Ringing it In!

Only a few minutes until a brand new year!  Feeling blessed to be able to ring in another year with my two favorite ladies, my mom and gran. Wouldn't have it any other way.

And it's my very joyous moment for today.

Happy New Year, Friends!!!

Stay tuned :-)

Ms. Girl

The Joy Ride Nears 1 Year!

I can’t believe it! Only 14 days until the one-year mark for my joy journey.

What began as a resolution going into 2010 has actually lasted throughout the entire year. I wasn’t sure if I could do it since my resolutions tend to fall by the wayside shortly after the new year... especially the weight-loss related ones, LOL. But I'm so glad I did it! I'm kind of proud of myself that I was able to make the commitment and stick with it. Taking the time to appreciate, reflect and document my joy moment each and every day has been surprisingly and amazingly fulfilling. 

As we all know, time passes quickly. Days, weeks, and months can fly by in a blur. By making myself slow down, take notice, and acknowledge one moment of joy daily (no matter how small!) I've learned more about myself, others, life situations and ultimately, to appreciate the gift of each day, no matter what it brings. It has been an interesting journey that has led to unexpected lessons, blessings and more than a few revelations.

Another great part of this adventure... having the honor of sharing my personal journey with you, my blog friends. I hope you've enjoyed the ride, as well.

My joy moment today was the rewarding feeling I have as I come close to accomplishing the one year goal of my joy journey.  

Will there be a year, two? Answers to come.  

In the meantime... thanks very much for riding along! 

Stay Tuned :-)

Ms. Girl 

Friendly Visit

A group of us went to visit a family friend today that's been having a few health issues. Thankfully, he's  doing a little better and he's in good spirits.

He was so happy to see us, as we were to see him. Considering everything he's going through he looked pretty good. What seemed to help him were the friendly visits and check-ins he was getting. He shared stories about all the people who had called or dropped by to check on him. All the attention made him feel good and helped him to stay positive.

Knowing people are thinking about you during difficult times can sometimes make a world of difference.  All the well wishes, prayers and good cheer sent our friend's way, was definitely helping him on the road to recovery... and for that we were all grateful.

Our friendly get well visit was a collective joy moment today.

Continued well wishes to him!

Stay Tuned :-)

Ms. Girl

Working it Out!

Had a lot of pent up energy and stress today. Needed to find a productive release... and fast.

Decided to visit the gym. I say visit, because the gym and I don't mingle on a regular basis. LOL. It did a world of good.

Working out on the equipment actually helped to work out some of my frustrations. I blasted the headphones and totally rocked out while I was on the treadmill... in my head, of course, LOL. Surprisingly, my mood actually fueled me to go longer on the treadmill. A nice bonus! And pumping  iron later on, was just what I needed to burn off residual irritations.

Guess it's true... exercise does the mind, body and spirit good. 

My joy moment today (surprisingly!) was my time at the gym.  Gotta love those endorphins!

Stay tuned :-)

Ms. Girl

Baby Talk

We have a new baby girl in the fam. The mom made a surprise visit and we finally had the chance to see the new bundle of joy. She's so cute! We were all gaga and goo goo over her.

Of course, my family took endless pictures of her, spent hours staring at her and wrestling with one another over who would get to hold her next. Something about babies makes everything all warm and fuzzy. And for some reason, when you're around them, you inevitably start talking baby talk or doing the goofiest things to make them smile. Maybe that's just me, LOL.

Holding her, watching her, and engaging in a lot of baby talk were my joy moments for today.

Who's that pretty girl?!  I said, who's that pretty girl?!  LOL.

Stay tuned :-)

Ms. Girl

Winter Wonderland

Had a bit of snow today in N.C., only about 2-5 inches. Not nearly as much as the other eastern states.  Yet, it was still nice. 

Yes, snow can be a hassle when it comes to shoveling and traveling but it's so pretty to look at. Especially, when it first falls and everything looks like a beautiful white wonderland. I think it looks particularly enchanting in the trees.

