Gratitude

No matter the time of day Clooney is escorting me around town, I’m bound to see at least one hard working valet attendant pounding the pavement. While Clooney almost always gets a pat and a “Hey Buddy!”, today one of the Residence Inn’s valets put me on cloud nine! As I bent over to do my dog owners’ duty and clean up after Clooney, I heard, “Wow, you really are doing great!”

Deeply moved by the case worker of a young survivor who replied when asked about the young man, “What he really needs is a friend.” From this powerful observation coming from a supporter of a TBI survivor about their true need after David asked how he could help, KC has become a monumental gift to a community where survivors begin to live again.

As long as I can remember my 4 and half year younger brother, Andy, has been one of my best friends. I remember being a little annoyed back in the day that he wanted to do everything that my friends and I did, not to mention that all the girls thought he was so “cute”.

While I’m not a scented candle and warm bath guy, it struck me that my lower mood and climatically depressed mood seemed to call for a day of self-care: Maybe laying in bed, some spiritual reading, warm beverages, and napping with Clooney would do the trick. Just then my phone buzzed to remind me that my roommate Ben, a great volunteer named Jenny, and I were headed out that morning for 4 hours of shoveling with I Got Bridged (IGB).

Announced by a British travel company, supported with research from psychologist Dr. Cliff Arnall, the concept of Blue Monday refers to the third Monday of January as the gloomiest day of the year.

The webs’ Urban Dictionary defines Funcle as follows: When your Uncle is just to fun too be a normal Uncle: This Uncle must be referred to as Funcle. Personally, I like this definition for its lack of judgment or inference of immaturity. I’m extremely grateful to have more than one Funcles in my life and am really looking forward to being one!