The Advent of Awesome

I remember when awesome used to be the word to say.  And I remember when it made a comeback, circa 2002/2003.  I think this time it’s here to stay.

A mom I know tells her kids to have “an awesome day filled with awesomeness” before they leave for school every morning.

And then there’s this, also available in hangable form. Thus, my new m.o. has arrived.  In the immortal words of Doogie Howser, “When I get sad, I stop being sad and be awesome instead.” There’s no self-pity there–it’s simple, no-nonsense, and straightforward.  And it’s something I need to remind myself this time of year.  Things speed up in the spring.  The days get longer, and somehow, we feel the need to fill them with more and more.  Which sometimes has a way of creating stress.

So today, I’m taking a page out of Cathy’s book (er, blog), and making a list of awesome.  And in case you’re looking for a way to spend an additional 4:12 of your life, check out her inspiration for the list here.

List of Awesome

1.  Cupcakes, be they store-bought, or homemade.

2.  Terps, no matter their generation.

3.  Running longer than you planned because you have a new song on your iPod (currently: Ke$ha, “We R Who We R”).

4.  Diamonds, and Wooden Nickels for supplying my latest pair.

5.  Bingeing on your favorite television show all evening long.

6.  Watching your electric bill plummet as the weather gets warmer.

7.  Driving a golf cart, instead of a car.

8.  Crossing something off your to-do list.

9.  Getting real, old-fashioned mail.

10.  Mimosas at brunch.

11.  Getting Starbucks after you told yourself you were done for the week.

12.  Walking the High Line in Chelsea.

13.  Spending the afternoon reading your favorite blogs.

14.  Old friends, new friends (red friends, blue friends).

15.  Public libraries, and the ability to browse them for as long as you want.

16.  Eating ice cream at a baseball game.

17.  Having a fridge door full of save the dates.

18.  Weekend road trips, just for fun.

19.   The start of a new sports season, and the possibility that this could be the year.

20.  Cloudless skies.

21.  New J.Crew catalogs.

22.  Seeing a Broadway show.

23.  Staying in a great hotel, even if it’s just for one night.

24.  Birthdays, holidays, and other days set aside for celebrating.

25.  The new Angry Birds Rio.

26.  Homegrown basil for homemade pesto.

27.  Coming downstairs in the morning to find that your bread dough has doubled in size.

28.  Falling in love with a new book.  (Currently, this one).

29.  Cheesy made-for-TV-movies that suck you in a matter of minutes.

30.  Youtube videos you can’t ever get enough of.

31.  Straying from the grocery list to splurge on fresh flowers.

32.  Tablescapes.

33.  Planning out a menu with nothing but new entrees all week.

34.  Giant armadillos.

35.  Taking advantage of living in a city.

36.  Breakfast for dinner.

37.  Traditions that last forever.

38.  Finding the perfect pair of jeans.

40.  Kitchen Aid mixers.  Mine continues to be one of the best investments of my life.

41.  Really good slices of pizza.

42.  Dancing all night to your favorite songs.

43.  Watching a new episode of Barefoot Contessa.

44.  Getting photos printed.

45.  Daybooks, and just about anything that gives life a semblance of order.

46.  Not having to make the bed every morning.

47.  March Madness, even if your own team isn’t included in all the fun.

48.  Eating outside.

49.  Having a job you don’t hate.

50.  And family.  Can’t live with ’em, can’t live without ’em.

What’s on your list?