Nerds

"Nerds like us are allowed to be unironically enthusiastic about stuff.... Nerds are allowed to love stuff, like, jump-up-and-down-in-the-chair-can't-control-yourself love it. When people call people nerds, mostly what they're saying is, 'You like stuff.' Which is just not a good insult at all, like, 'You are just too enthusiastic about the miracle of human consciousness.'"

- John Green, as cited by Finslippy

And now I'm stuck on italics and can't turn them off. So apparently I'm a nerd, but the useless kind who's no good at running computers.

Love, J

Me and Thoreau and my work

This really ought to be two posts, but instead I'm going to link together two totally unrelated rambles, so get ready:

Because I get excited about little, silly things, I've constantly got something to look forward to or celebrate. An impromptu walk around the block, a new episode of Grey's Anatomy, glancing up at the clock right when it reads "4:56," and hundreds of other tiny things can perk me up, make me smile. But I've been thinking lots lately about making the choice to be happy, even when I don't have any particular reason. And then I saw this quotation this week, and it is just so apt:

"I am grateful for what I am and have. My thanksgiving is perpetual. It is surprising how contented one can be with nothing definite--only a sense of existence. My breath is sweet to me. O how I laugh when I think of my vague indefinite riches. No run on my bank can drain it, for my wealth is not possession but enjoyment."

Henry David Thoreau

I am definitely rolling in vague indefinite riches.

But I will have to wait until tomorrow to be happy for no particular reason. Tonight I celebrate with a cause: I had big success in one of my cases at work today. (Like, *BIG*!)

It is a little confusing to swing so wildly between feeling like a fraud in grown-up's clothing and utter smugness at my mad legal skillz, but that doesn't mean I don't enjoy the smugness. I look forward to the day when I settle into a happy medium of feeling generally competent with an odd good or bad day. But for now, I'll take smug as it comes.

Whew! Did that messy segue make you tired? Me too. Goodnight.

Love, J