April 3, 2008

Three things that went well today, and why they went well.

1. I went to a workshop at the UW career center as a positive step toward finding a job when I graduate, and it was  … fun. Well, not fun, but enjoyable, and I got some great positive feedback and Chris the counsellor was a hopemonger there.  That went well because I decided to do it even though I was scared.

2. I stopped and smelled the blossoms on one of the cherry trees in the quad today, and it blew me away with it’s powerful yet delicate sweetness.  I’m getting little shivers of joy remembering it.  That went well because I slowed down and actually stopped for the 10 seconds it took to do that.

3. I had a really great conversation with Megsie just now kind of involving trust.  That went well because I stopped and listened and interacted with her on purpose. (Megsie is yotta-awesome.) (Megsie is going to be a world-famous and rich author someday.)

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40 days since last post!

 So for today and yesterday.  Three things that went well and why they went well.

1. I got to go to the planetarium with E and her kindergarten class. That went well because I have classes in that building, and I came out of my 8:30 class and E’s teacher saw me and said “Benjamin” and I said “what are you doing here” and she said “We’re all going to the planetarium”, which I didn’t even know was *in* that building. So I decided to skip my next class and go to the planetarium with E, ’cause that’s more fun and more important than going to my next class.  And you know what’s wierd?  In the planetarium, you don’t get the moon illusion.  On the horizon, the moon just looks like this tiny little thing (which it actually is).  But it *looks* awfully wrong, even though it’s empirically correct.  If *I* owned the planetarium, I’d program the moon illusion in somehow =)

2. I went into a mosque in America for the first time ever. I was very culturally savvy and took off my shoes. =). I wanted to ask about Arabic classes.  And there was a gentleman there who told me that they have such classes the first saturday of every month, which as it happens was tomorrow!  So now today (which is of course the tomorrow to which I referred), I can go to the class.  Yippee.  My first ever Arabic class.  Yotta stoked.  That went well because I took a different bus home than usual, and thus had to ride past the mosque on my bike, and rememberd I’d been meaning to check, so I went in and checked.

3. This morning we sat around and Coco opened her fourth birthday presents, and we looked at pictures of her birth 4 years ago.  I felt so … delighted, again, at her birth and her existence.  That went well because we got married, and conceived, and gave birth, and keep plugging away at the parenting thing, and she is relatively and reasonably well protected and loved and we are all together.  Yay!

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November 20 Benjamin

1. I made it in time to pick up C from M this morning before l’il peppers.  That went well because I rode like a crazy man on my bicycle to make it on time.

2. I had a lovely dinner with megsie and the girls tonite.  that went well because I showed up.

3. I had two great conversations on the bus today, which is pretty rare.  That went well because I’m a lot less afraid than I used to be.

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Benjamin Ady November 19 (well, actually wee hours of 20)

1. Today I got to hear a brilliant lecture on Acceptance and Commitment therapy.  If I hadn’t decided not to pursue the psychology thing, I would want to be an acceptance and commitment therapist now.  We did a brilliant exercise.  Maybe I’ll post it for you sometime. It almost made me cry.  The lecturer kept saying all the things I think. I love that.  That went well because I went to class today. And because I’m sticking with it re: school.

2. Today I had a really lovely talk with Megan re: our future.  It was fairly stress free, which is unusual re: that subject.  That went well because of number 1 (above) partially, and also because Megan is for some reason being tres kind to me lately (I mean even kinder than usual)

3. Our super brilliant, engaging, listening, kind, understanding amazing friendikin, Lisa, came over today with her three super kewl, obedient kidicans today and hung out for a couple hours.  That rocked.  That went well becuase she’s either a lot kinder than most people (which is probably true) or (or perhaps *and*) because she acutally likes us and wants to hang around with us.  so there.

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Benjamin Ady November 18

1. Jim Henderson was born today in 1947. He rocks, and I got to wish him happy birthday.  My life is totally different in it’s trajectory than it was 2 years ago, and this is largely related to my interaction with Jim and with the organization he started–off the map.  That went well because Jim rocks, and I rock, and Helen rocks, and Rachel rocks, and all the rocking came together in an excellent way.

