Happy Second Birthday!

Today marks PositivelyAnna's second birthday. I can't believe we are two! I've spent the day reading all the posts from the past year and what a year it has been. I've compiled my top favorites.

10. HOLY SHIT! IT IS IN THE HOUSE! That bird gave me two gifts. The first was providing me with a great little story that I will probably tell at dinner parties for the rest of my life. The second was not shitting all over our apartment.

9. The Shem Women's Group I picked this post because I love the pictures so much. These women experience hardships most of us can't imagine and yet they radiate joy.

8. 101 Things in a 1001 Days: #4 - My Trip To Portland here here and here This was such a great trip. You should book your trip to Portland now. No! NOW!

7. Surprised I Didn't Ruin The Surprise I would say I picked this post because it reminds me of my sweet friends Liz and Kyle. But I see those jokers all the time so I didn't need any reminders. I picked this post because of a comment I received. It is a well-known part of being a blogger that sometimes (or all the times) you will receive nasty comments. Because of the mild nature of my blog and that it is relatively unknown, I hadn't received any. I was feeling left out! Until I got this hum dinger from screaminscott:
Believe it or not, some people don't like being suddenly thrust into the center of attention unprepared. Perhaps they had other plans. Perhaps they wanted a quiet evening at home. Perhaps they had a sleepless night and they are tired. Or perhaps they just want to be in control of their destiny instead of being forced to plaster on a fake smile and act grateful for the imposition of having to entertain a bunch of people for the entire evening. I hate surprise parties. If anyone ever threw one for me, I would turn around and walk out.

I LOVE this comment. It really makes me want to find this sceaminscott, throw him a surprise party, watch him scream "I want to be in control of my destiny!" and then walk out.

6. The Other Peas in my Pod I picked this post because I'm getting better at writing "big posts." Maybe that mean I'm maturing. I sure hope not.

5. 101 Things in a 1001 Days: #62 Giving up alcohol for a month was more like an experiment in how much not fun I could have in 31 days.

4. The Big Race! Here, here, here, and here. Also here. Oops! And here. Clearly the race was one of my favorite things of the year because I wouldn't freakin shut up about it.

3. A Great First Impression As it is about two of my favorite things in the world, New Boston and the 4th of July, I thought I should include a post about the glory of both of them.

2. 101 Ideas for Your 101 - Making my 101 list has been one of the best things I've ever done. I hope I inspired a few of you to start your own. The full list of 101 ideas: Seasonal Items, Getting Giving On Your List , Grab Your Passport, My List Don't Cost a Thing, Can't Pick Your Family,
Reading, Writing and Arithmetic, To Your Health, It Is a Dirty Job, A Little Adventure, Why The Hell Not, and The Best Inspiration

1. Big News! I chose a post about moving in with Matt as my Number 1 because it is the best thing I've done this past year. Also because of all the wonderful support and encouragement I received for all of you. I really do appreciate it!

Here's to the third year of PositivelyAnna. I hope it is filled with surprise parties, champagne, and not bird shit.

Song of the Day
Because it has turned into a bit of a tradition, today's song is The Way You Make Me Feel.

PositivelyAnna Mascot

This video is solid gold! She would make the perfect mascot for PositivelyAnna. An intense optimism that verges on scary. Just how I like it.



Song of the Day
Today's song is Nina Simone's Ain't Got No, which is another wonderful affirmation list.

First Day of Summer

Happy first day of summer!

Guest photographer: Matt Carrow

Two of my favorite things about summer: bicycles and baseball. How about you?



Song of the Day
Today's song is the Rolling Stone's Get Off of My Cloud

Happy Father's Day!

To the man who taught me how to sail, throw a ball, listen and make amazing pancakes. Love you Dad and I'll see you in a few weeks.

How did you spend your Father's Day? I hope it included telling the dads in your life how much they mean to you.

Song of the Day

I thought Paul Simon's Father and Daughter would be a good pick for Father's Day.

Not Psyched About My Civic Duty

I have jury duty today. First time. I'll have to admit I'm kind of nervous. I ordinarily would be curious about it. The judicial process fascinates me. But I'm super busy at work right now and not being in the office is really screwing me. Just not a good time for jury duty, but I guess there probably never is a great time for it.

I'm also nervous because I'm afraid of being bored. I hate being bored! So I'm treating jury duty like a long road trip to no place fun. Here is my Civic Duty Survival Pack. I'll let you know how it works out for me.

If you have any advice for surviving jury duty I would love to hear it.

Song of the Day

I woke up with Loudon Wainwright's Daughter stuck in my head. So here you go.

Save the 4th of July!

The 4th of July has always had a special place in my heart. In fact, it is my favorite holiday. The 4th is a very big deal in my hometown of New Boston, NH.

Liberty Mutual is offering $10,000 grants for 4th of July celebrations. The towns with the most votes win so vote for New Boston, NH! I won't hate you if you vote for your own town, but I might talk about you behind your back. All you have to do is take a short quiz on American history, but they don't care how you do. So whether you are a smarty or a dummy, you can still help save the 4th of July. Click here to cast your vote.

Song of the Day
Today's song is John Mellencamp's Ain't That America.

If I Buy It Will Kevin Costner Come?

On May 13th New York Times reported that the Field of Dreams house and baseball field is for sale. If I was 10 years old and had $5.4 million, I would totally buy it.

I saw Field of Dreams for the first time when I was ten in my church. Our minister, "Woody" Woodland, whose life's passion is equally split between sports and our community church, must have jumped out of his seat the first time time he saw this movie. The perfect combination of the power of baseball and a higher being.

Well Field of Dreams almost made me jump out of my seat too. When Kevin Costner first came on screen in that cornfield as the voice-hearing Ray Consella, my jaw dropped. I was IN LOVE! Kevin Costner has been and always will be my first movie star crush. And not Water World or the Postman can take that from me.

Who was your first movie star crush? Matt's was Marion from Indian Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark. And Mandy's was Macaulay Culkin. Oh that is solid gold!

Song of the Day
Today's song is Dave Matthew's Band's Crush.

Thank You Mr Chipwich

On May 18th, The Village Voice reported that Richard LaMotta, the inventor of the Chipwich died. As you know, my love affair with the Chipwich has not been going on for long but I am so very thankful to LaMotta for inventing it.

What is your favorite invention?

Song of the Day

I am not so very thankful for the heatwave that New York is experiencing right now. But I am happy summer is here! Tim McGraw's Something Like That always reminds me of summer.