2009: A Year in Gratitude

For every day in 2009, I wrote down one thing for which I was grateful. Then I stuck in in the sidebar of this blog. It was kind of a smarmy exercise, but you know what? It made me marginally happier. And I'll take marginally happier any day. So I'm starting up again. Yes, I've missed almost a third of 2010, but better late than never. And here's 2009, for posterity. If you are masochistic enough to read through the entire document. you'll notice there are some days missing. These coincided with the Great Evil. I'm not Superwoman.

• 12.31.09: Good weather
• 12.30.09: Lost in the mountains; maps
• 12.29.09: Fences and horses
• 12.28.09: Leftover pizza
• 12.27.09: First footsteps in the white out
• 12.26.09: Wind; B-line; dusting of snow
• 12.25.09: Caramel cruch & bad cable
• 12.24.09: Five miles
• 12.23.09: Road
• 12.22.09: Poetry
• 12.21.09: Wrapping it up
• 12.20.09: Luminaria
• 12.19.09: Empty spoon
• 12.18.09: White elephant! Baguette!
• 12.17.09: Margaritas & flute
• 12.16.09: Frosty morning
• 12.15.09: Penne with chives, goat cheese, and pine nuts.
• 12.14.09: Sun on a day off
• 12.13.09: Dinner parties
• 12.12.09: Sleeping
• 12.11.09: Teaching
• 12.10.09: The brand new bakery
• 12.9.09: Birthday buddy
• 12.8.09: Cheesebread
• 12.7.09: First snow
• 12.6.09: Nutracker; pomegranite mimosas
• 12.5.09: That nice man outside security gave me one of his donuts. And a banana! Score!
• 12.4.09: Endurance; sidecars
• 12.3.09: Running down the beach at sunset
• 12.2.09: Hotel room with beach view
• 12.1.09: Skillz
• 11.30.09: I didn't come home with that sombrero
• 11.29.09: Catching up
• 11.28.09: Alone time; booth dining
• 11.27.09: Dad
• 11.26.09: Giving thanks
• 11.25.09: Banter
• 11.24.09: Indianapolis Monthly
• 11.23.09: New projects
• 11.22.09: Huevos Rancheros in good company
• 11.21.09: Deep River; By and By
• 11.20.09: No one hassled me on the bus
• 11.19.09: I remembered your birthday
• 11.18.09: The fake fake coffee cup
• 11.17.09: New stuff to do
• 11.16.09: Rolling with the punches
• 11.15.09: The dining room table is stable!
• 11.14.09: Houseguests make you clean the toilet
• 11.13.09: Detente
• 11.12.09: Leftover pumpkin bread
• 11.11.09: Practice sight-singing
• 11.10.09: The fire in the belly was metaphorical fire
• 11.9.09: Queso
• 11.8.09: Dinglederry Hall
• 11.7.09: Tea with murder
• 11.6.09: Tortilla junket
• 11.5.09: Blogs about other people's daily food intake
• 11.4.09: Nutella
• 11.3.09: Nothing doing
• 11.2.09: Doing nothing
• 11.1.09: November
• 10.31.09: Hamstrings
• 10.30.09: Roller Derby: Pirates vs. Ninjas
• 10.29.09: Ghost stories; pumpkin spice
• 10.28.09: Staying home
• 10.27.09: I am not one of the girls working the corner
• 10.26.09: Guts
• 10.25.09: Toes flush with the Great Lake
• 10.24.09: Peace
• 10.23.09: Parmesan
• 10.22.09: Leaf; leaf; leaf
• 10.21.09: Surprise champagne
• 10.20.09: Mashed sweet potatoes
• 10.19.09: Lake Griffy
• 10.18.09: Lamb in bernaise
• 10.17.09: Sun
• 10.16.09: Adult students
• 10.15.09: Flute
• 10.14.09: Couch
• 10.13.09: V. was not as bad as he could have been
• 10.12.09: Fall
• 10.11.09: Walkable
• 10.10.09: Oatmeal & deja vu
• 10.9.09: Ceylon tea with honey in a white cup
• 10.8.09: Colony Hotel
• 10.7.09: Plum & goldfish crackers
• 10.6.09: Fresh Florida shrimp
• 10.5.09: Free wi-fi
• 10.4.09: Tom yum
• 10.3.09: Cup after cup of tea
• 10.2.09: Walking to work under a labile sky
• 10.1.09: Home visit
• 9.30.09: Good teachers
• 9.29.09: Self-control
• 9.28.09: Greasy spoon
• 9.27.09: Walkabout
• 9.26.09: Pink
• 9.25.09: Prosciutto
• 9.24.09: Lemon
• 9.14.09: Dark blue sky
• 9.13.09: 10-hour rest
• 9.12.09: 5K
• 9.11.09: Mothers
• 9.10.09: The perfect dentist
• 9.9.09: Coming clean
• 9.8.09: Meatloaf & gravy
• 9.7.09: Quiet
• 9.6.09: Goodbyes
• 9.5.09: Walnut leaves; descent
• 9.4.09: French press
• 9.3.09: Pasta w. melted cheese
• 9.2.09: A sense of humor
• 9.1.09: Accumulated savvy. I think they call this experience.
