today, tomorrow and the next day...

this past weekend was one of the first weekends that i've had some time to just relax and not have to run around. makes me feel like i'm living again!

it was a beautiful sunny afternoon in SF - had brunch at Modern Tea and then headed to Capsule SF: a Street Festival of Design in Hayes Valley for the afternoon (photos: top - fun felt buttons, $12 a pop; bottom - cool view of design structure at festival). it was so nice to just walk around with friends, sit in the sun and not have to think about work or errands for once.

it's funny what it takes to appreciate a weekend like this. i've been working hard - getting the lay of the land, trying to prove that i can do my new job well. i've been trying to convince myself that i am starting to feel settled (i'm not). and things like this past weekend give me some semblence of normalcy. and when i visit schools, i'm reminded how easy life used to be as a kid. right now, i'm thinking - oh, man, gotta do my laundry, pay rent, when's my car insurance payment due, i have to book my flight home for the holidays and the list goes on and on. not that it's hard or unfortunate. it's just what life has become for someone at this stage in my life.

and as an adult, it's so easy to let days and months go by without really thinking about what each day can be about, the opportunity that each day holds. i've been at my job almost 3 months now - it sounds short, but imagine the impact i could have made if i made every day worth its while.

i'm reading the alchemist right now (i know, finally) and came across the quote, "when each day is the same as the next, it's because people fail to recognize the good things that happen in their lives every day that the sun rises." and though not mind blowing, it's very true. at the end of a long work day, i don't usually remember that the mail guy made a funny joke just to make me laugh this morning or that i had appreciated the sunny morning drive coming in today. i come home and usually think about how tired i am and how much stuff i need to catch up on and then i get caught in the weeds.

but look, today was a good day. i talked to my boyfriend, caught up with an old friend, emailed my sister, registered to vote, accomplished some things to impress my boss. life is good. it usually is. we just have to remind ourselves that it is.