Lisa's Library: Where The Dancing Bookworms Live: Tuesday's Opinion (A Day Late): Ten Things To Be Thankful For

Happy Tuesday folks! (yes, I know it's Wednesday. I'm a little late with this post. Deal with it) It's already time for my own weekly meme, where I discuss my thoughts and opinions on everything under the sun!

This week, since we're only 2 days away from Thanksgiving:

Ten Things That I'm Thankful For

Life can really suck sometimes. Our jobs aren't paying enough, our schedules get so busy that there's no time to sit and read, and some people will just tick you off. To top it off, the news nowadays doesn't sound too good: riots, crazy weather, Isis...you end up finding yourself hunched in front of the TV just begging for a tiny bit of good news.

Because of all the negative in the world, we tend to forget all the really good stuff that's happening in our lives, things we should be truly thankful for. So in the spirit of Thanksgiving, here are ten things in my life that I'm thankful for:

10. Books!

Books are my refuge when things are chaotic. They are places I can visit where I don't have to worry about money trouble, or my never-ending to-do list. When things go sour, I find reading helps me step away from the bad emotions, and thus promote a calmer me. My ideal day off would be like this:

9. A Hot Cup Of Coffee From Coffee Trade

Is there a coffee shop near you that you go to all the time, to the point where they know you by name? For me, I have The Coffee Trade, a family-owned coffee shop that sells really awesome coffee. As I type this, I'm drinking a cup o' Joe made from coffee grounds that I purchased from this sweet little shop. There's nothing like really good cup of coffee as you're reading a good novel to help make the day a little easier.

8. Blue Back Square

Everyone has a their favorite hangout. For me, it's Blue Back Square in West Hartford, CT, only 7 minutes from my job. This is a quaint shopping center with a small courtyard smack dab in the center. And get this: the courtyard is surrounded by Barnes&Noble, the town library, a movie theater, and a delicious teahouse! I love this place and go there all the time between dance lessons to help me relax and read for a bit.

7. My apartment

When Dave and I first moved in together, we chose a small 2-bedroom apartment not far from where I worked, and at first things were okay. Then things went sour. Apparently we were not far from a bad neighborhood, so we kept getting visits from packs of police cars claiming they were doing a "training exercise". The apartment started to suck too. There was no room for anything, the heat kept getting stuck at 90 degrees (we had the air conditioner on in the middle of winter), and once the plumbing backed up into our bathroom. The final straw was when a drunk driver passed out behind the wheel and slammed into a parked car in our parking lot, only 2 cars from where I was parked.
We moved into a lovely community in Newington, CT, and have been here for 2 years now. And we love it! The apartment is larger with additional basement storage, the neighborhood is quiet and friendly, and the rent is super reasonable. Plus, we have a balcony and there's a pool! We are so happy with this place that we might stay for at least another year or two.

6. My job

How many of us can say we love our job? I know I can! I'm a ballroom dance teacher and I love every minute of it! To top it off, my mom is my boss, and she's the most easy-going boss ever! I decide my own schedule and I make a reasonable amount hourly. Plus, I'm doing something that's lots of fun and promotes good feeling in general.

5. My awesome in-laws

You always hear about the running joke that in-laws are no fun, but that's not the case with me! I love my in-laws! My M.I.L. (mother-in-law) is the sweetest, kindest women ever, as well as a talented dressmaker. She was the one who made my wedding dress, as well as my bridesmaid dresses. As for my S.I.L., Karla, she's my best friend! Neither of us have ever had a sister before, and we're enjoying every minute of it! As for my F.I.L., he reminds me a lot of my own dad, particularly when he does something completely random and hilarious!

4. My little nephew, Miles

My sis (in-law) Karla has a little baby boy! He's almost a year old now and he's just now walking on his own. I love that little guy because it's so easy to make him smile. It easy to see how much he loves life and new discoveries, and my mood always lifts when I spend time with him.

3. My family

I am so thankful for my family. They're so supportive and loving, and they always make me laugh. My parents are my best friends and my biggest role models. My brother is my movie buddy, and my grandmother and I exchange books and have lunch together all the time. I could never move out of state because I could never be far away from these guys.

2. My cat

Last year my family and I had to put our 15-year-old dog to sleep, and that crushed all of us; I still get teary-eyed thinking about it. A few weeks later, I came to the realization that I was ready to adopt and care for a pet of my own, so I began researching about cats and the adoption process. In early December last year, Dave and I adopted an adorable 2-year-old cat we named Miesha. I'm proud to say that it was my husband who picked Miesha, and she has enriched our lives enormously over the past year. She is small (only 7 pounds), but she is full of life. Sure, she can drive us crazy with her quirky antics, but she also makes us laugh and smile with her kittenish behavior. I love her like she was my own child, and I am so thankful we have her in our lives.

And finally...

1. My husband

I am so thankful for David. We first met almost exactly 8 years ago at a dance social. He had been taking my mother's beginner dance classes and wanted to go this dance, but because people didn't really mingle at this particular dance and he didn't have a partner, my mom suggested I come along with so I could dance with her favorite student. The rest is history. You can basically say my mom "unintentionally" set us up :)
I love my husband with all my heart. He is my best friend and my partner-in-crime. He is supportive, and caring, and funny, and smart.....he's the all-around perfect guy for me! He's Edward Cullen, Aragorn, Ramses Emerson, and Mr. Darcy, all rolled into one. I love you Babe.

When you list the things you love, it's hard to be pessimistic about how your life is going. So take some time over the next few days and list ten things that you are thankful for.