First and foremost, my kids. Seriously, my kids have a super power over me. Like the most super, most powerful, super power ever. If they smile, I smile. It's a guarantee. Even if the reason they're smiling is because they're laughing at me, which happens way more than I want to admit, it still makes me smile. You know what I love the most though? When they feel like they've accomplished something. The look on their face during those moments....well, I can't think of anything I like more. I'll give an example. My oldest tried out for his 8th grade basketball team this year. He wasn't going to at first. He was certain that he wouldn't make the team, so he said he wasn't even going to try out. I asked him to at least give it a shot, but I didn't push it. He decided to try on his own and I was really proud of him. Here's the best part though... The coach announced who made the team by putting a paper up on the outside of the gym. It was a Sunday morning, so I drove him over to the school so that he could take a look. When we got there, I parked the car and was about to get out when he looked at me and said he wanted to go by himself. I said ok, and then had a near heart attack as I watched him walk up to the sheet of paper. I was way more nervous than he was even though I didn't care if he made the team. I was just proud that he tried. Anyway...he looked at the sheet of paper and slowly turned around with the coolest look I've ever seen on his face. He had made it. I honestly can't think about that moment without getting tears in my eyes and the biggest smile on my face. I'm telling you...super powers!!!
What else makes me smile? My staff. I run the technology department for a public school district and I have the best staff. I love them. They all kick ass and make my job way easier than it should be. And the best part? They all have absolutely no problem giving me a hard time. I'm a sarcastic son of a b...well, you know, but I like to think that I can take it as well as I give it. Maybe even better. That's a good thing too because it's so easy to find things to give me a hard time over. I mean, I have a pink lawn flamingo covered in pink boas on the desk in my office. (Again, don't judge me!! It makes me smile) Here's another example for you. They had a blast on Friday giving me a hard time because I was totally bummed that I wasn't going to see The Backstreet Boys when they come to town in a couple of weeks. I am bummed too. I would totally go to that show!!! My staff had a really good time with it, and I have to admit, I was all in with the amount of laughter it was causing. My staff and I laugh so much, and quite often it's at my expense. I'm good with that though, because I know that they respect me, and I know that each and every one of them have my back. They're awesome, and they make me smile. I think we all make each other smile actually.
What else... oh yeah. Kids. Not mine, well of course mine, but I mean kids in general. I totally dig kids. I'll fist bump and blow it up with any kid, any where. Kids just make me smile. I actually have this little thing I do where I try to get kids to smile at me. Like kids in the grocery store, or something like that. It's amazing how simply noticing and smiling at a kid can get them to smile back. You can't beat a little kid's smile. I love having conversations with kids because they are so different from the conversations I have with adults. Plus, I'm a total goofball, so I tend to relate well to a lot of kids. I remember in high school, we actually ran a preschool. It was awesome. Totally one of my favorite classes. I had a blast playing with the kids. I even had a mom come up to me at the end of the semester and thank me because I was the first male that her daughter had warmed up to in a very long time. She didn't go into a lot of details, and I'm glad she didn't, but she gave me a hug and said thank you. It was one of the coolest moments of my life. I'll never forget it.
OK. Here's a good one. I love watching people be awesome at what they are best at. For instance, my ex can sing. Like totally sing. I loved watching her sing up in front of church, or at weddings. It always made me smile. Another example, I work with a really great group of teachers. I've been fortunate enough to watch a number of them present to other teachers, or simply teach their classes, and they are fantastic at it. I love sitting back and watching them do their thing. Another, my dad played the trumpet for years. He played in the orchestra at church and it was the coolest thing to me. I can't hear the "Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's Messiah without thinking of my dad. There's this one part in the middle of the song where the lead trumpet player has a very brief solo that leads the singers into a really powerful "King of Kings...." My dad always nailed that part. So awesome! I loved watching him play.
OK. There are lot of other things that make me smile. You know, things that make everyone smile, like sunsets, or rainbows, or whenever somebody tickles me (Do not try to tickle me!) I like to smile. Even more important, I like it when other people smile. I think most people are like that. It's just something that I've been thinking a lot about in the last couple of days, so I thought I'd write it down. Anyway, time for bed. Good night both of my readers. I'm out.
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