What I'm thankful for : June 30

Today I'm thankful for...

Swimming pools

Running behind tonighht, so this will be very brief. When it's 100+ degrees outside there is no reason to walk outside of your house, unless it's to get into a swimming pool. You'll melt otherwise, and no one wants to see that!

What I'm thankful for: June 29

Today I'm thankful for...

Stuff Christians Like!

Ooh, I'm about to do a shameless promotion for a blog posting that has a shameless promotion for this blog on it. That's blogception...or inblogception...or some other cool combination of words. If you're not familiar with the Stuff Christians Like blog, then you need to go there right now (here's a good post for you to start with- "How to Avoid Getting Caught Looking at the Lyrics During Praise and Worship"- long title but amazing blog posting, if I say so myself. Okay, okay, commercial break over). SCL is from the mind of Jon Acuff, a hilarious man who happens to live in Nashville and should let me be his intern for a little while so I can be 1/10th as funny as he is. He writes a blog about some of the little, er, quirks that us Christians have, that are usually so spot on that I think he's spying on me! Every Friday, they allow a guest posting, and this week, I'm the guest who posted! Woo hoo! So, if you're not familiar with SCL, check it out, and if you're here because of SCL, welcome! I can't guarantee I'll be as funny as Jon Acuff, but I do have a Hello Somebody watch, so at least I can tell time the same way that he does.

What I'm thankful for: June 28

Today I'm thankful for...

Handshakes!

Today was National Handshake Day. A good handshake can convey strength and confidence. There's almost nothing worse than shaking someone's hand and being the recipient of a limp handshake. Don't believe me? Hank Hill is on my side, and that's all that matters.

What I'm thankful for: June 27

Today I'm thankful for...

My senses!

Okay, the inspiration for this posting is going to sound really mean, but this is a place of no judgement, right? So, here it goes...this is Helen Keller's birth anniversary. I'll let that sink in for a moment. I'll even let the mean  ones take a moment to judge, make jokes, whatever...

Can you imagine being without two of your senses? I struggle to communicate with people on a daily basis, and I'm blessed to have all five of my senses. If I were missing just one, then I would have major problems getting through my day. I would constantly burn myself by picking up hot things, I wouldn't be able to smell smoke caused by the fire that made the things I couldn't touch hot. I wouldn't be able to see the smoke either. I wouldn't be able to hear the firefighters telling me to jump out of the window onto their trampoline. And I wouldn't, um, taste things. 4 out 5 aren't bad...especially when you consider that I for some reason made up a semi-elaborate scenario to justify why nearly all of my senses are important. I'm glad this is a place of no judgement, or else I feel like someone would be making fun of this whole entry...

What I'm thankful for: June 26

Today I'm thankful for...

Graham crackers!

Graham crackers are one of those snacks that I forget about until there are no other sweets left, and I'm on a "must. have. sweets. right. now." kind of kick. I stand and stare at the cabinet, like something made of chocolate and wonderfulness is just going to materialize, and then when it doesn't, I resign myself to graham crackers...and then wonder why I always discount them because they're delicious! Graham crackers, you're so underrated, and although I don't know why, I'll try not to to forget about you again...unless there's real chocolate around.

What I'm thankful for: June 25

Today I'm thankful for...

Color television!

On this date in 1951, CBS broadcast the first color television program. No one had a color television at the time (according to my "sources" anyway), so the general viewing audience may not have even realized what was going on. Now, 61 years later, we can't imagine living without color television! How else would we know that the people on Jersey Shore are orange? The next time you watch television, try to imagine it in black and white. Although that would be cool and artsy for about five minutes, I know I would get tired of it pretty quickly!

What I'm thankful for: June 24

Today I'm thankful for...

Ugly dogs!

Okay, I know this is a weird one to be thankful for, but it's based on the recent annual "World's Ugliest Dog" contest. I'm not sure exactly when this year's contest was held, but I know that it was fairly recent. If you've never watched the contest, you need to check it out. There's something hilarious about watching owners parade their pets in an ugly dog contest. They have such a level of pride, even though their dogs are u-g-l-y (and coincidentally, have no alibi...ha ha ha). I could spin this into some kind of metaphor about how all of us should embrace our looks, whether we're Westminster material or a top competitor in the ugly dog contest, but since all of my readers are good-looking, talented, wonderful, smart (obviously smart if you're reading my blog) people, then I'll refrain...

This is Mugly, the 2012 champion. To read more about him, click here!

What I'm thankful for: June 23

Today I'm thankful for...

Lawn ornaments!

I had a wonderful picture of my Dad's arrangement of lawn decorations, but my phone ate it, so just pretend that you can see it ha ha. Today is lawn ornament day, so whether you have gnomes, flamingos, or something else, take a moment to appreciate the added touch that they bring to your yard...or else they will come into your house at night and eat all of your food...

