Love and Happiness

One of my favorite Bible verses, which was read at our wedding, and reminds me of February. It's really appropriate every month of the year.

Is it really February already? I love February just because it's our anniversary month. But there are many other reasons to love February:

• Sun
  We get a few days of spring every February in the pacific northwest. The weather is "warm" (50 degrees) and the sun comes out to tease us before hiding again for 4 months. I'll take it! I think this happened last week because I wore sunglasses....
• Heart-shaped pancakes
• A special day to celebrate all the loves in your life
• Soup and grilled cheese
• Tulips and Daffodils
• Snow......or no snow depending on where you live

Besides, February is a good time to re-evaluate those new year's resolutions! For me, that means more time on the spin bike, and less time making homemade granola (I haven't had time), but there's plenty of life left for homemade granola (God willing). More time reading (I'm on a roll this year) and less focus on getting "everything done".  And I'm so happy I chose to give up my volunteer work for the time being. It has allowed me to focus on how I spend my time and what truly brings me joy. Volunteering does bring me joy, but only when I can balance all my other priorities. 

I've been reading an interesting book titled All the Money in the World by Laura Vanderkam which has really given me pause about how I spend my time and my money. She suggests that while saving money for retirement is very important (we do) skipping little luxuries that make you happy isn't worth it in the long run. As she says "there's a lot of life between now and retirement" and isn't that the truth! I don't take that to mean I should go out and buy every pair of Manolos I want. Instead, I'm thinking what could I enjoy for $20?  A cup of coffee and a book, a pedicure, an album from itunes, or a dress from Target. Truthfully, JSM and I have been Starbucks drinkers since the day we met (it helps that we used to work for the company) and we've always spent money on coffee, but that doesn't mean it hasn't come with a little guilt. (We also own a nice coffee maker.) So, from now on I'm going to enjoy my thrice-weekly Starbucks, without guilt, because I work a lot and a cup of hot coffee with cream makes me very happy. Last weekend I skipped the chores in favor of a trip to Powells Books, Vintage Pink, Peet's Coffee, and a manicure....by myself. Pure bliss! Yes, it's true, the librarian spends her day off at a book store. I just can't help myself! The best part? I was so happy I did fun things I didn't even care that the laundry was piled up and there were crumbs on the granite counter (usually this is cause for OCD-style cleaning!) 

ALA Midwinter 2013 Seattle, Washington

Back to those new years resolutions......Our Year of Dates is not off to a good start, but that doesn't mean all is lost. Unfortunately, JSM and I were both sick for the first 2 weeks of January and the last weekend we were in Seattle for ALA. This time JSM traveled with me instead of the other way around and I attended my first ALA conference as a real librarian! It was a great experience and I learned a lot about providing roving reference services, helping people write resumes and find employment at the library (my passion), and got lots of advance reader copies of books coming out this year.....my mother was so impressed! 

View from the WA Convention Center. I never tire of Seattle!

Advance Reader Copies. No judging a book by it's cover (at least not at Random House) but Elizabeth Berg is always good!

 But, all that means we didn't have a January date! Not to worry, we are making it up this week and I'll post about it this month. In the meantime, I will be drinking Starbucks coffee, eating lots of soup and grilled cheese, and hoping for snow while enjoying every little glimpse of sun we get!