I have been overwhelmed this week with gratitude for the lovely people in my life. Friends and family who support me and love me, coworkers who are so patient and funny, and random nice people (like neighbors) who make me smile when I run into them.

Finishing exams has been a huge weight lifted off my shoulders, and it's been so easy to be happy and content. I wish I was better at feeling that way during times of stress as well, but I definitely let myself get anxious when there are big things at stake. (You know, like finishing my masters.)

In an effort to get better at relaxing, I want to take some time occasionally to write down things that make me happy, so I don't forget to appreciate the little things.

Tonight, I'm grateful for:
- sunny, warm weather and the opportunity to enjoy it
- friends who are like family to me
- new friends that I can't wait to get to know better
- Midasman, always

Because tomorrow my comprehensive exams start, and I'm freaking.
...and if I don't pass these exams then I don't graduate my masters program.
...and the study guide is 400+ terms, at least 100 of which I've never heard of.

Because yesterday was a fantastic day, and even if nothing comes of this new thing I've got going on I'm really enjoying it for now, and it's good to be reminded that nice guys are out there.

Because this whole album (which came out on my birthday!) got me through a horrendous breakup.

Because TSwift is clearly my spirit animal and someone understands all my feelings despite being so very young.

Because I don't care if everyone I know makes fun of me and my un-ironic obsession with Taylor Swift.

Because this song makes me happy, and I could use a big dose of that right about now.

One of my favorite people is getting in just over a month, so yesterday we threw a semi-impromptu bridal shower.

The reason the lovely bride to be looks like a pirate in the photo above is thanks to a Brazilian game wherein the bride has to guess what the gift is, and if she guesses wrong the person who gave it to her puts makeup on her. If she gets it right, the giver gets painted.

I made a Vine video of how everyone looked, it's in the tweet below.

Mel's bridal shower!!! vine.co/v/bDrDMU0puAz
— JoPickle (@jospikol) March 23, 2013

Oh and that tiny pup is Piper, Jolyn's dog, who I fully intend for Midas to fall in love with. We've already planned their wedding.

Please bear with me while I engage in some major white girl problems whining.

My fabulous and wonderful job is sending me to London for two weeks at the end of April!

But...this means that in the next four weeks I need to...
- attend a 3 day work summit thing
- throw a bridal shower for one of my favorite people the next day
- take comprehensive exams for two days straight on everything I've learned in three years of graduate school
- MAKE A FILM
- continue do my job 50+ hours a week

and for the bonus round...
- lose the 12 pounds I gained post breakup (oops!)
- try to have a life
- spend time with the best man in my life (Midasmonster, obviously)
- put in several hours a day waiting for the phone to ring

All of this begs the question: I can do all this, right? I can push myself to the breaking point for four weeks, and make it out fine on the other side. After all, I just have to PASS the exams, not ace them. I just have to MAKE the film, not win an academy award for it.

Better or worse, it's all over in four weeks. And then I get on a plane for London.

A friend showed me this performance from the Ellen show, and I've been listening to it nonstop since.