Thursday Thirteen #185

Today it's the positive 13! This year, during the first Thursday of the month I am looking back at the previous month to recount 13 good things that happened the month before. I can be a bit negative sometimes, so I am trying to take the time to remember that all is not bleak and bad!

So here are good things from March:

1. I received an A on my first "real" paper in Sociology. I was quite pleased. The paper was on Harriet Martineau and her book, How to Observe Morals and Manners. I also received an A on an oral presentation on the Chicago School/Hull House (early 20th century "settlement" established to learn about and to assist the less fortunate). I have always been a good student, and I am glad that age hasn't changed that!

2. My allergies stayed under control, for the most part, thanks to a new steroid nasal spray, VeraMyst, that I started using regularly.

3. It's spring! Thank goodness. Warmer temperatures, flowers (ah . . . ah . . . choo!), green grass. Time to put the heavy coat back into the closet!

4. I walked on the treadmill 12 out of  31 days of the month. (I keep a record.) That's not as frequently as I would like - better than nothing, of course, so I will celebrate that! I want to do at least 20 out of 30 days. I will offer up a pulled muscle as a reason for not at least walking every other day, as I had to take a little rest for a few days to let that heal.

5. A new friend from class, someone 20 years my junior, has given me much to think about. I have enjoyed getting to know someone in her age bracket. I think it is good to learn to listen and talk to people of all ages.

6. I had a massage. I try to have one a month because it really helps my back. I highly recommend it for stress reduction and overall good health.

7. Reiki is a "Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing." It's a kind of energy healing, like a laying on of hands. I have found this helpful in the past, and so I tried out a new Reiki practitioner in late March.

8. I think I have settled on a topic for the 50+ page thesis I must write in order to obtain my master's degree. I am pretty happy with the ideas I have.

9. Someone backed into my car  - twice -  while it was parked, which was not a very good thing, but I am quite thankful he had insurance and the company has agreed to fix the damage.

10. I had lunch a couple of times with good friends. I am always so thankful for the people in my life.

11. I read these books: The Walk, by Richard Paul Evans, Every Day by the Sun, by Dean Faulkner Wells, Women & Economics, by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. The latter, written in 1898, was for my sociology class. Very thought-provoking.

12. We had a little snow in late March, but fortunately it was gone by lunchtime. My kind of snow!

13. I watched the super moon of March 19 set behind the mountains, and took a video of it. You can see that here if you want.

Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 185th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.