1. s i n k i n, 2. Versus, 3. tea in portobello, 4. Untitled, 5. LSD, 6. Heatherette, 7. Manolo Blahniks, 8. too darn hot

“A thing of beauty is a joy forever; its loveliness increases; it will never pass into nothingness.” — John Keats.

Here are the things I am appreciative of this week…

Inspiring friends who make your brain crackle. Last weekend we had a friend staying with us from New Zealand — he is a great adventurer & starts stories with, “So I was in an alley way in New York & walked up some stairs & saw Lenny Kravitz & asked, ‘Is this Milk & Honey?’ & he said, ‘Only one way to find out’…” or “Well, it was either riding across Kyrgyzstan on a horse or hunting moose in Greenland…”. Anyway, he lived in New York for years & it is his favourite place on Earth (a high accolade coming from him, since he has travelled practically everywhere). He has totally been stoking the embers of my NYC obsession. I am now DYING to go back.

Flight of the Conchords! If you don’t know who they are, they’re a musical comedy duo from New Zealand (actually, Wellington, where I grew up). I’ve seen them perform in person more times than I can count, & they are absolutely hilarious. They just finished filming a series for HBO & there’s a second season in the works for 2008. (Yay!) Anyway, I have a little crush on Jemaine & I am pretty convinced that listening to one of their songs first thing in the morning is the best ever way to start the day. (I recommend Business Time, If You’re Into It & Bret You’ve Got It Going On!)

Polyvore. I know I am totally late on the bandwagon, but I am having way too much fun constructing imaginary ensembles with it. It’s a major time-suck, but I like to justify it to myself as content generation! I am going to post a whole lot of them soon. Anyway. LOVE IT SO MUCH. Sign up & go nuts!

Hip hop! Drool. I find it hard to explain how happy it makes me. It combines some of my all-time favourite things, including spine-tingling bass, sexy men’s voices, taking old ideas & making them new again, & clever word play. Good hip hop makes my heart race, it makes me jump up from my seat, it makes me dance like a lunatic all the way around my living room. (At the moment, the tracks making me do that are American Gangster & Ignorant Shit by Jay-Z, Give It Up by Twista feat. Pharrell, Desire by Pharoahe Monch, Hombre by M.I.A. & everything off Shock Value by Timbaland.) Ahhh! So happy!

Singing ridiculous songs, especially in bed. This morning, my boyfriend said, “I better brush my teeth before I leave to meet Joel,” & I started singing, “Brush your teeth! Before you go-go! Or else Joel will think you’re a mofo!” to the tune of Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go by Wham! HEE HEE.

No regrets. It’s a really, really good feeling to look back at your life & feel okay about everything that’s happened so far. All the little things that happen to you, no matter how horrific or disastrous they may seem at the time, have helped propel you to this spot… & if you can look at it with the view of ‘everything happens for a reason’, your life will seem less confusing & random.

Honourable mentions: Beauty therapists who give you product samples (I had a facial on Tuesday, yum); blossoming friendships & the sneaking suspicion that the reason someone called me was just an excuse!; fabulous new opportunities to grow & change; yoga anticipation (I have a class tonight & I found about yoga in the parks on Sunday!); the incredible emails I receive every day; scribbling all over my Moleskine & knowing that I have a new one to use in two & a half weeks!; talking to my parents on the phone; looking forward to going away over Christmas; taking naps whenever I feel the need… & this video.

So, what’s turning your crank today? It doesn’t matter what day it is — there’s always a reason to celebrate & be happy about what you have! Think of it as mentally blowing kisses to the things that make you feel good. Share with us!