Happiness jar

In 2014 I started a 'Happiness Jar', somewhere I could write things that made me happy, things people said, things that I've done, or others have done - all written on coloured bits of paper.

I stopped writing when I moved out of my house and my stuff went into storage.  But I'm going to empty the jar now and write down the things I wrote.

December 2013

31st - I was feeling down, Zommers texted me and invited me for dinner with a group of others.

January 2014

Robert loves my China photos and will direct friends to look at them.

1st - Graham B asked if he can use my photos on his music releases - I said yes!

4th - Tom and Mel took me out for a meal when I was feeling crap and broke.

7th - Lots of thanks and praise for organising team crazy legs.
14th - Went to a training session and enjoyed it!

14th - Jo Macey messaged to say 'wish everyone took holiday photos that good'.

14th - Returned to skating after a long break - enjoyed it very much.  Trash wrote on FB it was good to have me back on track.

15th - Luna has some potential admin work and asked me if I'd like to do it.
16th - Lunch and chat with Bob.

20th - Super Monday! Offered a research assistant post at the iSchool - just until May and maybe only part-time but I'm pleased.

20th - Got chatted up by bus driver - not interested in the slightest but still an ego boost!
20th - Enjoyable hour sent helping a vicar with her admin, and getting paid for it!

20th - Niamh came and showed me how to do my hair 40s/50s style.

23rd - Offered interview with Churches Conservation Trust.

23rd - formally offered Research Assistant port (part time) and told there's a good chance of more work.

24th - Cold, wet and muddy day with Rich and V at Tough Guy - great fun!
26th - Jane M-S wrote on FB that I'm 'such a smart, clever person' - made me feel so much better.
26th - James Coppard wrote on FB that I'm a 'cool interesting person' - made me feel much better.

27th - Bumped into one of my post grad lecturers who said if he has any research work I'd be top of his list.

February 2014

4th - Rejoined the gym, ran 3km and Richard has asked me to do Tough Guy with him.

6th - Loving yoga classes - I've got good core stability from skating so working on posture.

6th - Ran 4km in half an hour - not great time but I'm pleased with that.
7th - Absolutely fantastic evening in Nottingham to see Frank Turner in concert - lots of singing/dancing

14th - Fun afternoon drinking coffee, chatting and seeing Robocop with Bob!

21st - Went to first ceilidh for years - loved it!

26th - A really lovely day with Maid, pitting plants, shopping at Sainsbury's and going to IKEA.

28th - Been given a MAHOOSIVE tv!

March 2014
1st - Seeing giraffes at Yorkshire Wildlife Park with Liz.

2nd - Watching Game of Thrones season 3 on my big TV with Laura and Becki.

4th - Pancakes with Maid, Steve and Bob (and fizz as Bob is being put forward for PhD funding).

4th - Got two fantastic recommendations on LinkedIn - 'cheerful, and social able, happy to pitch in; people like working with her' and 'sharp thinking, meticulous and dedicated....perfect networker and project manager, able to engage effortlessly and build rapport with people.'
8th - Brilliant evening at Jamie and James' party.  Haven't laughed so much in a long time.

14th - Enjoyable but exhausting afternoon replacing back fence with Colin's help.

16th - First ever zine fair - sold some - loved it!

16th - Siege invited me over to watch Team England play USA in the men's roller derby World Cup final.

16th - Nigel to stay, so good to see him.

17th - Rev. Sue said today that if one of my references gave a bad reference she wouldn't believe it!

20th - Caitlin sent me a 'happy mother's day' message.
20th - Despite the circumstances of her visit, spent a lovely day in Harrogate with Tamsin - including afternoon tea at Betty's.

21st - Richard was looking at photos and found one of himself, me and V at Tough Guy and said, 'the two most important women in the world'.
24th - Lovely lunch with Jill and walk in the sunshine to her allotment for salad leaves.
24th - Went for a run in Epping Forest with Richard, had to stop lots but managed 7.75km.

