The pows and wows system, as learned from Lindsey Foster in Hope group at UT:
A pow is a very bad (perhaps the worst) moment/event in a certain period of time (a day, or just recently). A wow is a very good (perhaps the best) moment/event recently.

Today, I had a lot of wows.

My parents are in town!!! It's funny that even though I live in the Boston area, I still only do certain things when my parents are here (the things we would always do when we'd come here to visit Todd), like eat at Legal's (seafood restaurant) and Au Bon Pain, and shop at Filene's.

I love my new, working computer- even the black keyboard is shnazy. O:)

I got to walk through a cool, quaint shopping district along Washington St. today as I went from NEMC to the MGH Weight Center. I went through Chinatown to go to the post office, and then I found a little fabric shop where I bought a yard of a black, silky material with tan and off-white large flowers on it. I used it as a wrap-belt today- and felt very stylishly professional. The weather was windy, but sunny and pleasantly cool for the walk.

Strangely, I wasn't nearly as excited about trying out the dessert-focused "Finale" bakery after dinner as I normally would be. Maybe because I've already been eating Halloween candy and brownies and birthday cake lately (Heather's b-day was on Monday but I made her a vegan cake for our party on Saturday night). Of course, that didn't stop me from downing several bites of each of the desserts we ordered: a mini-cheesecake, a mini-fruit tart, an exquisite cupcake, a rich chocolate dessert. Sooo rich.

It's so good to see my parents again- this past 9 weeks is as long as I've ever gone without seeing them I think. Even when I was in Alaska, they visited after 5 weeks, and France was only 4 weeks. So, it was a record for me. I'm not sure I could have made it to Thanksgiving without getting pretty depressed about it.

That said, I still miss the rest of my family and friends, in Texas or other places.

Oh, another wow- my legs (knees and ankles) are finally feeling a little better- thank the Lord! They almost felt normal today (granted, I took 2 ibuprofen with breakfast), even after my walk this morning. I think that walking to and from work in my walking or other comfortable, supportive shoes as opposed to my stylish work shoes makes a difference- across all the treacherous, old brick sidewalks of the city.

I noticed as I filled in my checkbook log last night that 5 out of the 6 recent debits were all at Whole Foods. I hadn't even shopped their much since moving here, but there is one right accross the street from the Weight Center, so I've gone there for dinner or to shop straight from work several times.... it's adding up- maybe that's my pow.

I'll finish with another random, yet lovely, yet challenging thought. Today the quote on my daily calendar is one of my all time favorites- in fact, I consider it a personal philosophy or goal. Many of you might be able to guess what it is since I've mentioned it in Hope group and used it for college and grad school entrance essays. I love it.

"You have not really lived today until you have done something for somebody who can never repay you."
Have you really lived today?
I'm not sure I did. Another pow?