Magical Practice Six

The Day Six Exercise of Magic has to do with being thankful for the job you have. Well, because I am currently unemployed, I decided to switch it up to being thankful for the jobs I've had in the past.

I am so thankful for my retail job during college. I really needed some cash -- and I'd never held a job before so I walked into the first store that popped into my head and filled out an application. Luckily, I got an interview scheduled that day, and within two weeks, I found out I got the job! I am SO thankful for that because that job really helped me grow up. It was the first time I had to take responsibility and be accountable for anything in my life. Later, the store became like a second home to me. I made some great friends, met some very interesting people, and made some unforgettable memories. I am ever so thankful for that opportunity.

My next job was a summer internship. It was the very first one I applied to, and I got an interview right away, and within two weeks (again), I found out I had gotten it! It payed amazingly well, and I was able to learn SO much! It was my very first office job, so I learned a lot about corporate culture. It was the first time I felt what it was like in the "real world." I am so very thankful for that opportunity as well!

As for counting my blessings, I've just taken some NyQuil because I'm still sick from last week. So, I'll just list the things I'm grateful for with short descriptions:

1. Microwave. I am so thankful for the microwave because it saves me so much time throughout the day.
2. My very keen sense of hearing. I have terrible eyesight, so I'm glad that my hearing is very sharp. I can hear so many things that my friends and family can't, and that makes me feel special. Thank you for that, God.
3. Modern medicine. Everyday I marvel at how much progress we have made in terms of medicine and health care. Finding out that doctors may have "cured" HIV in a toddler makes me feel so glad to be living in an era where I can start ruling out diseases to be afraid of. I'm not saying I'll never get HIV, but I'm thankful that the hard work of researchers and dedicated professionals is paying off. Thank you, God.
4. Target. I am thankful for stores like Target, because they make so many things available for such an affordable price. I love that everything is so clean and nice when I shop. It enhances my shopping experience and brightens my whole day! I'm so thankful!
5. Cleopatra. She was such an intelligent and dedicated person. I'm so thankful for people like her in history. Especially women, wo give me an ideal to look up to -- a role model. I am thankful!
6. My big comfy bed. I am so thankful for having such a comfortable place to sleep. I know I am blessed and that I am lucky because there are so many who won't be as comfortable tonight. I must remember to donate somethings to red cross and good will, and maybe help out at a homeless shelter. I am very thankful for my blessing of a bed.
7. Nail polish. It's my favorite accessory. It makes me so happy to have well manicured, beautiful nails. I am so thankful for nail polish and the happiness it brings me.
8. Pentel Ener-Gel Liquid Ink Gel Pens. After searching for the perfect pen for so long, I finally found it. I am SO thankful for these wonderful pens that write so smoothly, in flawless fine lines of clear sharp ink which doesn't show on the other side of the paper, AND doesn't leak!
9. Kleenex. Especially when I am sick, I appreciate the disposable tissues which give me so much relief! Thank you, God.
10. Scrapbooks. I know they are becoming old-fashioned, but I love scrapbooks. Even if they do become obsolete someday, I will still be thankful that they existed at some point. I love collections of photos and memorabilia so immersed in one another that they tell a story about the owner, and his/her experiences.

Thank you, God, for all of my blessings. I am so very thankful!

Magic Day 4: Magical Health

Hello everyone!

So, the fourth chapter of The Magic is about Magical Health. The chapter opens with a quotation by Virgil: "the greatest wealth is health." That was something I could relate to because I've been feeling under the weather lately. But the chapter four exercise had me thank God for all my health related blessings: my five senses, my working body, mind, and everything in between. My task was to write "The Gift of Health is Keeping Me Alive" on an index card and keep it someplace I would be likely to notice often. It served as a reminder for me to be thankful throughout the day.

Here is a picture of my index card:

In addition to the Magical Health exercise, I'm still required to count my blessings daily. So, here goes.

