Thank Yous

After being inspired by Elodie's Thank You Club, I have decided to list something that I'm thankful for.

March 9, 2009: I am thankful for...











Being Employed

I know it's not a very significant job, but it provides me with money that allows me to gain a little bit of independence from my parents.

Anti Simple Pleasure and Long Underwear

Readers, if you should know one thing about me it is that I absolutely hate the winter. Everything becomes dead and desolate and the freezing weather only chaps my skin and makes me feel generally gross about 90% of the time. That is why Winter is an ultimate ANTI SIMPLE PLEASURE.

Winter not only causes me to shiver uncontrollably, it also makes me feel like sleeping all the time, freeze up my car, and have to do more laundry due to the hefty amount of clothing i am required to wear. The snow is never friendly in this part of ohio either. You can go up north to Cleveland and be immersed in a winter wonderland of sorts, yet in rural southeaster ohio you get a lovely blend of sleet, ice, and rain. Nothing pretty, only precipitation that will make it incredibly hard to walk or drive in and make the ground all muddy.

The one nice thing about winter is the generally acceptance of long underwear. For years my mom had been trying to get me to wear long underwear under my jeans. "Erin," she would say "denim is just not that warm, your little legs are going to freeze." Finally, during my freshman year of college I heeded her warning and began wearing really ugly pairs of long underwear under my jeans and my legs have thanked me every winter since.

Long underwear is also fun to lounge around in. It's lightweight and allows for premium movement of your legs. Never be embarrassed of your long underwear peeking out from your pants, readers -- other people will just envy you for your warmth.

Super comfy recliners!

I love my parents and all, but I've gotta say, one of the best parts of going back home has to be an oversized, leather recliner that sits in our family room. My parents managed to find a leather recliner that feels like a La-Z-Boy without resembling one of those schlumpy, ugly devils that bachelors seem to find so appealing. In fact, the chair reminds me quite a bit of the chair that Aiden made Carrie on "Sex & the City." See? (In the right corner!)


Anyway, I love the chair not because of its resemblance to what some would call famous furniture, but because it completely, totally envelopes those who sit in it. It is a far superior piece of furniture than any I've ever experienced in my life, even soaring above the ridiculously plush couches in my apartment. The beauty of the chair is that it is so multi-purpose; its wooden arms are perfect for resting plates or glasses on while eating. I usually put my digital solitaire game on own arm and the remote on the other, so they are both without reaching distance whilst I enjoy some TV.

Being leather and all, this chair is not the greatest in the summer because it sticks to your legs, etc. But despite Global Warming's best efforts to raise temperatures into T-shirt weather as of late, it is still chilly enough to snuggle up under a blanket while sitting in my favorite chair during the evening. I've been enjoying falling asleep mid-way through movies while sitting in that recliner recently.

If you have the means, I'd highly recommend picking up a chair of similar structure. I mean, who doesn't love super-comfy recliners? I love it when I'm at someone's house and I find the oversized recliner free for my enjoyment. It is always better than awkwardly getting stuck crammed on the couch with friends and/or their various family members. This recliner's the tops, though. It even makes me look forward to aimless channel surfing with my mum.

Naps!

During the winter it is so easy to become consumed with the television and freshly washed blankets and snuggle up on the couch. Naps have quickly become one of my favorite past times. No matter what time of day, I love the feeling of rolling over on the couch and just taking a little nap, it's relaxing and a great way to pass these boring December days.

I think some of my best napping experiences have occurred in between classes while I am at school. I remember having one particularly good nap Freshman year where I had a dream that my roommate had come back from class and pulled a mountain bike down from the ceiling of the room. She then proceeded to go on a bike ride. I woke up when she actually came through the door and I asked her how her ride was, needless to say, she gave me such a strange look.

I also had a number of really good naps last year in Scott Quad. My bed was super comfortable and super warm and was so incredibly welcoming when I came back from my 8am Linguistics class Winter quarter. To snuggle up in those warm sheets on those cold mornings was like heaven in memory foam pillows.

I have had little success with naps in my apartment, my room does not feel nearly as cozy and my blankets aren't as welcoming. Hopefully the winter will change this. For now, I'm just napping to pass the time.

Coffee on Cold Mornings

I never drank coffee until I was a senior in high school and I did so because all my friends were doing it (in the traditional after-school special sense). Once I moved away to college, coffee became less of a social activity and more of a necessity, by Winter quarter freshman year I was hands-down addicted.

The height of my addiction was probably Fall quarter sophomore year where I would wake up extra early in the morning so I could venture out to The Front Room just to intake my daily requirement of caffeine.

When I wake in the morning, one of my first thoughts is "coffee now!" and it's nice to be at home because I seem to have an endless supply. What is spectacular about winter cups of coffee is that they not only wake you up, but they warm you up. It's like an energizing little hug every morning (or afternoon, if you're like me and you sleep until one o'clock).

I feel like I'm living in a Folger's Commercial.

anti-simple pleasures

It has been a million years since we have updated and I fear that this update is going to focus more on my anti simple pleasures. these are things that grind my gears or make me kind of sad.

ERIN'S ANTI-SIMPLE PLEASURES

1. Vomiting.
long story here, but just let you know that a.) I'm never drinking again and b.) I enjoyed my thanksgiving dinner twice

2. Loneliness
I'm home, with only my parents to keep me company. I love them dearly but I haven't been around people my own age in a week.

3. Carpal Tunnel
due to the boringness of being home, I have excessively been using the internet. perhaps I may even start living in the internet. prolonged laptop use = sore wrists. uck.

4. The Shower at Home
my shower in my apartment is so luxurious - it's always steamy and always has wonderful pressure. my shower at home is only lukewarm and the pressure is terrible. not to mention I left the good shampoo in Athens.

5. Faux Pas
of any sort. hate them.

Diet Coke

As we speak I am in the ACRN studio and I have just completed a delicious can of diet coke. I am a diet coke-head, the only drink I can honestly say i am in love with.
Diet Coke is a simple pleasure because it has been with me through thick and thin, good days and bad days. Diet coke gets me going in the morning and helps me rewind in the evening. If i could I would marry diet coke.