Things I Love Thursday

Ah, bonjour! You’re new to iCiNG, huh? Are you wondering what this is all about?

Well, every week, anyone who wants to participate is welcome to join in on Things I Love Thursday (TiLT for short). What this means is that we make lists of the things that make us smile, make our heart flutter with excitement & make us dance spontaneous jigs in the middle of the street! Then we share them with one another. I think one of the best ways to get excited about your life is to take stock of the things in it which are already magnificent, fabulous & delightful! If you do it regularly, it starts to become a way of thinking — you feel that your life is already full of glory & wonder, rather than lacking. It’s one of the best ways I know to start feeling real happiness.

So, if you’ve never taken part before — or if you’ve just been skipping out on TiLT for a while — make this week the week you start expressing real love & gratitude & appreciation for yourself & your life. You don’t have to do it publicly if you don’t want to, but just give it a try! I think you’ll find it quite wonderful.

“The talent for being happy is appreciating and liking what you have, instead of what you don’t have.” — Woody Allen

Now, without further ado… my list!

Luxurious lounging — You know, when it’s hot, to me there’s nothing better than swanning around in front of the air conditioner in a black silk slip, with a wristful of jangling bracelets & my damp hair twisted up into an unruly chignon. (I wish I had my kimono here because it would totally add to the ambience, but truly, it’s too hot for it.) It’s lovely to just do nothing; stay out of the heat & walk around my place & think & listen to music & make notes.

Creating vision-boards — I have been meaning to do it for the past couple of days, I really need to go & buy a cork-board so I can start! But I keep getting really excited about it & dreaming about it, which is why it’s getting a mention! If you don’t know what I’m talking about, basically a vision board (or an inspiration board, or a dream sheet, or mood board, or any combination you like!) is a space you create where you pin up pictures, words, trinkets & anything else you find inspiring. Some people use them to remind them of the things they want to achieve, while others use them to aid them in creative projects or to help them keep looking forward. I can’t wait to make a new one! I think it will be my big weekend project. & if you want some inspiration to make your own, look at the Inspiration Boards group on Flickr!

Girl Talk — I didn’t even know about this artist, & based on the name I feared it was a girl pop group with 4 members or something, but I’m so glad I decided to risk it! Girl Talk is mash-ups taken to the next level; I love it. My new favourite activity is to listen to it while I’m walking around & test my own music knowledge by naming, in my head, the artist & song title of what I can hear. Geeky but gleeful! The newest album, Feed The Animals is available for download for a donation of your choosing. Awesome.

Getting involved in the city — There is no better way to take ownership of a place than to get involved in it. Since the last TiLT, I have participated in a bubble battle, been to a wine & cheese party, gone dancing, attended an Alice in Wonderland-themed birthday, seen the New York Philharmonic play in Central Park (followed by fireworks!), seen Sera Beak talk & visited a cupcake shop at 9.30pm which had a queue out the door! The best thing? None of these activities cost me a dime (with the exception of Sera Beak but it was worth every penny). It’s amazing to be in a city you are in love with — it changes your entire outlook. The thing is, even if you’re stuck in a tiny country-bumpkin town which bores you, there are still always things to be excited by, to enjoy, to find pleasure in. So find them!

Chelsea — Coolest neighbourhood ever. Every time I see men holding hands as they walk down the street, it gives me a huge dose of happy! It might sound like a small thing but it makes me so very, very gleeful that I felt it deserved a mention all of its own. Ahhh!

Honourary mentions: Soy coffee with honey; cupcakeries which are open until late at night; Spice Girls (I have honestly never listened to them by choice before this week & I’ve been really enjoying it, haha!); metaphysical pampering; pomegranate yerba mate tea; late night trips to Wholefoods & cardboard boxes of Turkish Delight; good black pens & permanent markers in pastel colours; dark chocolate with peppermint oil; Panic! At The Disco (still!); Greek (still!); honeysuckle (I haven’t seen any but I love it anyway); the strangely exuberant but harmless man who told me this morning that I had “beautiful toes”; my book of matches, courtesy of Sera Beak, which says “Ignite Your Divine Spark” (!); open invitations (Austin, Philadelphia, Montreal, London, Miami?!… but I am staying here for now); making an effort to connect; crossing things off my to-do list (Virgo power); sitting around in my underwear singing & writing & smiling!

“Most of us are just about as happy as we make up our minds to be.” — William Adams

Ain’t that the truth? Alright, moonshine. Your turn!