#15 Books

Okay, I know everyone has to have a Kindle or a Nook or whatever. Information comes more from the Internet than anywhere else it seems and besides, books are heavy and awkward to carry. Still, I love books. I am in danger in the $1.00 book store. It's an addiction. I have more books than I will probably ever read, but I continue to want more. Maybe someday, I tell myself, I'll have the time.  One of the best things about a book, is that you can (if you're lucky) have the author sign it. Being a writer myself, I've often dreamt of signing books at schools, fairs and signing parties. It's kind of hard to sign some one's Kindle, I'm thinking. This thought pushes me to get out there and get my novel published before I miss out on the whole "autograph" experience. I mourn the day when books are obsolete, and the creators of fantasy are just a name in the credits. Meanwhile, I hang on to my library, in hopes that someday I will have the time. Hug a book, will you? And think of me, your favorite off-kilter author.

Caren E. Salas

#11 Disneyland

I know there are people that don't agree that Disneyland is the "Happiest Place on Earth", but none of them are in my family. Most people have some place that they enjoy going, what I like to call a "happy place", but not the mental kind. There needs to be somewhere (for me at least) where I can forget about everything else; where I can smile at little girls dressed up as princesses, and laugh at grown men wearing goofy hats (or Goofy hats, literally).  Disneyland is filled with make-believe (like when I make believe I can afford anything in the stores, lol) It allows me to feel like a kid again, with no worries about bills to pay or laundry to get done.  Where is your happy place?

By the way, the cute little girl on the right is me, along with a few of my brothers (there's two more!) No jokes about how old this picture is!!

Caren E. Salas

#10 Music

I know this is kind of a no-brainer for most of us. For me, music has always been a part of my life on one level or another. But how often do we stop and think about what life would be like without it?  I can't imagine. When we went to Yosemite National Park recently, my son brought along his ukulele, and we would all stroll down the paths accompanied by soft, stringed, instrumentation. His playing didn't detract from the overwhelming beauty, it was the soundtrack, and it was amazing.

So I guess I'm not talking about all music today, just music that happens, in the right place, at the right time; like when you hear a small child singing to themselves as they play with their toys, or some aspiring musician playing guitar on the corner with his case left open for "donations". I love those little snippets of unplanned, unrehearsed melody. It always brings a smile. So keep your ears open and listen....


Caren E. Salas



Photo by William Salas

#9 Clean Sheets

Mondays are the day I always try and wash my sheets. The bed gets pulled apart, and the sheets, pillowcases, mattress cover and sometimes the blankets go into the washing machine.  Now maybe it's just me, but even on a warm day, the feeling of nice warm bedding right out of the dryer is amazing!  It makes me just want to dive in, bury myself under the pile, and soak up the bliss.  As I make the bed, trying to make sure everything is even and smooth, there's just something about the way it looks. Even though I make the bed every other day, when there are clean sheets the bed is just more...inviting. Later, getting into it...ahh, it's like heaven.  There is that split second of "wow, I'm on vacation in a nice hotel" feel. I know you must be thinking that apparently I've fallen OFF the bed one too many times (and perhaps landed on my head) but think about it. You know you feel the same way sometimes. Doesn't it make you smile,slipping between clean sheets at night?  It just feels good. Sometimes you just gotta' stop and smell the Downey. :)

#8 Ice

Ice: crushed, cubed, chunks, any size or shape.  For the longest time the water and ice dispenser in our fridge went without actually being hooked up. We had to use trays to make ice, which of course the kids never refilled leaving me (usually) without ice for my drinks or what have you. When we remodeled our kitchen, everything got properly installed and, wow! Filtered water and ice on hand ALL THE TIME! Amazing how fast we become spoiled. We recently had a problem with our refrigerator. One of the hoses cracked and was leaking, so we temporarily shut off the water. Nooooo! Water, well, I can deal with tap water if I must, or grab a bottle of water. But ice? No ice?? I kept running to the store for bags of it. What did people do before ice could be kept and stored? The funny thing is, the guy who started it all had to convince people that they would enjoy their drinks cold. Go figure.
Needless to say, I wanted to hug the Sears repair man when he fixed it up for us. Yay! Ice, ice, baby!!

