I am getting so excited for my birthday – less than 48 hours and counting!  I’ve already made a list of all the things I want to do that day, knowing full well that even if I get to do only a handful of them I’ll be happy.

Yesterday, I got four packages in the mail!  Four!  All gifts!  One was, admittedly, a gift to myself as part of my new motivational scheme:  “How to Motivate Lazy Dummies.”  Basically, I tell myself that if I complete a certain task that I’m prone to making excuses to not do (e.g. five consecutive workouts), I can get something I’ve wanted for along time (e.g. new jeans.)  The lazy is what I am combating and the dummy is the fact that I know full well I can buy those jeans anyway; it’s all about self-trickery.  Anyway, I am really grateful that the new jeans arrived and that they fit.  A girl could get really hooked on internet shopping.

Speaking of the joy of receiving mail – have you signed up yet for the free gratitude postcards that I’ll be sending out on Thursday? Have you told your friends to sign up?  There is really no catch – you can unsubscribe from the mailing list at any time. The postcards have arrived from the printers and have gotten 100% rave reviews from the consumer marketing group I’ve assembled (made up of Diene, my sister, and another highly-biased friend).  So – why not get in on the action?

I am so grateful for 29 January 2009 as it approaches!