10 Year Coming Up

*Believe it or not - March 1st, 2020 will mark the ten year anniversary of my daily gratitude practice!  I want to acknowledge it in some way or another and do something special.  When I took care of my friend's kids for a few days in November, afterwards she wanted to pay me.  I said I didn't need her to, she still wanted to.  So I said.  "In a few months will be the 10 year anniversary of my writing gratitudes.  I'd like to do something special.  Maybe if I find something, you can pay for it or help pay - depending on what it is."

So now I had a date and a funding supply, I just needed an idea.

I've thought about it off and on, I had looked up and thought up possibilities, but none of them made me say, "Yes!"  I'm still figuring it out, but today I came upon something that made me think "yes".

**Two years ago I did an "Escape Room" for my birthday with friends.  I didn't actually expect to like it but I really enjoyed it.  Afterwards I thought, "This would be a good thing to do with my soccer team."  I have a great deal of respect for the people I play soccer with, but despite playing with some of them for years, most of them I hardly know.  Plus most of us are introverts, so on the rare occasion that one of us invites the others to a party or something, not that many people go.  But I think these rooms are a great way for people to interact in a fun way without have to make small talk.  I asked my team recently (of 13 people) how many would be interested and 11 said yes!  I just sent an email with a list of dates and times - hoping the logistics won't be too complicated.  One of the date options is March 1st - my 10 year gratitude anniversary.

***I also found some more retreat options for my partner.  He has wanted to take some time to reflect on his time being out of work and what he experienced/learned etc.  And when I was looking for ideas for me, I found ideas for him.

****I saw that they are doing the art shanties again this year in Minneapolis starting this weekend.  They are artistic ice houses with activities etc inside.

*****I met my partner Michael and his daughters while on a cross-country ski weekend with a local outdoors club in 2015.  We all went on the same weekend in 2016,  and in 2018 we also brought my niece.  In 2019 Michael did not have a job and we skipped it.  We just asked the girls tonight if they wanted to go this year.  They didn't participate in the outdoor activities a whole lot last time - or at least the skiing. The youngest pretty quickly said, "Yes."  The oldest, was more reluctant, but eventually gave a soft, "I want to go."  I don't think her dad heard her because he started saying he would miss her, and then she became offended when she realized we might go without her.  She didn't want to miss out!