1. My home. I am so thankful for my beautiful, comfortable, and spacious home. It gives me and my family shelter, warmth, and security, and for that I am so very thankful!
2. My parents jobs. This is something that I've often overlooked, but my parents provide for me financially, and pay for this house, our cars, our food, water, and everything else. None of that would be possible without their jobs. I am so thankful that my parents have good jobs, especially when the economy is in the state that it is in. Thank you, God.
3. My family's health. My family's health is just as important to me as my own health. I am so thankful that they are healthy and happy!
4. Twitter. I am thankful for twitter because of the amounts of celebrities, businessmen/women, social leaders, etc.. that use it. It allows me to connect with people that I look up to in a much more direct way. I love that, and I am so thankful!
5. RedBox. I'm thankful to redbox and it's revolutionary way of giving me access to new films for such an affordable price. It's because of such innovation that we are all able to have more exposure to culture :)
6. MOOC's. After being academically dismissed, I discovered MOOC's (massive open online courses), which allow me to continue learning at my own pace -- FOR FREE! I am  so thankful for this chance to continue my education. Of course, I intend to go back to school to complete my formal education, but in the mean time, MOOC's let me develop skills which help me get jobs to help pay for my formal education.
7. My financial aid for school. I am so thankful for my financial aid which allowed me to attend school in the first place. With the skyrocketing prices of education, financial aid allowed me to experience college, and learn (as much as I did). For that chance, I am ever so grateful.
8. My keyboard. I've wanted to learn to play the piano since middle school, but we could never afford a  real one... and my parents never bought me a keyboard piano. But last summer, I finally saved up enough to buy my own. I am so thankful to God for blessing me with the opportunity as it is one of my favorite possessions. I'm not very experienced on it, yet, but one day I hope I will be. I am so thankful!
9. My poetry workshop instructor. He was the first teacher that really believed in me, made me feel special. Unique. Poetry used to seem like a foreign language to me, until that class. I am so thankful for such teachers, who motivate you.
10. My HTML and CSS book. This book is the most useful tool I have in learning about web development. It has so many pictures and such detailed explanations that it makes learning simple. I am so thankful for such a useful book.

Well, that's my Day 4 exercise. I hope everyone else is having a great weekend, and staying positive :)

Silver

Magic Day 3: Magical Relationships

Magical Relationships

The third exercise of Magic, by Rhonda Byrne, is to be grateful to the people in your life. You are to chose three of your closest relationships, get photos of each, and write five things you are most grateful for about each person.

I would recommend buying The Magic by Rhonda Byrne if you are interested in taking this journey.  The book has much more detailed instructions and explanations about each exercise and why we follow them. Used copies are available of The Magic are available on Amazon for around $7.00 -- a very reasonable price for such a useful book! That's less than a burrito and a drink at Chipotle! 

Anyway, for my 3 relationships, I picked a friend who I'll call N, an old friend who I'll call J, and an old neighbor, C. I refrained from picking anyone in my family, because I am thankful to them everyday so I thought I'd mix it up a by picking people that I forget to be thankful to.

For some introduction, N is a friend who I met in high school. We went to separate universities, but we have still managed to stay very close, which I think is a sign that our friendship will endure. N has always been very moral, a bit of a goody-two shoes. She always kept me grounded and has helped me make good decisions on more than one occasion. Friends like that are worth more than gold.

1. Thank you, N, for not judging my honest mistakes.
2. Thank you, N, for kindly letting me know when I did something wrong, and still standing by my side and helping me fix the situation as a true friend would.
3. Thank you, N, for always telling me the truth -- even when you knew it would hurt me. And thank you for being there to support me when I was hurting.
4. Thank you, N, for encouraging me to work hard in school, and showing me how hard work pays off in the end.
5. Thank you, N, for being so considerate on my last birthday, and insisting on taking me out. You really made me feel special :)

J is someone that I met when I started working at my first real job. He was a very charismatic, ambitious, and witty guy. We shared a lot of the same interests and quirks, and he showed me that it's okay to be myself. I learned that I don't have to work so hard to seem perfect all the time, and that it's okay to be silly and weird.

