August Happiness Challenge -- Day 20

Today's happiness -- Ronald Reagan. Before today, I don't think I've ever seen our 40th President exercise his previous profession. I just always assumed he was a lousy actor because, well, for the most part I never got his appeal as President.*

 

But I just watched Nine Lives Are Not Enough and it was a revelation. The future POTUS was lithe and adept at physical comedy, jaunty and charming with his fedora and pipe, roguish and not entirely ethical as a newspaper reporter (which especially amused me when I thought of how First Lady Nancy Reagan used to complain about the press).

This 1941 movie isn't great. It's short (just a whisper over an hour) and superficial and silly. But really, Reagan was good. I smiled a lot as I watched it.

*His speech after The Challenger tragedy is a notable exception. He was wonderful that night. I will always be grateful for the way he soothed us.

Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.

August Happiness Challenge -- Day 19

Today's happiness -- A blast from the past. Back in 2014, they began knocking down walls at work. When they first took our offices away, they put us in low-walled pods of four. Now we're in a complete open seating plan, which has us at what reminds me of long picnic tables. A bad move during a pandemic because social distancing is impossible and we're all still working from home ... but that's a rant for another time.

ANYWAY I've often forgotten how exposed I am at the office. People can always observe me, even when I'm not thinking about it, even people I don't work with directly. One of those casual acquaintances was Diya. We seldom worked together, but she sat across from our pod and found me rather entertaining and likeable. In fact, in 2014, she unexpectedly gave me a Christmas present: a Kate Spade knock off because she often heard me bag obsessing. She included a note: "To the most thoughtful person I've ever had the good fortune of knowing. You spread the holiday cheer year round." 

I carry that note with me to this day. It meant a great deal to me. 

ANYWAY over the years Diya's career and life have really taken off. Since that long ago Christmas she's had two babies and been promoted to director on another account. Between her different career path and work-from-home, I literally have not set eyes on her in almost two years.

Today she reached out to me, out of blue. While I was writing about motor oil (riveting, I know!) my messaging app pinged and it was Diya! "I miss you. How's the kitty?" That's the thing about Reynaldo, that skinny beige tomcat brings people together!

Diya went on to say that she was thinking of me today, missed running into me at the office, and hopes I'm OK. How sweet is that? Busy as she is -- and a director working from home with two preschool kids has to be busy! -- she thought of me and reached out.

Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.