30th - Lovely lunch at Cafe Moco with Jamie, got a James Walmersley giraffe drawing for my birthday.
30th - Meal at Jen and Dr D's, Jen started to teach me how to crochet - I'm going to need lots of practice!

April 2014
3rd - Cinema to see the book thief.

4th - lovely afternoon eating freshly smoked kippers and chatting with Buzz.

8th - Went to knitting group with Jen, didn't knit but really enjoyed the evening.

11th - Went to see Bison and Jungle Lion at the City Hall Ballroom with Magna and Becky Abey.
12th - Cat came to stay, watched The Lost Boys, Buffy and Grim

13th - Sharrow Lantern Festival with Jenny, her friend Sally, Steve, Bob, Caroline, Nick and Indy.  Homemade wine happened! Great evening.

18th - Evening eating vegan food and sitting outside with chiminia burning with Kate - oh and drinking fizz!

22nd - Kimchi tacos at Jenny and Bob's - such hipsters (apparently hipsters eat kimchi!).

22nd - Ran (on treadmill) 5km in 34 mins - Personal best.

26th - Meal and to see Captain America with Mike Jackson-Bass.

27th - Person of interest season 2 is available on Netflix - I've watched five episodes back to back.

May 2014
3rd - Colour Dash with some SSRG - Fun!
3rd - Visit to secret location to see Mila K art with Tom and Mia.

4th - Exciting meeting Gaynor to find out about travelling.

8th - First week back on Lighter Life - lost 5lbs - happy.

8th - Amazing new glasses arrived.

8th - Asked for a 50% pay rise - and got it!
11th - Fun evening watching Conchita the bearded lady from Austrian win Eurovision at Polly and Tom's house.

15th - Lost another 4lbs - that's 9 in total.

16th - Lovely evening chatting and carb loading with Amy before my Mad Monk obstacle race tomorrow.

17th - FUCKING LOVED doing 10km run with 52 obstacles - x runner, Mad Monk - 1 hr 50 mins.

18th - Finally got some oak leaves added to my shoulder and arm - the colours are amazing.

19th - Lovely lunch with Paul at the Castle pub in Castleton after visiting AJBs house to look at building work.
21st - Booked 1st part of my grand tour - fly to Delhi on 14th September

22nd - A lovely birthday, coffee with Liz, lunch at Tamper2 with Siege and Tash, dinner and XMen at the cinema with Jen. Lots of lovely messages on FB too.

23rd - Colin came over to help finish the fence, stayed for a chat over fish fingers and salad tea!

24th - Archaeology department's 50th birthday party with Fay.
24th - Ace birthday picnic in a pub with lots of friends, including Cat and Peter.

26th - wander round town, lunch and cup of tea with Tamsin.
26th - Ran 5.42km into town in 38 mins - got the bus back!

27th - Peter offered me some more research work.

30th - Tom and Mel took me for dinner at Pho'68, Jenny, Steve, Bob, Ford, and Siege came along too - fab evening.

June

1st - Exploring with Cheryl - Loxley, Bradwell, Neepsend, Attercliffe. A pub lunch and a walk in the woods.

4th - Very enjoyable evening with Julian, a Couchsurfer from Austria who is inter railing - came here to see Mam Tor!

6th - Great day in York with Tamsin, browsing, eating a picnic in the museum gardens, chatting and finishing with Yo Sushi.

7th - Awesome first day volunteering at Doc Fest.  Saw two films with guy I worked with 'Last days in Vietnam' and 'The internet's own boy'.

9th - Another great day at Doc Fest, saw 2 films.  'Life itself' - about the film critic Roger Ebert, and 'Project Wild Thing', about a guy who becomes the marketing director for nature!