What I'm thankful for: June 22

Today I'm thankful for...

Video games!

Will is having a Street Fighter tournament tonight. I practiced some the last time I was at his house, and I remembered how much I like video games. I am slightly competitive but not very coordinated, so video games allow me to be competitive without (theoretically) hurting myself. I'm not very good at a lot of them, but I've got spirit, yes I do.

What I'm thankful for: June 21

Today I'm thankful for...

Nail polish!

There's something about painted fingernails that makes me feel a little more put together. It makes my fingers feel dressed up! I don't paint my nails often because I don't like it when they're chipped, but when I do, I love how they look. My toenails, on the other hand, are usually disastrous because they stay chipped. For the most part, I don't wear open toed shoes, so they can be a little more hidden. That's probably more than anyone ever wanted to know about my hygiene habits! This picture is from last week when I played with the whole "accent nail" concept. Fascinating, no? ;)

Look at my lovely accent nail. This is also my attempt at being "artsy" with Instagram. Two birds, one stone...

What I'm thankful for: June 20

Today I'm thankful for...

Summertime!

Today is the official first day of summer! Call me OCD, picky, whatever, but I get a little annoyed when I hear newscasters calling Memorial Day the "official start of the summer." No, it's not. Summer starts when the sun is at its northernmost point (uh, I guess. That's what Google said anyway), not when we get an extra day off from work. So, happy first day of summer!

And as a bonus, here's a little Will Smith to start your day off right...

What I'm thankful for: June 19

Today I'm thankful for...

Sauntering!

Today is World Sauntering Day. At first, I thought it was one of the dumbest things I had ever heard, but after reading a little more about it, I realized that it has more to do with taking time to slow down in life than the actual act of sauntering. Allow me to get a little philosophical here and say that we are all overwhelmed, stressed, and overloaded. We rush around from task to task and never really get to fully rest. For today, take some time to saunter. Pay attention to the little things. See what happens and what you notice when you slow down a little. You can always act like a maniac again tomorrow!

What I'm thankful for: June 18

Today I'm thankful for...

Sushi!

Today is International Sushi Day. Coincidentally, I have been craving sushi since I found out about this day. I know sushi makes some people squeamish, but it's delicious! But, if you don't like it, that's okay. It means more for me! =)

What I'm thankful for: June 17

Today I'm thankful for...

Dads!

Happy Father's Day! I'm blessed and lucky enough to have a wonderful dad who works his butt off for his family, is always supportive, and loves us dearly. I think the picture below really captures the essence of how he feels about me, his firstborn child and only daughter

Happy Father's Day, Dad! I love you!!

What I'm thankful for: June 16

Today I'm thankful for...

Vegetables!

Tomorrow is eat your vegetables day, which I'm sure is a day thought up by vegetable farmers to boost their sales. I like a lot of different kinds of vegetables, and yes, I'm aware that there are more types than just potatoes! ;-p Veggies make me feel strong and healthy, even if I do eat them with cheese or batter sometimes...

What I'm thankful for: June 15

Today I'm thankful for...

Flip flops!

When I was in college, I sometimes would designate March 1 as flip flop day. I don't know why I chose this arbitrary date, especially since March 1 was generally rainy, dreary, or even snowy on occasion. I guess by that point, my feet were tired of being cooped up in "real shoes" and wanted to break free. To me, flip flops equal summer. I guess it's appropriate that today is actually National Flip Flop Day. It's a little more appealing to wear them in 90 degree weather than in 50ish or lower degree temperatures!

What I'm thankful for: June 14

Today I'm thankful for...

The American flag!

Today is flag day. At the risk of plagiarizing myself and in the interest of going to bed early because I'm tired, here's a link to something else I wrote about the flag. Enjoy!

What I'm thankful for: June 13

Today I'm thankful for...

Boyz II Men!

I was driving home from work a couple of days ago, and I decided to play a CD cryptically titled "Amber's MP3 CD: Volume 1." There were a lot of songs on there that I didn't know why I had ever liked, but around track 40, I hit gold in the form of Boyz II Men's Greatest Hits, featuring such gems as "A Song for Mama" and "Mowtownphilly," and that's when I realized the crappy songs were on there to showcase these gems. Way to go Amber from the past, way to go...

What I'm thankful for: June 12

Today I'm thankful for...

The Nashville Symphony!

Every year, my workplace holds an event called Symphony on the Lawn, which is a concert where the Nashville Symphony comes and plays popular songs (one year they did movie songs) for $5 per person. It's such a wonderful event, and it's happening tonight. I missed it last year because it was rainy, and it was moved to the gym...and let's be honest, Symphony in the Gym doesn't have quite the same ring to it. This year seemed like it was going to be a repeat of last year, but it has gotten sunnier and warmer all day, and now it's gorgeous! Yay for culture!