• 8.31.09: Turkey Run
• 8.30.09: The olive at the bottom of the martini
• 8.29.09: A really good mystery
• 8.28.09: That baking-bread smell
• 8.27.09: Hot pink; kelly green
• 8.26.09: Officemates
• 8.25.09: Productivity spike
• 8.24.09: Daisy eggs
• 8.23.09: Bloomington, IN
• 8.22.09: Beef; corn; cucumber
• 8.21.09: Revision
• 8.20.09: Radiant heat
• 8.19.09: After driving the wrong way on the wrong street for 20 minutes, sushi!
• 8.18.09: Bagels to celebrate non-invasive cancer!
• 8.17.09: Bob the Wobble Clock
• 8.16.09: Forgiveness
• 8.15.09: Pie
• 8.14.09: Time to read a novel in a day.
• 8.13.09: Sore hamstrings
• 8.12.09: Half day!
• 8.11.09: Half-block commute to work
• 8.10.09: Giggling colleagues
• 8.9.09: Farmers
• 8.8.09: Six miles on the towpath
• 8.7.09: Free parking
• 8.6.09: Will
• 8.5.09: Breathing
• 8.4.09: Idaho from 39,000 feet
• 8.3.09: Sea
• 8.2.09: Shanghaied from an unfamiliar airport!
• 8.1.09: Marinade
• 7.31.09: Sunrise run amidst the roses
• 7.30.09: Nose to the glass over Mt. Adams
• 7.29.09: Clean room
• 7.28.09: Accomplishment
• 7.27.09: Friends who shout at groundhogs
• 7.26.09: Surprising shakiness.
• 7.25.09: Wine saver
• 7.24.09: Roasted beets
• 7.23.09: Fountain Square and the DMV
• 7.22.09: Carryout
• 7.21.09: Cooperation
• 7.20.09: Better bus service
• 7.19.09: Good music with good friends
• 7.18.09: Chilaquiles at Cafe Selmarie
• 7.17.09: Friends who pick you up at the train station and thereafer ply you with cheese
• 7.16.09: Cold plums
• 7.15.09: Broiler cheese toast
• 7.14.09: Sore muscles
• 7.13.09: New and chipper doctor
• 7.12.09: Shortcuts
• 7.11.09: Buttery grits
• 7.10.09: Under the awning just in time
• 7.09.09: One-keyed flute on loan
• 7.08.09: Olive was a dog who licked, not bit
• 7.7.09: Words
• 7.6.09: First cherry tomatoes of summer
• 7.5.09: Eating bad quesadillas in a parking lot west of Dayton
• 7.4.09: Blue eyes, dark hair. I love this combo, and it happens to be mine. SCORE.
