For quite awhile I have been down and in a bit of a funk.  My job bores me to tears and every day I take several deep-breath sessions to try and relax and remind myself that I only have two weeks left.  But as I’m sure most people can understand, when you are unhappy and in a negative environment, two weeks can seem like a lifetime.  I spend hours on MindBodyGreen reading articles that help for the most part, but…my heart is still broken and my memories always remind me of what I used to have and what I still love.  When that stops working I write.  When that stops working I busy myself with a crossword puzzle.  And when that stops working, I excuse myself to the restroom for a short cry.

Today was a particularly bad day followed up by a migraine, so when I got home I was in no mood for anything that would make my day worse.  After breakfast for dinner, a Helena Bonham Carter movie, and headache relief I decided to go for my number one feel good activity – a Guy Ritchie movie.  I then had the bright idea to look through all the photos on my computer…honestly, I should have though of this earlier.  There are so many things in there that made me smile or laugh (and a few that made me yearn for my lost love) so I thought I would share some of them.

There are far too many to share in one post, so, as a reason to force myself to smile again some time, I will break it up into several posts.  Quite prudent, no?

Because I once worked HERE:

I went to school in Los Angeles at the University of Southern California (FIGHT ON TROJANS!!) and while there I was allowed to participate in the work-study program since I didn’t float in on a river of money, rather a train of debt.  What is even better than this?  If you aren’t familiar with Los Angeles I will tell you a wonderful fact, the Natural History Museum is located right across the street from the campus.  Right.  There.  Neighbors of the Coliseum as well.  Does it get any better than this?  Take away the gangs and, no, it doesn’t.

Every day I worked I passed these beauties:

I named them Edgar and Bianca.  (Bianca is the T-Rex, because that makes less sense.)  I used to make polite conversation with them if I got to work early.  Edgar was quite loquacious, which made Bianca jealous I think.  That’s why it looks like she is about to attack him.  Never get in the middle of a pre-historic relationship.  It might end badly:

At least they will spend the rest of their days together.  Bianca told Edgar, “I would rather spend the rest of my life fighting with you, than ever look at another creature.”  Wish granted.  Edgar would have rolled his eyes but he had better sense than that.  So he continues to remain at her side – the perfect couple.  We could learn a lot from these two, folks.

This isn’t even the best part.  You see, right next to the Museum is The Rose Garden:

This view might be familiar to you if you watch Bones.  Unfortunately it was not filmed here.  Nor was it filmed here:

This is the Science Museum.  Conveniently located next to the History Museum and inside the Rose Garden.  I’m telling you, USC was the best place to go to College.  UCLA sure is pretty but USC has some insanely awesome neighbors.  Sometimes I would sit in the Rose Garden and read or do homework or just think…until I wold be interrupted by a wedding or some other event – for some reason people liked to use this as some kind of event grounds.  Rude, no?  But then again,  when something like this happens, you kind of understand why:

It isn’t the best of pictures, but it was a really beautiful sight.  It was one of those moments that made you truly appreciate life in all its beauty.  Imagine sitting in garden, the sweet scent of roses tickling your nose, the low murmur of the bushes as the gentle breeze plays with them,the beautiful chorus of children playing and laughing, the water splashing merrily in the fountain, and then the sudden whoosh of flapping wings as the birds, in one swift movement, move on to something else; alerted by something only they are privy to.  In that moment you feel connected.  To the moment.  To the world.  To something greater than yourself.  And you just know, it’s all worth it.  These are the moments you tell yourself to remember.  Remember and hold on to for times when life doesn’t make sense.  When you ask yourself “why.”  This is why.

And the Rose Garden doesn’t stop here with its magic.  When my sister came to visit I happened upon the perfect angle in which to make an animal from a tree:

Isn’t it amazing how you can be walking along, look up, and find your five year old self making shapes out of clouds, or foliage, as it were.  The ability to use ones imagination should never be given up.  This happens to be one of my favorite pictures and it makes me laugh each and every time I look at it.

And last (for this post), but certainly not least, is the worlds most perfect rose:

Maybe it hadn’t bloomed yet, but that is what made it so beautiful to me.  It was so soft, and the colors were perfect, and it smelled like what I imagine happiness would.  It wasn’t intimidated by all the large flowers surrounding it.  It didn’t care that it was different.  It grew, and it was proud.  I like to imagine myself like this flower.  I haven’t fully bloomed yet,  but I keep my ground, keep growing, and keep trying.

There you have it – A few reasons to smile on a day when crying seems like a much more cathartic activity.