My Happiness Project

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I just started reading The Happiness Project (which has a blog www.happiness-project.com). And I should probably mention that it is my new obsession. This happens to me somewhat frequently, I find something I love, obsess about it til I sound like a crazy person, and then I fall in love with something else...However, I just simply love LOVE this book, and just the concept as a whole. I supposed I didnt have to read the book to get the idea, )but I didn't buy it I borrowed it from a friend so it also counts towards my saving money plans so it is twofold awesome). And it is actually quite an obvious concept--the author spent a year making changes towards making herself and her life a happier one. She tackled a few items a month and recorded how the may or may not work towards making her life better. Granted I am only on February in her year so far, but it just really got me interested. I want to be happy!(happier) Perhaps I should also go for a happiness project, because, I do love a project, and what with school being over in just over a month (omfg) I may need a project to occupy what I think will seem to be countless hours of spare/free/not interior design studying related time!

I haven't nailed down all the details as of yet, one of which being I need to get a friend or two to do this with me as I tend to be better at things when I am being accountable to someone! And the other would be what specific things I will be working on to achieve said "happierness"
Grand scheme things I think I must focus on are: Finances, Relationships, Motivation/Attitude, and Health. Big project kick off shall be in January and by then I will have a list of what specifically each part shall entail, but for now as I have been a bit stressed out as of late I shall focus a bit on Attitude: Daily Grace every day should help!?

1. Walking through fallen leaves
2. My gorgeous new day planner
3. Having had a car for the past two weeks
4. Crossing things off to do lists (two today!!!)
5. Sense of Accomplishment at work and school!

Daily Grace

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1. Photos of doors I love

2. Starting the new term with a passionate art history teacher

3. Thanksgiving coming up....and the many many reasons I have to be thankful this year

4. Fresh Green Tea in the mornings

5. Running errands that have been piling up...(ie. Finally taking my record player in to get fixed!)

Daily Grace

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1. Delicious Mccain Sweet potato fries (I pretend they are super healthy)
2. Free Iced Coffee at McDonalds
3. Keeping the apartment clean
4. Emailing off resume for a job at an art gallery
5. Not having school today yet still getting up at 7am with G so I can do work

Daily Grace

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1. Going to the movies last night and seeing both Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds in various states of undress. sigh. Don't you dare judge me
2. Sleeping in past 7:30
3. It's not raining today!
4. Jac is coming over to do homework with me and she is bringing us lunch. sweet
5. Seeing my brothers new place tonight

Daily Grace

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1. G went grocery shopping and made dinner last night. Gloriously relaxing. (well not really cause I was relaxing by studying for a lighting test, however it was awesome not to have to worry about dinner)
2. Being adjusted to getting up early
3. Getting to ride in a convertible yesterday
4. Having used a new razor head to shave this morning....ridiculously soft legs at the moment
5. Knowing that the first two weeks in June I get to spend time with two of my favourite gals!

Daily Grace

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1. Getting picked up for school in a convertible
2. Going to the movies last night for the first time in a few months
3. Feeling in a good place with my school work
4. Wearing a dress to school
5. Coming home to a tidy apartment

Daily Grace

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1. I got a 100% on a presentation in my lighting class

2. It's Day 2 of total apartment organization and things look good

3. Its 8 am I have been up for an hour and am about to start homework

4. I made a new dish last night for dinner with the utmost success

5. I bought a T-Shirt at Joe Fresh for $8 last night. Also...am newly addicted to the Canadian Superstore. eeek

Daily Grace

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1. Had an amazing time last night. See below. This is us all snazzed up on our balcony before we TTCed down to the  opera.

*2. I am going to Vera Wang to try on Bridesmaid Dresses today!  Not paying for them is actually the grace.

3. LONG WEEKEND

4.Beautiful Weather for a drive...hoping it holds up for a hike tomorrow

5. Woke up and started on homework.  Always feels good when I get that stuff on the go.

*NO idea why everything under the pic went underlined, I couldn't get it off!

Daily Grace

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1. Today marks the 1 year anniversary of G telling me I could come stay with him for a few weeks while I looked for an apartment...so it's the unofficially "we've been living together for a year" day today. hurray.
2. To celebrate number 1 we are getting snazzed up and going to the opera tonight! La Boheme. Never been to the opera before but we love an adventure so here we go!
3. For some reason the rest of my classmates think I am on top of things this term. Freaks me out yet makes me feel amazing all at once.
4. New Criminal Minds last night...spoooky yet good
5. Knowing my best friend SO WELL that at 830 when she texted me "HOLY SHIIIIT" I knew exactly what she was referring to.

Daily Grace

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1. Getting a free cup of Starbucks filter coffee for buying beans...no place has ever offered me that before.

