Prompt: Ordinary joy. Our most profound joy is often experienced during ordinary moments. What was one of your most joyful ordinary moments this year?

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(December 27 prompt)

I love this prompt as it really speaks to my outlook on life.  Like the earlier post about a sense of wonder, finding joy in ordinary moments is a similar concept.  I find joy in many small things.

If I had all day to ponder this prompt, I’m sure I’d come up with tons of ideas, but right now I am thinking of winter smells and sights (fireplaces/snow), Christmas decorations and lights, and children playing the violin.  But I’m having trouble thinking of joyful ordinary moments—hmmm….

In all honesty, what brings me the most joy is my adorable cat.  She is so warm, furry, squashy, and pleasant natured that it is impossible not to feel joyous when I see her sleeping on the corner of the bed or rolling around on the kitchen floor.  I know that’s not one moment, but many, throughout each day.  It is amazing how much a pet adds to my life!

I call her Fatty—and this picture represents a joyful ordinary moment in our lives together. 

Prompt: Soul food. What did you eat this year that you will never forget? What went into your mouth & touched your soul?

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(december 26)

This year I completely changed my outlook on food and how I eat.  With the help of my personal trainer, Joe, I revamped my diet to include tons of veggies, lean meats and fishes, and whole grains.  I ate large quantities of salmon, tuna, mahi mahi, couscous, brown rice, whole wheat bread, spinach, lettuce, broccoli…and really learned to enjoy eating those things.

BUT.  Those things are forgettable. 

What is NOT forgettable is the lobster mac and cheese at Herbie’s.

Each week Chris and I go out to eat and have a “cheat meal” where we eat what it is that we have been craving and denying ourselves (let’s not get into a discussion over whether said denial is appropriate or healthy, leave it BE).  We discovered a wonderful restaurant in the Central West End called “Herbie’s” that serves a mean martini, according to Chris, and…though it is not on the regular menu, often has a special called Lobster mac and cheese.

Heaven.  Each bite is a bite of heaven.

Twisty, cheesy noodles, with truffle oil and crunchies on top.  It’s seriously the greatest thing I have ever eaten.  Words cannot do it justice.  As I type this my stomach is rumbling, GROWLING, for the mac and cheese (which shall be denied until our next visit…). 

The first time I ordered it…was one of my first “cheat meals” on THE DIET.  It was approximately a month in.  I felt guilty…dare I eat this most delicious meal ever?  Would I be able to go back to eating fish, rice and broccoli after experiencing this meal?  The answer to both questions …a resounding YES!   (suggestion:  pair the appetizer size with the herbie’s house salad for a complete meal). 

Prompt: Photo – a present to yourself. Sift through all the photos of you from the past year. Choose one that best captures you; either who you are, or who you strive to be. Find the shot of you that is worth a thousand words. Share the image, who shot it, where, and what it best reveals about you.

reverb10.com

(december 25th)

This is me with my boyfriend Chris.  I didn’t actually look at THAT many photos before settling on this one, because it just jumped out at me.

We are in Chicago at Blackbird in April, eating dinner with another couple (one of them took the photo).  We are silly and having fun. 

Why do I like this photo?  It shows you ME.  I am silly, I love to laugh and goof off, I have a very difficult time keeping my eyes open in photos, I have awesome shiny hair…plus the dinner was AWESOME and the Chicago trip was great fun.  There’s another photo, taken right after this one, where we are more “normal” looking, but this one is better.

Prompt: Everything’s OK. What was the best moment that could serve as proof that everything is going to be alright? And how will you incorporate that discovery into the year ahead?

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from December 24th

Proof that everything is going to be alright?

I feel that I lead a charmed life.  Life comes pretty easy for me, and I have been lucky to have loving family/friends and good health. 

That’s my proof that everything is going to be alright.  It already has been!  What better proof is there?

Prompt: New name. Let’s meet again, for the first time. If you could introduce yourself to strangers by another name for just one day, what would it be and why?

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from december 23rd

(Okay—disclaimer:  I was out of town for the past week, and the only internet access I had was my phone.  So I’m WAY behind on my reverb10 prompts, but my plan is to still finish.)

New name?  You know, it took me a long time to get used to the name Hannah.  I used to think it was a dingy name, used for old maids or overweight middle-aged women.  I wanted to be a Jennifer, a Melissa, or a Stacey.  I thought my name was too serious, and I wanted to be more flighty, more fun, more light.  But then a funny thing happened as a grew up—I grew to love my name.  I loved its uniqueness and the fact that hardly anyone I knew was named Hannah.  I loved that it was a palindrome and was spelled the same backwards and forwards. 

Then a funny thing happened:  people started named THEIR children Hannah.  Now there’s tons of Hannah’s (15 and younger mainly), there’s Hannah Montana, and it feels like a fun, light, flighty name.  But I was there first!

I don’t need another name.  That’s what I’m trying to say

What a long couple of days!  I had a nice Christmas in Long Island, followed by a blizzard, two feet of snow, canceled flights, and finally…driving with friends through the night for 18 hours to get home…all while dealing with a bad cold. Wow, I’m tired!

I hope you all had a good Christmas I’ll tell you more about mine later—I have some pictures too.

HBBC: December 22:  60 minute various cardio (run, bike, elliptical): 4 points, 7 f/v: 1 point: total: 5 points. December 23: Four hours of shopping: 2 points, 7 f/v: 1 point, total: 3 points,  December 24:  60 minute cardio/weight workout: 4 points   Week of December 18-24 total: 37.

December 25: 7 f/v: 1 point, December 26: 0 points, December 27: 7 f/v: 1 point, December 28: 0 points, December 29: 1 mile walk: 1 point, workout with mike: 4 points, 7 f/v: 1 point, total: 6 points, December 30: 4 mile run: 4 points, workout with mike: 4 points, 7 f/v: 1 point, total: 9 points, December 31: 7 f/v: 1 point, total 1 point.  Total for Dec. 25-31: 18 points