• 7.3.09: The wisdom to ignore the slightly insulting portion of slightly insulting compliments
• 7.2.09: Mac & cheese
• 7.1.09: Merula
• 6.30.09: Fireflies
• 6.29.09: Cooling off
• 6.28.09: Pizza/beer
• 6.27.09: Farmers' market chard
• 6.26.09: Avocado melt plus tater tots and sidecars
• 6.25.09: Lapsang souchong
• 6.24.09: Alone in the old farmhouse
• 6.23.09: Fiddle
• 6.22.09: Cross relations! Musical, not familial.
• 6.21.09: Safe travels
• 6.20.09: Garage sales
• 6.19.09: Lager
• 6.18.09: It was a dark and stormy morning
• 6.17.09: Prosciutto and mozarella
• 6.16.09: Electricity
• 6.15.09: Strolling down to the coffee shop midmorning
• 6.14.09: The slow blink
• 6.13.09: G&T
• 6.12.09: Philippe Starck
• 6.11.09: Strawberries
• 6.10.09: Crispy friend cheese
• 6.9.09: Murder mysteries
• 6.8.09: Wind; leaves; coffee
• 6.7.09: Waking up slow
• 6.6.09: Zumba; that one green wall
• 6.5.09: The secret bench
• 6.4.09: Vietnamese spring rolls
• 6.3.09: Rain
• 6.2.09: New friends
• 6.1.09: Getting it done
• 5.31.09: Liberal quantities of wine and cheese
• 5.30.09: The book was checked in
• 5.29.09: Ultimate lunch duty
• 5.28.09: Penultimate lunch duty
• 5.27.09: Outside
• 5.26.09: Bedtime
• 5.25.09: Route 40
• 5.24.09: Tarragon
• 5.23.09: Diner hash browns
• 5.22.09: Char
• 5.21.09: Time out
• 5.20.09: Iced tea
• 5.19.09: Instead of accompanying 80 Kindergartners to the zoo, tea.
• 5.18.09: Appreciation
• 5.17.09: Sweet air
• 5.16.09: Walking shoes
• 5.15.09: Cream puffs
• 5.14.09: Sweat
• 5.13.09: Choir
• 5.12.09: Instant justice
• 5.11.09: Teacher coffee!
• 5.10.09: The experimental muffins were superlatively edible
• 5.9.09: Scallions, radishes, lemon, salt
• 5.8.09: Beethoven Five
• 5.7.09: Rubber ducks
• 5.6.09: Free roast beef sandwich!
• 5.5.09: Sleep after a hard day
• 5.4.09: Radio
• 5.3.09: A conversation with a 3-year-old that did not involve coercion
• 5.2.09: Lox
• 5.1.09: Absences
• 4.30.09: Sick days
• 4.29.09: I squeaked that traffic light
• 4.28.09: Veging on the couch
• 4.27.09: The cessation of barfing
• 4.26.09: Talking about home
• 4.25.09: The rare itch to clean
• 4.24.09: Unexpectedly smooth transitioning of tiny people from classroom to bus
• 4.23.09: Lilacs crowding the verge
• 4.22.09: Riotous tulips
• 4.21.09: Inside
• 4.20.09: Home
• 4.19.09: Complimentary goldfish crackers
• 4.18.09: Suites!
• 4.17.09: The most awesome post-concert cookie spread this side of heaven
• 4.16.09: Bouillabaisse
• 4.15.09: I got out of work half an hour early
• 4.14.09: I tie my shoe on a rusty fire hydrant
• 4.13.09: Gray and rain
• 4.12.09: Daffodils
• 4.11.09: Climbing Crown Hill: mausoleums, skyscrapers
• 4.10.09: My job entails making up many, many new and suspicious verses of Wheels on the Bus
• 4.9.09: Car windows that roll down automatically. Amazing!
• 4.8.09: I successfully taught a kid to say "skunk." O the efficacy.
• 4.7.09: Inexpensive Spanish red
• 4.6.09: Fleur de sel
• 4.5.09: All-day deluge
• 4.4.09: I don't yet have kids. Thank God.