2. Slowly getting a hang of using my camera, I have had it for 3 years and I still mostly use it on the Auto setting. I have been reading the manual on the subway and I think I am slowly learning a few new tricks. Hope to have time to try them out soon

3. People who pay their babysitters WAY over minimum wage

4. New tunes on my Ipod

5. My Nanny telling me that she has a present for me. yay presents!

Daily Grace

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1. Crab legs being on sale at Loblaws giving me a creative and freaking delicious new option for dinner last night

2. Lindt Fleur De Sel chocolate. Divine

3. Rediscovering my LuLu Lemon short pants which I will wear today

4. Getting to sleep in just a little bit later than G this morning

5. Having my friend Emma hook me up with a sweet and potentially somewhat lucrative babysitting gig

Daily Grace

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1. The sun is shining when I have to get up nowadays....makes it much easier for me to drag my bum out of bed

2. My Mum got another 3 months reprieve from her oncologist. Amen. Which also leads me to: 

3. Getting to spend a nice day in the city with my Mum yesterday. We were going to attempt to go to the AGO yet it was closed on Mondays. D'oh. So instead we got a coffee and browsed around Chapters on Queen street while we waited for her appointment.  Really nice day together

4. For the amazing new pillow that me ma bought me yesterday from home outfitters (we also went there;) ) I am always on a quest for a good pillow and by george I think I actually have one!!! This may sound lame but I have a really hard time finding pillows that work for me so this is actually HUGE

5. Fighting the lazy last night and cleaning the kitchen while I made dinner. And also making us both lunches for today. It really is so easy to just say "I'll do it tomorrow" but whenever I do that it always seems to come back on me later as then I have to buy lunch and spend even more time cleaning!

Daily Grace

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1. For these two 'new to me' songs I have been listening to all weekend. 'Weighty Ghost' by Wintersleep and Brighter Discontent by The Submarines.
2.Cafe Creme in the big red coffee cup G bought me

3. My new haircut

4. Catching up with friends I haven't seen in ages over the weekend

5. Getting nothing accomplished that was on my list of to-do's this weekend....and still enjoying myself

Daily Grace

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1. I got to wear my adorable wellies (see sidebar pic) last night cause it was raining

2. I'm slowly learning how to use Flickr

3. After my terrible horrible no good financial aid experience I came home to G who said the best words to ever hear "We'll take care of it together"

4. I am organized enough to get two assignments finished today...I am not coming back to the apartment until they are finished

5. A good nights sleep. Brings much better perspective to my life!

Daily Grace

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1. I got up early enough to enjoy a leisurely cup of coffee while blogging this morning

2. Getting 90% on my building Systems test last night...need to know anything about HVAC? I'm your girl!

3. Meeting up with my class early before class today (9am instead of 2pm) to get two assignments out of the way before midterm week. As much as I would rather chill at home than have 10 hours of school today, I know it will feel phenomenal to get stuff done.

4. A lovely long catch up email from an old friend

5. Figuring out how to make my blog prettier.  I love it!

Daily Grace

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1. Feeling somewhat on top of my school work...which is decreasing my anxiety level...which is an AMAZING thing!

2. For having a really nice visit with G's brother who has been staying with us since Sunday

3.  We started trying the GI diet on Sunday.  It's been hard cause sometimes I am lazy however I feel like for once I can actually do this.  I have lost about 10lbs since January and I am really trying to keep the healthiness going

4. Making fun plans for G and I for Saturday in Toronto.  I think we are going to go to St Lawrence Market...any suggestions?  We have a bad habit of going north every weekend and not enjoying our surroundings here in the city

5. Knowing my friend Emma has had two great dates with the amazing DB (dreamboat) the past two nights

Daily Grace

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1. Last night I had nachos for dinner. Hurray for laziness

2. Iphoto might be my new favourite thing in the world. Or at least one small step in the direction of me FINALLY getting something like 6000 photos organized

3. I got a delivery from Amazon! granted it's a book for school but I have to say I always feel pretty  awesome getting mail of any kind. Usually its junk mail or addressed to Dear Occupant

4. Some form of motivation I seem to have today...I woke up on the earlyish side and have started cleaning up for G's brothers surprise visit this weekend. Hopefully motivation continues all day and I actually get some homework done too. There are some serious deadlines looming and I need to get on it!

5. This is going to make me sound like a monster redneck, however...There is a buck and doe tomorrow night and I am really looking forward to dancing with my friends and eating midnight sandwich buffet!

Daily Grace

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1. Finally getting my butt in gear, and calling TD to get the credit card with WAY lower interest...paying off old credit card with new credit card and getting a great balance transfer rate...CUTTING OLD CREDIT CARD UP AND THROWING OUT.

2. While not spending the time I planned this week on getting housework done, I have somehow managed to keep on top of my homework and start making plans for upcoming projects and assignments which will keep me sane in the coming weeks.

3. Once again--The Sun.  I feel like I have been thankful for that a lot lately, but heck, it makes me feel thankful so big ups to that yellow thing in the sky.

4. Getting to go see my oldest and dearest friend at her first wedding dress fitting last night.  I was fake tearing up to cover the real tearing up. She picked the absolutely perfect dress that might as well have been made for her. I am so honoured to be in her wedding.

5. For the first time, I have really appreciated and enjoyed the quiet and solitude that comes along with G being gone for a few  days. True I miss him and I may or may not have been sleeping on his side of the bed, but I have been enjoying some "me" time.

Daily Grace

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1. Learning how to use my new computer. I am in love.

2. My awesome friend Harrison who came with me tonight for some sushi and is now teaching me how to use my new computer.

3.  G going away for a few days so I can hopefully get my crap together and clean up my trail of stuff I leave all around the apartment.

4. The new issue of Dwell Magazine

5. Strawberries being on sale for a LOONIE at the corner market.

Daily Grace

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1. Not having to wear a jacket yesterday
2. Having the courage to tell G that I have been feeling a bit down lately.
3. Coffee with mum this morning in our favourite polka dotted mugs
4. Getting a really good sleep last night and the refreshed feeling that comes with it today
5. Slowly but surely getting things organized in my life