Don't You Love it When...

...someone says that your photos of Malta and Gozo are better than the ones from their own Tourist office? Not to toot my own horn or anything, but my friend/tour guide from Malta asked to use my shots on his website. Not bad for someone using a point-and-shoot camera and who is often accused of framing things in the center too much. The complete set is here if you'd like to browse.
...you get the week between Christmas and New Year's off work? I still have to check emails and respond to urgent ones, but it's likely few people will be in their offices to send me emails, so I'm looking forward to a Holy Week of Vegetation.
...it snows 8 inches? I may be alone in this, but I have to say, snow is an integral part of winter and I for one, am happy to see thick layers of sparkly whiteness covering foliage and fences in the yard. It's not so great for driving, but neither is bucket-dumping rain so I say, let it snow.
...shoveling your driveway is the most exercise you've had in weeks? It's not so cool that my driveway seems three miles long and it took me an hour, but my back muscles are ripped right now, I tell you.
...someone you've never met in person sends you a picture of himself where he's posing for a muscle competition wearing nothing but a man-thong? Bonus points: he appears to be missing a finger down to the first knuckle on one hand. Why he sent me this picture, I have no idea, but should make for interesting discussion when I finally do meet him next month.

...a plan falls through, but you decide to go with it anyway? I scheduled some extra time in London next month and was meant to spend it with friends in a cottage outside the city, but shit happens and now I'll likely be cottaging it on my own. And you know what? I'm totally fine with it. Some alone time in the countryside sounds downright perfect as a matter of fact. And lately I'm all about doing things outside my comfort zone (example: playing in a poker tournament with big-shot poker players and where there were observers...I have a wicked case of stage fright, I barely know how to play poker and I have NO poker face).

...you come in 14th out of 27 in a poker tournament? One of the players came in 5th in the World Series of Poker this year and I went out after him. And I lost to a super-fancy poker guy, who barely beat me out with a Q-10 and I had a Q-7. May not sound impressive to most, but I was pretty freaking happy with it.

...life throws you a few hundred curve balls and you live to see another day? It seems like nothing can be easy around the holidays, but fortunately, the days keep coming and giving another chance to figure stuff out and work through Hard Parts. I just gotta Be. That's all I can do sometimes.

...someone shows you capital G-ratitude? In the spirit of giving out what I'd like to get, I'm trying to remember to show thanks and appreciation whenever I can. A special friend has reminded me of the importance of showing gratitude and it sure does feel good to do it. So, to anyone out there that reads this online collection of sometimes witty, sometimes sad, sometimes weird, sometimes un-updated site, I thank you. It really is a good feeling to know that someone is out there reading this. It's a little piece of validation somehow and even if you're rolling your eyes at every post (or lack of posts), I love ya for reading it anyway.