Prior to the blog, this is what I've been doing

1. Make a happy list - Making the list, just by itself, was helpful. It really opened up my imagination to all the things I would like to do, and it also made me think about those aspects of life and myself that I need to change.

10. Introduce more culture into my life - I've already started doing this, but since going out is expensive, I haven't done as much as I would like. Last month, a friend and I went to see the ballet performance of "Wonderland". It was pretty neat, and my first ballet. I would definitely like to see another. For a while, a group of us have been planning a trip to the museum, but circumstances have always forced us to cancel. The good thing about museums is that most of them have a "free day". Ours is Thursday, after 5pm. Eventually, I'd like to see Cirque Du Soleil and I'm suuuuper excited! Whilst writing this, out of curiosity I went to the cirque du soleil website and discovered that they will be in Ottawa next month. I'm soooo going! Yippee!

19. Donate to Charity - I've been donating to World Vision for... a long time now. Well over a year, but I don't remember exactly how long. I sponsor a girl in Honduras named Litzy. My feelings towards this are 50/50... I very much enjoy the feeling I get from helping people, but at the same time, I'm cautious as too how much I'm actually helping Litzy and her community, or World Vision. Truthfully, I would like to sponsor more if I had the money. I probably will some day. I used to donate to Red Cross, but after I lost my credit card I never got around to changing my info with Red Cross. I tried to change it online, and then over the phone but apparently the only way to change credit card info is to go to their office, which is out of the way and I never got around to it. I'd still be donating, if they made it easier to contact them. I also donate whenever there is a run for cancer in my city. A guy at my work does it every year, and raised (amazingly) over $3000 this year! I don't do the run, though I'd like to, but at least I put in my part to help him raise money.

20. Art stuffs - I've been trying to get back into art for a while now. After being denied by the arts program at my university, I had to put that stuff I enjoy on the back burner whilst I focused my attention on other things. But I regret letting that skill slip away from me. Even if I couldn't use it as a profession, I can still use it as a hobby. So after years of doing nothing with my skills, I've picked it up again. I've done a few drawings, but what I really enjoy is clay modelling. I'm no expert, but it's a very calming activity (and your hands are nice and smooth afterwards). So far I've made a miniature elephant, a cat, an octopus, and some kind of wiggly bowl. I'm probably going to give them to people after I finish painting the.

21. Exercise - I've been trying to become more active, even before I started this blog. I'm trying to go for more walks, which are nice because it's beautiful outside. I've also been doing little exercises at home. I hate staying inside all day, but unfortunately, I have to read for my classes. And I hate sitting for so long. So instead of using my breaks to play games online, I think I'm going to exercise instead. That way, I'll take shorter breaks, and also be more active. It will probably help with my studying too to give my mind a burst of energy (games or chatting don't really do that for me)...

Step 1: Making a List

This is a list of all the things I can think of that may, or already, make me happy.

1. Make a happy list (check)
2. Take a Vacation
3. Go rock climbing
4. Move back to BC
5. Spend a weekend in the wilderness, taking photos and painting
6. Own a home (I don't expect this for a while)
7. Manage an animal rescue shelter, specifically for abused/neglected exotic pets
8. Go snorkelling
9. Attend a class, like yoga or meditation to learn how to relax
10. Introduce more culture into my life, by going to the theatre, ballet, etc.
11. Grow some useful plants from seeds
12. Be more assertive for the things I want
13. Learn how to say no
14. Connect more with friends
15. Put myself first
16. Keep a diary? (supposedly this works, but I've never really been into diaries..)
17. Get a pet, any pet.
18. Find a calm, happy place where I can relax once in a while
19. Donate to charity (I already do)
20. Art stuffs (I'm into sculpturing now, and getting back into sketching)
21. Exercise
22. Get a hair cut
23. Get new summer clothes
24. Get a better night sleep
25. Finish school, finally...


More to come. I plan to add more to this list as I go along.