Things that make Sara happy

Love, right now.

thingsthatmakesarahappy — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 17:04:58 +0000

I didn’t like the post I made the other day so I’m starting it again. What triggered this inspiration was a message I got from Asmaa sharing this article with me. I spend a lot of time focusing on on goals, on bettering myself, thinking about the future, on wanting more than I have. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with trying to attain things and working towards something, but right now I don’t think I spend enough time just living in the present and enjoying all the things in my life and thinking I’m pretty damn cool for having all of those things. I have worked really hard for the successes, interests and people I have around me.

The end of the article really touched me: “We help one another other live and sometimes, we watch – and help – one another die. It happens in movies, sure, but it also happens every day, in real life – now, tomorrow, yesterday. It is transformative and transcendent. It is real. It is love.”

How can I ignore the fact that I know what that feels like? I know it 5 or 6 times over. I’m the luckiest person for it.

With Love.

thingsthatmakesarahappy — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 03:01:52 +0000

I totally forgot that the 2 year anniversary of this blog was on January 18th! I have been too distracted with school, marking, report cards and general drama to remember anything else. I feel like this time of the year is always particularly difficult for me; I start to daydream more frequently, feel less satisfied with movies or TV or music (or things that I enjoy about life) and feel pretty unimpressed with myself in general.

I did not intend for this post to get so negative, but that’s Sunday night blues for you. I am going to bed, and listening to this song.

Happy 2012!

thingsthatmakesarahappy — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 22:52:43 +0000

It’s no surprise that I didn’t finish my A-Z end of the year happy list on time. I thought that if I started more than a week before the new year, I would finish it. Oh well, instead I have been enjoying my time off and being social, eating nice meals and listening to fantastic music.

I don’t ever make a big deal out of new years, but I always been optimistic about the prospect of a new year. I am hopeful about fresh starts, new beginnings and personal goals. I hope 2012 is the greatest year of everyone’s lives!

I’ve decided this is my 2012 anthem!

A-Z of things that made 2011 happy: Part 1

thingsthatmakesarahappy — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 02:19:35 +0000

I did these types of posts last year and I thought they were a fun reminder of all the things that made me happy throughout the year. 2011 seemed like a year of new beginnings, so I thought it would be a good idea to continue this type of post.

A is for Asam.

Asam is someone who I met only a little while ago but I feel like I’ve known my whole life. We somehow became instant BFFs and understand each other in ways that I don’t really know how to explain in words. We can really see each other and appreciate and listen to each other (and can make fun of each other a whole lot). I feel really blessed to know him and be close to him and consider him part of my family.

B is for Belle and Sebastian and Bears

After seeing them live for the first time last year, I think I spent a lot of the year getting reacquainted and falling in love with every song they have ever written. Also, I really love bears. Like every kind of bear ever.

C is for Canon

I got my first DSLR this summer and it has brought so much joy and obsession from the first moment I held it in my hands. I love it so much. Using it is pretty much my favourite thing to do, even if I am just sitting in Tim Hortons and taking pictures of the same subject for a half hour.

D is for Duets

Not technically a duet, but still fills me with happiness when I watch it. I’m so glad to have been able to witness it, film it, and put it on YouTube.

E is for Every personalized card that I wrote for each of my students today. They were written on cute cards with brightly coloured envelopes. And they were so happy to receive them, even the boys (who are usually too cool to get sentimental messages from their teacher).

One example:

Dearest A,

Thank you for your positive attitude in the classroom, it helps me feel more positive too. I hope you have a fun time during the break and I look forward to your sweet nature in the new year! Please remember that I am here for you so don’t ever hesitate to come to me when you need to. Happy 2012! - Ms. M

Which ever way I go, I come back to the place you are.

thingsthatmakesarahappy — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 00:39:46 +0000

I just finished marking a bunch of grade 6 poetry portfolios and now I feel super productive. What better way to take a “break” then to come online in order to further procrastinate.

I genuinely cannot believe I have made it to December. I know I still have most of the year left, and worst of all, winter to still deal with, but I’m kind of proud of myself and how much I feel like I have grown in these few months. Not only with being a teacher, but mostly with everything else.

But I have to be honest here. I still kinda wish I could quit my job and start a two-person cover band. I would be the singer and play keyboard/synth or bass guitar. And this is the first song we would cover:

November is basically over and I’m still alive.

thingsthatmakesarahappy — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 20:15:00 +0000

I had this post drafted for about 10 days and now I’m forcing myself to finish it while my class is working on a writing prompt.

