Tag - I'm it! And you're next!

Here I am, scrolling through my Google Reader when I see that Melissa at Duoly Noted has just been awarded the Ten Things That Make Me Happy award. I think to myself, 'Well that's fun! Who doesn't like to talk about what makes them happy?!' and I read through her fun answers (which, #4, seriously can I get an amen!) and then get to the bottom of the post. She's listed the 10 people she's tagging to do the same, and I see my little blog listed there! Me? I was tagged? YAY!!! I feel important : ) So, without further ado, here are Ten Things that Make Me Happy - The Banker By Day Edition (in no particular order).


The RULES are:
1. Copy the award image in your post.
2. List 10 things that make you happy, and try to do at least one of them today.
3. Then, tag 10 bloggers that make you happy!
4. For the 10 bloggers who get the award, link back to me and spread the happiness!

1. The smell of new books - Barnes & Noble gives me butterflies with their combination of Starbucks and pristine, never been opened, read- to-have-their-spine-cracked-by-me-as-I-curl-up-in-a-comfy-chair-with-a-mocha, books. Whether it's a new hardcover, a large coffee table picture book, or even something off of their Bargain Shelf, I'm a happy girl when I've got a new book in my hands. 
2. Online shopping at work - If you're reading this and you work with me, stop scolding me and just get over it. Yes, I know I'm supposed to be doing actual work, but UGH sometimes I just don't want to. It's no secret that I hate my job and I'm switching careers in roughly 6 months (please refer to the new countdown on the right side of the page) so if a little online retail therapy makes it easier for me to get through the day, who am I to deprive myself of a little sanity?
3. Sleeping in - I know this isn't really that groundbreaking of a statement, but DAMN do I love to sleep later than 7am on any given day. I don't know why, but just waking up whenever I feel like it, and rolling over and going back to sleep just because I can, is one of the best feelings in the world.
4. Random sweet texts from Josh - This is totally mushy, but he sends me unexpected texts every so often just to tell me how wonderful I am. How sweet! It definitely brightens my day, because I'm usually stuck at work practicing better fiscal responsibility (read: filling online shopping carts with loads of stuff and then never checking out because I feel guilty) when the texts come through. Refer to #2 if you don't understand why I would need my day brightened at work.
5. My Abercrombie Sweatshirt from when I was 16 - It's sooooo old and faded and starting to get holes around the cuffs, but I love it. Whenever I feel yucky I put it on and it just makes me feel better. It must have magical qualities because I think I paid over $50 for it, and when  you're 16  and work at Goodwill, $50 is like 3 days worth of pay. So it better have magical qualities. Oh - and it's the only non-hooded sweatshirt I own, which makes it all the more unique and wonderful!
6. Successful Blog-Stalking - I love when Im just clicking on a bunch of different people's blogs and I end up finding one I really like. Now, I don't really have that high of standards, but at the same time I don't just add anyone to my reader. I love stumbling across someone with whom I find I have a lot in common or someone whose style of writing makes me laugh out loud. I love finding new and interesting people in the blogosphere.
7. Cooking/baking something and having it turn out as intended - Believe me, this doesn't happen nearly as often as it should, so when it does, I'm in seventh heaven. Partially because I rarely have all the ingredients I need to make something, so I end up substituting something else which never quite turns out as I had imagined. So when someone tells me that something I made tastes good it makes me  happy (I really don't even care if they're telling me the truth).
8. Watching Doogie Howser M. D. on Hulu.com - I was OBsessed with this TV show when I was absolutely way too young to be watching a show this mature. But I didn't understand what was going on, I just loved me some Doogie. At the ripe old age of 5 I had his poster on my wall... It's kind of fun to watch the episodes of a TV show I was completely enamored with for 4 years, and actually understand it now.
9. Vlassic baby dill pickles - Josh and I will literally get into a stabbing fight with forks as we try to eat them straight out of the jar. They're crispy and crunchy and delicious! Spread some cream cheese on a slice of ham and wrap one up - it's even BETTER that way! (Oh yeah, we call those pickle rolls 'bellybuttons' around these parts and you better get to grandma's house early on Christmas if you want a chance at eating any. My grandma has been known to make separate containers for me and my cousin Adam so we wouldn't fight over them)
10. Bagels - I fricken L-O-V-E bagels. If they weren't so horrible for me I would eat one everyday. I know there are some good ones out there, but I like my bagels oversized, toasted, and slathered with delicious flavored cream cheese. Chocolate chip bagels with choco-chip cream cheese are SO good when my sweet tooth is overpowering my brain in the morning. Other days, I love Asiago cheese bagels, or cheddar herb bagels, or everything bagels, or onion poppy seed bagels.... MMMM and I love cheddar jalapeno or garden veggie or chive cream cheese. The BEST way to start out my day... 

**I just wanted to note that I, too, love love love musicals, but since Melissa already listed musicals on her Ten Things, I decided to leave that off my list. But seriously, I haven't met a musical I didn't like (except the one set in a high school) and I've been known to download entire albums of songs from musicals. My favorites: Annie, Wicked, Grease (and Grease 2, I don't care what anyone says, Reproduction is a classic to me), Moulin Rouge, Mamma Mia, RENT, Avenue Q, and the list goes on...

Now for the 10 people I'm tagging - This is the hard part because I don't really know of 10 other people who read this blog and have a blog of their own... So, I'm going to tag some people who don't have blogs. If that's you just leave your Ten Things in my comment section. Also, if you're a regular reader of this blog and I don't list you, it's because I don't know you're reading. So don't be shy! Leave me a comment so I know who you are and post your Ten Things on your own blog!

1. WannaBe Chef 
2. Forever2bEngaged 
3. Grant Isaac Studio 
4. The Hillyards - Heels to Converse, East to West
   
5. Jenna
6. Brenda
7. elefantitas alegres 
8. Just Shoe Me 
9. Meagan Gets Her Mrs. 
10. Lindsey