I was going to write a very insightful story about starting a new year; New Year’s resolutions, happy things to think about, etc.  How played out would that be though?

It did get me thinking, what am I going to change about the New Year? What am I going to do differently?  I won’t make a resolution though. What do I need to resolve? My cynicism and sarcasm can hardly be called a problem that needs resolving. But in the spirit of a new beginning, a goal is needed.  It needs to be something small and easy to handle.  I narrowed it down to one thing: appreciation. For the New Year I’ve decided to appreciate the things that are normally not appreciated, and I will start doing so with this here article.

Starting with, fruit juices.  My mom is a fantastic woman for more than one reason. But one of the most underappreciated reasons is she keeps our fridge stocked with fruity juices. Pineapple strawberry banana, guava orange grape; you name it and I’ve tried it. So satisfying it quenches your thirst and your sweet tooth. It might have an unnatural amount of sugar but, goodness, it always hits the spot. I love my fruity juices.

“Scooby Doo.” I grew up on this show. I developed my first crush watching this show. Shaggy is still the man of my dreams. But more importantly, it helped me face my fears of monsters and ghost with the simple explanation that it’s just a man in a mask. It might have led me to be a bit of a conspiracy theorist though, for I believe all the world’s problems are because of a man in a mask. I should thank “Scooby Doo” for this though, it gives me personality. I should also thank Velma because she always explained everything in a way we all could understand.

Pillows, special pillows, the pillows you don’t share. When a friend sleeps over and you say to them, “no, you can’t use that pillow.” That would be my pillow. The pillow you fall asleep on every night. It holds your smell, drool, and dreams.  I love my pillow, simple as that. Appreciate your pillow. I’m a strong believer in inanimate objects having feelings. Thank your pillow, trust me,  it will repay you.

So that’s all I appreciate in my life…                 That’s not true, I’m going to learn to love everything. There are so many over looked elements in my life that are soon to be appreciated. All the pieces of furniture, literal and metaphorical, are important.

For 2011, the last full year before the end of the world, I suggest we all stop and smell the flowers, and appreciate the things we often overlook.