Boredom

My job is by no means boring. There is not a dull moment between the hours of 8am and 4pm. Sometimes, I do not appreciate the lack of boredom in my life, but when boredom hits, boy, it hits me hard. Right now, I am bored out of my mind. Our second semester of alternative certification classes at the University of St. Thomas started today. I feel as if I am dying a slow death. I'm sorry but this woman is so dry and she just keeps talking and talking. The only thrill I have is once and a while nodding my head- whether it be in response to something she said (I don't exactly know what she said, but it was definitely a question) or because I'm nodding off. Thankfully, I am suffering through this class with very good company, but wow, I am bored. It's almost worse that I'm in this class with all my friends and we can only look at each other in misery. Get me back into my crazy classroom STAT. 3 hours of this? Who thought of this torture? Apparently some guys named Fries and Halladay- the only reason I remember those names are because I'm hungry and would much rather be watching baseball. Oh, and one of our books is by Michael Jordan, that made me giggle. Gosh- I'm bored. Without the craziness of my 6th graders, there is a lot of time to think about everything I have to do. That truly frightens me. So, basically, nothing good is coming out of this boredom. I can't even learn right now. One thing our teacher did say, that I heard (and retained), is that people learn better when there is no pressure and they are not under stress. (Cory says hi). No wonder I can't learn anything. So distracted. Class is over. Adios.

Happiness

"Happiness is not a destination. It is a mood, it is not permanent. It comes and goes and if people thought that way then maybe people would find happiness more often."

4:28pm: Right now, I am not happy. I'm disappointed, frustrated, and pretty much overall pissed off. And, no, it is not because my job is the most difficult and stressful thing I have attempted to do in my entire life, but because the Bears are losing, and Jay Cutler is a baby for giving up.

4:30pm: Now, I'm happy. The Bears just scored and it is a one possession game. Wahooooo! Happiness.

Happiness is a mood. It comes and goes with events, situations, successes, and failures. Everyone wants to be happy and therefore see it as this destination, something they need to get to. People want a fairytale where they live a happy life- this can be a quite depressing outlook. Everyday you don't have that fairytale makes you sad, and if you see others leading a happy life (or so you think) it could make you even more depressed.

Everyone has heard the phrase "Live in the moment." Well I live for the happy moments. At least once a day a kid makes me laugh, and even if it's for 20 seconds, I'm happy. Every Bears game there is a good play that gets me on my feet excited, and even if the Packers turn right around and score 3 plays later, I was happy for a good 45 seconds. It's all about the small victories, and if I put my small victories all together, I have a life full of happiness.

If you dwell on all the crap in your life, I promise you, you will not "find happiness." I don't think it's even possible to find happiness... I believe happiness finds you. This happens by the decisions you make, the steps you take in your life, making the choice to open up and feel happiness. Do things that make you happy damnit!

4:52pm: Not happy. Bears are on their 3rd string quarterback who just threw a pick six. Looks like my Superbowl hopes are dwindling.

But look on the bright side... we don't have to be embarrassed in the Superbowl! I know being positive all the time is hard to do, but it's worth a shot. And, you have to know that you don't have to be happy all the time. It's normal to be angry, upset, sad, frustrated, disappointed...but it doesn't need to define you- let your happy moments and joy define you. I'm sure you'll find that this will rub off on others, and being around other happy people will make you even happier!

4:56pm: HAPPINESS! Bears score, 21-14 with 4:43 left! THERE'S A CHANCE! Singing Bear Down makes me happy.

So, don't make happiness a destination. Let it be something that happens daily. The small victories, that's what I'm living for these days.

Go Bears.

Maybe you're wondering where that happiness quote came from, and I'm sure you'll be ecstatic to know that it is from the CW television show "One Tree Hill"