A few of my favorite things

I write so much about the things that make me sad or angry, and I have come to realize that those who don't know me well might draw the (incorrect) conclusion that I am not a very happy person. This is absolutely not true--I am absolutely joyful. Despite having fibromyalgia, which keeps me in a perpetual state of pain, my life has never been better than it is now. Here are a few things that bring me joy:

1. My husband. Brian is a gentle, kind person who is just as in love with me as I am with him. We both feel lucky to have found one another, and we click so perfectly that I often wonder if I'm dreaming. He is vegetarian, animal-loving, shy, a lot sexy, long-haired, geeky, silly, highly intelligent, and has great handyman skills. AND he washes dishes. Most importantly, though, our chemistry is great. We have a great sex life because we're into each other and have similar libidos.

2. My creatures. Our four cats are the best companions in the world. They each have different personalities, and they're very in tune with us. If I'm upset, Morgan and Aakhu come to me and try to make it better. My reptiles are also a source of joy for me; bringing up the little ones from babies, and rescuing the others--it's been very rewarding. While Gregor still occasionally bites me, Julian has grown up to be sweet, gentle, and everybody's favorite. My friends can't wait for me to die so they can inherit him, haha.

3. Nature. I became a biologist for a reason--I find the natural world fascinating and rewarding. I especially enjoy birdwatching, but I also like looking for woodland wildflowers, doing stream surveys, and finding strange and wonderful things washed up on the beach.

4. The ocean. I have always felt drawn to the ocean. Every time I visit the coast and get my feet a little wet, I feel renewed. The smell, the birds, the feel of the sand, and the sound of the water--it all feels like home to me, for some reason.

5. Cake. Yes, I love cake. That's why I have the cupcake blog listed under my favorites :)

6. Mangoes. Sweet, delicious, and exotic. What's not to love?

7. Frozen grapes on a hot summer day. They're sweeter when frozen, I swear. And they cool me off faster than anything else.

8. Aquariums.


9. Having purple hair. I tell people that purple IS my natural color; I just was born with the wrong hair color. A purple-haired girl trapped in a brown-haired girl's body. I now have a job that permits purple hair, and I couldn't be happier!

10. Art. Brian and I have a pretty decent collection of framed art, because he frames pictures for a living. I pick up locally produced art at festivals and farmers' markets, and he will frame them and surprise me with them later. Mermaids and fish are a fairly common theme for art in this household. Liza Phoenix is a favorite artist.