Want to try the Shred Sled yourself? Click here to enter my Shred Sled giveaway on Bonggamom Finds!

"You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection." --Buddha

Gratitude Challenge: Day 12

It's funny that I just recently blogged about my teachers' old "hotter than hell" lectures, because this weekend, it is hotter than hell.   And I've got my period, which means I'm ache-y and cranky and not in the least inclined to see the glass half full.  But just tonight, as I was tucking The Pea in bed, I mentioned that I was feeling bad because I was less than nice to my sister when I spoke to her on the phone just a few hours before.  I said, more to myself than The Pea, "I hope she's not mad at me".  The Pea looked at me and said, "Oh, no, mama.  She's your sister.  That what families do, they look out for each other." 
That's my girl.  She's living the Gratitude Challenge every day of her life, and she doesn't even need instructions.

Optimist: someone who figures that taking a step backward after taking a step forward is not a disaster, it's a cha-cha. ~Robert Brault, www.robertbrault.com

Gratitude Challenge: Day 13

One family member I'm really close to is my sister.  After a decade of living far away, I'm now close to her in the literal sense as well -- she and her family moved to San Ramon last year.  We're 18 months apart and grew up fighting like cats. It's kind of hard to see a person's "inner nobility" when you're trying to scratch her eyes out, and even when we were on good terms I never really reflected on the kind of person she is.  But as I've come to know her as an adult and a woman and a mother, I can see that she's one of the kindest, most generous people I know.    I'm so grateful to be her "little sister" (I'm actually 6 inches taller than she is) and grateful that she's so close by.

Gratitude Challenge: Day 10

I must confess that I kind of cheated with this post.  I don't have any photos to post along with my words -- but in my defense, a camera would have been kind of awkward.  I went for a run along the Stanford Dish Trail today -- okay, it was more like a walk, but if you've ever gasped your way up that steep, steep trail you'd slow down too.  Unless you're Lance Armstrong.  Except everyone who does The Dish must end up feeling like Lance Armstrong, because for me, at least, when those exercise-induced endorphins kick in, I feel like I could run forever.

The Dish on a spring day or a summer morning is possibly one of the nicest places to be in the whole Bay Area.  You feel the warm sun on your face and the cool air on your skin.  You see the blue sky above you and the green fields around you (In the summer it's more like brown, but hey, golden wheat-colored grass can be pretty too.  I tell you, those endorphins make everything good.).   Sometimes all of this passes without notice because you're sweating and struggling.  But once you get to the top of the hill and turn around to look, your breath is taken away by the amazing view of Stanford and Palo Alto and the San Francisco Bay.  On a clear day, you can almost see all the way to San Francisco and the Bay Bridge. 

Whenever I do The Dish, I sometimes start out reluctantly and painfully, but I always end up feeling happy to be alive.  

Gratitude Challenge: Day 11

“Can you see the holiness in those things you take for granted–a paved road or a washing machine? If you concentrate on finding what is good in every situation, you will discover that your life will suddenly be filled with gratitude, a feeling that nurtures the soul.” — Rabbi Harold Kushner

I never take paved roads for granted.  I lived too long in a country where a good road was one where the potholes were the size of soccer balls instead of beach balls.  When Alfie complains about the state of the roads in the Bay Area, I nod and agree with him -- and really, I do agree with him, of course the roads ought to be fixed, where are our tax dollars going! -- but I can't seem to sum up the indignation that he feels.  One of the nicest things about having lived in a third-world country is that you will never, ever take things like infrastructure for granted.  Or hot showers.  Or showers, period.  I've lived in the US for 15 years, and even now, every time I step into a shower I revel in the wonderful sensation of hot, strong spray of water, and I feel blessed to be me.

When I was in grade school and we would complain about the incessant heat, our teachers loved to scold us with, "It's hotter in hell" (obviously I studied at a Catholic school).  My dislike for instilling fear of hellfire and brimstone in impressionable young minds aside, those teachers did have a point. 

Gratitude Challenge: Day 9

Today's challenge is to enjoy and appreciate the people around you -- which proved to be quite a challenge, because today was 3Po's and Jammy's first day of kindergarten. With my two constant appendages safely tucked away in their classroomsI felt free as a bird and lonesome as a hermit. Awesome!

Of course, in true mom fashion, I actually found myself thinking more about them than ever, worrying about how they would do. I'm not about to underestimate that twin bond, and this is the first time we've really cut the cord between the two of them (yes, they are in separate classes -- watch this video to find out why!), Jammy is such a hardy, independent little soul, but even he might crumble at this first experience of being away from his twin. To say nothing of sensitive, emotional 3Po.

It turns out I had nothing to worry about. They had a great first day and can't wait to go back to school tomorrow. They don't need me so much anymore, which is a good thing, but maybe not Awesome with a Capital A. Good Lord, I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think I'm going to miss my boys being with me all the time.

Oh well. The winter break is coming up in four months, and I'll have more than enough time with my kids to appreciate them up close!


“Let's be grateful for those who give us happiness; they are the charming gardeners who make our soul bloom.” -Marcel Proust

Gratitude Challenge: Day 8

Wow, one week down and I'm already on the second week of the Gratitude Challenge! As the button says, I feel happier already -- although that might be because 3Po and Jammy are entering kindergarten. In any case, I'm certainly more mindful about cultivating an Attitude of Gratitude, and I'm constantly looking out for little things to be grateful for.

Speaking of kindergarten, today's challenge is to send thank you notes to five people who deserve recognition. Is it any surprise that three of those notes went to my kids' teachers? Next to parents and family, teachers are one of the strongest influences in a child's life -- and I'm grateful that each day I get to leave my babies in good hands.

(On a side note, even though the Gratitude Challenge is the brainchild of premium stationary company Tiny Prints, they did not ask any of the participants for any mention of their company or products whatsoever. But gift #3, a set of personalized notecards to write the thank-you notes on, was so cute that I just had to give a shout out to their kickass quality).

“Saying thank you is more than good manners. It is good spirituality.” -Alfred Painter

Gratitude Challenge: Day 7

What a great way to end the weekend! After coming home from a weekend in Napa Valley, all dusty and disheveled from two nights in a campground, it was a nice surprise to open the second present in our Gratitude Kit -- and see a Flip video camera underneath the wrapping paper! Thanks, Tiny Prints -- you rock, and this brand spanking new camera is just one of the things I'm grateful for today.



I feel a very unusual sensation - if it is not indigestion, I think it must be gratitude. ~Benjamin Disraeli

Gratitude Challenge: Day 6

Manhattan is one of my favorite cities in the entire world. I love the energy and vibrancy of the city; when I walk along Manhattan's streets, I truly feel alive. I used to travel to Manhattan fairly often on business, but I haven't been there in ten years. I miss it dearly.

Part of my Manhattan experience has always been spending time with my aunt. She's my dad's younger sister, 17 years younger than my dad, so she's more like a fun older sister than a stodgy old aunt. She lives with her husband on the upper West Side, and a visit to New York is never complete without visiting her. They always know the best places to eat, the best shows to watch, the best places to spot celebrities. My uncle and aunt are just like the rest of Manhattan, just brimming with energy. I don't get to see them much anymore, and just like Manhattan, I miss them dearly.

This October I'll be visiting Manhattan again, so yesterday I called my aunt to tell her the good news. I'm really not much of a phone person, which is why I haven't talked to her in quite a while, but this is not the kind of news that should be delivered via email. It was great to hear her voice! She immediately invited me to spend a night or two with her, so even though I haven't bought my plane tickets yet, as far as I'm concerned my plans are set. Grateful? I'm beyond grateful for the chance to see New York and my aunt again!