Finding the Good in the Bad

There have been a number of posts in the last day or so about finding the good things in an otherwise blah - or even bad - day. It's so easy isn't it to get caught up in the mundane details or to get dragged down by the monotony and drudgery of everyday life. Lena - over at Frugal and Thankful - took a step back to try to find the positives in a day where she was feeling sick and grumpy. And she succeeded in coming up with a list of things she felt happy about - thus turning a bad day into a good day.
What an awesome idea. I have been mindlessly going through the days since a certain someone in my life decided to continue his life without me. I'd have been hard-pressed to find anything positive in my days when he first left me but I believe Lena when she told herself "she had much to be happy about."  I have to agree...well, I don't have to but I will. I think no matter how badly the day is going you can turn yourself around by focusing on the positive things going on in your life.

So I thought I'd try a hand at making my own list. And stealing from Sonya Ann I'm going to use bullets to make them look more important!

Ahem...

• for a brief few minutes the sun shone in through the patio doors and the new paint on the living room walls (called Swan White) just glowed! (note to self - only show the house on sunny days!)
• I was feeling a bit under the gun because of paperwork due on top of visitors (student teachers) spending time in my classroom on top of a behaviour consultant observing one of my students today...however, I managed to get the paperwork (progress reports) completed this morning before staff and students arrived (that's one of the good thing about going to school for 6am), the visitors said they learned a lot and the behaviour consultant was pleased with the student's progress. YAY!! (I could have made 3 bullets out of that one!
• a co-worker emailed me an online coupon for 1/2 price pizza at Dominoes if you order on-line, which I did, and have just enjoyed a few slices (thin crust people!!)
• I forgot to brush my teeth this morning...no, that's not good is it? but happily I keep an extra toothbrush and toothpaste at school - yay me!
• I have managed to NOT drink coffee since Sunday thus saving myself $2.00/day AND drinking a super healthy alternative made of hot lemon and ginger instead. My body thanks me :)
• The above behaviour consultant is also a good friend so we got caught up on each other's life today :)
• I had an on-call today (that's when we have to cover an absent teacher's class during our prep period) and I knew it was going to be a rough class as I recognized several names on the attendance list as students with behavioural issues. So I took a bucket full of suckers and cookies with me and bribed them to be good. It worked. At the end of the class I overheard one student say to another - "that's the quietest we've ever been!" LOL!   I only believe in short term bribery!!
• No need to make dinner thanks to buying the 1/2 price pizza! Hallelujah!!
• I got caught up on my blog reading over my lunch period.
• Although it snowed today it didn't accumulate. Now THAT'S something to be happy about...I think.
• I gazed lovingly at my snowdrops today wishing I could get close enough to them to ensure they're not a mirage. I think they're real.
• Gas dropped by about 3 cents a litre so I stopped and filled up the truck.
• My hydro bill was $17.00 less than what I budgeted for it :) :)
• I am actually caught up at school...temporarily...it never lasts for more than a day or two but I'll enjoy it while I can.
• tomorrow is Friday and that means it's FUN DAY in my classroom. I can't wait to win at Scrabble tomorrow!! (just kidding - I just dole out the prizes to the winners!)
• my student Jess couldn't stop smiling today. This is the same girl who for the whole first semester bullied other students, made threatening gestures, swore at me and was otherwise disagreeable in every way she could think of (slamming her books down on her desk, rolling her eyes at everything I said...etc etc) Why was she smiling?? Her progress reports were just jam packed full of positive comments - she has really turned herself around. Instead of maintaining her "bad to be cool" attitude she now works so hard, tries her best, has confidence in herself and is just the nicest person to be around. SO PROUD!! 

You know I think I could go on and on. Once I get on a roll I can think of all kinds of good things in my day. Sure there were bad things too but it's all a matter of focus. Right now I can't remember the bad stuff, only the good. I should do this everyday!!

Tell me something that was good in YOUR day!