What I'm thankful for: June 11

Today I'm thankful for...

Corn on the cob!

Happy corn on the cob day. Pour yourself some iced tea and get an ear to celebrate. I love corn on the cob, but I have a confession. I cannot eat it in public. I know a lot of people who can tear it up, but I'm not one of them. I have such a bad tendency to get food in my teeth, that I know I'd be walking around with a crazy corn mouth, and no one wants to see that.

What I'm thankful for: June 10

Today I'm thankful for...

Iced tea!

Today is iced tea day, and when I told my brother that, I had to clarify that it was the drink and not the rapper. Who knew he was such a gangsta? Since I'm from the south, it's a requirement that I like iced tea. I like sweet tea, but I know a few weird people who can drink it unsweetened (ahem, Dad and Jen). Unsweetened tea just tastes like nasty water to me, but everyone has their quirks, I suppose. So whether you like it sweet enough to make your lips pucker or (blech) unsweetened, pour yourself a cold glass to celebrate!

What I'm thankful for: June 9

Today I'm thankful for...

Conditioner!

It only makes sense that if yesterday focused on shampoo, then today has to be about conditioner. I like conditioner a lot more than shampoo because it makes my hair smoother and gets the tangles out. I have wavy-ish hair right now, so it definitely gets tangled. Plus, in a pinch, you can use conditioner instead of shaving cream. See, who says this blog doesn't have useful information? :-p

What I'm thankful for: June 8

Today I'm thankful for...

Shampoo!

Yesterday was the kickoff of National Shampoo Week (yep, another weird one). Shampoo is good stuff. It makes your hair clean and ensures that you're decent enough looking to go out in public. Plus, it smells nice. No wonder there's a whole week devoted to it.

What I'm thankful for: June 7

Today I'm thankful for...

Running!

Yesterday, in addition to being the anniversary of the first drive-in theater, was also National Running Day. I'm a very slow, basically beginner runner, despite having started the Couch to 5K program at least five times. However, I know that something will click one day, I'll quit panting like an asthmatic cow, and I'll be able to run for more than a quarter-half mile stretch outdoors. But until that day comes, try not to laugh at me when you see me running at the park!

What I'm thankful for: June 6

Today I'm thankful for...

Drive-in theaters!

By pure coincidence, I had already planned on doing this post today since I'm going to the drive-in tonight before I found out that it was the anniversary of when the first drive-in theater opened. I guess I'm inadvertently celebrating it! The first one opened in New Jersey in 1933, and tickets were 25 cents per person. Our tickets tonight are going to be slightly more than that, but it's still cheaper than the indoor movie theater, and I can lay down. Try doing that in the theater (sticky floors...ewwwwww).

What I'm thankful for: June 5

Today I'm thankful for...

Astronomical phenomenons!

Basically that's just a fancy way to say I'm excited about the Venus Transit today. I didn't even know it was a "thing" until I heard about it on the radio this morning, but now I'm excited to view it! If you have no earthly idea what I'm talking about, check out what NASA has to say about it. Also, protect your eyes! If you go blind looking at this, then you won't be able to read my blog tomorrow...or ever again!

What I'm thankful for: June 4

Today I'm thankful for...

Reading in the bathroom!

It's Bathroom Reading Month. Don't try to pretend like you've never taken a magazine in there with you. That's cool if you need a little quiet time. Just please don't take any library books. Blech.

What I'm thankful for: June 3

Today I'm thankful for...

Sour cream!

As part of my ode to dairy (or the very dairy weekend ha ha ha), I give thanks to sour cream today. I had a baked potato for dinner whose taste was vastly improved by the addition of sour cream. It's also great with Mexican food, and anything that improves Mexican food even more gets a thank you from me!

What I'm thankful for: June 2

Today I'm thankful for...

Cheese!

June is dairy month, so I'm declaring this a very dairy weekend (that's almost too cheesy even for me...ha cheesy). I've already written about my love of milk, so today I'll focus on cheese. Cheese is one of those foods that you can have with any meal (depending on what you have for breakfast. Cereal or pancakes and cheese don't necessarily go together). String cheese is also a great snack, especially with an apple. Wow. This entry turned from cheesy to old lady-ish fast. Guess I'm going to go eat some cheese!

What I'm thankful for: June 1

Today I'm thankful for...

Tennessee!

Tennessee became a state on June 1, 1796 and was the sixteenth state. I have lived in Tennessee most of my life, and despite allergy season occurring year-round, I love it.* I love having seasons (although I really loved our practically non-existent winter last year!), I love the variety of things to do and see, and I love that my family is close by (most of the time ha ha). I can't predict the future, so I don't know if I'll always live here, but I do know that this is where I would want to return.

 *I do not love the song Rocky Top. Does that disqualify me from being a real Tennessean?