Living in Cali, it's been a long time since I've seen snow. So I was like a kid again when I woke up this morning and saw that everything was blanketed in the beautiful white stuff. I know I'm an adult, but I couldn't resist playing in it, taking a bunch of pics, throwing a few snowballs, and even dared to do a snow angel. My mother dared and I took her up on it, LOL!  As of now, the incriminating pics are still in her possession. LOL. 

My joy moment today was being a kid again, enjoying the snow and appreciating my own private winter wonderland.  

Stay tuned :-)

Ms. Girl 

Ring a Ding!

Christmas is a great time to catch up with people you haven't spoken with in awhile. Usually, at some point during that day or week, the phone (or doorbell) will ring and you will hear from a family member or friend you haven't chatted with in some time.

It's nice to reconnect with distant loved ones... and the holidays are a great occasion for it and make it all the more special.

Making and getting those fun phone calls was my (and my fam's) joy moment for today.

Hope you had a fab day, friends!

Stay Tuned :-)

Ms. Girl

Have a Very Merry!

One of the best things about the holidays is spending it with those you love.

Another fun part... watching their faces as they unwrap their gifts. I have a few surprises for my mom and grandma, can't wait to see their reactions. As I wrapped their presents today, I couldn't help but smile, as I pictured theirs.

My Christmas giddiness was my joy moment for today.

Wishing everyone peace, love, joy and happiness.

Have a very Merry Christmas!

Stay tuned :-)

Ms. Girl 

Christmas Cook... in training

Out and about today running errands, food shopping and getting all the supplies needed to start a full day of cooking on Christmas eve.

My wonderful grandmother has promised to show me how to make many of her favorite dishes. This is big! She doesn't give up that information easily. But, hey, I am her firstborn grandkid. I got dibs! So, I'm very excited about learning some of her popular, mouth watering (and secret!) recipes. Perhaps, I can go from being known as the Microwave Queen to the Culinary Queen. LOL! Joking...  slightly, LOL.

My joy moment today was preparing a menu with my gram (actually she prepared, I listened intently) and the anticipation of spending great quality time with her and learning a few of her culinary secrets, too.

I'll let you know if I can pull it off. Wish me luck!

Stay Tuned :-)

Ms. Girl

Simple Things...

Listening to Christmas music.  Putting up the tree.  Laughing about old times with the fam.

Good times, indeed. And it was my joy moment for today.

Hope you had a pleasant day, friends!

Stay tuned :-)

Ms. Girl

Priceless Arrival

Airline ticket... Few hundred dollars.

Baggage fees... Sixty dollars.

Headsets for airplane movie... Two dollars.

Landing and seeing my family waiting and cheering my arrival at the airport... Absolutely Priceless!

The long-awaited reunion with my family was my joy moment for today.

Feeling thankful and blessed!

Stay tuned :-)

Ms. Girl

Waiting for Wheels Up!

Heading to the airport!

Bags packed, check.  Flight itinerary, check. Travel accessories and electronic gadgets charged and ready to get me through the airport holiday mania, checkkkkkk!

My joy moment today is getting that much closer to my destination and waiting to hear the words... "We are now ready to board!"  LOL.

Here we go!

Stay tuned :-)

Ms. Girl

Weighty Issues

Packed for my upcoming flight today. My least favorite activity about getting ready for a trip.  Takes me hours! Always feel like I will forget something. I also tend to overpack. Hello, I'm a female.

Those darn baggage fees don't make the task any easier. Oh, the pressure!  I think it's a lot harder for us gals... we just need to take lots of "stuff" with us.  It says so, right in the (fictional) girl's handbook. :-)

Several hours later, I'm just about done packing. Betcha think that was my joy moment, right?  It sure was. But what really made me do "the happy dance" was coming in just under the baggage weight limit. Yeah, baby!

Now if I can just close it. LOL.

