if you read my “bio” or whatever you call it in the upper right hand corner, you will see that i’m the appreciator because i wasn’t sure what to focus my blog on. i started writing this for background info as part of my job – so that i would actually know how to do it.
how i came up with that idea of “the appreciator” is:
ROF and i were taking a walk through our neighborhood. it was about a year ago now. and as we’re walking i’m asking him what could my focus could be…because you know, you have to have a focus. the conversation went a little bit like this:
“so i’m thinking of writing a blog” (me)
“really? that’s cool. about what?” (him)
“that’s the thing, i don’t know” (me)
“why do you want to do it?” (him)
“well, my CEO wants some information on writing a blog and i want to be able to say i know how…from my perspective” (me)
“ok. well you are a good at a lot of things” (him)
“awe. that’s sweet. go on. like what” (digging for more…me)
“well, social media for one. you love it, believe in it and know it. (him)
“yeah. but that’s work. there’s more to me. here’s the deal. i appreciate nice music but i don’t write it. i appreciate great design but i’m not a designer” (me)
“go on” (him)
“and i love DIY stuff but i don’t actually DIY” (me)
“and….” (him)
“and… i love photography but i don’t do it professionally. love good food but don’t cook professionally – but i appreciate it all!” (me)
“i know” (me)
“i’m the appreciator” (me)
“there you have it” (him)
and there i had it. so going back to the basics, here is the short list of things i appreciate.
my relationship with God. my Father and hard core foundation. thank Him that i don’t struggle with “the meaning of life”. i have it.
husband, ROF. Sappy and all – he is whom i appreciate the most
mom & sister. not a “given” they are built-in friends for life and beyond. soul-mates
awesome extended family. susan, mike, mike, bill & sarah. wonderful people whom i love being connected to (6 more days, susan!)
wonderful aunts & uncles & cousins – seriously fun people i wish we were all a lot closer
career and all the people who have supported me and taught me and pushed me to the limits (you know who you are)
career and all the people who believe in what we do and work hard to support “the cause”! (you know who you are A & S)
friends – you know who you are too
house, i never stop appreciating you
max and wrigley. my babies. i love you to death
flying in first class
flying in first class on vacation with a bottle of red wine
playing gin with #1
clean cut grass
being organized
our new MAC computer suite (kiss kiss kiss)
massive storms when i’m with people i love or like a lot
massive storms when there is red wine involved to calm me down
colorado – feeling little teeny tiny in a land of big mountains and low valleys and knowing that man had nothing to do with the beauty
mad men, damages, restaurant impossible, anthony bourdain
chevy dealers all over the country
the geigers in madison wisconsin
the dallas cowboys (ROF, stop laughing, i mean it)
the night before you go on vacation
the night before holidays
friends who surprise you on your anniversary by toilet papering your house at midnight and then ringing your doorbell while you’re watching ghost adventurers (EEKK!) and showing up with a bottle of good, no great, champagne.
knowing that your prayers are answered
central market and whole foods when no one else is in the store
church when you sing that hymn and it hits you in a way that you have to cry but no one knows your crying
remembering the feel of your dad’s hands and smiling at the thought of his “funny tooth”
a big Christmas dinner over at a big families’s house with lots of food, drinks, a bonfire and love
the east coast -hills and chills and history
the movies: network, manhattan, annie hall, guess who came to dinner, manchurian candidate and more
good wine
bad wine
great music – house, electronic, rock, mix tapes, playlists, hip and cool
going out to eat
louie and louie’s
costa rica
making ROF coffee in the morning
are you still reading?
magazines and all the nuggets of information they contain
ideas and the execution of ideas
smart clients
smart people
forgiveness
ok, i’m tired now and i’m going to go. this was not an exhaustive list by any means.
it felt good to capture some of this. wish you would share with me some of the things you appreciate so i can too!
xxoo
ditto on the hymn singing and crying cuz you don’t know why, but it feels so good to let it out in a safe place and then there’s the sweet person down the pew who hands you a kleenex and you remember, once again, why you love going to church because you almost always seem to cry on the day that you really didn’t want to get out of bed, but you did, and now you are glad… there’s more, but I need to go finish a funeral homily for this afternoon for the last of the original eight who met in 1948 to hatch the idea of Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church
🙂 xo