Day Three Hundred Sixty Five!

I Did It!

If my calculations are correct, and there are still 365 days in a year - then this is it - my last entry in a yearlong project! If I had also committed to dieting throughout this year, I would be a slimmer version of me. I did not.

Here are some thoughts on the past year:

• Writing everyday was actually therapeutic for me. Granted, there were days when I was not in the best of moods - but I fudged - a lot. Ironically, those were the days when I thought my posts were the funniest.

• It made me become more observant of the life around me. In the beginning, because I needed to gain material, I forced myself to pay attention to the world outside my own head. Eventually, it became routine. I think I appreciate life more. And I definitely have a greater understanding of animal behavior (as well as misbehavior.)

Ok - so I made it up here, but how do I get down?
If I jump and land on that dog, he may eat me!
What made me think this was a good idea?

• For the first time in my life I practiced not sweating the small stuff and learned to look for the funny in those situations which a) drive one crazy b) make one angry and c) are initially a nuisance. 

For example: Boo! is especially "Aby-ish" in the mornings and late at night. I have learned to laugh at her antics. Hell no! - it isn't always easy. Like right now, she is the only one not napping after breakfast. Instead, she is going around to all of the food dishes and noisily cleaning up everyone's leftovers; trying to circumvent the Ssscat cans on either end of the terrarium by climbing straight up the front of the credenza; making as much noise as possible with a paper grocery bag - mainly because she is bored and wishes someone would wake up, or stop typing, and play with her. She will be harassing me shortly.

• Finally - I have developed a deeper understanding of happiness. I used to get so aggravated when people would say to me, "I just want you to be happy." Happiness was elusive. I thought life was far too serious for frivolity. People who could laugh at life often irritated me. Then people and circumstances in my life joined forces to give me two choices - laugh or end it all. I chose laughter. I give most of the credit to a few significant people in my life -

Family and friends who made me laugh in spite of myself; helped me to laugh when I wanted to cry; chose laughter instead of self pity. 

My children. They are, without a doubt, two of the funniest people on Earth. How a sourpuss like me managed to raise two comics is a mystery. They will say it's because I was actually funny but didn't realize it. I must have been a real cut-up when I was mad at them because that's when they laughed the most.

I asked my son how he could laugh at me when I'm so angry -
His response - because you look like Donald Duck.

It's also important to mention, my son is raising two budding comedians. There is a lot of laughter when we're all together.


Last but not least, my husband, Andy. - "We met when we were almost young." I was drawn to him because of his larger than life persona - and his ever present smile. I think over the years, some of my seriousness rubbed off on him, which is a shame. But he is a truly funny person - when I'm not raining on his parade - or adopting another animal.


I want to end this with one final thought - Don't let other people define who you are. When I was a child, I had a mother who kept telling me I wasn't good enough - but a father who said I could do anything I set my mind to. It was confusing. Guess which parent I believed and which parent I hated? If you let them, people can make or break you. Try not to give them that control. Be who you want to be - what you believe you are. Fake it till you make it.

The End