O Happy Day!

Here is a list of reasons why life is worth celebrating:

1. THIS SONG EXISTS

     (listen to it while you read)

2. EXTENSION

My group paper on Health Security just got extended to Monday! Seeing as we haven't even started it yet and it was supposed to be due tomorrow, this is certainly worth celebrating.

3. LONGEVITY 

And the Lord did bless Renoir and multiply his days upon the waters of his fishbowl. That's right. Against all odds, my goldfish, Renoir, has outlived his expiration date and is still alive and swimming!

Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?

4. HEALTH 

Specifically mine. Though I am also happy that there are many other people in the world who are healthy. They live fulfilling lives, they make significant contributions to society and, must importantly, they don't infect me! (Can you tell I've still got pandemics on my mind from that health conference I went to? yeah...)

5. AFRICA

Oh, what's that? I hadn't mentioned it? Well, for anyone who still doesn't know, I am officially traveling across the great waters and embarking on my next great adventure. Destination: UGANDA. I am going with Professors Dan Nielson and Mike Findley of the political science department at BYU. I will be helping with their field research as well as implementing my own project with two other students (there are about 20 students going total). My group is going to be interviewing former child soldiers in Northern Uganda and finding out their opinions about the peace building process. I'm so excited!

6. WHEELS

Thank heavens I have a car. It's the only thing that makes this bubble bearable. Ok. That was melodramatic. It's not the only thing. But it sure does help!

7. KNOWLEDGE

You know I'm super stressed all the time. I have all these words I have to write and endless sentences I need to read and countless people I need to play nice with in class. But when you boil down to the heart of it, I'm receiving an education! I'm absorbing the conglomeration of wisdom garnered through the ages. I'm standing on the shoulders of giants! I'm learning. What's more noble than that?

8. TREASURES

Chocolate...

9. MUGGLE MAGIC

 I benefit from magic every single day! I turn a knob and hot water gushes out into my sink on the third floor! I hold my hand to my ear and talk with people several time zones away! I watch moving pictures on this rectangle screen! I dance to music when there is no band in sight! Amazing...

10. COURAGE

  I've been getting out of my comfort zone lately. I didn't make a conscious decision of "I will leave my comfort zone". It just so happens that I've been meeting really cool new people lately and forging refreshing new friendships. And I've been proactive about keeping those friendships going. Instead of just leaving them in school, I've been trying to take them outside the classroom. Maybe these new acquaintances (no friends! really, they're my friends!) secretly think I'm weird. But that's good. Because I am. And the sooner they figure that out, the faster our friendship will progress :) 

Alright folks. That's all for now. My health paper may have been canceled, but I've still got to go up to campus and work on stats...and read D&C...and skim polysci...and... well, you get the idea. Basically, I've just got to get back to this celebration we call life and hope that the party isn't too crazy.