10th - Said goodbye to Qi, a Couchsurfer from Beijing (but currently studying in London), a lovely excitable girl!
10th - Day 3 at Doc/Fest, volunteered in the morning, went to uni in the afternoon, saw the amazing 'We are many' and had Street Food Chef and then a roller disco!
11th - Another ace day at Doc/Fest - saw Derby Crazy Love, had lunch with Siege.
12th - Last day of Doc/Fest - was given a special VIP goodie bag with a bottle of Hendos and told I was 'the chosen volunteer'.
13th - (Friday) BBC History magazine bought a photo off me - they found it on Flickr and paid £30 for online use.

14th - Dancing to Bison and drinking cider at Peace in the Park with Siege.
14th - Eating Indian Choola (street food) with Jenny and Steve after walking back from Peace in the Park.
19th - Got my hair done by Niamh - gorgeous colour and great cut.

20th - Hot spicy (but great) Chinese meal with Qi, then seeing the amazing 'Finding Vivian Meier' documentary.
20th - Sat in a park in London watching a dog involve everyone in her game with a ball and the fountain.

21st - Watching Richard and V dance in their kitchen!
21st - Fascinating tour of Aldwich Station brief visit to Somerset House, viewing of a Banksy exhibition, picnic in Hoxton Square, few pints in a courtyard bar - home to Richard's for BBQ.
22nd - My first time as a Couchsurfer couldn't have been better.  Met Roz, Jamilla and Aisha in the park at a festival, sat chatting.  Kevin joined us with bread and cheese.  Back to theirs but then off out for midnight snack of chips and cheese. Slept really well too.
22nd - Riding the skyline across the Thames.
22nd - Took Skyride across to Greenwich, visited maritime museum and Naval College - bread and cheese for lunch in the sun.
26th - Did a successful focus group at the university.
26th - Vicar Sue today thanked me for 'being me'.
26th - Rediscovering enjoying listening to Radio 4.

28th - Although he has to wait for me, I do enjoy going for a run/walk with Richard.
30th - Email from Peter (one of the academics I'm working for) saying he couldn't have chosen a better RA.
30th - I love a good hour long telephone conversation with Christina.

July
1st - Siege came and worked at mine (in the kitchen).  I really enjoyed the company, especially lunch on the patio.

1st - Trip to Sainsbury's with Liz, followed by a couple of Geocaches in town.

1st - Couchsurfing reference from Roz and Kevin - Sarah is inspirational, tolerant, dynamic, focused, kind and easygoing in one package.
3rd - Despite feeling very battered from surgery yesterday, it was lovely to go for Street Food Chef with Buzz.

6th - A good day car booting with Liz - didn't make loads but got rid of stuff!

6th - Sat typing the Remount diary and enjoying a visit from Bob the cat from next door.
7th - Glass or two of wine and a chinese takeaway with Siege - really needed that.

8th - sitting in the Peace Gardens eating sushi and watching kids play in the fountains.
10th - Crazy Facetime conversation with the Paddocks whilst they ate their dinner - 12.30am here!

13th - TOTALLY AMAZING DAY! Did Tough Guy Nettle Warrior 17km obstacle race with Richard and Robert - didn't miss a single obstacle.

15th - lunch at new cafe 'Couch' on Ecclesall Road with Bob.
17th - Geocaching with Emma, Iver and Imogen at Bramall Hall, then meal with Gee, Diane and James.

18th - Geocaching in Sheffield with Liz.
21st - Very enjoyable evening tidying and clearing Liz's living room.

23rd - JEN IS PREGNANT! 21 weeks - so she (her daughter) will be born at the end of November :)

23rd - I really do enjoy a good chat with Kate, and arranging to see her.
24th - Lovely German Couchsurfer, Eva to stay.  We got the bus to Castleton and walked up Winnatts Pass - HOT.

26th & 27th - Days in town doing promotion - fun and very hot.  skating up and down Division Street was ACE!!
28th - Lovely hour spent with Jane and Paul MS hearing about island life.