August Happiness Challenge -- Day 7

Today's happiness -- Using my words. On Sundays, I try to do good. Today I did.

First, I sent Postcards to Voters, supporting veteran and West Pointer Pat Ryan for Congress. Then I wrote a letter to a senior in residence at Illini Restorative Care through Letters Against Isolation.

I can't sing or dance. I don't cook, paint or knit. But I can write. Words come easily to me and I have pretty handwriting. It makes me happy and I feel closer to God when I use my one God given talent for good on a Sunday.

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.

Sunday Stealing

PERSONAL HISTORY

1.  What would you like people to know about your mother? I got my love and affinity for animals from her. She liked to watch baseball, but only when the Cubs were at bat. Made my father nuts.

2.  What would you like people to know about your father? He liked to sing with the radio and had a nice voice. Not much made him happy.

3.  What was your childhood bedroom like? A mess. Like my adult bedroom.

4.  What was your favorite activity as a child? Playing with Barbie or riding my bike.

5.  What was high school like for you? Awful.

6.  Write about your cousins. My cool cousin is a Renaissance man. He taught music at the community college, played trombone in the pit for Broadway productions like The Lion King when they came through town, and now he paints. He's gotten up to $3,000 for his abstract acrylics. He's also been happily married since his long-ago college days to a girl he met on campus. He is completely awesome.

7.  What was your favorite food as a child? Fish sticks. I still like fish sticks.

8.  What was your most memorable birthday? I had my first legal drink at a Tiki bar called Pago Pago.

9.  What world events were significant to you as a child? The assassinations: JFK, Bobby and Dr. King. To this day, when there's "breaking news," I assume someone shot the President. I remember watching Neil Armstrong step foot on the moon. It was after my bedtime but I stayed up for it. The Beatles on Ed Sullivan was huge for me, too.

10. What did a typical day look like as a child? It started with a bowl of cereal and a sliced banana. A glass of milk except on the coldest days, then I got hot chocolate.

11. Write about your grandparents. I prefer thinking about my nice grandparents. My grandpa loved his garden, especially the marigolds, and he built things in his workshop. He made the swing in the backyard. My grandma was very involved with the Girl Scouts and church. Her favorite Cub was Ryne Sandberg. ("That smile!") I have her Ryne Sandberg jersey. 

12. Did you move as a child? No.

13. Who taught you to drive? The high school driver's ed teacher. I was not a success story.

 14. Which job has been your favorite? I worked in new product development for a haircare company. I did the copy for the bottles and boxes. Loved it! That's where I won my Clio.

 15. What was the best part of your 30s? That was the decade when I started taking myself seriously. I wasted my 20s on a very high maintenance relationship. It didn't feel like there was much room for me in there. In my 30s, I went from having a job to having a career.