Advice from a Medical Receptionist

When I went to the WWU health centre yesterday to see my psychiatrist, the receptionist who checked me in gave me some unsolicited advice:

"Take joy in the little things," Paula told me, happy that I was five minutes early for my appointment. "If you build up the little bits of happiness every day, it grows incrementally, like a savings account. Eventually you have a big bank of happiness, and you can let the bad stuff roll off of you much easier."

I smiled at her advice, amused that my being early (for a change) made her so happy.

"And let me tell you what I always tell my kids," she went on. "Every morning, first thing, look in the mirror, and decide if today is going to be a good day, or a bad day. Because the choice to be happy is ultimately yours."

I sincerely thanked her for the advice, and you know what? This morning, I did exactly what she advised. I looked in the mirror, and decided today is going to be a happy day -- after all, there's a big joy in my life today: Having fought tooth and nail to get back in school, I'm starting my next-to-last quarter today!

Heck, who needs psychiatrists when you have receptionists dispensing advice like that?

Finalized class schedule -- WWU Winter Quarter 2008

I finally got registered for the Grant Writing class today, so here's my finalized class schedule for the Winter 2008 quarter at WWU:

JOUR 340 - History of Mass Media
Credit hours: 3
Days/time: MW 8:30 am - 9:45 am
Location: Old Main 482
Instructor: Bradley P. Howard

ENG 351 - Introduction to Fiction Writing
Credit hours: 5
Days/time: TR 12:00 pm - 1:50 pm
Location: College Hall 137
Instructor: Nicholas B. Dybek

ENG 462 - Professional Writing: Grant Writing
Credit hours: 5
Days/time: TR 10:00 am - 11:50 am
Location: Humanities Bldg 105
Instructor: Nicole Brown

Total Credit Hours: 13.000

Not too thrilled about the 8:30 on Monday morning one, but at least I have Fridays off...
Once more into the breach!