THANK YOU TIME...

i'm rewarding myself for finally trudging through my entire Civil Procedure outline by getting to do my grateful list...

**for the way i found out there are so many different shades of green...beautiful...

**for instant messenger...

**for a friend who helped me say "wish i was there. you are special to me"...

**for having someone to say it to...

**for completing my first year of law school...still have finals, but yesterday was officially my last class day!!

**for making the ADR/Negotiations traveling team...wonder where it'll take me, who i'll meet, and what i'll learn...exciting.

**for everyone's support and caring about the results of the competition/tryouts...

**for best friends who really love me to death...and the mutual feeling.

**for exec board position at the regional level..reppin' BLSA (Black Law Student Assoc)

**for wanting to surprise you twice in a week--didn't get to either time, but the feeling of wanting to is nice...

**for love...in all its forms

*for evolution...

**for no t.v. for a month (and now that the Spurs are out of the playoffs that eliminates the only exception so truly now, no more until May 22nd).

**for yet another reminder that climbing that fruitless tree holds no benefit to me...

**for mom's pride...she's beside herself right now--far more excited than i am, but so cute.

**for baby sister's ankle injury not keeping her out of her last tournament...superstar.

**for a brother who has grown up to be such a unique and cool person...he's different, he's hilarious, and i love the man he's becoming.

**for his girlfriend...who helped with a lot of the logistics of that...lol

**for someone to go thru this with...we always seem to mirror...

**for pictures looking up at cameras that leave me speechless....except to say, "wow".

**for a 3some far better than anyone whose mind is in the gutter could imagine....

**for minds that regularly reside in the gutter--welcome to my world.

**for the fact that, this week, this list could go on and on....

but back to my studies...

don't forget to smile...doesn't always come as mindlessly as breathing, but is potentially just as important...

--bRandy

Understatement of the Week...

"I wish this swine flu would just go away"--said in a valley girl accent coming from a few rows behind me in Civ Pro class this morning...

GRATEFUL WEDNESDAYS...

This one will have to be quick and to the point...

i'm moving.

**for new beginnings...

**for evolution...

**for reality checks...they never bounce. gotta remember that.

**for the fact that a lovely thing never truly dies, only transforms into another type of loveliness....

**for the fact that when i just misspelled loveliness (above) and used the correction function, one of the options was "learn this word"--not just "correct if for me"...

**for being over the notion of climbing fruitless trees.  

**you win. and in that sense, maybe we both win.

**see above (for you too.)

**for flowers in hair...

**the fact that i'm voluntarily going to be without tv for the next month (unless i get a roommate before then)...

**the freedom to be me...i'm really enjoying myself..

**for "learning you" talks...

**truth...in all its forms...all the time.

**personal questions that aren't so personal...

**that my mom is finally back out of the hospital...again.

**that my best friend will be here in 2 days :)

**that my best friend will place eyes upon love in 4 days...

**for the smile you put on my face and in my heart...

**for the way a peanut tastes once you get past that damned hard shell...

**for taking a break from moving to do this...now i'm motivated to knock it out.

don't forget to smile...doesn't always come as mindlessly as breathing...but is potentially just as important...
-bRandy

ATTITUDE FOR GRATITUDE...

Well for starters, I feel grateful that I have time to do this list today...I'm still hella busy, but that's the norm--but I'm glad that I can edge in a few minutes for this...it's important.

also, i'm grateful for:

**beautiful days...although i spend most of my day inside, it's nice to know they're out there.

**a great weekend of fun, laughter, reconnections, wii, and no stress

**my little gremlin...ahh, i love ya.

**coffee.

**strikes on wii bowling...ahh, gotta love 'em.

**13 points...with interest.

**my trial brief being out of my hands and becoming my professor's headache, not mine.

**my 3 beautiful godchildren...no really, they're gorgeous. one of whom turns 1 this saturday--happy birthday chucky (don't ask, lol!) 

**co-godparenting. 

**looking into your eyes...still gets me every. single. time.

**the feel of wings on my face...

**my best friend's laugh...still gets me every. single. time.

**getting caught. haha "don't think i don't know what the hell is going on!!"

**my best friend's willingness (err, insistence) on coming to help me unpack and decorate next weekend after my move...ahh, she knows me well. haha

**law school and all it's intricacies.  i do love it here.

**that i was informed that my grateful list has a group of followers--thanks for the heads-up kim, i will be sure to keep that in mind and stay on my game--no slacking. haha

**my friend and law school partner in crime, Lisa...she's the best.

**friends that won't let me stay in my cave too long and leave multiple messages telling me they love me, want to see me, and are here when i'm ready...and don't give me a hard time when i finally call them back...simply invite to me dinner.  See you at the arts festival on Saturday!

