gretchen rubin wrote me back!!!

alskdfjkl!! i can't remember the last time that i wrote to an author, possibly because the last time was sometime back in my obsessive sweet valley high days, where darn old francine pascal (creator, but not author, of the series- just to clarify for many other misinformed individuals) would just ignore letter after letter that was sent from seven-year-old me... and then thirteen-year-old me... and then sixteen-year-old me... and then... well, im just going to stop right there. it's already fairly embarassing enough. (should i even divulge that i have the sweet valley twins mystery "the curse of the ruby necklace" sitting on my bedside table right now? eh, oh well. gretchen rubin started her own children's lit book club. i could just start my own 'adults who are still obsessed with the babysitters club and sweet valley series (in its entirety- twins, high, university...)' book club.

ah, but i digress.

ANYWAY! gretchen rubin, author of "The Happiness Project", the book ive only been actively advocating since i picked it up last week, totally responded to my email! id even prefaced my email with "i know you probably get hundreds of emails a day" (no exaggeration! i bet she does! hello! she's a ny times bestseller... not to mention, she's being interviewed right and left for only like one of the greater works of the decade here!) but lo and behold, i open up my gmail this delightful monday morning to a letter from the one and only gretchen herself!!! i cant TELL you how pleased i was to receive a response, not to mention such a QUICK response (i wrote to her yesterday morning!). and you think it was just a form letter? hell no! i would rather receive no response than a darn form letter. but gretch clearly knows better than that! she totally referred to a couple of my email's points and everything.

words can't express just how PLEASED (or, dare i say, GRATEFUL) i am right now. the novelty of a genuine letter/email from an author i admire so much has NOT worn off. so thank you, gretchen rubin. i thought it was good enough that you graced us with such a lovely work. now you've only further confirmed how wonderful and considerate a person you are.

Snail mail and The Happiness Project

Ironically, my current blog entry is devoted to an individual who (I like to think) avidly reads my blog and, so, saw an opportunity that aligned with the whole gratitude journal theme that my blog is slowly (attempting) to evolve into. Granted, I kind of forgot about the gratitude journal theme with my last entry but… come on! Cubs… cops?! Can you really blame me? You can’t make this stuff up people! Haha. ANYWAY.

A special special SPECIAL thank you to my dear heart Xenia, who truly understands the wonders and glories that only snail mail can bring to an individual’s life. Seriously, I love checking my apartment mailbox now because of the package slips that I receive, primarily from Xenia. I mean, it’s one thing to receive letters and cards which are fabulous delights in and of itself. But packages?? Divinity itself.

With as much as I love love LOVE snail mail, not to mention snail mail PACKAGES, imagine my sheer BLISS at realizing that my latest snail mailed package was a BOOK… and not just ANY book… but TOTALLY a book that I’d been eyeing for the past couple of weeks but couldn’t justify buying as I’d just recently impulse bought a couple of other books which were so NOT good (it was my personal punishment for idly spending money). What book, you ask? Of all things: The Happiness Project, by Gretchen Rubin. Lakdsfjaklsdjf! I KNOW RIGHT?!?!? It gets even better… it’s a book that’s totally based off a BLOG!!! It’s like my dream come TRUE!! Anyway, it’s pretty apparent why Xenia would put two and two together… The Happiness Project is TOTALLY all about “how to be more satisfied with your life” and “how to be more appreciative with little everyday things” - if that doesn't scream gratitude journal, I simply don't know what does. And, while I do think I’m a fairly optimistic person who truly does try to focus on the bright side of things (hence this whole gratitude journal thing), I must say that this book is quite insightful. My personal favorite: she totally advocates for getting up an extra hour early in the morning. I’ve been trying to advocate this for YEARS to my friends, but have yet to succeed. I mean, it’s so PEACEFUL in the morning! And even Gretch (I believe the author and I are now beyond the first name, and onto the nickname, basis) discusses how much more productive she is in the early morning… AGAIN, something I TOTALLY advocate but which no one seems to buy. Sigh. Anyway. As long as the word is getting out there, I guess. Hmph.

Anyway, the avid reader that I am, the avid promoter of personal development that I am, the avid promoter of general happiness and gratitude that I am, the avid promoter of… blogs (let’s be honest here) that I am… you KNOW that it would take a LOT for me to highly recommend such a book. So, even if you don’t ever listen to me about the wonders and glories of the early morning (and I’m clearly not bitter at all), please do listen to me about this and PICK UP THIS BOOK ASAP!!! Perfect Mother’s Day present, if you will… see? Always a thinker… that I am. (Although, I’m sure, some do beg to differ.)

In conclusion, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU times a million, Xenia!!! Today’s object of gratitude? You would think (given the title of this entry), it would be snail mail or the book. No way. Today’s object of gratitude: the one and only irreplaceable Xenia herself. Alfkjalksdfjklsadj!! Love you!! Miss you!! THANK YOU!!! You are truly appreciated. J