Me = Happy (Friday Fragments)

It feels good to wear a smile. These are a few of the reasons, both big and small, that one was planted on my face most of the week:

• I realized what a blessing in disguise my layoff was. I'm enjoying the freedom to work on projects I'm truly passionate about, as well as work more in the community. Honestly, I feel like I have my cake and am eating it, too. I still have my hand in educational publishing, but I'm also getting to work in the non-profit sector and give back to the community (more on that next week). It truly is the best of both words, and I hope that, financially, I can keep this pace for a while.

• I'm loving our new apartment! Even with boxes still strewn about, it already feels like home. Before moving in, the smaller space intimidated me, but I've been having a blast coming up with creative storage solutions (which I'll share at a later date). One downside of moving during the summer in the South (besides the obvious disadvantage of the oppressive heat) is the bug situation. Having the door open for extended periods of time to move things in also allows every species of the insect world to shack up with you. Our biggest nuisance right now is of the buzzing kind. Don't get me wrong: I understand that flies are not nearly as terrible as having an infestation of roaches or ants or mosquitos, but I swear these flies are playing with me. Instead of being stealthy, like a spider, and attempting to stay out of my view, they're behaving like flies (the nerve!), purposely landing in my line of sight, staying as still as a statue, and then using their stupid compound eyes to fly away just as I bring down my weapon. They're taunting me, I tell you! Unfortunately for them, I have become quite skilled with a rolled-up magazine; unfortunately for me, I can add "flyswatter" to the list of skills on my resume. This, however, is a small price to pay for the serenity that is our new home.

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• In the past 24 hours, I have apparently regressed to my 13-year-old self. It started last night when I innocently decided I wanted to re-watch The Real World: New York. I giggled, remembering how in love with the show (and Andre) I was, as I realized that what we thought was so controversial back then has nothing on today's reality television (Julie and Kevin are no match for The Real Housewives). But the nostalgia of it made me smile. Fast forward to this morning when I decided to watch music videos during breakfast (it's nice to see that some music television stations still play, you know, music). I seriously never watch music videos now, with the exception of a few YouTube or VEVO premieres, but I did all the time back in the early 90s. I must have fallen asleep in a DeLorean. If I start tight-rolling my jeans later, someone please slap me back to 2011.

• Sometimes, it's the little things. Blogger can now create a mobile version of your blog template. As someone who spends a lot of time reading on her phone, I can't tell you how exciting this is. I hope all of you with Blogger will eventually enable this setting so that I can read blogs instead of tweets when I'm sitting around waiting.  :) 

• Now that I have several quiet, comfy places in the apartment, I'm looking forward to writing/blogging, reading (including all of your blog posts) and crafting more regularly again. Hallelujah!

Dare I say it for fear of jinxing it? Life is good.