**our talks...coming to more and more understanding...for this i'm very grateful.

**you. you are beautiful...in every way.

don't forget to smile...doesn't always come as mindlessly as breathing...but is potentially just as important...
-bRandy

OH...YES I AM...

I received the following comment on Facebook last night:

"not grateful today b-Rand?"

I am...I was just buried beneath a trial brief that comprises 50% of my legal writing/research/analaysis course grade for the semester...

hell, i'm grateful to be alive--it was heavy!! In fact, I'll start there...today I'm grateful for:

**the fact that I'm alive and didn't get completely crushed by the trial brief beast...

**accountability and reminders to be grateful and let my peeps know about it (thanks Keaton)

**the fact that i like dan the mann enough to miss him...and already too. i hope you're reading this from san antonio buddy...

**wake up calls...wake up calls...wake up calls. you can't snooze 'em.

**that when a monarch lands on your shoulder, you somehow feel lighter--not like you're carrying any additional weight...

**piping rock...(not a drug reference, it's the name of a street)

**checking in....thank you to those who have lately...

**the view from my new apartment...reminds me of austin--nothing but green trees...

**my new friend....

**my old friends....

**both being comfortable calling it a "date"...hahah

**you getting me snacks...that was very thoughtful...

**IM convos with my best friend and our personal comedian, Ted. He is insane.

**Fort Worth Water Gardens...that's where i got my mojo back...

**water...it does so much for me...helps me do so much for myself...

**the ability to "tough love"/"straight talk" myself and get my mind right better than anyone else can do for me. i think it's a valuable skill to be able to get yourself in line instead of having to depend on others to do it for you...and i am glad i can...and glad i did.

**just letting things flow...and seeing where they lead...no matter what, i'm always here...i adore you.

don't forget to smile...doesn't always come as mindlessly as breathing...but is potentially just as important...
-bRandy

GRATEFUL WEDNESDAY...

today...this week...this lifetime...i'm grateful for:

**grateful lists

**there's hope...it doesn't cost a thing to smile...you don't have to pay to laugh (you better thank god for that)--india.arie

**the surprise on my desk at work today :)

**that picture i commented on...so nice..
.
**IOUs...and being your pot to plant in...lol

**coffee...law school has officially made me one of "those" people...i'm hardly a human being before my morning coffee--not good...but based on the way i feel BEFORE the coffee, i have to be grateful that it makes me feel better...

**getting "ahead" in my daily readings for class so i can work on my trial brief (due April 9th...pray for me!)

**baby burgers from fuddruckers to make us laugh

**meeting the first of your peeps...you two are funny together...

**delicious hot dogs (did i just say that?!)...i don't know why, but those were so good!

**fingers in my hair...i am tempted to go further here, but i will leave it at that.

**my mentor....she's great.

**butterfly dreamin'...

**french...language/doors/kissing...

**grey's anatomy...it's actually a pretty good show--now i see the hype.

** "i like when your hair is loose, it's sexy"

**communication...

**seeing the light...the pot of gold...and all that other cliche' stuff that means i see what could be, even when what is, is painful...

**this song...it speaks my heart:

In Repair--John Mayer

Too many shadows in my room
Too many hours in this midnight
Too many corners in my mind
So much to do to set my heart right
Oh it's taking so long i could be wrong...i could be ready
Oh but if i take my heart's advice I should assume it's still unsteady
I am in repair, i am in repair

Stood on the corner for a while
To wait for the wind to blow down on me
Hoping it takes with it my old ways
And brings some brand new luck upon me
Oh it's taking so long i could be wrong...i could be ready
Oh but if i take my heart's advice I should assume it's still unsteady
I am in repair, i am in repair

And now i'm walking in the park
All of the birds they dance below me
Maybe when things turn green again
It will be good to say you know me
Oh it's taking so long i could be wrong...i could be ready
Oh but if i take my heart's advice I should assume it's still unsteady

Oh i'm never really ready, yeah,
oh, i'm never really ready
I'm in repair, i'm not together but i'm getting there
I'm in repair, i'm not together but i'm getting there
I'm in repair, i'm not together but i'm getting there
I'm in repair, i'm not together but i'm getting there
I'm in repair, i'm not together but i'm getting there
I'm in repair, i'm not together but i'm getting there

don't forget to smile...doesn't always come as mindlessly as breathing...but is potentially just as important...
-bRandy