1. Thank you, J, for showing me that there ARE people just as quirky as myself out there in the world.
2. Thank you, J, for being perceptive and knowing when I was sad or upset. And thank you even more for always making me feel better!
3. Thank you, J, for indulging my love for puzzles and riddles and being the best riddle partner I've ever had.
4. Thank you, J, for introducing me to modern instrumental music. It's something I never would have known I loved if it wasn't for you!
5. Thank you, J, for showing me that there are truly loyal people in the world -- just when I'd given up hope. Thank you.

C was like a second mom for me. My own mother is an extraordinary woman. She works really hard to support our family, and on top of working 50-60 hours a week, she still makes time to cook for us, do housework, go grocery shopping, etc... But while I was growing up, my mom was very strict. She gave us 100% and she expected it in return. She had no patience for trifling issues like friends being mean or boys teasing us in school. If I had trouble with a friend at school, or if my crush asked another girl to the winter formal, C was the person I would cry too. Her soft, caring, maternal words would comfort me instantly, and her wise advice guided me safely through the emotional roller-coaster that is high school.

1. Thank you, C, for believing in me. Thank you for giving opportunities to babysit which taught be to be responsible and handle money responsibly. 
2. Thank you, C, for telling me that I could do anything and teaching me not to accept limitations due to my race or gender.
3. Thank you, C, for setting a great example of an adult. I've learned so much about what makes a great person from growing up watching you.
4. Thank you, C, for being on my side. Thank you for taking me to summer camp, and making sure that I was in the group that I wanted to be in before leaving. Thank you for picking me up from school when my parents couldn't make it. Thank you for fighting for me when a teacher was being unreasonable and unfair.
5. Thank you, C, for being a second mother to me. Thanks for the make up tips, fashion tips, and just advice in general on surviving grade school. You really showed me that it does take a village to raise a kid. Thanks for being a village :)

Counting my Blessings

Wow. That took up more time than I thought it would. Luckily, the magical relationships exercise is something that only lasts for one day. The other two, the Magical Rock and Counting Your Blessings is a continuos exercise that I have to do everyday until I finish the book.

So, here are my blessings for today:

1. My friend, N, for all the reasons I listed above. I am so thankful to have her as a friend.
2. My old friend, J, for the above reasons. I am so thankful to have met him!
3. My old neighbor, C, for the above reasons. I am so thankful to have her.
4. My Macbook. I am so thankful for my laptop because it gives me a convenient way to do my homework, connect with my friends, store pictures, work on my blog, etc...
5. Netflix. I am especially thankful for Netflix on a day like today, when I am sick (with a common cold, I think). Netflix gives me a chance to entertain myself as I rest and drink lots of fluids.
6. My electric blanket. I am so thankful that electric blankets exist. It keeps me warm when I am cold or sick so that I can still sit in cold rooms in my house and feel comfortable.
7. James Franco. I am thankful for this actor because his capacity to focus gives me hope that it can be done. He is such an inspiration by going to school while acting, teaching, and still doing other projects. Thinking of him gives me hope, and I am so thankful!
8. Cameras! I am so thankful that we live in the era of digital cameras and instant portraits! We have the ability to photo-document our entire lives -- not just rare, premeditated moments.
9. Always Infinity.  Might be a strange thing to be thankful for, but I'm sure that all the girls who tried it are thankful! It's so good to be able to sleep confidently when mother nature pays a visit :)
10. Chocolate. Nothing makes me feel instantly better like chocolate does. I am so thankful for chocolate and everything that it enhances (i.e. chocolate milk, cookies, strawberries, etc...).

Just Do It. Day One of Magic.

