Life Lesson #35: Extra! Extra! Read all about it. Pin Ball Wizard in a miracle cure!

I feel that more often than not, I focus on the negative stuff that happens in my life. Probably because it’s a lot funnier and much more interesting than all the good things that come my way. I mean honestly, would you rather hear about my shirt popping open while bartending Saturday night or the twenty bucks I found in my back pocket? Exactly. (Incidentally, both these things happened.)

But I had a revelation the other day: lately, things have been going very well for me. To not acknowledge these major, as well as minor, milestones could result in a karmic take-back. While I’m fuzzy on if there’s a Big Man up there, I do believe there is a bit of destiny at play in the world. To not pay thanks could mean a swift retraction of it all. And while I also believe that for every upswing, there’s got to be a down, I hope that taking a moment to recognize all the positives will keep them coming a little while longer.

And so, my list of miracles, big and small, that I’m grateful for:

Miracle 1: I got an apartment on my own that, pending no sudden financial upsets or job loss, I can afford. Granted it’s not the biggest, newest, or even cleanest of places, but I love it nonetheless. And while I’m still struggling with the faint odor of cat, I feel as if I’ve managed to make it seem a little more like ‘home’ everyday. And for a dog lover like me, there is one of the best dog parks right outside my front door. So any time I need a quick pick-me-up, I can go watch pooches frantically sniff each other’s asses.

Miracle 2: I found a laundry place three blocks from my apartment that is not only super cheap, but insanely fast as well. And they’re open until 11:30 pm! Call me bratty, but I never do my laundry in the city. Wel, that’s a lie. I did it once. Two loads took five hours and wound up costing me twenty bucks. I figure the time I waste sitting there, plus the cost of doing it myself, buying detergents and all that nonsense, just doesn’t make sense. Especially when you can usually find a place within a five block radius that will do it at a reasonable cost. So on Saturday, I dropped off eighteen pounds of laundry at two o’clock. Four hours and thirteen dollars later, it was ready. That is just awesome.

Miracle 3: I discovered a place for brunch called The Cloister Café. As the name would indicate, it’s made to look like The Cloisters Museum in Fort Tyron Park on the UWS. The museum is known for its gardens, tapestries and other Middle Ages knickknacks. The inside of this café has stained glass windows, seats like pews, and a giant suit of armor in the corner that I want Hansel to ‘borrow’ when a bunch of us go on our Medieval Times field trip. We sat outside, which is even better than the inside: there are silly fountains with goldfish, gargoyles built into the walls, ivy growing everywhere, and European waitresses who could care less if you were in any kind of rush. But the best part? The food. Brunch includes a fruit cup, a glass of orange juice, a giant coffee or tea, your choice of the usual breakfast and/or lunch fare, with a side of the best potatoes I’ve tasted in a long time, and an English muffin instead of toast. I mean, it was delicious. The whole meal? Twelve bucks.

Miracle 4: I have made it to week three of my new job. I still don’t get half of what I do and mess up those dumb little things I wonder how the hell I did wrong two seconds after completion, but they haven’t kicked me out on my ass just yet. And while I have moments of oh my god my boss hates me, I don’t believe his feelings towards me are that extreme. I think he thinks I’m a little stupid (for example, he watched me struggle to push open a door that is clearly marked PULL) but, fingers crossed, not much worse than that.

Miracle 5: I caught a dodgeball. This is pretty huge for me. A few weeks ago, when the only personal experience I had with the game was sporadically pre-college, I had visions of sportsman excellence. The first game quickly proved me wrong. But the second game? Well, I actually caught one of those bad boys (and a regulation size ball at that). Rumor has it from the people who witnessed this miraculous feat, my eyes were closed. Now that is pretty damn amazing, hu?

Miracle 6: The walk from my apartment to the subway in the morning is painless, all things considered. I have to get up early (for me, at least) and pull myself together. Nice clothes. Makeup. That sort of thing. When I finally make it outside, I’ve got a good eight to ten minute walk ahead of me. Now, this used to be hellish when I lived uptown. Probably because the 86th Street subway is one of the most annoying places during rush hour. There are just so many people who live in that area that have to get to work that it’s almost like being in a pin ball machine that someone throw a handful of extra balls into. A recent blessing for me: no one downtown seems to have to get up in the mornings. Who knows what they do, but they sure aren’t rushing to make it to their desks by 8:30. I get to walk on basically empty streets. And that truly is a blessing when you realize you’ve put your skirt on backwards in the mad dash to get to your desk before the boss.

Miracle 7: Friday night, I got to sit fourth row, courtside, at the Knicks preseason game. The face value for one of these folding chairs? Three hundred dollars plus twenty-five for taxes. I got to sit my beer-drinking, pretzel-chowing ass there for free, courtesy of Madonna’s and Goose’s friend from college. Needless to say, these were some pretty sweet seats that I could never otherwise be able to afford. I have to admit, I was most excited to watch the dancers, who did not disappoint. Madonna even scored a free shirt that they shot into the crowd. Now that is a great night.

Life Lesson # 35: I’m beginning to understand that really enjoying life means I have to stop and acknowledge it all. Good and bad. Ying and yang. Cheech and Chong. Whatever. I don’t want to be one of those people that only focus on all the stupidity and nonsense. Because that’s just a big ole’ waste of time.

I'll start doing that when the pendulum swings back down and hits me upside the head.