Seeing the bluebells that made me smile yesterday and remembering to actually make my face into a smile.
Sewing all day. And it being so neat. I love my new sewing machine. I love the overlocking foot.
The walk in the evening. The smell of the woods, the birds, so many birds, the yellow sky and the bright green leaves.
Sewing a dungaree dress. And really quickly too.
A smile from a friendly pedestrian.
Buying a half price years porn subscription.
Seeing our new pot up on the shelf. Such a happy little fella.
Eating cake. Two cakes.
OkCupid messages.
The softness of my shirt as I put it on in the morningSmiling at the pretty man on the way to work, wearing a similar blue waterproof coat to meTwo new recipes for dinner. Vegan macaroni cheese with no fake cheese. And chocolate and peanut butter chia pudding with oat cream and raspberries.
More posters! Thank god! The competition wasn’t a total bust!
And the judging went really well!
Smiling as I walked out the office. So many things went well today, I’m feeling so much happier!
Werk werk werk werk werk. It’s nice to be useful for a day.
Lots of lovely messages online about my vagina clothes. Including a sweet one from my dad. So exciting!
He called me his girlfriend. And we just had such a nice evening together. I smiled the whole way home.
Period! And without all the usual hormones and pain. Very bizarre. But right on time. Can’t believe it’s finally settled into a pattern.
Still walking to work with a smile on my face. Especially over that bridge in the sun. I think I might be my favourite view in London. Can’t believe I’m enjoying working with children so much.
Watched The Martian with Matt and Scarlett. Can’t believe I liked another film.
I smelt that M&S Christmas potpourri smell. God I love that smell.
Walking to and from work with a big smile on my face because it’s just such a lovely job.
Jonny’s vulva. And an evening of genitalia lino printing.
Getting half way through my very delayed commute, in the rain and deciding to just enjoy the walk and forget about being annoyed because it doesn’t matter. That was a good feeling.
Having all the housemates together in the living room. For possibly the first time since Christmas. Lauren bullying Mike for being a t-shirt stained mess. Ivan sneezing into Becky and pulling a muscle. I made a great cereal protest joke.
GIF-ing with Jen and James instead of doing any kind of work whatsoever.
Also I just loved this vagina image from @rudooles
Not caring at work. This is probably going to be an unproductive four weeks…
Smiling all the way to Soho.
Sweaty ping pong, dancing and racing with Jonny.
The happy smiling cyclist. That then made me smile.
Sex and the City with Mike’s commentary.
The hot man cycling with a backpack with an adorable dog in it, resting his furry face against the man’s face. I almost died.
Texts from Jonny. Being his drag mum. Wanting to be his soul sister.
Breaking the surface at work in the afternoon and smiling and joking. It felt such a relief to feel almost normal again.
Meeting Jo after work for a hug and a fresh mint tea. It was nice to be out of my head and thinking about someone else for a while.
Seeing Shirley again. Seeing her smile.
The smell of the air back home.
Seeing a new part of the next village that I’ve never seen before. Which is just nuts.
Tiny art penises. Dinner conversations. Still very smiley.
Making dinner with a happy Bivan.
Realising I didn’t have to make curtains.
Having the post first date smiles.
YAS QUEEN. Silly but funny.
Hannah and the poop. Green. Chickpeas. Everything.
This is a bit of a special one off post. Last year I decided to write down all the new things I did in 2016. Partly this is because it’s good to recognise and celebrate the new things you do in your life, just like it’s going to recognise and celebrate the things that make you smile. Partly it was because I’d just broken up with my boyfriend of 6 and a half years and I needed to remind myself that I was strong and I was doing new, exciting things by myself.
Some were exciting – I went skiing. I went on holiday to Toulouse by myself. I performed on stage with Sister Sledge. I went on my first internet date. I walked up Ben Nevis at night.
Some were less exciting but still new experiences. I ate a fresh fig. I bought a wig. I drank bubble tea. I watched Gogglebox.
And some were just silly. I washed and cut off some of my pubic hair in the Southbank Centre as part of an art project for Women of the World festival. I cleaned stairs with a toothbrush. I waxed off my moustache.
In all, I did 78 new things in 2016. And reading back through them makes me smile so much. I’m proud of myself. And I’m impressed. Maybe this year I’ll do 80 new things. Maybe I won’t. But at least I’m here, giving everything a go.
She got my flowers. It’s nice to make people smile.
After work drinks with my colleagues.
I got through the day. It started off badly but I did it. And it wasn’t so bad. It’s not as hard as I sometimes think it is.
Dancing to Breadfruit in the kitchen with coffee.
Just smiling for no reason, crossing the bridge.
The first two beers.
A mulled wine. Because why not.
A quick hour with my sister in law.
Walking home, just feeling happy.
A happy bin
An easy drive
A bag of craft bits
The lovely wrap lady at work told me I had a lovely smile and that when I smile it makes her smile and makes her feel more positive.
The delicious crêpe I shared with Gavin for lunch.
Jo coming home!
Wrapping up Christmas chocolates!
Just felt really happy today at work. Kept smiling for no reason and felt so positive.
Grooming.
Happy leaf.
Emily, our housemates friend, who talked about interesting things, facts and stories all evening. So nice to talk about different stuff. Plus she’s so articulate.
Going out for dinner.
A direct smile and a kind hand on my shoulder.
The sound of water pouring into the big metal sieve.
Dancing to Aretha Franklin.
Being told in my meditation class that a great way to feel happier is to smile.
Having a giggle with my boyfriend just being silly and talking about nothing important.
Wearing a beautiful white, smoothly ironed top. I don’t often iron things but when I do I remember how lovely it feels.
Image
After six months traveling and dutifully writing down my three things everyday in my little red diary (except for the one awful day when I just couldn’t find more than one thing that made me smile), we arrived in New Zealand and I abruptly stopped. I don’t know why but boy, did I notice it.
Maybe it was the drain of searching for a job or missing all my friends and family but I’ve found myself getting quite down and looking past the daily smiles.
And it has to change. Today is the day. For two reasons: I finally got my beautiful new phone and almost immediately downloaded the WordPress app. And I had a god-awful day in a run of pretty shitty days.
So this is it, happiness is in the air and back online.
A ‘smile’ postcard from my nan
Sleepy morning cuddles
The little mouse that was running around the tube station on the empty platform
A rusty smile
The story of the photographer who took photos of a boy with muscular dystrophy doing all the things he cant do
Walking to the pub after work in the sun
This happy tree
Going for a slow walk in the warm breeze
Doing some yoga again for the first time in ages. A really nice way to make me feel like I’ve stopped working for the day and can think about me and nothing else
The friendly lady in the gym
The snail on the pavement
A delivery of scones and heart shaped brownies at work
Three little things 