Stay tuned :-)

Ms. Girl

Holiday Cheer

Last weekend before Christmas.  As I ran my errands today, the mood in the air seemed more cheerful. Throughout the day, everywhere I went, people were wishing each other a happy holiday. Strangers, passerby's, and familiar faces, coming in or going out of establishments were extra friendly. People were dropping off gifts, holiday cards, or just stopping by to say, "hello." Everyone was upbeat... even on a very rainy afternoon. It was actually pouring here in L.A.!

It was nice to see so many people in the spirit. Even at very busy establishments, like the bank, the grocery store, and my hair salon... which was knee deep in waiting ladies. Yet everyone there was laughing and having a great time. The salon owner even had a little party for her customers with plenty of food and desserts available for those waiting. Smart lady! :-)

All that holiday cheer lasted throughout my busy day and it was my joy moment for today.

Cheers to all!

Stay tuned :-)

Ms. Girl 

Prep Time

Finished up at work. Clocked out. Done until the New Year. Whoo-hoo!

Next up, prepping to visit the fam for the holidays. I'm looking forward to spending time with fam and friends...  and some home cooking, too! LOL.

I have lots to do and little time to do it.  Still can't believe we only have a week left until Christmas. Where does the time go?

Anticipation of my holiday visit with the fam was my joy moment for today.

Hope you had a pleasant day, friends!

Stay tuned :-)

Ms. Girl

Crazy Days!

Today was a crazy, hectic, tense, unbelievably stressful day. It was a doozy!

Ah, the TV production life... not always so glamorous, people! LOL. Our deadlines are crazy, just ask all the harried people in my office.

And then, finally, by the very end of the day, all was better.  Oh, the roller-coaster life that I lead. Be still, my heart.  No seriously, be still! LOL.

I guess as long as I can get off that roller-coaster, feel better, and the nutty ride was at least worth it, I'm okay.

I felt that way today, after all was said and done.  And that longggg awaited exhale was my joy moment for today.

Stay tuned :-)

Ms. Girl

All That Jazz!

Previously, I've mentioned that I like jazz music. Today I happened upon, KJazz. 88.1, a non-commercial public radio station from Cal State Long beach campus. It's sooo good!  I've come across the station briefly in the past but today I locked it into my favorites and had a long enjoyable listen on my ride home.

I wish I could say I was a jazz aficionado and could name drop all the great artists or give you a breakdown on the harmony and composition of the music.  Alas, no. I just love the way the music makes me feel.

I enjoy the beauty of the music and the emotions it evokes. Some songs have me toe tapping, others take my mind to far away places. It's amazingly relaxing.

Another great element about the KJazz station is they make sure to tell you who the artist is for each song. So glad they do. I wrote down a couple of songs I'd like to purchase in the future.  Who knows, I just might become an aficionado yet!  :-)

My long and fabulous, jazzy interlude was my joy moment today.

I was lovin' all that jazz! (Insert jazz hands here, LOL!)

Stay tuned :-)

Ms. Girl

Well Wishes

When you're not feeling up to par, it's nice to hear from people with thoughtful well wishes.

I received calls and emails today from fam and friends wishing me a speedy recovery from my flu bug. It was nice to know that I was thought about and that they took the time to reach out.

It made me feel like a lucky girl and it was my joy moment for today.

Thanks, Friends!

Stay tuned :-)

Ms. Girl

Comfort Food

Still a bit under the weather, seems I have been bitten by the darn flu bug. Tough little bugger.

Have the normal symptoms, fever, aches, and pains. Overall crappy feeling. Lots of rest and fluids filled my day's agenda.

Days like this, comfort food is mandatory. A delicious breakfast sandwich helped do the trick. It made me feel a little better and helped lull me into a much needed nap. They don't call it comfort food for nothing. :-)

That wonderful bit of comfort, when I was feeling pretty uncomfortable, was my joy moment for today.

Stay tuned:-)

Ms. Girl

Blues Busters!

Weekend's winding down. Time to prepare for Monday. Always a little hard to get started on that day. So I was happy to come across an article with good tips on how to make Monday a little more manageable.

Check out these blues busters...

5 Ways to Beat the Monday Blues

Learning a few simple ways to prepare for a productive day and keep those Monday Blues at bay was my joy moment for today.