This crazy month is almost over but I am actually really grateful to be this busy. Though my body is kind of angry with me because I am treating it badly and not drinking or resting enough. I am in slight denial that I have a cold and losing my voice.

Anyhow, I think a happy list is long overdue.

I have a new nephew named Ibraheem, who doesn’t do much and who I don’t see very often. But is cute and smells good.
That sort of creepy/overly friendly (which translates as creepy to me at 6:30 in the morning) bus driver who calls me “smiley” as he greets me every day. It’s funny because I am clearly not smiley, especially when I’m rushing to catch the bus. He is also kind of wonderful because on Friday, when I was running super late and was sure I was going to miss the bus, I saw it there and the creepy bus driver said he was waiting for me, which actually sounds creepy.
Having co-workers that I genuinely laugh with for practically two hours straight after school.
My incredible sister (and family who helped out a lot) put together an amazing event to launch her new company, Azadi Project. I edited together a video to play during the presentation and arranged the songs for the fashion show. And I was one of the photographer/videographers for the event, reminded of how much I love video and photography and how much I miss it working with it. What makes me so happy were my wonderful friends who came to support the event and put in so much work with set up, selling and cleaning up. I was reminded of why I consider these people my family.
Skype conversations that are so beautiful and make me cry.
Music that helps me remember everything that I thought I had forgotten. Like listening to Ani DiFranco will always remind me of walks or afternoons spent with Angela. And how Ani knows about a lot of the emotions I have experienced and sings about them so well.
Planning possible mini-vacations to Montreal for next weekend! I need to get away from this city so badly!
Missing this blog like crazy.

Trying to make the best out of a stressful month.

thingsthatmakesarahappy — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 03:01:17 +0000

Spending a Monday night listening to The Sundays and thinking about how things could be so much worse, especially the possibility of not having a three year old nephew who asks to listen and sing along to Moonshadow in the car. Or not having friends to talk on the phone to, who know the best possible things to say at the best possible moment, who hate and make fun of the same things I do, who know so much more than I do.

I was going to make this post longer, but it’s 10pm and past my bedtime. But I’m alive and optimistic, as usual.

Accept Yourself.

thingsthatmakesarahappy — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 13:09:25 +0000

I just want to acknowledge this small epiphany I am having this morning.

I am a huge ball of irrational, sentimental, and overwhelming emotions. I am intensely sensitive about some things and can also be incredibly laid back about lots of other things.

I can put myself in situations that make me feel really exposed and vulnerable to other people all the time.

And I’m pretty okay with that. In fact, I think I like that about myself.

This morning feels really good because I am able to accept that about myself.

Pictures that make me happy.

thingsthatmakesarahappy — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 03:46:34 +0000

I probably have about a million pictures that make me extremely happy (most of which are not suitable for this blog) but I will share a few that currently make my heart happy.

I was the MC at the AQSAzine event this week and it was really touching and wonderful and I think I did a pretty good job!

Everything to do with the last episode of Parks & Recreation. I really want a Treat Yo Self day!

These two are basically for Asmaa. I will send you all the pictures momentarily, Samaa. I know it’s lame to just post pictures of myself, but for the sake of privacy and that this is a public blog, I shall refrain from posting pictures with others (unless it’s of me and Ori, because I don’t care about that, we’re awesome).

Thanksgiving.

thingsthatmakesarahappy — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 02:08:48 +0000

I had a pretty wonderful and relaxing weekend. I didn’t spend a single moment thinking or worrying about school, which kind of feels like a bad thing right now because I’m sort of scrambling to get organized for tomorrow. But it doesn’t really matter. Not with the lovely weekend I had. Some highlights:

Being super hungry and going to Costco with Mona and trying lots of different food samples. And then finding the Gavin and Stacey DVD box set and saying out loud: “I want this. I want this!”
Basically everything in this picture: eating various cheeses and bread, sheesha, watching Golden Girls.
Spending lots of time watching various TV and movies (and beginnings of movies because we got bored of them).
Listening to the Drive Soundtrack as much as possible.
Saying the phrase: “He is a beautiful, beautiful, beautiful human being.”
Taking lots and lots of pictures.
Frantically looking for something and then realising it was right beside me.
Having serious, reflective conversations about families and the future and everything else.
Naturally waking up way too early when I could have slept in and catching up with TV.
Blanket time.
Taking more pictures. I hadn’t used my camera in weeks!

I need to make myself snap out of it and get ready for the week ahead. And all the weeks after that.