No matter what is happening around you, you have a choice

"Find the simple joy" -Candace Payne 


I haven't had a day off since mid-April. Working twelve to thirteen hours a day can get to you after a while.

However.

When I watched Candace Payne put that chewbacca mask on and laugh and laugh and laugh while sharing her days events, I belly-laughed right along with her.

And you know what?

I have complained about nothing since.

I refuse to get caught up in politics, or where this world is headed, tirades for various causes, social media ranting, whining and complaining whether it's in person or online.....negativity. I won't be a part of it.

I choose to be happy every day. It's a choice. No matter what is happening around you, you have a choice. It may be tough right now. There might be unresolved issues, or budget problems, or health concerns. The fact remains, we have a choice. Take the mountains one at a time if the problem looms as though that's what it is; a mountain that you don't want to climb. Ask for help. Call a friend. Talk it out. Go for a walk. Clear your mind. Stretch. Do yoga. STAY HYDRATED. (I'm laughing because I'm known as the water pusher). Pray, if that's your thing (to be clear, it is my thing). Sleep well if at all possible.

So yes, I'm the one millionth-plus person (to the naysayers that say they've had enough of this) to share Candace's video in social media. What I would say to them, gently, is, if you are not feeling the joy that this has caused with so many of us, please, please just move along. It's not a mandatory viewing.

On behalf of the fans that are with me, that were laughing and smiling, when seeing Candace in her mask ("It's not me doing that it's the MASK!") , we thank you Candace. Thank you for sharing one small happy that turned into a giant wave of all-of-the-good-feels. We NEED these things. More and more every day, we need them.

See you soon friend,
Tiffany

                                                                          

PS I bought a Jamba Juice Extractor. Gah! I know, me and gadgets, a rather scary idea. But I used it for the first time today and let me tell you, freshly squeezed (well, 'juiced') lemons and oranges are the most delicious concoction ever. I highly recommend! So now Breakfast at Tiffany's is even more exciting. Tomorrow I may juice tomatoes! #simplejoys

I don't want to miss it

"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it".


As I scrolled through social media this morning, chuckling at the annual "May the 4th Be With You" memes and posts, I thought to myself, is this really May 4th, 2016? This year is not stumbling along as though wearing new shoes that are needing to be broken in, it's more of a sprint or mad dash to the finish line as if we are smack dab in the middle of the Summer Olympics.

And it's not Summer. Yet. But at this rate it will be before I blink.
With the recent events at my place of business, I'm wondering if I will be able to do that vacation post, you know the one. Where I write to you from the shore, as I collect shells, and marvel at the vast body of salt water that reminds me, we are not in control here. This world is enormous, beautiful, fast-paced, and far reaching to so many corners I can't even fathom all of them. Will I get to see all of the corners in my lifetime? I don't know. But what I have seen so far, has been nothing short of astonishing and a reminder that wherever we may be, wherever we may live, that is one small space. Do we realize that? Hundreds of thousands walks of life. Various religions and races and spoken languages and traditions. I want to know all of them in some way. But I don't know if I will. It's always nice to dream about it though, and really just to realize it is pretty important. At least I think so.


We are not all the same, and thank goodness we aren't. What a boring world it would be if we were. I do wish there was more acceptance of each other in the world today, the old adage, "why can't we just all get along?" Yes, I still wear the rose-colored glasses. And I won't be removing them.

I'm in the midst of a corporate tug of war, professionally, and I'm regretful to write that it's not fun at all. Honestly, to even mention it leaves me with an anxious feeling, thoughts of, can I say this? Can I say anything about it, will I get in trouble? Suffice to say that I will just leave it as, the company I work for is in the middle of  a strike, and I am really wishing for the day that agreements are made and handshakes ensue and it comes to a peaceful end. Heavy on the peaceful.

So what does all of that mean for me? Twelve-hour workdays with no relief in sight. Hence the "I am not even sure if I will be able to take that beach vacation this year". I'm not whining about it. I'm doing what needs to be done. But I want to write these two things, because this is my personal blog and I can. One: to my union friends, I hear you, I understand, I am here, I love you all, and keep fighting the good fight, I hope you get what you need to be able to come back to work.
Two: to my friends out there in the field, so far away from home and your families, doing physical labor to keep things running, and standing tough in this crisis, I love you all too and I can't wait to hear that you are back home and sitting in your backyards with your family and friends, eating grilled food and enjoying the good life.

So, as time swiftly flies by and 7am turns to Noon then turns to 7pm each day, I've tried my best to stop and look around once in a while. Even with life's ups and downs and unplanned catastrophies, or hardships, I don't want to miss it.

See you soon friend,
Tiffany

PS Breakfast at Tiffany's has been filled with fresh fruit these days. One of the joys of living in North TX is having sweet fruit and fresh vegetables available year round. I can't wait to go to the Farmers Market this year, I just have to find the time to pencil it in. I hope you can do the same in your town!