Have a great one, friends!

Stay tuned :-)

Ms. Girl

Warding off the Bug

Under the weather today... for most of the day.  I think I may be coming down with a cold. Boo. Hiss.

Trying my best to bob and weave and avoid it.  Because being sick is not fun.  So I loaded up on the meds and fluids and hit the bed... on a sunny afternoon.  It was 80 degrees today in Cali!  Felt like I was being tortured in more ways than one, LOL.

But it seems like my efforts might be working.  I'm not feeling as bad as I was this morning. We'll see.

That small glimmer of hope that I may be winning my cold war is my little joy moment for today. :-) Crossing my fingers!  LOL

Take care, friends!

Stay tuned :-)

Ms. Girl

Friendly Celebration

Dinner. Friends. Good food. Laughs. Gal pal's birthday celebration. Followed by sweets.

It was a nice way to spend a Friday night... and it was my joy moment for today.

Hope you had a happy one, friends.

Stay tuned :-)

Ms. Girl

Speak Up!

Sometimes silence isn't golden.

I have found that sometimes things just need to be said. Sometimes you must speak up for yourself or even for someone else.  Speaking out is not always easy but there are occasions when it's necessary and has to be done.

Certain times, being silent may allow things to fester, to go too far or lead to undesirable consequences. Sometimes a voice is needed.

This all came to mind today after I realized that a matter I initially thought I should let pass needed addressing.  A conversation was required so that all involved could be on the same page and things could progress smoothly. Staying silent wouldn't do anyone, any good.

My joy moment today was coming to that realization and making plans to have a friendly chat fest.

Go team!

Stay tuned :-)

Ms. Girl

My Happy Hour!

Happy Hour!

Not the kind at your local pub or favorite restaurant. I'm talking about giving yourself a happy hour. Taking an hour just for yourself and doing something that makes you smile or brings you joy.

One hour a day, or a half hour if you can't spare a full 60 minutes, but dedicating some time during the day just for you. Right away, we hesitate, because we all have so much to do these days, so much responsibility, we may feel it's hard to find time to take a breath. But we must.

We may even feel guilty. Thinking there's a lot we could be doing with that hour. But we're not being selfish. We're being good to ourselves so we can be good for everyone else.

We have 24 of them in a day, at least one of them should be our own.

60 minutes. 3,600 seconds. To take a walk. Call up a friend. Catch up on your reading, watch your favorite show, or sneak in a nap. Your only requirement, getting your happy on!

Your happy hour could make a happier you.  And it might just rub off on those around you.

I only managed to get in 45 minutes today... but it did a world of good.  I turned my happy time into a no phones/no computer zone.  It was fabulous... and it was free.  My happy (almost) hour was my joy moment today. Next time, I'm going for the full 60 :-)

Here's to happy hour!

Cheers, Friends!

Stay tuned :-)

Ms. Girl

Out of the Blue

Today, out of the blue, I received some recognition for a project that I've been working on.

Funny what a kind word or simple gesture will do. Especially, when you've been working hard on something, it's always nice to know your efforts are appreciated. That happened to me today, out of nowhere, and that simple act was just the rush I needed to fuel me through the rest of my busy day.

You know what I always say, it's the simple things.  And when they're unexpected or come by surprise... they're even better.

That out of the blue experience left me feeling pretty rosy... and it was my joy moment for today.

Hope you had a pleasant one, friends!

Stay tuned :-)

Ms. Girl

Holiday Spirit

Just a few short weeks until Christmas. Three weeks. 19 days.

When you're a kid, it feels like it takes forever before Christmas arrives. When you're an adult, December seems to fly by in a blur.

I'm trying to get a little organized this year, slow down the hectic pace and enjoy the time leading up to the holidays.

I'm also trying to plan ahead. Last year I waited too late and found myself shopping on Christmas eve... not fun. There's no holiday spirit to be found waiting on extremely long lines in a disheveled store. Take my word for it.

