I've been working for a few years now on being more brave. It's been varied in success. I remember when I was young, little, my unchecked courage always made me the most daring kid I knew.

I was the one picked to knock on the haunted house's front door or retrieve the fly ball from the neighbors' yard-guarding dog.

I want to be brave and strong.

[By: Valerie Chiang, via.]

Today I am in a good mood! I got some leeway yesterday into resolving an issue at work that has been a plague on my brain, and today is Friday. Yessss.

What should we do this weekend? Clean the bathroom and the kitchen? Hm. Go for a hike? Make and eat chicken noodle soup? With a soda on the side?

Yes yes, everybody!

I am full of positivity. Your jokes are funny! That story was great! Oh, man, this song is one of the best of all time!

[By: Amy Stein, via.]

Yesterday I felt sick. The day before that too. There was nausea and a horrible overheated feeling all morning. It wasn't until I ate lunch both days that I felt better. Quite curious. Related to the sugarfast? I do not know.

Anyway, Fall is here again. I am fighting lately with the feeling that I shall not survive another winter here but I know I must, I will. Here: work, Portland, you know.

I don't even remember being a kid and not dreading this time of the year. Back then, though, the holidays would come and wipe it all away but who cares about the holidays anymore? Expensive. Stressful. Awkward. There is a coziness and I like to eat up all the food but if I could trade them for good weather, I would.

I'm not sure why but I've never really owned any proper winter clothing so I am going to remedy that this year and see what's what. I do look, smiling, towards snowy walks to get dinner and picking out a tiny Christmas tree.

Last year, the Dear Boy and I quarreled about our tree. We went looking at Fred Meyer but they didn't have the type that the Dear Boy had specifically been imagining. With my positive-outlook-on-life hanging preciously by a thread, I was extremely crestfallen at the idea of going home without a tree so I balled up my fists and became petulant.

We argued a bit but found a nice little tree that held all of our miniature ornaments and the house was happy to have its bright-lighted cheeriness. And me too. Me too.

So we'll see!