BE Happy

A few things that not only make me happy, but that I LOVE this month:

(1) MOVIES: I purchased the '100 Movie Bucketlist' scratch off poster for my family for Christmas (see BE Oprah). We’ve had a great time so far watching some fantastic movies- a few for the first time and others that we’ve seen a lot. Doing so has made me realize why certain movies really make me happy and it’s because they involve: love, humor, and melancholy. If a movie evokes all three of those emotions then to me it's a fabulous movie! So, which are my three all-time faves, you ask? When Harry Met Sally is one of the first films I ever truly loved. Of course I love Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan’s banter, but for me the interviews of the older couples sprinkled in throughout the movie make it an undeniable classic and true favorite. What a unique, sweet, and impactful addition to an otherwise normal romantic comedy! Then there’s Up. UGH, how I love this movie! It makes me cry like a baby when Carl’s wife dies, but it also makes me LOL throughout- like when we find out Kevin’s a girl! It’s an emotional roller coaster that brings me so much joy! Last, but not least is Life is Beautiful. The scenes of Guido and his son in the concentration camps literally make me pee my pants with laughter. At the same time, the cruelness of the Holocaust is omnipresent. This movie is pure genius in it’s ability to juxtapose such love with such horror and, for that, watching it makes me so very happy. If you are looking for a fantastic movie to watch, try one of my favorites and you won't be disappointed!

(2) THIS & THAT: I am totally loving the pouch handbag trend and so I treated myself to a gorgeous BOTTEGA VENETA pouch (in camel 😃) and I LOVE it! If you know me, you know handbags are my one indulgence and I'm always looking for new styles to add to my collection. BV and Demelier have my favorite pouch bags, but you can get more affordable versions from Jessica Buurman, Zara, and CurvedGirl - to name a few. I also love it when my pups are happy, and the silliest, babiest, lamest TOY is making them so happy right now. It’s a lavender scented mini-teddybear that they were gifted for Christmas. It squeaks just like a lot of their other toys do so I gotta believe it’s actually the lavender smell that is making them love it. The scent of lavender supposedly makes you feel relaxed and being relaxed apparently makes my dogs happy which... makes ME happy! Finally, I had planned to get a small tattoo to commemorate the end of my cancer treatment, but my oncologist said I shouldn’t (ink getting absorbed into the skin = no good). So, I was super happy to find CONSCIOUS INK! They offer temporary tattoos that are safe and non-toxic and there are SO many options! I’m eyeing up the survive/thrive pack since it matches my 2021 mantra 😉!

(3) MY GUYS: All the men featured in my collage above make me happy! I am so fortunate to have so many amazing men in my family, but as you can see, I also love some famous guys, too. There are my ‘first loves’- Freddie from Scooby Doo and Shaun Cassidy 💕 (yes, I preferred him over Leif Garrett…not sure why 🤣); my favorite sports figures -Emmitt Smith (adorable, kind, best RB ever), Peyton Manning (always makes me laugh), and Lee Corso (I'm a sucker for a short, older guy, but I came to love him after watching his antics on College Game Day); my musical loves - Earth Wind & Fire (all time fave), Harry Connick Jr. (handsome, made me love jazz), Prince (genius), and John Legend (Philly guy, super smart, love his kids and wife, ridiculously talented); my favorite funny men- Sebastian Maniscalco (might actually be my brother), Trevor Noah (wit, originality, accent), Henry Winkler (liked as Fonz, but loved on Better Late Than Never), Jonathan Van Ness (fave QE, can’t get enough of his commercials with Simone Biles), and the cast of Whose Line is it Anyway (best show ever); and the guys that make me think- Ben Franklin (Philly guy, super over-achiever), Jeff Probst (I love Survivor), Aristotle and the Dalai Lama (for their wisdom), and Pete Buttigieg (oratory skills, brains, breaking barriers in politics); and last, but not least, my favorite cartoon characters - Bugs Bunny (the GOAT) and Tweety Bird (who IS a male and is so clever yet so darn cute)! Who would be in YOUR men-I-love collage? ❤️