SOLC 2018–Day 20: Little Things

March 2018 SOLC–Day 20
A huge thank you to Two Writing Teachers for all that they do to create an amazing community of writers and a safe, welcoming space to write, learn, share and grow.
http://www.twowritingteachers.org

March is always a challenging month. It contains this daily writing challenge, report cards, and parent/teacher conferences. Throw in MEA testing, regular planning and lingering winter and you can see why it can be daunting at times. When I get overwhelmed, I try to focus on those little things that make me happy. Here are eight of them (Ten just seemed too predictable!):

1. Writing with a very sharp pencil. Of course, this only lasts for a few words or sentences, but I love the press of that sharp tip on paper. I’ve switched to mechanical pencils for the convenience of “ever sharp”, but they really don’t compare.
2. Jazzy paperclips. I buy boxes of plastic coated brightly colored and patterned paper clips for my classroom. The little bursts of color make me happy. (Until I discover their mutilated little corpses on the floor or under my desk. Who is doing this and why? And when??)
3. Ginger preserves. OMG. These are amazing. I make toast and slather it with a thick layer of chunky ginger preserves and I’m immediately happy. (This was an undiluted pleasure until my daughter recently discovered the Prop 64 “known carcinogen label” on its side. We now refer to this as the cancer jam. Ugh. But I did a little research and I still eat it.)
4. Choosing stamps. When I go to the post office, I spend time looking at what stamps are available. There’s always some version of Love stamps and the ubiquitous flag stamps, but there are treasures to be found. I just picked up a sheet of Andrew Wyeth stamps and a sheet of stamps inspired by Ezra Jack Keats’ Snowy Day. There’s a small joy in choosing which stamp to use, especially if I’m sending a card or letter.
5. Good pens. Trite but true. I have a few favorites, depending on what I’m doing. Flair pens. Optiflow. Uniball. A fresh sheet of paper and a smooth-flowing pen= heaven.
6. Bird watching. I can do this for hours. During the recent storms the birds have been so active at the feeders! I’m feeling a bit guilty these days though, as the addition of two young and active cats to our household, combined with bird feeders, seems a bit like aiding and abetting.
7. The seat warmer in my car. I snuggle right into that warm seat and feel contentment spread through my body. Doesn’t that saying go, “Warm butt, warm heart?” Best car option EVER!
8. Soup! Soup! Soup! Every Sunday I make a batch to eat for lunch at school all week long. I love the aromatic tendriling steam above it, the fact that it simmers away without much attention while I attend to other things, and the knowledge that one part of my week is now under control. Ah, soup! This week’s flavor: Butternut Squash Curry. Yum!

What are the little things that brighten up your day?