• 4.3.09: Muddy divagation
• 4.2.09: Time for both a run AND a walk
• 4.1.09: Friends who breakfast
• 3.31.09: Cheap shoes
• 3.30.09: Sore shins from walking so hard
• 3.29.09: 24 hours of solitude
• 3.28.09: I am free to plummet into exhaustion
• 3.27.09: Unexpected rendezvoux
• 3.26.09: Free lunch
• 3.25.09: Last lunch duty for 10 days!
• 3.24.09: Safe return
• 3.23.09: The egregious sense of accomplishment that comes w. taking out the trash
• 3.22.09: Long walk
• 3.21.09: Leftover wine
• 3.20.09: I didn't cook dinner
• 3.19.09: Car radio. Cupholders are nice, too
• 3.18.09: Staring into space
• 3.17.09: Distance
• 3.16.09: Notaries public
• 3.15.09: Listing trees
• 3.14.09: I know more than I know I know
• 3.13.09: Those really tasty chocolate cookies in the lounge.
• 3.12.09: Gloriously alone
• 3.11.09: Low-stakes music-making
• 3.10.09: Old man on ground talks to young man on roof about France
• 3.9.09: Blue kitchen; radio; late sun
• 3.8.09: Home fries with vegetables and cheese
• 3.7.09: Red jacket; coffee in white cups
• 3.6.09: Coffee run!
• 3.5.09: Friends who've seen you sleepy. Or young.
• 3.4.09: Periodicals
• 3.3.09: Thin mints
• 3.2.09: Buoyancy
• 3.1.09: Local coffee shop
• 2.28.09: Morning untrammeled
• 2.27.09: We got to the truffle warehouse a few minutes before it closed
• 2.26.09: Midwestern sky
• 2.25.09: Friendly faces
• 2.24.09: Not puking!
• 2.23.09: Gratitude and puking don't mix.
• 2.22.09: Empty Interstate
• 2.21.09: I wasn't driving
• 2.20.09: Pavan
• 2.19.09: A good night's sleep
• 2.18.09: Fortitude!
• 2.17.09: Green tea with ginger
• 2.16.09: Dead presidents
• 2.15.09: Coming home
• 2.14.09: Heated seats. Heated seats!
• 2.13.09: Hotel breakfasts
• 2.12.09: Pilots
• 2.11.09: Walking wet; drying off
• 2.10.09: "All My Exes Live in Texas"
• 2.9.09: After some trial and error, I figured out how to make the toilet stop overflowing
• 2.8.09: Napping in front of the space heater
• 2.7.09: AM
• 2.6.09: Sleepiness
• 2.5.09: In the dark, listening to Garrison
• 2.4.09: Not getting caught
• 2.3.09: Parents who actually care
• 2.2.09: Local news
• 2.1.09: Thaw
• 1.31.09: When I take a walk, the church bells tell me how long I've been out
• 1.30.09: Leftovers
• 1.29.09: Eavesdropping
• 1.28.09: Knives; wine; blue
• 1.27.09: Weather radar
• 1.26.09: Sick days
• 1.25.09: $2 mimosas at Elements
• 1.24.09: Empty house
• 1.23.09: The Psychologist brought me coffee!
• 1.22.09: It is slightly less cold than yesterday
• 1.21.09: Chitchat
• 1.20.09: Barack Hussein Obama
• 1.19.09: Vigor
• 1.18.09: Light, like fat, marbling the sky
• 1.17.09: Cake and coffee
• 1.16.09: Dawdling
• 1.15.09: Light on snow
• 1.14.09: Grace
• 1.13.09: Grape nuts: startling, salty
• 1.12.09: Whoever left that bag of licorice allsorts in the staff lounge. I hope you didn't want that back.
• 1.11.09: Second breakfast
• 1.10.09: Subversions of expectation
• 1.9.09: StoryCorps
• 1.8.09: 9:00 AM sun over the graveyard
• 1.7.09: Um...eat my dust, 1.7.09!
• 1.6.09: That particular tree
• 1.5.09: I am not a fisherman of Dungeness crab
• 1.4.09: Mist
• 1.3.09: Lavender
• 1.2.09: I live within walking distance of a branch library
• 1.1.09: Berea, KY