So, you all have probably figured out by now that I am terrible at doing what I say I'm going to do. I don't even know how long it's been since my last post. It's so easy for me to make plans to change my life, but that's the easy part. My biggest problem seems to be following through with the plans I make. Recently, I've started saying "just do it" to myself when I start getting lazy. When I'm in the middle of cleaning my room, and I glance at my open laptop, I'll start to convince myself that it's in my best interest to take a facebook break. But I stop myself, look at my messy room and say "just do it!" It works 80% of the time.

Anyway, the very first step of MAGIC is to make a list of 10 things that you are grateful for in your life, and say "Thank you" (to god, a higher power, the force of the universe, or whatever you believe in) three times for each of those. You are supposed to do this everyday for 28 days. So, if I start today, I will be finished on March 20th.

Here goes.

I am so very thankful for the following things in my life:
1. My family. They are my biggest source of support, and I am so thankful that they are healthy, happy and safe. I thank God for them every day.
2. My best friend, Jenny. We have been friends for so long that I barely remember what life was like before her. I couldn't have asked for a more supportive, caring, thoughtful best friend. Our friendship has survived so many tests, that it is one of the few constant things in my life. I am so thankful for it.
3. My Mom. I know I already said family, but I am SO thankful for my mom, I feel that she needs a category for herself. My Dad isn't the most reliable person, and he really isn't a part of most of my life. But I barely felt the lack of a father figure because my Mom has worked so hard to be both parents for me. She would read over my homework, go to every parent teacher meeting, attend all my orchestra concerts, throw my birthday parties, teach me to drive, counsel me when I needed advice, and work full time. On top of that, she would always encourage me to chase after my dreams -- of course that was after making sure I would have a degree to fall back on. I thank God for her everyday.
4. Facebook. I am so thankful to live in an era where I can communicate with almost anyone with the push of a few buttons. The fact that the world is becoming so much more connected is really a marvel -- and a convenience.
5. Smartphones. Again, I am so thankful to live in an era where I don't have to worry about getting lost or being stranded. Of course it may still happen, but the chances are less likely. With GPS navigation and ability to make emergency calls, I like feeling a little safer.
6. The internet. Sometimes I forget how lucky I am to have been born in the information age, when I have access to answers to almost any question I can come up with. And what's more amazing, I can get those answers in an instance!
7. The U.S.A. I'm glad I live in such a diverse country. I'm not saying that racism, sexism, homophobia, and such don't exist here, but there I've seen more tolerance here than any other place I've traveled. I've seen so much racism and sexism in parts of India, Korea, Jordan, and even Germany, that I've forgotten  I've had such a rare opportunity by growing up in a very diverse society. The novelty of seeing people with different skin and hair and eyes and features than me have worn off. I don't think twice when I see an interracial couple. And I see nothing wrong with a woman learning to shoot a gun, or holding hands in public with a man she's not married to. The small freedoms we take for granted don't exist all over the world. I was once chastised for speaking too loudly when I was in India. Thank God I was born in America!
8. Contact Lenses! Thank God that people with less than perfect eye-sight don't have to be "four-eyes" for the rest of their lives. I am so thankful for contact lenses!
9. E-readers. Advances in technology seems to be a theme for me today. But I am so thankful for my nook, it was the most well spent $69.00 of my life. I have an entire library at my fingertips in less than 6X4 inches of space. The best part: the e-ink display doesn't strain my eyes when I read. Best. Invention. Ever.
10. Herbal Tea. I've recently been introduced to Chamomile Tea, which cures my tension head-aches like no other. I've lived my whole life with headaches when I get especially stressed, and I am so thankful for this cure. I'm so thankful for herbs in general, really.

Well there you go, 10 things I'm grateful for today. That was a little harder than I thought. It's difficult not to go on tangents when you are thinking of these things. But I feel good. Thinking of these things helps me remember why the world is a great place. Sure there are lots of terrible things and people in it, but there are good people and good ideas and good aspects to it, also.

It's late, and I need to sleep. Until tomorrow  --

Silver