Ever wonder about the beginnings of the ice business?
http://articles.cnn.com/2008-11-24/living/mf.ice_1_ice-man-ice-business-ice-king?_s=PM:LIVING

#7 That Morning Cup of Coffee

It doesn't matter if it's espresso, or a fancy latte or just a cup o' joe. That first cup of coffee in the morning is like a taste of pure comfort.  For me, I like it warm with cream, no sugar, small cup. Why small? Because I tend to drink a little with my breakfast, set it down while I clean up the kitchen, have a little more, throw in a load of laundry, take a few more sips...you get the picture. Big cups get cold too quickly. I'd rather have 2 or 3 small cups and refill with more hot coffee, than 1 big cup that I have to reheat. Just my preference. So how do you like your coffee? Do you enjoy it, or gulp it down just to get that jolt of needed caffeine? Does anyone remember those "Coffee Achiever" commercials? Loved those. Amazing what you can achieve while amped on caffeine, lol. So that's one more thing that makes me happy, and thankfully, it happens in the beginning of almost every day.

#6 Warm Showers

Most of the time we all take showers for practical, hygienic reasons. I'm not talking about those kind of showers. I'm talking about the ones when you've just come in from the pouring rain, you're clothes are soaked, and you're cold and tired. I'm talking about when you come home from camping, or the beach and you just want to feel clean and fresh. I'm talking about when you've been forced to have awkward, uncomfortable bathing experiences due to illness or injury, and at last...you can just get in and enjoy the warm water free of restraint. It's like having clean sheets on your bed. There's just something calming about it; something that makes you feel like you can breathe a little easier.  I know there are many places that don't have the luxury of a warm shower, so I do appreciate the wonderfulness of it. 

#5 Smiles

Today is World Smile Day. The theme being, to do something to make someone smile. The funny thing about smiles is that for the most part, they are contagious, unless of course it's one of those demonic-"Poltergeist"-clown-under-the-bed smiles. Then it's just creepy and nightmarish. But I digress.  When someone smiles at me, and I mean genuinely smiles at me, it really can make my day. A kind word, a little nod, a smile: these things can change the whole mood of a day. It doesn't even take much effort.  I love when I'm in a store and I smile at a small child and they smile back, and it becomes a game almost. It lifts my spirits, even if just for a little while.
I've been trying to keep up with this blog (even though VERY few people actually read it) because I want my focus each day to be about at least one thing I'm thankful for or happy about. So, now I have another goal: to try and make some random person smile every day. Maybe it'll lift their spirits, even if just for a little while.  Hey, how hard can it be?  Even a child can do it  :)

#4 Hats

Today is Mad Hatter Day! So here's to hats of all different shapes and sizes.  I've never honestly been much of a hat wearing person, but I love to try them on, not functional ones, mind you, but big goofy hats that look like hamburgers or chickens or something Dr. Suess would have on one of his characters.  Halloween is coming up and what better excuse to wear a silly hat?  So hats ON for Lewis Carroll!
Have a great Mad Hatter Day!

If you want more info (just for fun):
http://www.kafejo.com/holidays/hatter.htm

Caren E. Salas

#2 Rainy Days

I love rainy days. They're even better if I don't have to go anywhere and I can just cuddle up and watch movies (like that ever happens) but still, I love the sound of the rain, the smell of the air, and searching for rainbows when the sun comes out.

Caren E. Salas

Things to be Thankful for: #1 Family

I recently watched a video about a man who had no arms and no legs (Nick Vujicic). He was so inspiring. It was like there was nothing that he couldn't find a way to do. He was talking to some grade school kids and saying that the secret was to stop looking at what you can't do and who you can't be, and be thankful for what you have. So that's why I'm starting this blog. Hopefully I'm going to write here everyday and just pick one thing that I'm thankful for and write about it. Sometimes they'll be big things, sometimes not. They won't be in any particular order, just however I randomly think of them. So here goes.

I'll start with the big things, like my family. The whole crazy lot of them. And when I say a LOT I mean a LOT. My husband Bill and my 4 beautiful children to start with. Then there is the extended family. I'm from a family of 8, Bill is from a family of 9. Once you count all the brothers and sisters and their wives, husbands and children, aunts, uncles cousins...If we got them all together we'd have to rent the Staples Center. So there it is:

Things I'm thankful for...

Item #1 : family


Caren E. Salas