Today I realized how just one person can impact your day so much with the smallest gesture. Part of my job involves observing people doing their job and evaluating their performance, so you can only imagine how happy most people are to see me (ummm, not AT ALL). Today I needed to bang out some observations in a short period of time and was doubting whether it would be possible before shift change. The employee that I chose to observe not only didn't give me any attitude about how unhappy he was that I was watching him, he smiled, joked with me, and seemed like such a genuinely joyful person. You know those people that just have a smile and a nice thing to say to everyone? He walked around his work area and greeted everyone he saw, smiling the whole time. Then he proceeded to bust his ass, breaking a sweat to the point of needing to turn a fan on, so he could finish his first assignment and squeeze in a second assignment that he knew I really wanted to watch.

I am sure he has no idea how much this meant to me, but in addition to making my afternoon so much easier, it also really lifted my spirits. It's amazing how a positive attitude can be contagious, and the same goes for a negative attitude.

Soooo...having realized this, I've been considering that I usually don't have such a sunny disposition. I'm a typical New Englander who thinks that a grunt passes for a greeting. I don't take the time to smile as much as I should. I've got lots to be happy about and I'm going to try to show it some more...after all, research shows that just the act of smiling can change your mood for the better. Oh perfect, The Office is on! And I'm Amtrak-ing it home to RI tomorrow morning. Lot's to smile about already :)

Wowee, it has been a long time since I've written anything...I honestly wish I had the motivation, but all of the traveling lately has just been sucking the life out of me. But tonight I am making an attempt to mend my ways! One benefit of all the constant train and plane rides is that I have finally begun reading again. I remember when I was in elementary school and reading held such joy for me...I remember the feeling of picking up a good book, reading the first chapter and instantly knowing I would love it. The feeling of being so immersed that I would stay up well past my bedtime just to see what was going to happen next. Needless to say, once high school, then college, then "the real world" hit, reading took a backseat, and I honestly couldn't tell you the last time I finished a book for pleasure. Oh, there were those two Bridget Jones books that I managed to read in there...and I think I did re-read Pride and Prejudice...but three books (not required by school) in 12 years...eek, that's embarassing.

I'm not sure whether my next statement is more or less embarassing than that admission. December 15 marks the day I started reading again...due to two loooong plane rides to California. The book that totally captured my attention - TWILIGHT. And I'm 27 years old. Wait, this is starting to feel like one of Fattylumpa's TMI Thursday entries. However, I am reading books again over blogs and celebrity gossip websites, I feel great about it, and that's really all that matters. To all three or so readers of this blog...more to come shortly, I promise.