Thanksgiving | BulgingButtons

It’s official, I am REALLY freaking out. Today is November 27. NaNoWriMo ends November 30. I MUST finish my 50,000 words. I really really really really must. (Hey, there’s a technique I hadn’t thought of to up my word count, repeat unnecessary words multiple times for effect, or maybe not).

I have my flying pig socks on (for optimism), I have my leggings on (for comfort) and I have my NaNoWriMo hoodie on for warmth and writerly inspiration. I keep typing, but it’s like that giant plate of spaghetti… there’s still so much more to go!

Okay, I need to snap out of it. I’m home alone (well, the puppy is here to cheer me on) and I have no excuses. School is closed today, I’ve already done the Thanksgiving and Hanukkah shopping (that’s a weirdness all its own), and I have no reason not to crank out the words. So, why am I here? Because I don’t know how to fit all the parts together! It’s turned into this big messy thing that I’m not quite sure how to manage. Yes, I’m still following my story line, but I’m not quite sure how to move from one point to another in a way that makes sense. I may just have to forego sense for the time being, and JUST WRITE.

Phew. I think that’s out of my system. Now I need to grab a drink, let the dog out, and hammer away at the old keyboard. Super jealous of my fellow NaNo writers who have finished your 50,000. I’ll be there soon, really I will, just 8,000ish words to go.

I read a wonderful post on Mrs. N’s blog the other day. She has been posting about gratitude, which is very timely in this season of Thanksgiving. The post that caught my eye had a quote from Piglet, and being a Winnie the Pooh fan, it drew me in immediately. The post inspired me to write a quick little list of my own. Following are five small things for which I am thankful. I know there are a million others, and this list isn’t even a top five, just five random things off the top of my head. I hope you enjoy my list and create one of your own. If you do, please link back here so we can all enjoy each other’s small things.

1. Going to sleep in a freshly made bed. I love the light scent of the detergent and the soft fabric against my cheek. I love when the bed is wrinkle free and so inviting. Ah, the thought of it makes me want to go back to bed!

2. The sound of children singing. It can be my students singing in a performance that they have rehearsed for or the sound of a three year old singing itsy-bitsy spider.

3. The spicy cinnamon sweetness of Hot Tamale candies. The hard shell on the outside crunches and the spicy sweet goodness overwhelms your mouth. Yum.

4. The greeting my dog gives me when I get home. She wags her tail with her entire body, and acts as though seeing me again is the best thing that has ever happened to her. The miracle is that she does this every single time.

5. Catching a glimpse of one of my flying pigs. I have a collection of them, many of them gifts from people dear to my heart. To me they are the ultimate symbol of optimism. They just make me happy.

There are so many more small things that make me happy, I could go on for days. I wonder, what small things make you happy?