It's a little early, but I'm feeling thankful

Oh hi there. Did you know that I'm famous? No? Well let me show you. Scroll over about nine photos.

Okay, famous probably isn't even close to an appropriate term for getting my picture on the internet. In all actuality, my fame is reduced by how flat and dull my hair looks in that photo, but hey, Maggie freaking Mason put me on her website. I'm going to cheers myself the next time I have a cocktail in my hand.

On to what I originally planned to write about today, before I found out that I was famous. I've never really been a person that cared too much about scenery. While people fawned over the view of mountains and flora, I'm usually more interested in other parts of travel, like history and food and drink. This is the first year I can remember feeling somewhat moved by the exploding color change on the trees. Then again, maybe the fact that I didn't have a camera last year and couldn't document it had something to do with it. In either case, I've felt compelled to take pictures of the quick color pop.



On Monday as I walked home from work, I felt more aware and observant than usual. The color on the leaves was particularly stark against a gloomy sky, and for the thousandth time in a year, I felt so happy about where I am. Before I moved here, I drove 45 minutes one way to work. I hated my job and my boss, and I couldn't even see how unhappy I was. Now it takes me seven minutes to walk to work, and I walk home for lunch every day. I love where I live, both the neighborhood and the community. I hope I will always be aware enough to see when a big part of life like where I work or where I live makes me unhappy (or happy!).