2. Yesterday I got to go down to the brillaint new maker of fair trade chocolates in Fremont–called Theo’s, and go on a tour, presented by the brilliant Rachel.  I got an astounding education in chocolate–it’s history, medicinal value, creation, and so forth.  Plus I got to eat a bunch of super yummy (that is, nearly intoxicating) different chocolates.  And I’m ruined for slave produced, hardly any actual cacao big name brands forever (read: hershey’s, nestle, etc.) That went well because I got on the mailing list for the fair trade coffee people at UW, because I was encouraged to get involved with a student organization in my 199 “welcome to the UW community” class in my freshman year, because I decided to go ahead and hang with that class even though it wasn’t addressing any actual “goals”, because I’ve managed to learn that community is a goal in itself. 

3. I got hugs from all three of my wonderful girls today–E, C, and M.  That went well because I’ve invested the time to have relationships with all of them, and they love me.

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November 16 Benjamin

1. Right after I write this, I get to go to bed, because my two girlicans *finally* went to sleep.  And I only got 6-7 hours total the last *two* nights of sleep, so I’m  mega stoked about that.  That went well because I managed to *mostly* maintain my kewl with the girlicans this evening and now I can *sleep*!

2. I got my intro to my IAT paper turned in on top today, and it sounded pretty good, I think.  That went well because I actually wrote it up 2 days ago and thus had time to edit. and edit. and edit. =)

3. I have 162 friends on facebook, which makes me feel pretty frickin’ special.  That went well because I have been a bit silly about trying to find new friends, ’cause Megs has about 20 more than me, and i wanna catch up. =p

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From here

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November 15 (barely) Benjamin

1. I got my math homework done (finally). that went well because I am freaking brilliant, and there were fewer problems this week, and I got some good help, and I stuck with it.

2. I met with Walter this morning, and he still likes hanging out with me, which still continues to surprise me.  That went well because Walter rocks, and I got my arse out of bed and went to meet him at friggin’ 6 AM.

3. I had a really fun time riding bikes with wonderful Megsie today, and we got *totally* soaked in the rain, which was awesome.  That went well because Megsie was patient and waited for me, and because she generally and specifically rocks.

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November 14 Benjamin

1. Yay–Beth posted again.  Mega stokish.  That went well because Beth rocks, and this blog rocks, and I rock, and Martin Seligman rocks.

(finding it hard to stay focused.  maybe I should start a 4th blog called “3 Beefs”, to help me maintain and increase my bad moods =)

2. I managed to permanently delete something which I had previously only managed to partially delete.  yeehaw.  that went well because … well it’s complex.  let’s see …. because there *is* hope!

3. There’s a voice over there (to the left and a little back) (like if I’m at the origin, facing the positive x axis, in three space, then at about (-1, 3, 0))  coming from a boom box, and it’s pretty damn mellow and pleasant, and he’s singing “…touched down in the land of the Delta Blues, in the middle of the pouring rain …”  That went well because Megsie has awesome taste in music, and she put it on.

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November 13 Benjamin

1. I was tickled to see Beth had posted on here again.  And I was tickled to get to go with Megs and the girliculas to Beth and Carl’s house the other evening and hang out and talk and here astouding, heartbreaking, profoundly moving stories. That went well because we stuck to it when we couldn’t get into their building, and Megs is super … straightforward about pursuing a goal once she’s set her mind on it–a character trait I would like to emulate more.

2. I got part 3 for my behavior change project all written up, and even though I pretty much relapsed with my intended behavior change, I can still see that I made some progress.  For intance, here I am writing a three blessings exercise, and it’s my 3rd for november, and I only one each in august and september.  so yeehaw.  That went well ’cause I am a super brilliant quick writer.

3. I got four hours in at the lab today, and for the first time ever I felt really comfortable (not “lesser than”) there.  That went well because I just stuck around long enough for it to happen. *and* I got to read a really amazing person’s story, in the form of their personal statement for grad school, and I found it moving.  That went well because I have managed to develop a little bit of trust with that person over the last month or so.

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