Little Things, Big Joy

I was reflecting lately on the small things that have the strange power to make me disproportionately happy. The things that others would often overlook. The things that are so simple yet they can make my day...

I was thinking I should make a list of these things. To be more conscious of them, more grateful. Sharing would also be nice. So I thought I would list 3 things at a time for as long as I can. Every week.

Here are my 3 first.

1- My perfectly mixed morning cup of vanilla soya milk and hazelnut coffee.

2- Seeing the bottom of the dirty laundry basket and being sure that all the sheets and towels of the house are also clean. For more happiness, all previous clean laundry would also be folded and in its place.

3- The very moment where my head hits my pillow at night (and most of the time, al hamdulillah, the moment where I fall asleep!).

What are the things that make you so disproportionately happy?

Dreaming

Today is a beautiful day to dream.

Wind is blowing, sky is veiled, the sun is struggling to shine through the greyness of the heavens. We went back to Standard Time, sun will set at 4:41 pm today. Trees are almost all bare. Thermometer displays a timid 5 degrees Celcius. Windows are closed, doors are shut, people are inside. Hibernation has begun.

Today is a perfect day to dream.

Grey

is not my favorite sky color. I feel winter coming, and I'm not sure that light therapy will be enough...

I'm trying to be proactive, not to let depression have a grip on me this year, again...

Here's what I intend to do in the next days:

- yoga (breathing and stretching gives me a lot of energy)

- tanning salon (it always feels so good on my skin! - I usually go 2 times a year)

- massage (received a free session certificate for Eid - thanks lil' bro)

- painting (to express my feelings through colors and brush strokes)

- new basement decoration (have to choose new walls color, new floor, new ceramic - new is good for the mood)

- psycho-therapy (I stopped seeing my PT in July and need to resume my therapy)

- chocolate cake (very effective for short term happiness)

- breakfast with friends in the middle of the week (we started this a couple of weeks ago and it perfectly breaks routine)

What do you do to fight the blues?

Everyday People Cartoons

are very funny

Calamity

Three fire tucks. Twelve firemen. Me, with burning cheeks and rubber boots, holding a canister under the hole in the oil tank, my two feet in a pond of fuel. Windows open, heating and electricity off, suffocating smell of gas... That wasn't a nightmare. That was my house, last Thursday.

The insurance guy, the after-disaster expert, the oil company, the cleaning company, the new tank team, the minister of environment, the curious neighbours, all around, while experts were tearing walls apart and breaking ceramic tiles... That wasn't a bad dream. That was my house, last Friday.

Me, with respiratory problems and a headache, and the kids, away from home since then... That is not a holiday. That is our actual situation.

Calamity. Upon us.

Clean and minimal

How do you like it? I think that new look really suits this blog.

I'm in a minimalist mood since a couple of weeks and decluttering is my watchword. Everything of no particular and unnecessary use is being donate/discarded/thrown away. Objects, files and all kind of tangible and virtual clutter is either gone or about to. Bare computer desktop. Unsubscription to many emails and newsletter that I never read anyway. Giving away baby stuff, furniture (don't worry I kept the refrigerator and a table!), useless (to me) items.

Have more decluttering work to do but I'm happy now my blog is also done. Fresh and clean. Ah, now you (and I) can breathe!

Why don't you

photo credit: a.drian

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Blog Lifting

As you may know, Zamzam is going through major changes. My Etsy shop is about to be empty. My focus will be on my graphic design work. And my own self is experiencing many transformations.... so I thought my blog needed some changes.

First a facelift. I'm working on a new name and a new banner for the blog (as the word design is not really representative of what I'm talking about most of the time).

I'm also going to have some kind of weekly program. Monday will be some kind or 'word of the week', where I'm going to talk about one concept, anything that I will have in mind at that time. I'll probably have other weekly ideas but for now that is what I thought about.

I ask you to please, please leave a comment if you have any idea... I'd love to hear you about your favorite topics, your expectations when you read this blog, etc.

Make sure to come back often to see what this lifting is all about!