So, today, in the midst of the bad news, the swine flu, car companies going bankrupt, and a poet going missing while on his fellowship in Japan, I am going to create a gratitude list.

Especially because today I turn 36. It seems like I can’t possibly be 36 yet! 31, max! And yet, here it is, 2009. Two years away from my 20th high school reunion…

Gratitude List:
–The tiny squirrels running around the cliffs in La Jolla. (Can anyone tell me what these tiny, 3-4 inch squirrels are?) And baby seals splashing around in the waves at Children’s Cove.
–Blue skies on my birthday (a bit different than my usual Seattle rainy day April weather…)
–A sweet husband, three great brothers and great parents.
–Friends who wish me a happy birthday (even if I do live a bit further away than I used to…)
–A part-time job teaching poetry (I like it more than I thought I would!)
–Not being as sick as I was at this time last year. California sunshine and lots of dry air!
–Walking again!