Making Myself Happy
I had to be straight with the Wolvog: his Halloween costume was a pain in my ass. He wanted to be the 10th Doctor, which seems as if it should be an easy costume, but suits are expensive. Did he want to be the Tardis? I could inexpensively turn him into the Tardis. No, he did not want to be the Tardis, at least not as his first choice. He suggested that he go as the 13th Doctor and wear whatever he wanted to wear. Which was a sweet solution, but it sort of broke my heart.
I had made a promise to the universe when I was waiting for them that I would always furnish my children with kickass Halloween costumes. I could not back down on that promise. But that promise did come with a $20 cap.
He went to school feeling a little down about the whole thing, and I went to the local thrift shop to see if I could find something to turn into a pin-stripe suit.
I had never been in this particular thrift shop and didn’t have high hopes, except that I had received a somewhat anonymous email to go check the thrift shop. Who doesn’t follow instructions that come in an anonymous email?
So I went into the childrens’ clothing room and there, hanging at the end of the row so it was the first thing I saw was a blue, pin-stripe suit jacket. Massively too large but still, exactly what I needed. I took it down and went to pay for it because… I was just so happy. Did the anonymous townsperson put the jacket there for me? Unlikely by the sound of the follow-up email. Did he see it there and remember the plea I sent out to our town listserv? Maybe? Or perhaps it was just random luck.
It only got better because the jacket was $3. THREE DOLLARS. I splurged and bought the boy a Doctor-looking tie.
I went home on a retail high and pretty much shook with excitement all day until the Wolvog came home. He made me take dozens of photos of him posing in his costume. (Though my mother is helping me to take the whole thing in about 8 sizes…)
Okay, that wasn’t a good example because I didn’t make myself happy. The random townsperson made me happy. The store made me happy. And that is a crap shoot.
But I can’t stop talking about his $3.50 Halloween costume. That has to be a record.
*******
When downloading the Serial podcast, I noticed there were a bunch of other podcasts on the “popular” list, and I chose to subscribe to the Nerdist podcast. The only drawback is that they sort of come fast and furious if you are someone like me who has very little time to listen to podcasts. It makes me a little anxious when I open the podcast app and see 14 podcasts awaiting listening.
But they’re really funny, and it is nice to have a disembodied voice telling you a story. The one I just listened to was Spike Feresten. He wrote for Seinfeld and Letterman and has great stories about being a comedy writer. He also had a very moving story about having his show canceled and losing his father in the same time period, and it put the idea of disappointment (especially in the arts) in perspective.
It sort of felt like the podcast I needed to hear. Sometimes we don’t get the podcast we want, we get the podcast we need.
So that is making me happy: the disembodied voices telling me funny stories.
What is making you happy this weekend?
And get your posts ready because tomorrow is another #MicroblogMonday.
16 comments
Totally happy, sitting here reading your blog post with my two monkey-twerps (who will both be Robin Hood for halloween this year, in spite of the fact that they *hate* to dress alike…), while one perches on my lap and the other squashes himself between the back of the chair and me, both happily entranced by the Backyardigans.
This is making me happy this weekend, because we are in the process of fixing/moving in to a new house, and I crave stillness, and this is my moment of stillness.
Firstly, reading your post is making me happy. Knowing that you would go out of your way for your son is very cool. Secondly, a long-held dream of mine is being fulfilled tomorrow, with the release of my first ebook.
Semi-anonymous emails that bring good things would make me happy. This weekend, we’re just enjoying my girl’s birthday and the way she’s turned into a multi-day event.
After a day at the flea market where I got a good deal on a library card box and a butter dish Rob surprised me with lunch at a doctor Who themed cafe , Pandorica, full of themed art and episodes playing and even a TARDIS door bathroom. These things made me very happy. And at the cafe I thought of how your kids would love this place.
What’s making me happy today:
* Your post put a smile on my face. 🙂
* The Princess has a new baby sister! 🙂 Let the shopping/spoiling begin, lol….
* It’s Thanksgiving weekend here, and we are going to BIL’s this afternoon for lunch.
* The fall colours are gorgeous right now.
Life is good. 🙂
Writing time!
Hubby took the boy outside for a bit so I could finish making lunch in peace, get a load of laundry started and even sit down to take a very short break (on the computer). And then I got a message saying to come outside to see the gifts. My boy had picked me some of the last straggly daises he found.
I also made some yummy brownies. 🙂
I love that you got an anonymous-ish tip that solved a problem for you.
I’m happy right now watching the Broncos game. And I’m excited to publish my #MicroblogMondays tomorrow and share it with others.
I relived a little bit of my childhood and made oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. And because the batch was so big, I divided it in half and now have freezer cookie dough, waiting for a need cookies day!
Beginning with Friday, I got a growth opportunity at work- which I’ve been given a week to mull over and decide accordingly. My daughter’s birthday was Saturday and we spent the day doing the usual Saturday stuff (routine makes me happy) and relaxing into a small, celebratory dinner. Today was more relaxing wrapped around a couple of chores. A no fuss, no muss, kind of weekend. Happy. Happy. Happy. And oh, yeah COOOL tip and wonderful solution to Hallween madness. 😉
Happy: apple picking yesterday on a cloudy day with no one in the orchard … apple pie and farmer’s market this morning … bounce house with my daughter today … cardamom ginger scones in the oven … fall. Love the Wolvog’s Halloween costume story. 🙂
Spring is making me happy. We visited friends in a wine region this weekend, and so lots of wine made me (too?) happy too.
As did being out in the country, in an olive grove, really seeing the stars, and falling asleep in complete and utter silence.
Of course, today is Monday here already, so I’m not that happy any more!
Happy this weekend: going for a walk along the lake and looking at the trees changing colors/watching the ducks…hanging out with husband…taking up the dining room table with my jewelry making supplies and putting together several fun pieces.
Love the anonymous email tip to lead to the suit. And $3.50 for a wonderful Halloween costume? That is awesome!
My happy moment this weekend: anticipated having just one egg during our retrieval and turned out retrieving three eggs! Nothing better than unexpected bonus eggs during an egg retrieval. 😀
Your post, of course & you getting happiness. For me, there is nothing like the attention of my birthday & the ones I love making it special for me to make me happy!
I really like the idea of anonymous townspeople mysteriously leaving you $3 costumes in thrift shops then giving you tip-off emails. You should have left us with that version, out there and strong. Tell you what – I’ll ignore the bit where you said it was unlikely.