Some days are better

The last few years of my life have had far more bad days than good ones. I take bad days for granted. I feel bad, or I gain weight, or I'm sick or I get hit with an unexpected medical bill, or I lose something I desperately need.

Today was not that day. Although my weekend was rife with disappointment and resentment, I'm taking a moment to appreciate the following grace notes from today:

• My 5-year car loan was finally paid off this morning.
  
• I got a present in the mail. It's something I need for the startup nonprofit. It's small but really helpful and it was unexpected.


• I was able to book an appointment with a private hairstylist. She's not in a salon--she has a private studio and an outstanding reputation. I'll spend the $70 if it's the right haircut. Oh, and I got an appointment within a week of asking for one--unheard of.


• When I got home from work today, there was a rebate check in the mail from 1-800-Contacts. I had forgotten all about it, especially since it really does take eight weeks.


• There was a box sitting on the kitchen counter with an Indiana return address. I don't know anyone there, so I was puzzled. I opened the box and inside there was a brand new Flip video camera. Ah, yes! I got this as a reward for submitting 17 reports to Angie's List in October. Sweet! It would have been reward enough that my household is going to be the subject of a future article in the Angie's List magazine. Fame but absolutely no fortune.

I celebrated all of this by spending an hour alone in the bedroom where I immersed myself in voting. The mail-in ballot in my state was huge. Two long cards, double-sided. It was exhausting, but my civic duty is done. Almost. My ballot still has to be hand-delivered to the drop-off site tomorrow.

Now, it's fingers crossed that my car doesn't blow up or get demolished. I cannot afford to go through this process again (Experience death of car. Buy new car. Pay off car. Experience death of car via crash with errant blue Volvo. Buy a new car. Pay off car.) That car crash was the sart of my great unraveling, and I really, really can't afford to go through that again.