Dear Optimists,
Know what I love? Bendy straws. You know the ones. They..ahem…bend? Something about them always makes the drink more fun.
This has been a random post.
Love,
Den
P.S. Tell me something random that YOU like!
Tag: life
What’s That Smell?
Dear Optimists,
Elevators are often an uncomfortable place for me. I really appreciate my personal space, and always try to give everyone else around me as much space as possible as well. Usually, I find most other people willing to do the same.
One morning this week, I was heading up to my office on the elevator with about five other people. No one was saying a word, and we all just watched the numbers climb up, waiting for our respective floors, and prepping ourselves for the onset of a new work day. After a few seconds, a woman in the elevator opened up her bag and pulled out an onion bagel. I’m not sure if you’ve ever been in an elevator filled with the smell of onion bagel before or not, but it can be somewhat overpowering…especially early in the morning. She took a couple of bites, and we all stood in silence, even more anxious for the elevator to reach our floor.
Suddenly, the man standing behind me slowly leaned forward, stuck his nose in my hair and full-on sniffed it! I immediately thought, “Whaaaa?! Did that just happen?!” I didn’t move a muscle. The elevator doors opened on the floor just before mine. He casually moved past me, and walked towards his office like nothing had happened. I looked at the girl next to me and we both burst out laughing.
Hey, at least that means my hair smells better than onion bagels, right?
Love,
Christy (of PCC Advantage)
Male Bonding
A story about our encounter with a father and son bonding over my favorite thing in the world: Legos.
Dear Optimists,
If you read this blog at all, you already know I have a bit of an affinity – oh heck let’s call it what it is – an obsession with Legos. Well, this past weekend I had a $20 gift card to Toys-R-Us and wanted the cool Creator Log Cabin and was in the aisle looking for it when I saw a father/son by the little bagged figures. Do you know them? They’re in a bag and you have no idea which one you get. It’s fun and I definitely buy them when I see them on sale.
So I walk into the aisle and this father and his son have about twenty of the bags laid out on a shelf. I quickly figure out they’re going for the Feel the bag and guess which one is in it theory (which seldom works…I was trying to get the monkey trainer for the longest time but apparently the girl-hair part feels like a monkey), so Elle and I joined them. I wanted her to see the new series (she pretends to care because she loves me).
I said to Elle, “I really want the robot.” The little kid, who had thick glasses, looked up. The dad laughed. “That’s the one we’re trying to get!” “I can understand that…it’s the best one.” “We also want the leprechaun” the kid said to me. We had a little talk with them and I admitted it took luck to get the monkey trainer (yes, I did finally get it) and we had a nice talk with the kid and his dad. It really warms my heart, seeing a moment like this. The dad and son, working together and chasing down these toys, it’s one of those memories the kid will have forever. I hope to be that dad someday.
They ended up in line behind us as I was buying the log cabin (yup! got it!) and as we walked to our car I heard a voice say “Excuse me!” from the van next to our car. I look over and it’s the kid in the back seat.
“We got the robot!” he yelled. His dad and I both laughed, and I said “That’s awesome. I’m jealous now!”
What a trip to the toy store, huh?
Love,
Den
Relax, Dude
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Guest Post: 21 Going on 12
Dear Optimists,
It’s funny when people underestimate your age. I personally like it, but it gets so awkward when people over-underestimate it! I’m 21 already, but have got myself mistaken as a 12-year-old a lot; dozens of times actually!!
I will never forget two years ago, while shopping with my mom, a man of my father’s age came by and asked me to try a jacket… he said, “Would you please try this? It’s for my daughter, she’s of your age, 12 years.” Then he patted my shoulder, thinking I was a 12-year-old kid!! I swear, I couldn’t utter a word; I silently pulled myself out, leaving him wondering what his mistake was! My mother couldn’t stop laughing when I told her!!
I also remember when I missed my flight last year and the woman at the check-in desk called the plane crew telling them they have left a 12 year-old child alone at the airport!!
Love,
Sara of The Accidental Blog
P.S: My sister insisted on drawing me that tiny; she’s younger, yet taller than I! If I were good with drawing I would’ve drawn myself taller!
Shadow Puppets
Dear Optimists,
Last week the gal and I were driving to a friend’s house for a little get together and the sun was setting, creating this really cool shadow of us in front of the car. I had to point it out to her.
“Look at how cool our shadow looks!”
As she looked I decided to wave. She giggled.
It’s the little things.
Love,
Den
Early Morning Horror
Dear Optimists,
There’s nothing like watching a horror movie in the early morning as I eat breakfast before work. Here it was, 6:30 A.M. and my television ends up on one of my favorites, 28 Days Later. I ate Cheerios with little banana pieces as I watched bloody, disease-ridden people try to eat other people.
What a morning.
Love,
Den
Den Can’t Speak Danish
Dear Optimists,
The longer I work on this blog, the more I wish I could speak/write Danish. Since a large percentage of our readers are from Denmark, it just seems like something I wish I could do!
That, and sometimes I worry that my Danish friends on Facebook are saying stuff about me right in front of me and I don’t even know it. Especially since my name is actually a Danish word…
Love,
Den
P.S. Why do I have a weird feeling that our Danish readers might respond in Danish just to make me more paranoid? 😉
Busy? Busy!
Today’s illustrations are by Mette. Check out her blog!
Dear Optimists,
Busy busy busy. Sometimes we find ourselves so busy that we don’t get the chance to sit down and enjoy the simple things. And that is ME right now. Over the next two weeks, I will teach twenty-four college classes, work at six hockey games, write at least nine blog posts and still attempt to find time to write. Plus about five appointments that surround planning our wedding.
When will I find time to relax, enjoy my house, have some quality time with the fiancee?
Trust me, I will. I’m like that.
Love,
Den
A Fulfilled Dream
Dear Optimists,
Last week, I got to fulfill a dream I’ve had for around fifteen years.
Neutral Milk Hotel has been one of my favorite bands for that long. They broke up before they even really got to show the world their talents in a live venue. They did a tour or two and that was it; I never got the chance to see/hear them live.
Until last week. The lead singer and the songwriter of the band, Jeff Mangum, went on tour and I got to go and just soak in how beautiful the music is live. I sat there like a wide-eyed kid:
It was AWESOME and I will never forget seeing Jeff Mangum live. Eventually I calmed down to the point where I couldn’t stop smiling like a kid:
I hope everyone gets to experience something like that. Now if only I could somehow see The Beatles live.
Love,
Den
P.S. Here is a video of my favorite song by Neutral Milk Hotel (I am aware that their sound is not for everyone), so you can check it out:
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