My little sister says “dude” a lot. I would attribute this to her being 20 years old, except that I say “rad” at least twenty-three times a day, so maybe it’s just a Smith sister thing.  At any rate, she has this dear little blog devoted to the art of being grateful which she aptly has titled, “Gratidude.“. I love her so. She posted a list today of fifty things that make her happy. I’ve said before that one of my favorite (and most perspective-beneficent) quotes I’ve ever read is from Anne of Green Gables. She is confiding in her guardian Marilla about how her favorite days are the ones where nothing truly remarkable happens, but rather is just full of tiny, pleasant little graces “following after another, like pearls slipping off a string.” I am in constant awe of my little sisters and their graces. In yet another effort to emulate their example, here is my list of fifty things I am grateful for today (and most days).

1. Tacos. (To the surprise of no one.)
2. Space heaters and seat heaters in all seasons. (#coldheartedprobs)
3. Fresh flowers. (“I must have flowers always and always.” -Monet)
4. Perrier. (When you are trying to wean yourself off of Pepsi and Dr. Pepper and all other cancerous nectars, it comes in quite handy.)
5. Pepsi and Dr. Pepper and all other cancerous nectars.
6. The smell of gasoline. (*See hometown.)
7. Sundays.
8. Spin classes. (To the surprise of everyone.)
9. Lavender soap.
10. The aftermath of a pedicure but not the actual pedicure itself, which 98% of the time makes me want to crawl into myself and die.
11. A made bed.
12. Crawling into Number 11. with clean sheets and shaved legs. (This scenario plus Number 21. plus Number 33. are my highest ideal of Earthly bliss.)
13. The time of day between afternoon and dusk. (“I like this hour best, don’t you?” -The Age of Innocence.)
14. This video. (There is not a scenario that exists to which my sisters and I can’t apply this dialogue.)
15. Charles Barkley.
16. The good man I don’t deserve. And also how he combs his hair. (#moderndayCaryGrant)
17. This little girl. My heart could be obliterated into a million pieces and all those pieces would would perk up and smile watching her videos.
18. Sandal weather.
19. Skirts and dresses and anything else that makes me feel like a girl.Except for periods.
20. Pickles.
21. Mint Milanos.
22. Lemon desserts.
23. The smell of orange blossoms in AZ.
24. Watching my dad do anything.
25. The shrub (?) outside my bathroom window that effloresces every spring with THESE.
26. Making playlists.
27. Speaking of making playlists, the “Secret Session” option on Spotify, so I can listen to The Little Mermaid song and Bedrock by Young Money and so, so many other incriminating songs without anyone knowing.
28. Sisters.
29. Eye masks.
30. Cheesy 80’s ballads like this and this (more creepy than cheesy, which says so much about who I am as a person). Also most OMD songs. (For the record, Tom Cruise does not nor will he ever make this list.)
31. Jack Nicholson always.
32. Salami. (“I’m Monica. I’m disgusting.“)
33. The Michael Fassbender version of Jane Eyre. (Have. Mercy.)
34. Michael Scott.
35. Arrested Development.
36. Weekends with Ben. (And brothers in general.)
37. Barbecue sauce.
38. Avocados and all they stand for.
39. Being able to walk to places. (This is less about my trying to be eco-conscious and way more about my {sometimes detrimental} proclivity for pretending my life is a romance novel. Sometimes life really does have romance novel-like moments, though.)
40. Learning a new word.
41. Going to bed early. Nothing seems more luxurious than that.
42. New journals.
43. TARGET. Or, as I ever so fondly refer to it, “My Tiffany’s”.
44. Honey Mustard & Pretzel Goldfish crackers. I will eat the whole bag by my whole self.
45. When Mick Jagger says, “Uh hehhhhuhhhhhh” at the end of “Shattered”.
46. My momma.
47. Flower. Crowns. To quote Monica Gellar (again): “I wish there was a job where I could wear this all day. *looks longingly off in to the distance* Maybe some day there will be…!” Let us pray.
48. Sugarhouse. Actually, Salt Lake in general.
49. Mascara. Without mascara, I am nothing.
50. Anything that tells me how much of a Pisces I am.

As one of my favorite Beautiful South songs (albeit sardonically) declares: “Life is charmed.” Actually…

    51. Beautiful South songs.

Peace and Love.