This year, I plan to get an early start and enjoy the holiday season. There won't be much fanfare, I'm keeping it simple due to the crazy economy. My goal is to get into the true spirit of the season and each of the days leading up to it, by gathering with friends and family.

My joy moment today is gearing up for a little holiday planning and a lot of holiday cheer.

Happy Holidays, Friends.

Stay tuned :-)

Ms. Girl

I'll Have the Special!

A friend and I decided to stop at one of our fav spots for brunch today. A local diner that we visit from time to time. It's nothing fancy but we like going there because the food is good and the staff is very friendly.  The waitresses always remember their customers and make you feel right at home. It's like that old TV show "Cheers", where you walk in and everybody knows your name.

Diner's are pretty fun places to visit because they usually have a funky atmosphere... Colorful swivel stools, eclectic decor, big outdated booths, mini jukeboxes, walls lined with old photos and collectibles, and of course, the standard food bell. There's always an interesting mix of people of all ages and cultures and a menu that boasts a variety of cuisines.... all homemade, all served up fast, and pretty cheap, too. Can't beat that!

My joy moment today was hanging with a friend at one of our fav breakfast spots, enjoying good food, fun atmosphere and down home hospitality.

Cheers indeed!

Stay tuned :-)

Ms. Girl

Wake Up and Live!

Heard this great old song today that has some cool lyrics. I especially enjoyed it because has the same title as my blog, "Wake Up and Live." It's by legendary Jamaican singer, songwriter, and musician, Bob Marley.

Here are a few of Marley's inspiring lyrics...

Wake Up and Live, Ya'll. Get up and Wake up and Live.
Life is one big road with lots of signs. 
So when you riding through the ruts, don't complicate your mind. 
Flee from hate, mischief and jealousy. 
Don't bury your thoughts put your vision to reality. 
Wake up and Live. Wake up and Live. 
Wake up. Wake up. And Live! Yeah!

Check out his 1979 live performance...
Bob Marley's, "Wake Up and Live"

Jamming to this cool song and getting my daily reminder was my joy moment today.

Yeah, Mon!  LOL.

Stay Tuned :-)

Ms. Girl

Frrrrriiiiiiidddddaaaaayyyyyyy!

Happy Friday!! And it was!

It was my joy moment alllllllll dayyyyyyyy long!  LOL.

Hope you had a good one, friends!

Stay tuned :-)

Ms. Girl

Snap Happy

I've mentioned before that I love pictures. I love snapping cool pics or looking at great photography.

So when I happened upon a few amazing pics on a site called "Smashing Magazine", I was a happy camper.

It was my first time coming across this web design site... glad I did. Checked out one of their entries, entitled, "(Really) Stunning Pictures and Photos."  And they were!

Have a look..."Smashing Magazine pics"

Coming across this fun site and checking out some very cool pics was my joy moment today.

Ah, the simple things!

Stay tuned :-)

Ms. Girl

And This to Shall Pass

Life has been a little crazy for me this week. I'm not going to lie, it's been crazy for several weeks.

During times like these, I try to remind myself that this too shall pass.

We all go through trying times, especially these days... Crazy, difficult, stressful life situations or events. I've learned (and I'm still learning) to look for the lesson during these times and to remember the blessing. That may sound a bit conflicting but allow me to explain.

The Lesson. Usually, there is something to be learned from an unpleasant situation.  If we look back over past difficult occasions, we can usually pinpoint a lesson or experience that has helped us in some way, often in the future. Sometimes, we get the lesson while we're still in it, other times we have to reflect back before we make the realization. At times it's a simple lesson, other times it's a hard one, but they're usually there.

The Blessing. During this time, I also try to count my blessings and remember that no matter how difficult or trying a life situation can be, things could be worse, much worse. I may not always feel that way but if I really stop to think about it, more often than not, it's true.

Of course there will always be hills and valleys in life, but with God's grace, I come out of them stronger, wiser, and at times, better for it.

My joy moment today was remembering that. In the meantime, I try to stay strong, stay focused, stay faithful... and remember that this too shall pass.

Be well, friends!

Stay tuned :-)

Ms. Girl