Turn That Frown Around By: Karen Pilarski

Julie Andrews was very wise in the "Sound of Music." She sang about her favorite things to pull her out of her funk. This afternoon was icky which worked out perfectly since I felt sick. My husband found out he has the flu. I've been engaged in a to the death battle with germs all week. As if that wasn't bad enough someone sent a snarky email about me without realizing my email addy was still attached to the message chain. My muscles hurt immensely from working out with kettle balls. I can't sit or stand without wincing. Ouch.

I spent my evening putting a cold compress on my husband's forehead and going on Twitter and Facebook. An award winning writer named Molly Campbell (@mollydcampbell) tweeted the following "There is a $20 bill on my bureau. I leave it there so I can always feel a tiny bit rich. " It was funny and made me think about the small or silly things that make me smile or feel better. Julie Andrews was onto something inspirational in that movie. I pondered a few minutes and wrote down things that make me happy.

1. Hot Green tea with honey- It is comforting and soothes my parched throat. I feel cozy when holding the hot cup.

2. Ratty pink robe- While it isn't being worn, it is laying on my bed like Linus and the blue blanket.I figure if I feel ratty, I might as well look like it. My pink robe is my security blanket.

3. Comedy Central Roasts- There is something victorious when the one being roasted turns the tables on the insulting comedians.Sure it is scripted, but it shows how these brave roastees take a punch. Yet, they punch back harder.

4. Braiding wet hair- I don't own a curling iron so I substitute it with putting damp hair in tiny braids. I let it stay in braids over night. In the morning I have crimped/wavy hair.

5. Random cash discoveries- While not like winning the jackpot, it is small wins that cheer me up. Excited and astounded to dig in a pocket and pull out a few crinkled dollar bills. I call this coffee money.

6. Chilled Peppermint Patties- I adore the scent and taste of mint. The cooling sensation on my tongue when biting into a minty wonderland. My sweet husband buys them and hides them in the fridge for me. A double surprise.

7. Antique stores- I'm a struggling writer who is low on funds. My financial situation doesn't block me from window shopping. My creative mind creates a story of older items. What is the history of these vintage things. Who owned it before?

8. The View-Whoopi Goldberg is wonderful. She has wit, tact, and wisdom. Most of all she is amusingly honest. While I'm educated with a MA degree, I'm not a political person. Her explanations are helpful for people like me who lack that type of knowledge.Her shoes are awesome and splashy. She just simply rocks.

9. Zumba- Sure it is mortifying to shake my butt while others are watching. I do feel a sense of sensuality when I swerve my hips or roll my arms in a sexy way. The base of the music thumps so loudly I forget I'm in a gym and not in a nightclub. A major plus when working out is my husband raises his eyebrows and a flirty grin appears. Oh I still got it.

10. Coffee talk- I love my stepchildren equally. I love that my stepdaughter and I have time for girl bonding time. We walk up to the local coffeehouse and talk about anything. My heart is happy we have that tradition to look forward too.We laugh about how dorky boys can be and she fills me in on the drama of middle school.

I left a few things out of my list but that is fine. While thinking about my icky day I realized there is so much that puts me in a better mood. A glass of red wine or doing crosswords. Blogging is my therapy. So many wonderful things that suffocate the ill tidings from my day. In the midst of documenting what makes me smile, I forgot about the small things that made me feel icky in the first place. As Andrews sang "When the dogs bite and the bees sting, and when I'm feeling sad. I just think of my favorite things and then I don't feel so bad."