A weekly list of things that are making me happy.
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world
Way back on LJ I used to post weekly lists of things that made me happy, sort of a mixed bag of recs and what was going on in my life. And with basically every other platform a hub of misery politics no matter how much I try to currate my feeds, I figured a new platform is a good place to focus on the positive.
1. Home
I got back from vacation last Sunday, and it would be so easy to talk about how wonderful traveling was (I was in Budapest, Vienna, and Prague). But even in the nicest of the hotels we stayed, the beds were like rocks and my bed at home is so soft and fluffy. And, the last couple of times I've traveled I lost earrings, so I didn't bring any with me this time. So being home means I have the full pick of my earring collection again.
The friend I was traveling with is probably leaving NYC in the next year and a half to two years. She has a job she hates that doesn't pay her what she's worth, and I understand NY is a hard city to live in. But I know that I'm in the right place, because every night on my way home from work, I was delighted by the things that were going on in Bryant Park. Typically I find midtown the scourge of the city. Friday, when I was collecting Pokemon, there was some sort of Jazz piano concert that particularly fun to stumble on.
Yesterday I got lunch at my favorite pizza place and bought a Nutella cookie from my favorite bakery. Last night I was at a friend's birthday and she had views of Manhattan from her new Downtown Brooklyn apartment and if you can hack it, the city never stops being magic.
Bowen is becoming one of those authors of whom I'd read anything they write. This book was so intense.
3. This Mashup
I was reminded of it's existence again this week.
4. Sewing
Facebook kindly reminded me that four years ago Friday I finished the first garment I ever made by myself with a pattern (not in a class). It was a pencil skirt. Looking at it now, it was terrible. And I had a moment of being amazed at how far I've come.
Before I went away, I was in a bit of a sewing rut. But in sewing time, summer is over, it's time to start working on fall. And yesterday I spent the whole day making a muslin (test garment out of <$2 a yard fabric to make sure it fits before cutting into my ~$40 a yard fabric) of this jacket and I'm really excited about it.
5. Flowers
The best resolution I ever copied from someone on Instagram was to always keep fresh flowers in my apartment. If you can swing the $10 every 1-2 weeks, I'd very much recommend it. They never fail to make me smile.


